Unit 1B

Text 1

W: How cold it is today! I still have to wear a jacket in May in case I catch a cold. 

M: It's not strange. I remember I had to wear a jacket one day in June last year. 

Text 2

W: Did you hear that Mr. Peterson is coming next week, Gordon?

M: Yes. So call all the department heads to my office. We need to give him reports on our program. 

Text 3

W: I'm so excited that we are going to the concert. It will last for about three hours.

M: I miss going to concerts so much. We haven't enjoyed live music for two years. 

W: Yes, let's enjoy it.

Text 4

M: You've already tried on 10 dresses, honey. Come on, our daughter will be late for school. 

W: It is my first day of work. There are so many people to impress.

M: Don't worry. You are always the most beautiful in town.

Text 5

M: Do you really give up? You've hardly even started to guess. Oh, okay, I'll tell you. The secret addition is dark chocolate. 

W: With chicken? No way! That's amazing! 

M: Just a tiny bit. The rest of the chocolate went into the cake I'm about to bring out.

Text 6

W: Well, sir. Will you be checking any bags?

M: I just have one carry-on and my computer.

W: All right. Here is your boarding pass. The flight will begin boarding at 7:00 at Gate 3. Enjoy your trip. 

M: I'm sure I will. Traveling business class is always a pleasure, especially on an overnight flight like this. I can't wait for it. 

Text 7

M: Angela, it seems you're drawn to the computer. 

W: I've found this interesting online news about recent discoveries in the Maya civilization. 

M: So, what's the latest?

W: Scientists have uncovered cities dating back to 1000 BC. They were connected by long stone highways, which are considered the world's first highway system.

M: I had no idea they had such advanced roads.

W: The Maya were first thought to be hunter-gatherers, but these discoveries have proven they were already creating cities. And to do this in a forest environment, they had to clear rainforest areas for farming and build large underground man-made lakes to store rainwater. 

M: Surprising! Someday I'll visit the Maya ruins. I wonder how a civilization like theirs came to an end.

W: Scientists are still trying to uncover the reasons. You know what? I think I know what topic I should present to our classmates in Mr. Smith's class next Tuesday — the great Maya civilization! 

Text 8

M: So, is it as boring as you thought it would be?

W: I hate to say it, but I'm actually quite enjoying it. 

M: Yes, I knew it.

W: Calm down. I still have no interest in collecting the cards, but I must say this show is pretty attractive. 

M: Who do you like best?

W: I quite like Pikachu. It's cool to see a character based on one of my favorite animals.

M: According to the designer, Pikachu was inspired by a kind of mouse, which is confusing. What's a pika anyway?

W: It is part of the rabbit family. Look, here's a photo.

M: Oh, so cute.

W: I know, even cuter when you see them carrying little flowers around. And they're really common across British Columbia.

M: You mean in western Canada? 

W: Yeah, so I saw them all the time growing up. 

Text 9

M: Why did you quit athletics, Gemma?

W: I'd achieved several medals for coming second and third in world events and I'd been lucky enough not to pick up too many injuries. I felt I had the ability to keep on going. But the truth was that I was fed up with living out of a suitcase. 

M: Was it easy to adapt to life after retirement?

W: At first no. After a short rest, I started applying for paid jobs. I needed something to do to prevent me from thinking about the good things about being an athlete. 

M: Was it easy to find a job with your background?

W: Not at all. When employers looked at my information, there was no evidence that I was fit for the job. 

M: But finally someone took you on and five years later, you set up your own company to help retired sportspeople. Was the business an immediate success?

W: Not in the early days. But I didn't give up. I always had a name for being a strong person when I was an athlete. What kept me going most of all was the knowledge that my business would meet a real need. 

Text 10

W: When I read the economic news — the housing problem, the high cost of necessities, or the possibility that AI will make my professional skills out of date — I always come back to the same thought: I should start growing my own vegetables. Money savings and fresh produce aside, gardening and spending time in nature have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. For people like me who live in cities, there's no doubt gardening helps connect with neighbors, and the exercise of planting can support general health. But like many adults in the US, I live with back pain, and it makes repetitive physical movements uncomfortable. Fortunately, this spring I've been seeing Rebecca, a specialist in health care at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. She has a deep love for plants. She grows flowers as well as medicinal plants in her own garden, and has a lot of ideas about how to ease gardening activities to prevent pain.