剑桥国际英语教程 3级听力

Unit 1

That’s what friends are for!

P2

2 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Chris: Do you have a date for the party yet?

Kim: Actually, I don’t ……Do you think you could help me find one?

Chris: Hmm. What kind of guys do you like?

Kim: Oh, I like g uys who aren’t too serious and who have a good sense of humor. You know ... like you.

Chris: OK. What else?

Kim: Well, I’d prefer someone I have something in common with – who I can talk to easily. Chris: I think I know just the guy for you. Bob Branson. Do you know him?

Kim: No, I don’t think so.

Chris: Let me arrange for you to meet him, and you can tell me what you think.

B Listen to Chris and Kim discussing Bob after Kim met him. How did Kim like him?

Chris: So, what’s the Verdict? What did you t hink of Bob?

Kim: Well, I was worried at first especially when I saw that he wears not one but

two earrings, I thought he might turn out to be one of those guys who are into heavy rock music and stuff like that. You know what I mean?

Chris: But he’s ju st a regular kind of guy, right?

Kim: Yeah, we got along really well!

Chris: I just knew you’d like him.

Kim: Yeah, I do, and he’s really funny. He had me laughing hysterically

during dinner. I think the people sitting next to us in the restaurant thought we were crazy. Chris: So, are you two going to get together again?

Kim: Definitely, in fact, we’re going to a concert tomorrow night.

Chris: That’s great.

P4

Listening What are they like?

B Listen to conversations about what the people above are like.

Write down two adjectives for each person. How similar were your guesses? 1. Andrea

A: So, have you seen Andrea lately?

B: Yeah, I see her pretty often. We work together at a café latté.

A: How’s she doing, I’ve been meaning to call her.

B: Wel l, to be honest! I’ve always thought she’s a little difficult. But these days, I find her impossible.

A: What do you mean?

B: Oh, you know how she is. She has such strong ideas about everything. If you don’t agree with her she lets you know what she thinks of you.

A: Yes, that’s true. But that’s why we love her, right?

B: Yeah, I guess so. But she’s changed a lot since she started college.She talked about

herself all the time and she always manages to mention how good she is at everything she does.

A: Hmm. Maybe I won’t call her after all.

2. James

A: Are you going to James party on Saturday?

B: Of course, James always gives the best parties. And there are always lots of interesting new people to meet.

A: That’s true. I don’t know where he manages t o find them all.

B: Well, you know what he’s like. He makes friends very easily. He really likes talking to people, and he loves inviting people over.

A: Ur – Ur, he invited me for dinner last Saturday, what a feast!

B: Yeah, he’s a great cook too.

A: After dinner I offered to help clean up, he told me not to worry about it. He said he’d take care of it in the morning. He was like. It’s nothing, no big deal.

B: Yup, that sounds like James.

3. Mr. Johnson

A: Have you met the new apartment manager?

B: Mr. Johnson? Hmm. Yeah, I met him last week. He’s… a little strange.

A: Yeah, he is. I’m not sure I like him. He’s hard to predict. Sometimes he’s pretty cheerful and talkative,

and the next day he doesn’t even say hello. I think he must have personal p roblems or something.

B: I think you’re right. And have you noticed that half the time when he says he’s going to do something, he never actually does it? He told me three times he’d come to fix the light in my kitchen, and he still hasn’t done it.

P5

8 Conversation Roommates

A listen and practice.

Dave: Hello?

Jim: Hi. My name’s Jim Hunt. I’m calling about the ad for a roommate.

Dave: Oh, right.

Jim: Are you still looking for someone?

Dave: Yes, we are.

Jim: Oh, good. I’m really interested.

Dave: Well, there are four of us, and it’s a fairly small house, so we want someone who’s easy to get along with.

Jim: I’m pretty easygoing.

Dave: Great! So can I ask you a few fairly straightforward questions about yourself? Jim: No problem. I like it when people are direct.

B Think of three questions that Dave might ask Jim. Then listen to the rest of the conversation. What questions did Dave ask?

D: What do you do, Jim?

J: Oh, well, I’ve had a lot of different jobs, but I’m not working right now.

D: Oh?

J: Yeah, I got fired from my last job about six months ago, so I’ve been looking for something else. I haven’t been very lucky so far.

D: Uh-huh. Well, the rent here is $1,200 a month –uh, that’s $300 a month for each person.

J: Oh, Uh ….

D: Will you have enough money to pay the rent every month?

J: Yeah, I probably will … if I can find a job.

D: Yeah. Uh, look, where are you living now?

J: Well, I’ve been stay ing with a friend for the past couple of weeks.

