Everyday English Listening and Speaking Practice English by Topics for Everyday Life Conversation

[Music]

50 topics for everyday life

conversations

time and date

dialog 1.

have you seen the latest news

the schedule has been changed

i don’t know

what is the new class schedule

we changed the morning class schedule to

the afternoon class

so we have math with mr anderson at 2pm

great i hate going to school in the

morning in this cold weather

i will spend the morning sleeping

whatever

because every morning i wake up early to

exercise and cook breakfast

well

i know you have a healthy lifestyle

dialogue too

do you know what time it is

it’s a quarter past six what’s up

the movie stranger things starts the new

season at 7 30. i want to get ready to

see

i thought you said this movie wasn’t

good

it’s about season two

you know this new season has a great

cast of guests

that sounds interesting

now i’m going to go make coffee to enjoy

the movie do you want mom

i don’t drink coffee at night

are you going to watch all the episodes

of course i’ve been waiting for this

movie for a month

well enjoy it

dialogue three

[Music]

hello

where are you going

i’m on my way to the library

wow do you often go to the library

about three times a week

why do you ask

oh nothing i’m just curious

how long can the books in the library be

borrowed

you will be borrowed for about two to

three weeks

can you assist me with my studies

of course

what time

at six o’clock tonight

my family is having dinner at that time

around 8 pm okay

that’s okay

see you later

see you

[Music]

shopping

dialogue one

good afternoon has anyone helped you yet

no not yet

what could i do for you

yes i’m looking for a silk tie

well you’re in luck because we have some

ties that are on sale today

what color would you prefer oh i prefer

solid colors and checkered patterns

here it is

okay how much is it

the initial price is thirty five dollars

and a ten percent discount

now it’s 31.50

all right i’ll take it

okay i will repackage it for you

dialog 2.

hello can i help you with something

yes please i’m looking for a pair of

sports shoes

which size do you want

i need size 42.

which particular branch do you prefer

i like adidas ones

how about this one

it looks fine can i try it on

go ahead

they’re too tight maybe i should try a

bigger size

yes sir here it is

how much

forty dollars

all right i’ll get it

dialog three

excuse me do you work in this store

yes may i help you

my basement is being repainted i need a

new brush better than an old brush to

work with

try using a spray gun

spray gun that sounds weird is it easy

to use

it’s very easy to use i’ll get it for

you

that’s incredible

it resembles a gun from a science

fiction film

yes but it’s a fantastic tool

it’s not messy because you may change

the tip or spray a smaller amount

well that’s probably better for little

details in corners

that’s correct

and it’s on sale this week

sounds really tempting

right

when the product is defective you can

return it within one week

however

it should not be necessary

oh i

a five-year guarantee has been offered

by the manufacturer it’s a guaranteed

thing

nice i will take one

well please give the money to the

cashier

okay

[Music]

offers and invitations

dialogue one

[Music]

well what are you doing tomorrow evening

i will go to a live show with my friends

it’s the live show of the group maroon

maroon 5

it’s my favorite band

i’ve become their loyal fan since

listening to pay phone

do you want to go with us

am i invited

why not we can buy an extra ticket for

you

many thanks

what time shall i meet you

a live show is going to start at 8 pm

tomorrow we will meet at six o’clock at

the entrance

yes see you tomorrow then bye

dialogue two

[Applause]

what are your plans for thanksgiving

eric

i’m staying at my university what’s up

are you staying on campus

don’t you go home with your family

my parents are traveling to switzerland

so what are you going to do

i don’t know maybe study or dinner with

my friends

that’s really boring

um what options do i have why don’t you

come to my house and have dinner with my

family

do you think that’s a good idea

definitely yes it will be so much fun

but

your

parents don’t worry my parents enjoy

having dinner with my friends

okay

so when are you going to leave

tomorrow afternoon i’ll be waiting for

you at the parking lot

you can help pay for gas

okay i can

alright you’ll have a wonderful

thanksgiving

congratulations and

celebrations

dialogue one

[Music]

wow you look different today what’s

going on

today is our 30th wedding anniversary

our family is going to the hotel to

celebrate

that’s why you have those gorgeous

flowers

oh what bag are you holding

that’s the present i prepared for my

wife a necklace studded with diamonds

fantastic

your wife will surely be very happy

i also hope my wife will like it my wife

always complains about why i don’t give

her diamonds

hope you both have a good time

thanks

dialogue too

[Music]

morning tom

oh morning anna

you look happy how’s it going

great have you heard any news

no what’s wrong

i received my law college admission

letter oh really when

just this morning they sent me an email

well done

thank you very much

now i’m too excited to go to class

forget about classes and lessons let’s

go have some fun

i’d want to celebrate but not this

morning i will celebrate in the

afternoon

when no one has class

of course the more the merrier

true

what time do we meet

let’s all meet here at four o’clock

congratulations once again you’ve done a

great job

thank you i was fortunate

now we have to rush to class

okay then see you later

miss future lawyer i’ll see you this

afternoon

[Music]

telephone calls

dialogue one

[Music]

hello

may i speak to alice please

sorry about that there’s nobody here by

that name

is this the number eight six three three

one two one two one

no you got the wrong number

please accept my apologies

i must have phoned the incorrect

number dialogue two

hello is alice available

sorry she’s not here

i inquire as to who is phoning

i’m anna

can i take a message

don’t mind i’ll call her cell phone

all right

thank you anyway

it was nothing

dialogue three

good morning how can i help you

good morning could i speak to brian owen

please

who’s calling please

mary haston

hold for one moment please

i’ll hold

okay ma’am

i’m sorry his line is busy mr owen is on

the other line ma’am

can i take a message

can you please put me in touch with

human resources

they may have already left let me check

okay

ma’am

yes

someone is in the office i’m going to

transfer your call right now

okay thank you

food and dining

dialogue one

[Music]

wow this is delicious food

do you enjoy it

yes it is particularly very delicious

what is it

it’s my family’s heirloom recipe the

main ingredients are chicken clams and a

few seasonings

well i think it’s fantastic

oh no i dropped my spoon

use this it’s clean

thank you

can you give me the salt shaker

isn’t it salty enough

no it’s it’s fine i love salt

hmm

salty food is not good for health

i know but i find it better when it’s

salty

all right

this is just the first course

what comes next

your preferred dish

chicken baked in lemon sauce

oh my goodness i’m going to eat till i’m

full

just keep in mind that if i cook you

must wash the dishes

sure take that out

dialogue 2.

