Text 1

W: We will be landing in five minutes.

M: That's good. The plane took off at 3:00 p.m. and it's 8:55 p.m. now. I thought we wouldn't be landing until 9:30 p.m.

Text 2

W: Mike, I want to talk with you right now.

M: What's up?

W: You promised to hand in perfect homework, but it is full of mistakes. 

Text 3

M: It's going to rain all day according to the weather forecast.

W: Well, it's too windy tomorrow, so that ruins our plan to go hiking. I was hoping today would be sunny!

Text 4

M: How should I cut this pizza? We have an odd number of people.

W: Lucy and I had a late lunch, so we can have two smaller pieces.

Text 5

M: Excuse me! How can I get to Madison Square Garden?

W: You can take a taxi if you are in a hurry. You can also take a bus there, but it takes a bit longer.

M: I'm not in a hurry and I want to see the city.

W: Then, why don't you use the public bike? It suits you best.

Text 6

M: Two tickets for The Little Prince at 2:30, please. Can I have the seats in the first five rows?

W: Sorry. The tickets for seats in the first five rows have been sold out. You can have two seats in the ninth row. 

M: Well, that's it. I will take two, please.

W: It's $36 in all, please.

M: My friend and I have student ID cards. We can get discounts with these, can't we?

W: Sure. That will be $28, please. 

Text 7

W: Peter, are you ready for your presentation?

M: I never feel ready for a presentation. My heart beats really fast.

W: Come on! Aren't you used to public speaking? You've given so many presentations.

M: I know, but it always feels like it's the first time. Do you have any good advice on how to reduce pressure?

W: Well, just take a deep breath and do it. Focus on your topic and don't think about anything else.

M: That's what I try to do, but it isn't that easy. Do you think I should see a psychologist?

W: No, I suggest you try to deal with your stress on your own first. I'm sure you'll make it.

Text 8

M: Have you been able to find the right person for your sleep experiment?

W: No. I placed an ad online but no one has replied yet.

M: I might suggest posting it on the noticeboard in the library.

W: You think I'll have more success?

M: Yes. I find that when people see it online, some of them believe it's fake.

W: OK, I'll print off some posters at noon and take them there this afternoon.

M: Is the subject getting paid as part of the study?

W: Yes, just a small amount, $20 for a week.

M: I'd put that at the top of the poster rather than at the bottom. It will catch people's attention.

W: It's not a lot though.

M: To some people it is.

Text 9

M: Hey, Judy, what are you reading?

W: Well, a passage about wildlife protection organizations.

M: Really? I've read something about the World Wildlife Fund, you know, whose official sign is a picture of a panda. 

W: Yeah. It has been working to protect the world's endangered species since it was founded in 1961. You know there are organizations which focus on certain animals.

M: Really? That's interesting.

W: Here it says the National Audubon Society focuses on the protection of birds and the Oceanic Society has been working to protect ocean wildlife, such as whales, dolphins and all kinds of fish since its foundation in 1969.

M: Oh, I know the National Audubon Society is named after an American wildlife painter.

W: Yes, that's right. There's also this one, the Wilderness Society, which works to make sure that the forests, rivers and mountains of the United States remain untouched so that future generations can enjoy clean air and water. It tries to educate the public about that with its head office in Washington, D.C.

Text 10

M: Rain is essential for life, but too much of it can lead to flooding, carrying dangerous substances to nearby river systems. There is a creative way to deal with it. This rooftop garden helps absorb rainwater and grow food at the same time. Architect David Bell designed five green roofs on a campus. And this project is really exciting, because it started to do something more than just dealing with storm water management. It took advantage of spaces above the city where you have these flat roofs but aren't doing anything. And this project really made urban agriculture come true. In an urban environment, you don't have all that many spaces to choose from, and so rooftops are just the space. It's a really good way because there is no necessity to rebuild your cities but you can bring fresh food into cities where you wouldn't necessarily have that access. The biggest surprise was that the 5 green roofs produced 4,250 pounds of produce in the first year, which was delivered to people in need.