Text 1

M: Hello, Aunt Jenny. This is Tom. May I speak to John, please? 

W: OK. Just a moment. He is reading in the study. 

Text 2

M: The rain is coming down pretty hard out there. 

W: Yes, we get storms like this every year. You'd better not go out in such weather. 

Text 3

W: Hi, Steve. Where are you going?

M: To the shop. We bought a table the other day but found we didn't really like it. I'm hoping somebody might buy it if I put up an advertisement in the shop window. 

Text 4

M: Can you believe it? Just a few weeks ago we were wearing shorts and now we are wrapped up against winter winds! 

W: The weather changes so fast in this city. In summer it's hot, and now we have this freezing weather. But spring will soon come around. 

Text 5

W: So you've seen the show. Now I'd like to hear your opinions.

M: Well, I am afraid the show is not good enough. The presenter comes across as being sort of big-headed and full of himself.

Text 6

M: Is it true that you don't swim at all now? 

W: I'm afraid so. I'm too old. 

M: But you're only 25!

W: That's too old for a swimmer. If I took part in an international competition now, I wouldn't win.

M: But you were famous at fifteen. And look at all those cups.

W: It's true that I have some wonderful memories. I enjoyed visiting other countries, and the Olympics were very exciting. But I missed many important things. While other girls were growing up, I was swimming. I have time for other things now.

Text 7

M: Hey, I think I found a job that might interest Lisa. Where is she?

W: She went to Liverpool to visit friends. What is it?

M: Well, it's from The Times, which is a British daily national newspaper.

W: What do they want, a reporter?

M: No, it's what they call a sales representative.

W: Hmm. That could be interesting. How much does it pay?

M: Not bad. Three thousand pounds a month. That's five hundred pounds more than what she made in her last job. 

W: Not bad at all. Any requirement?

M: Salespeople with no less than two years of experience, not necessarily in advertising. Lisa has got plenty of that.

W: Any other details about the job?

M: No, just the paid trips to Paris on top of the salary.

W: Well, let's tell Lisa. She'll be back tomorrow.

Text 8

M: So, what do you think of the top floor? I spent all last week here cleaning up all the spiderwebs and getting all this stuff put into boxes.

W: It looks great. This place used to be so messy.

M: Eventually, this is going to be a place where our kids can come up and play.

W: Good idea. Did you find anything useful or interesting up here?

M: As a matter of fact, I did. There were a lot of old clothes I think we can give away. And I found this, too.

W: Oh, my old high school photo book! Wow, I haven't seen this since I left for college.

M: Ten years, huh? There's a lot of stuff up here I haven't looked at in at least a couple of years. Is there anything you want me to donate, or should I just throw it away?

W: There's no point in wasting it. Maybe our neighbors could use some of it.

M: I'm going to head over there to ask them now, and if I have anything left over, I'll drop the rest off at the donation center.

Text 9

W: Jack, I find you are a good joke teller. Whenever you tell a joke, people laugh loudly.

M: Yeah, that's because I love jokes and I like sharing them with others.

W: I like sharing jokes, too. But when I tell jokes to my friends, they don't laugh at all. They try to force a smile, but I can see that they don't think they're really funny. It's so embarrassing.

M: I also find sometimes you try to amuse people, but no one laughs.

W: It's a complete joke when I tell jokes.

M: Maybe you need to change the way you tell jokes. Let me give you some tips.

W: Great!

M: First, choose the right joke for the right person. You can't expect to amuse people of all ages with one joke.

W: Well, yes, you're right. I heard a joke from my friend, and I told it to my mom. My mom didn't understand it at all.

M: Yes. Next, don't laugh before you finish the story. I saw you laugh so hard while others didn't know why you were laughing.

W: That's my problem. I can't help laughing.

M: You may use some body language to help you.

W: I'll try. I hope your tips work for me. Thank you.

M: You're welcome.

Text 10

W: During the summer you should be even more careful than usual because food goes bad faster in hot weather than in cold weather. When you buy frozen and refrigerated foods, don't make long stops on your way home because frozen foods could become soft or warm. Using bags helps keep them cold until you can get home. Milk and milk products should be refrigerated immediately. When camping or picnicking or at any time when refrigeration can't be made use of, use special dry foods. Don't leave food in a hot car. Picnic favorites like meat and eggs should be kept in a cool box. Above all, if the food doesn't seem to be normal in smell or appearance, get rid of it immediately. Don't taste it.