D: Uh-huh.

J: Yeah, but he’s asked me to leave by Friday, so I really need to find a place to live. I’ve had to move four times in the past year and, well …

D: Listen, Jim. I appreciate your telling me about yourself. I like it when people are honest with me. Anyway, I have to talk to my oth er roommates about this, and I’ll give you a call tomorrow to let you know what we decide. Why don’t you give me your number?

J: Sure, it two, two, three …

Unit 2

Career moves

P8

2 Conversation Job fair

A listen and practice.

Tim: Wow! There are so many jobs to choose from! What do you think?

Diane: Working in the media could be fun –there’s TV, newspapers, the internet….

T: Well, let’s look. Hmm. How about this? You could be a TV news director.

D: Are you kidding? Directing the news would be nerve-racking!

T: Well, writing for a magazine must be exciting. How about that?

D: No. I’m really more interested in working with computers. Hey, look. Designing interactive media. I’d like that!

T: Designing interactive media? It sounds interesting, but what is it?

B Listen to the rest of the conversation. What does an interactive media designer do? Does it sound interesting to you? Why or why not?

D: Well, my cousin designs interactive media, and from what she tells me, it sounds kind of interesting. S he’s involved

with designing all the different media that go into an interactive CD-ROM. You know, sound, video, and graphics.

T: Uh-huh.

D: There’s actually a lot more to it than you would think. She works with computer graphics and special effects – and also in filming video material to include in CD-ROMs. And then she has to develop what they call the user interface navigation system.

T: The user interface navigation system?! Now what is that?

D: Well, that’s what lets the user interact with all the different elements of the program. That’s really the key

to an effective CD-ROM.

T: If you say so. It sounds pretty complicated to me. But you already seem to know a lot

about it. Maybe you should be an interactive media designer.

D: Hmm. Maybe.

P11

7 Conversation Summer jobs

A listen and practice.

Tracy: Good news! I’ve found a summer job!

Mark: That’s great! Anything interesting?

T: Yes, working at an amusement park. Doesn’t that sound fantastic?

M: Sure, it does.

T: So, have you found anything?

M: Nothing yet, but I’ve got a couple of leads. One is working as an intern for a record company – mostly answering phones. Or I can get a landscaping job again.

T: Being an intern sounds more interesting than landscaping. And it’s probably not as har d! M: Yeah, but a landscaper earns more money than an intern. And you get a great tan!

B Listen to the rest of the conversation. What is Tracy going to do at the amusement park? M: So what will you be doing at the amusement park, exactly?

T: Actually, I’ll have two jobs. First, I’ll be working at a place called Children’s World. They have all kinds of interesting games and educational activities for young kids. I have to go to a training program for three days before I start to find out how everything works.

M: Three days? Wow, the equipment must be pretty high-tech!

T: Oh, it is –a lot of computers and interesting dev ices. It’s just the kind of stuff that kids love.

M: Well, it sounds like the perfect job for you. I know how much you live kids. So w hat’s your other job?

T: Well. I’ll also be one of the people who walks around the park greeting people.

M: Do you mean you’ll have to dress up in a costume?

T: Yes, as a cartoon character! I know, I know. It sounds silly. And it’s certainly not as rewa rding as working in Children’s World, but it’s part of the job.

P12

Listening

A Listen to Carlos, Paul, and Julia talking about their summer jobs. Where does each person work? White the correct name under each picture.

Carols

Woman: So where are you working this summer, Carols?

Carlos: I’m working as a tutor in a learning center for kids.

W: Interesting. What kinds of things do the kids do there?

C: They work on subjects they need help in, uh, mainly math and English.

W: Is your job hard?

C: No, not at all. The kids work on computers most of the time. We have to help them get started and when

they run into problems.

W: Do you enjoy it?

C: Oh, yes. Working with kids is so much more fun than working with adults. And I get to choose my own hours.

As long as I work eight hours a day, I can come in at any time from 8 A.M. TO 9 P.M. W: Lucky you!

Paul

Woman: Paul, did you find a summer job, yet?

Paul: Yeah, I’m working in a restaurant.

W: Oh, how’s it going?

P: Oh, the money’s not bad.

W: What are you doing? Are you waiting tables?

P: I wish! No. I’m working in the kitchen. I cut up stuff for the chef – vegetables and meat and things.

I also wash the dishes.

W: Oh, yuck.

P: Yeah. It’s pretty hard work. I didn’t realize how hot it is in a res taurant kitchen until I took this job.

W: So why don’t you quit?

P: I’d love to, but I need the money.

Julia

Man: So what kind of job did you find for the summer?

