Text 1

W: Excuse me. Is this cell phone yours? It was on the bench in the corner next to my bag.

M: Thanks a lot. I must have left it there when I was reading my book.

Text 2

W: What's your vacation plan this year? Travelling in London or just staying at home?

M: Neither. My aunt invited us to her home. So I will go there with my family.

Text 3

W: How did your tennis practice go this morning, Ted? There were so many dark clouds in the sky.

M: Yeah, I thought it might rain, but it didn't. Actually it was better than when it's sunny, because we could see the ball more easily.

Text 4

M: I am so tired of driving all those hours to work.

W: Yeah, I know what you mean. I used to drive two hours to work each day. But now I live within walking distance of my office. I don't even need a bike.

Text 5

W: I'd like some toast with butter and an iced tea, please.

M: All right. $2 for the toast, so your total comes to $5.50.

W: Actually I'd also like to order a side salad.

M: Sure. Your total will be $8.50.

Text 6

M: These sports shoes are my size, but they only have them in green. That wouldn't be my first choice of color, but I'll try them on and see how they feel — that's the most important thing. My old ones were a bit tight.

W: Those look good on you — the color is really stylish, but most students at our school are wearing black ones these days.

M: Yes, especially the boys in your class. Anyway, these are made from a new kind of material and feel really light. They're great. I hope I've got enough money.

W: Don't worry. My mum just gave me some money. I can lend it to you.

Text 7

W: Good afternoon. May I help you, sir?

M: Could you do me a favor, please, and change this note for me?

W: Don't you want to buy anything in my shop?

M: Sorry. I just need some change. I have got to phone someone.

W: OK. Let me see if I can help you.

M: That's very kind of you.

W: I'm sorry, but I'm rather short of change myself. But there is a bank across the road. You can get some there.

M: Well, thank you all the same.

Text 8

W: Hi, Bill. You look troubled. What's the matter?

M: Hi, Grace. I have a big decision to make. My uncle offered me a job as the lead engineer at his service station, and with good pay.

W: That's wonderful, but are you going to quit college?

M: That's exactly the problem. One side of me says, "Oh, go ahead! You can go back to college anytime. What job could you get after college that would pay you $15 an hour? That's $30,000 a year!"

W: And then?

M: And then, the other side says, "Hold it, not so fast! For all those years you were in the army, you planned to go to college so that you would have many job possibilities to choose from. You've planned your whole life around going to college. And now..."

W: I can see it. It's true that with your experience in the army, you could do excellent work in repairing cars if you accept the job. But you are doing very well now. Just think of the future. You will get better jobs.

Text 9

W: Hey, John. Can I talk to you for a minute?

M: Sure, what's up?

W: I want to let you know about a book club I joined a few months ago. I know you do a lot of reading, so I thought you might want to come with me next month.

M: Oh, that sounds like fun. When does the group meet?

W: Usually the last Saturday of the month at 7:30 in the evening. Is that too late for you?

M: No, I think that's okay. What do you talk about in the group?

W: Well, every month we choose a new book. And then during the next meeting, we discuss it.

M: What books have you read?

W: Quite a lot. Recently we have read A Beautiful Mind and The Great Gatsby. Now we are reading The Kite Runner.

M: The Kite Runner? I've heard that's a good book. What's it about?

W: It's about a boy who grows up in Afghanistan.

M: That sounds interesting. I'd love to come.

W: Great! The next meeting will be held in two weeks, so you still have time to read the book.

Text 10

M: Thank you very much. Thank you Dr. Johnson. Well, it is really great to be back at university again. The thing that I want to tell you today is this: Education is important. When I came to the U.S., I was only thinking about being a carpenter, but I could not read the newspaper and I could not understand the news on television or movies or anything like this, so I entered the college to take English classes for foreign students. I was very proud that I was going to a college because no one in my family ever went to any college or to any university. You know, when you are 15 years old in my country, you finish school and then you learn a trade. And that's exactly what I did. When I was 15 years old, I learned how to be a carpenter. A year later, I came to America. Luckily, I met a very good teacher who encouraged me to take some math classes, business classes and history classes and I became a full-time college student. And today when I look back, I'm so happy because you never know where life will take you. All of a sudden, I started making money, because I was really good at math. You know, how to work out everything with math is so important. This is something that I learned when I started my own business, which is doing really well.