Englishpod Dialogues

Elementary ‐ Difficult Customer (B0001 the moment .

) B: So&
A: Good evening. My name is Fabio, I ‘ llbe A: Not to worry. We ‘ re pleased to offer you a
your waiter for tonight. May I take your order? complimentary upgrade.
B: No, I ‘ m still working on it. This menu is not B: Presidential suite baby!
even in English. What ‘ s good here? Elementary ‐
A: For you sir, I would recommend spaghetti The Office ‐ I need an assistant! (C0004
and meatballs. )
B: Does it come with coke and fries? A: ...like I told you before, we just don ‘ t ha
A: It comes with either soup or salad and a the resources to hire you an assistant.
complimentary glass of wine, Sir. B: I understand that, but the fact is we‘ re
B: I ‘ llgo with the spaghetti and meatballs, understaffed.
salad and the wine. A: The timing is just not right. The economy is
A: Excellent choice, your order will be ready bad, and it ‘ s too risky to take on new staff.
soon. B: Yeah, I guess you ‘ re right.... here ‘ s an id
B: How soon is soon? what
A: Twenty minutes? if we hire an intern? She would take some of
B: You know what? I ‘ ll just go grab a burger the weight off my shoulders.
across the street. A: She?
Elementary ‐ Calling In Sick (B0002) B: Yeah, you know, a recent graduate. She
A: Hello, Daniel speaking, how may I help could give me a hand with some of these
you? projects and we could keep our costs down.
B: Hi, Daniel, Julie here. A: That sounds reasonable... let me see what I
A: Hi, Julie, how are you? can do.
B: Actually, I ‘ m feeling quite ill today. A: Tony, I ‘ d like to intro duce you to your new
A: I ‘ m sorry to hear that. What ‘ s wrong? assistant.
B: I think I ‘ m coming down with the flu. I have B: OK, great! Let ‘ s meet her!
a headache, a sore throat a runny nose and C: Hi, I ‘ m Adam.
I ‘ m feeling slightly feverish. B: Oh... hi... I ‘ m Tony...
A: I see... so you ‘ re calling in sick? Elementary ‐
B: Yes, I was hoping to take the day off to Daily Life ‐ Cut In Line (C0005)
recover. A: I can ‘ t believe it took us two hours to get
A: OK, then. Try and get some rest. here. The traffic in New York is unbelievable.
Elementary ‐ B: Ye ah, but just relax honey, we ‘ re here and
Daily Life ‐ Hotel Upgrade (C0003) we‘ re going on vacation. In a few hours we ‘
A: Good afternoon. What can I do for you? be in Hawaii, and you ‘ ll be on the golf course.
B: I ‘ dlike to check in please. I have a A: Oh no!Look at that line! It must be a mile
reservation under the name Anthony Roberts. long!
A: All right R.O.B.E.R.T.S... Oh, Mr. Roberts There ‘ sno way I ‘ mwaiting for another two
we‘ ve been expecting you& and here is your hours.
keycard to the presidential suite. B: Honey... don ‘
t...
B: But there must be some mistake; my C: Hey man, the end of the line is over there.
reservation was for a standard room. A: Yeah...
A: Are you sure? Let me double check. C: No seriously, I was here first, and you can
B: Yeah&Here, this is my confirmation cut in line like this.
number. A: Says who?
A: You ‘ re right Mr. Roberts, there seems to be C: I do!
a mixup, unfortunately we‘ re overbooked at A: So sue me!

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 Englishpod Dialogues

C: Alright...that ‘ s it.... B: Yeah, yeah, it was really interesting. You

Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Road Trip know, I ‘ m in a bit of a hurry, but here ‘ s my
(C0006) card. We should definitely meet up again and
A: So, are we all ready to go? continue our discussion.
B: Yup, I think so. The car ‘ s packed; we have A: Sure, you still have my contact details,
munchies and music, and the map ‘ s in the car. right?
A: Did you get the camera? B: You know what, this is really embarrassing,
B: Got it! Did you fill up the tank? but your name has just slipped my mind. Can
A: Yup, it ‘ s all set. you remind me?
B: You ‘ re sure we ‘ re not forgetting anything? A: Sure, my name is Ana Ferris. Don ‘ t worry
A: I ‘ m sure... we ‘ ve got all our bases covered. about it; it happens to me all the time. I‘m
B: Well& let ‘ s get going then! I love road trips! terrible with names too.
B: Um... do you think we can make a pit stop? Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Silence pl
A: But we‘ ve only been on the road for ten ease! (C0009)
minutes. A: Those people in front of us are making so
B: I know, but I forgot to go to the bathroom much noise. It ‘ s so inconsiderate!
before B: Dont worry about it; it ‘ s not such a big deal.
we left. A: Oh... I cant hear a thing! Excuse me, can
Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Virus! (C000 you keep it down?
7) C: Sure, s orry ‘ bout that!
A: Oh great! This stupid computer froze again! A: Someone ‘ s phone is ringing!
Thats the third time today! Hey Samuel, can B: Honey, I think it ‘ your
s phone. Did you
you come take a look at my PC? It ‘ s acting up forget to switch it off?
again. It must have a virus or something. A: Oh, no! You ‘ re right. That ‘ s so
B: Just give me a second; I ‘ ll be right up. embarrassing!
B: I ran a virus scan on your computer, and it C: Do you mind keeping it down? I ‘ m trying to
turns out that you have a lot of infected files! watch a movie here!
A: But I ‘ m quite careful when I ‘ m browsing the Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Driving Sales
internet, I have no idea how I could have (C0010)
picked up a virus. A: All right, people. We ‘ re holding this meeting
B: Well, you have to make sure that your today because we‘ ve got to do something
anti-virus software is updated regularly; yours about our sales, and we need to do it NOW! I
wasn ‘ tup to date, that ‘ probably
s what was want concrete solutions. How do you intend to
causing your problems. drive sales... Roger?
A: Ok. Anything else? B: Well, in fact, we ‘ re
the most expensive in
B: Yeah, try not to kick or hit the computer! the market, so maybe we need to lower our
A: Um yeah& Sorry about that. prices to match the competitors?
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ What ’ｓyour n A: Lower our prices? Not very creative. It ‘ ll
ame again? (C0008) never fly with Swan. What kind of thinking is
A: Nick! How ‘ s it going? that? Geez. Anybody else have a better plan?
B: Oh, hey... Natalie?
A: What are you doing in this neighbourhood? C: Um, perhaps, um, a sales promotion.
Do you live around here? Maybe a two-for-one offer, or something like
B: Actually, my office is right around the that!
corner. A: What? That ‘ sthe same thing. Bad idea.
A: It was great to meet you last week at the Really bad idea. Dammit people come on!
conference. I really enjoyed our conversation Think! The CEO will be here any minute.
about foreign investment. D: Do we have any ideas yet?

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 Englishpod Dialogues

C: Yes Mr. Swan, we were kind of considering A: Honey, the house is such a mess! I need
a two-for- one offer to get more competitive. you to help me tidy up a bit. My boss and her
D: A two-for-one promotion? Hmm. I kind of husband are coming over for dinner and the
like the sound of that. It sounds like house needs to be spotless!
something we should consider. B: I ‘ m in the middle of something right now.
A: Yeah, exactly. Just what I was thinking! In I ‘ ll be
fact, that ‘ sa brilliant idea! I ‘ m glad we there in a second.
thought of that. A: This can ‘ t wait! I need your help now!
Very creative. B: Alright, alright. I ‘ m coming.
A: Ok, here ‘ s a list of chores we need to get
done. I ‘ lldo the dishes and get all the
Elementary ‐Daily Life ‐New Guy in Tow
groceries for tonight. You can sweep and mop
n (C0011) the floors. Oh, and the furniture needs to be
dusted.
A: Oh, I don ‘ t know if you heard, but someone
B: You know what, I have to pick something
moved into that old house down the road.
up at the mall, so why don ‘ tyou clean the
B: Yeah, I know. I met the owner of the house
floors and Ill go to the supermarket and get all
yesterday as he was moving in. His name is
the groceries.
Armand.
A: Sure that ‘ s fine. Here is the list of all the
A: Really? What ‘ s he like? You have to fill me things you need to get. Dont forget anything!
in.
And can
B: Actually, he ‘ s a bit strange. I don ‘ t know...
you pick up a bottle of wine on your way
I ‘ ve got a bad feeling about him.
home?
A: Really? Why?
B: Hey, honey I ‘ m back. Wow, the house looks
B: Well, yesterday I brought over a
really
housewarming gift,but Armand started acting
good!
really weird, and then he practically kicked me
A: Great! Can you set the table?
out! I tried to, sort of, peek into his house, but
B: Just a sec I ‘ m just gonna vacuum this rug
everything was so dark inside that I couldn ‘t
real fast
really get a good look.
A: Wait! Don ‘ t turn it on...
A: Well, you ‘ llnever guess what I saw this Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Out Of Contr
morning.
ol Spending (C0013)
A delivery truck pulled into his driveway, and it
A: OK, so now the last point on our agenda. Jill,
dropped off a long, rectangular box. It almost
let ‘ s
looked like a coffin! go over the profit and loss statement.
B: You see! Why would he...
B: Great. Well, the main issue here, as you
C: Hello ladies...
can see,
B: Ah, Armand! You scared the heck out of me!
is that our expenses are through the roof.
This
A: Let ‘ ssee. .. These numbers are off the
is my friend Doris.
charts!
C: A pleasure to meet you...If you are not
What ‘ s going on here!
doing anything tonight, I would like to have
B: Well, um, sir, the company expenditures on
you both for dinner.I mean...I would like to
entertainment and travel are out of control.
have you both over for dinner.
Look at these bills for example. Just this
month we‘ ve paid over twenty thousand
Elementary ‐Daily Life ‐Cleaning the Ho dollars for hotel charges!
A: OK, thank you. I ‘ ll look into it.
use (C0012)
B: The list goes on and on. Here, this is a bill

3
 Englishpod Dialogues

for five are near?

thousand dollars for spa treatments! A: Are you okay?
A: Thank you; that will be all. I ‘ ll take care of B: Oh, wait a second, you seem really familiar,
it. I think I know you from somewhere.
B: Look at this one sir, eight thousand dollars A: Yeah, I think we have met somewhere
were spent in one night at a place called ‖ Wild before. That ‘ s right! We met at Aaron ‘ s place
Things ‖ ?! last weekend! What a coincidence! But
A: OK, I get it!! Thank you for your very anyway, I ‘ mglad to see that you ‘ renot too
thorough analysis! badly hurt, and I should probably get going. I
Elementary ‐ I ’ｍin Debt (B0014) have a nine o ‘ clock meeting.
A: Hello, I ‘ m here to see Mr. Corleone. B: Ouch! My ankle! I think it ‘bro
s ken! You
B: Right this way, sir. can ‘ t
C: Charlie! What can I do for you? just leave me like this! Are you calling an
B: Mr. Corlo ne, I ‘ m really sorry to trouble you, ambulance?
but I A: Nope, I ‘ mcanceling my appointment so
need your help. that I
C: Anything for you, Charlie! Your father was can stay here with you.
like a SONG: Do you remember when we met?
brother to me. That ‘ sthe day I knew you were my pet. I
B: Well, sir, you see, this recession has hit me wanna tell you how much I love you.
pretty
hard; I lost my job and I ‘ m in a lot of debt. Elementary ‐ Turn left here! (B0016)

C: I see. . . . . .
A: Hurry up, get in.
B: Yeah, you know, I ‘ ve got credit card bills,
B: I ‘ m in, let ‘ s go!
car payments, I ‘ ve got to pay my mortgage;
A: OK, make a left here. . . no wait, I meant
and on top of all that, I have to pay my son ‘s
make a
college tuition.
right. Come on, speed up!
C: So you ‘ re asking for a loan.
B: Geez! What ‘ s the rush?
B: Well, I just thought maybe you could help
A: Don ‘ t worry about it, just drive. Oh, no, the
me out.
light is
C: What? At a time like this? I ‘ m too,
broke
about to change. . . step on it!
you know! You ‘ renot the only one who has
B: Are you nuts! I ‘ m not going to run a red
been hit by the recession! I lost half my money
light!
in the stock market crash! Go on! Get outa
A: Whatever. Just turn right here. . . .The
here!
freeway will be packed at this hour. . . .let
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ I ’ｍsorry, I lo
take a side street. Go on! Get out of our way!
ve you (C0015)
Move, move!
A: Whoa, whoa, what ‘ s going on? Watch out!
B: What ‘ s your problem ! Geez. Having a fit is
B: Hey, watch where you ‘ re going!
not
A: Oh, no! I ‘ m so sorry! Are you all right?
going to help!
B: Oh...I don ‘ t know.
A: Here, I know a short cut....just go down
A: I feel terrible, I really didn ‘ t mean to knock
here, and we‘ llcut though Ashburn Heights.
you over. My tire, just exploded, and I lost
Let ‘ s go, let ‘ s go! Watch out for that lady!
control of my bike. Really, it was an accident.
B: I ‘ m going as fast as I can!
Please accept my apologies.
A: Yes! We made it. 5: 58, just before the
B: Just let me try to stand up.
library
SONG: Why do birds suddenly appear, every
closes.
time you
B: You ‘ re such a geek!
4
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Here Comes the Bride (B0 argue that it could help save the jobs of
017) millions of hardworking Americans.
B: That maybe true, and I for one don ‘ t want
A: I can ‘ tbelieve that Anthony is finally to see anyone lose their job, but how can
getting married! these CEOs ask for a bailout when they ‘ re
B: Yeah well it ‘ s about time! He ‘ s been living making millions of dollars? And then, they
with his have the nerve to fly to Washington in private
parents for 40 years! jets! This costs hundreds of thousands of
A: Don ‘ t be mean. Look here come the dollars! And they ‘ re asking for money! Tha t is
bridesmaids! just not right!
Their dresses look beautiful! A: Good point. This is Sarah O‘ Connell
B: Who are those kids walking down the aisle? reporting live from Washington D. C., back to
A: That ‘ s the flower girl and the ring bearer. you, Tom.
I ‘ m pretty sure they ‘ re the groom ‘ s niece and
nephew. Oh, they look so cute! Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Christma
B: I just hope the priest makes it quick. I ‘m s Chronicles I (C0019)
starving. I hope the food ‘ sgood at the
reception. A: I hate working on Christmas Eve! Whoa!

A: That ‘ s all you ever think about, food! Oh, I Get a load of this guy! Come in central, I think

think the bride ‘ scoming now! She looks we‘ ve got ourselves a situation here.

gorgeous. Wait, what ‘ sshe doing? Where ‘ s B: License and registration please. Have you

she going? been drinking tonight, sir?

B: Oh great! Does this mean that the A: I had one or two glasses of eggnog, but

reception is nothing else.

canceled? B: Step out of the vehicle, please. Sir, what do

you have in the back?
Elementary ‐ Upper ‐ A: Just a few Christmas gifts, ‘ tis the season,
Intermediate ‐ Protest! (D0018) after all!
B: Don ‘ t take that tone with me. Do you have
A: This is Action 5 News reporter Sarah an invoice for these items?
O‘ Connell reporting live from Washington, D. A: Umm...no...I make these in my workshop
C. where a protest has broken out. Thousands in the North Pole!
of angry citizens are protesting against the B: You are under arrest, sir. You have the right
proposed bailout of the auto manufacturing to remain silent. You better not pout, you
industry! Sir, sir, Sarah O‘ Connell, Action 5 better not cry. Anything you say can and will
news. Can you tell us what ‘ s happening? be used against you. You have the right to an
B: Yeah, yeah, we ‘ re here because we feel this attorney; if you cannot afford one, the state
is an injustice! The financial irresponsibility of will appoint
big business has to stop! We ‘ re there to show A: You can ‘ t take me to jail! What about my
the government that we don ‘ tlike the way sleigh? It ‘ s Christmas Eve! I have Presents to
that they ‘ re spending our tax dollars! deliver! Rudolph! Prancer! Dancer! Get help!
A: Sir but what exactly is making everyone so
angry? Elementary ‐ I Can See Clearly Now (B0
B: It ‘ an
s absolute outrage, Sarah, the US 020)
government wants to give 25 billion dollars of
taxpayers ‘ money to the auto i ndustry. These A: Hello, Arthur. What seems to be the

are companies that have been mismanaged problem?

and are now nearly bankrupt. B: Hey doc. Well, I think I might need glasses.

A: I see. But, many supporters of the bailout I ‘ m getting headaches, and I really struggle to

5
 Englishpod Dialogues

see things that are far away. But I have always Don ‘ t you know who I am? Kris Kringle, you
had 20/20 vision. know, Papa Noel, Pere Noel, Babbo Natale,
A: Sounds like you may be far-sighted. OK, sheng dan lao ren!
then, cover your left eye and read the chart in B: Yeah, Yeah, we ‘ ve heard that one before,
front of you. haven ‘ t we Joe?
B: Mmm.. . X, E, R, 3, a question mark, and I C: Yeah, last week we booked this guy who
can ‘ t quite make out the other symbol but I claimed to be the tooth fairy! Can you believe
think it ‘ s the peace sign. that?
A: Wow, Arthur! You ‘ re as blind as a bat! A: It ‘ Christmas
s Eve and I have all these
B: Yeah, I know, my vision is really blurry at Presents to deliver! Where is your Christmas
times. spirit? What will happen when all the children
A: Ok then, head on over to the other room wake up tomorrow and don ‘ t find any gifts in
and pick out some frames while I fill out your their stockings?
prescription. B: Sorry buddy, you were parked in a
B: Thanks doc! no-parking zone, you were speeding, and you
A: Arthur, that ‘ s the bathroom. have no ID!
C: Besides that, even if we let you go now,
Elementary ‐ your sleigh has been impounded and those
The Office ‐ What Do You Do? (C0021) reindeer were taken to the city zoo.
A: What! This is unbelievable! What ‘ s this
A: Oh, look, there ‘ sVeronica and her
world coming to? Christmas is ruined!
boyfriend. She ‘ s always going on about him at
C: What ‘ s that up ahead? It looks like... elves!!
the office. Oh, great, they saw us. They ‘ re
Elves!! Whoa, the y ‘ reshooting candy canes!
coming this way.
Mayday, Mayday, we are under heavy attack!
B: Oh, man...
We need backup!
C: Jessica! Arthur! Hi! I ‘ d like you to meet my
boyfrien d Greg, he ‘ s the V. P. of quality and Elementary ‐ Making an Appointment (
safety for a top Fortune 500 food company. B0023)
A: Nice to meet you. This is my husband,
Arthur. A: Hello, Fairbrook Consulting, how may I help
B: Hey, how ‘ s it going? you?
D: Hello. B: Yes, this is Julianne Horton, and I ‘ m calling
A: Veronica talks about you all the time. I to arrange an appointment with Ms. McNealy.
guess you must be pretty busy at work. A: Certainly, what day were you thinking of?
D: Well, yeah, a V. P. position is not easy, you B: How‘ s Thursday? Does she ha ve any time
know! I implement policies and procedures available then?
nationwide of various departments, as well as A: Um. . . let me double check. . .
train junior managers in FDA and EPA unfortunately, she ‘ s booked solid on Thursday,
regulations. I also have to oversee daily ope how does next Monday work for you?
B: Wow, yeah... that sounds exciting. B: Actually, I ‘ ve got something scheduled on
D: And what about you, Arthur? What do you Monday. Can she do Tuesday?
do for a living? A: Sure, Tuesday ‘ s perfect. May I ask where
B: Oh, I ‘ m a Top Gun pilot! you ‘ re
calling from?
Elementary ‐ B: Sure, Merton Financial Advisors.
The Weekend ‐ Christmas Chronicles II A: Oh, actually, Tuesday ‘ s no good.
(C0022) Sorry ‘ bout that.

A: Really, gentlemen, you can ‘ t take me to jail! Elementary ‐ Where should we eat? (B0

6
 Englishpod Dialogues

024) avoid any of our employees getting infected;

think of ways to reduce employee-customer
A: Do you two have any plans for the evening? contact, perhaps some IT solutions that will
B: We were thinking of checking out a allow our people to work from home.
restaurant in the neigbourhood. Do you have C: I guess you ‘ ll need me to forecast employee
any suggestions? absences as well, right? And I ‘ llthink about
A: I know this really nice Italian place. The the impact this will have on our clients. Hey,
food is fantastic, and the d or is′beautiful.
ec what about vaccines? Should we be thinking
I ‘ d recommend giving it a try. about getting vaccines for our employees?
C: Actually, I ‘ m not all that crazy about Italian A: Exactly right. So, I ‘ ll leave this to you, and
food; I ‘ min the mood for something a bit we‘ ll review the draft plan in two weeks. Okay,
lighter. so, anyone want to order some KFC for lunch?
A: In that case, I know a great little bistro.
They make a really tasty seafood platter; the Elementary ‐ New Year Resolution (B00
fish is outstanding. 26)
B: It sounds fantastic, but I ‘ mallergic to
seafood, so. . . A: So, did I tell you about my New Year ‘ s

A: Okay, well, let me think. . . Oh, I know this resolution? I ‘ ve decided to go on a diet.

great little place. It ‘ s just a hole in the wall, B: And you ‘ re going to completely transform

but they do the most amazing sandwiches. your eating habits, right?

You gotta give them a try. A: Exactly! I ‘ m going to cut out all that junk I

C: Ella, you took me there last time I visited, eat; no more chips, no more soda, no more

and I got food poisoning, remember? fried food.

B: I ‘ ve heard this one before.
Elementary ‐ Upper ‐ A: But this time I ‘ m going to stick to it. I really
Intermediate ‐ Planning For The Worst mean it! Trust me, Carol, I ‘ mgoing to be a
(D0025) new man in one year ‘ s time!
B: Well, I guess we‘ lljust have to wait and
A: Well, right, let ‘ s move to our next order of see.
business, as many of you are aware, in recent A: Thanks, h oney, that was a great meal. I ‘m
weeks there has been a lot of media coverage stuffed. Do we have any chips left?
surrounding this bird flu issue. And it ‘ s come
to my attention that our company lacks any Elementary ‐ Asking for Time Off (B002
sort of bird flu contingency plan. 7)
B: Basically, we need to come up with a clear
plan; we need to outline specific actions that A: Mr. McKenna, do you have a second? I need

our company can take to maintain critical to talk to you about something.

business functions in case a pandemic strikes. B: Sure, Liv, what can I do for you?

A: So, what I ‘ dlike to do is: first appoint A: Well, I was just wondering. . . you see, I

someone to look after drafting our plan; Ralph, know I ‘ ve used up all my vacation days this

I ‘ d like you to head up this project. year, but my sister is getting married, and the

C: Sure, no problem. What issues do you want wedding is overseas, and, well. . .

me to consider? B: You wanna take some time off, is that

B: Well, let ‘ s see, there are a few points we right?

need to be thinking about. . . first, I ‘ llneed A: Well, sir, I was just hoping that I might be

you to analyze our numbers and figure out able to take some unpaid leave this year.

what kind of financial impact an outbreak B: What dates are you planning on taking off?

might have. I ‘ need

ll at least two months notice, so that I

A: You ‘ ll also need to think about how we can can plan for your absence.

7
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: I was thinking of taking off from September last few months, and we have no idea how the
first until the thirtieth. Would you be okay with proposed stimulus package will impact the
that? economy. There ‘ s just too much instability. I
B: Well, I guess so. wouldn ‘ t feel comfortable investing in this
climate.
Elementary ‐ A: But look at it this way, every challenge is an
Daily Life ‐ I ’ｍSorry, I Love You II (C0 opportunity. And anyway, I ‘ mnot talking
028) about investing in the domestic market. There
are emerging markets that promise great
A: I ‘ mso relieved that your ankle wasn ‘ t returns. Look at China, for example; they
broken! I feel just awful about this whole thing.
have 1.4 billion people, half a billion of whom
I wanna make it up to you. Let me take you
have recently entered the middle class. Here
out to dinner tonight. My treat.
alone, the aggregate demand for consumer
B: That sounds great! I ‘ d love to! Hereis my
goods rePresents an amazing wealth
address. Pick me up at eight?
generating opportunity.
A: Perfect!
B: Come on, son, you ‘ relooking at this too
B: Thank you for such a lovely evening! The
naively, the Chinese market has exhibited a
food was amazing, and I had a great time.
great deal of instability, and their currency has
A: Me too. You look so beautiful tonight! I wish
been devalued by almost a whole percentage
this night would never end. There ‘ s something point.
I have to tell you...
A: Fine , then! If that ‘ s the way you feel, so be
B: What is it?
it. But you ‘ re losing out on a great opportunity
A: I woke up today thinking this would be just
here. I ‘ m going to go hit up Mum for the cash.
like any other ordinary day, but I was wrong. A
twist of fate brought us together. I crashed Elementary ‐
into your life and you into mine, and this may Daily Life ‐ New Guy in Town II (C0030
sound crazy, but I ‘ m falling )

Elementary ‐ A: Oh, Armand, thank you for such a

Advanced ‐ Investing in Emerging Mark thoughtful invitation! It ‘ really
s very nice of
ets (E0029) you to invite us over for dinner, don ‘ tyou
think so, Ellen?
A: Dad, I ‘ d like to borrow some money.
B: Oh, yes of course! We ‘ d love to come over.
B: Sure, Johnny, how much do you need? Five
Can I bring anything?
bucks?
C: No, don ‘ t worry about it; I ‘ care
ll takeof
A: Come on, Dad, I need thirty thousand. I
everything. I ‘ ll see you tonight. Come with an
wanna get into the market. You know, I‘m
appetite... I know I will!
tired of hearing all this news about the
B: I don ‘ t want go over to his place for dinner!
economic downturn, the inevitable recession, He gives me the creeps! Why on earth did you
people stuffing their money in their
accept?
mattresses. I look at this as an opportunity.
A: Oh come on Ellen, it will be nice to get to
This is a chance for me to get a jump start on know him. Besides, he ‘ s new to the
building my nest egg.
neighborhood, and it would be rude to decline
B: I don ‘ t know about that; with all the
his invitation.
uncertainty in the markets right now, it would
B: I guess so... You always rope me into
be a very unwise decision to invest. I don ‘ t
things like this!
know if you ‘ re aware son, but there has been a
C: Ladies! Thank you for coming! You look
lot of turmoil in the markets recently. There
delicious...I mean beautiful. Please come in.
have already been half a million layoffs in the A: Oh Oh Armand! You are too kind!
8
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: How did I get myself into this... book. Will you require overdraft protection?
There is an extra fee for that.
Elementary ‐ Canceling an Appointment B: No, that won ‘ t be necessary.
(B0031) A: In that case, I ‘ llget you to fill out this
paperwork; I ‘ llneed your social insurance
A: Hello, Samantha speaking.
number, and two pieces of government ID. If
B: Hi Samantha. This is Angela calling.
you could just sign here, and here, and here;
A: Oh, hi Angela, what ‘ s up?
we‘ ll be all set. Would you like to make a
B: I ‘ m just calling about our meeting today. I
deposit today?
wonder, is it possible to reschedule our B: Yes, I ‘ d like to deposit one billion dollars.
appointment in the afternoon? I have a bit of
an emergency that I need to take care of. Elementary ‐ Foul! (B0033)
A: Let me see, it shouldn ‘ t be too much of a
problem... A: Has the game started yet?
B: I ‘ m really sorry, I hope it doesn ‘ t B: Yeah, about 5 minutes ago.
inconveni ence you too much, it ‘ just
s this A: Who ‘
s winning?
thing came up, and ... B: The Bulls, of course!
A: Angela, you know what, I can ‘ t make it to A: What! That wasnt a foul! C ‘ mon, ref!
our meeting, either. Why don ‘ t we postpone it B: Don ‘ tworry, Shaq always screws up free
to tomorrow afternoon at the same time? throws.
B: Sounds great. See you tomorrow. A: You were right! He didn ‘ t make the shot!
C: Angela..Angela, look up! See that lady over B: That was a great shot! A three pointer,
there who is trying on a red leather jacket? yeah!
Isn ‘ t that Samantha? A: Did you see that? He traveled and the ref
B: What? No wonder she told me she couldn ‘t didn ‘ t call it!
make it to the meeting, oh, no, I think she saw B: This ref needs glasses. Hey ref, open your
me... eyes! I can ‘ t believe he didn ‘ t see that!
A: Okay... end of the first quarter... Alright,
Elementary I ‘ m gonna make a beer run.
‐ Daily Life ‐ Opening a Bank Account (
C0032) Elementary ‐ Upper ‐
Intermediate ‐ Live from Washington (
A: Next, please. May I help you, sir? D0034)
B: Hello, yes, I ‘ d like to open a bank account.
A: Certainly, I can can help you with that. A: This is Madeline Wright, for BCC News
What type of account would you like to open? reporting live from Washington D. C. where,
A chequing or a savings account? very shortly, the new President will deliver his
B: What What features do they offer? inaugural address. Just moments ago, the
A: Well, if you just take a look here, see, with President was sworn-in to office; following the
our chequing account, you can have unlimited United States Constitution the President swore
daily transactions for a small monthly fee, and an oath to faithfully execute the office of the
our savings account has a higher interest rate, presidency.
but you must carry a minimum balance of B: And what exactly is going on now,
$ 10,000 dollars. Madeline?
B: I see, well, I think I ‘interested
re m mo in a A: Well, Tom, true to American tradition, the
chequing account; I like to have easy access band has just played ― Hail to the Chief ‖ , and
to my money. the President has been honored by a 21-gun
A: Alright, then, with this chequing account salute. Now we ‘ re waiting for the President to
you ‘ llbe issued a debit card and a cheque take to the stage and deliver his speech. Tom,

9
 Englishpod Dialogues

it ‘ s like a who ‘ s who of the political world here make me hire your stupid, useless, cousin.
on Capital Hill, with dignitaries representing
several different countries. Elementary ‐ I ’ｍSorry, I Love You III (

B: What ‘ s the mood on the ground like, B0036)

Madeline?
A: Steven! Where have you been? I ‘ ve been
A: In a word, the mood here is electric. The
trying to get a hold of you for hours!
excitement in the air is palpable; I ‘ venever
B: I... um... there was an emergency at work,
seen a larger crowd here on Capital Hill, and
so...
the audience is shouting, crying, and
A: I was waiting for you in the restaurant for
embracing each other. On this, a most historic
three hours! And you didn ‘ even
t have the
day, you can feel the hope and the excitement
decency to call me! Do you have any idea how
in the air. The 20th of January will go down in
embarrassed I was?
history as the . . . . Oh, Tom, it looks like the
B: Honey, I promise this won ‘ t happen again,
President is about to begin. . .
it ‘ s just that I...
C: My fellow Americans, today I stand before
A: Yeah, right. I ‘ ve heard it all before. I ‘
you...
going to take any more of your empty

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ He’ｓnot a Go promises. This is the 5th tim e you ‘ ve stood me

od Fit (C0035) up in two weeks! You need to get your

priorities straight. I ‘ m tired of you putting your
A: So, Lauren, I just wanted to talk to you job first all the time!
quickly about our new customer support B: Come on, Veronica, that ‘ s not fair. I do care
representative, Jason Huntley. about you a lot, you know that. I tried to ...
B: Sure, what ‘ s up? A: You know what? Maybe we should just take
A: Basically, I ‘ ve got a few concerns about him, a break. I need some time to think about
and t he bottom line is, I don ‘ tthink he ‘ sa where this relationship is heading.
good fit for our company. B: But...Veronica, would you just listen to me?
B: Okay... what makes you say that? I thought There was a fire alarm at my office building
you were pleased with his overall performance. today and I was stuck...
Didn ‘ t you just tell me last week how
impressed you were with his attitude? Elementary ‐ Intermediate ‐ Chinese N

A: Yeah, his attitu de is great, but he ‘ s really ew Year (C0037)

unreliable. Sometimes he ‘ s really productive,

A: I ‘ mso excited about Chinese New Year!
but then other times... take last Tuesday for
When do I get to visit Grandma? Grandma
instance, he was forty-five minutes late for
makes the best dumplings in the world!
our morning meeting!
B: Ha ha, right. Sounds to me like you ‘ re more
B: Well, I ‘ msure he had a perfectly good
excited about the dumplings than seeing your
reason...
Grandma.
A: But that ‘ sotnthe only thing... you know,
A: Of course I miss Grandma, too. I bet she ‘s
he really doesn ‘ t have the best work ethic, I ‘m
gonna teach me how to play Mahjong! Hey,
constantly catching him on MSN and Facebook
Dad, are you going to buy me firecrackers this
when he should be talking to clients.
year? We ‘ re going to have the best fireworks!
B: Yeah, but come on, Geoff, as if you don ‘t
I ‘ m really looking forward to lighting them!
check Facebook at work. Look, you hired this
B: Son, firecrackers aren ‘ t toys; they ‘ re
guy, we‘ ve invested a lot of time and money in
dangerous!
his training, so now it ‘ s up to you to coach him.
A: No, fireworks are awesome!
Make it work, Geoff!
B: Whoa, don ‘ tyou remember? Last year
A: Make it work, Geoff. You would say that,
when I set off the firecrackers, you covered
wouldn ‘ t you, he is your cousin; what a jerk,
10
 Englishpod Dialogues

both your ears and hid behind your mother? A: It does not.
A: Dad! I was scared because... because I saw B: Well, I don ‘ ow.
t kn Let me sleep on it.
a bug. That ‘ s all. A: Did I mention the tank is a tank?
B: Hahaha... really? B: I ‘ ll take it!
A: Oh , and I can ‘ t wait to watch the dragon C: Dad!
dance! Dad, can I sit on your shoulders this
time? Elementary ‐ My New Boyfriend (B0039

B: Hey, I offered last year... )

A: Well, I... anyways, I was just thinking of

A: Irene! I heard you were on a date last night!
the red envelopes. I wanna make a list of all
So, how how did it go? I want all the juicy
the things I ‘ m gonna buy with my red
details!
enve lope money! I can ‘ t wait! I ‘ m gonna have
B: Um... well, actually, we had a fantastic time
so much money! Mom, can I get a pen and a
last night. He was...amazing!
piece of paper?
A: Okay, now you really have to fill me in.
A: I want a new transformer, no, two
W hat ‘ s he like?
transformers...the Optimus Prime,
B: He‘ sreally good looking; he ‘ squite tall,
and...maybe the wheeljack? I ‘ llget a PSP
around 6 ‘ 1‖ , he ‘ s in his early thirties, and he
game, hahaha, and I ‘ llbuy the entire class
got the most beautiful dark brown eyes...
lunch at MacDonald ‘ s...
A: He sounds hot! What does he do for a

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Buying a Car ( living?

C0038) B: You know what, this is the best part. David

is a junior investment banker at Fortune Bank,
A: Hi there, can I help you folks? so he ‘ s got a great career path ahead of him!
B: I ‘ m just browsing; seeing what ‘ s on the lot. A: Hold on a sec, his name is David?
My daughter wants a car for her birthday, you B: Yeah?
know how it is. A: That ‘ s my brother!
C: Dad! I ‘ m sixteen already and I ‘ m, like, the
only one at school who do esn ‘ t have a car!
Elementary ‐ Can I ask you a favor? (B0
A: She is right, you know. Kids these days all
have cars. Let me show you something we just 040)

got in: a 1996 sedan. Excellent gas mileage, it

A: Um, sorry to bother you, um... my name is
has dual airbags and anti lock brakes; a
Rachel. I ‘ m new here. Can I ask you a favor?
perfect vehicle for a young driver.
B: Hi Rachel, welcome on board. I ‘ m afraid I
C: Dad, I love it! It ‘awesome!
s Can we get
can ‘ t help you right now. I ‘ m getting ready for
this one please?
a very important meeting.
B: I see... What can you tell me about this
A: Excuse me, but can I bother you for a sec?
one?
C: You know what, I ‘ d love to help you, but I
A: Oh, that ‘ s just an old World War Two tank
about to meet an important client. Do you
that we use for TV commercials. Now about
wanna try Sean instead? He sits right over
this sedan...
there.
B: Whoa, whoa wait a minute. Tell me more
A: Sorry to interrupt you Sean, could you do
about this tank.
me a quick favor?
A: Well, Sir, if you are looking for quality and
D: Actually, I ‘
m working on a document that is
safety then look no further! Three inches of
due in a couple minutes. I really can ‘ t talk to
reinforced steel protect your daughter from
you right now. Sorry about that.
short range missile attacks.
A: Geeze! I just want to know where the
B: Does the sedan protect her from missile
bathroom is! What ‘ s wrong with you people!
attacks?
11
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Movie Tra design team lost all the files, so I had to re-do
iler (C0041) the pictures.
A: I ‘ mnot going to put this off any longer,
A: In a digital world, even the strongest must Casey! I want those photos ASAP!
fight for survival. Two people, possess a secret
so valuable, so powerful, they have to defend Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Applying for a
it at all costs. Visa (C0043)
B: I don ‘ tcare where they are, I don ‘ tcare
what it takes... you find them and bring them A: So, you ‘ re applying for a B2 visa, where is

to me! your final destination and what ‘ s the purpose

A: They only had one chance! And their of your trip to the United States?

chance was to fight back! B: I ‘ m going to visit my brother; he ‘ s just had

D: You wanna play rough? Okay, say hello to a baby. He lives in Minneapolis.

my little friend! A: And how long do you you plan to remain in

A: With a little help from a Governor... the United States?

C: Listen to me! We have to get them outta B: I ‘ ll be here for approximately three weeks.

there! See, here ‘ s my return ticket for the

No matter what! twenty-sixth of March.

A: Nothing will prevent them from doing their A: And, who is sponsoring your trip?

job! Double the action. B: My brother, here, this is an invitation letter

D: Get down! from him. I will stay with him and his family in

A: Triple the excitement. their home.

D: Get down again! A: Alright, tell me about the ties you have to

A: This summer... nothing will stand in their your home country.

way. B: Well, I own a hou se; actually, I ‘ m leaving

B: I ‘ mgoing to make him an offer he can ‘ t my dog there with my neighbors. I have a car

refuse. at home, and oh, my job! I ‘ memployed by

A: Two hosts, one podcast, coming to a Tornel as an engineer. Actually, I only have

theater near you. three weeks ‘ vacation, so I have to go back to

work at the end of March.
Elementary ‐ I Need More Time (B0042 A: And what evidence do you have that you
) are financially independent?
B: Well, I do have assets in my country; like I
A: So, Casey, how are things going with the said, I own a house, and see, here ‘ s a bank
photos for the press kit? statement showing my investments, and my
B: Yeah, I ‘ vebeen meaning to talk to you bank balance.
about that. I might need to ask for an A: I ‘ msorry, sir, we cannot grant you a B2
extension on that deadline. visa at this time, instead, you are granted a
A: You ‘ ve had over a month to get this resident visa! Congratulations, you are the
finalized! Why are things delayed? millionth person to apply for a visa! You win!
B: Well, the thing is, we ran into a lot of Congratulations!
problems. . .
A: I ‘ mnot looking for excuses here. I just Elementary ‐ Small Talk (B0044)
want to get this finished on time!
B: I know, and I apologize for the delay. But A: Morning.

some things were just beyond my control. I B: Hi there Mr. Anderson! How are you on this

had trouble booking the photographer, and fine morning?

then Michael was sick for three weeks, so I A: Fine, thank you.

couldn ‘ include
t him in the photos, and the B: It sure is cold this morning, isn ‘ t it? I barely

12
 Englishpod Dialogues

even get out of bed! C: When I had you, I treated you bad and
A: Yeah. It ‘ s pretty cold, alright. wrong dear. And since, since you went away,
B: Did you catch the news this morning? I don ‘ tyou know I sit around with my head
heard that there was a fire on Byron Street. hanging down and I wonder who ‘ s loving you.
A: No, I didn ‘ t hear about that.
B: Did you happen to watch the football game Elementary ‐ Uppe ‐ Intermediate ‐

last night? The Patriots scored in the last EmergencyRoom (D046)

minute!
A: Help! Are you a doctor? My poor little
A: No, I don ‘ t like football.
Frankie has stopped breathing! Oh my gosh,
B: Oh. . . By the way, I saw you with your
Help me! I tried to perform CPR, but I just
daughter at the office Christmas party. She is
don ‘
t know if I could get any air into his lungs!
really beautiful!
Oh, Frankie!
A: She ‘ smy wife! Oh, here ‘ my
s floor! Nice
B: Ellen, get him hooked up to a monitor!
talking to you. Goodbye.
Someone page Dr. Howser. Get the patient to
B: Sir this is the 56th floor! We are on the
hold still, I can ‘
t get a pulse! Okay, he ‘
s on the
70th!
monitor. His BP is falling! He ‘ s flat
lining!
A: That ‘ s okay, I ‘ ll take the stairs!
A: NOOOOOO! Frankie! Nurse! Do something!
Elementary ‐ Intermediate ‐ B: Someone get her out of here! Get me the

I ’ｍSorry I love You IV (C0045) defibrillator. Okay, clear! Again! Clear! Come
on! dammit! I ‘ m not letting you go! Clear! I
A: ... so, I said, ‖ let ‘ s take a break . ‖ And since
got a pulse!
that night, I ‘ vebeen waiting for him to call, C: Okay, whats happening?
but I still haven ‘ t heard from him. You don ‘t B: The patient is in acute respiratory failure, I
think he ‘ s seeing someone else, do you? think were going to have to intubate!
B: Come on, don ‘ tbe so dramatic! I ‘ msure C: Alright! Tubes in! Bag him! Someone give
everything is going to work out just fine. him 10 cc ‘ sof adrenaline! Lets go, people
A: You think so? Oh, no! How can he do this to move, move!
me? I ‘ m sure he ‘ s cheating on me! Why else A: Doctor, oh, thank god! How is he?
wouldn ‘ t he call? B: We managed to stabilize Frankie, but he ‘
s
B: But, you two are on a break. Theoretically not out of the woods yet; he ‘
s still in critical
he can do whatever he likes. condition. Were moving him to intensive care,
A: He‘ s the love of my life! I ‘ ve really messed but&
this up. A: Doctor, just do whatever it takes. I just
B: Come on, hon. Pull yourself together. It ‘s want my little Frankie to be okay. I couldnt
going to be alright. imagine life without my little hamster!
A: But I... I still love him! And it ‘ s all my fault!
I can ‘ t believe how immature and selfish I was Elementary ‐ Advanced ‐ Just In Time

being. I mean, he is a firefighter, it ‘ s not like Strategy (E0047)

he can just leave someone in a burning

A: I called this meeting today in order to
building and meet me for dinner. I ‘ ve totally
discuss our manufacturing plan. As I ‘ msure
messed this up!
you ‘ re all aware, with the credit crunch, and
B: You know what, Veronica, I think you
the global financial crisis, we‘ re oblig ated to
should make the first step. I ‘ msure he ‘ ll
look for more cost efficient ways of producing
forgive you...
our goods. We don ‘ t want to have to be
A: No, this is not gonna happen! I... I ‘ ve
looking at redundancies. So, we ‘ ve outlined a
ruinedeverything....
brief plan to implement the just-in-time
B: Hey... do you hear something? Guess what?
philosophy.
It ‘ s your lovely firefighter!
13
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: We have two basic points that we want to cool!

focus on. First of all, we want to reduce our B: It says here that the school that is dancing
lead time. now is one of the oldest and most prestigious
C: Why would want to do that? I think this is samba schools in Rio.
not an area that really needs to be worked on. A: No kidding! Look at them, they ‘ re amazing!
B: Well, we want to reduce production and Look at that girl on the top of that float! She
delivery lead timesfor better overall efficiency. must be the carnival queen! Move over there
A: Right, production lead times can be so I can get a picture of you!
reduced by moving work stations closer B: Ok. Hurry up take the picture!
together, reducing queue length, like for C: join us! come and dance!
example, reducing the number of jobs waiting B: Oh really.... no I can ‘ t.No really, I don ‘ t
to be processed at a given machine, and know how to dance! Honey I ‘ ll see you later!
improving the coordination and cooperation A: Patrick! Don ‘ t just leave me here!
between successive processes. Delivery lead
times can be reduced through close Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Daddy Please!

cooperation with suppliers, possibly by (C0049)

inducing suppliers to locate closer to the

A: Hey daddy! You look great today; I like
factory or working with a faster shipping
your tie!
company.
By the way, I was wondering can I&
C: I see& That makes sense.
B: NO!
B: The second point is that we want to require
A: I havent even told you what it is yet!
supplier quality assurance and implement a
B: Okay, okay, what do you want?
zero defects quality program. We currently
A: Do you think I could borrow the car? I ‘ｍ
have far too many errors that lead to defective
going to a concert tonight.
items and therefore, they must be eliminated.
B: Um.. I don ‘ t think so. I need the car tonight
A quality control at the source program must
to pick up your mother.
be implemented to give workers the personal
A: Ugg! I told you about it last week! Smelly
responsibility for the quality of the work they
Toes is playing, and Eric asked if I would go
do, and the authority to stop production when
with him!
something goes wrong.
B: Who ‘
s this Eric guy?
C: I ‘ m with you on this one. It ‘ that
s essential
A: Duh! He ‘
s like the hottest and most popular
we reduce these errors; we ‘ ve got to force our
guy at school! Come on, dad! Please!
suppliers to reduce their mistakes.
B: No can do... sorry.
A: Exactly. Well, let ‘ s look at how we ‘ re going
A: Fine then! Would you mind giving me 100
to put this plan into action. First...(fade out)
bucks?

Elementary ‐ Intermediate ‐ Carnival i B: No way!

n Rio! (C0048) A: That ‘ s so unfair!