can i take your order please

you see it’s the first time we’ve been

to this restaurant

what do you recommend

we are famous for our meatloaf

all right then we’ll have salad for

starters

okay then and would you want it with

mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese

[Music]

i guess i’d rather have macaroni and

cheese

would you like some drinks

we’ll go for water today

okay that’s the meatloaf with macaroni

and cheese thanks

[Music]

23 culture and art

dialogue one

what exactly are you looking at

cubist art

it is a book about that

that sounds strange

it consists solely of blocks in various

forms

without a doubt

the artists are attempting to represent

reality in this manner

what do you mean

through the fundamental shapes that we

ordinarily take for granted

why are you suddenly interested in this

the city museum is having an exhibition

about the cubist painting display

did you go see it

no i didn’t i will go this weekend

before i went i wanted to do some

research on it

good idea are you learning much

just a bit my interest is to stir it a

little

didn’t picasso create that trend

no but he developed it and popularized

are there any picasso artworks on

display in the city museum

there are a few paintings

it was borrowed from a museum in spain

nonetheless a picasso is a picasso maybe

i’ll accompany you

that’s great with me

dialogue 2.

i’m overjoyed my painting was recently

accepted by a gallery

do you mean the national museum of art

yes great congratulations

thanks

they want me to exhibit my painting next

month

how many

approximately 10.

there are three landscapes two still

lifes a seascape and four impressionist

cityscapes in my collection

are they the ones you did at the

coliseum

that’s correct next year i’ll also have

a display at the art museum

you’re really gifted i wish i could

sketch and paint like you

i tried a lot took many years of hard

work and countless rejections to get

where i am today

literature

dialogue one

what is a class about today

literature class we began reading war

and peace

isn’t that book almost a thousand pages

long

that sort of thing i can’t remember the

precise number

when you must you finish this book

our professor wants it to be read before

the end of next month

you have a lot of reading to do

what are your thoughts

there are several characters to recall

why does your class read this book

because this is a class on russian

literature

is tolstoy one of your favorite authors

i also like him

however i like some of russia’s later

writers

who for

example dastavesky gorky and a few

others are among them

this is beyond my understanding

best wishes in class

dialogue two

[Music]

what are you reading now

i’m reading jk rowling

jk rowling

what

rowling wrote the world famous book

harry potter

the novels chronicle the lives of young

wizard harry potter and his friends

hermione granger and ron weasley

all of whom are students at hogwarts

school of witchcraft and wizardry

it’s fiction isn’t it

definitely

this book is very famous

let me have a look

here you are

isn’t the book in english

ah it’s been translated into many

languages around the world

i’m reading in french

sports and games

dialogue one

who is that

the tallest guy on the team

yaming is his name he is chinese

is he good at playing

of course he scored 20 points for the

chinese team

well that’s really good

he’s also the captain of the team

dialogue too

would you like to go out for a drink

sorry i can’t i’m going to bed early

tonight i have a match tomorrow

oh yes are you worried

just a little bit

i will play the first turn tomorrow

is that true

are you no longer a substitute

yeah

coach made the decision to give me a

chance

congrats bro what makes you believe you

did that

most likely because i hit a home run in

our last game

what position do you play

i’ll be at third base

it’s a difficult position a lot of

places come your way

that’s correct but i believe i can

handle it

what time does the game begin

the game is scheduled to begin at 1pm

i’ll come to cheer you on

great

are you not coming with us just one

drink

i’m afraid not i’m in desperate need of

a decent night’s sleep

i get what you mean

okay we’ll see you tomorrow

i’ll see you later

entertainment

dialogue one

do you have plans for today

no i don’t what did you have in mind

i was thinking of going to the

entertainment center with you

entertainment center

what do you want to play there

how about going bowling

i’m not in the mood to go bowling

do you have any other suggestions

what about watching movies

that’s a good idea we can go watch

stranger things i’ve read an excellent

review of it

okay let’s get started

dialogue 2

[Music]

what did we do tonight how about

watching a chinese movie have you

watched uh sun wukong the monkey king

come on you know i don’t like watching

chinese movies and i don’t get it

it’s a pity this movie is very popular

what do you want to do tonight

why not remain at home and watch

wrestling on television

the rock is going to face steve austin

in an all all-out bra to the death

you’ve got to be kidding right

don’t you realize professional wrestling

is all a sham

so why don’t you do it

let’s see if you can get in there and

take on those men

don’t be so childish you can drive me

insane at times

okay calm down

come over here and we’ll watch the movie

you just suggested

i thought you stated that you don’t like

chinese movies

didn’t you say it’s very famous

i also want to try it once

okay you are weird

dialogue three

are you free tonight

i’m going to a concert with steve what’s

wrong

i want to invite you to my house

anyway what kind of concert

classical

really you managed to persuade steve to

listen to classical music

yes indeed

last week

i went to a baseball game with him

i get what you mean you bore him because

he bores you

perhaps we’re just broadening our

horizons

when i see it i’ll believe it

what kind of music will they be playing

a selection of pieces by beethoven and

mozart it’s the washington symphony

orchestra

these tickets are hard to get

how did you buy it

my dad’s friend works at the theater

that’s fantastic

i wish you a pleasant time

i’m sure i will

i hope your lover is sober enough after

the concert

me too

i’m out i’ll call you later

okay i’ll talk to you later goodbye

[Music]

