Text 1
M: Do you always skip your lunch?Because I don't think you have eaten anything.
W: I have been skipping lunch lately because I want to reduce my weight. I am fat!
Text 2
M: May I have a word with you?
W: Sure. What's the problem?
M: It's about your son. I'm tired of his making so much noise at all hours of the day.
Text 3
W: Where were you yesterday afternoon?
M: I was at Ken's house. We didn't go out because there was a baseball game broadcast live.
W: It's not surprising that no one answered my call.
M: Oh, I'm sorry.
Text 4
M: I'm checking out now. Could I have my bill, please? Ken Williams, Room 302.
W: Just a minute. Here's your bill. It comes to a total of $500.
Text 5
M: Excuse me. I'd like to send this letter to New York by airmail,please. Could you tell me the postage?
W: I have to weigh it. Let me see. It's a little bit overweight.
Text 6
W: Where are my glasses? I can't find them. Have you seen them anywhere?
M: No, sweetie. Where did you put them?
W: Right here on my desk, as usual.
M: Hmm... maybe you knocked them off in the middle of the night by mistake.
W: No, it can't be that. My desk is far away from my bed.
M: Well, maybe you left them in the study, and you just don't remember. You were
studying there late last night.
W: You might be right. Will you please check for me?
Text 7
W: I hear you went to Switzerland last summer.Did you enjoy yourself?
M: That's quite a long journey,isn't it?
W: How did you go there?
M: By plane.
W: I don't like flying.I flew to Cyprus last year.We flew over the Alps and didn't see anything except clouds.
M: Oh, I had a good flight.The weather was fine and it took only two and a half hours.
W: I think it's much more interesting to travel by car or train.You can see the country so much better.
M: Yes,that's true. But flying is better for long journeys.How far is it from London to Cyprus?
W: About 2,000 miles.
M: Isn't Cyprus rather hot in the summer?
W: It's hot on the coast.But I spent most of the time several thousand feet above sea level.It's quite cool up in the hills.
Text 8
W: Good evening. Do you have a reservation?
M: No, we don't.
W: How many people are you together?
M: Just two.
W: Would you like to sit in the smoking section, the non-smoking section or whatever comes open first?
M: We prefer non-smoking section.
W: Awfully sorry, there are no rooms left now. Would you like to wait for a moment?
M: How long a wait do you think there'll be?
W: About eight minutes, I think.
M: OK, we will wait for a while.
W: I'm sorry for making you wait for so long. Now there is a table available in the non-smoking section. Please follow me.
M: Thank you.
W: This is the menu. Are you ready to order now?
M: Sorry, we haven't decided yet. Could you please give us a little longer time?
W: No problem.
Text 9
M: What kind of music do you like listening to?
W: I like music that has a fast beat and is lively, like dance music. You prefer classical music, don't you?
M: Yes, I do. I find it very relaxing. I often listen to Mozart in the evening after a hard day at work.
W: I must admit that it's certainly better than modern dance music.
M: Classical music is supposed to be good for your brain. Students who listen to classical music while studying perform better.
W: Really? Perhaps I should listen to classical music often. I heard that listening to classical music is helpful in reducing stress.
M: Yes. That's why I listen to it in the evenings. I usually play it as background music while I'm cooking.
W: I've got a few classical music CDs. I should follow your lead and increase my brain power.
M: You can find plenty of CDs on the Internet too. You can buy them very cheaply if you like them.
W: That's a good idea.
Text 10
More and more public schools in America make it a rule that students must finish a certain amount of community service before they are allowed to graduate from high school. Many students help people in their communities as part of their education. They work on projects like making the environment get better and feeding homeless people. Many school systems in America now require students to do some kinds of community service as part of their studies. Students taking part in service projects help themselves as well as their communities. They learn about the needs of people and aid organizations. For this reason, holidays have become the prime periods for volunteer work. Volunteers get no pay, but experts point out that it is an excellent opportunity to learn and practice new skills. Tom, a 16-year-old middle school student in California, does community service in a local hospital. He works 16 hours every week either receiving calls at the information desk, or helping push patients back to their rooms.