A: I can ‘ t believe we ‘ re here! Carnival in Rio! Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ New Guy In T

Seriously, this is like a once in a lifetime own III (C0050)

opportu nity! Can you believe it? We ‘ re here at

A: Please make yourselves at home. Let me
the biggest party in the world!
take your coats. Dinner is almost ready; I
B: I know! We‘ re so lucky that we found
hope you brought your appetite
tickets for the Sambadrome! Good thing we
B: Your house is lovely, Armand! Very
found that ticket scalper.
interesting decor...very...Gothic.
A: Look! It ‘ s starting! Wow, this is amazing!
C: I think it ‘ s amazi
ng! You have such good
Look at how many dancers there are. Oh my
taste, Armand. I ‘ mthinking of re -decorating
gosh! The costumes are so colorful! This is so
14
 Englishpod Dialogues

my house; maybe you could give me a few A: Good evening, Pizza House. This is Marty
pointers? speaking. May I take your order?
A: It would be my pleasure. Please have a seat. B: Um yes& Id like a medium pizza with
Can I offer you a glass of wine? pepperoni, olives, and extra cheese.
C: We would love some! A: We have a two-for-one special on large
A: Here you are. A very special merlot brought pizzas. Would you like a large pizza instead?
directly from my home country. It has a B: Sure, that sounds good.
unique ingredient which gives it a pleasant A: Great! Would you like your second pizza to
aroma and superior flavor. be the same as the first?
C: Mmm... it ‘ s delicious! B: No, make the second one with ham,
B: It ‘ s a bit bitter for my taste... almost tastes pineapple and green peppers. Oh, and make it
like... like... thin crust.
C: Ellen! Ellen! Are you okay? A: Okay, thin crust. Your total is $21.50 and
A: Did she pass out? your order will arrive in thirty minutes or it
C: Yeah... free!
A: I hope that you didn ‘ t poison her drink too B: Perfect. Thank you. Bye..
much! You ‘ ll ruin our meal! A: Sir, wait!! I need your address!

Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ What a B Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Head Che

argain! (C0051) f (C0053)

A: Hello. May I help you? A: ...Right away sir, your order will be ready
B: Yeah, this dress is really nice! How much is shortly. Jean Pierre, we have another special
it? for table seven!
A: That one is one hundred and fifty dollars. B: I ‘ m working as fast as I can! We ‘ re really in
B: One hundred and fifty dollars? What about the weeds! Where is my sous chef? Luc! I need
this other one over here? you to peel more potatoes. Marie, chop some
A: That ‘ s one hundred and forty dollars. onions and carrots for the stew.
B: Hmm...that ‘ s a bit out of my price range. A: Jean Pierre another special! We‘ re really
Can you give me a better deal? packed tonight! We ‘ re running low on wine. Is
A: This is an exclusive design by DaMarco! It ‘s there any left in the cellar?
a bargain at that price. C: Sorry I ‘ mlate, everyone. Wow, we are
B: Well, I don ‘ t know. I think I ‘ ll shop around. doing really well tonight!
A: Okay, okay, how about one hundred B: Harry, stop talking and get over here I need
dollars? this sauce stirred and the fish needs to be
B: That ‘ still
s more than I wanted to spend. butchered and buttered.
What if I take both dresses? C: Ok, I ‘ m on it!
A: Okay, I can give you a special discount, just A: Jean Pierre, table seven has requested to
because you seem like a nice person. One see the chef! I think they are food critics from
hundred and ninety dollars for both. Cuisine Magazine
B: I don ‘ t know... It ‘ still
s a bit pricey....
Thanks anyway. Elementary ‐ Intermediate ‐

A: Okay, my final price! One hundred dollars I ’ｍSorry I Love You V (C0054)

for both! That ‘ s two for the price of one. That ‘s

A: Honey, of course I forgive you! I love you
my last offer!
so much! I ‘ ve really missed you. I was wrong
B: Great! You ‘ ve got a deal!
to get upset over nothing.

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Pizza Delivary B: I ‘ m sorry I haven ‘ t called or anything, but

(C0052) right after you decided you wanted a break, I

15
 Englishpod Dialogues

was called up north to put out some major Daily Life ‐ Planning a Bank Robbery (C
forest fires! I was in the middle of nowhere, 0056)
working day and night, trying to prevent the
blaze from spreading! It was pretty intense. A: All right, so this is what we are going to do.

A: Oh, honey, I ‘ m glad you ‘ re okay! But I have I ‘ ve carefully mapped this out, so don ‘ t scre

some exciting news... I thin k I ‘ m pregnant! it up. Mr. Rabbit, you and Mr. Fox will go into

B: Really? Wow, that ‘ s amazing! This is great the bank wearing these uniforms. We

news! I ‘ ve always wanted to be a father! We ‘ ll managed to get replicas of the one the guards

go to the doctor first thing in the morning! wear when they pick up the money.

C: We have your test results back and, indeed, B: Got it.

you are pregnant. Let ‘ s see here... everything C: No problem, boss.

seems to be in order. Your approximate due A: When you get inside, tell them that you are

date is October twenty-seventh two thousand filling in for Carl and Tom, and say that they

and nine, so that means that the baby was are on another route today. D on ‘ tlose your

conceived on February third, two thousand cool. Just act natural.

and nine. B: What if they want to call and confirm?

B: Are you sure? Are these things accurate? A: You let him.

C: Well, yes sir, they are. C: What!?

A: Wha t ‘ s wrong? Why are you asking these A: Dont worry, we have the phones tapped, so

questions? the call will be patched through to me, and Ill

B: This baby isn ‘ t mine! I was away the first pretend to be the transport company.

week of February at a training seminar! B: Ha ha, you are so clever boss!

A: I... I... no, it can ‘ t be... A: Okay, shut up. Only take as much money
as you can fit in these bags. Dont get greedy!
Elementary ‐ Intermediate ‐ Hockey (C Are you ready? Let ‘ s go.
0055)
Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Malfunction (
A: Hello everyone! I ‘Rick
m Fields, and here C0057)
with me is Bob Copeland.
B: Howdy folks, and welcome to today ‘ s game! A: Hey Carl, can you make a copy of this

You know, Rick, today is a key game between contract for me please? When you have it

Russia and Canada. As you know, the winner ready, send it out ASAP to our subbranch.

will move on to the finals. B: Sure! Um... I think I broke this thing.

A: That ‘ sright, and it looks like we‘ re just Maxine, can you help me out here? I ‘ mnot

about ready to start the match. The ref is really a tech guy.

calling the players for the face-off... and here C: Yeah, sure. I think it ‘ s just out of toner. You

we go! The Russians win possession and can go use the other one upstairs. On your

immediately set up their attack! Federov gets way up, can you fax this while I try and fix this

checked hard into the boards! thing?

B: Maurice Richard has the puck now, and B: Sure! Dammit! Everything in this office

passes it to the center. He shoots! Wow what a seems to be breaking down! Never mind. I ‘ ll

save by the goalie! send this stupid fax later. Oh great! Is

A: Alright, the puck is back in play now. Pavel someone playing a practical joke on me? This

Bure is on a breakaway! He is flying down the is ridiculous!

ice! The defenders can ‘ t keep up! Slap shot! D: The elevator has some sort of malfunction.

He scores Just take the stairs dude. What floor are you

B: What an amazing goal! going to?

B: I have to go up fifteen floors! Never mind.
Elementary ‐ Made it! There is the copier!

16
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ This Is Your C such as CRM development, and they also offer
aptain Speaking (C0058) custom designed applications.
A: So what would your role in the company?
A: And the next thing yo u know, we ‘ re running B: Well, the position is for an account manager.
towards the... Oh...did you feel that? That basically means that I would be the link
B: Yeah, don ‘ t worry about it; we ‘ re just going between our and our development team.
through a bit of turbulence. A: Sounds good, and so, why do you want to
C: Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain work with them?
speaking. It looks like we‘ ve hit a patch of B: Well , as I said they ‘ re the industry leaders,
rough air, so we‘ re going to have a bit of a they have a really great growth strategy,
bumpy ride for the next several minutes, amazing development opportunities for
and... employees, and it seems like they have strong
A: This why I hate flying... Oh! corporate governance. They ‘ re all about
C: At this time, I ‘ dlike to remind all of our helping companies grow and unleashing
passengers to fasten their seat beltsand potential. I guess their core values and
remain seated until the fasten seat belt sign is mission really resonated with me. Oh, and
turned off. Please ensure that all cabin they offer six weeks ‘　 stock options
vacation,
baggageis carefully stowed under the seat in and bonuses... I ‘ m totally going to cash in on
front of you. I ‘ ll be back back to update you in that.
a minute. A: You idiot! Don ‘ t say that! Do you want this
A: Did you hear that? Brent! job, or not?
B: Don ‘ t worry about it. This is totally normal.
It happens all the Elementary
C: Ah, ladies and gentlemen, this is your ‐ Intermediate ‐ New Guy in Town IV (

captain again. We ‘ ve got quite a large patch of C0060)

rough air ahead of us, so for your safety, we
will be suspending in-flight service. I would A: All right, drag her over here, and help me

ask all in-flight crew to return to their seats at tie her up.

this time. I would also like to ask that all our B: I can ‘ t believe she fell for it! She is a lot

passengers refrain from using the lavatory more gullible than I thought!

until the seat belt sign has been switched off A: Well, you gotta admit, my acting was

We can expect... brilliant!

B: Whatever. I was the one that convinced her
Elementary ‐ Advanced ‐ Job Intervie to come. Look, she ‘ s waking up!
w I (E0059) C: What ‘ s going on? Ellen? What are you
doing?
A: Okay, so let ‘ s go over everything one more A: The cat ‘ s out of the bag, you witch! You can
time. I really want you to get this job! stop pretending, now!
B: I know! I t ‘ s an amazing growth opportunity! B: Yeah Lois , we know who you are! Now, we
They ‘ re true industry leaders, and it would be want some answers! Why are you here?
so interesting to be part of an organization C: Fools ! You don ‘ t know who you ‘ re dealing
that is the undisputed leader in business with! You can ‘ t stop me!
process platform development. B: Run!
A: So, let ‘ s see, you did your research on the
company, right? Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Swim fast
B: Well, I visited their website and read up on er! (C0061)
what they do. They ‘ re an IT service company
that offers comprehensive business solutions A: This is such a beautiful day! Great for

for large corporations. They provide services sailing!

17
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: It sure is! The water looks so nice! Anchor management. I supervised and coordinated
the boat for a little while. I ‘ m going to take a the customer support team as well as
dip. implemented new strategies to achieve better
A: Why are you doggy-paddling? I taught you customer satisfaction.
how to swim! Do your breast stroke! A: Interesting...
B: I get too tired! I ‘ lljust backstroke, it ‘ s B: Yes, in this position I was able to make
easier! some pretty significant contributions to the
A: Try kicking your legs more. That ‘ good.
s overall success of the company. With the
Don ‘ t go out too far! different initiatives that we implemented, we
B: It ‘ s Jump in! lowered our churn rate to about five percent,
A: Kathy! Get back here! I see a shark! which had a direct impact on revenue.
B: Ahhhh!!!! Help me! Help! Bring the boat
closer! The shark is coming straight towards Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Receptionist

me! (C0063)

A: It ‘ s right under you! Kathy!!!!!

A: Good afternoon. May I help you?

Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Job Intervie B: Yes, I ‘ m here to see Joanna Stevens. I have

w II (C0062) an appointment at four.

A: Certainly, may I take your name? I ‘ ll let her
A: Thanks for coming in today, did you have know you ‘ ve arrived.
any trouble finding us? Please take a seat. B: Sure, it ‘ s Josh O ‘ Neil.
B: Thank you. A: Ms. Stevens will be with you momentarily.
A: So, let ‘get
s started; tell me a bit about Can I offer you something to drink?
your educational background. B: Yes, a coffee would be nice, thank you.
B: Sure! Well, I graduated with honors from A: Here you are. Ms. Stevens is ready for you
Chesterton University with a major in Business now. I ‘ ll show you to her office, right this way.
Administration, with a specialization in A: Just watch your step here...
Information Management, and I minored in
psychology. I chose this course of study for Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ I ’ｍSorry I Lo

two reasons: I wanted to gain some practical, ve You VI (C0064)

marketable skills, which the information

A: This is ridiculous! I can ‘ tbelieve you ‘ ve
management track provided, and I also feel
been sleeping with someone else! How could
that interpersonal skills are essential for
you do this! You know what? I ‘ m out of here!
professional success, hence the minor in
B: Wait! Doctor how is this possible? I haven
psychology.
cheated on my boyfriend!
A: Interesting. And, your postgraduate
C: I have something to confess... I ‘ msorry
studies?
Veronica, I lied.
B: Well, I am really passionate about
B: Wait... what? What do do you mean?
consumer behav ior, so I pursued a master ‘ s in
C: I lied. You aren ‘ t even pregnant; there ‘s
that area. I also strive to keep my professional
bun in the oven. I was just so overwhelmed
skills current, so I continuously attend
with jealousy that I couldn ‘ thelp myself.
seminars and conferences related
Veronica I love you!
management and customer service.
B: What are you talking about!!! Who are you?
A: Very good. Now, tell me a little bit about
C: It ‘ s me! Daniel, don ‘ t you remember me?
your work experience. I see here that you
From high school. I sat behind you every day
previously worked at Oracle.
in class! I used to go to every football game
B: Yeah, I worked as their customer support
and watch you in the cheerleading squad!
manager, which brought me a breadth of
B: You are insane! We never even spoke! Why
experience in both client care, and process
18
 Englishpod Dialogues

did you lie like that to my boyfriend? short-listing our candidates this week, and
C: Because Veronica... It ‘ s not fair! I love you; next week we will inform our short listed
I have since the first day we met! Everything candidates of the day and time for a second
was going fine until that jerk came into the interview with our CEO.
picture and ruined everything! I went to med B: Great, thanks a lot! I hope to hear from you!
school and became a doctor for you! You Good bye.
always said how you wanted to marry a doctor!
You will be mine now... one way or another... Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Calling The O

A: I heard everything, you lying bastard! Get ffice (C0066)

your hands off her!

A: Ello-hay, Aniel-day eaking-spay, ow-hay

Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Job Intervie ay-may I elp-hay ou-yay

w III (C0065) B: Ay-hay, Aniel-day, Ulie-jay ere-hay

A: Ay-hay, Ulie-jay, ow-hay are ou-yay?
A: Very good. Now, I have a couple of final B: Actually, Im eeling-fay ite-quay ill
questions. otday-tay.
B: I hope they ‘ re not too hard! A: Im orry-say oo-tay ear-hay, at-they.
A: Well, why should we hire you? ut-way is ong-wray?
B: I think that I would be a perfect fit in this B: I ink-thay Im oming-cay own-day ith-way
company. I have a unique combination of uhthey oo-flay. I ave-hay a eadache-hay, a
strong technical acumen, and outstanding soft ore-say oat-thray and Im eeling-fay ighly-slay
skills; you know, I excel at building strong, everishfay.
long-term customer relationships. For A: I ee-say. O-say oure-yay alling-cay in
example, when I headed the customer support ick-say?
department in my previous company, our B: Es-yay, I uz-way oping-hay oo-tay ake-tay
team solved about seventy percent of our uh-they ay-day off oo-tay eecover-ray.
cust omers ‘　problems. I decided that we A: Ok, en-they. Ay-tray and et-gay ome-say
needed better information and technical est-ray.
preparation on our products, so after I
implemented a series of training sessions in Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Soccer (C

coordination with our technical department, 0067)

we were able to solve ninety percent of our

A: Welcome back, soccer fans. My name is
customer s ‘　
issues. Given the opportunity, I
Rick Fields and, as always, I am joined by my
could bring this kind of success to this
commentating wingman, Bob Copeland.
company.
B: And we‘ re on the brink of soccer history
A: Impressive! So, what would you consider to
today, as Ecuador and Brazil are tied one-one
be your greatest weakness?
as we begin the second half of the 2022 World
B: To be honest, I struggle with organization
Cup!
and time management. Punctuality has never
A: The ref calls the players for the kick off, and
been a strength of mine. I find it hard to
here we go! Ecuador quickly passes the ball to
organize my time efficiently. I have actually
the midfield, but, ohhh, it ‘ s out of bounds.
addressed this weakness recently, by
B: That will be a throw in for Brazil. Adriano
attending a workshop on efficient time
has the ball and makes a long pass to Robinho,
management. It helped me a lot, by providing
and the ref has called him offside.
me with great insights on how to get
A: No question about it. He was offside by a
organized and use my time efficiently, so I
mile! We have a goal kick for Ecuador. Edison
think I ‘ m getting better now.
Mendez heads it to Valenica, he shoots!
A: Great... Well, let me tell you that I am very
Deflected by the defender and we have a
pleased with this interview. We are
19
 Englishpod Dialogues

corner kick. When I ask for soft boiled eggs, and they
B: Delgado takes the corner. We have a foul! overcook them, so they come out hard boiled!
Oh no, Dida, the goalkeeper, has fouled the How can you dip your toast into a hard boiled
Ecuadorian player! He gets a yellow card and egg?
that will be a penalty kick! B: You ‘ re so picky sometimes.
A: This is the perfect opportunity for Ecuador A: Here you go, honey, fried eggs.
to get ahead in this match and become World B: Dammit! I asked for sunny side up! How
Champions! He gets ready for the kick. He many times do I have to tell you.
shoots! and he...
Elementary ‐ AdvancedMedia ‐
Elementary ‐ TheOffice ‐ Buying Underwear (F0070)
Ground breaking Research (C068)
A: This sucks; I hate buying lingerie. Okay,
A: We‘ ve been over this a thousand times. The just find something and get out of here. Alright,
data is irrefutable! Look, we ‘ ve done extensive these are fine. Oh, no, don ‘ t come over here,
research, built studies, and read the literature, don ‘ t come over here.
and there is conclusive evidence to support B: You look a little lost, can I help you?
my theory! A: Um, I ‘ m just having a look around. It ‘sm
B: Horowitz, I beg to differ. Even in your most girlfriend ‘s
birthday tomorrow. Im trying to
recent study, the investigative approach was find her something.
flawed! You know as well as I do that the B: Well, you can ‘ tgive her granny panties.
collection of data was not systematic, and Have you thought about getting her some
there is a large margin of error. To draw a sleepwear? We‘ ve got these lovely, silky
definitive conclusion based on that data would nighties. Or, how about a nice panty-and
be misleading and- bra set. Look, here ‘ s a nice satin push
-up
A: That is preposterous! bra, and you can choose a few different styles
B: You are trying to single-handedly solve one of undies to go with it.
of the world ‘ s greatest mysteries, and yet you A: Sure that ‘ s fine.
are oblivious to the fact that you are wrong! A: This is so awkward...what ones do I pick?
A: I am not wrong! The chicken came first! What size is she?
B: No! The egg came first! B: Well, do you want a thong, some bikini
briefs, maybe this nice pair of lacy boy shorts?
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ How Would Y A: Just pick something and get the hell out of
ou Like Your Eggs? (C0069) here.
A: Um, I ‘
ll go with these two.
A: Wow, you ‘ reup early today! What ‘ sfor
A: This is mortifying; I just want to get this
breakfast?
over with. She better thank me for this... Here
B: Well, I felt like baking, so I made some
you are, sir. I ‘ m sure she ‘ ll enjoy them.
muffins. B: Finally!
A: Smells good! I ‘ ll make some coffee. Do you
A: I ‘ m sorry, sir. I ‘ m going to have to take a
want me to make you some eggs?
look inside your bag.
B: Sure, Ill take mine, sunny side up.
A: Eww, I don ‘ t know how you can eat your Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Happy Ho
eggs like that! Ever since I was small, I ‘ ve had ur (C0071)
eggs and soldiers.
B: You know, my dad had scrambled eggs A: Hey man, what do you have on tap?
eggs every morning for twenty years. It drove B: Heineken and Budweiser. We have a
my mom crazy! two-for-one happy hour special.
A: You know what really drives me crazy? A: Cool, gimme a pint of Heineken and half a

20
 Englishpod Dialogues

pint of Bud. B: Okay, Okay, I got it! This is the ring finger!
B: Okay...A pint of Heineken and and half a A: That ‘ s my middle finger, Nick. This is my
pint of bud for table six! And what about some ring finger!
appetizers?
A: Sure! Let ‘ s have some nachos and Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ What Am I Th

mozzarella sticks. inking! (C0074)

B: Okay. That ‘ ll be 80 bucks.

A: Miss, your salad.
A: Wait... What!
B: Mmm, looks good! I ‘ m positively famished.

Elementary ‐ Intermediate ‐ You Are Fi A: And for you, sir...

red! (C0072) C: Thank you.

A: Enjoy.
A: Hi Isabel! You wanted to see me? B, C: Thank you.
B: Yes Anthony, come on in. Have a seat. C: I can ‘ t believe she ‘ s on a date with me! I
A: Is everything okay? You seem a bit so lucky! I must be the luckiest guy in the
preoccupied. world! I want to scream at the top of my
B: Well, Anthony, this is not going to be an lungs, ‖ I ‘ m the luckiest dude in the world!
easy conversation. The company has made Oh, shut up! Don ‘ t be such a dumb ass. She ‘
some decisions which will have a direct impact so hot. Wait, I can ‘ tsay that. That ‘ ssexist.
on your employment. She ‘ s so hot, She ‘ s making me sexist. Oh my
A: Okay... god! I ‘ msuch a to ol. Okay, get it together.
B: I don ‘ t want to beat around the bush so I ‘m Uhh, she ‘ seating salad. Oh right, I have a
just gonna come out with it. We are going to salad. Oh, crap! Which fork do I use? Dammit!
have to let you go. She ‘ sgoing to think I ‘ ma moron. What the
A: What? Why? I mean... just like that? I ‘m hell are all these forks for? Which one did she
fired? use? Okay, chill... be cool, be cool. Just take a
B: I ‘ msorry but, to be honest, you are a fork... eat your salad...
terrible employee! B: Um... I...
A: What! I resent that! C: Yrmf? Mmmm. Sorry, you were saying?
B: Anthony, you were caught making B: You ‘ re eating my salad.
international calls from the office phone, you C: Oh, yes... it ‘ s delicious...
called in sick in eight times this month and you
smell like alcohol! Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Going To The
Dentist (C0075)
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Which Finger
? (C0073) A: Hey, Gary, great to see you again. Please
have a seat. So tell me, what seems to be the
A: ...The rings please. May this ring be blessed problem?
so he who gives it and she who wears it may B: Thanks, doc. I ‘ ve got a really bad toothache!
abide in peace, and continue in love until life ‘ Iscan ‘ t eat anything, and look, my face is all
end. swollen. I think it might be my wisdom tooth.
B: With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a A: Well, let ‘ s have a look. Open wide. Hmm...
symbol of our love and commitment this doesn ‘ t look good. Well, it looks like you
A: Honey, that ‘ s my pinkie. The ring goes on have a cavity and your crown is loose. We ‘ ll
the ring finger! need to put in a filling before it gets any worse,
B: This one? and the crown probably needs to be refitted.
A: That ‘ s my index finger! I ‘ m going to order some x -rays.
B: Oh, right. This one, right? B: Is it gonna hurt?
A: Umm... that ‘ s the thumb, Nick. A: No, not at all! Just lay back and relax.

21
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Ok, spit. into the pit, and Fernando Alonso takes the
lead!
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Learning Sim B: How unlucky for Rikknen, and this race is
ple Math (C0076) over ladies and gentlemen, Alonso takes the
checkered flag!
A: Alright, children, let ‘ s review. Tommy! Pay
attention! Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Internati
B: Sorry Miss Kadlec. onal Workers Day (C0078)
A: Okay, Crystal, now tell me, what ‘ s four plus
eleven? A: Alright everyone settle down. Let ‘ sget
C: Um...fifteen! started. As you know, an important aspect of
B: Miss Kadlec al ways asks Crystal; she ‘ s such becoming a good citizen is understanding the
a teacher ‘ s pet. genesis of our legal system. It is not enough to
A: Okay...and what about fifty six minus simply memorize our laws, it is necessary that
sixty? we comprehend why and how they were
C: Um... negative four! formed. This brings me to our topic for today.
A: Very good... twelve times twelve? Does anyone know what we celebrate on May
B: Very good. Suck up. first?
C: One hundred and forty four! B: Cinco de mayo?
A: Zero divided by one? A: No, that ‘ s May fifth in Spanish, James, no
C: Zero! wonder you are failing my Spanish class. No,
A: How did you know that? Okay, smarty May first is International Workers ‘ Day.
pants, the square root of two! B: Do we get a day off from school then?
B: Bet you ‘ re not going to get that one, A: No! It is not considered to be a national
know-it-all. holiday here in the US, but in other countries it
C: Um...one point four one four two one three is.
five... B: Aww, man!
A: In the nineteenth century, working
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ F1 Racing conditions were appalling, with workers being
(C0077) forced to work ten, twelve, and fourteen hours
a day. Support for the eight-hour work day
A: Welcome back racing fans! My name is Rick movement was growing rapidly, despite the
Fields and, as always, I am joined by my
indifference and hostility of many union
partner in crime, Bob Copeland.
leaders, and by April 1886, 250,000 workers
B: We‘ re in the last stretch of this very exciting
were involved in the May Day movement.
race, and Kimi Rikknen is leading the pack
Previous legislative attempts to improve
with only four laps to go! They are heading to
working conditions had failed, so labor
turn three and Lewis Hamilton tries to pass
organizers took drastic measures. They
Rikknen! It ‘ s a close one and, oh no! Hamilton passed a resolution stating that eight hours
hits the wall!
would constitute a legal day ‘ s work. And, on
A: He came in too fast, jammed on the breaks
May First 1886, the resolution took effect.
and spun out. We have a yellow flag and the B: Cool! Is that why we only work eight hours
pace car is making its way onto the track.
now?
B: The cleanup crew is towing the heavily
A: Yes! But the happy ending came at a high
damaged car and the green flag drops!
price. On May third, 1886, police fired into a
Rikknen is still in the lead with only two laps to
crowd of strikers at the McCormick Reaper
go!
Works Factory, killing four and wounding
A: Smoke is coming out of his car! He seems
many. A mass meeting was called for the next
to be having engine trouble! He makes his way day to protest the brutality.
22
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: And then what happened? mate. What can I do?

A: Well, as we say, the rest is history... A: Just hold me... I ‘ ll always be here for you,
no matter what. And together, we can tackle
Elementary ‐ The Weekend whatever life throws at us. I believe in us,
‐ Funky Galaxy Battles (C0079) Veronica.
B: I ‘ mso happy to hear that! I knew we
A: They are breaking through! Set your
belong together. I love you so much.
blasters to full power!
B: Excellent job. Search the ship, she ‘ s gotta Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Getting A Hair
be in here somewhere... bring her to me! Cut (C0081)
C: Lord Hater, we have a survivor here...
B: Where is she? Don ‘ t make me destroy you, A: Hello there! Come on in! Don ‘ t just stand
tell me where she is! there! Come and take a seat!
D: Not so fast! She will no longer be your B: Um, okay. Well, I just want a trim. Nothing
prisoner! It ‘ s time you and I settled this once too fancy.
and for all! A: Oh my gosh! Your hair is amazing! So silky,
B: You are unwise to think you can defeat me. so shiny! I am going to work my magic on your
You know nothing of the power of the obscure hair! You hear me? You are going to look like a
side! million bucks!
D: We will stop you... B: Okay. Um... can you make sure my
C: Lord Hater! We have an unidentified sideburns are even and you just take a little
spacecraft taking off from the rear dock! They off the top.
somehow managed to escape our tractor A: Don ‘ t you worry, I ‘ ll take care of everything!
beam! (starts cutting) Oh my god! I just love your
B: After them! curly hair! It ‘ s so fluffy and cute! You should
C: They are accelerating towards the speed of totally let it grow out. An afro would look great
light We lost them, sir... on you!
B: Um... no.
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ I ’ｍSorry I Lo A: Okay, but you are going to be my
ve You VII (C0080) masterpiece!

A: Thank god you showed up when you did! Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ New Guy In T
He‘ s insane! Do you think we should call the own V (C0082)
police?
B: Don ‘ t worry about it, I ‘ ll call my friend
and A: What the heck is going on! Did you see that?
have him take care of it. I can ‘ t believe he was What was that thing?
stalking you all these years. What a nut job! B: I don ‘ t know! I ‘ m just glad we made it out!
A: I know! Well... he said I ‘ m not pregnant. Look, there is a police car! Help! Help! Please
I ‘ msorry if I got you all worked up over stop!
nothing. I want you to know that I didn ‘ t do it C: Howdy man. What seems to be the problem?
on purpose... Is this man bothering you?
B: Don ‘ t apologize! From the moment I met A: Officer, officer, there is, like, a witch
you, not a day has gone by when I haven ‘ t creature back there! We tied her up but she
thought of you. And now that I ‘ mwith you broke free, and she was about to have us for
again, I ‘ m... I ‘ mjust scared, Veronica. The dinner!
closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The C: Okay, calm down, calm down. Lemme see
thought of not being with you, I mean, I just your eyes please. Have you been drinking
can ‘ t handle it! We were made for each other, tonight, son?
Veronica. You are my everything, my soul B: We are telling the truth! She ‘ s in there! We

23
 Englishpod Dialogues

suspected her of being a kidnapper or rapist A: Okay, you should take 1 capsule 3 times a
but it turns out she ‘ s an alien or something. day. Be sure not to take it on an empty
C: Okay, calm down, calm down. Lemme see stomach, and also, don ‘ t ever mix it with
your eyes please... alcohol!
B: Ugg! Seriously! Are you gonna help us or B: Yes, I know. It ‘ not
s the first time I‘m
not? taking this! Don ‘ t worry, I won ‘ t overdose!
C: Okay, let ‘ s go have a look, shall we? Hello? A: Okay, anything else I can get you?
Is anyone in here? B: Oh, yes, I almost forgot! Can I also get
A: Be careful! She might be hiding! some eye drops and um, some condoms?
C: It ‘ s perfectly safe... there isn ‘ t anyone... A: Sure. Darn condoms aren ‘ registered
t in
our system.
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Using The AT B: Oh, well that ‘ okay,
s I ‘ llget some later,
M (C0083) thanks... Really it ‘ s no problem.
A: Just hang on there a sec. Can I get a price
A: Stupid girl, making me spend so much
check on ‖　Fun Times Ribbed Condoms ‖　
money, now I have to get it from the ATM...
please!
B: Hello, welcome to Universal Bank. Please
insert your card into the slot. Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Baseball (
A: I know where to put my card! Stupid C0085)
machine, talking to me like I ‘ m an idiot...
B: Please input your 6 digit PIN code followed A: Hello baseball fans, and welcome back to
by the pound key. Thank you. Please select an today ‘ s game! My name is Rick Fields and of
option. Thank you. You have selected course, I am here, once again, with the man
withdrawal. that seals the deal, Bob Copeland.
A: Yeah, yeah, I know what I selected. Just B: It ‘ s beautiful
a day to see two world class
gimme my money! teams face each other and fight for their right
B: Please type the amount you would like to to be called champions.
withdraw. Thank you, you want to transfer A: Well, the national anthem has just been
10000 USD to the World Wildlife Foundation. sung, and the umpire has started the game.
If this is correct please press 1. It ‘ s time to play ball!
A: No, no! Stupid machine, what are you B: Roger Vargas is up at bat. The pitcher
doing! No! winds up and strike one!
B: Confirmed. Thank you for using our bank! A: A very nice curve ball by the pitcher. The
Please remove your card from the slot. catcher gives him the sign, he winds up and
Goodbye! Vargas gets a line drive!
C: Danger, danger! The exits have been B: The players are scrambling to get the ball.
sealed and the doors will remain locked in until Vargas gets to first base and he ‘ s still going!
the local authorities arrive. Thank you for The outfielder throws it to second! Vargas
using our bank. Have a nice day. slides! He ‘ s safe!
A: No! A: Great play!
B: We have a runner on third and up at bat is
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ At The Pharm Brian Okami! There ‘ s the pitch, he hits it! It
acy (C0084) going, going, that ball is gone!
A: Home run by Okami! That puts this team
A: Hello sir, how can I help you?
ahead by two as we are at the bottom of the
B: Yes, I need this prescription please.
fifth inning here at Richie Stadium!
A: Let ‘ s see. Okay, so 50 mg of Prozac, would
you prefer this in capsule or tablet? Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐
B: Capsules are fine. Looking for an Apartment (C0086)
24
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Hi! We are the Christianson ‘ s! We are here actually can, OK?

to see the apartment. C: But... but... I already bought the Klingon
B: Oh, hi! Sure, come on in! Well, as you can suit! And the wig...
see, the place has just been renovated. The
previous tenants left a huge mess here, so the Elementary ‐ DailyLife ‐

landlord has redone everything. Will You Be My Girlfriend? (C0088)

A: It looks great. It ‘ s so bright and airy! What

A: Hey, you ‘ re early! Where ‘ s everyone?
great light! I really like these hardwood floors.
B: Well... I told them not to come. I made a
What ‘ s the square footage of this place?
reservation just for the two of us. I thought we
B: Well, it ‘ s about 120 square meters, or 1300
could have an quiet evening all to ourselves.
square feet, more or less. Oh, the landlord has
A: Oh... why?
also installed new kitchen appliances. There ‘s
B: Jennif er, there ‘ something
s I wanna ask
a new dishwasher, and a professional-grade
you.
gas range. Really, at this price, this place is an
A: Sure. What is it?
amazing deal!
B: Hmm... okay, here ‘ s the thing. I ‘ ve always
A: I love it! But what are the payment terms?
seen you as more than just a friend, and I
B: First and last month rent as deposit and
can ‘ t take it any more. I know you better than
rent is due on the 1st of every month.
anyone, I know the pros and cons of your
Considering the amount of money invested
personality, I even know what side of the bed
into the apartment, it ‘ s a very good deal!
is yours! I think we would be great together,
A: Yes, it is! Too good to be true...
don ‘ t you?
B: The living room and dinning room are quite
A: Are you serious? We‘ ve been friends for
spacious as you can see, and down this hall,
years! We can ‘ t just change that overnight!
he re ‘ sthe master bedroom. It has a huge
B: I know! I never had the guts to tell you...
walk-in closet and an en suit bathroom. We
until today. So, what do you say? Are you
can ‘ t go in there yet as the police... I mean the
willing to give me a shot?
clean up crew hasn ‘ t finished.
A: I... I...
A: What do you mean? What ‘ s in here?

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ At The Airport

Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐
(C0089)
Star Trek The Lost Generation (C0087)

A: Next please! Hello sir, may I see your

A: Captain, we‘ re under attack by an
passport please?
unidentified ship.
B: Yes, here you go.
B: Damage report.
A: Will you be checking any bags.
A: We‘ ve sustained heavy damage to the
B: Yes, I ‘ d like to check three pieces.
engines. We ‘ ve lost our warp drive.
A: I ‘ m sorry, sir. Airline policy allows only two
B: We‘ ll have to attempt to make contact. This
pieces of checked luggage, at twenty
is Captain Picard of the Starship Enterprise.
kilograms each, plus one piece of carry-on
We don ‘ t wish to engage. What is the nature of
luggage. I will have to charge you extra for the
this attack?
additional suitcase.
C: I am Captain Kor of the ship Klothos. Your
B: What? Why! I am taking an intercontinental
ship attacked our search party...
flight! I ‘ mflying sixteen thousand kms! How
B: No! You ‘ re not doing it right! Kor doesn ‘t
am I supposed to only take two, twenty kilo
sound like that. His voice is deeper!
bags? That ‘ s absurd!
C: I am Captain Kor of the ship Klothos. Your
A: I am sorry, sir, there ‘ nothing
s I can do.
sh...
You cannot board the flight with that large bag
B: No! If you can ‘ t do a Klingon voice, I ‘ ll have
either. Carry-on bags must fit in the
to find a more serious Star Trek fan actor who
25
 Englishpod Dialogues

over-head compartment or under your seat. me out of the car!

That bag is clearly too big.
B: Now I see. You charge next to nothing for Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Aliens! (C

an international ticket, but when it comes to 0091)

charging for any other small thing, you charge

A: Oh honey, this is so romantic! I have never
an arm and a leg! So tell me, miss, how much
seen so m any stars before! It ‘ s beautiful!
will I have to pay for all of this.
B: See that constellation there? That ‘ s Orion!
A: Let ‘ s see... six hundred and twenty -five US
And the very bright star? Well, it ‘ s not a star
dollars.
since it doesn ‘ t blink. That ‘ s actually Venus.
B: That ‘ s more than my round -trip ticket!
A: What ‘ s that big flashy one?

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ I ’ｍSorry I Lo B: I don ‘ t know... I think it ‘ s a UFO!

ve You VIII (C0090) C: Greetings earthlings. I come from afar,

from a distant galaxy known only to a few.
A: Veronica! Veronica! Veronica! Are you OK? A: Why are you here? Where did you come
B: Steven! What ‘ s going on! Who were those from?
guys? I didn ‘ t know you have a gun! What ‘s C: We have been observing you for the last
going on! three thousand years. We have seen the
A: I will come clean as soon as we get to safety, amazing capacity that humans have to create
OK? For now, you have to trust me, please! I such wonders as the Taj Mahal or
would never do anything to hurt you. masterpieces such as the Haffner symphony.
B: Steven, I... Unfortunately, your intelligence and creativity
A: Okay, run! I haven ‘ t been completely does not come without consequence. Your
honest with you Veronica, I ‘ m sorry. I ‘ m not a ambition and desire for more will be your
fireman. I ‘ m not even from the United States. downfall, and we are here to save your planet
I ‘ m a spy for the Indian government. from you.
B: What? Why didn ‘ t you tell me before? What B: You think you have us figured out? What
are you doing here? gives you the right to come and judge us? Who
A: When I was a young boy, I used to play are you to play God with our fate?
cricket my father back in my hometown of C: Silence human! It is that belligerent
Hyderabad. It was a peaceful town, and my attitude that has caused years of pain and
father was a renowned chemist. One day, he anguish among yourselves! Now you will pay
was approached by members of the CIA, the price!
claiming that my father had made the
discovery of the millennium in his small lab Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ 1950 ’ｓ(C

back at the university where he taught 0092)

bio-chemistry. I never saw him again. I vowed

A: Heya, Tracy. How are you doing?
to discover the whereabouts of my father and
B: I ‘ m swell, Sandy!
consequently joined the Indian Intelligence
A: Hey listen, you wanna go to the sock hop
Bureau.
with me this Friday? It ‘ ll be a blast!
B: What does that have to do with those men
B: First of all it ‘ s the Sadie Hawkins dance. The
shooting at us? Most importantly, why did you
girls gotta ask the guys. Also...
lie to me!
A: Oh, right. So when are you gonna ask me?
A: I ‘ m sorry, I wasn ‘ t supposed to meet you. I
I ‘ ve had my eye on you for a while.
wasn ‘ t supposed to fall in love with you, but
C: Hey, buddy. Ease off my girl, man. Or do
you have to believe me when I tell you that
you want a knuckle-sandwich?
what I feel for you is real.
B: Cool it, guys.
B: I can ‘ t believe this! Why are all these things
A: Your girl? Says who?
happening to me! I can ‘ t take it anymore! Let
26
 Englishpod Dialogues

C: Says me, pipsqueak! A: Turtles? Whatever... Look, all that ‘s

required for the creation of matter an
Elementary ‐ Intermediate ‐ Volleyball imbalance of particles and anti-particles. At
(C0093) least, that ‘ s what the math says.
B: Math, shmath. What ‘ s the evidence?
A: It ‘ s a beautiful day here in New Zealand at
A: There is evidence! You know Edwin Hubble?
the Men ‘ s Volleyball world championship. My
He‘ s the guy who in the early twentieth
name is Rick Fields and I ‘ m joined by the man
century was the first scientist to measure the
with the plan, Bob Copeland.
drift of matter in the universe, thus advancing
B: Thank you, Rick. We ‘ ve got a very exciting notions of an expanding universe. What would
encounter ahead of us today as two
it be expanding from? Well, the Big Bang...
powerhouse teams, Brazil and China, face off
DUH!
against each other and try to qualify for the
B: Anyway, it ‘ s just a theory. Why do people
next round. Without a doubt, both teams are
go around touting theories? Where ‘ s the
in top shape and this will prove to be a
scientific rigor in that?
competitive match.
A: Dude, don ‘ t equivocate. A theory only
A: The ref signals the start of the game and
becomes a theory after withstanding rigorous
here we go. Ribeiro serves and China quickly
testing. You slept through class, didn ‘ t you?
receives the ball. Chen bumps it to the setter,
B: Agh! You ‘ remaking my head hurt again!
and... a very nice set by Chen! Quit with the questions!
B: Xu spikes it! Wow, what a great hit! The
Brazilian blockers anticipated the play and Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Talking
tried to block him but he managed to get the About a Past Event (C0095)
ball in! Great play.
A: It ‘ China
s ‘ sservice now. What a superb A: Mike! Hey, how are you, man! Long time no
jump serve by Li, oh, and we have a let serve. see!
The ball was coming in fast and almost made it B: Hey, Pat! Yeah, I haven ‘ t seen you in ages!
over the net. How are you?
B: Brazil calls for a time out and we ‘ ll be right A: I ‘ m doing great! It ‘ s funny running into you
back, after a short commercial break. like this. Just last week I ran into Matt as well.
B: Yeah? How ‘ s he doing?
Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Big Bang T A: He‘ s doing well. We went out for a couple of
heory (C0094) beers and the funniest thing happened.
B: Oh yeah?
A: What ‘ s up? You don ‘ t look too good.
A: Well, we were talking and catching up on
B: Yeah, my head hurts, that ‘ s all. I ‘ ve been in
what we‘ ve been doing, talking about work
physics class all day. It ‘ s killer!
and family, when all of a sudden, Matt saw a
A: I liked physics. It ‘ s all math, really; arcs,
mouse run under his chair and he completely
curves, velocity, cool stuff. lost it! He started freaking out, and
B: Yeah, yeah, but today ‘ slesson was all
screaming...
about the creation of the universe.
B: Ha ha, really?
A: A physics class about the creation of the A: Yeah, and the funniest thing was, that he
universe? That ‘ ssome pretty unscientific
jumped on to his chair and started shrieking
language there. Sounds more religious to me.
like a girl. You had to be there! Everyone was
B: It ‘ s all religion. Take the theory of the Big
staring and laughing... it was hilarious!
Bang. How is it possible that all of the stuff in
the universe comes from an explosion? That ‘s Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ 1960 ’ｓEn
no better than Atlas carrying the globe on his glish (C0096)
back or African myths about turtles and stuff.

27
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Hey man... I really like your pad. Those weather forecast for this morning.
lava lamps are far out! Thanks for letting me
crash here tonight. Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Flattering (C0

B: It ‘no
s problem, brother! I wanted a pad 098)

where people could come, listen to music and

A: Valerie! Hi! Wow how are you? It ‘been
s
just hang loose, you dig what I ‘ m saying?
such a long time!
A: I dig it man! We could throw a bash here
B: Darlene! Indeed, it ‘been
s a while! How
and make it a really happening scene!
have you been? Wow, you look amazing! I
B: Yeah man, that would be groovy! Hey, I
love what you ‘ ve done with your hair!
gotta split for a while, are you OK here by
A: Really? Thanks! I went to that hair salon
yourself?
that you told me about, but enough about me!
A: Don ‘ t worry about me brother... You go
Look at you! You haven ‘ t aged a day since the
take care of business.
last time I saw you! What is your secret!
B: Alright, peace out.
B: Ha ha, come on! Well, I ‘ ve been watching

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Weather Fore what I eat, and working out three times a

cast (C0097) week. By the way, I heard your son recently

graduated!
A: ...And now, let ‘ s go to Kenny Williams for A: Yes, my little Paul is finally a doctor. They
today ‘ s weather forecast. grow up so fast you know.
B: Thank you Bill, and good morning Salt Lake B: He is such a handsome guy. He gets his
City! looks from his mother of course!
A: What ‘ s the weather looking like today, A: Thank you! What about your daughter,
Kenny? Pamela? I heard she has passed the bar exam
B: Well, it ‘ s a bit of a mixed bag in U tah today; and married recently.
we‘ ve got heavy cloud cover here in Northern B: Oh yes. She had a beautiful wedding in
Utah, and we ‘ re calling for scattered showers Cozumel Mexico and we all attended.
throughout the day, with a day-time high of A: Such a lovely girl. I hope my Paul is lucky
forty-five degrees. Now, if we move down to enough to find a girl like that someday!
the south of the state, we can see that a cold B: But of course! Well, it ‘ s been great talking
front is moving in. We can expect clear skies, to you, but I have to get going.
but it will be quite cold, with temperatures A: Same here! We will catch up soon, maybe
hovering around the thirty degree mark. over coffee!
A: It ‘ s a chilly day folks, so don ‘ t forget your B: That would be great! Give me a call!
coats! What about tomorrow Kenny? Do you A: See you soon! Bye! Ug g... I can ‘ t stand that
have good news for us? woman or her obnoxious son.
B: Well, it ‘ ll be a rainy day for Northern Utah;
we can expect some isolated downpours in the Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Movie Revi

morning. Winds will be coming in from the ew (C0099)

North East, with gusts reaching twenty-three

A: Welcome back movie lovers to another ‖　
miles per hour. Salt Lake City can expect the
Premier Movie Review ‖ .My name is Richard
rain to turn to sleet in the evening. Things are
Clarke and I am joined today by the very
looking a bit better for the South; we‘ llsee
erudite DavidWatson.
cloudy skies with a chance of showers. Later in
B: Thank you Dick. Today we are going to talk
the day, we can expect partly cloudy skies,
about the movie ‖ Lion King ‖ . Tell me Dave,
with a forecast high of thirty-eight degrees.
what is your impression of this film?
A: You heard it folks! It ‘ s gonna be a cold one!
A: Well, I think this film is simply a fable,
B: That ‘ s right Bill. We will have more later on
depicting man ‘ s eternal greed for power, and
today on the six o‘ clock news. That ‘ sthe
28
 Englishpod Dialogues

in my opinion, it ‘ as very fine film. Even A: Wow sounds interesting! Excuse me if I am

despite the accusations of plagiarism being a bit nosy but, how old are you?
traditional folk tales from other countries. The B: Don ‘ t you know it ‘ s rude to ask a lady her
musical score was amazing, the animation age?
was very well done, and the story was simply A: Don ‘ t get me wrong! It ‘ s just that you seem
enchanting. so young and already doing business
B: I think otherwise. Even though the overseas!
animation was technically strong, and as you B: Well thank you! In that case, I am 26 years
say, the score and songs performed by Elton old, and what about yourself?
John were great, the film lacks a certain A: I am 40 years old and was born and raised
originality; it lacked heart. And I would dare to here in the good old U.S of A, although I have
say, it was too predictable. some Colombian heritage.
A: Predictable! How! Come on Dick, It ‘ as B: Really? That ‘ great!
s Do you speak some
G- rated movie! It ‘ for
s the kids! It ‘ not
s a Spanish?
thriller! A: Uh... yeah.. of course!
B: Well, that ‘ s just it. It did have some very B: Que bien! Entonces podemos hablar en
dramatic and intense scenes. For example espanol!
when Mufasa dies, or the dark, grim portrayal
of Scar. Even so, the film is linear. Mufasa dies, Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ 1970 ’ｓ(C

Simba runs away thinking it ‘ s his fault. Falls in 0101)

love and returns to retake what is rightfully his.