hobbies and past

times dialogue one

tell me what do you enjoy doing in your

spare time

i know you enjoy going to bars

yeah how about you do you go to bars for

fun

no i’m not i’ll go to karaoke then i

have free time for entertainment

yes i know you have a talent for singing

songs you have a beautiful voice

thank you

that has now become my hobby

we can go to karaoke next time okay

okay

[Music]

dialog

i’ve noticed that you have a lot of

fun how do you do it

on the weekends if the weather is nice i

will go camping with my girlfriend it’s

very fun

i wish i had a girlfriend too that i

could go camping with

we always want to have more trips

together

and we’re keen on going camping because

we can enjoy the beautiful nature and

peace

and this winter i’m going to take a

skiing class

i’m so excited to see the results after

you join the skiing class

yes wait a month and see what happens

dialog 3

what are your hobbies

ids are collecting coins

whoa how long have you maintained this

hobby

i’ve been collecting since i was a kid

oh i used to collect coins

so you’re not doing it anymore

28 likes and dislikes

dialogue one

oh i’m starving

why don’t we try some indian food

i don’t want indian food because it is

too hot and spicy for me

so i’m guessing you don’t enjoy thai

food either

not really but i prefer thai food to

indian food

so what do you recommend

what about chinese cuisine do you like

chinese food

sure i absolutely love chinese food

dialogue too

[Music]

i can’t stand this heat i want to go

swimming

no i don’t like to go to the swimming

pool

i’ll be quite uncomfortable with the

boys always gazing at me

but it’s too hot

come to a quiet lake that i know there

will only be you and me

i promise no one will stare at you

okay it’s hot and it’d be wonderful to

get away from it all

let’s go

dialogue three

[Music]

so frank do you like my hair

well it looks great i love it

come on i’d like to know the truth

you’re just trying to make me feel happy

i tell the truth i find your hair very

trendy

why are you not satisfied with it

my hair looks so short i’ve never

experienced anything like this before

it’s strange

i guess you’re an old-fashioned girl and

you’d like long hair

but now the trend is the hairstyle like

yours

yeah whatever

i’ll have to alter it back to something

more normal

now you can only wait for your hair to

grow out

cause and effect

dialogue one

what is the matter with bob

why are you asking like that

what transpired

he seemed sad today and he doesn’t say

anything even after school

oh i believe i know why

tell me the reason

last night i think he was arguing with

his girlfriend that might be why he’s

upset today

that’s true that’s bad

it’s difficult to conceive what else

might be making him so furious

i understand he’s very easy going and

always gets along with people

i don’t know what makes him like that

a disagreement with his girlfriend for

example

is a possible cause

i suppose so

i’ll attempt to contact him later

i hope he will be better tomorrow

i hope that too

dialogue 2

am i not mistaken

are you

smiling

i haven’t seen you smile like that in a

very long time

it’s really nothing

well something funny must have happened

right

that’s one of the biggest smiles i’ve

ever seen

oh no you’re embarrassing me

all right your face is turning red what

exactly is happening

i have an appointment with my new

girlfriend i’m leaving goodbye

i see that’s why you’re grinning

dialogue three

look what time it is

you are late again

why are you so late

i’m sorry

that’s at our professor

unreasonable reason

the professor tried to say something

more after the bell rang so my class got

out late

what subject did you just study is it

professor williams

exactly do you also know the professor

i got it

this professor always lets the class out

late let’s go now or we’ll miss the bus

thirty

doubting and believing

dialogue one

[Music]

do you remember what you promised me

you promised me you’ll save money but i

don’t see it

you can’t save money if you don’t make

i know you just got your salary this

month and now you’re telling me you’ve

spent all of it

you know how hard it is to save money

is it for you how much money is not

enough to spend

yeah

but you made a commitment to me

i apologize in the future i shall do

better

dialogue 2.

hello steve i require your assistance

sure what do you need

yeah about rick tell me is something

wrong

no we’re throwing him a surprise

birthday party

oh fantastic how are you going to do it

yes and since you’re his best friend

swear not to tell him

alright i guarantee it

are you certain when was the last time

you made a promise to yourself

don’t believe me

because last time you also promised to

keep laura’s story a secret

please accept my apologies but this time

is different

do you swear

i vow to you not a word

okay now you and i will talk about

planning a birthday party

talk about your ideas first

difficulty

dialogue one

do you know how to swim

i can swim but i’m not very good at it

so how about you

i never learned to swim therefore i

don’t know how

you should try it haven’t tried how do

you know

but i’m afraid of water

don’t worry this fear is curable i can

teach you to swim if you want to try

is this difficult

i am afraid i will drown

we’re not going to stay too deep

drowning is impossible

but i’m sure i’ll be swallowed a lot of

water

sure

anyone who has just learned to swim does

the same

i wonder when i’m in the water i will be

unable to breathe

before you begin take a deep breath

okay

i will try once

dialogue 2.

