Text 1

M: The first thing we need to do is buy a map. Then we'll be able to find our way around the city more easily.

W: Dad, no one needs to buy a map these days. I can just look at my phone. Now, where is our destination?

Text 2

M: There's the bell. Time to go inside. Good luck with your exam. I'll pick you up later.

W: No need, Dad. A group of us are taking the bus this afternoon. I'll see you when I get back home.

Text 3

M: Who was on the phone?

W: It was Alice. She said I left my scarf at the swimming pool yesterday. She found it and took it home.

M: Shall I take you to her house to collect it?

W: No, it's OK. We're playing badminton tomorrow. I'll get it then.

Text 4

M: What a beautiful ring! Why don't you wear it more often?

W: My mom won't allow me to wear it outside the house! She worries that I might lose it. It's not particularly valuable, but it once belonged to my great-grandmother. So it's too special to be replaced.

Text 5

M: Sorry to bother you, but someone told me there is a shoe-repair shop around here. Any idea where it is?

W: There used to be one, but it closed a while ago.

M: Oh, I see. Maybe I have to get a new pair. Thanks anyway.

Text 6

W: Mr. Jenkins, Jennifer isn't feeling well in my class. I don't think she's fit enough to catch the bus, so do you mind if I drive her home?

M: What's wrong with her?

W: Some kind of fever. She's not well at all.

M: OK, yes, take her home. Will she be fit to take part in the school play?

W: Well, it's Monday today. I hope she'll be OK by Thursday then. I'll call her parents tomorrow and see how she's doing.

M: That's nice, because we'll need to know if someone else has to learn her part.

Text 7

W: Hey Mark. Is that a new phone?

M: Hi Nina. No, it's my usual phone. I just got the screen changed and bought a new cover. Remember I dropped the phone at work last week and the screen was broken?

W: Yes, I remember. It looks new now. How much did it cost to change the screen? I want to have mine replaced too.

M: I paid $55 at a downtown store. It's called Mobile Quick Fix and located by Central Park.

W: Awesome. I might go there this weekend. Thank you for the tip.

M: You're welcome. By the way, are you going to attend the staff training next week?

W: No, I'm not. I did that course last year before you started.

M: Oh, I see.

Text 8

M: What a lovely smell! Whatever it is, I want to eat some of it.

W: Isn't it obvious what I'm making?

M: Smells like bread to me. I just love that smell. You can't beat it.

W: I'll give you some when it's ready.

M: What made you decide to bake it? Bread's cheap in the supermarket, isn't it?

W: Yes, but it's nothing like home-made bread. Mine is fresh and it contains all the best ingredients.

M: My sister used to bake too.

W: Denise? I didn't think she liked cooking.

M: She did bake several times, but I don't think she has the patience to do it all the time.

W: So she quit later. It does take a long time, but it's cheap enough for me. The flour costs me ￡1.50 and the butter ￡2. That's it, really.

M: And with that you can make delicious bread.

W: Exactly.

Text 9

M: George Allen from Daily News. Do you have time for a few questions, Mrs. Carter?

W: If you're quick.

M: Tickets for your latest tour are selling for ￡200 each, yet for tomorrow's show you're giving away half of the seats for nothing. Does that make any financial sense?

W: Financial sense? Probably not. I care about my fans and not all of them can afford ￡200, so I'm trying to give something back to the people who have put me where I am today.

M: We got the news that you're going to be singing with Barry Z. Can you confirm that?

W: Well, since we got married last year, Barry and I have tried to keep our careers separate. But who knows? Maybe there will be some surprises on this tour. I like to keep people guessing.

M: Just one final question. Your former record company has just released one of your early recordings, “Bird Song”. What are your views on that?

W: They should never have done that. It wasn't properly recorded and it just isn't up to the standard people expect of me today.

M: OK, Mrs. Carter. Thank you for your time.

Text 10

M: I'd like to share a few tips with you on how to learn English based on my own experience. When I was at school, I listened to English news and many other British radio shows. Sometimes I listened to what the presenters were saying to learn vocabulary or identify the grammatical structure. I also listened to a lot of English songs. I watched English movies and videos online. I explored British and American content to see how different the accents were. I know some people go abroad without knowing a single word of a foreign language. However, I think it's important to attend at least a few classes to learn the most basic grammar rules of the language. The better you speak a foreign language, the more opportunities you'll have to go to a good university or get a better job. There are also so many studies showing that learning a second language is good for your brain. Read newspapers, books, articles on websites and take notes of the vocabulary you don't understand. Read and observe the structure of each sentence and paragraph. Read out aloud to know where to breathe and where to stop. Finally, speak English out! If you're abroad, don't just stick with your community. Meet English speakers and make an effort to talk to them. Most native speakers will be happy to help you.