A: Hey man! How ‘ s it hanging?
It ‘ s just too clich é.
B: Hey man! Everything is just groovy baby!
A: How can it be clich é ? It ‘ s a fable! It ‘ s telling
A: Did you go to the roller rink on Saturday? I
a time-honoured story! The movie make a
heard it was far out, man!
point of how the hunger for power leads to
B: I wanted to, but I ran into this foxy lady
corruption, and teaches children the value of
that just moved to my block! I was chatting
respect, life and love.
her up a bit and then we mellowed out at her
B: You have always been so soft, Dave!
place.
A: Open your heart Dick. Don ‘ t shut us out.
A: Right on, right on! Well, Jim went to the
B: Anyway... That ‘ s all for today folks! Join us
rink with Sherry and he said it was dy-no-mite!
next time as we talk about "How to lose
He was low on bread, but Sherry paid for
a guy in 10 days" I ‘ msure you ‘ lllove
everything.
that one Dave!
B: Gravy! Jim is such a jive turkey man. He is

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Where are yo always hitting me up for cash. Anyway, you

u from? (C0100) wanna book and go grab some grub?

A: Yeah man, I ‘ m starving!
A: Where to, miss?
B: Hi! Crenshaw and Hawthorne, at the Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Global War

Holiday Inn that is on that corner. ming (C0102)

A: Sure thing. So, where are you flying in

A: And therefore, global warming is the
from?
greatest deception of the early 21st century.
B: From China.
Questions?
A: Really? You don ‘ t look very Chinese to me,
B: Uh& yeah. In the lecture you said theres
if you don ‘ t mind me saying so.
more evidence in the scientific record
B: It ‘ s fine. I am actually from Mexico. I was in
supporting global cooling?
China on a business trip, visiting some local
A: Well, yes, essentially, the historical record
companies that manufacture bathroom
supports a theory of climate cycles. Warming
products.
29
 Englishpod Dialogues

and cooling are cooperating processes in the Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Baby, I ’ｍSor
planetary eco-system. ry (C0103)
B: If thats true and the planet is getting cooler,
what explains the rapid melting of the polar ice A: Can we talk?

caps and the dramatic rise in the global B: Sure, honey, we ‘ re talking now, aren ‘ t we?

average temperatures? A: You know what I mean.

A: But are global temperatures rising? If you B: Yeah. I know.

look at the data from nineteen seventy-five A: I want to know where this relationship is

youll& going. I ‘ min love with you and I need to

B: Youll be misled. If you were serious, you know...

would look at the record starting in the 1880s. B: You know, I think you ‘ re awesome.

Then you would see how dramatically the A: I ‘ mawesome. Well, I guess that ‘ smy

earths temperature has changed. answer, isn ‘ t it.

A: Young lady, I beg to differ. Look, the point B: Honey...

of the lecture was to emphasize that there is A: Look, if you don ‘ t love me, it ‘ s not a thing,

evidence for both sides, and I ‘ m putting forth alright, we‘ ve had our laughs, but I don ‘ t

the argument that there ‘ s greater evidence n

i appreciate... maybe it ‘ s just time we...

support of the global cooling hypothesis. Look, B: Baby, I love you so much.

it ‘ s an indisputable fact that the public is being A: You do?

manipulated and scared into believing theres B: I love you. And I think you ‘ re awesome.

some kind of climate crisis; this A: Oh, I love you too!

scaremongering is done, quite simply, for B: Come on. Put the gun down.

political reasons. A: Oh baby, I ‘ m so sorry.

B: But even without the uncomfortable reality

Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Skiing (C
that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide
0104)
contribute to global warming, isnt the topic
appropriate for politicians to discuss?
A: Welcome ski lovers of all ages! My name is
A: Not if they want to use your tax dollars and
Rick Fields and here with me is the man that
mine to fund completely unnecessary
needs no introduction, Bob Copeland.
initiatives.
B: Thank you, Rick! What a beautiful day here
B: Yeah, like conservation, protecting
in Aspen, Colorado where the sun is shinning,
endangered species and investing in
and we‘ ve got twelve inches of fresh powder.
renewable energy. At the very least, you have
It doesn ‘ t get much better than this.
to concede that this debate has the potential
A: That ‘ sright, Bob, but today we have a
to end our dependence on foreign oil. Buying
special treat for our viewers. We ‘ re joined here
oil supports autocratic countries that use
by Ian Roussy, the four-time giant slalom
these revenues to devastating ends.
champion. And on this
A: Why, Ive never been so disrespected in all
special edition of the show, Ian is going to
of my days. I ‘ ma professor, a scientist and
teach
researcher of high regard.
us the basics of skiing! So, let ‘ s hit the slopes!
B: Yeah, and a duplicitous one at that.
C: Well, first off, let ‘ get
s those boots on.
Everyone knows youre in the pocket of the oil
You ‘ re going
lobby. Why should we trust your so-called
to want to make sure your boots fit snugly.
findings more than tobacco institute studies
That ‘ s right; now snap them into your
which say smoking doesnt harm health? Youre
bindings.
full of it.
And you ‘ re also g oing to want a good pair of
A: Some people just cannot handle civil
goggles
debate!
to protect your eyes. It ‘ s a bright day today,

30
 Englishpod Dialogues

so there ‘ s going to be a lot of glare out there Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Mobile Phone
on Plan (C0106)
the slopes. We don ‘ t want you hitting any of
thosemoguls! B: Yeah, I ‘ ve just moved here, and I ‘ d like to

A: Bob, since you ‘ re a beginner skier and activate my cell phone, and I ‘ m not sure if I

might take a few spills, it is a good idea to should go with a prepaid plan, or a monthly

have a good warm pair of dry ski gloves. rate plan.

C: Easy there, Rick! Well, let ‘ s head on over to A: I see. Well, can I have a look at your phone?

the chairlift, and test your skills! All right, Unfortunately, this phone can ‘ t be used in the

we‘ re up here on the bunny hill, so, Bob, why US; it ‘ s not compatible with our 3G network.

don ‘ tyou do a few snow -plow turns. Gnarly B: What? Really? I don ‘ t really want to have to

run, Rick! Nice carving! You ‘ ve got some mad buy a new phone.

skills! That was sick! A: Well, you ‘ re in luck! You see, if you sign up

A: You wanna see gnarley? Well, see that for our three- year plan, we‘ ll throw in a

bump over there, I ‘ mgoing to catch some handset for free.

major air. B: Really? What ‘ s the catch?

C: Butt plant! A: There ‘ s no catch! You just choose a plan,

B: Ha ha ha! He lost his skis! Yard sale!!! sign a three- year contract and, that ‘ sit!

A: Ahem, well. Thanks for joining us here Actually, we‘ re running a special promotion

today, I think that about does it. Bob, Ian, right now, and we ‘ re giving away a Blackberry

time for some apr è

s-ski? Curve with our special Mega Value forty dollar

C: No way, man! We‘ re off to grab some plan.

freshies!!! B: So what does this plan include?

A: Well, you get nine hundred anytime
Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Job Well Don minutes, and you can also enjoy free mobile to
e (C0105) mobile calling to other Tel-Mobile clients, one
thousand text messages per month, and
A: And so, that concludes my outline for our unlimited evening and weekend minutes. Oh,
marketing strategy next year. Thank you very and we also offer a rollover option.
much for your time. B: Wow, all this for forty dollars per month?
B: Hey, that was quite the Presentation! A: That ‘ sright, plus the activation fee, the
Honestly, I was completely blown away by emergancy services fee, the monthly service
your strategy outline. I ve gotta‘say, Alex, you fee, oh, and any charges for extra minutes,
really wowed me today. and...
A: Aw, come on; it was nothing. Im just doing
my job. Elementary ‐
B: No, I think you deserve some recognition DailyLifeComplainingat aRestaurant (C0
here; I mean, if I look back on your previous 107)
Presentations, this is a huge improvement.
A: Well, Kristin did give me a hand with the A: Excuse me, waiter? Waiter!

slides. Shes a real wiz on PowerPoint. B: Yes, sir? What can I do for you?

B: And I saw that you took on board my A: I ‘ ve been sitting here for the past twenty

feedback about pricing strategies. I really minutes and no one has offered me a glass of

appreciate you taking the time to think though water, brought any bread to the table and our

my suggestions. appetizers haven ‘ t been served yet! You know,

A: Yeah, well, that was some good advice. You in this kind of establishment, I ‘ d expect much

made some really good points. better service.

B: Well, I just wanted to say well done. Really B: I am sorry, sir. I ‘ ll check on your order right

you did a great job. away.

31
 Englishpod Dialogues

C: Relax honey, the place is busy tonight, but money?

I ‘ ve heard the food is amazing. Anyway... B: Um...how can I put this? Let ‘ s just say that
B: Here you are, sir. The foie gras for the lady, at this pace, we will be filing for Chapter
and a mushroom soup for you. eleven in less than three months.
A: Waiter, I ordered a cream of mushroom A: What! Geez! How could this have happened?
soup with asparagus. This soup is obviously So what ‘ s the bad news?
to o runny, and it ‘ sover - seasoned. It ‘ s B: Oh, that ‘ s the really bad news. Our suppl ier
completely inedible! suffered QC problems and, well, half of our
B: Okay, I do apologize for that. Can I bring production is faulty. We‘ re going to have to
you another soup, or would you like to order recall all items sold in the last quarter. And the
something else? worst part? We ‘ re going to have to shoulder
A: Take this foie gras back as well, it ‘ s rubbery this cost.
and completely overcooked. And look at the A: Are you joking? Get the supplier on the line
portion size! How can you charge twenty-five now! They have to assume the costs of this
dollars for a sliver of duck liver? mess!
B: Right away... sir. B: We tried that, sir. The factory has gone
C: Honey come on! The foie gras was fine, why under and the owner apparently has fled the
are you making such a big deal? Are you trying country.
to get our meal comped again? A: We‘ re doomed!
A: What do you mean? We are paying for this. B: There is some really good news though!
If I ‘ mshelling out my hard earned bucks, I A: Really? What!
expect value for money! B: I got offered a new job!
B: Here you are, sir. I hope it is alright now.
The chef has prepared it specially for you. Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Breaking

A: Yes, fine. Up (C0109)

C: Honey, are you alright?

A: Honey, do you have a second?

Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Bad news, bo B: Sure! Are you okay? You seem a bit worried.

ss. (C0108) What ‘ s on your mind?

A: We need to talk.
A: ... Now that we have been over the gory B: Okay...
details of our disastrous first quarter, Ed! Give A: I ‘ vebeen thinking, and well, I think we
us some good news. How are things looking need to start seeing other people.
for us in terms of sales this month? B: What? Why? I mean, we ‘ ve had our ups and
B: Uh well...would you like the bad news first downs, and we have the occasional
or the really bad news? disagreement, but we‘ re happy together,
A: What? Ed, don ‘ t tell me you only have bad aren ‘ t we?
news! A: That ‘ s just it, I ‘ m not happy anymore, Tim.
B: Well sir, our sales have dropped, no It ‘ s not you, it ‘ s me. I know that I can be hard
plunged, fifty percent in the past month alone. to deal with, and you are a great guy! You are
We are currently overstocked and overstaffed the type of guy that any woman would kill for!
and our profits are falling fast. The market is in B: So, what are you saying? You ‘ re breaking
recession and we have no way of moving our up with me because I ‘ m perfect?
inventory, or getting rid of our staff. If we A: Tim, you are too good for me. You deserve
consider redundancies, it would cost us a someone who can make you smile and make
fortune because of the new regulations you happy the way that you made me happy.
governing compensation packages. It ‘ s a real Oh, I could say that I ‘ ll be all you need, but
mess. that would be a lie. I know I ‘ d only hurt you, I
A: For crying out loud... How fast are we losing know I ‘ d only make you cry.
32
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Baby, come on. Don ‘ t do this to me! Rick Fields, and you guessed it, I am here with
Whatever it is, we can work it out. Just give my main man, Bob Copeland.
me another chance! I know that we can get B: Thank you, Rick! As you can see, ladies and
through this, but we gotta stick together! gentleman, we are here in beautiful Pebble
Don ‘ t leave me. Beach where the top golfers in the world are
A: I can ‘ t, Tim. I hope someday you can find trying to win the grand prize of one million
some way to understand I ‘ only
m doing this dollars!
for you. I don ‘ t really wanna go but, deep in A: Whoa, that ‘ s a lot of cash! Let ‘ s go to the
my heart I know this is the kindest thing to do. course and see how Tiger Woods is doing.
B: Laura... B: All right, were ‘ re here at the eighth hole.
A: Here are your keys. I ‘ ll send my sister to It ‘ as par four, and has some very difficult
pick up the rest of my things next week. I ‘m hazards which many golfers find difficult to
sorry, Tim. I wish you all the best, and I hope avoid. Although, I did see Jack Nicklaus hit a
that one day we can meet again. I ‘ always
ll hole in one on this very same hole!
love you. Goodbye. A: Tiger Woods is about to tee off, and let ‘
see if he has the same luck as Jack. Tiger is
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ asking his caddie for his driver and, he seems
Registering for University (C0110) to be very nervous.
B: Oh no! Not a good swing at all! It ‘ s
A: Excuse me? Is this where I register? I ‘ d like definitely not his day today. On the seventh
to sign up for my courses for next semester.
hole he got a bogey and before that he barely
B: Yes, of course. I need your student ID
made par. He will definitely not get a birdie on
please.
this shot.
A: Here you are.
A: It seems that his ball has flown somewhere
B: Okay, Susan. It says here that you are a
deep in the trees. He is having a hard time
business major and you are in your second
finding it and even his caddie has climbed a
year. Is this information correct?
tree to try and spot it.
A: Yes. I do want to take some additional
B: Oh no! A bear! Run, Tiger, run! Somebody
credits this year to get a minor in psychology.
call animal control!
B: Sure. That ‘ s not a problem. Do you have
the list of courses you want to take this Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Dr. Plumber (
semester? C0112)
A: Yeah. Here ‘ smy list. I ‘ mnot sure if the
class schedule will allow me to take all of them A: Good afternoon! Did you call for a plumber?
though. B: Yes, yes I did. Please come in! I ‘ m so glad
B: Yeah, that ‘ sperfect. What about the you came! This old house is falling apart!
subjects for your minor? Come on into the bathroom. See, here, there ‘
A: Oh yeah! Almost forgot! I need to take water leaking everywhere!
fundamental linguistics, consumer psychology A: I see. Let me have a look. It seems that
and neuroanatomy. your toilet is clogged, and that ‘ s why it won
B: Wow, you are going to be busy this flush. Let me just get my plunger. No, that ‘
semester! Okay, here you go. You are not working either. I suspect that there ‘s
registered now; you ‘ ll have to make your first some sort of foreign object in the pipes that
tuition payment before classes start. causing a blockage. That ‘ s what king
‘ your
s ma
toilet overflow.
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Golf (C01 B: Oh, that must be because of my
11) four-year-old daughter. She is always flushing
things down the toilet. You know how kids are.
A: Good morning golf aficionados! My name is A: Yeah, I have a little one myself. Anyway,
33
 Englishpod Dialogues

these water pipes are really rusty, so they also B: Not even! Check it out! Now that ‘ s a fresh
should be changed. That could be causing ride!
water to not drain completely; that might lead A: Too bad the driver is a major dweeb.
to more problems in the future. I would also Anyone can have a car like that if their daddy
suggest fixing this faucet that isn ‘ t shutting off is loaded like his.
properly. I could have it all finished by today if B: He‘ s coming this way, be cool.
it ‘ s urgent. C: Hey guys! What do you think of my
B: That would be great! Is it expensive? automobile? Isn ‘ t it bad to the bone?
A: Let ‘ s see... I would say about eight hundred A: Word! The ladies are gonna be lining up to
dollars. get with you when they see you driving around
B: What? That ‘ s more than I make in a day in that car.
and I ‘ m a heart surgeon! C: You really think so?
B: For sure!
Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Sorry I ’ｍLat C: Awesome!
e (C0113) A: Psych! haha.. you totally fell for it.
C: You are a real scumbag, Charlie. When I do
A: Where is everyone? We were supposed to
the nasty with the prom queen, we ‘ ll see who
start fifteen minutes ago!
has the last laugh.
B: Jo called and said she ‘ d be here in a sec.
B: Dude, don ‘ t have a cow!
She said she got tied up with a client.
C: Sorry I ‘ m late everyone. There was a huge Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ I Don ’ｔFeel S
traffic jam on the highway this morning. o Good (C0115)
D: Morning everyone! Were you stuck in traffic
as well, Jess? There was a huge pileup on the A: Are you okay, man? You don ‘ tlook very
highway and traffic was backed up for miles. well.
B: Scott just called and said that he ‘ s running B: Ugh, I feel terrible. I went out last night
late. His last meeting ran over, but he on his ‘s with Trevor and things got a little out of hand.
way now. A: Nice! So, where did you guys go?
A: Guys, this is not acceptable. If I say the B: We hit a couple of local bars, and met up
meeting starts at ten, the meeting starts at with some friends. Everything was cool until
ten. Not tenoh-one! And definitely not ten-ten! Mike came along, and it turned out that it was
All right. Let ‘ s get started. So the first thing I his birthday yesterday!
want to talk about is our... A: Oh no! Mike ‘ sbirthday is a drinkfest for
E: I ‘ m really sorry, everyone! I know I ‘ m late. sure!
But really, it ‘not
s my fault. I was getting a B: Tell me about it! We drank everything in the
coffee at Starbucks, and the line was way too bar!
long. I was waiting for twenty minutes to get A: Is that why you missed work today?
my coffee! B: Yeah. I woke up this morning feeling really
nauseous. I threw up like five times.
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ 1980 ’ｓ(C A: Eww!
0114) B: I was so dehydrated that I drank like a
gallon of water, and my head has been
A: Jim! What ‘ s up man!
pounding all day. I swear, I ‘ mnever gonna
B: Charli e! Is that your ride? It ‘ butt
s ugly,
drink again!
dude!
A: Too bad man, tonight is Tracy ‘ s going away
A: Don ‘ t be a airhead! This is a nineteen
party and she asked if you were gonna go.
sixty-nine Chevy Impala! I just need to fix it
B: Oh, yeah. I ‘ m there!
up a bit. In a couple of months, this baby is
gonna be wicked! Elementary ‐ The Office ‐

34
 Englishpod Dialogues

You MissedTheDeadline! (C0116) Steven: Veronica. It ‘ s me, the man that has
and always will love you. I ‘ m sorry that I ‘
A: And so, I just wanted to check in with you lied to you. Believe me, it ‘ s been so hard for
and find out where we are with this project. As me as well, and time and again, I ‘ ve thought
you know, you ‘ vemissed a fairly significant of coming clean. But, I couldn ‘ t put you, or my
deadline last week, and this will negativity mission at risk. It ‘
s all over now. My
impact the team ‘ s ability to move forward with assignment is complete and now I have to go
the next stages of this project. back to India.
B: I know, I ‘ m really sorry that I missed the Veronica: What? Are you kidding? Is there
deadline. But really, it wasn ‘ tm y fault. You anything else I should know before I never see
see, we had all of these unexpected technical you again? How could you deceive me like
problems at the last minute, and that I that?
couldn ‘ t get into the database and extract the Steven: Yes... Veronica... I know that this
kind of information that I needed for the data isn ‘ t the best time and that you probably hate
analyis. You know, if the tech guys would have me right now but, I want to be completely
done their job and kept the CRM stable, then I forthright with you. I know deep in my heart
wouldn ‘ t have missed my deadline. that you are the best thing that has ever
A: Oh, come on! An excuse like that is happened to me. Veronica... will you marry
tantamount to lying. You ‘ re essentially me? Come with me to India baby, I can ‘ t make
blaming the tech team for your time up for everything that ‘ s happened, but I can
management issues, rather than accepting promise you my undying love. I will be
responsibility for the fact that you were the most devoted husband, and I will cherish
procrastinating for the past two weeks. you always.
B: No, I ‘ m not trying to pass the buck here; I Veronica: Steven... I can ‘ t just leave
know that it was me who is ultimately everything at the drop of a hat! With
responsible for getting this done. But the thing everything that has happened between us, I
is, I could have finished on time if the system just don ‘ tknow you any more. I just can ‘ t
hadn ‘ t gone down. And you know, with build a relationship on a foundation of lies. I do
everything I ‘ vegot going on now, I can ‘ t love you but... I can ‘ t go with you. I ‘ m sor
afford to waste time dealing with technical I love you...
problems. I ‘ ve got a lot on my plate and there AIRPORT: This is the last call for flight eight
are only twenty-four hours in a day... one five from Los Angeles to Hyderabad.
A: I ‘ m not going to accept this excuse. You ‘ re Airline worker: I ‘ msorry sir we can ‘ twait
using these small technical glitches as a crutch any longer you must board the plane. Are you
and trying to rationalize the fact that you ‘ ve waiting for someone?
missed your deadline. Look, we have Steven: I was but, I don ‘ t think she is
standards and I expect you to live up to those coming...
standards. No more phoney excuses. If you ‘ re
in over your head, you tell me. No more Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Baby Talk (C0
missed deadlines. Now, I want that data on 118)
my desk by nine am!
A: Honey, the baby is up again.
Elementary ‐ TheWeekend B: It ‘ s your turn! I went last night.
‐ I ’ｍSorry I Love You IX(C0117) A: Fine! Hello widdle baby! Why are you crying
widdle baby? Oh, I see, you made a doo-doo!
Steven: Veronica wait! Come on honey, get B: What ‘ s going on hun? Why is the baby
back in the car. Let ‘ s talk it over, okay? crying?
Veronica: No! I ‘ mtired of your lies! I don ‘t A: The widdle baby made a doo -doo!
know who you are anymore! B: What a good boy! Lets get this icky diaper
35
 Englishpod Dialogues

off you. about to begin.

A: Looky what I have here! Mickey Mouse C: In the blue corner, weighing in at two
jammies! oopsie-daisy! Did the widdle baby hundred and twenty pounds, the former
just tinkle all over daddy? heavyweight champion of the world, ‖ The
B: Yes he did! Yes he did! You just made a wee Master of Disaster ‖ , the one and only, Apollo
wee all over daddy! Creed! In the red corner, weighing two
A: Hold still while I change this yucky diaper. hundred and eighteen pounds and with a
C: What going on in here? record of forty-seven wins and thirty-seven
A: Oh look it ‘ s nana! Say hi to nana! knockouts, the undefeated, undisputed,
C: He‘ s so adorable! I could just eat him up! heavyweight champion of the world,
A: Ok, say bye to nana! Time to go beddy - the ‖ Italian Stallion ‖ , Rocky Balboa!
bye! A: There is the bell and this fight is underway!
Apollo quickly attacks Rocky with quick strong
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Being Sca jabs! Rocky dodges successfully and
red (C0119) counterattacks with a strong right hook!
B: Apollo is cut! Rocky landed a strong blow to
Shabby: Eddie, why are we at this scary
his right eyebrow and cut him!
looking mansion? It ‘ s like, ultra spooky!
A: This is his chance! Rocky quickly throws a
Eddie: I told you already Shabby, the owner
left, right, another left! Apollo is getting
of the house says there is a ghost haunting his pounded!
house so we have to go in and investigate.
B: Apollo recovers with a powerful haymaker
Scruy puypoo: I don ‘ t like this!
and catches Rocky off guard! He ‘ s down! the
Wilma: Come on guys, stop being such
ref starts the count!
cowards. It ‘ s a mystery and an adventure!
C: 1,2,3,4,5,.....
Shabby: This place gives me the creeps!
Seriously guys, let ‘ get
s out of here! I‘m Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Presidentia
getting goosebumps just being here! l Speech (C0121)
Scruy: Shabby is a scaredy cat!
Wilma: That laugh came from this room. Let ‘s A: Good evening, my fellow Americans. Three
go and check it out. days from now, after a half-century of service
Eddie: Look! A ghost! Run! of our country, I shall lay down the
responsibilities of office as, in a traditional and
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Boxing (C solemn ceremony, the authority of the
0120) Presidency is vested in my successor. This
evening I come to you with a message of
A: Welcome back, boxing fans! My name is
leave-taking and farewell, and to share a few
Rick Fields, and here with me is the man with
final thoughts with you, my countrymen.
an iron jaw, Bob Copeland.
A: Like every other citizen, I wish the new
B: Thank you, Rick! We are coming to you live President, and all who will labor with him,
from Las Vegas! We ‘ re
in the beautiful MGM
Godspeed. I pray that the coming years will be
Grand Hotel and Casino where the world
blessed with peace and prosperity for all.
heavyweight championship is about to get A: Our people expect their President and the
under way!
Congress to find essential agreement on
A: That ‘ s right Bob! We are about to witness
questions of great importance, the wise
the legendary Italian Stallion himself, Rocky
resolution of which will better shape the future
Balboa, square off against his lifetime rival,
of our great nation. My own relations with
Apollo Creed! This will be a gruesome match
Congress began on a remote and tenuous
for sure.
basis when, long ago, a member of the Senate
B: Both fighters are in the ring, and we are appointed me to West Point. I then had the
36
 Englishpod Dialogues

pleasure of building more intimate B: Max! Whassup! Are you okay? You look like
relationship with Congress during the war and you just saw a ghost.
immediate post-war period. Finally, we have C: I got an F in English class. My life is over...
progressed to the mutually interdependent A: Dude, get over it! You need to lay off the
relationship we ‘ ve had during these past eight books for a while and have some fun! Come on,
years. let ‘ s bounce.
C: Where are we going? Oh, crap. My dad is
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Supermarket gonna go postal when he finds out about this.
Cashier (C0122) A: I ‘ m gonna open a can of whopass on you if
you don ‘ t come with me now!
A: Excuse me sir, this is the express check-out
C: Okay, okay. Geez...
lane for people that have fifteen items or
fewer. It looks like you have more than fifteen Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Tools (C0124)
items there.
B: Oh, come on! I have sixteen items! Cut me
some slack, will ya? A: Alright, ladies and gentlemen. We ‘ ve been
A: Fine! Please place your items on the belt hired to build a deck on this here house, and
and push your shopping cart through. Do you turn this boring and drab lawn into a backyard
prefer paper or plastic? oasis. There is one catch, though. We ‘ ve only
B: Plastic. I also have a couple of coupons. got one day to finish this, so I ‘ m eed
gonna n
A: No problem, I ‘ lltake those. Sir, these everyone to give one hundred and ten percent
coupons expired yesterday. today. It ‘ s going to be tough, but we ‘ ve got a
B: Darn! Oh, well. I guess it ‘ s just not my day. great team here, and I know that together we
Thanks anyway. can tackle this project. That being said, let
A: Do you have a club card or will it be cash? get to work!
B: Yeah I got a club card. Here you go. B: That ‘ s right. Now, remember, we ‘ ve been
A: Will this be debit or credit? over the plans, but we really need to make
B: Debit please. Also, could I get cash back? sure that everything is up to code. The home
Fifty dollars would be great. inspectors here are pretty thorough, so please
A: Yeah, sure. Your total is seventy-eight make sure you follow the plans exactly. And
dollars and thirty-three cents. Here is your remember the carpenter ‘ rule
s of thumb:
receipt. Have a nice day. measure twice and cut once.
A: Okay, guys. Let ‘ s get at it. Bob! Pass me
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ 1990 ’ｓ(C that hammer! The nails won ‘ t go in; the wood
0123) is too hard. I think I ‘ m gonna need the nail gun.
That did it!
A: Hey four- eyes! What ‘ s up man, how have
C: Do me a favor and help me cut this
you been?
two-by-four, will ya? Pass me the circular saw,
B: Not bad, just went to the mall and picked and grab hold of the end of the board. Now
up some junk. Check out my new Adidas!
help me drill some holes in it so we can place
A: Those are dope! You are gonna be getting
the bolts.
mad props from the gang, man. Anyways, B: I think you should sand the edges. Look at
have you seen Betty lately?
all these splinters, someone could get hurt.
B: Dude, don ‘ t even go there. That girl started
Geez...you gotta take pride in your work!
trippin ‘ cuz I went to the movies with Veronica
C: Yeah, you ‘ re right. Pass me the sander and
the other day. I was like ‖ look, you knew how
I ‘ ll take care of it.
I was before you got with me ‖.
A: Julia! Get over here with the level,
A: That ‘ s right! Your such a playa, man. Dude,
measuring tape and that box of screws!
there ‘ s Mad Max. Let ‘ s go say hi. C: Oh, no! Look out below!
37
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ No Smoking! fish say when it runs into a wall? DAM!
(C0125) A: Okay, Last one! Why do gorillas have big
nostrils? Coz they got big fingers!!!!
A: It smells like an ashtray in here! CrowGd: et off the stage! You suck!
B: Hi honey! What ‘ s wrong? Why do you have A: Thanks everyone that was my time.
that look on your face?
A: What ‘ swrong? I thought we agreed that Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ I Love Th
you were gonna quit smoking. at Song! (C0127)
B: No! I said I was going to cut down which is
very different. You can ‘ t just expect me to go Host: Welcome back, music lovers, to ‖ I Love

cold turkey overnight! That Song ‖ ! The game show where we test

A: Look, there are other ways to quit. You can your

try the nicotine patch, or nicotine chewing musical knowledge to the extreme! Let ‘ s get

gum. We spend a fortune on cigarettes every started! Team A... Guess this tune:

month and now laws are cracking down and Team A: Carrying Your Love With Me by

not allowing smoking in any public place. It ‘s George Straight! The genre is country music!

not like you can just light up like before. Host: You are right! one hundred points to

B: I know, I know. I am trying bu t, I don ‘ t team A! Now, for our next cut.

have the willpower to just quit. I can ‘ tfight Team B: Thong Song by Sisqo! I believe the

with the urge to reach for my pack of smokes genre is R&B?

in the morning with coffee or after lunch! Host: One hundred big points for team B! For

Please understand? all our viewers the acronym R&B stands for

A: Fine! I want a divorce! Rhythm and Blues. On that note, DJ, play our
next song!
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ That ’ｓFu Team B: Superstar by The Carpenters!
nny! (C0126) Host: And the genre?
Team B: Um... Um... Adult Contemporary?
AnnoHuenclleor: everyone, and welcome to Host: That ‘ s right! A hundred points! Uh oh!
open mic night! You ‘ rein for a real treat as That sound means it ‘ s double or nothing! The
we‘ ve got a lot of great comics here with us songs are more difficult and the points are
tonight. First up, we have a very funny man doubled! Let ‘ s hear our next song!
coming straight from the state of Montana, Team A: Too easy! That song is Kinslayer by
Robert Hicks! the
A: Thank you, everyone! Well, what a lovely Finnish power metal group, Nightwish!
crowd. You know, there ‘ s nothing I love better Host: You are correct! Very impressive team
than standup comedy! You know, I ‘ vebeen A! And it seems we have a tie! It ‘ s time now
working on my routine for months now, and for the tie-breaker round! Each team will be
I ‘ vegot some real zingers for you tonight. played three songs and they must tell us the
Let ‘ sstart out with some short jokes, how genre of each song in less than five seconds!
bout that? Where do you find a one legged dog? Team A, are you ready?
Where you left it. Team A: Ready!
A: Get it? mmm Anyways... What do you call a Host: Let ‘ s hear it!
sheep with no legs? A cloud ! Team A: Hip Hop, Classical and Gothic metal!
A: Tough crowd... Alright, now you ‘ re going to Host: You are right! Team B, the pressure is
love this joke. It ‘ s hilarious! What do cows do on, if you get all of them right, we will move on
for entertainment? They rent moooovies ! to sudden death. If you miss one, you lose! DJ,
moooovies Let ‘ s hear it!
A: Okay, Okay, we ‘ ve got a few hecklers in the Team B: Rap, Disco and... and...
audience, but this one is good! What does a

38
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ I ’ｍSorry I Lo that later. I realized that I was just scared.
ve You X (C0128) Scared of how much I love you and of the
commitment that marriage requires. I ‘ m here
Gulam: Steven! Good to see you brother! now. Now there is something I wanna ask you.
How are you? How was your trip? Steven, will you marry me?
Steven: It was fine. I ‘ ve been better but, it ‘ s Priest: I now declare you, husband and wife.
great to be home, I ‘ ve missed you all! How ‘s You may kiss the bride.
mom?
Gulam: She ‘ s great! All she ever does is talk Elementary
about you -her little boy that went to the ‐ Global View ‐ Presidential Speech II

United States. You ‘ re her pride and joy, you (C0129)

know that?
Steven: Can ‘ t wait to see her. And you? A: We now stand ten years past the midpoint

What ‘ s new with you? of a century that has witnessed four major

Gulam: Well, Nisha and I are expecting! You ‘ ll wars among great nations. Three of these

have another nephew or niece soon! involved our own country. Despite the carnage

Steven: That ‘ sgreat! Wow! Congrats! You of these conflicts, America is today the

two are great together, ya know. You have strongest, the most influential and most

such a beautiful family. I hope one day I can productive nation in the world. We are

have that. understandably proud of this preeminence,

Gulam: Of course, man! Come on! I mean, yet we realize that America ‘ s leadership and

everything was set here for you to marry prestige depend, not merely upon our

Shalini! You know, she ‘ s still pining after you.I unmatched material progress, riches and

don ‘ t think she ‘ ll ever get over you. Steven: military strength, but on how we use our

What are you talking about? I hardly knew her! power in the interests of world peace and

How could she be in love with me? I couldn ‘t human betterment.

go through with it even though she A: Throughout America ‘ sadventure in free

is a great woman. No, I left my heart in the government, such basic purposes have been

United States. I just hope Veronica is happy. to keep the peace; to foster progress in

Gulam: Get over it! You ‘ re home now. human achievement, and to enhance liberty,

Everyone here thinks so highly of you; there ‘ ll dignity and integrity among peoples and

be girls throwing themselves at you. You can among nations.

marry anyone you want! A: We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races,

Steven: I don ‘ t want to marry anyone! I want all nations, may have their great human needs

to marry her! Don ‘ t you understand? satisfied; that those now denied opportunity

Gulam: You are incorrigible. shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who

Liliana: Steven! My baby how are you! I ‘ ve yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual

missed you so much! blessings; that those who have freedom will

Steven: Hey, mom! Great to see you! understand, also, its heavy responsibilities;

Liliana: You look so thin! Didn ‘ t those that all who are insensitive to the needs of

Americans feed you? Come come, let ‘ s have others will learn charity; that the scourges of

some chai. By the way... There is a girl here poverty, disease and ignorance will be made

waiting for you. to disappear from the earth, and that, in the

Veronica: Hi Steven. goodness of time, all peoples will come to live

Steven: Veronica! How did you get here? How together in a peace guaranteed by the binding

did you know where I live? I waited for you at force of mutual respect and love.

the airport but you never showed... A: Now, on Friday noon, I am to become a

Veronica: I also have some little secrets that private citizen. I am proud to do so. I look

I haven ‘ t told you about, but we can discuss forward to it. Thank you, and good night.
39
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Going To The 132)
Gym (C0130)
A: Howdy! Nice car! What seems to be the
A: Hey there, you look a little lost. Are you problem?
new here? B: I don ‘ tknow! This stupid old car started
B: Yeah how ‘ d you know? spewing white smoke and it just died on me.
A: You can always spot the newbies. I can give Luckily, I managed to start it up and drive it
you a few pointers if you want. Were you here. What do you think it is?
trying to use this machine here? A: Not sure yet. How about you pop the hood
B: Yeah! I just started my training today and and we can take a look. Hmmm, it doesn ‘ t look
I ‘ m not really sure where to begin. good.
A: It ‘ s ok, I know how it is. This machine here B: What do you mean? My daddy gave me this
will work out your upper body, mainly your car for my birthday last month. It ‘
s brand new!
triceps and biceps. Are you looking to develop A: Well missy, the white smoke that you saw
strength or muscle tone and definition? is steam from the radiator. You overheated
B: We ll, I don ‘ t want to be ripped like you! I your engine so now the pistons are busted and
just want a good physique with weights and so is your transmission. You should have
cardio. called us and we could have towed you over
A: In that case you want to work with less here when your car died.
weight. You can start off by working ten to B: Ugh... So how long is this going to take? An
fifteen reps in four sets. Five kilo weights hour?
should be enough. Now it ‘ver
s y important A: I ‘ m afraid a bit more than that. We need to
that you stretch before pumping iron or you order the spare parts, take apart your
might pull a muscle. electrical system, fuel pump and engine and
B: Got it! Wow is that the weight you are lifting? then put it back together again. You are going
My goodness that ‘ s a lot of weight! to have to leave it here for at least two weeks.
A: It ‘ s not that much. Just watch... I ‘ m ok... B: What! How am I supposed to get to school
or go shopping? This is not happening!
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ What if? Part
1 (C0131) Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Doing Laundr
y (C0133)
A: Okay, next question. If Eric asked you out
on a date, what would you say? A: Ok, let ‘ s go through this one more time. I
B: Duh! I would say yes! Eric is the most don ‘ t want anymore ruined or dyed blouses!
popular kid in school! Okay, my turn. What B: I know, I know. OK, so I have to separate
would you do if you won the lottery? the colors from the whites and put them in this
A: Let ‘ s see.... If I won the lottery, I would buy strange looking contraption so called washing
two tickets for a trip around the world. machine.
B: If you buy me a ticket I will go with you for A: Right. You have to turn it on and program it
sure! depending on what type of clothes you are
A: My dad will freak out if I even mention a trip washing. For example for delicates, you
like that! should set a shorter washing cycle. Also, be
B: Alright this is a good one. What would your sure to use fabric softener and this detergent
mom say if you told her you are going to get when washing.
married? B: So complicated! Ok, what about this red
A: If I told her that, she would faint and have wine stain? How do I get it out?
me committed! A: Since this is a white t-shirt, you can just
pour a little bit of bleach on it and it will do the
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Mechanic (C0 trick.

40
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Cool. Then I can just throw everything in A: I just got off the phone with my boyfriend.
the dryer for an hour and its all set right? He is always getting upset and losing his
A: No! Since you are washing delicates and temper over nothing. It ‘ s so hard to talk to him
cotton, you should set the dryer to medium at times.
heat and for twenty minutes. B: Maybe it ‘ s just that he is stressed out from
B: You know what? I ‘ lljust have everything work or something. He does have a pretty
dry cleaned. nerve wracking job you know.
A: Yeah but, he is always in a really foul mood.
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Buying a TV ( I try to find out what ‘ s bothering him or get
C0134) him to talk about his day but, he always shuts
down and brushes me off.
A: Seriously, I don ‘ t know why we need to get
B: Men are like that you know. They can feel
a new TV.
nervous, anxious or on edge and the only way
B: Honey I told you already. I can ‘ t appreciate
they can express it is by trying to hide it
the graphics level and detail of the games on
through aggressiveness.
my Playstation 3 on our old TV.
A: I guess you are right. What do you think I
C: Good afternoon folks! How can I be of
should do? He wasn ‘ t always this grouchy you
service today?
know...
B: I ‘ m looking to upgrade to a newer, bigger
B: Talk to him, try to cheer him up when he is
television set. down and if that doe sn ‘ t work, I say get rid of
C: You ‘ ve come to the right place! What size
him and get a new one!
are you looking for?
A: You are something else you know that?
A: Just a normal sized TV for our living room.
C: I see. Well this set here is on sale. It ‘sa Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Gambling (
forty six inch HDTV screen and has all the C0136)
works. Three HDMI connectors, USB, VGA and
S - Video ports. It even has a DVI port so you A: Did you hear? The state is thinking of
can hook up your PC or laptop! This is without legalizing gambling in our city! Soon we are
a doubt the complete home theater gonna have amazing hotels and casinos here
experience! which will be good for our business!
B: This is exactly what I need! Can you B: Are you serious? Gambling is a vice
imagine watching movies or playing video industry built on deception and fed by the
games on this thing? intentional exploitation of human weakness
A: Honey, I think it ‘ s a bit too big. I don ‘ t evenfor the sole purpose of monetary gain! It
think it will fit in our living room. disgusts me.
C: Not to worry, we will deliver and install it in A: What are you talking about? How does it
your home. It comes with a wall mount so you exploit people?
can just hang it on the wall like a picture! B: Well, to begin with, Gambling is addictive,
B: This is great! How much will this set me ruins marriages, destroys families and
back? bankrupts communities. Once you are
C: Lucky for you, this is the last one we have in addicted it is very difficult to stop. People have
stock so it ‘ s half off! lost their houses, cars and been left out on the
B: I ‘ ll take it! street after becoming addicted. Secondly, it
exploits because men become addicted to
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Cheer Up (C0 gambling most often because of the action and
135) risk. Women gamble to escape, and senior
citizens will start gambling for the social
A: Ok... I ‘ ll talk to you later. Bye
interaction. Underage gamblers often start
B: Carrie, are you ok? You seem a bit down. gambling on sports with friends and then
41
 Englishpod Dialogues

illegal bookies. of cars.

A: Geez! Now that I think about it, maybe Man: But the reservation keeps the car here.
legalizing gambling isn ‘ such
t a good idea! That ‘ s why you have the reservation.
Although, I have been to Las Vegas, and I Agent: I know why we have reservations.
didn ‘ t become addicted or anything like that. Man: I don ‘ t think you do. If you did, I ‘dh
B: You cannot predict who will become a car. See, you know how to take the
addicted to gambling. Now excuse me, I have reservation, you just don ‘ t know how to hold
a protest rally to organize! the reservation and that ‘ really
s the most
important part of the reservation, the holding.
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Getting Inter Anybody can just take them.
net Service (C0137) Agent: But we do have a compact or an SUV if
you ‘ d like.
A: Welcome to Galanet. How can I help you?
Man: Fine. I ‘ ll take the compact.
B: Hi. I would like to get an internet plan for
Agent: Alright. We have a blue Ford Focus for
my house.
you Mr. Fox. Would you like insurance?
A: Of course. We have three different plans
Man: Yeah, you better give me the insurance,
with different prices you can choose from. The
because I am gonna beat the hell out of this
first one is the cheapest but most basic plan
car.
which is thirty dollars a month. This is for
broadband internet with a download speed of Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Playing C
five hundred and twelve kbps. hess (C0139)
B: I have no idea what kbps means. I just
want to be able to get online, play games and Daddy: Bobby! Come here, look what I got
chat with my friends. Oh, and watch movies you!
online as well. Bobby: What is that?
A: Well, this connection might be a bit too slow Daddy: A chess board! Daddy is going to
for your needs. I suggest you get the premium teach you how to play!
package for fifty dollars a month which Bobby: Cool!
includes a connection speed of two megabytes. Daddy: Ok, each player gets 16 pieces. You
That way you can play games online without can be the white ones and I ‘ llplay with the
any lag. This package also includes a wireless black pieces. Now in the front, you set up the
router and a personal firewall absolutely free! pawns. Those are the least valuable pieces
B: Do I have to pay an installation fee? and can only move one space forward. When
A: Lucky for you, this month we aren ‘ t you are about to capture another piece, it can
charging our normal installation fee. You are move one space diagonally.
saving yourself 100 bucks right there! And Bobby: What about all these other pieces?
we‘ ll throw in this pen drive! Daddy: See this one that looks like a tower?
B: Awesome! It ‘ s called the rook. The one with the tall hat is
called the bishop. See this little horsey? This is
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Renting A Car called the knight, it ‘ s a very important piece so
(C0138) it ‘ s best to not let your opponent capture it.
Bobby: And these two? They are husband and
Man: Hi, I made a reservation for a mid-size
wife?
vehicle. The name is Jimmy Fox.
Daddy: That ‘ sright! That ‘ sthe queen and
Agent: I ‘ m sorry, we have no mid -size
that ‘ the
s king. If the other player captures
available at the moment.
your king, he will say ‖ Check Mate ‖ and the
Man: I don ‘ t understand, I made a reservation,
game is over! Doesn ‘ t this sound fun?
do you have my reservation?
Bobby: Nah! This is boring! I ‘ m gonna go play
Agent: Yes, we do, unfortunately we ran out Killer Zombies on my PlayStation!
42
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Buying a Com B: You see! Everything happens for a reason!
puter (C0140) We wouldn ‘ t even have met if I hadn ‘ t been in
that car accident ten years ago!
Customer: So can you fix it? A: Well, I have no regrets!
Sales Clerk: I ‘ m sorry sir. This computer is B: I ‘ ll drink to that!
not broken or damaged. It ‘ s simply just too old!
That ‘ swhy your programs and applications Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ What Do
are running slow. There really isn ‘ can
t much I I Wear? (C0142)
do.
Customer: What do you mean? I bought this A: Honey come on! We are going to be late!

computer just three years ago! Honestly, you take longer getting ready than I

Sales Clerk: Yes, but technology is ever do!

changing and technology is becoming obsolete B: I was drying my hair and ironing my shirt!

faster and faster! Can you come here for a sec? I need your help.

Customer: Ok, I know where this is going. A: What is it? Why are all these clothes on the

How much will it cost me to get a new bed?

computer? B: I don ‘ tknow what to wear! Ok, give me

Sales Clerk: Well, this desktop over here is your opinion. Do you like the way this looks?

our latest model. It has a four gigahertz The striped short sleeved shirt with this

processor with sixteen gigabytes in RAM and a checkered sweater and my lucky sandals. I

hard disk with one terabyte. Of course, it like the cut and hemline of these shorts so I

includes a mouse, keyboard and desk think I ‘

wear
ll these as well.

speakers. A: Are you joking? What am I going to do with

Customer: I have no idea what you are you? We are going to a dinner party not the

talking about. I just want to know if it ‘ s good beach! Wear the shirt with the silk tie I bought

and if I will be able to play solitaire without the you and these corduroy pants. It ‘ schilly

computer crashing or freezing all the time! outside so you can wear this coat.

Sales Clerk: This PC is top of the line and I B: Thanks honey! You have such great fashion

guarantee it will never freeze! If i t does, we ‘ ll sense. Now, what am I going to do with my

give you your money back! hair?

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ What If? Part Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ The Butcher (

2 (C0141) C0143)

A: This is the good life! We have it good don ‘t Butcher: Hi. What can I get for you?

you think? Gina: Id like a half a pound of ground beef,

B: Yeah of course! Although, don ‘ tever

you please.

wonder what ‖ could have been ‖? Butcher: Good choice! Our ground beef is

A: What do you mean? extra lean, if you know what I mean.