fine i’m sick of it

i assumed you wanted to learn with me

right because i need help but it’s just

too difficult

i admit this exercise is too difficult

to solve but we shouldn’t give up either

what other option do i have

i’m too stupid

no you simply need to unwind

i’m probably overly stressed

that’s correct

don’t ruin your efforts by the stress

okay i’ll attempt to relax but that

won’t help me solve this exercise

it’s better than giving up

i’m confused too

how can you help me if you are also

confused

you and i will think of a way to solve

okay but if i get mad you’ll be held

accountable

okay make a deal take a few minutes now

to relax

good idea

32 suggestions and complaints

dialog one

you won’t believe what i’m about to tell

you

the firm required both myself and the

other colleagues to attend a biology

seminar and study it

what’s the problem with that

well if i go to the biology seminar i

will take all day

and i’m sick of companies asking me to

come while not paying me

what are you going to do about it

i’m just talking with you i can’t tell

my superiors

because

it’s no use complaining afterward

dialogue 2

hello tom what are you up to

i’m attempting to repair this chair

how about a screwdriver

yeah

i know it won’t help because

because the screws were removed

they’re difficult to put back in

is it okay if i offer a suggestion

oh so good you say

find arie and take his automated drill

it is a lot faster

i guess it will be faster than this

little screwdriver

and here’s another suggestion

okay tell me what you’re thinking

buy a new chair

but this chair is still usable except

for the screws

i’ve no complaints about it

okay but don’t come to me with your

complaints if you injure yourself

praising and comforting

dialogue one

[Music]

anna wait for me

i’m not in the mood to talk right now

i know you’re angry about the writing

contest

sure i am i worked so hard on my story

yet i only came in third place

it’s not fair at all

even so you wrote an excellent story you

should feel pleased with yourself

do you think my story is great

without a doubt

that story was far superior to the

others

but the judges don’t think so

trust me your story is really good

the judges made the wrong decision

just wait till you’re a well-known

author

that’s really kind of you to say but

don’t say but i recognized your ability

when i read it

thank you i was about to give up writing

stories because of today’s results

don’t do that you are a real talent

it’s great to hear words of

encouragement from you

not at all

will you always be by my side and

encourage me

of course

if you become famous credit me

incidenteo

thank you very much you’re a true pal

dialogue too

i’m sad and i’m powerless

i’ll never be able to go to the united

states

don’t be so downcast keep your chin up i

believe you will be able to come to

america

i’m so fed up with waiting for my visa i

can’t do anything with my life while i’m

just waiting

you can take advantage of the

opportunity here

there are several activities available

to you and there is no reason why you

cannot have a wonderful time

you’re probably correct

of course i’m always right

let’s go swimming shall we

okay let’s go

comparison differences and similarities

dialogue one

good morning is there anything i can

help with

i’m trying to decide which brand to

purchase

about paint

right

but i don’t know anything about painting

tell me what are you going to paint

my window

yes i see

so these are our outside paints all are

good quality

i just want to buy the best one

i recommend you these two paint brands

these two in my opinion are the best

what’s the distinction

this type is the most popular it’s a

best seller

this one is a bit thicker it doesn’t

make as much of a mess

great i also don’t have much skill in

painting

both of these paints have very good

weather resistance

does this mean it will stay longer

essentially yes

approximately two or three years longer

i get what you mean what is the price of

each type

the prices of the two types are similar

so i’ll take the best-selling product

show me

okay here you are

please let me know if you have any more

inquiries

that should be enough thank you very

much

dialog 2

do you feel today

much better thank you very much doctor

have you been eating more recently as i

advised

yes doctor i’ve been eating a lot but i

don’t want to put on weight

you are not overweight

you are in fact dangerously underweight

no way doctor i’m already overweight and

i don’t want to become much fatter

as previously stated you are underweight

and if you become any more underweight

you will have to return to the hospital

i get it doctor

dialogue three

between me and linda who do you like

i prefer you babe

linda has a fantastic physique

don’t you think linda has a better body

than i do

your figure is great babe nobody has a

more beautiful physique than you

would you still love me if i was fatter

sure babe i’d still love you the same

way

but you’ll think in your head that i’m

too fat

that will never happen i love you not

because of your looks

thanks babe

[Music]

35 agreement and disagreement

dialogue one

[Music]

you don’t wash dishes

i’m sorry i’ll do it later

no you will do it right now

why are you being so difficult to me it

is only the dishes

you said the same thing yesterday but in

the end you didn’t wash the

dishes i know but my favorite movie is

on television right now

so what who cares

if you make a promise you have to do it

come on isn’t it worse than simply the

dishes you absolutely know that this

isn’t about the dishes

so it’s about what

it’s about your attitude even you never

help other people unless you are asked

to what you say is not correct

but it is for the most part you always

just lie there and watch tv

calm down i think you need to relax

i need to relax no it’s about you you

need to start doing your part

that’s fine i’ll do it

now just leave me alone

this isn’t over yet mister you need to

change your attitude

what

i assumed it was only the dishes

okay forget about it

now wash those dishes we’ll talk about

your attitude afterward

okay i can’t wait for that

[Music]

dialogue too

what are your thoughts on this dress

is it suitable for me

wow

it’s fantastic

oh come on i want to hear the truth

please be honest

i i tell the truth you look so beautiful

wearing it

do you really think so

yeah it’s so great

no i do not believe

you don’t really mean that

okay okay

this dress is a bit

short

i know

you’ve never liked my clothes

dialogue three

do you enjoy kfc

no i don’t like it

instead i enjoy chinese cuisine

but kfc is great and you can drink as

much coke as you want

i know but fast food is not good for our

health chinese food is very delicious

not very greasy very nutritious

but it’s very spicy especially the

sichuan food

yes it’s quite

spicy but in addition china also has

many delicious dishes such as dim sum

beijing roast duck

sounds so tempting i’ve never tried

these

so let’s go i know a very good chinese

restaurant

importance and value

possession

dialogue one

[Music]

