Unit 2B

Text 1

M: Shall I do something before dinner, Mum?

W: I have to stay in the kitchen.I don't want the food to burn.Would you please set the table? 

M: Of course, Mum.

Text 2

M: Hi, Mary, my old friend!

W: Hi, John! I'd like you to meet Mike.He is from Canada.He is in Beijing on business. 

Text 3

M: I'll answer your question as soon as I finish packing the books for the gentleman. 

W: Don't worry about it. I'll have a look at your new books. 

Text 4

W: Is the railway station far from here?

M: Not very. If you drive at 90 miles an hour, it will take you only about twenty minutes. 

Text 5

M: Is that a new plant on the table? Why isn't it in front of the window? 

W: I got it yesterday. The seller said it doesn't need much light. 

Text 6

W: Will you go to Beijing for holiday?

M: Yes, I'll leave with my wife the day after tomorrow. 

W: Oh, it is Wednesday today but it is said that the train tickets are very hard to get. Have you got them? 

M: No, my son has booked air tickets for us. He will drive us to the airport on that day. 

Text 7

M: It's Saturday again. No alarm clock, no work. I love it.

W: How I want to have much free time as you do! So what do you usually do in your free time?

M: At the moment, I'm spending much of my free time learning German. I also enjoy playing the piano now and then. 

W: Do you play any sports?

M: Not much. But I go to the sports club and work out once a week.

W: Why not try skating? It's so exciting.

M: Yes, but too exciting. I once broke my leg while skating. I had to give it up. 

W: What a pity!

Text 8

M: Hello?

W: Hello, Mr. West. This is Susan Evans in Apartment 101.

M: Hi, Susan. How are you?

W: Well, right now I'm pretty warm. I put the air conditioner on "low", but it doesn't seem to be working. I've tried everything, but it just doesn't work. 

M: Well then, I'll have to call the repairman. Is there anything else? 

W: Yes. And there's another problem: the neighbours next door in Apartment 102 have music on day and night, really loud. I'm having trouble sleeping. 

M: Hmm...that's more difficult. I'll speak to them. I'm sorry, Susan.

W: That's all right. But if these things can't be solved, I'll have to move out. 

Text 9

W: I'm determined to have a job as a repairwoman. 

M: It's a man's job. Oh, I get it. You want to do that because of your new boyfriend, James.

W: No. I really enjoy working on cars. Besides, James doesn't work at a garage any more. But he really liked his job because he learned how to find problems and fix things. And James is now back in college. He's majoring in nursing. 

M: Nursing? That's a woman's job.

W: Nurses, whether they are men or women, care for the sick and the elderly. And are you saying that women can't be farmers, or truck drivers?

M: Well, I just think that women are more suitable for waitresses and piano teachers. 

W: Man, you're stuck in the 18th century. No one will marry you.

M: Oh, well, just forget this. I'm having a problem with my car. I was wondering if James could take a look at it.

W: Forget it. Manage it on your own! 

Text 10

M: In my spoken English class, I asked the students about their impressions of their university life.To my surprise, many of them expressed disappointment.After their highly controlled high school lives, they were having difficulty adjusting to the free time in the university. When I asked them to describe their high school lives, many of them told me most of their time was spent at school, doing piles of homework to help them prepare for the College Entrance Examination. 

Once they enter the university, in my opinion, the students are not expected to devote all their hours to studying. They should also take an active part in social activities such as joining clubs. What's more, they should spend some time watching TV and chatting with their roommates. These activities are useful in helping them prepare for their future. But what struck me most was that as they had so many choices, they felt that no matter what they were doing, they should be doing something else.That's why they were not happy. 

To those students, my advice was that they should get used to it and learn to make decisions for themselves.