Julia: I’m working for a marketing company. I’m doing telephone marketing.

M: Oh, so yo u’re one of those people who drives me crazy by calling me up and trying to persuade me to buy something that I have absolutely no need for.

J: Exactly.

M: Do you like it?

J: Believe it or not, I do. It’s mostly a bunch of students working there, and we have a lot of fun when we’re not making calls. It’s really easy, too, since we just have to read from a script.

M: Are you doing this full time?

J: Yes, but I work from two in the afternoon until eleven at night, so I get to sleep as late as I want to in the morning.

Unit 3

Could you do me a favor?

P14

2 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Jack: Hi, Rod. This is Jack.

Rod: Oh, hi, Jack. What’s up?

J: I’m going to my best friend’s wedding this weekend. I’d love to videotape it. Would you mind if I borrowed you video camera?

R: Um, yeah. That’s OK, I guess. I don’t think I’ll need it for anything.

J: Thanks a million.

R: Sure. Have you used a video camera before? It’s pretty easy.

J: Yeah, a couple of times. Would it be OK if I picked it up on Friday night?

R: Fine. No problem.

B Listen to two more telephone calls Jack makes. What else does he want to borrow from

friends? Do they agree to lend them to him?

1.

Andy: Hello.

Jacj: Hi, Andy. This is Jack.

A: Oh, hi, Jack.

J: I was wondering if you could do me a favor.

A: That depends.

J: Well, I have to go to a wedding this weekend. Would it be OK if I borrowed your navy blue suit?

A: Oh, sure. No problem.

J: Thanks a lot. I’ll come by and pick it up tonight.

A: That’s fine.

2.

Rose: Rose Rizzo.

Jack: Hi, Rose. This is Jack.

R: Oh, hello. How are you?

J: Pretty good, thanks. Listen, the reason I’m calling is I have a really big favor to ask you. R: Yes?

J: Remember I told you about that friend of mine who’s getting married to a woman he met in Barcelona?

R: Yeah, I remember. And?

J: Well, the wedding’s this Saturday afternoon, and it’s out in the country –about an hour’s drive from here – and I was wondering if I could borrow your car for the afternoon to get there.

R: Gee, Jack, I’d really love to help you out, but I’m going to be needing my car all weekend. I’ve got a friend coming in from out of town, and I promised to show her the sights.

J: Oh, OK. I understand. Anyway, how are things? I haven’t seen you for ages.

R: Oh, pretty good.

P16

5 Listening

A Listen to three telephone conversations. Write down what each caller requests. Does the other person agree to the request? Check (√) Yes or No.

1. Tina

Robert: Hello?

Tina: Hi, Robert. This is Tina.

R: Hi, Tina. What’s up?

T: Well, actually, I was wondering if you’d mind lending me your camera for a few days. I want to take some photos of my new apartment to send to my folks.

R: Sure. You can borrow it.

T: Oh, thanks a million.

2. Mike

Mike: Hi, Sandy. This is Mike.

Sandy: Oh, hi. How are things with you?

M: Pretty good. Listen. I was wondering if I could use your video game system over the weekend.

S: You mean my Sony Play Station?

M: Yeah. My sister’s asked me to take care of my niece and nephew over the weekend –they’re six and eight –

and I thought it would be a great way to keep them busy.

S: That’s a good idea – kids that age love video games – but, well, I have bad news: My machine isn’t working.

I’ve been meaning to take it in to get fixed, but I haven’t gotten around to it.

M: Oh, too bad.

S: But you know you can always rent one. Most video stores have machines to rent. You just have to leave a deposit.

M: Oh, perfect. I’ll do that. Thanks, Sandy.

S: No problem.

3. Phil

Phil: Hi, Greg. It’s Phil.

Greg: Hi. What’s up?

P: Not much, but I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor.

G: Hmm…maybe. Try me!

P: Well, I have to go out of town for a few days next week.

G: Uh-huh.

P: Could I leave Polly with you while I’m gone?

G: Polly? Who’s Polly?

P: You know – Polly, my bird.

G: Oh, yeah. I forgot, your bird. I don’t know, Phil. I really don’t like birds very much. They’re messy, and they make a lot of noise, and…

P: No, not Polly. She’s really a great bird. She’s really clean and very quiet. She won’t bother you – I promise.

G: Oh, all right. I’ll do it.

P: Thanks. I really appreciate it. I’ll bring her over on Tuesday night.

G: OK. But you owe me one!

P17

8 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Amy: Hello?

Jeff: Hello. May I speak to Sophia, please?

A: I’m sorry, she’s not in right now. Would you like to leave a message?