be careful with the watch

i know but isn’t that simply an old time

piece

that’s right that was my grandfather’s

watch

is it still functional

it still works though it needs some

repair

is it worthwhile

it is my grandfather’s favorite item and

for my grandfather it was priceless

no i’m talking about market value

i think it has the manufacturer is a

well-known london watch firm

oh that means its value is very high

sure but it’s a family heirloom i’m not

going to be able to sell it

no i don’t think so so what are you

going to do with it

it should only be worn on rare occasions

that’s great i finished looking at it

here you are

thank you i’m going to put it back in

the drawer

do you have any other vintage items like

that

my mother has a few antiques but i have

one which is a watch

i see i think it’s a very valuable item

yes i’m happy to own it

dialogue too

what exactly is this

it’s extremely funny

be careful don’t mess it up

put it back where it was

it’s just an old photo what made you so

uncomfortable with me

this is a photo of my sister it’s the

only one i’ve got

that explains why you were so unhappy

when i touched it

it’s very important to you

yes

dialog 3

when will i receive my money

we’ll pay our salary once we’ve made

some money you should pay me immediately

because i completed the assignment

but we don’t have any money you’ll have

to wait

you said you don’t have any money do you

yes indeed we don’t have any cash

if you don’t pay i’ll take this computer

away

no no

don’t get the computer we just have it

we can pay you i promise how much money

do we owe you 37

transportation

dialogue one

hey i need your help

tell me if i can help i will

my automobile is having mechanical

issues and i need to take it to a repair

and

what exactly do you want me to do

the automobile must remain there

overnight could you take me home

tomorrow

yes of course what’s the matter with

your car

something must be wrong with the engine

and it makes a strange noise all the

time

how long ago did you buy a car

it was my father’s car it’s nearly 10

years old

when was the last time you got your car

serviced

i don’t remember exactly maybe four or

five months ago

i think it’s time to change to a new car

i hope it’s not serious because right

now i really can’t afford it

anyway i’ll be able to pick you up

tomorrow what time is it

arrive at my company at six o’clock p.m

and follow me to the mechanics okay

okay i will go from my company to your

company see you tomorrow

many thanks see you

dialogue two

have you ever been on a camel ride

yes but it was dreadful

this camel was constantly attempting to

bite me and smelled horrible

really

i tried riding a camel once the feeling

was very interesting

it didn’t have an unpleasant smell

lucky you for me it was a horrifying

experience

what about an elephant have you ever

been on an elephant ride

never and

you yes i frequently ride elephants in

reality my elephant has arrived do you

want to ride

thanks for your suggestion but i’m

afraid i can’t

dialogue 3 do you own a car

no i do not have

why i assume all foreigners have their

own cars

true many westerners own cars

but i don’t have it because i enjoy

walking and furthermore i need exercise

to keep from getting too fat

[Laughter]

you mean you’d gain weight if you had a

car

38 health and illness

dialogue one

you were absent all week last week where

were you last week

i was recuperating at home

what are you recovering from

remember how i injured my back while

playing basketball

yeah i remember but that happened two

months ago

i thought it was okay but no

it became painful last week and i went

to see the doctor

what did the doctor say

the doctor said that i had a herniated

disc in my lower back

oh my god so serious

yes he was shocked that i could walk

anyway i had surgery

surgery

why you do not talk to me

oh it was a simple treatment and i had

to relax for a few days afterward

and you’re okay

now not at all sometimes the pain still

comes and i must continue to attend

physical therapy

is it still hurting

yes it would hurt so i’m on pain

relievers

i’m sorry to hear that best wishes for a

speedy recovery

thank you

dialogue too

god my head

what’s the problem did you have an

accident

no i’m suffering from a hangover

hangover what do you mean

we had a party last night

a hangover is the feeling you

experienced the next day after drinking

too much the night before

you should not consume excessive amounts

of alcohol

perhaps you should take pain relievers

i already took painkillers it doesn’t

seem to work for me

i may need to take a hair of the dog

that bit me the night before

what does that even mean

that’s something i’ve never heard before

that is

you will drink what you drink the night

before which gives you a hangover

it’s not a good idea

i’m just kidding

i’m going to take a break

[Music]

