UNIT TEN
Part One
Warm Up
Dialogue 1
A: You’re not going to believe what happened today. You’ve got to promise to keep it to yourself.
B: Sure,what gives?
A: Today Mr. Leo threw Jane out of class!
B: On the level?
A: I’ll say. I knew Sally would finally ⑸show her true colors. When she got her final test results back from Mr. Leo, she started yelling at him. You should have heard her. I’ve never seen anyone get so upset before. To make a long story short, it seems that Mr. Leo failed her because he caught her cheating.
B: That’s no laughing matter. That means she’ll have to take the whole course again. I can’t believe she’s going to have to start from the beginning.
A: It serves her right!
Dialogue 2
A: I wanna register for this mathematics course.
B: I’m sorry registration has closed.
A: Closed? The clerk told me I could come back and register any time during the first week of classes.
B: Well, that’s not possible. The computer’s official student account has already been sent to the state. And that’s what our budget is based on. Who told you that anyway?
A: Some woman in here when I tried to register three weeks ago. She said I just had to pay a late fee.
B: She must have been a part-time worker. They didn’t have much training. Why didn’t you register then?
A: She said I couldn’t until I had my birth certificate. Here it is.
B: Huh, that is no reason to demand a birth certificate. We only need to establish residency, you know, a phone bill with your name and address on it would have been fine.
A: Serious? Only the proof of my address.
B: Yes, I am afraid she gave you the wrong information.
A: But it’s unfair.
B: Well, I sympathize with your problem, but, to be honest, I don’t think there is any thing anyone can do for you. You were trapped in the system. If you want, you can talk to the director. She will help you if she can.
A: Great.
B: Don’t get your hopes up.
Dialogue 3
Christina: Well, you know what, don’t do it, ‘cause the minute you do, they lose all respect for you.
Kathleen: Well, it’s not like that. We just e-mail, it’s really nothing. On top of which I am definitely thinking about stopping because it’s getting…
Christina: Out of hand.
Kathleen: Confusing. But not, because it’s nothing.
Christina: Where’d you meet him?
Kathleen: Oh, listen, I can’t even remember. Ok, on my birthday, I wandered into over 30 rooms, for a joke, sort of and he was there, and we started chatting…
Christina: About what?
Kathleen: Oh, books, and music, how much we both love New York. Harmless, harmless, meaningless. Bouquets of sharpened pencils. Oh.
Christina: Excuse me?
Kathleen: Forget it. We don’t talk about anything personal, so I don’t know his name or what he does or where he lives exactly. So it’ll be really easy for me to stop seeing him, because I’m not…
Part Two
Everyday Expression
Life is not a bed of roses。人生总是有起有落,面对失意,每个人都会感到无助和徘徨。于是朋友的鼓励和劝勉就格外重要。相信自己,珍惜自己,勇敢地面对明天,你会发现,你的生活原来是如此精彩!
Small Talk 1:
(A Sunday afternoon. In a café.)
Mike: So, this is the worst story I’ve heard this month. You have my real sympathy, Tim.
Tim: You know, all I was trying to do was tell the truth but they obviously didn’t take it that way.
Mike: I understand how you feel, but you’ve gotta learn to move on.
Tim: Yeah, I’m dealing with it. Anyway. Thank you, Mike.
Small Talk 2:
A: I just got laid off. The awful business, you know.
B: I’m very sorry to hear about that. So are you all right?
A: Yeah, I’m better after talking to you.
B: Oh, you poor thing!
Small Talk 3:
A: You must be annoyed about your boyfriend’s leaving you, huh?
B: Don’t ever mention him. I’m getting it over with.
A: It’s a sad thing. I’m ever so sorry…
B: Are you done?
Small Talk 4:
A: He’s got laid off again. I do feel sorry for him.
B: Do you really?
A: What do you mean?
B: Well, I just think he deserves it.
Small Talk 5:
A: You know what, last night I almost got hit by a vase falling from the third floor.
B: Oh, how dreadful! I’m ever so sorry.
A: Luckily that was nothing serious.
B: Thank God!