Unit 1B

Text 1

W: We're moving very slowly now. I'm going to miss my meeting if we don't speed up soon. 

M: Yes, we seem to be late again.

Text 2

M: I have those reports all ready for you, Mrs. Dalloway. But I didn't have time to print them out on my way to the office.

W: No problem, Mr. Paddock. Why don't you just email them to me now? I'll have my secretary Miss Andrews print them out. 

Text 3

M: I heard there is a big plan to improve the district.

W: Yes. There is a big sports center under construction, and the swimming pool is open ahead of schedule. And the only cinema is now in the process of being changed into a film museum. 

Text 4

M: Hi Jane. I know you're probably busy, but I just want to call you to thank you for helping me cook for my brother's birthday dinner. Everybody loved the food. 

W: You're welcome. It was my pleasure.

Text 5

W: When I am playing the piano, I don't worry about anything. How about you? Do you do anything special to relax? 

M: I go to the gym every day. It helps me deal with stress.

Text 6

M: Excuse me, how long have you been here? 

W: Oh, about twenty minutes, give or take five minutes.

M: Did you, by any chance, see the No. 197 bus go by?

W: Not while I've been here. Actually, I'm waiting for the No. 197 too.

M: That's good to know. But why are you carrying an umbrella? There's not a single cloud in the sky. 

W: You never know. The weather this time of year changes in no time.

Text 7

W: We can only stay in this flat until the end of the month, so I think we should reach a moving company.

M: Good idea. But before that, let's figure out what we can leave behind. There's no point dragging stuff we don't need, and it'll also save us both time and money. 

W: Totally agree. What about the boxes for packing?

M: That's already sorted. I've arranged to grab the big ones from my company and smaller ones from the bookshop nearby. And what's the plan for the dog? 

W: Don't worry. My parents will be there for it until we get the new flat organized. 

Text 8

M: We all know exercise is good for us, but honestly, sometimes it feels impossible to pull yourself off the sofa. 

W:I can see where you're coming from. You're not exactly the poster child for working out. Now there's some good news — a new study says you don't have to go all out to see the benefits of exercise. 

M: That sounds interesting. Tell me more.

W: According to the study, people who clocked 300 minutes of exercise per week saw their risk of dying from heart disease drop by 20%. Even those who managed 150 minutes weren't far behind — they cut their risk by 14%.

M: What about people like me, who probably only set aside an hour? Does that make any difference? 

W: It absolutely does. Even a little movement makes an impact — it all adds up. 

Text 9

M: Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jessica, one of the most celebrated travel writers. Jessica, what's your biggest challenge when it comes to writing?

W: Honestly, I used to be a painfully slow writer. I would weigh my words, trying to make them perfect. I've gotten much faster over time, but working under tight deadlines still gets to me now. I guess it's because I hate hurrying. I like to really dive into the soul of a place and dig its essence. 

M: Did you ever work in a different field before?

W: Oh, absolutely. I worked briefly in publicity for various new products. I even handed out free makeup on the streets once. 

M: What advice would you give to travel writers hoping to follow in your footsteps?

W: Most of the places you'll write about have already been covered countless times, so the key is to attract your readers with a unique perspective. 

Text 10

M: Morning, everyone, I'm Bradley, director James' right-hand man. He's tied up right now getting things sorted for the next scene, so if you have any questions, I'm your guy. Trust me, I'm way approachable. Now, I believe for many of you, this is the first time, so let me share a couple of pointers before we jump into today's plan. For the background actors, your job is to make it look like you're chatting and having a good time — so smile. But when you talk, just move your lips without making any sound. The microphones on set pick up everything, and we don't want to mess up the audio. For this scene, some of you will be seated at tables as if you're in a restaurant, while others will be standing by the bar. We also need three of you to act like servers. Jack, Luke, and David — can you head over to the costume department and get fitted for those clothes? As for the rest of you, let's make our way to the makeup truck.