J: Yes, please. This is Jeff. Would you tell her that Tony is having a party on Saturday? A: Un-huh.

J: And would you ask her if she’d like to go with me?

A: All righ t, Peter. I’ll give her the message.

J: No, this is Jeff, not Peter.

A: Oh, I’m sorry.

J: By the way, who’s Peter?

B Listen to Amy talking to Sophia. Who is Peter? Is Sophia going to go to the party with Jeff? Sophia: Hi! I’m home!

A: Oh, hi.

S: Did anyone call?

A: Uh-huh. Your old friend Peter called a few hours ago. He’s going to be in town on Saturday and wants to get together with you Saturday night. He said to call him.

S: Oh, super! I haven’t seen Peter in almost a year. Any other calls?

A: Uh, yeah. Jeff called. He wants to know if you want to go to Tony’s party with him.

S: Oh. When is Tony’s party?

A: On Saturday.

S: Oh, perfect. That’s the same night I’m going to get together with Peter, so I have an excuse not to go. Even if I weren’t going out with Peter, I wouldn’t go anywhere with Jeff. Oh, he’s such a pain!

A: Oh, he didn’t sound so bad. He sounded kind of sweet.

S: Yeah, yeah, I guess he is. It’s just that I don’t want to go out with him – and he just doesn’t seem to get the mes sage. Do me a favor. Amy: If he calls again, could you just tell him I’m not home?

A: Hmm. OK.

Unit 4

What a story!

P20

2 Conversation Storytelling

A Listen and practice.

Jake: What an awful story! A couple was sailing their yacht from Hawaii to Mex ico. While they were crossing the Pacific, their boat hit a whale and sank!

Anne: Is that true? What happened to the whale?

J: It doesn’t say! Oh and here’s another one. A guy in Los Angles was robbing a bank. But as he was escaping, he got caught in the revolving door.

A: I guess it was his first bank robbery!

J: Yeah. On and listen to this. Some guy got locked out of his house, so he tried to get in through the chimney.

A: Don’t tell me! He got stuck in the chimney!

J: Exactly. And he was still trying to get out two days later when the police rescued him. P22

5 Listening News broadcasts

A Listen to news broadcasts about three events. T ake notes about each event.

1.

A man who considered himself a snake charmer was strangled to death on Sunday by a three-and-a-half-meter boa constrictor in a town in Thailand. It seems that the man rushed to see the giant snake after friends told him the serpent was seen beside one of the town’s main roads. The snake charmer put it around his neck; while he and his friends were walking home, the snake strangled him to death.

2.

Two teenage girls who disappeared from a ship were found alive and well. The girls turned

up on Friday, near a small town on the northeast coast of Australia. The girls said they were visiti ng a friend on the ship and fell asleep in their friend’s cabin. When they woke up, the ship was heading for Singapore, so they decided to jump off the ship and swim to shore. They found themselves on a deserted part of the Australian coast, and had to walk over 100 miles to the nearest town.

3.

Early Tuesday morning in California, two police officers who were pursuing a car thief down Hollywood Boulevard in a high-speed chase were rescued by the thief. During the chase, the officers’ car overturned and fell into a shallow river. The officers couldn’t get out of the car, which was rapidly filling up with water. The thief went back to the scene of the accident and helped rescue the officers. The Hollywood Police Department has decided to drop charges agains t the thief for saving the officers’ lives.

P23

8 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Brian: Someone stole my wallet last night!

Kate: Oh no! What happened?

B: Well, I was working out, and I had put my stuff in my locker, just like I always do. When I came back, someone had stolen my wallet. I guess I’d forgotten to lock the locker.

K: I’m sorry. That’s terrible! Did you lose much money?

B: Only about $20. But I lost my credit card and my driver’s license. What a pain!

B Listen to the rest of the conversation. What did Kate have stolen once? Where was she? What happened?

K: Hmm. That reminds me of when I had my purse stolen last year.

B: Really? What happened?

K: Well, it was when I was in Belgium. I was on my way to the airport, so I was standing on the side of the road with my bags, trying to figure out the bus schedule. Anyway, this a bunch of guys came by and asked if they could help me. They spoke very broken English, and I couldn’t really understand what they were saying. I really just wante d them to leave me alone. Finally, they left and when I looked down, I realized my purse had disappeared. It had my wallet in it with all my traveler’s checks and my money and my credit card. Well, luckily, I had put my airline ticket and my passport in one of my carry-on bags.

B: How awful! So what did you do?

K: Well, first I screamed at the top of my lungs and tried to run after the guys – but they were long gone. Then – this sounds really corny – I did just what I had seen people do on TV: I called my credit card company.