B: Well, sometimes I think of how things could Gina: Could I also have half a dozen pork

have turned out if I had done things a little chops and two pounds of boneless chicken

differently. breasts?

A: For example? Butcher: No, no no no chicken breasts at the

B: Like for example, if I hadn ‘ t studied moment, but we have some nice chicken

architecture, I would have become an artist thighs.

like I wanted to. Gina: No, that won ‘ t do. I ‘this

ke ll tasmoked

A: I see. Yeah now that I think of it, I wouldn ‘ tham you have here.
have gotten married if I hadn ‘ tdmove
to this Butcher: Okay, is there anything else?

town and met Sally. Gina: Do you have any other cold cuts? Is this

43
 Englishpod Dialogues

salami and bologna you have here? need prisons. In my reckoning, if we could lock
Butcher: Yes! It ‘ very
s fine meat! Made it up more juvenile criminals, they ‘ d learn that
myself... they couldn ‘ t get away with it. Soft sentences
Gina: Sounds good. Okay, that ‘ s it. will merely encourage them to do it again.
Butcher: Wait! We have T-bone, rib eye, and B: Yes, but remember that prisons are often
sirloin steaks. They are very fresh! Just came schools for criminals. To remove crime from
from the slaughter house... society, you really have to tackle its causes.
Gina: Mmm... No that ‘ s okay, really. I think A: Well, if I were president, I would impose
that ‘ s all for today. tougher laws and punishment. I would have a
Butcher: Okay. That will be thirty-four dollars peaceful society based on fear of punishment,
and fifty cents. not consciousness of doing the right thing.
B: You sound like a dictator!
Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Capital Pun A: Well if it works, why not?
ishment (C0144)
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Chicken Pox (
ProfeTsshoar: t ‘ s all for today ‘ s class. We will C0145)
continue our lecture on crime and punishment
tomorrow. A: What ‘ s wrong with you? Why are you
A: Do you think we should be tougher on scratching so much?
crime? B: I feel itchy! I can ‘ t stand it anymo
re! I think
B: Well, it depends on what you mean. I may be coming down with something. I feel
A: For example, we could bring back the death lightheaded and weak.
penalty for murder, give longer prison A: Let me have a look. Whoa! Get away from
sentences for lesser offences and lock up me!
juvenile offenders. B: What ‘ s wrong?
B: Those really sound like Draconian A: I think you have chicken pox! You are
measures. Firstly, what do you do about contagious! Get away! Don ‘ t breathe on me!
miscarriages of justice if you ‘ vealready put B: Maybe it ‘just
s a rash or an allergy! We
innocent people to death? can ‘ t be sure until I see a doctor.
A: You ‘ donly use capital punishment if you A: Well in the meantime you are a biohazard!
were absolutely sure that you ‘ d convicted the I didn ‘ t get it when I was a kid and I ‘ ve he
right person. that you can even die if you get it as an adult!
B: But, there ‘ ve been many cases of wrongful B: Are you serious? You always blow things
conviction where people have been out of proporti on. In any case, I think I ‘ ll go
imprisoned for many years. The authorities take an oatmeal bath.
were sure at the time, but later it was shown A: Ewww!
that the evidence was unreliable. In some
cases, it ‘ d been fabricated by the police. Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Animal Rig

A: Well, no system of justice can be perfect, hts (C0146)

but surely there ‘ sa good case for longer

A: You should have seen the T.V. show that
prison sentences to deter serious crime.
was on last night, the topic it covered was
B: I doubt whether they could act as an
really interesting; animal rights.
effective deterrent while the detection rate is
B: Do you really believe in that? If they are
so low. The best way to prevent crime is to
going to focus on something, they should do it
convince people who commit it that they ‘ re
on civil rights.
going to be caught. It doesn ‘ t make sense to
A: Yes, but we cant deny that animals are
divert all your resources into the prison
vulnerable, defenseless, and are completely at
system.
the mercy of human beings.
A: But if you detect more crimes, you ‘ llstill
44
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: I understand your point, but we continue to saints.

have transgressions against human rights. If A: My friends? Fat? What about those whales
so much attention weren ‘
t devoted to the topic you call friends?
of animals, we would then concentrate more B: You ‘ re unbearable; you can walk home, I ‘m
on saving a human being instead of protecting leaving.
a koala.
A: You can ‘
t compare apples and oranges; I Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Paranoid (C0

believe that both topics are important and that 148)

we can ‘
t ignore them, the mistreatment of
A: Dan, Dan dude. You have to come over to
animals can cause a great environmental
my house right now!
imbalance. I believe that governments should
B: Is everything Ok?
prohibit activities like poaching.
A: Just get over here!
B: Well, you are right on that point. This is the
A: Come in! Quickly!
reason that I don ‘
t buy leather and I try to buy
B: So, since when is your house a bank?
synthetic products.
A: What do you mean?
B: At least youre doing your part. My
B: I mean, what ‘ s up with th e and locks and
contribution is to have a pet in the house that
iron bars on your windows.
I treat like a member of the family.
A: Security Dan, security! You can never be
A: As long as you dont treat it better than your
too safe you know! A lot of sickos out there.
wife, its fine.
Just the other day they caught that peeping

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ The Argument tom red handed! Had a high power telescope

(C0147) and binoculars by his window.

B: Whats the matter with you? Why are you
A: Wow, that terrible movie is finally over. acting all paranoid?
Next time I ‘ m picking the film, because I don ‘ t A: Paranoid? I ‘ m not paranoid! I ‘ m cautious!
want to end up seeing a chick flick. You see Dan, we have to be on guard at all
B: Well you should have picked, in the end you time! People just invade your privacy as if they
always complain about everything. knew you! Telemarketers, solicitors, even
A: Not everything, just this film. Even the title your bank! They have way too much
is ridiculous; and it ‘so
s long, those are the information! I like to keep everything on a
two and a half most wasted hours of my life, so need to know basis
much so that I ‘ m thinking about asking them B: OK, well, what did you want to see me
to give me my money back. about?
B: I ‘ mthinking of taking you back home. I A: You are being watched! Be careful Dan! Be
thought we could have a nice evening, but careful!
you ‘ re always so negative.
A: I ‘ m only complaining about a movie that I Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Moving (C014

could have rented or bought and then thrown 9)

in the garbage.
A: Ok, that ‘ s fine. Bye.
B: You see, that ‘ what
s I ‘ mtalking about, I
B: What happened?
can ‘ t stand your sarcastic jokes anymo re
A: That ‘ s it, my lease is up. I have to move.
A: Next time, go with your gay friend who is
B: What? Why? Can ‘ t you renew it?
more in touch with his feelings.
A: The owner apparently is selling this place to
B: Well he ‘ s more of a man than you are; at
make way for the construction of a parking lot
least he appreciates love stories.
B: Well, I can help you pack. We should start
A: Love? More like one-night-stands.
looking for a new place for you ASAP.
B: Don ‘ t criticize Mario or else I ‘ llstart on
A: I think I might move in with my parents for
those fa t, drunk friends of yours; they ‘ re no
45
 Englishpod Dialogues

a couple of months until I can find something. of.

You know how hard it is to find a decent place A: That statement puts you at odds with half
around here. I ‘ m gonna have to put most of of the academy. Not to mention your
my stuff in storage for a while. professors! Furthermore, the explanation
B: Well, let m e know if there ‘ s anything I can proposed by Darwin about the origin of
do to help out. species and the mechanism of natural
A: Actually, would you mind looking after my selection constitutes a grand step toward a
pet tarantula and snake for a couple of weeks? coherent understanding of the world and
B: hehe.. sure evolutionist ideas.
B: I ‘ m not minimizing his grand contributions,
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Bug Spra it ‘ sjust that his theory reminds of the
y (C0150) conundrum of the chicken and the egg.
A: What are you talking about?
A: The mosquitos are biting me!
B: The question is, which was first? The
B: Me too, I can ‘ｔ
stop scratching. They are
chicken or the egg? I feel the same regarding
everywhere! Sneaky little jerks.
his theory. How does the first cell of life come
A: Do you have any bug spray?
to be?
B: No, I forgot to buy some.
A: Interesting. I think that question is better
A: Then we ‘ ll have to put up with it.
suited for my philosophy class. In the
B: We can cover ourselves with beer! That meantime, how about we settle this... with a
way if they bite us, they ‘ ll get drunk and fall
due!
asleep
A: That ‘ s without a doubt, the best idea youve Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Cut It Out (C
had! Lets do it! 0152)
B: Run! They are thirsty for more!
Ed: Hey, Mary, can you cut that out?
Elementary ‐ Advanced ‐ Darwin ’ｓThe Mary: Cut what out I ‘ m not doing anything.
ory Of Evolution (E0151) Ed: The tapping of your pen on your desk. It ‘
driving me crazy.
A: It ‘ s been a long time since I last saw you.
Mary: Fine! By the way would you mind not
Where have you been?
slurping your coffee every time you have a
B: The exams and plans I have to turn in in are cup!
driving me crazy, I don ‘ teven have time to
Ed: I don ‘ t slurp my coffee. And plus, how can
sleep.
you hear it when you ‘ reshouting into your
A: It ‘ s the same for me. I ‘ m up
y neck
to m in
phone all the time?
work, but at least finals are coming soon and
Mary: You ‘ vegot to be kidding me! You ‘ re
we‘ llhave a vacation. Where are you going
complaining about me talking on the phone
now?
when you go out for a cigarette break ten
B: I ‘ mgoing to Anthropology class and now times a day to shoot the breeze?
with the year anniversary of Darwin, it ‘ s the
Ed: Look, we have a lot of accumulated anger
only thing we study. Frankly, I ‘ m sick and tired
from working in these conditions, and it ‘ s
and tired of hearing about this guy. probably okay to let off steam once in a while
A: What? Why? How can you not like Darwin?
But, it ‘ s probably not a good idea to keep it up
I mean the man changed the entire perception
I ‘ m willing to forgive and forget and if you are.
of how things came to and his theory is backed
Mary: Fine. Let ‘ s call a truce. I ‘ ll try to more
by pretty solid evidence!
considerate and to keep the noise down
B: I don ‘ t like him. His theory of human
Ed: Yeah, I ‘ try
ll to do the same. So, I was
evolution and natural selection is full of holes.
wondering you wanna go out to dinner Friday
It lacks the solid evidence of which you speak night?
46
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Homesick (C0 members of the band?
153) A: We have a guy who plays guitar, and
another who plays bass. Although we still
Sarah: Tom! How are you? We missed you at haven ‘ tfound anyone to be our singer. You
the party last night. Are you ok? told me that you had some musical talent,
Tom: I don ‘ tknow. I didn ‘ really
t feel like right?
going out. I guess I ‘ m feeling a little homesick. B: Yes , I ‘ m a singer.
Sarah: Come on We‘ ve been through this A: Perfect. So you can audition this weekend
already! Look, I know the adjustment was here at my house.
hard when you first got here, but we agreed B: Great! Wait here? You don ‘ t have enough
that you were gonna try and deal with it. room for the amplifiers, microphones or even
Tom: I was. It ‘ just
s that the holidays are your drums! By the way where do you keep
coming up and I won ‘ t be able to home them or practice?
because I can ‘ tafford the airfare. I ‘ mjust A: Dude? What are you talki ng about? It ‘ s
longing for some of the comforts of home, like right here! All we need is my Nintendo Wii and
my mom‘ s co oking and being around my we are set!
family.
Sarah: Yeah, it can get pretty lonely over the Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Bachelor
holidays. When I first got here, I ‘ dget Party (C0155)
depressed and nostalgic for anything that
reminded me of home. I almost let it get to me, A: Hi honey! You ‘ llnever guess what! My

but then I started going out, keeping myself friends Julie and Alex are getting married!

busy and before I knew it, I was used to to it. B: Wow that ‘ great
s news! They ‘ rea great

Tom: I see what you mean, but I ‘ mstill couple!

bummed out. A: I know! Anyways I just talked to Alex ‘ s bes

Sarah: Ok how does this sound: let ‘ s get you man and he is organizing the bachelor party

suited up and hit the dance club tonight. I hear It ‘ s gonna be gonna be so much fun! All the

that an awesome DJ is playing and there will groomsmen are thinking up all the wacky and

be a lot of pretty single girls there! crazythings we are going to do that night.

Tom: You know, I could really go for that. You B: You aren ‘ t going to a strip club are you? I

don ‘ t mind being my wingman for tonight? don ‘ t want you getting a lap dance from some

Sarah: Not at all! It be fun! It will be like a stripper with the excuse that it ‘ s your friends

boys night out... well kinda... party.

Tom: Great! I must warn you though, A: Aw come on! It ‘ s just some innocent fun!

whatever happens, don ‘

t let me go on a You know how these things are! We are gonna

drinking binge. Trust me, it ‘ not

s a pretty play drinking games, get him some gag gifts

picture! and just have a good time. Nothing too over

the top .
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Rock Ban B: Well, I don ‘ t know.
d (C0154) A: Come on! If one of your friends was getting
married I wouldn ‘ tmind you going to her
A: I ‘ m forming a music band. bachelorette party!
B: Do you already know how to play an B: Good,because my friend Wendy is getting
instrument? married and I ‘ m organizing her party!
A: Uh... Yeah! I ‘ ve told you a thousand times A: What!
that I ‘ m learning to play the drums. Now that I
know how to play well, I would like to form a Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Scary Sto
rock band. ry (C0156)
B: Aside from yourself, who are the other

47
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Oh no! The lights went out! Honey can you sudden, we heard screaming.
light a candle? UrsulAah: hh! Get off me beast! I won ‘ t let
B: Sure. What do we do now? you take me! Ahhh!
A: Well, we can just talk, you know, like we Kid: Dad! Dad! Something is attacking aunt
used to. Hmm... I know! I'll tell you a scary Ursula! UrsulUa:rsula: Take your claws off
story! It happened to me and my dad when I me! Go back to the underworld you demon! I
was a teenager... (fade out - fade in new shall be judged before you can take me!
scene) I was living with my father at the time, FatheTrh: e door is jammed! Stand back!
when he received a phone call. Aunt Ursula! Where are you?
B: Hmm... I know! I ‘ ll tell you a scary story! It Kid: Over here!
happened to me and my dad when I was a B: And as we approached her, she was lying
teenager...I was living with my father at the on the floor, with her hands and feet open like
time, when he received a phone call. I was the Vitruvian Man, breathing heavily with
living with my father at the time, when he bloody marks and scratches on her arms, legs
received a phone call. and face. Remember how I mentioned that
FatheHr: ello? Yes this is him. I see, I ‘ m sorry she was in a wheel chair? My aunt had been
to hear that. Ok no problem. I ‘ llbe there paralyzed from the neck down for just over a
shortly. Pack some clothes Tony, my great year. After this incident, strange things would
aunt is very ill and no one in the family wants happen in the house and my aunt would yell
to take care of her. We are going to stay at her and scream, according to her, warding off the
house for a few days. evil that had come to get her. As the days
Kid: Aunt? What aunt? I never knew you had a passed, she became very weak and eventually
great aunt! was unable to talk. My dad had to work during
FatheWr: ell, the family doesn ‘ t talk about her the day, so I was left to care for her. When she
or get near her, for that matter. lost her voice and laid on her death bed, I
Kid: Why is that? would hear her breathe, in and out.
FatheCr: ome on, we have to go. B: Until finally one day, she breathed in... and
B: So we arrived at this old house on the never exhaled. That night, I felt relieved that it
outskirts of our town. There was almost no was finally over, but it wasn ‘ t.
one around and the house had an eerie look to B: I was so terrified of what I was hearing,
it. Once inside the house, we walked to her that I didn ‘ sleep
t all night. The following
room and I was surprised to find my dad ‘ s morning, I went to the bathroom, expecting to
great aunt in a wheelchair, yelling at someone, find a mess and everything torn up, but I
but we were alone in the room. found everything exactly as it was before. The
FatheHr: i, aunt Ursula! This is my son Tony. movers came that same day and as we were
UrsulWa: hy have you come? Why are you cleaning out her drawers and personal items,
here? Don ‘ t you know it isn ‘ t safe? My time is we found strange notebooks with names and
near, he is coming for me. amounts of money written next to them. We
Kid: Who is coming for you? found pictures with people ‘ s faces sewn with
UrsulTah: e prince of darkness! The lord of black or red string. And you want to know
the underworld, the tempter, the old serpent. what the strangest thing was? There was a
FatheCr: ome on, aunt Ursula let ‘ lay
s you small doll, filled with dead ants, with a strand
down. You need to get some rest. Tony, help of hair tied around it ‘ s waist, and on the doll
me lay her down. face, there was a picture of me with the
B: That night, we slept in one of the 12 rooms numbers: ‖ 311009 ‖ . You know what date it is
of that big old mansion. The trees outside today? October 31st, 2009....
seemed to come alive and their shadows
formed ghoulish shapes on my bed. All of a Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Trick Or T
reat (C0157)
48
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Trick - or -treat rs (C0159)

B: Tom, aren ‘ t you a littletoo old to be trick -or
- treating? A: Hello sir, how may I help you?

A: What are you talking about? Where is your B: I would like to buy some flowers, please.

Halloween spirit? Something really nice.

Didn ‘ t you ever dress up in a costume and g o A: I see, may I ask whatthe occasion is?

around the neighborhood trick-or treating B: It ‘ s not really an occasion, it ‘ s more like I

with your friends? sorry.

B: Of course I did, but when I was ten! Trick A: Very well. This arrangement here is very

–or treating is for kids, plus, I sure ‘ｍ

people popular among regretful husb ands and

will think you ‘ re a kidnapper or something, boyfriends. It has a dozenlong stem red roses

running around with kids NCP at night. with a couple of sunflowers and a single orchid

A: Whatever, I ‘ｍ
going next door, I heard Mrs. that stands out. It includes a small teddy bear

Robinson is giving out big bags of M&Ms! to achievethe effect of immediate forgiveness.
B: I think I ‘ mgonna need more than just a
Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ All Saints D dozen red roses and a bear. What else do you
ay (C0158) recommend?
A: Mmm, well this is our ‖ I ‘ m sorry I cheated
C: The Day of the Dead has arrived All Soul ‘s on you ‖ package. Two dozen red roses lined
Dayand All Saint ‘ s Day! with tulips, carnati ons and lilies. The
A: Your neighbor is crazy. Why is he fragrance and beauty of this flower
screaming that? arrangement is sure to make her forgive you.
B: Because today is the first of November the B: I don ‘ tthink that ‘ gonna
s cut it. I need
Day of the Dead something bigger and better!
A: Oh, that ‘ s right. A: I ‘ m sorry sir but, what exactly did you do?
B: This is a very special day among many B: Well, I may have accidentally insinuated
cultures around the world especially in Latin that she is getting chubbier .
America A: Get out of my store you jerk!
A: Seriously? I thought it was just like any
other day, except for the fact that people visit Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Health Insu
the cemetery and remember their loved ones. rance (C0160)
B: Well, that ‘ s just part foit People across the
world celebrate in different ways. In Mexcio A: Hey honey, how was your day?

for example it ‘ Common

s to see people B: It was alright. I ran into Bill and we got to

building private altars honoring the talking for a while. He‘ s in a bit of a jam.

deceasedusing sugar skulls, preparing the A: Why? What happened?

favorite foods and beverages of the departed B: Well, his son had an accident and Bill

and visiting graves with these as gifts. In the doesn ‘ t have health insurance. This really got

Philippines , the tombs are cleaned or me thinking, and I wondered if we shouldn ‘t

repainted, candles are lit and flowers are look into a couple of different HMO ‘ s.

offered Entire families camp out in A: Yeah, you ‘ reright. We aren ‘ t getting any

cemeteries .and sometimes spend a night or younger and our kids are getting older.

two near their relatives ‘ tombs! B: Exactly! I searched on the web and found a

A: Whoa! That ‘ｓ
scary! I don ‘ t know Iif could couple of HMO ‘ swith low co pays and good

do that! coverage. The deductibles are low, too.

B: Why? We should fear the living, not the A: Sounds good, although, do you think we

dead . can qualify for insurance? Those insurance

companies are real pirates when it comes to
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Getting Flowe money.

49
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Well, we don ‘ t have any pre -existing Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Social Secu
illnesses or conditions, so we should be fine. rity (C0163)
A: I wish our company or country provided us
with healthcare. A: Well that was an interesting documentary!

B: Not in a million years! B: For sure! I didn ‘ t really understand some of

the technical jargon they used in the film when
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Computer Ga they talked about social security in the US.
mes (C0161) A: Like what?
B: Well, they mentioned how people put away
A: Mark, Where have you been? I ‘ vebeen money in something called a 401K?
calling you all morning. A: Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but a 401k is
B: I ‘ ve been playing computer games. a type of retirement plan that allows
A: What? So you blew me off yesterday and employees to save and invest for their own
today over a stupid video game? What game is retirement Through a you can authorize your
so important that you have no time for me employer to deduct a certain amount of
anymore? What are you playing? money from your paycheck and invest it in the
B: It ‘ s called Counter Strike It ‘ s a first person plan Everyone tries to contribute as much as
shooter game. It ‘ awesome.
s It ‘ sa multi possible so that when you retire, you can rest
player game where you can go online and peacefully on your nest egg.
compete against players from all over the B: That ‘ s interesting and logical I guess. In my
world. country, we also have to contribute to a
A: You ‘ ve been wasting your time on this? I government run retirement fund, but most
can ‘ tbelieve it! It doesn ‘ teven look fun or people don ‘ t really trust it so they just invest
challenging! in properties or things like that.
B: My laptop is on my bed. If you thin k it ‘ s so A: That seems a bit unstable don ‘ t you think?
easy then get onlineand try to beat me. B: Yeah, but corrupt governments inthe past
A: Fine! have created distrust among banks and
B: Damm it! How are you killing me with a financial institutions, so now people prefer to
single shot? It ‘ s not fair! I don ‘ t want to play have money hidden in a jar or a piggy bank.
anymore! Let ‘ s go get something to eat. A: I ‘ vebeen thinking of doing that lately! I
A: Can you bring me something? I am totally don ‘ twant some banker to run off with my
hooked on this game! money!

Elementary ‐ Global View ‐ Veteran ’ｓD Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Apology Lette
ay (C0162) r (C0164)

A: Do you have any plans for Veteran ‘ s Day A: Dear Mary, I come here today, in this way,
B: You mean Armistice Day because I need to apologize to you. I failed
A: Well, as you know, on November 11th allies you. Although I did not lie to you in words, I
signed a peace treaty with the Germans, also lied to you with faces that did not belong to me.
known as the Armistice Treaty This marked I never meant to ruin the friendship that
the end of WWI and many countries around meant the world to me. You mean the world to
the world commemorate this date under me and now I come to you asking for
names such as day. In Poland it ‘ stheir forgiveness. If in your heart you find you can
independence day! There ‘ sa lot going on then I will understand and learn from this
around the world on this day. experience.
B: Wow, I didn ‘ know!
t Probably because I A: You came into my life at a time when I
flunked history in school. needed you the most. We talked about so
many things that I started to realize my heart

50
 Englishpod Dialogues

and my soul could actually eight months, you would have to pay each
feel something other than hurt. You placed month a portion of the loan which is called the
comfort where there was fear, confidence principal and another small portion of the
where there was doubt, a shoulder where annual interest rate. This of course is
tears could fall and completeness where there considering that you don ‘ t default on a
was emptiness. I wanted to hold onto to this payment!
so badly that I did whatever it took for you to A: It sounds good but, there is just one
notice. What I didn ‘ t realize was that I could problem. I have a terrible credit score.
lose my entire being, all of who I was and all B: That is a very serious problem you see, the
that I had placed in you. bank must assess your personal information,
A: I wanted to be the one who would be there past loans, assets and any other relevant
when you needed to talk. I wanted to be the information such as your credit score in order
comfort for your soul when the world was too to approve your loan.
much to handle. I wanted to be strong for you A: You know what? I don ‘ treally need the
when everything else seemed impossible. I money. Thanks anyways!
wanted to love you in only the way you
deserved to be loved, never realizing that I Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Dr. Botox (C0

was destroying myself and you. Somehow I 166)

needed you to be a part of my life. The only

A: What are you doing?
problem was that I was willing to jeopardize
B: Look at me. I look so old! I look as if I were
everything to get that done.
thirty.
A: All the things that I told you about how I felt
A: Come on! Stop being so vain. You look
and how you make me feel were true. Nothing
great! You are beautiful!
else mattered to me except hearing the
B: Yes, I am, but I think it ‘time
s for some
laughter in your voice when you were happy.
plastic surgery I ‘ m tired
of these wrinkles and
You made my days easy to get through and
sagging skin. See?
my nights peaceful; you helped me look
A: I don ‘ tsee any wrinkles or sagging skin!
forward to another day. Even though distance
You are stop beings ridiculous. Besides, I think
separated us, just being was enough.
that people who get Botox, have facelifts, or
A: I ‘ m sorry for hurting you and if I had to do
tummy tucks look weird. It doesn ‘ t look
all over again I would have been 100% with
natural.
you. Forgive me please,
B: Whatever, I think I ‘ｍ get liposuction
gonna

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Asking For A and a nose job and some breast implants as

Loan (C0165) well.

A: I think you need to get brain surgery. I
B: Hello Sir may I help you? honestly don ‘ t think you need cosmetic
A: Yes. I would like some information for surgery. You look amazing.
requesting a loan. B: I thought you were my friend and would
B: Very well, here are the general terms of our support me on this! I just want to feel better
loan policies. We pride ourselves in having the about myself and feel more attractive.
lowest interest rate in the country for personal A: You don ‘ t need plastic surgery to do that.
loans. You are fine the way you are and you have
A: I see. So let me get this straight. If I borrow guys drooling all over you! Plus, plastic
let ‘ s say, ten thousand dollars, h ow much will I surgery hurts!
have to pay each month? B: Really?
B: It depends on how long you take to pay it A: Yeah! When I got my nose job I was black
back. If we lend you ten thousand dollars at an and blue for a week!
annual interest rate of ten percent for forty
51
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Learning How A: Aww come on mom! I can handle it. I
To Drive (C0167) promise I won ‘ t ask for anything else! Besides,
it ‘ s not like I ‘ m gonna throw upor anything. . .
A: Ok! I ‘ m ready for my driving lesson! Should C: Let him go Carol, he ‘ ll be fine.
I start the car? A: Alright! Yeah! This is amazing! See how
B: Hold on there Fittipaldi, first let ‘ s go over high up we ‘ re going? Whoa. . . mmmf mmfff
things one more time. Now before you even barf.
think of starting the car, make sure your seat
is at a comfortable position and you can grip Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Wedding Dou
the steering wheel firmly. Next check your bts (C0170)
rear view mirrors to make sure you can see
properly. A: Man, I ‘ m freaking out! You gotta h elp me!

A: We have been through this a million times! B: Whoa whoa take it easy, relax. Geez, you ‘r

Let ‘ s get going already! I ‘ m ready! sweating like a pig! What ‘ s going on?

B: Fine start the car. now gently step on the A: I can ‘ t go through with this! I just can ‘

clutch and shift to 1st gear. Good, now not ready for marriage! What was I thinking?

accelerate gently and let go of the clutch as u I ‘ monly thirty five years old! I ‘ vegot my

do it. There we gogood! entire life ahead of me, adventures waiting! I

A: I ‘ m doing it! I ‘ m driving! This is awesome! can ‘ t settle down yet!

Le ‘ ts turn some music on! B: What are you talking about? It wasn ‘ t more

B: Keep your eyes on the road! No music! We than a month ago that you were rambling on

are coming up to a red light, step on the about how you are tired of living the life of a

brakes. What are you doing? I said the brakes! bachelor and how you envy your friends that

Look out for those people! Get off the have a family!

sidewalk! A: I know I know!

A: Get out of my way! This is just like playing B: Let ‘ think

s this through. First of all, you

video games! cannot leave Amy at the altar. Not only will

B: It ‘ s the police! Pull over! she be humiliated and kill you, but she is the

A: They ‘ ll never take me alive! woman that you love andthe woman of your
dreams! Why would you want to end that or
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Roller Co jeopardize it like this? Second of all, you are
aster (C0169) just getting cold feet. You know deep down
inside that you want to marry her, so cut the
A: I ‘ mso excited! We are finally here! Six crap and do it!
Flags Magic Mountain! This is the best B: You ‘ re right. I ‘ m being crazy! Ok, I ‘mr
amusement park in the world! lets do this!
B: Alright settle down now, you ‘ re gonna give A: Great! Phew! That was a close one ! You
yourself a heart attack. had me going there for a minute I thought I
C: I can ‘ t believe they charged us dollars each. was gonna have to slap some sense into you
It seems like a rip off don ‘ t you think? It ‘ s not
like I ‘ m gonna get on these rides. Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Buying a
A: Whoa. . . Viper! That ‘ s the world ‘ s highest Camera (C0171)
and fastest roller coaster! You go at more than
miles per hour! I wanna go on that one! Can I A: Hello, ma‘ am, can I help you find

mom please? Can I ? something?

B: Chris I ‘ m not sure you should get on that it B: Yes, actually I ‘ m looking to buy a camera.

seems a bit too much for you and we just had A: We‘ ve got a wide selection do you kn ow if

breakfast minutes ago. I don ‘ t think it ‘ s a good you ‘ d like a point -and-shoot, or something a

idea. little fancier? Are you shopping for yourself or

52
 Englishpod Dialogues

for someone else? A: Fine! Can you also iron and starch this
B: Actually I ‘ mbuying a camera for my shirt?
husband. B: Certainly.
A: Ah, well then I ‘ drecommend a nice A: Great! This is our secret! If you see my wife,
entry-level digital SLR. say nothing to her about this!
B: Yeah? Can I take a look at the SLRs you
carry? Elementary ‐ The Office ‐ Preparing a

A: Sure thing, follow me. This here is the. Budget (C0173)

B: The Canon Eos. Yeah it ‘ s ok, but I ‘ m looking

A: Welcome Mr and Mrs Carnwell, please take
for something that performs better in low light,
a seat.
has a better display panel, and longer battery
B: Thank you.
life.
A: So I understand that your family spending
A: Oh, ah, um the Nikon D60 is a nice option.
has sky rocketed and you want to start
B: Yeah, but what kit lens does this camera
budgeting.
come with? I don ‘ t want some bulky telephoto
C: Yes that ‘
s correct. Frankly speaking our
lens.
household income is relatively high and we
A: Oh, well this one has the, uh.
have never had any money problems, but I
B: Looks to me like an 18-55mm lens. pretty
think this is the main reason as to why our
standard, that will do. Not like my husband will
spending has gone out of control.
be stalking celebrities or anything!
B: We have two kids and with allowances,
A: So, ahem, can I interest you in any acc...
paying their credit cards, ours and not to
B: Accessories? Do you carry polarizing
mention our mortgage and car payments.
filters?
With the recent economic downturn, my
A: Polarizing filter um we should! I ‘ msorry,
husband ‘ s business has suffered and now we
ma‘ am. looks like we ‘ re sold out.
need some advice as to how we can prepare a
B: No you ‘ re not! There are some right here!
family budget.
A: Oh, well, would you look at that!
A: I see. Well you have come to the right place.
Po-la-ri-zing filters.
First what we need to do, is determine your
B: Thanks for your help, Ralph!
cash flow. Knowing how much money is
A: No problem, ma ‘ am.
coming in will help us allocate spending to

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Dry Cleaners different categories such as mortgage,

(C0172) education, groceries, etc.

B: Yes that makes sense.
A: Thank god you are open! I have an A: Secondly, I need you to bring all of your
emergency! receipts for the last two to three months. That
B: Hello Mr. Henderson what can I do for you? way, we can determine what your average
A: I need this dress and this suit dry cleaned expenditures are and see which category you
ASAP! are spending money on the most. Usually,
B: OK, I can have it ready by the end ofthe your fixed costs are higher and we can ‘
t do
week. much about that, but we can usually trim your
A: No you don ‘ t understand, I need this variable costs such as entertainment or
tomorrow morning! I accidentally spilled beer clothing.
all over my wife ‘ sdress and we have a C: Great! We will do that then! Now how about
wedding to attend tomorrow! She ‘ｓ kill
gonna we treat you to a nice dinner?
me! A: That ‘ s another thing. If you really want to
B: Ok, I can have it ready tomorrow afternoon, stop spending so much money, throw away at
but this suit is also very stained. I can ‘ t least half of your credit cards!
guarantee we can remove it completely.
53
 Englishpod Dialogues
Elementary ‐ The Weekend ‐ Getting a shoes that are yet to be jogged in.
manicure (C0174) B: Well, I would go if you kept your promise of
going to the gym with me everyday!
A: Honey I ‘ ll be right back! A: Yeah yeah whatever.
B: Where are you going?
A: I told you already! I ‘ m going to get my nails Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Heating (C01
done. 76)
B: Again? You just went last week! You spend
more time atthe nail salon than you do here at A: It ‘ s freezing in here! Can I turn up the heat?

home! Honestly, why do you need a manicure B: Don ‘ t touch that thermostat! You don ‘ t pay

every week? the bills around here!

A: Well, first of all, I like to pamper myself, A: Dad! Are you serious? What ‘ s the point of

and my nails look great. You should come with having central heating if we can ‘ t use it! Look,

me! I can see my breath!

B: Why? I don ‘ twant to have nail polish or B: Put on a sweater! I ‘ m not gonna let you run

anything like that! up my heating bill just because it ‘ s a bit chilly.

A: They don ‘ t only paint my nails! The A: Dad! I ‘ m gonna catch a cold!

manicurist will remove my cuticles, file my B: When I was your age, my parents didn ‘ t

nails, and apply at least nails coats of nail have central heating like you do! We had a

polish! furnace in the center of the living room and

B: Yeah, sounds like something I should that was it. We used it to cook, heat the house

definitely do. and even dry our clothes! We never caught a

cold. You should be grateful!
Elementary
‐ Global View ‐ New Years Resolution The Weekend ‐ Decorating a Christmas

(C0175) Tree (C0177)

A: Did you read this? It says that the number HUSBAND: I ‘ m home! Everyone come here! I

one new years resolution make is to spend bought a Christmas tree! Look at this beautiful

more time with friends and family. pine tree!

B: Why would that be funny? WIFE: Wow, it ‘ s huge! Are you sure it will fit

A: Well, think about it. We are a society that is inthe living room?

always on the go, not because we have to, but KID: Awesome! I ‘ llgo getthe Christmas

because we want to. lights!

B: Why? HUSBAND: Of course it will. help me put it in

A: We work hard and spend less time at home the living room.

because we are trying to provide for our family KID: I found the lights!

with goods and services that are usually WIFE: I got the Christmas ornaments! We

unnecessary. could also place these stockings next to the

B: I don ‘ tagree, but anyways, I think y ou chimney.

should start thinking of a new year ‘ s resolution HUSBAND: Great idea! While we decorate the

yourself. tree, we can listen to some good old Christmas

A: What ‘ s the point? We always make a new songs!

year ‘ s resolution and by February we will have

Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐
forgotten about it. It ‘ s pointless.
Findingtheperfect present (C0178)
B: Well then maybe you should resolve to
sticking to your goals and objectives.
A: Bill. Bill! You gotta help me!
A: What about you? Your gym bag is gathering
B: What ‘ s wrong? Slow down or you are gonna
dust and you still have brand new running

54
 Englishpod Dialogues

give yourself a heart attack. A: Dashing through the snow

A: Tomorrow is Christmas and I haven ‘ t A: In a one horse open sleigh
bought my mom anything! I ‘ m such a bad son! A: O‘ er the fields we go
B: Take it easy ! Let ‘ s go tothe mall, window A: Laughing all the way
shop a little and see if there is anything she A: Bells on bob tails ring
might like. A: Making spirits bright
A: That ‘ s just it! I don ‘ t know what to get her! A: What fun it is to laugh and sing
Last year I got her a ring that was two sizes A: A sleighing song tonight
too big and a pair of shoes five sizes too small! A: Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
I suck at getting presents for people. A: Jingle all the way
B: That ‘ s where you ‘ re making a big mistake! A: Oh, what fun it is to ride
You can ‘ tjust guess peoples ‘　
likes or sizes! A: In a one horse open sleigh
Especially with clothes or jewelry. On top of A: jingle bells, jingle bells
that, I think that you should get your mom A: Jingle all the way
something that shows how much you love her. A: Oh, what fun it is to ride
At the same time you should show her that A: In a one horse open sleigh
you took the time and effort to look for A: Dad, dad, dad! Wak e up! It ‘ s Christmas!
something that she would really like! B: Timmy. It ‘ s too early for this. Look, it ‘
A: Yeah you ‘ re right. When it comes down to it, in the morning! Go back to bed!
I can be pretty tacky. A: No way! Santa already came and left all our
B: Yeah tell me about it. I know! Your mom is presents! Can we go open them? Please!
trying to learn Spanish righ t? Why don ‘ t you Please!
get her a gift certificate for this great website I C: Of course we can honey. Bill, come on, get
saw called SpanishPod. dressed.
A: Now that ‘ s a great idea! B: Fine! Not like Santa brought me any gifts!
C: Bill! Honestly, you can be such a grouch
Elementary ‐ sometimes.
Intermediate ‐ Silent Night (C0179) A: Look at all these presents under the
Christmas tree! Awesome!
A: Silent night, holy night
B: Alright Timmy, knock yourself out. We
A: All is calm, all is bright
should get ready and head to the market to
A: Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
buy everything for the Christmas dinner
A: Holy Infant so tender and mild
tonight.
A: Sleep in heavenly peace
C: Yeah you ‘ re right. It ‘ s the first time we are
A: Sleep in heavenly peace hosting Christmas dinner at our house so
A: Silent night, holy night
everything has to be perfect.
A: Shepherds quake at the sight
B: I got the list right here. Ham, turkey,
A: Glories stream from heaven afar
mashed potatoes, ingredients for the gravy
A: Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
and of course, yams!
A: Christ, the Saviour is born
C: My dad offered to bring the eggnog so we
A: Christ, the Saviour is born
should be set!
A: Silent night, holy night
A: Son of God, love ‘ s pure light Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Christmas Da
A: Radiant beams from Thy holy face y (C0181)
A: With the dawn of redeeming grace
A: Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth A: Dad, dad, dad! Wake up! It ‘ s Christmas!
A: Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth B: Timmy. It ‘ s too early for this. Look, it ‘
in the morning! Go back to bed!
Elementary ‐ Jingle Bells (B0180) A: No way! Santa already came and left all our
55
 Englishpod Dialogues

presents! Can we go open them? Please! and not come back until the sales are over?
Please! A: I might just! Enjoy your stupid game!
C: Of course we can honey. Bill, come on, get B: And Merry Christmas!
dressed. A: Merry Christmas!
B: Fine! Not like Santa brought me any gifts!
C: Bill! Honestly, you can be such a grouch Elementary ‐

sometimes. Daily Life ‐ Winter Clothes (C0183)

A: Look at all these presents under the

A: Bye, mom!
Christmas tree! Awesome!
B: Alright Timmy, knock yourself out. We
B: Wait, Jimmy, it ‘ s cold outside. Put a hat on!
should get ready and head to the market to
A: Ok. Bye!
buy everything for the Christmas dinner
B: No, wait, you will be too cold without
tonight. C: Yeah you ‘ re right. It ‘ the
s first
mittens.
time we are hosting Christmas dinner at our
A: Alright. See ya!
house so everything has to be perfect.
B: Hold on, with that wind, you ‘ regoing to
B: I got the list right here. Ham, turkey,
catch a cold. Wear this scarf.
mashed potatoes, ingredients for the gravy
A: Ok, see you after school...
and of course, yams!
B: Oh... and ear muffs! Put these on... here we
C: My dad offered to bring the eggnog so we
go.
should be set!
A: Mom?
B: Yes, honey...
Elementary ‐
A: I... I can ‘ t breathe.
Global View ‐ Boxing Day (C0182)

Elementary ‐
A: What do you think of this one?
Daily Life ‐ Fresh Start (C0184)

B: Eh, so so.
A: Now that it ‘ s the new year, I ‘ ve decided to
A: And this one? Too flashy?
turn over a new leaf.
B: Nah, not too flashy.
A: Uhg! And this sweater from my aunt? Isn ‘t
B: Yeah? You finally decided to wipe the slate
it hideous?
clean?
B: I guess.
A: You got it! I have a new job, I ‘ m living in a
A: Are you even listening? I ‘ m trying to have a
new city, with new friends! This is my
conversation with you.
opportunity to make some small changes in
B: And I ‘ mtrying to watch the game, but
the way I live my life.
you ‘ re yapping on about your new clothes!
B: So what are you going to do? Take up an art
A: Well I have to decide which gifts to keep
class or something?
and which to exchange for better ones when I
A: Well, first of all, I ‘ vedecided to stop
go to the Boxing Day sales this afternoon!
smoking. It ‘ s not that I ‘ m pinching pennies or
B: Well could you do me the favor of making
anything, it ‘ s just that I ‘ ve been smoking since
this quick? It ‘the
s third quarter and you ‘ ve
I was sixteen, and I think it ‘ s time to stop.
been blabbering on since the first!
B: I ‘ mwith you on that one. Anything els e
A: Oh, your precious game. You watch the
you ‘ re planning on doing?
same game every year, and each year your
A: One last thing, I ‘ ve decided to come out of
beloved hometown team loses by at least
the closet.
three goals!
B: It ‘ s about time!
B: Oh n o you didn ‘ t. You didn ‘ t just insult the
Salsbury Seals, did you? Why don ‘ t you just.
Elementary ‐
just go and return all of those stupid clothes
The Weekend ‐ Farm Animals (C0185)
56
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Isn ‘ t this great? I always wanted to own a market analysis. You need to investigate and
farm, live out in the country, grow my own analyze hundreds of variables! You need to
food! take into consideration socioeconomic factors
from GDP per capita to how many children on
B: This is very beautiful. Though I have to average the population has! All this
confess, I don ‘ tknow the first thing about information is useful so that you can move on
farming! to your strategy and implementation stage,
A: That ‘ s fine! Don ‘ t worry about it! where you will describe in detail how you will
B: What was that? actually execute your idea.
A: Relax, it was just a goat! A: Geez. Is that all?
B: And that? B: Almost, the most important piece of
A: It ‘ just
s the cows that are grazing over information for your investors will be the
there. We can milk them later. financial analysis. Here you will calculate and
B: What was that? estimate sales, cash flow and profits. After all,
A: Honey, seriously, It ‘ s just a sheep. Relax! people will want to know when they will begin
A: Relax, that was just the horses and to see a return on their investment!
donkeys that are in the stable . A: Umm. I think I ‘ ll just stick to my old job and
B: You know what? I don ‘ t think I can hack it save myself all the hassle of trying to start up
here out in the countryside. I ‘ m going back to a business!
the city!
Elementary ‐
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Going On A Diet (C0187)
The Office ‐ Business Plan (C0186)
A: Oh man! I ‘ ve been starving myself for days
A: I ‘ ve had it! I ‘ m done working for a company now and I haven ‘ t lost an ounce!
that is taking me nowhere!
B: Are you trying to lose weight?
B: So what are you gonna do? Just quit? A: Yeah, my friend is getting married next
A: That ‘ s exactly what I am going to do! I ‘ ve month and I ‘ m supposed to be a bridesmaid. I
decided to create my own company! I ‘mg
oing have to fit into my dress and look nice for her
to write up a business plan, get some wedding, but I haven ‘ t lost any weight! Look
investors and start working for myself! at these love handles.
B: Have you ever written up a business plan B: You don ‘ thave to starve yourself to lose
before? weight. I think that ‘ swhere you ‘ re going
A: Well, it can ‘ t be that hard! I mean, all you wrong.
have to do is explain your business, how you A: Why? If I eat less, then my body will start
are going to do things and that ‘ s it, right? eating away at my fat reserves right?
B: You couldn ‘ t be more wrong! A well written B: Not really. You should try to not eat foods
business plan will include an executive high in calories, salts or saturated fats. Stay
summary which highlights the idea of the away from oily food and artificial flavors.
business in two pages or less. Then you need A: So you are saying that I should eat, but I
to describe your company with information should just watch what I eat?
such as what type of legal structure it has, B: Yes! You can also try to reduce your intake
history, etc. of carbohydrates and foods that are high in
A: Well that seems easy enough. cholesterol. You can have steamed veggies or
B: Wait, there ‘ smore! Then you need to increase your protein intake found in chicken
introduce and describe your goods or services. or fish.
What they are and how they are different from A: If I do all this do you think I can lose twenty
competitors ‘Then
? comes the hard part, a pounds in four weeks?

57
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Don ‘ t count on it. A: We have this new HTC smart phone. It

comes with the Android OS so you can
Elementary ‐ download applications. It also has a built-in
The Office ‐ Asking For A Raise (C0188) camera, mp3 player and touch screen. It
works on the 3G network so you have fast
access to the internet wherever you are.
A: Excuse me sir, may I talk to you? B: What about Wi-fi?
A: Of course! You can access the internet from
B: Bill! Sure, come on in. What can I do for
any hotspot as well as from home.
you?
B: One last thing. Is it waterproof?
A: Well sir, as you know, I have been an
employee of this prestigious firm for over ten
Elementary ‐
years. The Weekend ‐ Family Barbecue (C019
B: Yes.
0)
A: I won ‘ t beat arou nd the bush. Sir, I would
like a raise. I currently have three companies A: Is everything ready for the big family
after me and so I decided to talk to you first. barbecue tomorrow?
B: A raise? Son, I would love to give you a
raise, but this is just not the right time. B: Yep. The steaks and chicken are marinated
A: I understand your position, and I know that and I also bought hamburger buns.
the current economic downturn has had a A: We should also cook a couple dozen hot
negative impact on sales, but you must also dogs and kebabs.
take into consideration my hard work, B: Yeah, good idea. We can put some lawn
pro-activeness and loyalty to this company for furniture outside next to the grill. I also set up
over a decade. the tent outside so we can hide from the sun if
B: Taking into account these factors, and it gets too hot.
considering I don ‘ t wantstart
to a brain drain, A: Great! I asked Grace to bring cups and
I ‘ m willing to offer you a ten percent raise and serviettes as she is also bringing two big
an extra five days of vacation time. How does coolers for the beers.
that sound? B: This is gonna be a great barbecue!
A: Great! It ‘ s a deal! Thank you, sir!
B: Before you go, just out of curiosity, what Elementary ‐

companies were after you? Global View ‐ Daylight Savings Time (C

A: Oh, the electric company, gas company and 0191)

water company!
A: Did you set your clock forward for daylight

Elementary ‐ DailyLife ‐ savings time?

