Text 1

M: I am considering dropping my piano lessons. It's difficult and I am not making any progress till now.

W: If I were you, I would stick with it. It's definitely worth the time and effort.

Text 2

W: Hello, sir. Can you give me a minute? Look, white noise almost always helps me fall asleep. If you're in the same boat, this mini white noise machine could be a good investment.

M: I don't really need it. Sorry, I'm in a hurry to get to a meeting. Bye.

Text 3

W: Where's Kevin? His room is in a mess. Nothing is in order.

M: He's washing his car in front of the house.

W: Again? He takes good care of his car. Maybe he should move into the car.

Text 4

W: Tom, I really like the abstract paintings and the art gallery. What do you think of them?

M: I guess it's something I haven't acquired a taste for yet. I prefer the paintings having a physical reality.

Text 5

M: Excuse me, I'm looking for a magazine about flower gardening. Could you recommend one?

W: Sure, Country Gardens is a great option.

M: Is it a monthly magazine?

W: No, there's just one issue for each season.

Text 6

M: Susan, when did your flight arrive?

W: On Sunday night.

M: How did you get to the city Providence? By taxi?

W: No, a friend of mine drove Ford to pick me up, but I didn't stay at her home. I booked a hotel and spent two nights there.

M: How is the city?

W: Founded in 1636, it is one of the oldest cities in the United States. It is very picturesque with a lot of cultural offerings.

Text 7

W: Hello. I'm calling to know something about the WillyCon science fiction competition for my kid.

M: Well, kids who are interested in writing science fiction and fantasy will find this contest very appealing. Additionally, kids can also submit poems, which are also judged in the competition. How old is your kid?

W: He is just 10 years old.

M: Good. The contest is categorized in four levels: College, High school, Middle school, Elementary school.

W: Okay. What about the prize?

M: Cash awards and certificates are given to the winners, and the works will be published online.

W: I see, thank you.

Text 8

W: What are you doing, Jim?

M: I'm reading some news in today's paper. It says nowadays many artists like creating art while tracking their runs and bike rides on their phones, turning their exercise into a masterpiece, and they like uploading their works on the internet.

W: So how do they create art in this way?

M: With their GPS as a paintbrush, they follow points on a map to make a single line across an area to create the art. They enter the points into a fitness tracking app called Strava in advance, and the app then traces their every move.

W: What if they make a mistake?

M: Then the whole artwork has to be started all over again.

W: Well, this activity isn't suitable for me. I won't try it. I don't have a good sense of direction.

M: But it's very popular among artists worldwide now. So far, more than 18,000 pieces of such art have been uploaded on the internet.

W: Well, I think it's a great activity for artists. It's a mix of art and exercise.

M: Right.

Text 9

W: Good morning, Mr. Brown.

M: Good morning, Susan. Do you have any classes this morning?

W: Yes, but it won't begin until 10:20 am. What about you?

M: I have no class this morning.

W: Great. Mr. Brown, could you give me some advice on how to give students feedback?

M: Sure. Firstly, when giving feedback, be clear about what the students did well or what they need to improve. Secondly, focus on effort, rather than only praising or criticizing the result. Focus on the effort to achieve it. Thirdly, if a student needs to improve in a particular area, offer suggestions for how to do so.

W: What kind of language do you think we should use when giving feedback?

M: Use positive language, of course. For example, instead of saying “you're doing this wrong”, say, “Let's try it this way”.

W: Thank you. Mr. Brown, you've helped a lot.

M: You're welcome.

W: By the way, would you like to have dinner with me this weekend?

M: Thanks. But I try to avoid eating restaurant food because I have a weak stomach.

W: I'll cook. I'm good at Chinese food.

M: How can I say no to that?

Text 10

W: In Chengdu, a Canadian has become fascinated by the art of Penjing, or Chinese bonsai. His name is Chad Sinclair. He's 46 years old. He came to China 21 years ago to learn about Chinese Penjing. He fell in love with Chengdu and decided to stay here. Since then, he has been seeking inspiration from mountains, rocks, plants and trees to design his own Penjing creations. From a young age, under the influence of his grandmother, Sinclair developed a strong interest in Chinese culture, especially the art of bonsai. In 1997 at the age of 19, Sinclair began to learn from Tak Yamaura, a world-class Japanese bonsai master. But he had always wanted to visit China, where the art originated.  In Chengdu's parks, Sinclair learned Sichuan-style Penjing, one of the five schools of Chinese Penjing. Sichuan-style Penjing is the national intangible cultural heritage with elegant shapes. He hopes to combine his own style with the Sichuan-style concept and introduce the Sichuan-style Penjing to the world. He took a lot of pictures and his friends who are outside of China reposted them. Today, Sinclair has become a somewhat famous Penjing artist in Sichuan. He has also been selected as the expo promotion ambassador for The International Horticultural Exhibition 2024 Chengdu.