dialogue three

your face looks so pale are you sick

i’m not sure i’m feeling hot and i’m

suffering from a headache

i guess you have a fever have you taken

the temperature yet

have you been to the doctor perhaps you

should go to the hospital you might have

sars

oh no

here comes my bus bye

wait wait wait i’d want to speak with

you

this isn’t your bus you’ve boarded the

incorrect bus

sorry please excuse me let me through

let me down

thank god i got down in time

you’re so lucky

that bus goes in the opposite direction

from your house

the bus has arrived i gotta go see you

later

wait that’s not your

39 education

dialogue one

i’m concerned about the local education

system quality

where what area do you mean

i mean

the area where we’re moving to

i’ve heard a lot of awful stuff

low test scores high dropout rates and

issues with discipline

the school doesn’t seem to care about

the students

hmm that sounds bad

i find the issue of education there very

alarming jack’s school here was

excellent but what about his new one

we should pay more attention to this

issue

well i think so

there is a good private school nearby

a catholic school

is it pricey

not too expensive i know some of my

co-workers send their children there as

well

at the very least that is a better

option

on monday i’ll phone them and inquire

about registering jack for next semester

okay but think carefully about your

decision

sure

dialogue too

is your ielts test okay

how do you think you fared on the iel at

not so good maybe i only got a 6.5

if i want to get into manchester

university i have to get a 7.5

is it that difficult

almost no one ever gets a 7.5

yes it’s a really high score that is

really difficult to attain

so which university do you plan to

attend

i’m not certain perhaps i’ll attend

guangzhong university of foreign studies

in guangxo

that’s a good choice too

at least you’ll be able to eat chinese

food every

day dialogue three

last night our chinese buddy yuki lon

phoned me

oh how is she doing is she still

enrolled in college

of course she’s a good student

her subjects all scored a

and i complimented her on her

intelligence

well i think that schools train students

very well particularly in terms of

memorization

that is why they excel in mathematics

and science

yeah she is really fortunate because

california citizens are entitled to free

tuition

i’m not sure how she’d finance college

with her part-time work at mcdonald’s

of course we know she’s tenacious and

resourceful

she owes you a great deal for assisting

her in obtaining a visa to the united

states

i think she deserves it she tried a lot

work

dialogue one

you look a bit tired what’s up

nothing i’m at work right now

are you really okay

actually i’m not very well

work makes me very stressed

why is that

you know i’ve lost all respect since the

firm declared their aim of sales

i don’t quite get it

my sales last month did not meet the

target so this month must meet the

target

oh i see

i’ve been contacting everyone i can

think of saying anything to get a sale

that’s great that is what our company

wants

i know but i’m really exhausted

i’m virtually begging for selling goods

i’m not sure what to say to you

i’m going to be all right i simply need

to have a cup of coffee and

unwind for a few moments

i know you are under a lot of stress

right now

relax and before you make any decisions

tell me

i guarantee it you’ll be the first to

know if i do something insane

everything will be fine don’t worry

dialogue too

are you okay

oh i’m simply exhausted

today

i worked a total of 10 hours

why do you have to work so many hours

i want a little extra income

money is vital but your health is far

more so you know you can’t purchase

health

thanks for your advice

dialogue three

is the teaching in the new school okay

it’s fantastic we have a terrific time

together my students are very obedient

and hard working

great

do you enjoy teaching

well i like it my students always make

me laugh all day

that’s great

so you decided to teach at this school

right i will try more

economy

dialogue one

what’s the source of your excellent mood

there are many things that make me happy

for one thing work is doing quite well

wow congratulations

what is the reason behind this

this quarter our sales are amazingly

taking off

that makes sense that the economy as a

whole is improving

there’s something i’ve observed people

are spending a lot at this moment

i believe this is because the government

has reduced interest rates

right my father recently purchased a new

home due to cheap interest rates

perhaps you should do the same at this

moment

considering purchasing a new home

i can’t afford that right now

you certainly can i believe you can buy

a new apartment

perhaps you are correct

yet a solid economy may lead property

values to climb

especially the rising house prices

believe me it will increase but not

right now

you should quickly buy a new apartment

why you know you’re a real estate agent

oh no but my husband is here’s his

business card

i think he has to thank you for helping

me with the sale

if you tell him you know me he could

offer you a good bargain

i’ll contact him thanks

dialogue 2

have you gotten any job offers yet

i’ve applied to several companies

already

sars isn’t as awful as it used to be and

the economy is beginning to improve

it’s possible that there won’t be a

recession

i hope not i’ve already lost too much

money

oh you’re wealthy i’m sure you still

have a lot of money in your swiss bank

accounts

dialogue three

exports are falling

gdp is falling but imports are rising

what should we do

start an import business

what are your thoughts

what kind of products are you aiming for

i was considering japanese and american

electronic devices

you know that sony is the best selling

brand in various nations

it’s a good idea

sony is a good product quality assurance

okay but we’ll need to perform some

market research to figure out

who our target market is

who our rivals are and who will handle

distribution

and so on

yeah it’s a lot of work to do but i’ve

done it before i’ll make some market

research

great

market research is also extremely

important and i will do a survey

first look at wholesale prices

it makes no sense to begin market

research if we cannot earn a profit

after deducting all transportation costs

that’ll do

is there anything else

attempt to obtain statistics on the

people aged 25 to 40.

i believe they will be viable market for

also look at this age group’s disposable

income

okay i got it

i’m getting excited already

food

dialogue one

oh are you going to the supermarket

right i’m going right now what’s up

could you choose a few items for me

sure what do you want to buy

i’m in need of some chicken breasts that

have been sliced

oh what are you going to cook

i intend to make chicken alfredo later

this week

that’s great is there anything else

maybe we’ve run out of milk

that’s right we’ve run out of milk

thanks for reminding me

as well as some dog food

sure

wait i’ll jot this down is that all

you should also buy some fruits and

vegetables for breakfast

which kind

up to you you can choose the fruit you

okay

i think i’ll leave now

thank you very much

not a big deal

dialogue too

[Music]

there are frozen peas frozen beans and

frozen carrots at the supermarket

so what

i normally buy frozen vegetables and

store them in the freezer until needed

what about fresh vegetables

they don’t sell fresh vegetables here

yep but in the summer

during the summer farmers may set up

vegetable stalls alongside the road or

have a farmer’s market in town

don’t you think fresh produce is better

because the growing season in the

northern united states is shorter

we must rely on frozen veggies

throughout the winter

okay

dialogue three

what shall we have for dinner

bitter melon have you ever tried it

yeah i gave it a go but i’m not a big

fan of it

if you like it you may order it

what about a sweet and sour combination

do you enjoy sweet and sour flavors

could we have sweet and sour fish or

sweet and sour pork

what about some sweet and sour beef

come on we’re in china here they don’t

eat sweet and sour beef

it’s sad why is that

they exclusively serve chinese cuisine

not western cuisine

plans and intentions

dialogue one

hey jake what are you busy with

i’m working on a master social plan

wow that sounds really macroscopic

yeah i wish to contribute to a better

society

and how do you intend to do this

by establishing equality for all there

is no such thing as private property

is everyone work

yes for the benefit of everybody not

just individuals

what if some individuals work harder and

more efficient than others

they will not be permitted to exert

influence over

others do you mean it’s just as nice to

be lazy as it is to be hard-working

workers and peasants will rule society

they are not as lazy as industrial

owners

by moving a plow a man may control a

factory or an economy

you can learn

so what was he doing before that driving

a plow

what about the arts culture and higher

education

what are peasants supposed to know about

a former can also draw pictures

but i am sure that you will never hang

it on your wall

my plan will one day change the world

perhaps but i wouldn’t want to live in

such a world

dialogue 2

i plan to return to university in the

fall for my master’s degree

what major are you planning to study

what plan do you have

i’d like to change careers i’d want to

work in the advertising industry

i understand there isn’t much money in

that profession but i believe it would

be really innovative

you know this job requires creativity

that’s what i want

which university or institute will you

attend

to get my master’s degree i have to go

to texas they are the only ones to offer

this dual specialist and master’s degree

program

is it rather pricey

no i intend to do some internship work

while i’m there

i’d want to gain some hands-on

experience they offer a public relations

program in which i may participate

you planned everything

what will you do if your plans are

thwarted

then i punt

[Music]