BuyingANewMobilePhone (C0189)
B: What? Why do we have to do that?

A: Hello sir, may I help you? A: Well, at the start of the spring we usually
have more daylight in the mornings and less in
B: Yeah, I accidentally dropped my phone in the afternoon. This is basically due to our
the toilet. position on the planet and the rotation of the
A: I see. Well, you have come to the right earth. In any case, to take better advantage of
place. We have over one hundred models of the daylight available, we compensate by
more than twenty leading mobile phone moving our clocks forward one hour.
manufacturers. B: I see. That ‘ s convenient! I never
B: Sounds good. I don ‘ twant it to be too understood things like this, such as GMT. I
expensive, maybe something mid-range. never know what time zone we are in or when

58
 Englishpod Dialogues

to change my clock! hurricane Liliana and officials say that all the
A: That just stands for Greenwich Mean Time. seismic activity leads them to believe that a
Here in California, we are in Pacific Standard tsunami may hit Central America, affecting
Time, that is eight time zones west of Honduras, Guatemala and Panama. That ‘ s all
Greenwich. Remember when we were in the news we have for today, but stay tuned for
Beijing? Well, then we were in China Standard updates on the six o ‘ clock news. Back to you
Time, and that ‘ seight time zones east of Bob.
Greenwich!
B: That ‘ s why it was so weird traveling from Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐

Beijing to LA! Because of the huge time BuildingYourDream Home (C0193)

difference, even though we left Beijing at noon

A: Mr. and Mrs. Robinson! Let ‘ s get straight to
and flew for more than eight hours, we still
it. You have saved up your money for years
arrived in LA the same day at noon! It ‘ s like we
and are now ready to build your dream home.
went back in time!
What did you have in mind?

Elementary ‐
B: A suburban bungalow straight out of the
Global View ‐ Natural Disasters (C0192
sixties! A perfect lawn with minimal
)
landscaping. A brick patio in the backyard with

Bob: Those are the headlines for today, and an old-fashioned grill, quaint lawn furniture,

now for the international weather report with and a swimming pool. A two-car carport,

Mike Sanderson. pastel siding and a gable roof. Completed with

white shutters and a white picket fence !
Mike: Thank you, Bob! This past week has C: Uh, honey?
been the beginning of Armageddon for many, B: In the living room we would have
a series of unprecedented meteorological moss-green rugs and a fireplace with a stone
events occurred around the world. In mantle and wood paneling on the walls. In the
Switzerland, a major avalanche was reported kitchen, the cupboards would be a pale yellow
in the Alps. Fortunately, no one was injured. and we would have a turquoise metal oven
Due to to the extreme cold this winter, a and vinyl flooring -
blizzard has struck the US Midwest, causing C: Umm, sweetie, but I was thinking of a more
classes in schools and universities to be modern style house. An open concept house,
temporarily canceled. all glass, wood, metal, and concrete.
Mike: Moving to to Latin American, Ecuador B: But sweetums, there is always a lot of
has suffered a six month drought that has not wasted space in those kinds of homes. Besides,
only affected farming, but has also forced the it ‘ just
s a fad. It doesn ‘ thave the homey
closure of the hydroelectric power plant that feeling the old homes do.
provides electricity for the entire country. In C: Sweetie- pie it ‘ s not a lot of wasted space. It
Chile, a major earthquake that registered is relaxing and the house would be
seven point five on the Richter scale struck the eco-friendly with an in-floor heating system
southern region. Losses are reported to be in and designed to retain the heat of the sun in
the billions. Authorities have not yet released the winter and keep the house cool in the
an official statement. summer. We would have solar panels on the
Bob: Not a great week for the world! Any good roof -
news? B: Do you know how much those things cost?
Mike: I ‘ m afraid not, Bob. One of the major C: What about your vintage furniture, dearest?
volcanoes in Mexico has erupted, causing And instead of a lawn, which is also a lot of
major floods and landslides in the region. wasted space and would require
Meanwhile, Mexico ‘ scoast has been hit by environmentally harmful pesticides, we would

59
 Englishpod Dialogues

have a fish pond in the backyard and a garden found the names of the managers so I can
that would cover the whole yard so we could address the letters personally. And you know I
grow our own food! can be charming in interviews. Goodbye my
B: But buttercup, I thought you always said penniless days! Hello salary and a career!
that you loved visiting your grandmother ‘s B: Ben, we ‘ re fifteen. What kind of job are you
house! looking for?
C: And I thought you, Mr. Scientist, were all up A: Oh, just for a position as a gas station
on saving the planet with your technological attendant. You know, starting at a simple
advancements! lowly job, just like all the greats before they
A: Umm well I am just going to go get some made it big in the world.
coffee while you two keep discussing. B: Uh-huh.
A: But I ‘ m just in it for the money, right? How
Elementary ‐ else am I going to be able to afford to keep
The Weekend ‐ Stir Fry (C0194) taking Angela to the movies? Besides, I love
the smell of gasoline, don ‘ t you?
A: Oh, man. I had the best supper last night.
My wife made a stir fry and it was amazing! Elementary ‐
Daily Life ‐ Going To The Tailor (C0196)
B: I love stir fry Crispy bite-sized vegetables
covered in a mixture of soy sauce and oyster
sauce. Wilted greens and fresh bean sprouts. A: Welcome to Bill ‘ s Fabric World. What can I
Throw in some onion and garlic and ginger! do for you today?
Mmm! Mmm! It ‘ almost
s lunchtime. I would
die for a plate of stir fry right now! B: I was wondering if you guys also tailor
A: Well, you can keep the vegetables, I ‘ ll take clothes?
the meat. The stir fry my wife made was really A: Sure we do! We have the best tailors in the
hearty, with chunks of beef and slivers of bell country! What is it that you need exactly?
peppers and onion... B: W ell, I ‘ mlooking to get a custom -made
B: What? You call that a stir fry? More meat suit.
than vegetables? That ‘ s the worst insult you A: Excellent! We have the finest cashmeres at
could throw at a Chinese stir fry What a affordable prices. How about we get you
disgrace to the wok she fried it in! What you measured? Let ‘ sstart off by measuring the
had is equivalent to a fajita without the wrap! width of your shoulders. Now, let ‘measure
s
Silly Americans! the length of your arms and this bit around
your neck here.
Elementary ‐ B: Can you make sure you leave a little extra
Global View ‐ Job Hunting (C0195) space in the collar? My neck gets easily
irritated.
A: Woo hoo! This just might be the start of the
A: No problem! Now for your pants, let me just
rest of my life!
measure your waist and the inseam.
B: You might also want to leave a little extra
B: What happened?
room in the waist area. I tend to gain a few
A: I ‘ min the market for a job! I went on a
pounds over the holidays.
website with hundreds of job listings in the
A: OK. Now you can pick your fabric and
area and browsed through them until I got the
pattern design. Please follow me.
names of a few employers I would like to work
for. I have the resume I wrote for English class Elementary ‐
last month and a cover letter will be a piece of
Global View ‐ Calling 911 (C0197)
cake to write. I ‘ ve even done my research and

60
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Alright class, now that we ‘ re all dressed up woman! You can ‘ t just try to kiss me like this!
let ‘ s see what pro fessions you chose. Ah, I see A: Ma‘　
am I ‘ mnot trying to kiss you! I am
a fireman, a police officer, a medic, and a trying to demonstrate how to apply CPR in the
lifeguard! Can anyone tell me what these case of an emergency.
people have in common? B: Well, ok. But no French kissing!
A: As I was saying, we blow air through the
B: They save people from bad things? mouth in this manner. Once this is done, we
A: That ‘ sright! Now class, if something bad must try to get the heart going again. To do
happened and you had to get help, do you this, we place our hands over the person ‘s
know what phone number you would call? chest, and press down firmly two or three
C: 911! times.
A: Yes, you would pick up the phone and dial B: Wait, what are you doing! You can ‘ tjust
911. What are some emergency situations kiss me then go for second base!
where you would need to dial 911? Elementary ‐ Global View ‐
B: If my grandpa has a heart attack! LearningAboutFirst Aid (C0199)
C: If there is an accident!
B: If a robber breaks into the house! A: Hey Joe! Where have you been these past
C: If the fire alarm goes off! few days?
B: Pff! I wouldn ‘ t call 911 if the fire alarm went
off in my house. The only time that ever B: I ‘ ve been busy with a first aid course that I

happens is when we‘ re having spaghetti for started about a week ago at the Red Cross.

supper, and Mom burns the garlic bread, as A: Cool! I ‘ ve always wanted to do something

usual. like that! Have you learned anything useful?

B: For sure! I mean we‘ ve learned how to
Elementary ‐ apply pressure to stop bleeding, how to check
Daily Life ‐ Applying CPR (C0198) for a pulse, and even how to apply CPR!
A: Have you treated any real emergencies?
A: Hello everyone and welcome to our CPR for B: Well, they took us along with some
beginners course. First of all, does anyone paramedics. There was this guy who fell off his
know what CPR stands for? motorcycle and suffered a concussion as well
as a couple of compound fractures. His
B: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation! wounds were pretty serious so they had to
A: That ‘ s right! We apply CPR in the case of
rush him to the hospital. It was intense!
cardiac arrest or pulmonary arrest.
A: I can imagine! I tend to faint when I see
B: What does that mean?
blood, so I think I won ‘ t be taking up a course
A: Well, basically if your heart stops pumping
like that anytime soon!
blood, or your lungs stop pumping air, then we
Elementary ‐
need to get them going again! That ‘ s when we
Daily Life ‐ Junk Food (C0200)
have to apply this procedure. Let ‘ begin!
s I
need a volunteer. A: I ‘ m hungry, let ‘ s grab a bite to eat.
B: Me! Me!
A: Alright, come here and lay flat on your back. B: Sure! How about we go home and prepare a
Let ‘ s suppose this young woman has stopped couple of sandwiches?
breathing. We must lift the person ‘ chin
s so A: Nah! Let ‘ s go get a burger and fries.
that we clear a pathway for air to get into the B: All you ever do is have unhealthy fast food
lungs. Then we place our mouth over the other Pizza, fries, burgers and hot dogs! You have to
person ‘ smouth and blow air t wo or three start eating better!
times, like this. A: What are you talking about? I have salads
B: Wait, what are you doing? I ‘ ma married sometimes.

61
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Yeah rig ht! I ‘ m serious! You should also cut as far

down on your sugar intake as well. You drink as the set of traffic lights and turn left. The
carbonated drinks that are high in fructose place you are looking for isthe second building
syrup! It ‘ s really not healthy! on the right.
A: Fine! I ‘ llstart drinking and having home A: Thanks!
cooked meals that are low in fat. Are you B: See? Was that hard? If you would only
happy now? listen to me more often, you would be better
B: It ‘ s a start, but I ‘ ll be happy when I see you off.
stick to your promise! Elementary ‐
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Calling Tech Support (C0203
Daily Life ‐ At The Post Office (C0201) )

A: Welcome to the National Post. How may I Tech guy: Hello, thanks for calling
help you? 123TechHelp, I ‘ m Todd. How can I help yo u?

B: Hi, I would like to send this package to Client: Hello? Can you help me? My computer!
China, and these postcards as well. Oh man...
A: Very well. You will need some stamps for Todd: It ‘ sokay sir, calm down. What
the postcards and I need to weigh that happened?
package, too. Client: I turned on my laptop and it broke! I
B: Great. How much is this going to cost? mean, the monitor went black!
A: Well, it depends. Do you want to send it via Todd: Ok, sir, it sounds like you might have a
priority, express or standard mail? virus.
B: What ‘ s the differen ce? Client: I don ‘feel
t sick,...let me check... Nope!
A: Well, standard mail can take up to fifteen No fever, I ‘ m fine.
working days . Priority is a bit faster and will Todd: No, your computer might have a virus,
arrive in about five to eight working days. I mean, it has a bad program on it. Maybe
Express is the fastest, but it ‘ s also the most that ‘ s why it crashed. I recommend that you
expensive. It only takes three days and you run an antivirus program in order to safely
can track your package online. remove any unwanted spyware or Trojans.
B: I see. Well, there ‘ s no rush. Please send it Client: Phew! . . . . . .Wait a minute,
via priority mail. Please be extra careful, the CRASH??!! Spyware? Trojans! What? where?
contents of the package are fragile. when?!
Elementary ‐ TheWeekend
Elementary ‐
‐ Asking For Directions (C0202)
Global View ‐ Understanding a Trial (C0
A: We have been going around in circles for 204)
the past hour! Will you just please stop and
ask for directions? Lawyer: Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of
the jury, My client, Robert Malone, has been
B: We are not lost! I ‘ m just taking the scenic accused of a crime he did not commit. The
route. prosecution has accused my client of being a
A: Yeah, whatever. I told you we should buy pickpocket! I know we have heard the
that GPS that was on sale, but would you testimony of many people here today, . . . .
listen to me? No! This is so typical. people who claim the defendant, my client,
B: Fine! I ‘ ll ask this guy for directions if it will stole their wallets. I feel sorry for these
shut your trap! Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me victims, I really do. . . . . . . . . but my client is
how to get to Saint Mary ‘ s Church? innocent!
C: Sure! Go down Park Road. turn left, go up

62
 Englishpod Dialogues

Lawyer: Let ‘ slook at the facts. . . one: known for their luxury chocolate
These ‘ so
- called ‘　
witnesses did not actually production. . .
see the defendant steal anything. . . . . . . . . . Mr. Smith: That ‘ swhat makes this such a
two: When the police stopped him, he did not fantastic opportunity! The government is one
have any of the stolen wallets. There is no hundred percent supportive of creating new
evidence. export markets and has guaranteed a low
Lawyer: Therefore, Ladies and Gentlemen of tariff for all wholesale orders of over one
the jury, I ask you to think carefully before thousand units. They ‘ ve also reduced the red
giving your verdict. My client is innocent! tape involved at customs as well. Here, I
Judge: Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, brought these especially for you, try one!
have you reached a verdict? Mr. Johnson: Oh, thanks. Mmm, hmm,
Jury member: Yes, your honor. our verdict creamy texture, smooth. . . .
is. . . . . . not guilty! Mr. Smith: Uniqu e aren ‘ t they? I bet you ‘ ve
Robert: Thank you so much! You were great! never tasted anything like it! Quality is
Thank you for all your hard work! assured as I personally visit the factory to
Lawyer: You ‘ re welcome Robert! I knew you make sure no one ‘ cutting
s corners with the
were innocent so my job was easy. Take care ingredients. Only the cr `eme de la cr `eme
of yourself, okay? make it through inspection.
Robert: Thanks once again... Mr. Johnson: Yes, very interesting
Lawyer: Hey! Where ‘ s my wallet? flavors. . . . . . . Slightly spicy, very unique,
Elementary ‐ that ‘ sfor sure. Exactly what ARE the
The Office ‐ Closing The Deal (C0205) ingredients?
Mr. Smith: I have it on highest authority that
Mr. Smith: I ‘ mglad you could find time to this traditional secret recipe has been handed
meet with me, Mr. Johnson. I can ‘ t think of a down inthe Granger family for generations.
nicer environment for our meeting today, the I ‘ msu re you can keep a secret. Buttermilk,
ambiance here is lovely! cacao beans, sugar and Haggis.
Mr. Johnson: Haggis? What ‘ s Haggis?
Mr. Johnson: No problem, if possible I always
Mr. Smith: It ‘ s a traditional Scottish delicacy;
combine business with pleasure. Now, let ‘ s
you take sheep ‘ sliver, heart and lung and
hear more about these chocolates you ‘ re
stuff it inside ofthe sheep ‘ s stomach.
offering.
Mr. Johnson: Ah, get back to you.
Mr. Smith: Well, as you know, I have recently
Mr. Smith: Mr. Johnson? Mr. Johnson?
become the sole distributor for Grangers Elementary ‐
Gourmet Bon-bons here in the United States. Daily Life ‐ Talking To Your Roomate (C
They ‘ re a new manufacturer and are looking to
0206)
break into the luxury market. Naturally, your
restaurant sprang into my mind immediately. A: Charlie, do you have a second?
I think your brand exemplifies many ofthe
same traits as Grangers and serving these B: Yeah what ‘ s up?
chocolates would really add to your reputation A: Well, I went and paid the bills today and
for providing elegant, luxurious, first class you still haven ‘ t given me your half.
dining. B: Yeah I wanted to talk to you about that. I
Mr. Johnson: Hmmm, sounds interesting. . . . agreed we would go halves on allthe bills, but
gourmet chocolates , where are they produced? frankly I think it ‘ s unfair.
Belgium? A: Unfair! Why?
Mr. Smith: Actually, the factory is located in B: Well, you have long hair and use the
Scotland. hairdryer every morning. I don ‘ t.You leave
Mr. Johnson: Really? I didn ‘ t think they were your computer on all night downloading
63
 Englishpod Dialogues

torrents. I don ‘ t. You see what I ‘ m getting at A: Sorry to bother you sir, but I have some
here? bad news.
A: You leave the air conditioner on day and
night! You also take 30 minute showers which B: What is it?

means you are using way more gas and water A: Well, the stock market just took a huge

than me! plunge and we ‘ ve lost a lot of money!

B: Well, while we are at it, stop bringing your B: What do you mean? What happened?

friends over for drinks every weekend. You A: There are many factors that weigh in, but

always leave a mess and keep me up all night! NASDAQ is down 200 points, the DOW JONES

A: Maybe you should just move out and find indicator also suffered! Our portfolio is worth

another place. half of what it was worth points week ago.

B: Maybe you should move out! B: How is this possible? You are supposed to

Elementary ‐ be talking to our stockbrokers and making

Daily Life ‐ Shopping Online (C0207) sure that our securities and investments are
safe and making a profitable return!
A: What are you doing? A: I know sir! We didn ‘ t expect a bull market
to become a bear market all of a sudden. On
B: I ‘ m just looking for a nice pillow on Ebay. the other hand, you still have some high yield
A: You are shopping for a pillow online? That ‘s trash bonds and government bonds that will
absurd! give us enough liquidity to cut our loses and
B: Why? I don ‘ thave to leave the house or reinvest in emerging markets. We could
browse a dozen stores to find what I ‘ m looking potentially make this tragedy work for us and
for. This way, I just search for it online quick make us think outside the box.
and easy. B: Do what you have to do! One other thing,
A: I see, but how do you pay for it? How do don ‘ ttell the rest of the stockholders abou t
you know you aren ‘ t going to be ripped off by this. If they find out, it ‘ the
s end of this
the seller? company!
B: Well, the website handles a point system Elementary ‐
where if the seller does something wrong, Daily Life ‐ Office Gossip (C0209)
people comment negatively and then you
know that he or she may not be trustworthy. Pam: Psssst! Pssssssssst! Hey! Eric, have you
A: Wow, that sounds pretty safe. So how do heard?
you pay? Do you need a credit card?
B: You can use a credit card or your debit card. Eric: Hm? No. . . go on, tell me, what ‘ s the

They also let you use the PayPal system which latest office gossip?

is really safe and fast. I have never had any Pam: Well, you didn ‘ t hear this from me but

problems with someone hacking my the rumor is. . . . . . . . . . is getting a

information or anything. promotion!

A: Do you think I can find a sweater for my Eric: No way! But. . . she ‘ s a terrible worker. . .

dog online? and

B: You can find anything! Are you sure you you can ‘ t trust her. . . she ‘ s so two
-faced –you

want to start shopping online though? Once can ‘ t believe anything she says!

you step into this world, there is no turning Paula: Hey guys, what are you two

back! whispering about?

A: Let ‘ s do it! Eric: Oh Hi Paula! How are you?

Elementary ‐ Paula: I ‘ ve got some good news! I ‘ m getting a

Global View ‐ Understanding The Stock promotion!

Market (C0208) Pam: Congratulations! Eric and I were just

saying that you are the best person forthe

64
 Englishpod Dialogues

job. . . . Jim: Yes. . .

Eric: Yes! You ‘ re the best! Karen: Can I have my $200 please?
Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Meeting the In Jim: Sure. Here you are, $200, Thank you,
‐ laws (C0210) please come again! Now it ‘ s my turn to roll the
dice.
Cindy: Mother, father, I ‘ dlike to introduce Elementary ‐ Global View ‐
you to my fianc ′ e, Bob. LastWillAnd Testament (C0212)

Miranda: Hello, Bob. Welcome. A: I, Luke Thompson, residing in California,

Bob: Thanks for having me. Nice to meet the being of sound mind, do hereby declare this
both of you. I ‘ ve heard so much! instrument to be my last will and testament.
ThurstonS: o Cindy told you about bringing
home her last boyfriend, then? Hah, that A: I hereby revoke all previous wills and
idiot... codicils.
Miranda: Shhh! Thurston, you ‘ re going to A: I direct that the disposition of my remains
scare the poor boy. Come in and have a drink. be as follows: I am to be cremated and taken
Dinner will be on in just a bit. to the summit of Mount Everest where my
ThurstonW: hat ‘ ll you be having? Whiskey? ashes will forever remain at the ceiling of the
Bourbon? Pick your poison! Earth.
Bob: If you have a lemonade that ‘ d be great. A: I give all the rest and residue of my estate
ThurstonL: emona...? to my spouse, Betty Thompson, should she
Miranda: Why sure, there ‘ ssome in the survive me for days. If my spouse, Betty
fridge! Thompson, does not survive me, I give all the
Cindy: Mother makes her own lemonade from rest and residue of my estate to EnglishPod.
scratch. It ‘ s the best! A: If neither Betty Thompson nor EnglishPod
ThurstonS: o what are your hobbies, son? If survives me, I give all the rest and residue of
you want, we can do some hunting tomorrow. my estate to my heirs as determined by the
I ‘ vejust picked up a new rifle I ‘ vebeen laws of the State of California, relating to
meaning to try out. Should be a real hoot! descent and distribution.
Bob: Um. I ‘ mnot really. eh. I don ‘ treally A: I appoint Robert Porter, to act as the
hunt. executor of this will, to serve without bond.
ThurstonY: ou don ‘ t hunt? Well I ‘ ll be... Should Robert Porter be unable or unwilling to
Cindy: Bob is an animal rights activist. He serve, then I appoint Jason Smalls to act as
doesn ‘ t believe in harming animals. the executor of this will.
Miranda: Dinner ‘ s ready! Let ‘ s go out to the A: I herewith affix my signature to this will on
patio where the pig is roasting. this the twenty third of May two thousand ten
Bob: Roast pig? I ‘ m a vegetarian. in the presence ofthe following witnesses, who
Elementary ‐ TheWeekend ‐ witnessed and subscribed this will at my
Playing Board Games (C0211) request, and in my presence.
Elementary ‐
Jim: Hey- Why did you take that money? You Daily Life ‐ Funeral Arrangements (C02
are such a cheater! I should send you to jail! 13)

Karen: I am not cheating. When you pass go, A: Hi Daniel, how are you holding up? I am
you collect $200, Everyone knows that! greatly sorry for your loss.
Jim: Well you can ‘ t just take the money . You
have to ask the bank for money. And I ‘ m the B: It ‘ s a lot harder than I imagined. There are
banker. many things that you have to to arrange. I
Karen: Banker? booked a time and date with the funeral home,

65
 Englishpod Dialogues

but I still have a lot of things to do. now!

A: Have you bought a burial plot and a casket? A: Your friends and family are coming over
B: No. Wendy is being cremated. She always tonight and we still need to get a lot of things.
talked about how she didn ‘ t want to be buried. B: Fine! What do you need?
I already chose a cremation urn and we plan to A: Ok, pick up some cured meats to go with
spread the ashes in the ocean. the wine. Maybe a pound of polish sausages,
A: I see, that sounds like something she would ham, liverwurst, salami and any other cold
have really liked. I am sure the memorial cuts that are on sale. I think I saw a promotion
service will be tasteful. You are doing a great for pastrami. Also get some cole slaw and a jar
job. of olives.
B: Thanks, it hasn ‘ t been easy, but luckily we B: Whoa wait a minute! Isn ‘ that
t a bit too
have life insurance and Wendy left behind a much? I mean, how much is all of this going to
detailed will that will sort out any other legal cost!
matters. A: Never mind that. Get some dips as well. Get
Elementary ‐ a jar of spinach and blue cheese dip and also
Daily Life ‐ Describing Personalities (C0 some Tzatziki. If they have bean dip get that
214) as well. Last but not least, get some pickles.
B: Is that all, your majesty?
A: OK class, settle down. I have the results of A: Very funny! Get a move on! People will be
your individual personality tests. I am going to here any minute.
hand them out and if you ‘ｄyou can read
like, Elementary ‐
them out loud to the rest of the class. Daily Life ‐ Health Food (C0216)

B: I ‘ ll read mine! John: Ok darling, got some pizzas, potato

A: OK, go ahead. chips, hot dogs and lots of cheese!
B: It says here that I am adventurous,
outgoing and easy-going. It says that I am a Kelly: Oh John, I thought we said we would
little superstitious and occasionally naive! start eating right! Remember? Our new
That ‘ s not true! healthy lifestyle? That ‘ s all junk food!
A: The test isn ‘ t one -hundred percent John: Hrumph! Right, so what did you get?
accurate. Is that all it says? Kelly: Well, healthy food , of course! I got
B: No! It also says that I am open-minded with some whole wheat bread, skimmed milk, fresh
great ambition but that I can also be reckless fish and organic carrots. . . .
and clumsy. This is stupid! John: Organic? What ‘ s organic? Do we need
A: Ok, anyone else want to read theirs? organic carrots. . . ?
C: I ‘ ll go! It says that I am an extroverted, well Kelly: They were grown without using any
balanced person. It says I am generous, chemicals that are harmful to our health. And
outspoken, and very diligent. This is so true! It yes,
also says that I am magnanimous, eloquent John, we need organic carrots. . . .
and daring! This is totally me! John: Oh, so organic vegetables are the
A: Pfft whatever, these tests are bologna! ?green ‘ option, right?
Elementary ‐ Kelly: Yup, better for the environment and
The Weekend ‐ At the Deli (C0215) better for us!
John: Wait a minute, that? . . . Doughnuts?
A: Honey, we are all out of wine and cheese. they organic doughnuts, Kelly?
Do you mind running to the deli and picking up Kelly: . . . . I like doughnuts.
a few things? Elementary ‐
Global View ‐ Volunteering (C0217)
B: Can ‘ t it wait? I ‘ m watching the game right

66
 Englishpod Dialogues

Mark: Thanks a lot for pitching in once again lawyer tells me you ‘ ve accepted our alimony
Judy, we really appreciate your help. It seems proposal and the division of property, as well
that at this time of year there are more and as the custody agreement- I keep the cat and
more people who are struggling to make ends you get the dog. So that ‘ s done. .finally.
..
meet. There aren ‘ many
t professional chefs Je: Let ‘ not
s go there, Joanne! Ok, so let ‘ s
like you who are so generous with their time. start with the record collection, I ‘ lltake the
albums I contributed and you can have your
Judy: Don ‘ t be silly Mark, I ‘ mmore than cheesy disco albums back.
happy to donate my time to a good cause. Joanne: Fine, but I ‘ mkeeping the antique
Volunteering at the soup kitchen has been gramophone as my grandfather gave it to me.
real ly rewarding for me. You know, it ‘ s Je: I believe that was a wedding present to
satisfying to provide good meals for those who both of us, Joanne. And you hardly ever use it!
are less fortunate, I feel like I ‘ m really making Joanne: He‘ s my grandfather, and he never
a difference in some small way. really liked you anyway!
Mark: Well, your skills are definitely Je: Whatever! Alright, I ‘ llconcede the silly
appreciated here! The people who come here gramophone, if you ‘ llagree that I get the
have fallen on hard times and a delicious hot silver tea set.
meal can really bolster their spirits. That Joanne: How typical, when are you ever going
smells great! The needy are sure lucky to have to use a silver tea set? Fine! I don ‘ t want to
you! drag this out any longer than necessary.
Judy: Thanks Mark! What ‘ s next? What about these old
Judy: Here you go, enjoy your meal! photographs?
Old lady: Thank you my dear, Oh this looks Je: Which ones? Let me have a look. Wow,
lovely. look at that! That brings back memories. . . .
Judy: You ‘ re welcome, Hello sir, today we That?
have. . . . are you doing here? Joanne: Our trip to Italy! I remember that day.
George: Hey Judy! I ‘ ll have a little of We were going to visit the Trevi fountain, and
everything, thanks. . . . smells great! we got caught in the rain. . . .
Judy: George, seriously . . . what are you Je: . . . and you looked so adorable with your
doing here? I haven ‘ tseen you since our hair all wet. I had to take a picture of you
divorce was finalized. You e got ‘ｖ
no right to be standing there in that little alley, smiling and
here, you ‘ re hardly homeless! laughing in the rain. . . .
George: Don ‘ t be like that Judy, I really miss Joanne: Oh, we really did have fun back then
your home cooking! didn ‘ t we?
Elementary ‐ Je: Oh, Joanne, are we making a big mistake?
Daily Life ‐ Divorce (C0218) I know our relationship has been on the rocks
for sometime but are you sure we can ‘ t
Je: Joanne, let ‘not
s make this divorce any
reconcile and try again? I still love you.
more acrimonious than it already is, okay?
Joanne: Oh Jeff! I love you too! I ‘ m so glad we
Let ‘ sju st get down to business and start
didn ‘ t have to decide who keeps the
dividing this stuff up fairly, so we can go our
motorcycle.
separate ways, alright?
Je: The motorcycle? But that ‘ s mine!
Elementary ‐
Joanne: Fine with me. I just want to get this
Global View ‐ Baby Shower (C0219)
over with. It ‘ important
s we make a clean
break. I should have signed a pre-nup.
A: Thank you for organizing this great baby
Je: What was that? shower for me! I ‘ vealways been to baby
Joanne: Nothing! Anyway, you ‘ re right,
showers but never actually had one held for
there ‘ no
s reason this has to be nasty. My
me! Let ‘ s get started!
67
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Ok, let ‘ s start opening some presents! motor crank?

A: Oh look! What a great little bib for the baby! B: Yeah, it sounds like it usually does when I
This will definitely come in handy! Oh wow, start the car, but nothing else happens. The
you also got me a stroller! That ‘ sso great! engine won ‘ t start. Should I maybe press the
Thank you! accelerator?
B: This next one is from Betty. A: No. If you step on the accelerator pedal you
A: A highchair and car seat! Wow Betty thank can flood the carburetor and your car will
you so much! I really appreciate it! never start.
B: One more from Carla. B: So what do you think it is?
A: A playpen and crib! Thanks Carla! This is A: I know this may seem like a silly question,
just what I needed! but does your car have gasoline?
B: OK, that ‘ s all of them. No more gifts. Now B: Umm. yeah! Right! I got the car started!
who wants to guess when the baby is due! Thanks for your help! I told you to fill the tank!
A: Umm. I think my water just broke! Get me Elementary ‐
to a hospital! Global View ‐ Carbon Footprint (C0222)
Elementary ‐
Daily Life ‐ New Furniture (C0220)
A: So what ‘ s your guys ‘ take on all
hist global
A: How about this floor lamp? warming hysteria in the media?

B: Fine just get it! We have been shopping for B: It ‘ s pretty serious, man. There have been
furniture for five hours! I ‘ m so tired! tons of scientific studies and the scientific
A: We still need to find an armoire and a community says that the earth is heating up.
dresser. We need to make some drastic changes to our
B: Fine! I am going to go home and drop off lifestyle if we want to preserve our planet.
this nightstand, coffee table and love seat A: I don ‘ tknow. It sounds like a bunch of
while you look for the rest of the things. mumbo jumbo if you ask me. ‖ Save the
A: Great! Pick me up in about an hour because earth! ‖ The earth will save itself. It ‘ s surv
I think I ‘ ll also get a bean bag and a dining set. worst disasters in the past. I mean, honestly,
B: While you are at it can you pick out a nice we live in the boonies. There ‘ s no way anyone
recliner? I really want one so I can watch TV. here is ever going to walk or bike to work,
A: Recliner? In my beautifully decorated living especially in the winter. And we have no bus
room? I don ‘ t think so! system. My house is forty years old and it
Elementary ‐ would take a lot of money to get it refitted to
Daily Life ‐ Car Trouble (C0221) be ‖ green ‖ and ‖ energy
- efficient ‖.
C: Well I don ‘ t really know if I believe in global
A: Car trouble center. How may I help you? warming either, or whether or not it was our
doing or a natural change the earth is going
B: My car won ‘ t start! Stupid old car! through, but you have to admit that we‘ re
A: Hold on, before you kick your car let ‘ s go
living pretty irresponsibly here in the west.
through some possible problems.
A: I guess...
B: Fine. C: I think the issue at hand is sustainability.
A: Ok, first of all, can you turn the key in the
We‘ ve only got this one earth we can live on,
ignition?
and our resources are quickly disappearing
B: Yeah! I am here with my friend and he
because of our own carelessness and our
thinks it may be the spark plug or the starter
inability to think of anyone but ourselves and
motor.
anything but the present.
A: Those are possible problems, but tell me,
B: So, like I was saying, we need to change
when you turn the key, do you hear the starter the way we live. We need to reduce our carbon
68
 Englishpod Dialogues

footprint. sideburns?
C: But it doesn ‘ thave to be that drastic. Sally: Um, they were long and thick, yours!
Hybrid vehicles and solar panels are too Paul: Alright, was this the man you saw?
expensive to be feasible right now. And we Sally: Yes, that ‘ s him! Hmmmmm, he looks a
don ‘ t have to be hippies living off the land and lot like you.
buying everything organic either, though it Officer: Hmmm, why yes he does. Paul,
helps. where were
B: I car pool to work everyday with some Brown: you on Friday afternoon?
buddies of mine. I have a rain barrel outside Paul: What? That ‘ s ridiculous! It wasn ‘ t me! I
my house I use to water my plants and my didn ‘ t do anything.
lawn in the summer, and I make sure I always Elementary ‐
bring reusable bags with me when I get my Global View ‐ Crime Scene (C0224)
groceries. And we just started using
bio-degradable plastic made from corn oil for Detective MeGee: Alright, Officer McGraw,

take- out orders at my family ‘ restaurant.

s Give it to me straight, what are we looking at

Remember the three R‘ s? Reduce. Reuse. here?

Recycle.
McGraw: Detective MeGee! We ‘ re glad to see
C: Exactly, it ‘ s just small simple changes, like
you! We could sure use your expertise on this
buying energy-saving light bulbs, starting a
one. It ‘ as break -in, but nothing seems to
compost bin, recycling bottles and papers,
have been stolen. We received a call from the
using reusable water bottles, stop using
Bear family at around ten thirty this morning.
disposable cups and cutlery.
They had gone out for a walk before breakfast
A: Like the ones we ‘ re drinking out of?
and came home to this mess! Broken chairs
B: Yeah.
and porridge all over the place! Apparently,
Elementary ‐
Momma Bear had made the porridge a little
Daily Life ‐ Facial Hair (C0223)
too hot, you see, and they were waiting for it

Officer: Ok Sally, we have an artist here to to cool down.

help us. Detective MeGee: Okay then, let ‘ start

s
examining the evidence. . . . Have the
Brown: We‘ ll ask you questions about the forensics team been in yet?
bank robber you saw and Paul will draw a McGraw: Yes sir. They found some
picture. Are you ready? fingerprints on the bowls and are analyzing
Sally: Yes, hmmm. Well, he had brown them back at the lab as we speak. Hopefully,
hair. . .long hair. . . and he had some facial they will be able to identify the burglar soon.
hair. . . was brown, too. Detective MeGee: Hmmmm,Ah ha! What ‘ s
Officer: Good! Ok, the facial hair, was it a this? A strand of golden hair. . . . . . this is a
beard or a very important piece of trace evidence
Brown: mustache? McGraw. It tells me the suspect has long
Sally: Both! His mustache was very short and golden hair. . . . . . . very few men have long
thin, . . . . on the top of his lip. golden hair. . . . . . . our criminal could be a
Paul: un-uh hmmm.. . , like this? woman. . . . . .
Sally: Yes, that ‘ s the mustache! But the beard McGraw: A woman? Was she working alone?
isn ‘ right,
t mean, it didn ‘ cover
t his whole Did she have an accomplice?
face. . . . think it was just on his chin. Detective MeGee: An accomplice? No, no
Officer: A goatee? Was it like Paul ‘ s? McGraw, she was definitely working alone.
Brown: See here, there are footprints in the porridge,
Sally: Ah yes, that ‘ s it, he had a goatee......... here on the floor. . . . footprints, tells me that
Paul: Ok, what about sideburns? Did he have our suspect is small. . . . could possibly be a
69
 Englishpod Dialogues

child. Frankie: Right, you get in the box. I ‘ ll make

McGraw: A child? Surely not, sir. . . sure it ‘ all
s sealed and then, posing as a
Detective MeGee: We must follow the clues, delivery guy, I ‘ ll drop off a ?special package ‘　
McGraw! The evidence doesn ‘ t lie! Now, let ‘s for the manager. Now, according to Jimmy,
reconstruct the crime. . . . . . the suspect came the bank manager is leaving early on
in, sat in each chair breaking the smallest one Tuesday ‘ cause it ‘ s his wedding anniversary.
into little pieces. Next, the porridge. she He and the wife are having a romantic
obviously tried to eat it and because it was so rendezvous in the country, so any packages
hot, she dropped it on the floor. . . . this mess. delivered will be left unopened in his office
interesting. These footprints seem to lead until he gets back late on Wednesday. . . .
upstairs. McGraw, did your officers clear the Sammy: . . . . . . Which gives us access to his
scene? office for at least Come hours. . . . Ralph, this
McGraw: Well, there was no one down here. . . is where you come in. . . . where are you?
andmaybe we forget to check upstairs. Ralph: I ‘ m standing right next to you Sammy,
Goldylocks: Hey! What ‘ s with all the noise? Sorry Sam, I ‘ m in the box. Right there. . . in
I ‘ m trying tosleep up here! that box.
Detective MeGee: There she is! Get her! Frankie: . . . . what do you do once I deliver
Elementary ‐ you to the manager ‘ s office?
The Weekend ‐ Planning A Crime (C022 Ralph: I stay in the box until the bank has
5) closed, . I get out of the box.
Sammy: . . . . then? What next, Ralph? Oh for
Sammy: Alright, let ‘run
s through this one Pete ‘ s sake! This is never going to work.
more time from the top. I will be positioned Ralph: Hey, give me a chance here, fellas! I,
here, across from the bank on this park bench. um, I crack the safe . then, thenI take the
Now, according to the intel we got from money. . . . then I. . . ummmmm, I get back in
Jimmy. . . the box.
Frankie: ‘ Atta boy Ralph! In the morning I
Ralph: ah, who ‘ s Jimmy?
come back to the bank, say there ‘ been
s a
Sammy: Jeez Ralph! Pay attention, will ya?
mix-up with the delivery I made and take the
Jimmy ‘ s our mole, you know. . . . the guy on
?special package ‘ back here.
the inside. . . He ‘ s been snooping and passing
Sammy: Alright, let ‘ s get some sleep. . . it
on the info to us so we can pull this heist off!
big day tomorrow fellas!
Frankie: Yea, Ralph, clean the moth balls
Frankie: A perfect plan, Sammy! It went off
outta your ears and listen up. This here is
without a hitch!
important , you don ‘ t wanna end up back in Sammy: Let ‘ s open this up and get Ralph out
the slammer, do ya? Your role is pretty
here so we can start counting the money!
important here, we ‘ re depending on you, man.
Ralph: Phew! I sure am glad to see you guys!
Ralph: Ok, ok! I ‘ mlistening! moth balls,
I was sure getting lonely with no one to talk.
hrumph. . .
Frankie: That ‘ s nice, ok how much!
Sammy: Alright then, . . . . was I? Oh yeah, ok,
Ralph: Huh?Uh,, really, really, really glad?
so I ‘ ll bethe lookout. . . . here on the bench
Sammy: Money, Ralph! Money!
across from the bank. Nobody moves until I
Ralph: Oh man, I knew I forgot
give the go- ahead, Alright? And what ‘ sthe
something. . . . . . .
goahead? . . . Ralph? Elementary ‐
Ralph: You, umm. . . ah. . . . yeah, you ‘ ll take Global View ‐ Fundraiser (C0226)
off your hat and scratch your head!
Sammy: Right. When I take my hat off and A: Ok Mark, it ‘ s your turn to ring the doorbell.
scratch my head, you do what? I did it last time.
Ralph: I get in the box.
70
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: I hate going door to door, and I hate asking and wrinkly with you.
for money. B: Oh Jared! I can ‘ wait
t for our wedding! I
A: But we need to raise enough money for the hope you don ‘ t mind, but I ‘ ve already chosen
school fundraiser so that our class can win the a date! Six months from now in the summer!
pizza party! You do want to have a pizza party, Melissa saw you buying the ring last month so
don ‘ t you? I ‘ ve had plenty of time to start planning!
B: Yes, but... A: She what?
A: Just go already! B: Oh don ‘ t worry sweetie, I didn ‘ t know when
B: No one ‘ s coming. you were going to propose. It was still a nice
A: Try again. surprise! As I was saying, I ‘ vegot it all
B: Maybe there ‘ s no one home. planned out. There ‘ s almost nothing left to do!
A: Of course there ‘ someone
s home! There I wrote up our guest list and we will have
are two cars in the driveway and I see lights on roughly four hundred guests
in the house! Hello! Anybody home? We would attending.
like to know if you want to sponsor us in our A: four hundred?
school fundraiser. Fifty percent of the profits B: No need to sweat it. My parents agreed to
go towards the new school playground! pay for most of the wedding, which is going to
B: I don ‘ t know why anyone would want be low budget anyway. So roughly four
what ‘ s in this catalog anyway. It ‘ s ju
st a bunch hundred people, which means that the hall at
of tacky Christmas ornaments, Cd‘ sof old Northwood Heights will be our reception venue.
people singing Christmas songs, and special I thought it would be nice if we had the
crackers and cheeses and boxes of chocolates. wedding at your parents ‘ church
and my uncle
A: You don ‘ t like chocolates? of course would be officiating. We ‘ ll meet with
B: Not this kind. They ‘ ve got weird names like him soon for some pre-wedding counseling.
ganache and praline. The music for the wedding ceremony was a
A: Look! I just saw someone walking around no-brainer. My step-sister and her string
inside! These people are being very rude! quartet will take care of that. My cousin will be
A: Finally, someone ‘ s coming! the official photographer. I thought it would
B: They don ‘ t look too happy. also be nice if his daughter could sing a solo.
A: Hi, sir. Would you like to sponsor us or Did you know that she ‘ s going to be a
make a donation to. professional opera singer?
C: What grade are you kids in? A: Ah...
A: Grade seven. B: And then of course the ladies at the church
C: The n for goodness sake, don ‘ t you see this would love to be our caterers for the banquet
sign? Can ‘ t you read? and we ‘ ll get the Youth Group to serve us. I
A: No soliciting. was thinking that your friend ‘ s band could be
B: What does that mean? our entertainment for the night. though they
A: No idea. might have to tone it down a bit. Or we could
Elementary ‐ hire a DJ. Your sister ‘ s husband could get us a
Daily Life ‐ Wedding Planning (C0227) discount with that company that does the
decor at weddings. W hat ‘ s their name again? I
A: Trina, will you marry me? was thinking that we could have an island
paradise- themed wedding and our theme
B: Yes! Yes! And yes! Jared of course I ‘ ll marry
color would be a soothing blue like
you! Aquamarine.
A: Oh Babe, I can ‘ t wait to spend the rest of
And there will be a huge seashell on the wall
my life with you! I can ‘ twait for all the
behind the podium where we‘ ll ma ke our
adventures we‘ re going to have, for all the
toasts! What do you think of small packages of
fights and the laughter. I can ‘ t wait to grow old
71
 Englishpod Dialogues

drink mixes for our wedding favors? Who else Mom: Hi! I am looking for a pair of shoes for
am I missing? Oh, your uncle could be our my son.
florist and his wife could make our wedding
cake! Salesgirl: Sure thing! Here we are! If you ‘ re

A: Wow. looking for dress shoes, we have several

B: See? It ‘ going
s to be wonderful! Oh this different styles of Oxfords for boys. We also

wedding is going to be everything I ever carry athletic shoes, hiking boots.

dreamed of. Mom: Oh Jacob, how about these sneakers?

A: If I survive the next six months. Jacob: Mom? They ‘ ve got Velcro.

Elementary ‐ Mom: Well, then how about these? What is

The Weekend ‐ Going to the Beach (C02 this style called?

28) Salesgirl: They ‘ re tennis shoes. They ‘ re very

popular with teens and young adults.
A: Oh, George, what a beautiful day it is today! Jacob: Oooo, Mom, can I get these?
The sun is hot and there are just a few clouds Mom: What are those?
scattered here and there! What a perfect day Jacob: They ‘ re Chuck Taylor ‘ s! Everyone has
to be at the beach! The kids are going to have them! Can I, please?
so much fun! And we ‘ ll be
able to relax in the Mom: I don ‘ t know. Would they go with your
sun while they ‘ re playing. clothes? The backs are really high. and the
way the tongue just sticks up. They ‘ re
almost
B: It does seem like the perfect day! I ‘ m glad like a boot. And the sole doesn ‘ tlook like it
we chose to get out of the city and enjoy the would have a very good grip.
nice weather! This looks like the perfect spot! Jacob: They ‘ re only forty -five dollars! And
Ok kids, put on your sunscreen while your they ‘ ve got cool fluorescent orange shoelaces!
mom and I set up camp. Here, Mary, help me Mom?
lay down these beach towels. Mom: Ok, try them on.
A: There we go. Can you help me with the Salesgirl: What size are your feet?
umbrella? Perfect. Mom: He is a size nine.
B: Ok kids, here a‘ｓ
beach ball and a Frisbee, a Salesgirl: We‘ ll try a size forty -three on you
pail and a shovel. I want to see an impressive first and see how that fits.
sandcastle by the time we leave. Don ‘ t stray Mom: A what?
too far. Wait! Leave your sandals here or put Salesgirl: They come in European sizes. He
on your wet shoes. should be a size forty- three. I ‘ ll be right back.
A: And stay in the shallow area. I don ‘ t want to Elementary ‐
see you go any farther than that sandbar! It ‘s The Weekend ‐ Gardening (C0230)
too deep out there and we didn ‘ t bring your
floaties. A: I ‘ ve decided to grow my own garden!
B: You ‘ re back already? The water was too
cold, huh? I ‘ ll tell you a secret. Do you see that B: What? You don ‘ t know the first thing about

small pool of water over there? It ‘ ll be warmer gardening!

in there. Go see if you can find some seashells A: On the contrary, I have been reading a lot

or catch some minnows. of books about the subject.

