Text 1

M: Welcome to The Elephant Bistro. Have you dined with us before?

W: No, this is my first time here.

M: Would you like to sit by the window or somewhere more private?

W: The window sounds nice.

Text 2

M: Hi, Jane. At last! We were getting worried.

W: Yeah, sorry, Mike. Your apartment was hard to find, but your directions helped.

M: Here, let me take your coat. Come in.

Text 3

M: It's freezing outside! What happened to the weather report? I thought this cold front had passed.

W: Yeah, I thought so too. That's what I read online this morning.

Text 4

W: I think you have to accept that Sean's talents as a chef are all tied up with his explosive personality.

M: Oh, I'm perfectly aware that his talents come at a price, but the price is very high.

Text 5

W: How do you practice your music when you live in an apartment?

M: Well, I use headphones while playing my digital piano, so I won't make a lot of noise in the building.

W: I wish my neighbor did the same.

Text 6

W: If we want to increase sales of our new skincare products, we need to be more visible on social media.

M: Why do you think that?

W: Our customers are moving there. And our competitors are already using social media to promote similar products.

M: But what about the costs?

W: I've done a cost analysis. We'll have to increase our advertising budget, but the return will be well worth it.

M: Impressive! Make a plan and we will discuss it later.

Text 7

W: Hello, who is that?

M: Hi, this is Robert. I think that's my mum's phone! She must have left it near the Maple Street bus stop.

W: Yes, I found it here on the ground. I tried to reach you but I don't know the password.

M: Oh, that's kind of you! We're heading back now. Can you hold on to it for a few minutes?

W: Well, just to confirm, how do I know it's yours?

M: Oh, the phone case is pink, with a white cat on it.

W: Yes, that matches! But right now I'm in a hurry to attend a meeting at Hotel Grand Maple. It's just five minutes' walk from the bus stop. Could we meet at the entrance?

M: Sure! How will we recognize you?

W: I'm wearing a red scarf.

M: OK! See you!

Text 8

W: You can't imagine what a terrible night I had!

M: What happened?

W: I was alone in the house. I usually sleep deeply, even though thunderstorms! But that night, I woke up at about 2 a.m.

M: Why?

W: I heard two people speaking downstairs. And I was sure they were searching for something.

M: What did you do then?

W: I felt really scared, and I reached for my phone to call the police. And they heard me. Then one of them shouted “Let's go!” Luckily, I took a photo of their car by the window as they drove away.

M: Did they steal anything?

W: My laptop.

M: Did the police catch them?

W: Yes. They arrested them yesterday. And I got my laptop back this morning.

Text 9

M: Hi, Danni! Thanks for joining me. When you first decided to homeschool your kid, what concerned you most?

W: Honestly, the money issue. As a single mom, I had to quit the well-paid job as a loan manager. I worried if I could make ends meet while focusing on my daughter's education.

M: Then what do you do to afford homeschooling?

W: Well, we cut back on things like vacations, dining out, and other unnecessary expenses. And at times, I've had to rely on some financial help from my family. They understand me well, given that I don't have a stable job now.

M: Then how do you find time to rest when you're with your child 24/7?

W: It can be tough. To recharge myself, I usually do some exercise like yoga and gentle stretching for a couple of uninterrupted hours. Thankfully, my daughter understands this and respects that time. She usually finds something quiet to do, like drawing or reading her own books.

M: What is the best part of homeschooling as a single parent?

W: The strong bond with my daughter. We have quality time together, which is priceless.

M: Oh, that is rewarding, but also demanding.

W: Yes, managing everything alone, definitely.

Text 10

W: Hi, guys! Today, I'd like to share with you my recent trip to Ireland. My first impressions? It was really beautiful — green, and quite rural. There are plenty of wonderful museums, like the National Museum, which houses treasures from ancient Ireland. But what I loved most were the pubs. Guinness was delicious — even if you're not a beer fan, you might just get addicted. The live music in the pubs was fantastic too. However, I hated the weather. I remember it was in the middle of August, but I had to wear a woolly jumper! The weather changed quickly, too. You could wake up to a sunny day, but at midday it began to rain. Then in the afternoon, the sun might come out again. The funniest moment? On my birthday, my friends took me to a restaurant. While we were waiting for our food, Matt Haig suddenly sat down next to us! You know, he authored Reasons to Stay Alive. I froze. But one of my friends took a photo of us with him in the background. It didn't turn out perfectly, but it's still a crazy memory!