what exactly is it

it means i will try something new

dialogue 3

when i grow up become extremely

beautiful i will be pursued by prince

charlie

he’ll bring me into his castle and we

will be playing the greatest computer

games

and watching tv throughout the day and i

never have any schoolwork to complete

[Music]

keep dreaming princess because tomorrow

you’ll go to school early and finish all

your schoolwork again when you return

home

all my dreams are continuously being

ruined by you

44 talents and abilities

dialogue one

do you fond of jazz music

actually yeah i used to play a bit when

i was in college

really i couldn’t play an instrument

what instrument do you play

i played the trumpet during college

wow you are very talented now then

i haven’t played the trumpet in a while

maybe my skills are much worse than

before

i got it

i wish i could play an instrument

have you any talents haha i can roll my

tongue

this isn’t a gift

seriously

i could draw

really can i see your drawings

come to my house i’ll show you i drew a

few landscape pictures

do you still draw pictures now

drawing no that doesn’t help much and i

don’t have a lot of time

same story with my music yet i miss it

me too

dialogue 2

that’s fantastic work

really do you enjoy it

yes i love it it’s fantastic

i’m not completed yet

do not modify it it’s already perfect

you could spoil it if you modify it just

leave it alone

do you truly enjoy it so much

yeah it’s great you have a lot of talent

you are a real painter

i can tell you’re pulling my leg now

pulling your leg what does this imply

it means you’re joking

no i’m not kidding your painting is

undeniably beautiful

dialogue three

have you any special abilities

i wouldn’t say i have any special

capabilities

but when i was younger i used to write a

lot and people were always surprised by

my poems

why don’t you do it anymore

it was an obsession in the past for me

i’d rather live a regular life now

sorry to hear that

but do you think you could have achieved

fame if you had persisted i think

possibly

my friend barry is an example

he and i used to fantasize about taking

over the literary world

he persisted and ultimately he was

successful very famous in the literary

world

i don’t believe he was any more gifted

than i was

why did you quit up when he was

successful

i prefer to eat than right

making appointments

dialogue one

can we change the time from today to

tomorrow at 10 o’clock

sure no problem

are you sure you can make it

if you can’t make it just call me and we

can make another date

no don’t change it 10 is perfect for me

okay see you then

bye

goodbye

dialogue two

i thought we had a meeting at 10 am

why didn’t you show up

i was told to let me know if the time

wasn’t right for you

why are you upset with me look at the

clock

it’s not time it’s only nine o’clock now

our appointment was scheduled for 10 am

not 10 pm

why don’t you tell me the appointment in

the morning or in the evening so i

assumed you meant 10 pm

you are insane people do not schedule

appointments for 10 pm

yes i do that’s all you’re incredibly

narrow-minded

dialogue three

i have a meeting with mr harris at three

o’clock

for what

to discuss a new business venture

project

is that mr david harris or mr robert

harris

i’m not certain he just addressed

himself as mr harris

well it’s most likely david i’ll inquire

no it isn’t him so it’s got to be robert

he is in room 306 on the third level

you may now get up there

thank you very much

[Music]

46 feelings and emotions

dialogue one

what’s the problem

what

i never said anything was wrong

he seemed to be agitated

really

i have a lot of thoughts going through

my head right now

is everything okay

yeah

there aren’t any major issues it’s just

a small problem

tell me what is it

well i’m a little worried about work

because i recently applied for a

transfer to another office

that is enough to make anyone scared

when will you learn the outcome

about three or four days

relax you seem exhausted

that’s because the job is really hard

and i also have to study for a class at

night

wow you’re undoubtedly feeling a lot of

pressure

yes i think so

i’m going to take a vacation shortly

good idea you should take a break after

a period of hard work

dialogue too

i’m feeling very sad because i couldn’t

make it to wade’s wedding

he will sympathize with you he knows

that you are unable to return from china

at that time

about wade’s wife i don’t like her very

much

i understand that

it may take time for you to get along

with kate your new sister-in-law

i’m not going to speak with her she’s

arrogant and rude

anyway she’s your sister-in-law

if you do like that you’ll make wade

awkward

i know

when are you going to be able to return

home

on or around july 11th i’m homesick for

home and miss everyone

it won’t be long

47 clothing

dialogue one

what can i do for you

yes please i want to find a jacket

what kind of jacket are you looking for

[Music]