A: What is that? A jellyfish? Jeremy, put that B: Oh yeah? Tell me then, smarty pants, how

down right now! It could sting you! will you go about setting up your garden?

B: Ah! Not onme! Ow! A: Well, first I need to buy some things, such

Elementary ‐ as fertilizer, seeds and tools.

Daily Life ‐ Buying Men’ｓShoes (C0229 B: What type of tools?

) A: You know, the basics. A rake, shovel, spade

and a hoe.

72
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Right. Well it seems like you have all your The length is right, but the shoe is too narrow
bases co vered. What ‘ s next? and it ‘ s pinching my toes. And there ‘ d be no
A: I ‘ ll till the soil and then sow the seeds. I ‘room
ll for my insol es. You know what? I don ‘t
then add some fertilizer and voila! Gardening think I have the patience for this today. They
all done! just don ‘ tmake shoes like they used to. I ‘ ll
B: Well, good luck with your garden, especially come back another time.
considering we are inthe dry season and it Salesgirl: Have a nice day, Ma ‘ am.
won ‘ t rain for the next three months ! Elementary ‐ Daily Life ‐ Toys (C0232)
Elementary ‐
Daily Life ‐ Buying Women’ｓ Shoes (C0 TV: Spongebob Squarepants will be right back

231) after these brief messages! What ‘ s that on the

horizon? A pirate ship! Raid villages and find
Mom: Hi, excuse me Miss? I ‘ m looking for a buried treasure with this new Pirates Lego set.
dress shoe. My usual pair that I ‘ vehad for Build the ship and decide who rules the sea!
years have finally been stretched out of shape. Har!
They don ‘ t provide any support anymore.
A: Cool!
Salesgirl: Sure, what kind of shoe are you TV: The New PLAY-DOH Sparkling Brights
looking for? We ‘ ve got strappy sandals, sleek Precious Gem Press! Make large colorful gems
high heels, edgy pumps, or if you ‘ re looking for you and your friends with five special
for something a little more practical, we ‘ ve got molds! Comes with the new Sparkling Brights
Mary Janes, ballerinas. PLAY-DOH compound in four new colors!
Mom: Show me some classic high heels, Treasure chest sold separately.
please. B: Wow! Mommy, can I get that for my
Salesgirl: Ok, right this way. What color did birthday?
you have in mind? TV: Wolverine! Jean Grey!Rogue! And
Mom: Black. Classic. Professor X! Collect all four of these
Salesgirl: Of course. We ‘ ve got this style here special-edition collectible X-Men action figures
that is very popular. Because it ‘ s -toe
an open and decide the future of mutants in our world!
shoe, you can wear it any time of the year. A: No way! I want Professor X !
They look great on everyone. TV: The new Collector ‘Edition
s Nursery
Mom: Umm. too shiny. And I wear pantyhose Rhymes Porcelain Dolls! Little Bo Peep comes
with my shoes so let ‘look
s for a closed -toe with her own sheep and staff! Her clothes are
shoe. made with the finest fabrics and real Italian
Salesgirl: Ok, these are a very nice pair of lace, and her face has been hand-painted by
leather shoes with a two-inch heel so they are our finest artists. Only $199.
very comfortable. A: Oooo! She ‘ s pretty! I ‘ venever had a
Mom: I don ‘ tlike the pointed toes. Let me porcelain doll before.
take a look at what else you have. Too high. B: I doubt Mom and Dad would get you that
That one looks like the back would cut into my for your birthday. She costs a pretty penny.
heel. I have a high instep so I doubt that one Plus, you ‘ d most likely break her.
will fit properly. I don ‘ t want bows. I find TV: What is better than one board game?
slingbacks very uncomfortable. Those might Three board games in one! Enjoy playing
as well be stilettos. Too modern. Ah, finally, Chess and Checkers on this side of the board.
this is what I ‘ m looking for. But if you ‘ re looking for some more fun, flip it
Salesgirl: What size? and play the classic game of Sorry!
Mom: Seven-and-a-half. B: That ‘ singenious! Why hasn ‘ t anyone
Salesgirl: Here we are How does it fit? thought of that before?
Mom: Hmmm. not good. They ‘ retoo tight. TV: Now you can take Spongebob
73
 Englishpod Dialogues

Squarepants wherever you go with the new Doctor Evans: Ah I see, yes you do sound
Spongebob Squarepants Glow-in-the-Dark rather croaky. Well let ‘ s have a look, shall we?
Yoyo! And now back to our show! Could you please open your mouth and say ‖　
Elementary ‐ ah ‖ .
Global View ‐ Forex (C0233) Chloe: ‖ Ahhhhhhhh ‖　
Doctor Evans: Good, yes, your tonsils are a
A: Hey John! I haven ‘ tseen you in ages! little swollen and red. How are your ears,
What ‘ s new? What have you been up to? blocked at all?
Chloe: A little actually. My sinuses are a little
B: Pete! Nice to see you. Well, on top the blocked up as well – I really feel terrible.
norm, you know, wife and kids and work, I ‘ ve
Doctor Evans: Ok Chloe, can you please
actually gotten into doing some trading.
breathe in and out slowly for me while I listen
A: Trading? You, big guy? What are you
to your chest? You really are all bunged up,
trading?
you don ‘ t sound too good at all. Ok I ‘ m going
B: Currencies.
to set you up with a bunch of antibiotics. You
A: Currencies? As in Euros, Dollars, Pounds
will need to take these orange pills twice a day
and Rupees?
and these blue pills every evening. You will
B: It ‘ called
s Forex. Foreign Exchange. The
also have to take this cough medicine three
great thing about it is that I don ‘ thave to
times a day after meals. Finally, I am giving
invest a huge amount. I put in a margin you an inhaler to use every time you feel
deposit and then I can buy and sell up to 100
breathless. . . just to clear up your lungs!
times that much!
Chloe: Whoa! So many drugs. . . . I hate
A: I don ‘ t understand. You ‘ re buying and
swallowing pills. Am I able to go to work?
selling money?
Doctor Evans: Absolutely not! You are highly
B: You got it! Just last night I made USD 150!
contagious! You don ‘ t want to infect the rest of
A: Last night?
your co-workers do you? I recommend staying
B: Yeah! It ‘ s a 24 hour market! I had bought
in bed for at least three days and drinking
some RMB earlier at a low asking price but last
plenty of fluids so you don ‘ tget weak and
night it appreciated drastically so I made a
dehydrated. You can catch up on all the latest
split second decision and sold all my RMB at an
tv shows and movies!
amazing bid! I ‘ ve also done some trading with
Chloe: Ok! Would you mind writing me a
CHF and AUD and HKD. I ‘ ve made some good
doctor ‘ note
s for work, otherwise they may
profits but I ‘ ve also
suffered some losses. It
think I am faking it!
depends on a lot of factors just like any other
Doctor Evans: Ha-ha, sure not a problem!
market. In total I ‘ ve made about USD 500 in Here you are.
the past few months.
Now off you go and away to bed. If you have
A: You ‘ re kidding! I ‘ m on! Where do I sign up?
any questions just give me a call! Feel better
Elementary ‐
soon and take care.
Daily Life ‐ Going to the Doctor (C0234)
Chloe: Thanks doc, bye!
Elementary ‐
The Office ‐ Interview Skills Part 1 ‐ T
Doctor Evans: Good afternoon Chloe, I‘m
he Introduction (C0235)
Doctor Evans. What seems to be the problem?

Mr. Parsons: Come in.

Chloe: Hi, Dr Evans. Thanks for seeing me on
such short notice. When I woke up this
Rebecca Carlyle: Mr Parsons ?
morning I had a really sore throat and a really
Mr. Parsons: Ah, you must be Rebecca.
bad cough. I think I am coming down with the
Please do come in.
flu. Rebecca Carlyle: Thank you for making
74
 Englishpod Dialogues

some time to see me Mr Parsons. It ‘ sa Alex ‘ s situation?

pleasure to meet you finally. C: Ya sure, why not? Sounds like he only has
Mr. Parsons: The pleasure ‘ sall mine transient insomnia since it ‘ s a recent thing so
Rebecca. taking melatonin do the trick.
Have a seat please . Now would you like any Jill: But shouldn ‘ t he be looking into WHY it ‘
refreshments? Tea or coffee? been happening?
Rebecca Carlyle: A coffee would be lovely C: Well aren ‘ t you
the little psychologist? Our
thank you. Black, no sugar. buddy ‘ s having trouble sleeping, it ‘ s easy and
Mr. Parsons: No problem. Sally can we have curable. It ‘ s not something freakish like if he
two coffees please One, no milk or sugar? was a sleepwalker.
Sally: Certainly Mr Parsons . Alex: Well, there ‘ s that too.
Mr. Parsons: So Rebecca, I understand you Elementary ‐
had a first interview with Miss Childs last Daily Life ‐ Morning Routine (C0237)
week.
Rebecca Carlyle: Ye s that ‘ scorrect. She Jacob: Stephanie! Did you just get to school?

filled me in onthe details ofthe job onthe But you were up and about when I left the

telephone. dorm this morning! That was about an hour

Mr.Parsons: Great.Well, I ‘ mglad to say she and a half ago. This happens all the time! Why

recommended you for a 2nd interview, and do you always take so long to get ready the

here we are. Perhaps we can start by morning?

discussing your background and resume

Stephanie: It ‘ s a skill. What can I say? I don
details a little?
know why, I just have a long routine.
Rebecca Carlyle: Yes , of course.
Jacob: Please explain because it makes no
Elementary ‐
sense to me. How can a girl ‘routine
s be so
Daily Life ‐ Trying To Sleep (C0236)
complicated? You get up, you shower, you get

Jill: Alex, what ‘ sup with you? You look dressed , you brush your teeth, you ‘ re out the

dreadful! door. Half an hour, tops.

Stephanie: Jacob, you have the luxury of
Alex: Hey Jill, I don ‘ t know. I ‘ ve been having having a haircut that rarely needs styling. I
trouble sleeping these past few weeks. I don ‘ t. I have to set aside about an hour and a
usually lie in bed for hours trying to get to half to get ready in the mornings. Every day, I
sleep . I ‘ vetried stretching a nd different wake up and head straight for the shower.
breathing techniques before going to bed . Every second day, I wash my hair. If it ‘as
I ‘ ve tried eating and not eating different foods. hair-washing day, I frequently need to wash
I ‘ ve even tried counting sheep! And then when my hair twice because it gets really oily. Then
I finally get to sleep , I have these really I usually put in a conditioner and have to rinse
disturbing nightmares, so I usually wake up in that out too. Because my hair is so long, I
a panic and more tired than before I went to seldom manage to take a shower in under
sleep . twenty minutes. Afterwards, I often put on a
Jill: Wow, maybe you should get that checked pot of coffee and get dressed while I wait for it
out. Maybe you ‘ re stressed? to brew. I take a long time to get dressed in
C: Just take some sedatives! Works for me! the morning. Every now and then I remember
Every so often having some melatonin on to choose my outfit the night before , but
hand helps me when I have trouble sleeping. usually I do it in the morning. In all, getting
It works on all kinds of sleeping disorders . It ‘s dressed takes about half an hour , at which
the stuff pilots use to regulate their sleeping time my hair is now semi-dry so then I have to
patterns. style my hair. From time to time I ‘ ll put my
Jill: I heard of that. But does that apply to hair up, but oftentimes I blowdry it straight.
75
 Englishpod Dialogues

And then, because of the texture of my hair, I The Weekend ‐ Adventure Sports (C023
regularly have to flat-iron it to keep it from 9)
frizzing. That ‘ s another twenty minutes or so.
After that, I have my daily makeup routine. A: Welcome to Adventure Tours . How may I

Jacob: True, I hardly ever see you without help you?

your hair done and your makeup on, even

B: I want to book a tour with adventure
when you show up to class in sweatpants. Tell
sports .
me, how long does it take you to choose that
A: Excellent! Our company has more than ten
outfit in the morning?
years of experience in the adventure tourism
Stephanie: Not funny.
and sports field . Let me show you some
Elementary ‐
options. This is our most popular choice, our
The Office ‐ Interview Skills Part 2 ‐ Di
river guides will take you on a whitewater
scussing Your Background (C0238)
rafting trip followed by a ride in a hot air

Mr. Parsons: Now, Miss Childs passed on balloon !

your resume to me and I ‘ ve had the chance to B: I don ‘ treally think I ‘ mready to throw

look it over and I must say I ‘ m quite myself down a river full of jagged rocks in a

impressed. rubber boat or go up in the air in a wicker

basket held up by an oversize balloon. What
Rebecca: Thank you very much. I ‘ ve tried to else do you have?
keep it short and clear. If there ‘ sany A: Well, in that case, we can take you hang
questions please feel free to ask me. gliding with one of our experienced instructors.
Mr. Parsons: Well yes, I do have a number of It ‘ s the closest you can get to flying.
questions, but perhaps first you could give me B: What? You mean strap myself to a flimsy
a brief overview I ‘ d like to get a little bit of an kite? No thank you! Next!
idea of your background. A: Mmm. ok. Well, why don ‘ tyou tell me a
Rebecca: yes of course. Well as you can see little bit more about what you would like? We
from the resume I ‘ mup and grew up in have everything from mountain biking, to rock
Brooklyn, New York, although our family climbing to street luge.
moved to London when I was quite young, at B: I ‘ m thinking something exciting but. safer.
around rook. A: I have the perfect option, this package will
Mr. Parsons: Ah I see, so you were actually take you on a hiking trip through the
educated in Europe? Himalayas for three days and afterwards
Rebecca: yes precisely. Although I was born there ‘ s a dog sledding journey!
in the US, I would definitely call London home. B: That ‘ s more like it !
But as you see I ‘ ve actually spent a lot of my Daily Life ‐ Getting A Pet (C0240)
life moving from country to country. My Father
was inthe oil business before he retired so we A: We have been over this a hundred times !

also spent a number of years in Saudi Arabia We are not getting a pet!

too.
B: Why not? Come on! Just a cute little puppy.
Mr. Parsons: Very interesting. So it seems
or a kitty!
you had quite an adventurous childhood.
A: Who is going to look after a dog or a cat?
Rebecca: Absolutely! We were never still for
B: I will! I ‘ ll feed it, bathe it and walk it every
too long. But now I ‘ m really looking to settle
day! We can get a Labrador or a German
down.
Shepard !
Mr. Parsons: I see. Okay, well let ‘ s move on
A: What if we want to take a vacation ? Who
to discuss your education shall we?
will we leave it with? Plus, our apartment is too
Rebecca: Sure.
small for that breed of dog.
Elementary ‐
76
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Ok. How about we get a cat or a ferret! presentation this week so I didn ‘ t get a chance
A: We‘ re planning on having children soon, I to memorize the second page, but I think I
don ‘ t think those animals are a good idea with mastered the tricky section.
a baby in the house.
B: Fine! Let ‘ s get a bird then! We can keep it in Charles: Great! Warm up with some scales

its cage and teach it to talk! A parrot would be and arpeggios first. Good, good. This week,

awesome! work on keeping the rhythm steady when you

A: I ‘ lltell you what, I can get you some play the last part with the sixteenth note . Now

hamsters and we ‘ ll take it from there . let ‘ s take a look at this tricky section.

B: Yay! Cody: Charles? Before I start I was wondering

if it was ok if I put a small crescendo in here

The Office ‐ Interview Skills 3 ‐ Educat and then decrescendo back to pianissimo

ion Background (C0241) again over here?

Charles: It might work. I ‘ ll to hear it .
have
Mr. Parsons: Now, if I look here I see that Show me what you ‘ vedone. Not bad , not
you completed a BA in English? bad .
Cody: It was horrible! I played play it much
Rebecca: Yes, that ‘ right.
s After graduating better at home! Charles: It ‘ just
s nerves.
from high school in New York I attended York Just play the right hand for now. One two
University in the UK. My major was English, three four five six, ta ti tri-ple-ti. Good, good.
and my minor was business studies . I Don ‘ t forget the accidentals! The key
completed my BA in 2004. signature says that note should be a G-sharp
Mr. Parsons: Yes, I ‘ m pleased to see that you but now it ‘ s -natural.
aG Now add the bass clef.
also got a distinction. You ‘ regoing too fast. Remember the tempo
Rebecca: Yes that ‘ sright. I ‘ ve always for this piece is andante.
enjoyed studying. My friends say I ‘ m a bit of a Cody: Is that better?
bookworm, but my father always pushed us to Charles: Yes, much better. Watch where you
succeed academically. lift your foot off the pedal. What was that?
Mr. Parsons: Well, it looks like his Cody: Sorry! The stretch for that octave is
encouragement paid off Rebecca. So how always hard to make.
about extracurricular activities at University Charles: That ‘ s ok, keep going, you ‘ re
Rebecca: Well I ‘ ve always been keen on on moving ahead by leaps and bounds . Watch
writing, so I became the editor for the your dynamics! Keep your elbows lifted.
University student magazine, which I really Remember to str oke the keys, don ‘ tpound.
loved. Also I volunteered for a group called That ‘ s better! Remember that as a pianist or
Shelter, to help the homeless in York. any other musician, your technique will be
Mr. Parsons: What did that involve? what separates you from the pack just as
Rebecca: Providing warm meals and shelter, much or more so as your musicianship.
especially in the winter months . I found it The Weekend ‐ Talking to a Travel Agen
really fulfilling to be part of that group . t (C0243)
Mr. Parsons: I ‘ m sure. Okay, now let ‘ s move A: Welcome to Perfect Getaway Tours . How
on to your work experience, shall we? can I help you?
Rebecca: Yes, okay. B: I would like to plan a surprise getaway for
Global View ‐ Learning The Piano (C024 me and my wife.
2)
Charles: Hi Cody, how did practicing go this A: Very well, we have a couple of different
week? options such as beaches, the wilderness, the
countryside or even going to a spa for the
Cody: Well I had several tests and an oral weekend.
77
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: I think something in the countryside would actually. I was in charge of the sports news
be nice. section of the newspaper. I really enjoyed it
A: Perfect! This package includes round-trip there, and it really helped me build my skills.
flights to New Hampshire . A free airport pick-
up is included. Our VIP limousine will pick you Mr. Parsons: Yes I see. But you decided to

up and provide you with complimentary leave them in 2006 right

champagne and finger foods to soften the Rebecca: Yes, that ‘ s right. My husband and I

thirty-minute ride to the countryside. moved to London, and so I managed to find a

B: Sounds good! What is the hotel that we will position with a National newspaper based in

be staying at like? London

A: That is the best part. Your hotel is actually Mr. Parsons: The London Weekly right

an old country villa that has been restored and Rebecca: Yes, in some ways it was a step

refurbished to accommodate a maximum of down from my previous job but it did offer me

that is guests. You will enjoy an intimate and much better prospects for the future.

private time in this very spacious and warm N The Weekend ‐ Getting A Subscription (

Included in the price is three meals a day, C0245)

excluding beverages. You can choose to eat at A: Good afternoon Ma‘ am, My name is Mike

the fabulous restaurant that offers a stunning and I am selling subscriptions to all sorts of

view of the lush, green gardens. If you prefer, periodicals.

your own private butler can arrange your meal B: No thank you, I am not interested.

to be served in your room or outside on our

A: Please ma‘ am , if you could spare five
terrace.
minutes of your time, I am sure we could find
B: Wow! This sounds like something my wife
something that interests you!
would really enjoy! Are there any outdoor
activities we can take part in ?
B: I wish I could, but Ihave to walk the dog
A: Of course! The hotel has a stable with
and finish cooking so if you would excuse me.
beautiful stallions for a very romantic
A: We have a great variety of magazines all
horseback ride along the country trail. You can
about cooking! This one for example, is a bi
also go fishing to the nearby lake or visit the
monthly publication with recipes from all over
local vineyard.
the world!
B: I ‘ m sold ! I want to book this trip. I don ‘t
B: Wow, that would be kind of useful, do you
care what it costs! Money is no object !
have any other cooking magazines?
The Office ‐ Interview Skills 4 ‐ Talkin
A: Sure do! This one is a quarterly publication,
g About Work Experience (C0244)
but each issue has over 200 color pages of
Mr. Parsons: Right Rebecca. Now I see that
recipes and also many home decorating ideas!
after graduating from University your first job
B: Wow, this is nice! Ok, sign me up for both
was.......
publications.
Rebecca: For a local paper in York called the
A: You mentioned you have a dog, most pet
York Herald. Actually, I started with them as
owners sign up for this weekly newsletter that
an intern in the beginning. I was really keen
has information on dog care, pet shops and
on getting some experience in the journalistic
even pet sitters!
world, and this seemed like a good first step.
B: That is exactly what I needed! What else do
you have?
Mr. Parsons: Certainly. And after your
A: Well, I also have....
internship
Daily Life ‐ At The Train Station (C0246

Rebecca: They seemed impressed, and )

offered me a position as a junior local news A: Hi, I would like to purchase a one way ticket

reporter. I ended up staying two years there to Brussels please.

78
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Certainly sir, this is our train schedule. We years in that position, but to be honest it
have an express train departing every wasn ‘ t an area of jo urnalism I wanted to stay
morning and an overnight train that departs at in long-term.
nine pm. Mr. Parsons: I see, so why did you decide to
leave finally?
A: How long does it take to get there? Rebecca: I just felt that the paper couldn ‘t
offer me any new opportunities. I really
B: About twelve hours. We currently have
needed a more challenging role to be honest.
tickets available only for first class on the
Daily Life ‐ Dinnerware (C0248)
express train. If you ‘ d like, you can choose a A: Honey can you set the table?
sleeper on the overnight train which is a bit
B: Um, sure. What are we having for dinner?
less expensive.
Do I need to put out anything in particular?
A: Yeah, I think that is the best option. Do you
serve food on the train? Twelve hours is such a A: Well, make sure to put out the pepper and
long time! salt shakers. I don ‘ tknow if your brother is
B: Yes of course. There is a dining car towards coming tonight so set an extra place mat just
the front of the train where they serve meals in case.
at all times. We do provide complimentary
water and coffee for all of our passengers. B: Ok, should I use the fancy silverware?
A: Great! I ‘ ll take it. A: Yeah go ahead, forks, spoons and knives. I
B: Here you are sir. Your train leaves from roasted some meat so be sure to put out some
platform number nine at nine on the dot. steak knives as well.
Remember to be here at least thirty minutes B: I ‘ ll also set some cups and saucers for some
before your scheduled departure time or else coffee after dinner.
you might miss your train! A: Honey? Have you seen our soup bowls?
A: I understand. Thank you very much ! B: They are in the cupboard where you keep
B: Have a great trip. the gravy boat and serving dishes. Just be
The Office ‐ Interview Skills 5 ‐ Discus careful because the wine glasses are also
sing Reasons there.
For Leaving Previous Position (C0247) A: Oops!
Mr. Parsons: Okay, now I ‘ d like to find out The Weekend ‐ Making A Sandwich (C0
more about your last job. I see you spent 249)
almost four years at the London Weekly , is A: Welcome to our show! Today, I am going to
that right? show you how to make the perfect
mouthwatering sandwich! Are you ready?
Rebecca: Yes, that ‘ s right.
To be honest, the Let ‘ s get started !
first year was quite tough for me. I was really A: Let ‘ s start with the basics : bread. Bread is
just treated more like an intern. I didn ‘ t have an important ingredient here. You need to
many responsibilities and I found it quite remember one thing -choose the bread
frustrating. according to the following criteria : freshness,
crumb and color. If you want a closed
Mr. Parsons: So, what changed? sandwich I recommend you first toast your
bread in a toaster or oven, or grill it slightly
Rebecca: Well slowly but surely I proved
until it gets a light brown color.
myself, and the new editor liked me so he
A: Now that our bread is ready, let ‘ s talk about
promoted me to features writer .
th e ingredients ! Of course, each person ‘s
Mr. Parsons: Wow, a real step up!
palate is different, but I ‘ m going to give you a
Rebecca: Yes I was responsible for restaurant
few tips that you ‘ ll be able to use when turning
and food reviews mostly. I spent restaurant
any sandwich into the perfect sandwich. I
79
 Englishpod Dialogues

would strongly recommend you put fresh I hope my colleagues would agree, I ‘ m fun to
vegetables in your sandwich. work with.
A: Do not undervalue them as they play a big Mr. Parsons: What would you say is your
role in forming the taste and will make the most positive quality?
sandwich more refreshing and light. The best Rebecca: Hmmmmm, that ‘ s a tough question.
choices here are evident- cucumbers, But I would have to say my passion. I ‘ m really
tomatoes, onions, sweet pepper pepper or passionate about journalism and passionate
chilli, lettuce and, of course, herbs- you can ‘ｔ about my career.
go wrong with them. As for aubergines, The Weekend ‐ Buying Makeup (C0251)
mushrooms and asparagus, I would
recommend you first grill them slightly with a A: I ‘ m hungry, let ‘ s go grab a bite to eat.
little touch of olive oil. B: Yeah me too. Oh! Can we stop at the shop
A: Last but not least, we have a wide variety of really fast? I lost my makeup bag at the
condiments that we can add to our perfect airport and I want to pick up a few things.
sandwich. We can be subtle and just add a
touch of salt and pepper, or we can combine A: Will you take long?

mustard sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup or even

B: No! Five minutes I promise!
caviar to achieve a stronger flavor! It ‘ s always
A: Come on! We have been here for almost an
a good idea to cut your sandwich in triangles
hour! I thought you said you were only going
or manageable pieces to avoid all your
to get a few things! How long does it take you
ingredients falling out and staining your shirt!
to pick out a lipstick and some nail polish!
A: That ‘ s all the time we have for today, but
B: Are you crazy! You have no idea what you
join us next time where we‘ llbe going over
are talking about! Just for my eyes I have to
how to make the perfect lasagna! Till next
get eyeliner, an eyelash curler, eye shadow,
time!
an eyebrow pencil and mascara. Then I need
The Office ‐ Interview Skills 6 ‐ Descri
to get foundation, liquid foundation.
bing Ones
A: Whoa whoa whoa! Are you nuts? How much
Strengths (C0250)
is all this going to cost? I ‘ m looking at the price
Mr. Parsons: Okay Rebecca. Now youyou ‘ ve
at each one of these little things and it ‘ s
given me a good idea of your work and
outrageous! This is basically a crayon!
academic background, but what about you as
B: What about you? You spend as much or
a person? How would you describe your key
more money on your razors, after shave,
strengths?
cologne and gel! Not to mention how much

Rebecca: Well Mr. Parsons, as I mentioned you spend on clothes and...

before I ‘ m someone who needs new A: Fine! Get the stupid thirty dollar crayon!

challe nges. I ‘ m really focused and hard Global View ‐ Contraceptives (C0252)

hard-working. I think my academic results A: Alright, settle down everyone. As part of

prove this. this school ‘ s curriculum we ‘ ll be covering sex

ed this week.
Mr. Parsons: Yes, true, but how about other A: Now I want everyone to take this class
personal qualities? Hmmmmm, that's a tough seriously, sexual education is very important
question. But I would have to say my passion. and I want you to ask as many questions as
I'm really passionate about journalism and you can think of. Remember, there are no
passionate about my career. stupid questions here.

Rebecca: Well I believe I‘m a good B: Miss Carlton? What exactly is sexual
team-player, but I can also work well education? Are you going to teach us like
independently. I ‘ m very enthusiastic and , well Kama sutra stuff like that?
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 Englishpod Dialogues

A: No Jason, that ‘ s not exactly what sex ed is. work I always give 110% I would never shirk
Basically, we will talk about sexually my responsibilities. I suppose sometimes
transmitted diseases, contraceptives and how Iexpect too much too soon.
the male and female bodies work. Mr. Parsons: Well, you know journalism is a
B: My older sister is in college and she takes highly competitive world, so you do need to
what she and her friends call the pill. I never keep pushing yourself it ‘ s true. Okay well lets
really understood what that is, but I know it move on to talk about the job position here
has to do with sex or something. shall we?
A: Good point Jason! This will be the topic of Rebecca: Yes please.
our first class, contraceptives. As you The Weekend ‐ Making Breakfast (C025
mentioned, the pill is one of the many that 4)
exist. The birth control pill is taken daily by a A: Smells good! What ‘ s for breakfast?
woman in order to prevent unwanted B: Well, since we are getting up so late, I
pregnancy, but it does not protect her from decided to make a big breakfast!
contracting STD‘ s from an infected person.
Another popular method is using condoms. A: Nice! Brunch!

This is probably the best method if you have

B: Kind of, so I made scrambled and soft
sex, since it not only prevents a woman from
boiled eggs, some french toast and buttermilk
getting pregnant but also protects both from
pancakes!
STD‘ s. Yes Jas on?
A: Wow! You really went all out! Did you make
B: What are condoms made out of? How
any coffee?
exactly is it that a woman gets pregnant?
B: Yeah, just the way you like it! I also put out
A: Condoms are usually made out of an elastic
some cereal and muesli if you feel like having
material called Latex. As for your other
something more light.
question, that ‘ s a whole new class.
A: Looks g ood! I ‘ llsqueeze us some fresh
The Office ‐ Interview Skills 7 ‐ Descri
orange juice.
bing Ones
B: Get the jam and butter while you are in
Weaknesses (C0253)
there! Oh! And don ‘ t forget the syrup!
Mr. Parsons: Okay Rebecca, well I think
Global View ‐ The Miracle Of Life (C025
you ‘ vegiven me a clear impression of your
5)
positive qualities, but let ‘ s talk a little bit about
A: Continuing with our class, today we are
your weaknesses.
going to study briefly the miracle of life. Many

Rebecca: Okay, well it ‘ s always more difficult of you may think you already know how babies

to describe them isn ?‘ t it come to be, but I am sure that some of the
things that we will be talking about today may
Mr. Parsons: Definitely, but if you had to surprise you. Billy can you turn on the
pinpoint one weakness what would it be? projector please? Thanks. Ok, does anyone
know what this is?
Rebecca: Well as I mentioned before, I do B: Looks like a goat head to me!
tend to get frustrated if I don ‘ t see progress in
my work or career. I suppose I ‘ mquite a A: Nice try, but this is a woman ‘ s womb which
restless character. My father always taught contains her uterus and ovaries. The ovaries
me to be a high achiever so. are packed with eggs and each month during
Mr. Parsons: So would you say if things don ‘t the middle of the menstrual cycle, the ripest
go your way at work it could easily get you one will be sucked up by one of the fallopian
down? tubes. This is called ovulation and the exact
Rebecca: Well, in a way yes. But I must say time of ovulation depends on the length of
that even if I ‘ m not completely happy in my your cycle. In an average 28 day cycle,

81
 Englishpod Dialogues

ovulation will most likely happen between the number of questions to ask me regarding the
12th and 15th days, counting day 1 as the first position.
day of your last period.
Rebecca: Yes, well Miss Childs did give me an
B: That ‘ samazing! So each month, the overview of the position over the phone, but
woman produces these eggs and then waits there were some details I ‘ d like to clarify.
for them to be fertilized?
A: Actually, every woman is already born with Mr. Parsons: Well feel free to ask me

over four hundred thousand eggs! Some will anything, and I ‘ ll try to fill in the details.

start dying off immediately and others

Rebecca: Could I first ask about the
released during her fertile period.
remuneration package?
B: What about the guys? I know they produce
Mr. Parsons: Yes of course. That ‘ s quite an
sperm and stuff.
important point i sn ‘ t it? As a junior sub editor
A: That ‘ sright! The man‘ s body has a tiny
we offer a starting salary of 150,000 HK
factory that produces sperm twenty four hours
dollars per annum. This doesn ‘ tinclude a
a day! Each ejaculation will release about a
generous housing allowance also.
hundred million sperm so the factory is always
Rebecca: I understand. And are there other
pretty busy. The sole purpose of a sperm ‘ s life
bonuses included?
is to fertilize the woman ‘ s egg.
Mr. Parsons: Well apart from full health
B: So, then we basically need to put
insurance we do offer a company staff bonus
one-and-one together so we can have babies
scheme linked to readership numbers. But we
right?
could go through all the details of that at a
A: Yes, the man will have an orgasm during
later date.
intercourse and ejaculate sperm and semen.
Rebecca: Well Mr. Parsons, I am flexible
Now this is where the race begins and all those
when it comes to salary. The opportunity to
millions of sperm will race and swim from the
work in Hong Kong for you is the most
cervix, through the uterus to the fallopian
important thing for me.
tubes. This could take anywhere from forty
Mr. Parsons: Excellent. Well, what other
five minutes to twelve hours! Not all of them
questions do you have Rebecca?
make it, since some go the wrong way and get
Global View ‐ The World Cup (C0257)
lost or simply die. Many will actually reach the
A: What are you doing?
egg but only one will penetrate it and fertilize
B: What am I doing? What am I doing? Don ‘t
it. Once this happens, the egg instantly
you know what day it is?
changes and creates a protective shield once
the sperm is safely inside.
A: Ummm. no.
B: And then? That ‘ s it?
A: Well, the egg will be fertilized within about
B: It ‘ s only the day when the world ‘ s biggest
24 hours of its release. The genetic material
sporting event is kicking off.
from the sperm combines with the genetic
A: What?
material in the egg to create a new cell that
B: The World Cup! The first match is today!
will rapidly start dividing. The woman is not
It ‘ s Mexico vs. South Africa! It ‘ s going to be a
actually pregnant until that bundle of new cells,
really good match! Both teams have a very
known as the embryo, travels the rest of the
strong offense and have skilled players. I think
way down the fallopian tube and attaches
that South Africa will probably dominate the
itself to the wall of her uterus. Any other first half since they are the host country, and
questions? Then let ‘ s move on.
all.
The Office ‐ Interview Skills 8 ‐ Discus
A: I have no idea what you ‘ re talking about.
sing Salary and Benefits (C0256)
The only sporting event we watch at home is
Mr. Parsons: Okay, well I ‘ m sure you have a
82
 Englishpod Dialogues

the Super Bowl. For example, how big is your

B: This is bigger than the Super Bowl, man!
Teams from 32 countries compete against workforce here?

each other every four years and fight to win

Mr. Parsons: Well in total we have around
that trophy. They first start in a group stage
150 employees based in Hong Kong with
with bigger groups, each group having 4
another 400 in our head office in Beijing. The
teams. The top 2 teams pass on to an
news desk staff in Hong Kong comprises
elimination stage before going on to the
around 80 staff.
quarterfinals and semifinals.
Rebecca: I see. And how about the working
A: Sounds interesting, but soccer doesn ‘ t
hours?
really appeal to me.
Mr. Parsons: Well, as you know Rebecca, in
B: Are you kidding? Over seven hundred
journalism work hours are not exactly 9-5.
million people watched the final match of the
You could be on call at any time. We do have
World Cup! It ‘ as very exciting and nerve
to work very unsociable hours at times.
wracking sport! Each nation is cheering on
Rebecca: Well I am used to that Mr. Parsons,
their team, hoping they will become the next
so that ‘ s not really a shock for me.
champion. So far Brazil is the team with the
Mr. Parsons: Good, as long as you
most titles under their belt; they ‘ rereally
understand that.
good!
Rebecca: And when do you need to fill the
A: All I know about soccer is that you can ‘ t use
vacancy, Mr. Parsons?
your hands and that players are always falling
Mr. Parsons: Yesterday! But no, we are
down, trying to get a free kick or penalty kick.
hoping to start from the beginning of next
It seems like a sissy sport to me!
month.
B: Whatever dude, I ‘ m going to go watch the
Rebecca: That sounds ideal.
opening match.
The Weekend ‐ Guns (C0260)
Daily Life ‐ You ’ re Grounded! (C0258)
A: Hey Nick, what are you up to?
A: Do you know what time it is?
B: Not much, just heading over to the
B: Um. Ten?
shooting range. You wanna come?

A: Get in this door young man. It ‘ s midnight,

A: Seriously? You mean to fire a real weapon?
you are two hours past curfew.
I don ‘ t know man.

B: I know, but it wasn ‘ t my fault! I told

B: Yeah it will be fun! I have a 9mm pistol that
Jennifer she had to drop me off before ten, but
is really easy to shoot. I also have a revolver
she wouldn ‘ t leave the party!
that ‘ s really fun too! They have big targets at
A: I don ‘ tcare! You are grounded for life
the range that we could use to practice and
mister!
improve your aim.
B: Mom! That is so unfair!
A: Yeah that would be cool! Maybe I can also
A: You know the rules and you broke them. No
have a try at other weapons like a machine
allowance and no TV for a week. I usually
gun or a shotgun! Maybe even a rocket
never ground you but this time I have to put
launcher or an anti tank missile! Or what
my foot down!
about a flame thrower!
B: What! For being a couple of hours late? You
B: Whoa, take it easy there Rambo. Don ‘ t get
have to be kidding!
carried away. These weapons are not toys,
A: I don ‘ twant to hear it! Now go to your
and you must first learn how to handle them
room!
properly. There are basic rules that you must
About The Position (C0259)
abide by in order to be safe. For example,
Rebecca: Could you tell me a little about the
never handle a weapon that you haven ‘ t
organization?
83
 Englishpod Dialogues

inspected yourself. Always make sure there on Monday or Tuesday. How does that sound?
isn ‘ t anything in the chamber, and never put Rebecca: That sounds perfect. Thank you
your finger on the trigger unless you are ready very much for taking the time to speak to me
to shoot! Mr. Parsons.
A: Wow, I didn ‘ t know! It always looks so cool Mr. Parsons: The pleasure ‘ sall mine
and easy in the movies! Rebecca.
B: The reality is different you know, running Rebecca: I hope to hear from you very soon.
and firing a weapon is a lot harder than in the Mr. Parsons: Absolutely. Thanks for coming
movies! So are you ready? Rebecca. Goodbye.
A: Let ‘ s do it! Global View ‐ Nationalities (C0263)
Daily Life ‐ Describing Someone ’ｓ Face A: Hey! How was your first day of class? I ‘ m in
(C0261) level two and I ‘ m loving my class this
A: Let ‘ s play a game! semester! It ‘ sgreat being in a class of
B: Ok! How about Scrabble? international students!
B: Mine was ok, except that no one in my class
A: No no, a friend of mine taught me this really speaks English. I guess it will force me to
fun game. I ‘ mgoing to describe someone ‘ s converse in Chinese more in class so at least I
face, and you guess who it is! should improve a lot this semester.

B: Ok! A: That ‘ s both fortunate and unfortunate. It

A: Let ‘ ssee. He has a roman nose, bushy the United Nations in my class! We have
eyebrows and dimples! people from all over the world! There are three
B: Our cousin Pete! My turn! She has a pointy Germans, a Pole, a Scottish, two French, an
nose, sunken eyes and a mole on her chin! American, a Brazilian, a Chilean, a New
A: Aunt Rose! That mole is so huge! Ok, my Zealander, though he prefers to call himself a
turn. He has a crooked nose and full lips. He Kiwi. Who else do we have? Oh, we also have
has quite a few freckles and an oval face. Oh, a Moroccan, a Togolese, a Pakistani, and two
he is also bald! Indonesians!
B: Your future husband!
A: Not funny. B: That ‘ squite the array of nationalities.
The Office ‐ Interview Skills 10 ‐ Concl Everyone in my class is from Asia, except me.
uding The Interview (C0262) There are a few South Koreans, several
Mr. Parsons: Well Rebecca, is there anything Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Singaporean,
else you need to know for now? Filipino, Kazakhstani, and one Russian.
Rebecca: I don ‘ t think so Mr. Parsons. I think A: Well, I think you ‘ repretty lucky actually.
you have covered all the main points for me. You ‘ ll have the opportunity to learn so much
about Asian culture.
Mr Parsons: Okay well listen, here is my B: I guess so, but I th ink it ‘ s going to be hard
business card with my mobile number. If any to relate to my classmates, especially with the
other questions spring to mind don ‘ t hesitate language barrier. I think I might change
to contact me. Of course you can also call Miss classes.
Childs too. A: Don ‘ t! Stay the course! Your spoken
Chinese will be eternally grateful. I bet you it
Rebecca: Great. Ermm, when can I expect to
will even surpass mine with all that practice.
hear from you?
B: I highly doubt it. Your girlfriend is Chinese.
Mr. Parsons: Well, we are finishing the
A: Well, there is that, yes.
shortlist interviews tomorrow, so we will
Daily Life ‐ Toothache (C0264)
certainly have a decision made by early next
A: What seems to be the problem?
week. Miss Childs will call you to discuss more B: I have a really bad toothache! My cheek is
84
 Englishpod Dialogues

swollen and I can ‘ t eat anything. expect strong winds and a low of around 40
degrees.
A: Let ‘ s have a look. Hmmm. This doesn ‘ t look
too good. I think we may have to pull out your A: That ‘ s pretty chilly for the summer! Will it
wisdom tooth. It ‘ spress ing against your rain on Saturday?
molars and that ‘ s one of the reasons you are
experiencing so much pain. B: Unfortunately, yes. It will be clear early
Saturday morning but there is a high chance
B: When you pull my tooth will you also have of showers and thunderstorms later in the day.
to extract the nerve and the root? There is a severe thunderstorm warning for
A: First we will take some x-rays and see what some parts of the Southeast. Folks in those
we‘ re dealing with. I also noticed a small areas might see some hail and flooding,
cavity up front here, so you are going to need especially in areas that have been
a filling. experiencing record high rainfalls.
B: I guess that ‘ s what I get for not flossing or A: That certainly sounds like a dreary
brushing my teeth three times a day. Saturday.
A: It could be that, or maybe you are eating B: It gets better on Sunday, though. The
too many sweets. In any case, I ‘ ll administer storm systems move east and the skies will
an anesthe tic and you won ‘ t feel a thing! clear up at night. It will still be rather cool,
The Weekend ‐ Pest Control (C0265) with highs in the low 50s. The West Coast will
A: Hi, did you call for an exterminator? be experiencing some unusually chilly weather,
B: Yes! Thank goodness you ‘ rehere. These but at least the sun will come out. I advise
bugs are driving us crazy! weekend travelers to be careful, especially
while driving. Back to you, Mark.
A: What sort of pest are we dealing with? A: Thanks John, and there you have it! Looks
like it ‘ s a weekend to stay at home!
B: We just bought this house and it is infected
Daily Life ‐ Making A Bank Transfer (C0
with just about everything. We have termites
267)
in the wood, cockroaches all over the place, A: Good Morning welcome to Bank of the USA.
and last night I saw a huge rat out in the
How may I help you today?
backyard!
B: Hi I need to transfer some money to
A: Well, there ‘ s nothing we can ‘ t handle. I ‘ ll another account. It ‘ s urgent.
spray the floorboards and walls to get rid of
the cockroaches, but the termites will be A: Okay, have you made a wire transfer at our
harder to get rid of. We will have to cover the bank before ?
entire house and fumigate it. Unfortunately
that means you will have to find a place to stay B: No. I ‘ ve never made a transfer before.
for the next three days. A: It ‘ alright,
s I will take you through the
B: No problem, just get rid of the bugs! procedure. Are you transferring funds to a
Daily Life ‐ Weather Report (C0266) company or an individual account?
A: Those are today ‘ s top stories. Now let ‘ s go B: A company account. I need to pay a bill.
to John for the weather. John, what does the A: Okay, I ‘ ll need the name of the company
forecast look like for our weekend travelers? and their bank routing number as well as their
B: I ‘ mafraid we‘ re in for a rough weekend, bank ‘ s address and phone number.
Mark. There is a storm system moving through B: I have all the information in this folder.
the East Coast. It will be drizzling all day today, A: Well You ‘ vecome prepared . You have all
and there ‘ sa 60 percent chance of the necessary materials so we can go ahead
thunderstorms this evening. It will be warm and make the transfer right now. It ‘ s a simple
and humid all weekend. In the Midwest, transaction, and we can process it today.

85
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Oh, that ‘ s such a relief. I didn ‘ t want the the level of our competitors. We offer a
payment to be overdue. Thank you so much . superior product and our focus is on long-term
A: It ‘ s my pleasure. growth rather than shortterm sales. If we
The Office ‐ Purchasing Manager (C026 lower our prices, we run the risk of devaluing
8) our product.
A: Good morning, Angela, how have you been
lately? B: Customers don ‘ t care about the coffee

B: Morning, Michael. I ‘ vebeen very busy anymore. They only care about the price.

lately. One of our other vendors is going out of A: I disagree. Highly discerning customers

business and I ‘ ve been searching for a suitable know that our coffee is far better than the

replacement. coffee you buy at the other places. Our coffee

bean are artisan roasted and we use
A: Well, rest assured that you can count on us state-of-the-art equipment to brew our
to be here for the long run sit down. Coffee? coffees. When you compare the coffees
side-by-side our coffee wins the taste test
B: No, thanks. I ‘ ve been trying to cut down on every time. We have never sought to appeal to
the caffeine . the mass market with cheap coffee drinks, and
A: Haha, I could never do that. I ‘ d be a zombie we will not do so now.
if I didn ‘ t have my morning coffee fix. Let ‘ s getC: That ‘ s true. We ‘ ve certainly achieved top of
down to business then. mind awareness when it comes to the best
B: Yes. I ‘ vecome to talk with you about best tasting brews and it ‘ important
s to
ordering the eight megapixel cameras for our distinguish ourselves from our competitors. I
new MePhone. The demand for phone think the main question is how we can show
cameras is growing, and Pear has been falling our appreciation to our customers.
behind in the market. A: That ‘ sthe main question I would like to
A: That ‘ s great! I ‘ m glad to hear that Pear has discuss today.
finally jumped on the bandwagon. Right now B: Money is tight for everyone these days so
our contract is for the five megapixel cameras. even our most loyal customers may be
Is Pear still interested in having those? reconsidering the money they pay for their
B: No, we ‘ re changing all the cameras to eight morning coffee. Since the superiority of our
megapixels. We were hoping that by making coffee beans is one of our core competencies
your company our sole supplier for cameras why don ‘ t we sell the beans for people to brew
we could negotiate a better deal. coffee at home.
A: Surely. Let ‘ s get started by drafting a new C: That could definitely be a way we could
contract. expand our company, but would we be
The Office ‐ Marketing Plan (C0269) undermining the essence of the company that
A: Okay everyone, let ‘begin.
s I called you way?
here today to evaluate our marketing strategy A: Let ‘ s brainstorm some more ideas, and do
during this recession. I wanted to some research. The customer always comes
re-emphasize our corporate mission of Aiming first, and what the customer wants, the
to give our customers the best coffee and customer gets. Maybe it ‘ time
s we started
service in a clean and welcoming atmosphere. selling coffee beans.
B: Several other shops have reduced the Daily Life ‐ Buying A Suit (C0270)
prices for their coffees and are drawing in A: Hello sir, what can I do for you today?
more customers. Why aren ‘ twe doing the B: Hi, I need a new suit. I have an important
same thing? interview next week, so I really need to look
sharp.
A: I know that recent sales have been slow,
but we are not going to reduce our prices to A: No problem! We have a broad selection of
86
 Englishpod Dialogues

suits, all tailored made so that it will fit whole concept has come about and how the
perfectly. new product fits into our existing brand line.
B: Secondly I ‘ dlike to present data on
B: Great! I want a three piece suit, preferably projected sales for the x420. We will then go
made from Italian cashmere or wool. on to discuss our key rivals in this sector. Then
A: Very well sir. Would you like to have some I would like to go on to outline the campaign
shirts made also? concept for the x420.
B: Sure. I ‘ ll also take some silver cuff link and B: Finally I ‘ m happy to open up the discussion
a pair of silk ties. for any questions or points you might have for
A: Very good. Now, if you will accompany me, me.
we can take your measurements and choose Daily Life ‐ Getting A Nanny (C0272)
the patterns for your suit and shirts. Grace: Hey Mel! Are you up for some tennis
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 1 ‐ Th today?
e Overview and the Agenda (C0271) Mel: Sorry, I can ‘ t! I have to go to work, pick
A: Hi everyone, Can everyone hear me?Can up Jake and Maddie from school, and make
you guys at the back hear everything? them an afternoon snack, then take Jake to
soccer practice and Maddie to dance class.
A: Okay great. Well I think all of you know why
we are here this afternoon. As most of you are Grace: You sound exhausted. Maybe you
aware 2010 marks an important moment for should hire a nanny to help you out! She can
Alpha computers. pick the kids up and take them to their
after-school activities. She can also help you
A: We have bounced back from the recession
do some household chores, and run some
and now we are set to launch our new line of
errands.
laptop and desktop computers.

Mel: Oh, I don ‘ t know... it ‘ stohard

find the
A: I ‘ m really pleased to welcome Michael Ford,
right nanny .You have to consider her previous
the Global Marketing Manager for Alpha
work experience, the responsibilities you give
computers, who has flown in from California to her, and how she interacts with the kids. I
give all of you an overview of the marketing
would love to have someone to help me out,
campaign and to answer any questions you
though.
may have. So please give a warm welcome to Grace: I think you should definitely consider it!
Mr. Ford.
Thi s way you won ‘ t have to juggle such a busy
B: Thank you Jonathan. It really is a pleasure
schedule, and you ‘ ll still get to spend time with
to be here today. It has been three years since
the kids in the evenings. I can refer you this
I visited Beijing ,and it ‘ clear
s to me that
great nanny Amy. She used to work for my
operations here are obviously going from
neighbors, before they moved away. She ‘ s
strength to strength.
very responsible, a good cook, and great with
B: The Alpha brand continues to grow in leaps kids.
and bounds in China, and that is certainly
Mel: Oh, that ‘ s great. Thanks Grace. Can you
down to the hard work of all of you here. So
give me her number? I ‘ ll talk it over with Dan
congratulations to all of you. and give her a call tomorrow. Maybe this way I
B: I ‘ d like to start by outlining the key points
won ‘ t be so tired every day, and Dan and I
of my presentation this afternoon and giving
might even get to go on a date once in a
you an idea of the topics that will be discussed.
while .
The presentation today is divided into five The Weekend ‐ The Zodiac and Horosco
main parts.
pes (C0273)
B: First of all, I ‘ d like to briefly touch on the
Angela: Hey Lydia, what are you reading?
background of the new x420 line; how the Lydia: I ‘ mlooking at my horoscope for this
87
 Englishpod Dialogues

month! My outlook is very positive. It says market out there, with a huge untapped
that I should take a vacation to someplace potential for profit.
exotic, and that I will have a passionate
summer fling! Mr Ford: If I bring up the first graph here, it
shows the increase in terms of number of
Angela: What are you talking about? Let me computer owners across the globe.
see that. . . What are horoscopes? Mr Ford: As you can see in the 1980 ‘ s
computer ownership amounted to around
Lydia: It ‘ s a prediction of your month, based 0.5% of the total world population. Since the
on your zodiac sign . You have a different sign 1990 ‘ s, computer ownership has risen
for the month and date you were born in. I was dramatically.
born on April 15th, so I ‘ m an Aries. When were Mr Ford: In the new millennium we saw an
you born? even larger explosion in computer owners ,
Angela: January 5th. with figures rising to around 4- 5%, an
Lydia: Let ‘ s see. . . you ‘ re a Capricorn. It says increase of 1000 % percent compared with the
that you will be feeling stress at work, but you 1980 ‘ s .
could see new, exciting developments in your Mr Ford: If we move on to discuss the figures
love life . Looks like we ‘ ll both have
resting
inte for China specifically we can see in Chart B
summers! that the overall figure for computer ownership
Angela: That ‘ s bogus. I don ‘ t feel any stress stands at around 60 million, which represents
at work, and my love life is practically a huge increase in a very short time period.
nonexistent. This zodiac stuff is all a bunch of Mr Ford: Now of course 60 million is just a
nonsense. drop in the ocean if you compare the total
Lydia: No it ‘ s not, your astrology sign can tell population of China, and this is a key reason
you a lot about your personality. See? It says why the personal computer market is such a
that an Aries is energetic and loves to socialize. hot market.
Angela: Well, you certainly match those Mr Ford: For us at Alpha, and of course for all
criteria, but they ‘ re so broad they could apply our competitors as well, we have millions of
to anyone. What does it say about me? potential customers who are looking to join
Lydia: A Capricorn is serious-minded and the internet generation.
practical. She likes to do things in Mr Ford: If we do this right we really can reap
conventional ways. * laughs * That sounds huge rewards in a very short time frame. I ‘d
just like you! now like to move on to discuss the x420 brand
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 2 ‐ Tal itself, and compare and contrast with some of
king about numbers, charts and graphs our key competitors.
(C0274) Daily Life ‐ Kitchen Appliances (C0275)
Mr Ford: As all of you are well aware,
competition in the laptop computer sector is A: I have been looking at this online catalog
intense. for over an hour and I still haven ‘ tfinished
getting all the kitchen appliances that we
Mr Ford: We continue to fight with our
need!
competitors for market share, and this is the
B: What are you getting?
case both in the developed markets in the
West, as well as more developing markets in A: Well, the first thing on my list is a new
Asia and Africa. blender. I decided to also get a juicer and a
new coffee maker.
Mr Ford: You may ask yourself, why is this
market so cut-throat? Well the answer is B: Don ‘ t forget to also get a new mixer. I lent
simple. There is a huge untapped potential the old one to my brother and he broke it.

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 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Yeah I know. I also decided to throw away powerful. 4Gb of RAM, with an ultra-fast
the old toaster and get a new one. I am also processor.
getting a rice cooker and steamer to make
some nice steamed fish or veggies. Mr. Ford: The most advanced video and

B: I ‘ m actually thinking of completely sound cards on the market are installed with a

refurnishing the kitchen and getting a new crystal-clear 15-inch LCD display. The x420

stove, oven, dishwasher and trash compacter. really stands out as next generation laptop.

A: That ‘ s a good idea ! The kitchen will look Compared with our previous x540 range it

amazing! really is in a league of its own .

Daily Life ‐ Telephone Services (C0276) Mr. Ford: Now, if we go on to look at

projected sales for the x420 we can see that

A: Telco Mobile, how can I help you? sales revenue for 2010 is expected to hit at

B: Yes, I ‘ dlike to activate my voice mail least 20 million dollars. Now this is really a

service please. conservative estimate.

Mr. Ford: If our marketing campaign is
A: Certainly sir, we currently have a special success ful I ‘ m confident that we could see a
promotion where we include voice mail doubling of this figure at the very least. Now
services, call waiting and also three way please bear in mind that this is only for the
calling. first year of production.
Mr. Ford: I ‘ m certain that in the coming three
B: Sure that sounds great! Are there any other years the x420 will actually overtake all our
fees? existing products, both in terms of sales and
A: Not at all. No hidden fees or surcharges, it revenue. Okay, now let ‘ s move on to discuss
is a flat monthly rate. our marketing concept and look more closely
B: Perfect. I also wanted to know if there is at our key competitors.
any call forwarding service? I am usually out Global View ‐ At The Car Dealership (C0
of town and would like my calls to be 278)
forwarded to a local number. A: Hi there! I am looking for a new car. I have
A: Yes of course. We can activate all these this old Ford Pinto that I would like to trade in.
services in about an hour. B: I see. You are in luck this month because all
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 3 ‐ Ma of our models are on sale! it is a perfect time
king Comparisons (C0277) to buy a new car since i t ‘ s the end of the year,
Mr. Ford: Now a key question you might ask
yourself is what differentiates the new x420 A: Perfect! I like this one.
line with our previous models, and also of
course with some of our competitors. B: That is the Ford Focus. A very light but

Mr. Ford: In other words what makes the powerful vehicle. It comes with dual side

x420 stand out from all the others? This is a airbags, power steering and power windows,

key question, and is something I ‘ dlike to tinted windows and your choice of either

explore in a little depth. Firstly, the x420 has a automatic or manual transmission.

range of USPs that really make it a cut above A: Sounds like a good car! How many miles to

the rest. the gallon?

B: It is a very fuel efficient vehicle giving you
Mr. Ford: The first thing to mention is that the about 34 miles in the city and 40 on the
x420 is the first in a new generation of highway.
ultralight laptop computers. It is only 2lbs, A: That is really convenient. Especially now
which compares very favorably with all our that fuel prices are so high! What ‘ the
s under
key competitors. In terms of computer hood?
performance, for such a light machine it ‘ s very B: A very powerful 2.5-liter turbocharged

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 Englishpod Dialogues

engine, Trust me, this car is fast! luxury MP40 range then we can really
A: Now for the most difficult question. What is highlight some of the differences.
the price tag for this lovely vehicle?
B: Very affordable sir. You can take it out of Mr. Ford: Now, of course Orange has an

this lot today with 0% down payment and no enviable record for producing revolutionary

interest for the first year! You can test drive it and top class products, and I must admit the

now and we can sign the papers when we get MP40 is a breathtaking machine. However, for

back. most consumers the MP40 is simply far too

A: Great! Let ‘ s do it! expensive to consider.

Global View ‐ Drugs (C0279) Mr. Ford: Compared with the x420 it is more

A: Hey man, you wanna buy some weed? expensive and there ‘ｓno doubt that

B: Some what? considering the quality and workmanship that

goes into the x420 we really win hands down
A: Weed! You know? Pot, Ganja, Mary Jane on value for money.
some chronic! Mr. Ford: Also, if you compare the after sales
service we offer I think we can proudly boast
B: Oh, umm, no thanks. the best customer service facilities in the
A: I also have blow if you prefer to do a few whole lap-top sector. As opposed to most of
lines. our rivals, we guarantee quality, we guarantee
B: No, I am ok, really. service and we guarantee reliability.
A: Come on man! I even got dope and acid! Mr. Ford: The questions we must ask
Try some! ourselves are ‖　
What does the Alpha brand
B: Do you really have all of these drugs? stand for? and also ‖ How can we set our
selves
Where do you get them from? apart from our competitors? The answer to
A: I got my connections! Just tell me what you both of these questions is the same my
want and I ‘ ll even give you one ounce for free. friends.
B: Sounds good! Let ‘ s see, I want. Mr. Ford: Alpha stands first and foremost for
A: Yeah? quality, for excellence and for service. If we
B: I want you to put your hands behind your always stick to this philosophy then I‘m
head! You are under arrest! confident that we will really be able to expand
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 4 ‐ Dis our market share significantly. Okay, let me
cussing the move on now to give you an idea of our
Competition (C0280) marketing campaign for the x420
Mr. Ford: Now, of course, with all this The Weekend ‐ Breaking Up (C0281)
cutting-edge technology there must be a catch, Lydia: Hello?
you might ask yourself. I bet the retail price Maggie: Hey! Do you want to go out tonight?
will be too much for most consumers, you
might say. Well, you ‘ d be wrong! Lydia: No, I thi nk I ‘ ll pass. Mark broke up with
me. I feel awful.
Mr. Ford: Yes, of course the x420 is aimed at
the luxury market, but if you compare the Maggie: What?!? What happened? Just last
price of our leading competitors, the x420 week you were talking about going on
represents incredible value for money. At vacation together!
only15,000RMB it is far more affordable and Lydia: I don ‘ t know what I did wrong. He said
far more attractive than almost every leading he needed some space to figure things out...
brand and model. He said I did n‘ t do anything wrong, that I ‘ma
great person... just not the one for him...
Mr. Ford: So, what differentiates us from our Maggie: Ugh! That ‘ sso cliche. Mark ‘ snot
competitors? Well, if we compare Orange ‘ s worth your time, Lydia. You deserve so much

90
 Englishpod Dialogues

better! more influential developments in the fields of

Lydia: I know we had hit a rough patch but I thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and
had hoped we could work it out next weekend, nuclear physics, all of which have had
when we both had some time off... I think he significant impacts on modern life. Now, I am
found someone else. I had been getting going to have the TAs pass out the syllabus for
suspicious because he had been spending a lot this class, so you can see how this course will
of time with a coworker... be graded.
Maggie: Whatever. He ‘ s a jerk, forget about Matt: Oh man, looks like this isn ‘ t gonna be
him! There are many more fish in the sea. the easy A I thought it ‘ d be!
Lydia: Talk about being clich ′e, Maggie! But The Office ‐ Presentation Series 5 ‐ De
you ‘ reright. There ‘ sno use for me to sulk ferring Questions (C0283)
around... Let ‘ s go out tonight! Mr. Ford: Now, as we have already discussed
Global View ‐ Physics (C0282) there is a huge untapped market out there
Prof. Brown: Good morning, everybody. both in Asia, in other developing markets, and
Welcome to Physics 101. My name is Ed Brown, in the more mature markets for us to push into.
and I will be your professor for this semester. Now of course, this represents an enormous
Since today is our first class, I wanted to give challenge with enormous rewards for the
you an overview of what this course will look winners, but for any new product we need a
like, how you will be graded, and what we will great marketing message and marketing
cover this semester. campaign
Matt: Will we be focusing more on theoretical Mr. Ford: It needs to be directed and focused
physics or experimental physics, Professor? at our target consumer, and needs to be
pitched at exactly the right level. The question
Prof. Brown: This is an introductory course, we must first address is of course, who is our
and my aim is to give you a broad overview of target consumer and secondly what do they
the field of physics. The term ―　
physics ‖　 expect from the next generation Alpha
encompasses many different areas of lap-top?
research and study, and I hope this course will
provide you with conceptual understanding of Mr. Ford: Let ‘ sfirst of all tackle the first
physics, which will prove useful whether or not question. Our target consumer for the x420 is
you choose to further your study in this field. the middle class, white collar worker with an
above average income. However, as we
Prof. Brown: We will begin the course by mentioned before the total number of
looking at the fundamental concepts of computer owners is expanding rapidly and we
physics, then by the middle of the semester need to broaden our audience for this product.
we will begin exploring the more theoretical
side of physics. It is essential that you first Mr. Ford: For example, the x420 is also
have a firm grasp of the fundamentals, so that ideally suited to the younger student sector,
you can better understand the theoretical who might use laptops both for study and
concepts when we get to them. Matt: Will we gaming. There is no doubt that.
learn about black holes, wormholes, and Audience Member: Mr. Ford, if I could just
string theory? interrupt a moment. You say that the
Prof. Brown: We will learn about the general computer is suitable for students, but don ‘ t
theory of relativity, including black holes. We you think the price of the x420 is just too
will also explore developing theories in much for most students?
quantum mechanics, such as string theory. Mr Ford: Well, that ‘ s a fair point. If you don
We will discuss some hypothetical features of mind I ‘ d like to tackle your question a little bit
space-time, like wormholes. later in the Q and A section. Is that okay?
Prof. Brown: We will also explore some of the Audience Member: Yes sure.
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 Englishpod Dialogues

Mr Ford: Okay, so as I was saying we have an B: Dan is on top of that. I think they are also
exciting campaign planned for the x420. getting the handyman to fix the bathroom
Firstly, we will have a nationwide television toilet that keeps clogging up.
campaign, as well as advertising on radio and
also in many computer publications. We also A: That would be convenient. They might as

intend to. well ask him to fix the electrical wiring. The

Audience Member: I ‘ m sorry to stop you Mr. circuit breakers keep going out all the time.

Ford, but do you really think that a television It ‘ s really annoying!

campaign is cost effective. I mean, how much

B: Yeah you are right. This office is falling
is that going to cost?
apart! Frank told me the other day that the
Mr Ford: Well I don ‘ t have the figures to hand,
gutters outside we re clogged and that ‘ s why
but I ‘ d be happy to discuss those figures with
the parking lot was flooded.
you after the presentation. Okay let me just go
A: I know! I was in ankle deep water trying to
on to talk a little more about the exciting
get to my car that day! The handyman
campaign we have in store.
definitely has his work cut out for him.
Daily Life ‐ Tune Up (C0284)
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 6 ‐ Ad
A: Welcome to Al ‘ s Garage. What seems to be
dressing the Audience (C0286)
the problem?
Mr. Ford: The campaign that we have in store
B: No problem at all! I am taking a long road
for the x420 is exciting, imaginative and
trip and I want to make sure my car is in good
revolutionary. We have spent two years
mechanical condition.
listening to and responding to feedback from

A: Very wise decision. When was the last time customers and staff alike.

you had a tune up?

Mr. Ford: I would like to say that without the

B: Not that long ago, I think it was four assistance and support of each and every one

months ago. of you we really could not have devised this

A: We usually recommend that you bring your campaign. I ‘ d like to take my hat off and really

car in every five thousand kilometers. thank you all for the wonderful work you ‘ ve

B: Why? I mean, what exactly do you do to a done so far, not only in helping support our

car that you need to check it so often? marketing efforts, but also in your continuing

A: First of all, we change the motor oil and oil your commitment to Alpha computers.

filter. If you don ‘ t do this, it can cause your

Mr. Ford: There ‘ s no doubt in my mind that
engine to wear faster and that means you
we have a great workforce here and together
would probably have to change the pistons
we can really push Alpha computers to a whole
and intake valves.
new level of success.
B: I see. What else?
A: We also check your spark plugs, fuel filter,
Mr. Ford: On the subject of the campaign let
and other oil levels such as hydraulic fluid. We
me ask you all a question. How do we define
also check the clutch and brakes to determine
the perfect lap-top? Is it about affordability,
when you will need new ones.
quality, speed, reliability? What do you look
B: Ok, well, when you put it that way, it
for in a consumer? Well, I believe the answer
doesn ‘ t seem like a waste of time and money.
lies in a combination of all of these elements.
A: Trust me, regular tune ups will keep your
Mr. Ford: Our campaign will really hammer
car running smoothly and avoid break downs.
home the point that the x420 is a
Daily Life ‐ Handyman (C0285)
state-ofthe-art laptop for all of your
A: The air conditioning is not working! We
computing needs. With our television
need to call a handyman before we start to fry
campaign we hope to really reach out to a
in here!
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 Englishpod Dialogues

huge audience. Mr. Ford: We have a great ad great! I want to get a dragon on my arm or
campaign planned focusing on the fantastic maybe a tiger on my back.
USP‘ s of the x420. We have hired one of the
best PR companies to work with us on the B: Yeah but, it is something that you will have

campaign, and have already completed three forever! They use indelible ink that can only be

separate TV adverts, all focusing on one key removed with laser treatment. On top of all

feature of the x420. that, I have heard it hurts a lot!

Mr. Ford: I ‘ m excited to say that today, for A: Really?

the first time, we will unveil to all of you here B: Of course! They use this machine with a

the first of these advertisements! needle that pokes your skin and inserts the

Daily Life ‐ High School Reunion (C0287 ink.

) A: Oh , I didn ‘ t know that! I thought they just

A: I hate coming to high school reunions. paint it on your skin or something.

B: It will be great honey. We will get to see B: I think you should reconsider and do some

your old classmates and catch up to see how more research about tattoos. Also, find out

they have been doing. where the nearest tattoo parlor is and make
sure they used sterilized needles, and that the
A: Yeah I guess so. Oh look! There is Robert place is hygienic.
Matthews! Rob! A: Maybe I should just get a tongue piercing!
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 7 ‐ Ha
C: Hey Bill! Wow great to see you! ndling Technical Problems (C0289)
A: Likewise! It ‘ s been a long time! This is my Mr. Ford: Okay, so if we could dim the lights
wife Dorthy. Jonathan, we can kick-off with the first TV
C: Pleasure to meet you. So Bill, how have you advert. Please note that we are still in the
been? early days with this advert, so it might seem a
A: Can ‘ t complain! We have 2 children who are bit rough round the edges. Okay, so. just need
in college and my business is going well. What to click this and the advert should pop up on
about you? the screen...
C: Ah you know me! I am a dedicated bachelor. Mr. Ford: Hmmmmmm. Sorry about this.
I never married although I do have a beautiful Bear with me me a second. There seems to be
daughter with Mary, you remember her? We a problem with the projector. Let me see.
were high school sweetheart, didn ‘ treally could you lend a hand a second? Jonathan: It
work out between us, but I really can ‘ t looks like the projector is not recognizing the
complain either. computer. Let me check the connection a
A: That ‘ s good. Have you seen Frank? I was second... Well the connection seems okay,
hoping he would come tonight. and the computer is running normally.
C: You didn ‘ hear?
t Frank passed away last
year. Mr. Ford: Okay. Sorry guys. Obviously a
A: Are you serious? problem with the system. Let ‘ s just reboot and
C: Nah! I ‘ m just yanking your chain. He ‘ ll be start over. Let ‘ s see if this resolves the issue.
here soon. I saw him just last week and he told
me he would show up. Jonathan: Right, let ‘
s try again. No, still

The Weekend ‐ Getting A Tattoo (C0288 nothing Michael. There might be a technical

) issue with the projector. I think maybe the

A: I have made up my mind. I am getting a projector has overheated. We might need to

tattoo. cool it down for ten minutes and start again.

B: Really? Are you sure? I ‘ ll call IT support to come over right now.
Mr. Ford: Okay guys. Unfortunately technical
A: Yeah! Why not? They are trendy and look problems do crop up from time to time, don ‘t

93
 Englishpod Dialogues

they? But it ‘ not

s a huge problem. In the Mark: Well...actually...I was thinking about
meantime while the IT guys get to work on asking Jess t o marry me...I ‘ ve
just been so
that I can talk a little bit more about the nervous.
advertising concept and what we are looking S hop assistant: Well sir, I believe your fifth
to achieve overall with this campaign. anniversary is a great time to propose!
‐Buying Jewelery (C0290
The Weekend Mark: Okay, I ‘ vedecided. I ‘ mgoing to pop
) the question!
Shop assistant: Good afternoon, sir, is there Shop assistant: Fabulous! We should look at
anything I can help you with today? engagement rings then! Now that ‘ as whole
Mark: umm... yeah! I ‘ m looking for a nice gift other section.
to give my girlfriend. Our fifth anniversary ‘s Daily Life‐Ordering Chinese Food (C02
next Friday. Shop assistant: Well, I would be 91)
happy to assist you in choosing the perfect gift Waitress: Hi, welcome to Happy Buddah! Can
for her. Is there anything particular that you I get you anything to drink?
have in mind? Manny: A Coke for me, please.

Mark: No, not really... I ‘ mcompletely at a Andrea: I ‘ ll have a Sprite.

loss.
Waitress: Okay, I ‘ ll go get that for you. Are
Shop assistant: Well, you can give her a set there any questions with the menu?
of pearl earrings, or this beautiful Andrea: Do you use MSG?
heart-shaped pendant. What is her favorite Waitress: No ma ‘ am, we are MSG -free.
gemstone? Andrea: Oh man, I haven ‘ t had Chinese food
Mark: That purple one. I ‘ m sorry...I ‘ ve never in so long! I want everything! This place has
bought jewelery for anyone and I ‘ mkind of the BEST sesame chicken.
nervous. Manny: Yeah, I ‘ ve been craving Chinese for
Shop assistant: Don ‘ t worry, we specialize in such a long time. I used to get take-out all the
providing our customers a relaxed, time. It ‘ s definitely been a while. Let ‘ s sta
pressure-free shopping environment. That with some crab rangoon.
stone is an amethyst. We have a range of Andrea: Ooh yeah, that sounds good. I think
beautiful amethyst pieces. Take a look at this I ‘ m going to get the sesame chicken with fried
bracelet. It ‘ s18K rose -gold, studded with rice, a spring roll, and egg drop soup.
amethyst and blue topaz. It ‘ sa great Manny: It ‘ s so tempting to orde r everything
statement piece. on the menu, it all looks so appetizing! I think
Mark: Oh...wow. That ‘ sreally pretty. Jess I ‘ llget General Tso ‘ schicken, hot and sour
would love that. But...I was thinking of soup, fried wontons, and white rice.
something a little more delicate, perhaps a Andrea: Aren ‘ t you supposed to be on a diet?
necklace? You should at least get brown rice.
Shop assistant: We have this beautiful Manny: I don ‘ tthink so! I hate brown rice,
platinum pendant, or you could also get her a and I ‘ m so sick of eating healthy all the time.
locket. You could also get her a I ‘ ve been eating so much salad I swear I ‘ ve
timepiece — it ‘ s both glamorous yet functional. forgotten what meat tastes like! There ‘ sno
If you tell me a little more about your better remedy than some nice, greasy,
girlfriend, maybe I can help calorieladen Chinese food. I might even get an
you find something for her. Mark: Jess? Well, order of broccoli beef!
she ‘ svery smart, and has a great sense of Andrea: Gosh, I ‘ mso hungry! Let ‘ call
s the
humor. She ‘ s very feminine... waitress over!
Shop assistant: Perhaps you could give her a The Office‐Presentation Series‐8Co
ring? mmon Presentation Mistakes (C0292)
94
 Englishpod Dialogues

Mr. Ford: So as I mentioned previously the I think I must have brought the wrong file.
campaign advertisement will focus on those Can we take five?
key elements that every consumer looks for in Advanced Media ‐ Cheese Lovers (F029
a quality laptop: affordability, quality, speed 3)
and reliability. We have pulled out all the stops A: Hello everyone my name is Laurie and I
to produce a product that really rivals all our want to welcome you to this course. We will
competitors. learn all about one of the oldest yet most
Mr. Ford: Actually, just to illustrate my point delicious foods on this planet; cheese! Let ‘ s
let me give you an anecdote here. I remember get started!
last year I was playing golf with one of our key A: Cheese is usually categorized intofour
suppliers. It was a lovely summer afternoon. types: soft, semi- soft semi-hard and hard.
Anyway, I invited our supplier for a game of The designation refers to the amount of
golf, and wanted to get his input on the new moisture in the cheese, which directly affects
x420. its texture. Making cheese is an ancient
practice, dating back thousands of years, and
Mr. Ford: Actually, I often get together with the home cheese maker can usually find
him for a good game of golf. It really is a recipes for cheese that falls into any of the
wonderful way to relax. To be honest, I ‘ m not four categories.
that great at golf, but I have improved in the
last few years. But the key to golf is practice, A: Soft cheese includes cottage cheese, cream
practice, practice. I ‘ velost my thread. What cheese, ricotta, brie, bleu, roquefort,
was I talking about again? mozzarella, meunster and similar cheeses.
These cheeses generally pair well with fruit or
Jonathan: I think you were discussing the meats, or can be used as breakfast cheeses in
campaign advertisement Michael. an omelette Nor as pasta fillings. They are
Mr. Ford: Yes, excuse me. I ‘ mafraid I got usually mildly flavored and very high in
sidetracked there. Yes anyway, the campaign. moisture.
Well, erm. let me see. Is the projector working
yet Jonathan? A: American, Colby, co-jack and similar
Jonathan: No sorry, IT are still fixing it. cheeses are inthe semi-soft category. These
Mr. Ford: Ahh okay, erm... all the information are slightly stronger in flavor and cover a wide
on the campaign is on the PowerPoint. I range of uses. Co-jack cheese, a blend of
haven ‘ t actually got my notes with Colby and Monterrey jack is one of the most
me...ermlet me see, erm..... popular. This allows the sharper flavor of
Audience Member: Mr. Ford, could you at Colby to be combined with the milder jack
least tell us the schedule for the campaign? cheese, and also melts better than plain Colby.
When are the first advertisements scheduled Grilled cheese sandwiches often use American
for? cheese, and Mexican cheeses such as Asadero
Mr. Ford: That ‘ s a good question. and Queso Fresco are becoming more popular.
Unfortunately I erm...don ‘ t have that A: Hard cheeses include Parmesan, Romano,
information on me. I will have to get back to Asiago, Swiss, Gruyere and others. Parmesan
you on that point. and Romano are most familiar as the grated
Jonathan: Okay Michael, the projector is powder used to top spaghetti, but they are
fixed. I think we ‘ re
ready. also used as accompaniments for fruit, wine,
Mr. Ford: Thank goodness. Okay everyone, nuts and other appetizer items. Swiss is a
sorry for the delay. So without further ado the popular sandwich cheese and melts well,
new x420 marketing campaign! Enjoy! oh unlike some other hard cheeses.
ermmm. I ‘ mterribly sorry, this is not the Daily Life ‐ Picking A University (C0294
advert, this is my golfing holiday in Barbados. )
95
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: I ‘ ve never heard of AmLion College. Could Mr. Ford: I gave you an idea of the kind of
you... revenue we expect to hit in 2010 with the new
B: Of course sir, let me give you a brief x420 range, and believe me, this is really just
overview. AmLion College is located in the the beginning. Once we establish the x420 in
center of New York city. The school covers a the market we have plans to continue to
wide range of academic subjects; and eighty expand our range with ever more
percent of the courses are transferable to revolutionary and impressive products.
other state universities. And, last year AmLion Mr. Ford: Alpha computers is dedicated to
College was ranked number one in terms of innovation and improvement. I really see no
graduate employment. limit to our potential as long as we stick to the
principles I stressed earlier: quality,
A: Interesting, and what about the tuition fees, excellence and service.
then? Mr. Ford: Before we move on to the Q and A
section I ‘ d really like to leave you with a quote
B: You ‘ ll be looking at somewhere arou nd
that really sums up ever ything that we‘ ve
fifteen thousand US dollars per semester.
discussed today, and hopefully it will provide
A: Okay, well.
you with the same inspiration that it gives me.
B: And, did I mention our on-campus housing?
Mr. Ford: As the great Henry Ford once said ‖　
Students can stay in our newly renovated
Quality means doing it right, when no one is
dorms for as little as three thousand dollars looking ‖　
Well, in fact our customers are
per month!
looking; they are looking for
A: Sounds good. Well. I ‘ ll just grab one of your
us to lead the way and to give them the quality
flyers.
that our competitors cannot. We cannot let
B: Sir, you got the wrong flyer. Sir, sir!
them down!
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 9 ‐ Su
Global View ‐ Vegan Or Vegetarian? (C0
mmary and
296)
Conclusion (C0295)
A: Hey Julie, you want to go grab something to
Mr. Ford: Right everyone. I apologize that I
eat?
can ‘ t show you the marketing campaign today,
B: Sure! What do you feel like having?
but next week you will all have the opportunity
to see if for yourselves, and I have no doubt A: I really feel like having a big juicy steak!
that you will be impressed. Let me wrap up the
presentation by summarising my key points. B: Oh. ok. I don ‘ t eat meat, but that ‘ s fine, I
am sure wherever we are going they will have
Mr. Ford: As I mentioned at the outset, 2010 other options right?
represents a key year for Alpha computers. A: I didn ‘ t know you were a vegetarian!
The recession is hopefully behind us. It is clear B: I ‘ m not, I am a vegan.
to everyone in the computer industry that A: A what?
demand is booming, especially in the B: A vegan. I don ‘ teat or use any animal
developing markets. based products. I don ‘ t wear leather, eat eggs,
drink milk or anything that comes from an
Mr. Ford: If we are to succeed in this animal. I used to be a pescatarian before,
ultracompetitive field then we really need to
which basically means you don ‘ t eat meat, but
push forward and offer our customers
still have fish and seafood.
products that meet their needs on all levels.
A: Wow! That ‘ s interesting! It must be tough!
As I hope I have illustrated, the x420
B: It ‘ s a bit difficult to find vegetarian friendly
represents the kind of computer that can
restaurants sometimes, but since more and
really satisfy those needs.
more people are vegetarians or vegans
nowadays, it ‘ s getting a bit less difficult.
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 Englishpod Dialogues
The Weekend ‐ Ordering At An Italian R Goliath battle,but don ‘ tforget who won that
estaurant (C0297) contest.
A: Good evening ladies. My name is Josh and Frank: Ermmm, Mr Ford. Could you elaborate
I ‘ llbe your server tonight. May I take your on the actual technical details of the x420 a
order? little more?
Mr. Ford: I ‘ d love to but I think we are a little
B: Do you have any recommendations? pressed for time right now. However Jonathan
has all the technical specs for you on the
A: Well, I personally like the chicken penne
powerpoint presentation, which you can look
with cream mushroom sauce, but the prawn over in your own time.
fettuccine is also very nice.
Marcie: Mr. Ford. One final question. Would
you like to join me for a game of golf this
B: Hmm. I ‘ d like to have the grilled chicken,
Sunday?
but can I have spaghetti instead of penne?
Daily Life ‐ Returning A Product (C0299
A: Of course, mam. And for you?
)
C: I... ah..I ‘ ll have the horse tripe.
A: Hi I would like to return this TV.
The Office ‐ Presentation Series 10 ‐ T
B: Sure, do you have the receipt?
he Q and A
Session (C0298)
A: Yeah here you go. Actually I also want to
Jonathan: Well everyone, I ‘ m sure you ‘ d like
return this keyboard.
to join me in thanking Michael for what was a
really inspirational presentation. Sincere B: Ok, may I ask what is the reason for
thanks returning these products?
A: : The TV flickers a lot when I am watching a
Michael. Jonathan: Now, I ‘ m sure many of
movie and at times the image is not very clear.
you will be k een to ask some questions, so I ‘d
B: I see, and what about the keyboard?
like to open it up a Q and A session. Please
A: I spilled some coffee on it and now it won
raise your hand if you have any questions at
work.
all. Janice, go ahead. B: I am sorry sir, but we can only exchange or
refund defective products, we cannot take
Janice: Yes thank you Jonathan. I would just
responsibility for misuse or damages.
like to go back to the comment Mr. Ford made
A: Fine! I don ‘ tknow why they make these
in regards to our competitors, particularly
things so delicate anyways.
Orange. Now as you know, Orange has
Daily Life ‐ Online Dating (C0300)
established themselves as the market leader
A: Do you want to hang out tomorrow?
in the high-end lap-top market.
B: Oh, I can ‘ t. I have a date!

Janice: How does Mr. Ford expect to compete

A: Really? Wow with who?
with a company that has such a huge
reputation and huge resources?
B: This girl I ‘ ve been chatting with forthe past
Mr. Ford: Well Janice, first of all, thanks for a
couple of months. She ‘ s really cool and she ‘
very good question. I think you have hit the
driving over here this weekend.
nail on the head actually. Orange are the
A: Wait a minute, you mean you met her
global leaders precisely because of their size
online?
and power.
B: Yeah! I signed up for a website called
Mr. Ford: But, although we can ‘ t compete in
match. and it is great! You fill in all your details
terms of size I do believe we hold an
and preferences, like if you are a smoker or if
advantage in terms of dedication to customer
you have any pets. Then you find people that
service. Yes, I admit this is a David and
have similar characteristics and you can email

97
 Englishpod Dialogues

them or chat. A: I guess that explains why you are afraid of

A: That is kind of weird! What if she is a flying, but public speaking is not that bad.
psycho or something like that? B: Are you kidding? When I get on stage, my
B: It ‘ s the same as meeting people anywhere palms start to sweat, I get really nervous and
and dating them! I am just tired of going to I can hardly speak.
bars or being set up for dates by my friends! I A: Well, I must confess I am a bit
think this is a really cool alternative, especially claustrophobic. I hate being in an elevator for
if you are a bit shy. more than 5 seconds.
A: I guess it does seem logical. I ‘ llhave to B: We are such weirdos right?
check it out! Daily Life ‐ Mexican Food (C0303)
The Weekend ‐ Vampires (C0301) A: Hello sir, welcome to Pistolera restaurant.
A: You want to go tothe movies tonight? May I take your order?
B: Sure! What ‘ s playing? B: Yes, I would like the chicken cheese
enchiladas with a side of guacamole.
A: The new Twilight movie!
A: I ‘ m sorry sir, but we ran out of chicken. May
B: Twilight? As inthe vampire movies? No way I suggest our delicious beef burritos or cheese
I am watching that. I don ‘ tunderstand why quesadillas? Both include a side of guacamole
everyone isso excited about these films about and jalapenos.
vampires. It doesn ‘ t make sense.
A: Of course it does. It ‘ s like a modern tale of B: Sure I ‘ llhave the burrito.. Do you have
Romeo and Juliet. You have a couple that is in nachos?
love but can ‘ t be together because they are so A: Of course sir. Our nachos come with melted
different. Add in the fact that immortality and cheese and chili.
super human strengthis really sexy and there B: Sounds good.
you have it! Plus the cast is hip, young people A: Would you like anything to drink?
that make the movie even more enticing. B: Sure, I ‘ ll have a Corona.
B: I d on ‘ t buy into that. I think it ‘ s just a fad. Daily Life ‐ Neat Freak (C0304)
Pretty soon this will pass and everyone will be A: Ugg, this bathroom is a pigsty!
into werewolves or zombies! B: Helen, why do you keep flushing the toilet?
Global View ‐ Phobias (C0302) What ‘ s wrong?
A: Are you excited about your trip next
month? A: I just can ‘ t stand it. It ‘ s really gross in here!

B: Yes and no. I can ‘ t wait to go to Europe, but There ‘ s a stain on the toilet seat, and the floor

at the same time I am terrified. was wet and slippery. So I cleaned it!

A: Why? B: You did what? Helen, I know it ‘ s gross, but

I ‘ veseen many public washrooms that are
B: Well, I have aerophobia. I have a chronic much worse. Why are you cleaning the
fear of flying. counter top? are you out of your mind?
A: Oh really? I have an uncle who is also A: I can ‘ t help myself; it ‘ s just so disgusting in
terrified of flying. It ‘ s not that bad though, I here!
mean, it is pretty scary to be in this big B: Helen, this is not like your own bathroom.
machine flying through the air at seven Just leave it to the cleaners,okay?
hundred miles per hour. I actually have A: Hang on. I ‘ m just gonna quickly wipe the
arachnophobia. sink and sweep the floor.
B: You ‘ rescared of spiders? I actually have B: You ‘ re such a neat freak! I ‘ m outta here!
two more phobias. Acrophobia and The Weekend ‐ Bowling (C0305)
glossophobia. A: Alright, so the first thing that you need to

98
 Englishpod Dialogues

know about bowling is that you should never name and number for insuranc e purposes. ‖　
cross that line where the lane begins. A: Nice! Let ‘ s go!
B: Why not? The Office ‐ Small Talk Series ‐ Showin
g Interest
A: Because they polish and oil it to make the (C0307)
ball slide down. If you step there you will slip Tina: Hey Michelle, this is my friend James.
and fall. He‘ s visiting Shanghai from New York.

A: OK, so I got my bowling shoes, my ball, our Michelle: Oh, hi James. Nice to meet you. So,
names on the scorecard, so now, how the heck uh. you visiting for business or pleasure?
do I play this?
A: You throw the ball down the lane and try to James: Well, actually a littl e of both. I‘m
knock down all the pins. If you do, that is meeting some business contacts but I ‘ m also
called a strike. If you don ‘ tknock t hem all taking some Mandarin classes too.
down on the first try, then you get a chance to
get the spare. After ten frames, we add up the Michelle: That ‘ s cool! How ‘ s it going?

points and see who has the most. Three James: Well, I ‘ mfinding the classes pretty

hundred is a perfect score, but very hard to tough actually, but I ‘ m having a great time in

get. Shanghai. It ‘ s really an amaz ing city.

B: Got it! OK, I ‘ m gonna give it a go. Oh no! Michelle: It sure is. Are you staying for long?

My ball went in the gutter! James: Only two weeks unfortunately. I wish

A: I told you, its harder than you think. Now I could stay longer but.

let a pro show you how it ‘ s done. Michelle: Well listen, if you need someone to

The Weekend ‐ Pick Up Lines (C0306) show youthe sights then just call me. I‘m

A: Let ‘ s got out tomorrow night. We can go to having a little get together at my new

a bar and try to find you a girlfriend. apartment next week so if you want to drop

B: I don ‘ t think that ‘ s a good .idea

I am just bythen.

not good with approaching someone and James: That sounds great. I ‘ d love to! Let me

starting up a conversation. take down your number Michelle.

Daily Life ‐ Boxers and Briefs (C0308)
A: Maybe you just need a few pick up lines,you A: Lily, I found a pair of men ‘ s boxers in the
know, break the ice. laundry machine this morning!
B: What?! That ‘ sweird. Are they your
B: Pick up lines don ‘ t work! boyfriend ‘ s?
A: Come on! You can just walk up to a girl and
say: ―If you were a booger I ‘ d pick you first. ‖　 A: Nah, Kevin only wears briefs. Plus, this pair
B: What? Come on! That ‘ s just lame! No girl is extra small!
would fall for that!
A: Fine, then you can say: ― So there you are! B: What do they look like?

I ‘ ve been looking all over for YOU, the woman A: They ‘ re light blue with thin pink stripes...

of my dreams! ‖　 Oh, and there ‘ sa Snoopy on it which is

B: That ‘ sa good one! I think that ‘ pretty

s hilarious, hahah...

funny. B: Those are my undies!

A: Yeah, so you make her laugh, you make a Global View ‐ Indian Food (C0309)

fool of yourself a little bit and then you buy her A: So where is this mystery restaurant that we

a drink. are going to?

B: Ok, how does this sound: ― I was so B: It ‘ s an Indian restaurant! I know you have

enchanted by your beauty that I ran into that never had Indian food, so I thought you might

wall over there. So I am going to need your want to try.

99
 Englishpod Dialogues

A: That sounds great! I am craving some type Maggie Gao: Okay everyone, shall we begin?
of beef dish. Bill: Sorry Maggie, but we are missing a few
people. Can we hang on a sec?
B: Well, Indian cuisine actually doesn ‘ t serve
beef. You see, cows are a sacred animal, a Maggie Gao: Well, I did say eleven o‘ clock
very important element inthe Hindu religion, sharp, and it ‘ s now five past so. . . .
so beef is not eaten.
A: I see, so what are we having? Chicken? James: Hi everyone, I ‘ m so sorry I ‘ m late. It

B: There are many amazing dishes to choose raining cats and dogs outside and I had to wait

from. We can havesome chicken tikka ages for a taxi.

masalawhich is an amazing curry. It ‘ as bit Maggie Gao: Okay James, take a seat quickly

spicy, but I think you can handle it. please. Right, the subject ofthe meeting is.

A: Sounds good! I have always heard that Sally: Hi guys. Please excuse me ,I was held

Indian spices give a rich flavor to food. up in traffic.

B: Yeah. Also, we can have some Naan bread Maggie Gao: Right, as I was saying the

which is baked in a tandoori oven. Since you subject ofthe m. . .

don ‘ t use any utensils to eat, you can use this Bruno: Hi Maggie. I ‘ mterribly sorry. The

bread to scoop upthe curry or rice. traffic is murder out there.

A: What about veggies? Maggie Gao: Sit down Bruno! Okay now, as

B: They have a good variety of vegetable you are aware, the topic for this meeting is

based dishes like palak paneer, vegetable ?The importance of being punctual ‘ Who
.

samosas or Daal. would like to start?

A: It all sounds exquisite! I can ‘ t wait! The Weekend ‐ Ordering Drinks (C0312

The Office ‐ Small Talk 2 (C0310) )

James: So Michelle, let me introduce you to A: What Can I get you?

Maria. She ‘ s my colleague from Brazil. Maria, B: I ‘ ll have a Cosmo please.

this is Michelle.
C: D ude! You can ‘ torder a Cosmo! That ‘ sa
Maria: Hi Michelle. So what do you do here in
ladies drink, you ‘ re embarrasing me!
Shanghai? I mean, what work do you do?

B: What are you talking about? It ‘ as good

Michelle: I work in advertising right now.
drink!
How about you?
C: It ‘ s too soft! Order something with a little

Maria: I ‘ m actually inthe wine business. more kick to it!

Michelle: That sounds really great. I love B: Fine! I ‘ ll have a sex on the beach.

wine myself! Is this your first time to Shanghai C: You have to be kidding me!

Maria? B: Come on! It ‘ delicious!

s Especially when

Maria: No actually, I often visit. I usually served in a pineapple or coconut.

come to China for business at least once a C: Forget it, I ‘ m ordering for you. I ‘ ll have a

year. Also, I love the restaurants in Shanghai, Scotch on the rocks and my friend here will

so that ‘ s a good reason to come. have a Manhattan. Put it on my tab. Here now

Michelle: Me too. Actually, there ‘ as great this is a real drink!

Brazilian restaurant I recommend. I mean, the B: That ‘ sstrong! This is going to get me

food is delicious butthe service isn ‘ t so good. I wasted!

often like to get together with friends and C: That ‘ s the idea!

have a great barbecue there. The Office ‐ Small talk 3 (C0313)

James: We should go together some time. Grace: Hey Michelle! Is that you?