this black wool coat appeals to me

here it is i’ll get it for you to see

yes however i loved a navy blue hue more

show me the one over there

what about this do you want to try it on

i feel this shoulder is a bit tight for

so let me get you a bigger size

okay except for the arms this fits well

the sleeves of this jacket are a bit

long

i see we can fix it to make it fit for

you

is it possible to cut a jacket here

yeah our tailor will fix it for you i

will take your measurements now

our tailor will arrive at work in the

afternoon today

what time is it

at 2 pm

i’ll return at that time to ensure he

obtains the correct measurements

okay is there anything else i can do for

you

no not just now maybe when i return

okay thank you for visiting

have a wonderful day

you as well goodbye

dialogue too

i want to have a traditional chinese

dress like this design can you do it

do you mean a kipao

right i want it to look like this design

i like a black background with red

jackets

looks good this is a very traditional

design

what is its price

depending on the fabric you choose

silk is more expensive but it has more

appealing appearance

of course polyester is less expensive

how many meters of fabric do i need for

this dress

this also depends on your height the

length of the sleeves and the neckline

i want the sleeve length to be 3 4 with

slits along the sides

i got it it will probably take about two

meters and you also need to buy a lining

for it

what about those beautiful tiny

fasteners on the dress

oh in china those are referred to as

buttons

they are known as frogs in the united

states

dialogue three

i really want to buy you the plaid skirt

no this design will make me appear

overly chubby

no way

why you think that you’re thin as a rail

you’d blow away in the breeze if you

were thinner

in fact i believe a dark hue would be

preferable it is the basic color and

also easy to coordinate with other

colors

the whole wardrobe is dark it looks

boring i think you should lighten up

okay

perhaps you’re correct

i could wear a lighter hue but not that

plaid

it appears to be overly childish

it’s the new trend in autumn do you not

read any fashion magazines

oh so do you often read fashion

magazines yeah i’m interested in seeing

how they match the new season’s colors

and keep up to date with new trends

are you certain that is all you do

maybe you enjoy looking at fashion

models

48 household objects and tools

dialog one

hey chris

what exactly are you looking for

i’m looking for remote control i don’t

see it anywhere

tv remote

no i’m referring to the dvd player

is it absolutely necessary

yeah if i need to pause the movie or

change to a different scene

have you looked for it everywhere

is it trapped in the couch

i looked for it there how long has it

been since you last saw it

i was watching the news this morning i

was using it to switch channels

hmm so where could it be

i also wonder where it is oh here

in the midst of a heap of newspapers

oh well i’m curious how it got there

i don’t know

anyway thanks for finding it

what would you do if you didn’t have me

dialogue two

fortunately my roommate moved to another

apartment

why did you say that

she was always utilizing my items

without my permission

she arbitrarily used my ruler paper

stapler tape and other supplies

did you remind her

no i have not

you know it might be tough to mention

these topics with friends or roommates

at times

you should have probably stated the

ground rules first

you wouldn’t have been so irritated if

she hadn’t utilized your belongings

yes i will notify my roommate not to use

my belongings without my consent the

next time

or even better i won’t have a roommate

that would save a lot of time and effort

live and learn as they say maybe you’re

right

49 politics

dialogue one

who are you going to vote for

that is a secret i don’t think i need to

tell you

really but i can tell you i voted for

hollins

allen’s why he’s such an idiot

oh so you must have voted for roberts

sure i did he has very serious plans for

actual transformation

and how do you suppose he’ll perform all

that he’s told

there’s a budget surplus the government

has extra money

it’s not enough for all his schemes he

attends to boost taxes

i’m willing to spend a bit more if it

means a better quality of life for all

of us

pay more taxes i don’t want to

why although holland stated that he

would not raise taxes

this does not make him a good president

as a result he is a low-cost president

he’d let me spend my money as i wanted

instead of paying more taxes

why don’t you agree to pile more taxes

obviously not

they didn’t earn it i did so i want to

spend on what i want

what about those less fortunate than us

are you going to take care of them

i suppose so if individuals like you

aren’t willing to do it

do you believe you have all the answers

at the very least i’m considering the

questions

dialogue 2

[Music]

i’m sure you’re relieved your time on

the city council is done

yeah

it’s really a lot of pressure and

sometimes it was a headache

why do you say that

you can satisfy some of the people all

the time and all of the people some of

the time

abraham lincoln observed but he can’t

satisfy all the people all the time

that quote i believe is incorrect

i believe it was fool the people rather

than pleasing the people

you know there was no way you could

please everyone all the time

that’s quite typical someone will always

object to something no matter what you

say or do

i’m not sure why people like politics so

much it always makes them stressed

it’s worth getting into politics

and i was just elected to the city

council

consider working in state or federal

government

well i must say that i appreciate your

behavior

if only more people were like you it

would be worthwhile

media

dialogue one

[Applause]

what are you now reading

oh i see there’s a topic in the paper

i’m not sure whether i agree with the

author

what is the article about

i believe his political viewpoints are

skewed

everyone has their own opinion

i think the journalist should not put

his personal opinion in the article

except for an editorial story

oh my each newspaper has its own style

some papers are liberal while others are

conservative

i know but this author appears to be

prejudiced toward the president

and you don’t agree

honestly his point is very convincing

simply consider what he says will you

remember it

i’m still trying to do that

it is beneficial to read stuff with

which you disagree

it helps to keep your mind sharp

yeah this newspaper makes me unable to

refute because my theoretical point is

too sketchy

see

that is true for everyone and it is

wonderful to recognize that

just wait till i read another tale in

favor of the president

dialogue two

[Music]

[Applause]

i don’t believe the station does a good

job of covering the news

i don’t agree being a news director must

be a demanding job

so what is its difficulty

they must pick which news is the most

significant or what to start with

this is what draws viewers in

that shouldn’t be that difficult it is

just what is happening around the globe

no not always perhaps they want to start

with a less important story that hasn’t

yet been reported

then they must select whether to do a

live interview a short video or a long

video

it shouldn’t be an issue because there

is so much news

however everything must be timed to the

second

the newscasters must practice

pronouncing the names of overseas cities

and leaders

furthermore they cannot be a second too

short or a second too long

how did you know all this

i have a master’s degree in journalism

and have taken some broadcasting classes

i also did a radio program or a public

service announcement

you have a lot of talent

no not at all

oh and did i mention that i also did

community news for a radio station

dialogue 3

which newspaper do you like to read

the star tribune is my go-to source for

breaking news however for local events i

like the post review

what about the cambridge

oh their news is not about what i’m

interested in

i enjoy the editorials in the star

tribune particularly those by the guest

editor realism

i’m thinking of sending an editorial to

them

really what subject will it be about

my thoughts on zoning rules and

restrictions

i believe the city is not doing enough

to curb urban sprawl

i concur

that’s a terrific idea for a topic on

that point i believe everyone would

agree with you

have you forgotten about the developers

of real estate

if i fired some bullets at them they’d

be as enraged as hornets

however it is ultimately up to the city

council to enact zoning rules and

boundaries

all right i’ll do it then

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