Michelle: Wonderful idea! I ‘ d love that! Michelle: Wow, Grace! Long time no see!

The Office ‐ Sorry I ’ｍLate (C0311) Where have you been?

100
 Englishpod Dialogues

Grace: Oh yeah. Well you see I got a laptop. all set. Tracy: Okay, so. . . . . . .
promotion, so I moved tothe new Pudong toWhom It May Concern, I am writing.
office last September.
Melanie: Um, Tracy? I think that ‘ s a little too
Michelle: You did? Congratulations! formal. I know you want to be polite but
Grace: Thanks a lot. So how are things with you ‘ ve already made contact with them, so in
you Michelle? English you can be more relaxed inthe
Michelle: Well, same old same oldyou know. opening. . . .
Nothing much has changed here.
Grace: Are you still seeing Chris? Tracy: Okay, more relaxed. Got it. . . . Hey

Michelle: No, actually we split up last month. Sally, what ‘ s up? It ‘ s Tracy here, just.

Grace: Oh dear. I ‘ m sorry to hear that. Melanie: Okay Tracy, now it ‘too
s relaxed!

Michelle: But I met a really cute guy last You ‘ ve still got to show some respect. How

night at a networking party so, . . . .....well, about starting with ― Dear Ms. Cooper, I‘m

let ‘ s just wait and see...... writing to confirm. . . ?

Grace: Good for you Michelle! Tracy: Great, okay. ― Dear Miss Cooper, I‘m

Daily Life ‐ Making A Collect Call (C031 writing to confirm the final quotation forthe

4) full page back cover color advertisement you

A: This isthe operator, how may I help you? requested forthe spring issue of Voila

B: Yes, I would like to make a collect call. magazine.

Melanie: That ‘ s great. . . .
A: Ok sir, please dial the number. Now please Tracy: ―　
The final costing, including advert
state your name. design and production, comes to forty-five
thousand six hundred RMB. We want payment
B: Tommy. ten working days before publication or we will
A: Please wait a moment. Hello, you have a cancel the ad. Thanks for. . . ‖　
collect call from Tommy. Would you like to Melanie: Woo, okay back up a second Tracy.
accept the charges? That ‘ stoo direct. Can I suggest you say, ‖　
C: Yes of course. please note thatfinal payment is due two
A: Dad? working weeks before publication? You don ‘t
C: Yeah Tommy, what happened are you ok? want to offend her.
A: Yeah dad everything is ok. I ‘ m calling you Tracy: Oops okay. You are right. Then I can
because I want to know if it ‘ s ok for me to go just end with ― All the best, Tracy ‖　
to my friend ‘ s house todayafter school. Melanie: Hmmmm, maybe, but I ‘ dplay it
C: Yeah sure no problem. You scared me to safeand just finish with ― Yours Sincerely ‖.
death! I ‘ ve told you to make a collect call in That ‘ s more professional.
case of an emergency only! Why didn ‘ you
t Tracy: Oh, Melanie you are a life saver, thank
call me from your mobile phone? you!
B: I ran out of credit and I also didn ‘ have
t Daily Life ‐ Small Talk Series 4 ‐ Discus
twenty five cents N forthe payphone. Sorry sing Recent
dad. Workevents (C0316)
The Office ‐ Sending A Quote Via Email Jeremy: Hi Michelle. Do you need to usethe
(C0315) photocopier?
Tracy: Melanie, can you help me with
something? We need to finalize the account Michelle: Oh hi Jeremy. No please, go ahead.
with the Mexican Embassy and, I need some So how are you Jeremy? I was talking to Linda
advice on phrasing this letter correctly in about you only last week.
English.
Melanie: Sure Tracy, let me just get my Jeremy: Oh I ‘ｍfine thanks. I ‘ m super busy

101
 Englishpod Dialogues

with work actually. Did you hear about the fifty for that. So there are two separate
Lawson contract? income taxes – one at a state level and one at
a federal level?
Michelle: No, tell me more. Susan: That ‘ sright. Not all states have an
Jeremy: Well, I was discussing the contract income tax. Some use higher property taxes
with Bill and he said that they metthe head of or sales taxes instead.
Lawsons last week. Emily: I see. All right, well I think everything
Michelle: And. else I can figure out on my own. The
Jeremy: And hopefully they are going to deductions for health insurance and my 401(K)
confirm the deal on Wednesday, fingers are pretty self-explanatory. Thanks for your
crossed help, Susan.
Michelle: That ‘ s great news Jeremy. Susan: No problem! All those deductions do
Congratulations! Anyway, I must get back, but add up, and nobody ‘ snet pay is as h igh as
give my regards to your wife Monica. they ‘ d like. I can understand why you ‘ d want
Jeremy: I will Michelle. Speak to you soon. some explanation.
The Office ‐ First Paycheck (C0317) Emily: Yeah, I guess it ‘ s the same in the UK, I
Emily: Hey, Susan. Have you got a sec? I just never paid much attention. See you later!
have some questions about my paycheck. Global View ‐ Allergies (C0318)
Susan: You bet, Emily. Pull up a chair. Jim: Argh...I feel terrible, I keep sneezing and
my ey es are all watery, what ‘ s wrong with me?
Emily: Well, this is my first paycheck here
Tom: Wow, you ‘ re not dying are you, it looks
inthe States and there are a few things I don ‘t
like you have a cold, you should take some
understand. First off, what is this FICA, and
medicine.
SUI Y tax, and why are there deductions both
for Medicare and for my health insurance Jim: I don ‘ tthink it ‘as cold, I feel fine if I
plan? move a few feet away from my desk.

Susan: OK, let ‘ s start from the top of your pay Tom: Maybe we should put you into
stub. This number here represents your gross quarantine ha ha, jokes aside, I think you
pay. might have an allergy.
Emily: Yes, that ‘ s easy
nough
e to understand. Jim: An allergy? I never thought about that, I
Susan: Then here we have a series of don ‘ t think I ‘ m to pollen though and
allergic
deductions. First off are the federal ones. FICA I ‘ mdesensitized to bee stings after being
stands for Federal Insurance Contribution Act, stung so many times, Hmm.. .
or something like that. It ‘ syour federal Jim: Ow! Why did you chuck that peanut at
income tax. And then there ‘ s Social Security me? Tom: Just checking if you ‘ re allergic to
and Medicare, which are both federal peanuts, I guess not.
programs to help you out after you retire or if Jim: Not funny! I could have gone into
you were unable to work. Anaphylactic Shock.
Emily: All right, I see. So the Medicare isn ‘t Tom: Okay my bad, how about dust? This
actually a health insurance I can use now. office is full of it.
Susan: That ‘ s right. Below the federal Jim: Yes the whole is office is dusty yet I only
deductions are the state deductions. There ‘ s feel affected near our desks!
the state income tax, and then this SUI SDItax Cat: Meow meow meow
you were asking about is paying into an Jim: You brought your cat into the office?!
unemployment and disability fund that our Tom: Yes, it ‘ s Mr Snuffle ‘ s birthday today,
I
state has set up, but you can see it ‘ s a pretty didn ‘ t want him to be alone on his special day!
small quantity that they take. Jim: ACHOO! Argh put it away ACHOO!
Emily: Yeah, I don ‘ t mindiving
g them a dollar Tom: I guess we found the problem, your
102
 Englishpod Dialogues

allergic to cats! also on the difficulty.

Daily Life ‐ Small Talk 5 ‐ Brief Talk Wi Ash: Okay this sounds a little tough, how am I
th A Stranger (C0319) supposed to practice for this?
Older gentle- man: Oh dear Miss, you are Mindy: Up to you, you could have a one on
soaked! Wow, it ‘ sreally raining heavily one session with a tutor or group sessions,
outside. you can also use free or private computer
Michelle: Yes, it sure is. I had to run here software. Going to church might help as well!
fr om work! I need to rush as I ‘ m on my lunch Ash: No matter what I do I ‘ m going to ace this
break. test and go on to become a corporate fat cat!
Mindy: Umm.. . That ‘ s the sp
irit!
Older gentle- man: ell please, why don ‘ t you Global View ‐ Thai Food (C0321)
go ahead of A: What did you cook?
B: Well, as you know I was in Thailand last
me in line? I ‘ m in no hurry.
month,and I took a cooking class! So I
Michelle: Oh, that ‘ s so nice of you! Thank you
prepared some ofmy favorite dishes.
very much.
Older gentle- man: My pleasure Miss. A: Great idea! As long as I don ‘ tget food
Actually, could you recommend what to eat poisoning!So what is onthe menu tonight?
here? I ‘ ve never been here before.
Michelle: Sure. Well, the avocado sandwich is B: Ok, for starters we have Tom Yam soup. It ‘
delicious, and it ‘ s the healthiest thing on the a bit spicy, but really good!
menu. Personally, I think the beef salad is the A: This is delicious! The ginger and
tastiest choice. I usually get that. Also, the lemongrass really gives it a nice taste!
milkshakes are the best milkshakes in town! B: Now this next dish is one of the most
Older gentle- man: Well, thanks for the famous. Foreignerscall it papaya salad butthe
suggestions. Michelle: Oh, don ‘ t mention it. proper name is Tom Sam. It is a spicy salad
Global View ‐ Taking The GMAT (C0320 made from a mix of fresh vegetables including
) shredded unripened papaya and tomato.
Ash: I can ‘ t seem to progress up the career A: This is delicious! The combination of sour
ladder no matter how hard I try and I have and spicy is really interesting! I could have
been here for 2 years already! this everyday!
Mindy: Well, have you thought of getting an B: Ok, now forthe last and best dish in my
MBA? I heard it does wonders in getting you to opinion. This is called Pad Thai. It ‘ s stir
-fried
the top. noodles with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice,
red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and
Ash: An MBA hey. . . well my degree wasn ‘ t in tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and
business, the business schools won ‘ t be coriander. It ‘ practically
s Thailand ‘natio
s nal
interested in me. dish!
A: Wow, this is great! I never knew Thai food
Mindy: Nonsense! The business schools
was so creative and delicious!
measure your ability through a test called
B: Wantsome more?
GMAT. A: I ‘ m stuffed!
Ash: GMAT? What does that stand for and The Office ‐ Small Talk 6 ‐ Talking Abo
what will the test contain?
ut Yourself
Mindy: Graduate Management Admission
(C0322)
Test, it contains three parts; Analytical Writing
Michelle: Excuse me, is this seat taken?
Assessment, the Quantitative section, and the
Verbal section. Not only does the test mark Stranger: No, please feel free.
you on the number of questions answered but

103
 Englishpod Dialogues

Michelle: Thanks a lot. A: Well you know, it ‘ s a time to get together

with all your family and be thankful for
Stranger: Do you work in Shanghai? everything!
Michelle: Yes I do. How about you?
Stranger: No, I ‘ ma tourist. This place is B: Yeah but, how did this holiday come to be?
amazing! It ‘ much
s bigger than I imagined, A: Well, the first settlers of Massachusetts
and much more exciting! There ‘ s so much to arrived there because of religious persecution
see here. from England and King James. Once inthe New
Michelle: You can say that again! It ‘ s much World, they befriended an native named
more modern than people imagine. Where are Squanto, who taught them how to harvest
you from? food from the area such as corn.
Stranger: Um, well let ‘ see.....I
s ‘from
m B: Interesting! I am amazed how big and
Kansas originally. A much quieter and more delicious thanksgiving dinners are!
peaceful place than here, that ‘ s for sure! A: Come to my house for Thanksgiving! We
Michelle: Uh huh.... are having turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed
Stranger: But I ‘ m living in Paris right now. potatoes with gravy, and lots of stuffing!
Michelle: Oh Paris! Wonderful, I ‘ d love to visit B: Count me in!
some time! The Office ‐ Small Talk 7 ‐ Talking Abo
Daily Life ‐ Cancelled Flight (C0323) ut A Trip (C0325)
A: Good afternoon Sir, may I please see your Jim: Hey Michelle. Good to see you. Are you at
passport and reservation? lunch?
B: Here you go. Michelle: Oh hi Jim. No I just got back. I
thought you were on vacation now.
A: I ‘ m sorry sir, this flight has been cancelled
due to some mechanical problems. Jim: No, I wish I was! I just got back from
Spain actually.
B: Cancelled! So what am I supposed to do
now? Michelle: Oh wonderful! Have you been there
A: We apologize for any inconveniences that before or was it your first time?
may be caused by this. If your flight is urgent, Jim: My first time. I ‘ ve traveled around
I can put you on a waiting list for another flight Europe a lot, but this was my first time to
this evening, but it ‘ on
s a first come first Spain. It was amazing, and the weather was
served basis, so there is no guarantee that just beautiful! No rain, and just sun, sun,
you will be able to take that flight. sun....
B: What ‘ s my other option? Michelle: I ‘ mso jealous of you. I ‘ venever
A: If you can wait until tomorrow, we will put been anywhere in Europe. I ‘ ve always
youup in a hotel for today and you can take dreamed of traveling around and seeing the
scheduled flight for tomorrow morning. sights.
B: That ‘ s fine. I ‘ ll do that then. Jim: Well, I really recommend Spain. You
A: Thank you for your understanding sir. I will really should go.Anyway, it ‘been
s great to
book your flight now. catch up, but I must be going, this is my floor.
Global View ‐ Thanksgiving Dinner (C03 Speak again soon I hope.
24) Michelle: For sure. Take care.
A: So what are you doing for Thanksgiving? Daily Life ‐ Report Card (C0326)
B: Not much really. It ‘ s more of an American A: Look, Jimmy ‘ s report came today.
tradition, so back home we don ‘ t really B: Let ‘ s have a look. What is this? Where are
celebrate it. In fact, I am not even sure of all the grades?
what exactly is being celebrated!
A: He‘ s in the third grade Sam! You see under

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 Englishpod Dialogues

each subject that he is being taught in school, think we should continue with the TV
he receives a mark from one to three. A one advertising.
means his achievement or work is excellent. Michelle: No, me neither. It ‘ sfar too
Here in Science for example he got a two, expensive.
which means its satisfactory. Mr. Camp- bell: Well, let ‘ s discuss this more at
the conference. Maybe we can share a taxi
B: What about here in physical education? there.
A: He got a three here which means it ‘ s Michelle: Yes, sure.
unsatisfactory. We should work on that with Daily Life ‐ Going To The Bakery (C0329
him. )
B: So confusing! In my day we got an A or B if A: Welcome to Al ‘ Bakery.
s What can I get
we were doing well and if we failed an exam you?
we would get an F! B: Hi! Let me get a dozen croissants, four
Daily Life ‐ Buying A Pair Of Jeans (C03 blueberry muffins and a loaf of sourdough
27) bread.
A: Excuse me, can I try on this pair of jeans?
B: Sure. Let me see... I ‘ m afraid we don ‘ t have A: Sure. Would you like to have the loaf sliced?
any size eights left.
B: No, that ‘ OK.
s Do you have any whole
A: What are you talking about? I ‘ m always
a wheat bread?
size four. Here, I ‘ ll try these. A: We are out at the moment. May I suggest
some rye bread?
B: They seem a bit too tight. Shall I find you a B: Sure that sounds good. Do you have any
larger size? cakes?
A: No, they fit fine! They show off my curves A: We have various birthday cakes and also
perfectly! ice cream cakes.
B: Yeah, your love handles. Yeah, they sure do, B: I ‘ ll just take a cheesecake.
although... here, you forgot to close this A: Will that be all?
button. B: Yes.
A: Yeah right, I ‘ ll do it now... A: Your total is forty three dollars and twenty
The Office ‐ Small Talk 8 ‐ Talking Abo cents.
ut Work (C0328) The Weekend ‐ Fortune Telling (C0330)
Mr. Camp-bell: Ah Michelle hi. I was hoping to
see you. How have you been? How‘ s the A: Look at this newspaper article about this
family? famous local medium. It says that she is really
Michelle: Oh hello Mr. Campbell. I ‘ m fine and gifted and so popular now, that she is booked
Jack ‘ s doing well. How are you? solid with appointments for the next twelve
months!
Mr. Camp-bell: I ‘ mfine thanks. I got yo ur B: You don ‘ treally believe in all th at hocus
report this morning. Thank ‘ s for that. Are you
pocus mumbo jumbo do you?
joining the conference today?

A: Well I have had many friends that went to a

Michelle: Yes, I ‘ m leaving at four pm.
psychic and got their palms read and most of
Mr Camp-bell: Good, well we can discuss this
the things the psychic told her came true!
more then, but I think the figures are looking
very good for this quarter. B: Of course it does! They tell you general and
Michelle: Yes, me too. obvious things like that you will be successful
Mr Camp-bell: I ‘ mplanning to discuss the or have a big house. I think most of the times
advertising budget at the conference. I don ‘t they are just scam artists.

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 Englishpod Dialogues

A: Well historically it is a practice that many message? I just got this service and I am not
cultures share. Reading the tarot cards, in the really sure what
east they would even read tea leaves! I even I am supposed to say.
heard that there are people that make you B: Sure! You just basically gotta let the caller
smoke a cigar, and then read your ashes. know who they called, and ask them for their
B: All superstitious nonsense! I would still like contact information so you can call them back.
to go to one and see what he or she has to say, A: Ok, so can I say, ― This is Abby icemail.
‘ s vo
just for kicks. I will call you later, so leave me your name and
A: Great! I ‘ ll make an appointment! number ‖．
The Office – small talk 9 - Talking About B: That ‘ s more or less the idea, but try
The Weather (C0331) something that sounds more friendly.
A: Ok, so how about this, ― This is Abby and I
Melissa: Hey Michelle, jump in quick. It ‘s
am really happy you called! I promise I will
pouring out there! give you

Michelle: Oh hi Melissa. Are you going to the a ring as soon as I can, so please leave me
your name and number. Talk to you soon! ‖．
conference too? I was planning to pick up Mr.
B: A little too friendly Abby. Just say this,
Campbell. you have reached Abby. I am unable to
answer your
Melissa: Yes, he told me. We need to pick him
call right now, but if you leave me your name
up at his hotel and then go to the conference. and phone number, I will get back to you as

Michelle: Oh I see, okay. So I heard you got soon as possible. Thanks ‖．

A: That ‘ s perfect! Can you say that again and
married. Congratulations!
record
Melissa: Ah thank you! I ‘ m very excited. We it for me?
Global View - Human Anatmoy (C0333)
were going to get married next year, but then
A: OK class, so today we are going to continue
we decided to get married on holiday instead. with our anatomy class, today we will review
everything we have learned. Can anyone tell
It was wonderful.
me what the first major organ is?
Michelle: That sounds so romantic! Jack and I B: The brain!

were hoping to get married in Europe next A: That ‘ s right the brain! It serves as a control
center for the body, handling the processes of
year, but we had to postpone our plans. We
the central nervous system as well as
just don ‘ t have the money! cognition. Then what major organ is in our
chest?
Melissa: I know what you mean. I think
B: The heart!
Shanghai is getting more and more expensive, A: Very good! It pumps blood throughout the

don ‘ t you? body, using the circulatory system such as

blood vessels and veins. Now let ‘ s not forget
Michelle: I sure do. In my opinion it ‘ s actually
that our lungs provide oxygen to our heart and
becoming more expensive than back home. body to keep us alive! Now what about the
organs that help us digest food?
Melissa: Definitely. Oh there ‘ s Mr. Campbell.
B: The stomach and intestines!
Driver can you stop here please? A: Very good! Let ‘ s not forget that the
Daily Life - Setting Up Your Voice mail stomach is the one that breaks down our food
Message and our intestines process that food and then
(C0332) expel the waste. Are we forgetting anything?
A: Can you help me set up my voicemail
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 Englishpod Dialogues

B: Yeah! Our kidneys, liver and bladder! time! We got on the see-saw together, the
A: Oh yes, you are right. Very important went on a couple of different slides and then I
organs indeed. tried to go with him in the jungle gym, but I
B: So what do these organs do teacher? didn ‘ t fit.
A: Well, ummm, they...Time for a break! We A: Sounds like fun! When we go he always just
can talk about it when you get back. likes to play in the sandbox.
The Office - Small Talk 10 - General Talk B: Yeah, but today he was really hyper. He
(C0334) even got on the monkey bars and then he
went on to go on the swings for a half hour.
Mr. Campbell: Hi ladies. Thanks for picking me
I ‘ m exhausted!
up. It ‘ s awful weather out there! A: You should go to the park more often since
you don ‘ t go to the gym anymore!
Michelle: Absolutely. It ‘ s been raining for
Daily Life - Christmas Traditions (C0336)
hours. A: What are you doing awake?
B: I can ‘ t sleep...
Mr. Campbell: How are you Melissa? Are you
A: But it ‘ s almost midnight!

okay? B: Exactly. I ‘ m too excited for Christmas

morning.
Melissa: I ‘ m great thanks, Mr. Campbell.
Also, I thought I heard Santa.
A: Really? How do you know it was Santa?
Michelle: Do you have any business trips
B: Well I heard that naughty boys and girls get
planned soon Mr. Campbell? coal in
their stockings, so I thought I ‘ d be nice and
Mr. Campbell: Of course. I ‘ m always traveling!
make
I will leave for London next Monday, and then Santa cookies. I even left out some milk. I
heard someone in the kitchen eating the
I ‘ ll fly to Boston from there. It ‘ s going to be a
cookies, so I came downstairs!
busy month. How about you Michelle? Any A: Hmm... well I know that Santa won ‘ t come
down the chimney with you hiding behind the
vacation plans?
tree, spying on him!
Michelle: Yes. Mike and I will travel to B: Really?
A: Really! Let ‘ s go back upstairs and get back
Beijing to see Mikes parents for Spring festival,
to bed. That way, we can let Santa do his job.
and hopefully next year we will visit London. I Then when you wake up, it will be Christmas
already!
hear it ‘ s a wonderful city.
B: O-K...

Mr. Campbell: I couldn ‘ t agree more. London A: Hey, honey! Is that you? Don ‘ t eat all the
cookies
is really fantastic. It ‘ s my favorite city. I ‘m
- I want some, too!

sure you ‘ ll have a great time. Global View - The Night Before Christmas
(C0337)
It was the night before Christmas, when all
The Weekend - Going To The Playground through the house
(C0335) Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
A: Hey honey! Where were you? The stockings were hung bythe chimney with
B: I decided to take Kenny to the park and get care,
some fresh air. In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be
A: How was it? Were there a lot of kids? there;
B: It wasn ‘ t too crowded, but we had a great
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 Englishpod Dialogues

The children were nestled all snug in their cherry!

beds, His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And mama in her ‘
kerchief, and I in my cap, Andthe beard of his chin was as white as the
Had just settled down for a long winter ‘ s nap, snow;
When out on the lawn there arose such a The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was Andthe smoke it encircled his head like a
the matter. wreath;
Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore He had a broad face and a little round belly,
open the shutters and threw up the sash. That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen jelly.
snow He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of
When, what to my wondering eyes should myself;
appear, A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, He spoke not a word, but went straight to his
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. work,
More rapid than eagles his coursers they And filled allthe thestockings; then turned
came, with a jerk,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them And laying his finger aside of his nose,
by name; And giving a nod, upthe chimney he rose;
‖ Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a
and Vixen! whistle,
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! And away they all flew like the down of a
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! thistle.
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all! But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane sight,
fly, ‖ Christmas to all, and to all a good -night.
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to Daily Life - Having Leftovers (C0338)
the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers A: What ‘ s for dinner?
they flew, B: Leftovers.
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas A: What? Leftovers of what and from when?
too. B: From last night! I took the left over turkey,
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof. mixed it with some diced peppers and onions,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. added a little bit of mayonnaise and made
As I drew in my head, and was turning around, some sandwiches!
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a A: Isn ‘ t that dangerous though? I mean
bound. bacteria and germs reproducing on food that
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his was left out or reheated?
foot, B: Well, I didn ‘ t leave the turkey out at roo m
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes temperature for more than an hour and I
and soot; refrigerated it soon after we finished eating.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, Also, when reheating,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his I put it in the oven for fifteen minutes at one
pack. hundred degrees Celsius.
His eyes –how they twinkled! his dimples how A: Well ok, I am just afraid of getting food
merry! poisoning.
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a B: Don ‘ t worry a bout it! Making a new meal

108
 Englishpod Dialogues

out of leftovers is almost an art! Not only do Square.

you save money, but you also get to be A: Sure, as long as you don ‘ t try to kiss me at
creative and have something different to eat! midnight!
Global View - Parent Teacher Conference B: Well, we can ‘ t break tradition! It ‘ s bad lu
(C0339) Daily Life - Baking A Cake (C0341)
A: Thank you for coming tonight Mrs. Webber. A: Ok, so are you ready to learn how to bake a
As a teacher, it ‘ s great seeing the kid ‘ s parents cake?
assist our parent-teacher conference night. B: Almost, let me just put my apron on.
B: Of course! I am very interested to know A: Ok, so the first thing we are going to do is
how my child is doing and also get some preheat the oven, that way we have it at the
insight from you as to how he can improve. desired temperature once we finish preparing
A: Well Allen is a great student. He is a hard everything.
worker and very well behaved, however he Set it to three hundred and seventy five
does struggle a bit with math. degrees
B: I guess he gets that from me, I never did Fahrenheit.
well in math when I was a kid. What can I do at B: Got it.
home to compliment what he is learning in the A: No we are gonna make the batter. Take
classroom. some butter and sugar and mix it lightly until
A: Well, it ‘ s important that you sit with him you have a nice consistency. Then add some
and review his homework assignments and vanilla extract and eggs and continue mixing.
help him with math. I would also recommend B: Do I have to use a whisk or can I use the
he stay after school twice a week for tutoring electric mixer?
sessions. It will really help a lot. A: Go ahead and use the mixer, but put it on
B: Thanks a lot! I will definitely do that. Is medium speed. I ‘ m gonna sift the flour and
there anything else? baking powder separately and then we can
A: Um.. yes. Here is a notice from our financial mix it with milk and the rest of the ingredients.
department, seems your child ‘ s tution is B: Ok, so now we need a baking pan right?
overdue. A: Yeah, but grease and flour it first so the
B: Oh yes, I.... cake won ‘ｔ
stick to it when it bakes.
Global View - Happy New Year! (C0340) B: Done. So how long do we bake it for?
A:: It ‘ s almost midnight! We are about to start A: We can leave it in there for about twenty
a brand new year! five minutes.
B: I know it ‘ s so exciting! A new year is always Then we let it cool for ten minutes before we
like a clean slate. remove the cake from the pan.
A:: fresh start to accomplish any dreams, B: Wow! This was a lot easier than I thought!
objectives and goals. Global View - At The Library (C0342)
A: Do you have a New Year ‘ s resolution? A: Wow! Look at all these books! I bet I can
B: I was thinking about it, but I ‘ m never able find a book about anything here!
to keep my New Year ‘ s resolution. Last year B: Shhh!! Please keep your voice down. There
for example I joined a gym and only went are people reading and studying here.
twice. A: Ok, I ‘ m sorry. Are you the librarian? Maybe
A: Yeah I know what you mean. That ‘ s why you can help me, I am looking for a book.
this year B: Yes I am. You can check our online catalog
I am keeping things more simple. Maybe like to search the book you want based on the
getting together with friends I haven ‘ t seen in genre, title or if you know the author, I can
a long time, or doing some volunteering work. point you towards the right direction.
B: That seems reasonable. We should get A: I am looking for a book that has nursery
together and watch the ball drop in Times rhymes.

109
 Englishpod Dialogues

B: That would be i n our children ‘ s section. B: OK ma ‘ am, can you tell me the date you
That book shelf there on the right. expect to check in?
A: Ok, I would like to check out these books. A: Yes, July ninth. I will be there for seven
B: Do you have a library card? nights.
A: No. How do I get one? B: We have a junior single suite or a superior
B: I just need to see your drivers license or double suite available for those dates.
utility bill to prove that you a resident of this A: What ‘ s the difference?
state. B: The junior suite is smaller and has one twin
A: Here you go. bed, while the superior suite has a double bed
B: So you are all set. You can have these and mini-bar.
books for two weeks. If you need to have them A: OK, I would like to reserve the superior
longer, you can bring them here to renew suite. Is breakfast included?
them. If you don ‘
yout, get charged ten cents B: Yes, a buffet breakfast is served every
a day for each book. morning. I will need your name and your
A: Ok, thanks! credit card details in order to complete the
Daily Life - Seafood Dinner (C0343) reservation.
A: This is such a nice restaurant! I feel so A: Sure, my credit card number is...
classy! Daily Life - Working Out (C0345)
B: Yeah, it ‘ s a little bit pricey, but they serve A: Do you want to go catch a movie tonight?
the best seafood in town. B: I can ‘ t, I have to go tothe gym.
C: May I Take your order? A: Come on! You can go tomorrow, just skip it
B: Yes, I would like some marinated grilled today.
shrimp for starters and I ‘ ll also have
the It ‘ s not as if you are gonna get in trouble!
lobster. B: Actually I will! I am working out with a
C: Excellent choice sir. And for you madame? personal trainer that gets on my case if I don
B: I would like the baked oysters and the go. I like it, because it makes me feel more
seafood platter. obligated to go and get healthy.
C: Very good madame. A: That ‘ s cool, does your per sonal trainer
B: That seafood platter sounds good. Excuse basically teach you how to work out?
me, what does the platter have? B: Yeah. He makes a work put plan depending
C: It ‘ s a great combination of clams, scal lops, on the areas I want to work on, or the muscles
squid mussels, calamari and fillets of salmon I want to build. Like for example in order to
and tuna. get better muscle tone in my abs, pecs and
It comes with a side of butter sauce and biceps, he makes me work out with free
French fries. weights. Then for my quads, calves and
B: That sounds great! Cancel the lobster and hamstrings, I do leg lifts or squats.
give me one of the same please. A: Sounds like you are really getting in shape!
C: Very well sir. Anything to drink? Global View - All About Wines (C0346)
A: Can we get a bottle of your house white Salesperson: Hello there, welcome to
wine please? WineWorld. Let me know if I can help you out
C: Superb choice. I will be back shortly with at all.
the wine. Customer: Um, yes, please, I could really use
Global View - Booking A Hotel Room some help. I ‘ m going over to my boss ‘ house
(C0344) for dinner tonight and don ‘ t know what
kind of
A: Madison Suites, how may I help you? wine I should bring.
B: Yes, I ‘ m calling from Mexico. I will be in Salesperson: OK, do you know what kind of
town next week and would like to know if you food will be served?
have availability. Customer: Well, his wife is Japanese. He said

110
 Englishpod Dialogues

she makes really good sushi. Sauvignon Blanc we were looking at earlier,
Salesperson: Hmm, that ‘ s a bit of a challenge. which means it ‘ s more approachable. It ‘ s light
Sushi is notoriously difficult to pair with wine. and crisp, with a bit of a vanilla aroma.
Well, let ‘ s see. have to be a white wine, of Customer: Perfect! I ‘ ll take it!
course. Global View - Immigration and Customs
Customer: Why? Wouldn ‘ t a red wine go wel l (C0347)
with sushi? A: Good afternoon, passport and arrival card
Salesperson: No, I don ‘ t think so. Sushi is a please.
very delicately flavored food, and red wine B: Here you are.
would be a jarring contrast. You need a white A: Where are you coming from?
wine, which has more subtle flavors, to B: China.
complement the fish. A: Is this your country of birth or residence.
Customer: I see. So should I get a bottle of B: I just work there.
Chardonnay? That ‘ s a white wine, right? A: What is the purpose of your visit to the
Salesperson: Yes, Chardonnay is a white wine, United States?
but B: I ‘ m here on vacation .
I ‘ m not sure it ‘ d be your best bet. A: How long do you plan to stay in the United
Chardonnay is one of the more fullbodied States?
whites, and tends to be a bit oaky. I ‘ d suggest B: Almost three weeks.
that you go for something A: Sir, you didn ‘ t fill out the information on
brighter, like this Sauvignon Blanc from New your arrival card of where you will be staying.
Zealand. B: Oh, I ‘ m sorry, but there are a couple of
Customer: Sauvignon Blanc? What ‘ s that? different places I will travel to within the
Salesperson: That ‘ s another varietal, or type United States, so I wasn ‘ t sure what to put.
of grape, just like Chardonnay. A: You must specify an address of the place
Customer: Let ‘ s see. The label says it ‘s where you will spend most of your time.
got ‖ attractive citrus and grassy aromas that B: Ok, here you are.
give way to crisp, mineral flavors and a A: Do you have enough means to support
bonedry finish. Serve chilled. ‖ Oh, no, how yourself while you are here?
long will it take to chill the wine? I my ‘ m on B: Yes. I have some travellers cheques and
way to the dinner now. two credit cards.
Salesperson: It ‘ s OK, don ‘ t worry, we ‘ ll just A: Very good. Do you have anything to
choose a wine from the cooler. We don ‘ t have declare?
quite as extensive a selection over here, B: Nope. I only have my clothes and camera!
but...this Rhone Valley white would be lovely. A: Very well sir, welcome to the United States,
Customer: All right. What varietal is that? enjoy your visit.
Salesperson: Well, this is a French wine, so The Weekend - Talking About Skincare
they don ‘ｔ
always specify the varietal on the (C0348)
label. A: You want to go get a facial with me today?
The French believe that the soil a grape is B: Dude, what are you talking about? Only
grown in is one of the most important factors girls do that.
in the final flavor of the wine. A: Not at all, guys also get facials, manicures
This wine is probably a blend of a few different and pedicures. There is nothing wrong with
types of grapes, mostly Viognier, looking after your skin and looking good.
I ‘ d guess. B: True. So what do they do to you at your
Customer: And you think this is a good wine? beauty spa?
Salesperson: Yes, this is one of our A: Well, first they exfoliate my face, getting rid
best- sellers. It not‘ｓ
quite as dry as the of all the dead skin. Then I get a face mask

111
 Englishpod Dialogues

with nutrients that keep my skin healthy and you feel very comfortable.
young. Afterwards, they apply some B: Chinese medicine is strange. The patients
moisturizer and you leave feeling like a million are already
bucks. ill, and then the doctor makes them suffer
B: That doesn ‘ t really sound like something I more.
would be interested in. In any case, I just A: This is the only way to get at the problem.
wash my face every night and use sunscreen Anyway, if you want to relieve the pain, You
during the day. are just going to have to be tough and do it.
A: Well you should come with me one day, I ‘m B: Forget it. I don ‘ t want to inflict any more
sure you ‘ ll love it. pain on myself. In a little while I ‘ ll go and buy
B: Uh... no. some more painkillers and take a nap.
Global View - Chinese Medicine (C0349) Daily Life - Talking About Relatives
A: What ‘ s wrong? (C0350)
B: I have a headache. These past few days A: What are you doing this weekend?
I ‘ ve been living off painkillers. Man, I feel like B: My brother in law is having a small get
my head is going to explode. together at his house and he invited me.
A: You should get acupuncture treatment. My A: Is it a family thing or just friends?
mom was always having headache issues and B: A bit of both. Some cousins, aunts and
it was acupuncture that cured her. uncles will be there, but also some friends
B: The results are too slow. On top of that, just from the neighborhood.
the thought of smoking needles poking into A: Is your great uncle Rick going to be there?
my flesh frightens me. He is really funny.
A: They don ‘ t just randomly stick you, they B: Yeah he is going to be there with his
find your pressure points. The heat allows the step-son and his ex-wife.
body to immediately respond to the treatment, A: You mean your sister?
restoring the body ‘ s ‖ chi ‖． B: No, Rick is actually my great uncle, so he is
B: But I get scared the moment I see a needle. my grandmother ‘ s brother.
How could I stand having needles in my body A: You lost me.
for hours on end? B: I ‘ ll explain later, let ‘ s go.
A: The needles are very thin, and as long as Daily Life - Vaccinations (C0351)
the doctor ‘ s technique is good, and the patient A: Hello Mrs. Parker, how have you been?
himself is relaxed, it won t hurt‘ –on the B: Hello Dr. Peters. Just fine thank you. Ricky
contrary it will actually alleviate pain. Now and I are here for his vaccines.
there are high-tech A: Very well. Let ‘ s see, according to his
needles that are micro thin; they don ‘ t hurt at vaccination record, Ricky has received his
all. Polio, Tetanus and
However, if you are really scared of Hepatitis B shots. He is 14 months old, so he is
acupuncture, scraping or cupping are also due for Hepatitis A, Chickenpox and Measles
options. shots.
B: Scraping is too terrifying. When they finish B: What about Rubella and Mumps?
scrapping, your body is all red, as if you were A: Well, I can only give him these for now, and
just tortured. after a couple of weeks I can administer the
Cupping is the same, your body ends up with rest.
red circles all over it –looks like someone beat B: Ok great. Doctor, I think I also may need a
you up. Tetanus booster. Last time I got it was maybe
A: This only signifies that the toxins have left fifteen years ago!
the body. Actually, there is only discomfort A: We will check our records and I ‘ ll have the
during the treatment process. Once it ‘ s over nurse administer the booster as well. Now,

112
 Englishpod Dialogues

please hold that metalworking class I was so excited about.

Ricky ‘ s arm tight, this may sting a little. It just wasn ‘ tinteresting
as as I ‘ d hoped. The
Global View - The 7 Wonders Of The guidance counselor suggested that I focus on
World (C0352) my prerequisite courses so that I can make
A: Have you seen this news article? sure the credits count.
Apparently an A: That sounds smart. . . but kind of boring.
organization has made a list to name the new B: Yeah, it is, a little bit. I joined the Great
seven wonders of the world and people could Outdoors
vote for them online. Club, though, which has been a lot of fun.
B: Wow, that ‘ s really interesting. So who won? We‘ ve gone on two camping trips already, and
A: Well, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal I ‘ ve made some good friends.
in A: That ‘ s cool. Hey, so have you decided on
India. your major yet?
B: I ‘ ve been there! It really is an amazing B: Definitely pre-med. What about you?
work of architecture and art. The entire A: I still have no clue. . . but we don ‘ t have
complex is made of white marble and in the declare a major ?til our sophomore year, so
interior of the tomb, the walls are covered with I ‘ ve got time!
gems and emeralds! Oops, I ‘ m late for class. Gotta run!
A: Cool! Also amongst the winners is Petra, in B: OK, take care! Hey, nice running into you!
Jordan, A: Yeah, you too!
Machu Picchu in Peru and the pyramid in Global View - Homeschooling (C0354)
Chichenitza in Mexico. A: I think we should home school our children
B: Wait a minute! It also says that the Christ when we decide to have kids.
Redeemer statue in Brazil and the Colosseum B: What? Why?
in A: Well, our public schools here are not very
Rome are wonders. I would love to go to Italy good and private school are just too expensive.
and see the Colosseum, stand in the middle I have been reading up on home schooling and
like a gladiator! it has a lot of advantages.
A: Well, let ‘ s see if we can find some cheap B: Like what? I think that by doing something
airfare and we can go towards the end of the like that we would be isolating our children
year. from social interaction.
B: Good idea! A: Well, first of all, I would be able to teach
Global View - College Life (C0353) them everything they learn in school in a more
A: Hey, Jordan, is that you? Long time no see! relaxed and fun way. I also think that having a
B: Oh, hey, no kidding! I haven ‘ t seen you one-on-one class is much better since you can
since orientation three months ago! So how ‘ ve focus more on his or her strengths or
you been? weaknesses.
Settling into college life OK? B: I think neither your parents or mine would
A: Yeah, I think so! I pledged Phi Iota Alpha, agree to such an idea.
so I ‘ｍ
living at the frat house now. A: I will bring it up over Sunday brunch.
B: Oh, so you ‘ re a fratboy now, huh? B: Good luck with that!
A: Yeah, yeah, I know, it ‘ s totally clich ′ e, but Daily Life - Lending Money (C0355)
really, I think it ‘ s been a good decision. I ‘ ve A: Can I borrow five bucks?
got a lot of support and good suggestions from B: No!
the guys. A: Come on! I ‘ ll pay you back on Tuesday.
What about you? What have you been up to? B: Last time I lent you money, you never paid
B: Not much. I ‘ m still living at home and me back.
commuting to school. I ended up dropping A: I promise if you lend me five dollars today,

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I will repay you in full next week. A: Well, because I didn ‘ t have any credit on
B: Ok, but I ‘ m taking your skateboard as my phone. I used it all up this month.
collateral. B: I thought you had an unlimited SMS plan?
A: Fine! I can ‘ t believe you don ‘ t trust me. A: I do, but if I don ‘ t have any credit in my
B: It ‘ s nothing personal, just business. phone, it won ‘ t let me call or send messages.
Daily Life - Coins and Money (C0356) B: No won der you didn ‘ t get my texts!
A: Help me organize these coins. Global View - E-mail Scam (C0359)
B: That ‘ s a lot of money! Wh at did you do? A: I got an urgent email from Tom! He says he
Break the piggy bank? is in
A: Yeah, I ‘ m gonna go to the bank and change London and got robbed and needs us to wire
it for bills, but first I have to separate them him some money for his hotel.
into little piles. B: What? That sounds really dodgy tome.
B: Ok, I ‘ ll find all the quarters and dimes while A: No way, Tom is an honest person, he
you sort the nickels and pennies. wouldn ‘ t lietome.
A: Great, then we can add everything up and B: No I mean, it seems like someone may
take it to the bank. have hacked his email account and sent that
B: I found some coins that are not from here. out. I mean think about it, why would he email
A: Oh yeah, those are from my trip to London. you instead of calling you.
I have a couple of different pence, but in all it A: Do you really think someone is trying to
won ‘ t add up to one pound. scam people into sending money?
B: Are you sure the bank will change these B: For sure! There are so many con artists out
coins for you? there, you never really know.
A: Hopefully! Global View - Urban Legends (C0360)
Daily Life - Making A Dinner Reservation A: Have you read all these crazy things that
(C0357) are going on around the world?
A: Bruno Bistro, how may I help you? B: What do you mean?
B: Yes hello, I would like to make a reservation A: I was reading about how some people get
please. tricked or drugged in their hotel rooms and
A: Certainly sir, For which day and time have their organs removed! Then they are
please? sold on the black market.
B: Tonight at seven. B: Don ‘ t tell me you actually believe all that?
A: I ‘ m sorry sir , but we are fully booked Don ‘ｔ
be so gullible, they are just urban
tonight until eight. legends. They are just stories people make up
B: In that case, eight o ‘ clock is fine. to scare you.
A: Very well, and how many people will attend A: Well, I was also reading about how some
tonight? popular songs have subliminal or even satanic
B: Four people. messages if you play them backwards! Can
A: Lastly, may I please know what name I you believe that?
should make the reservation under? B: You really think an artist or songwriter is
A: Mark. going to go through the trouble of putting
Daily Life - Text Me (C0358) subliminal or satanic messages in a song?
A: Why didn ‘ t you text me last night? Don ‘ t be so naive!
B: What? I sent you three or four messages! A: Well maybe you are right, but how about
A: I didn ‘ t get any of them. I was waiting for the story of how KFC has rows of headless
you to text me the address of where the party chickens which are super grown in order to get
was and I never got your message. bigger chickens faster!
B: Why didn ‘ t you just call? I hate sending B: Sounds a bit too far fetched to be true don ‘t
SMS messages. you think?

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Daily Life - Fast Food (C0361) make good money so there is really no excuse.
A: I ‘ m hungry, let ‘ s order up something to eat. It ‘ s simply because you are a momma ‘ s boy.
B: Ok, maybe we can order a soup and a salad B: Whatever dude, I have everything I need,
from the restaurant down the street. why would I move out! Have a great roof over
A: I was thinking of getting a hamburger, fries my head, my mom does my laundry and cooks
and a chocolate sundae. for me, what else could a guy ask for!
B: You eat too much junk food. That sort of A: Let ‘ s agree to disagree.
stuff clogs up your arteries and is very high in Daily Life - Hiring Help (C0364)
cholesterol. A: Can you help me write a newspaper ad?
A: Well I never seem to gain weight so I don ‘t B: Sure, what are you looking to buy or sell?
mind. A: Actually, I want to hire someone to help me
B: It ‘ s not only about getting fat or not, it ‘ s around the house.
about being healthy. You could really have B: Oh, you want to get a maid?
some health problems later on. A: Well, I think it ‘ s better if you call her a
A: How about pizza or maybe some fried cleaning lady or domestic help.
chicken! B: Ok, so what do you want her to do?
Better yet, let ‘ s order some hot dogs! A: Well, l et ‘ s see. I want her to come in three
B: You are a lost cause. times a week for a couple of hours to clean the
Daily Life - What Mood Are You In? kitchen, bathroom and maybe do some
(C0362) cooking.
A: Are you ok? You seem a bit anxious. B: Got it. And how much do you offer per
B: Yeah I ‘ m OK, I have been having a lot of month?
mood swings lately. I think it has to do with A: I would pay her hourly, I don ‘ t know what
the pills my doctor prescribed that are causing the going rate is though.
chaos on my hormones. B: I k now for sure it ‘ s more than minimum
A: So you mean you feel ecstatic one minute wage but maybe you should just negotiate
and then blue the next? with the person that answers the ad.
B: Yeah, it ‘ s weird. For example just this A: Great! Thanks for your help!
morning Daily Life - Household Chores (C0365)
I was feeling detached and lonely, even A: Kevin, what is this mess? It looks like a
though there was really no reason to feel that pigsty in here! Clean this up!
way. B: Ok dad, I will do it in a minute, let me just
A: Well, maybe your mood will swing finish this level of this game.
positively and you will feel confident, brave A: No, I said now! Plus, you are grounded,
and hopeful! you ‘ re not allowed to play video games. I want
B: I hope you are right. you to make your bed, do the laundry and
Daily Life - Living With Your Parents then come downstairs and sweep the floors.
(C0363) B: That ‘ s so unfair!
A: Why did your girlfriend break up with you? A: You have to pull your weight around here
B: I don ‘ t know, she said she was tired of me young man. My house, my rules.
not manning up and being more independent, B: But I already mopped the floors, dusted the
which I think is all a bunch of crap. furniture and vacuumed the rugs!
A: Well, you still live with your parents, so she A: That ‘ s great, but you still have work to do,
does have a point. so get to it.
B: What do you mean? Lots of people live with
their parents, especially when rent is so
expensive and the slump in the economy.
A: Yeah, but you are almost forty! Plus, you

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