B: Were they helpful?

K: They were lifesavers! In no time at all, they’d given me new traveler’s checks and a new credit card, and sent me on my way.

Review of Units 1-4

P26

2 Listening Favorite gripes

A Listen to two people discussing these topics. Complete the chart.

1 Taxi drivers

A: It really upsets me when taxi drivers drive so fast. I’m always terrified of hav ing an accident.

B: That doesn’t really bother me. I like to get where I’m going quickly. But I can’t stand it wh en they have their radios turned up all the way full blast. You can’t even hear yourself think!

2 People with dogs

A: I hate it when people take their dogs into a park and let them make messes all over the place. It’s so irresponsible!

B: You know what bothers me? I hate it when they go out and leave their dog at home, barking all day.

3 TV commercials

A: I can’t stand it when they show the same commercial twice in a row. Why do they do chat? It drives me crazy!

B: The thing that bothers me the most is when they interrupt a ball game at the most exciting moment to show some stupid commercial.

4 Store clerks

A: It really upsets me when store clerks pretend they haven’t noticed you and just stand around chatting to each other. It’s so rude.

B: Yeah. Or on the other hand, they give you the hard sell, and try to get you to buy something you don’t really want.

Unit 5

Crossing cultures

P28

1 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Fred: I hear Maggie is going to work in India.

Pam: India! Wow! I hear it’s a beautiful place, but I don’t think I could ever live there. F: Why not?

P: Well, it’s too far from home. I’d miss my family.

F: I don’t think I’d mind moving to a foreign country. The language is the only thing that I’d be worried about.

P: Yeah, but wouldn’t you miss your friends?

F: Sure, for a while, but I’d make new ones.

P: You certainly sound very confident.

F: You know, actually, there is one thing I’d miss.

P: What’s that?

F: My dog!

P29

4 Listening

B Listen to a radio broadcast by journalist James Fallows, who talks about some of his experiences in Japan.

1. What is the most difficult thing about learning a foreign language?

2. Why is he able to read more books in Japan?

3. What other advantages does he mention?

Announcer: Language is taken for granted –unless of course, you’re trying to learn one that isn’t your own. Commentator James Fallows has discovered that living in another country can create barriers to communication that are limiting in some ways and liberating in others.

Fallows: Right now, you’re listening to the radio, but I bet you’re doing something else, too – getting dressed, finishing your breakfast, leafing through the paper, driving to work –that is, you’re enjoying the luxury of operating in your own familia r language, which your brain can handle so easily that it has plenty of power left to supervise the other things that you do.

Here in Japan, I’ve been in exile from that comfortable world. If I want to make any sense whatever of the sounds coming out of t he radio, the TV speaker, or someone else’s mouth, I have to concentrate my complete attention on that task. There’s no brain power to spare for anything else, including walking or chewing gum. I’ve become a man who can do exactly one thing at a time.

This predicament has its good and bad sides. The bad part is a certain narrowing, to put it mildly, of the information flowing into my life. You take in information as if you are drinking from a big been stein; for me, it’s like sucking through a tiny, clogge d straw. But the good part is the same enforced need to concentrate. I may do only one thing at a time now, but I do that thing very intently. One of the things I’ve begun doing most seriously is to read books all the way through. Of course, we all read books in America, too, but precisely because of the other distractions, it’s often hard to stick with them. Reviews, excerpts, TV interviews take the place of actual books.

But here, with my one-track mind and my exhaustive need to retreat into English, the re’s nothing to keep me from finishing a book once I get started. I have the added plus of spending three to four hours each day on the Tokyo train system, which, when it’s not so crowded that I can’t raise my arms, lets me go through several books a week. Indeed, thanks to the train, I am the only person on Earth actually to have read Paul Kennedy’s famous Rise and Fall of the Great Powers book. This whole-book environment changes your world view, making you more deeply but more spottily informed. I find t hat I have become more patient with long-winded explanation, and less likely to cut somebody else off and make him get to his point. There are problems with this perspective, too, I’m sure, but right now my brain can’t handle thinking what they might be.

AnnouncerThis report was originally broadcast on National Public Radio on Morning Edition, and is reproduced with permission of National Public Radio. Any unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

P31

8 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Marta: Guess wha t! I just got invited to my teacher’s house for dinner!

Karen: Oh, how nice.

M: Yes, but what do you do when you’re invited to someone’s house here?

K: Well, it’s the custom to bring a small gift.

M: Really? Like what?

K: Oh, maybe some flowers or dessert.

M: And is it all right to bring a friend along?

K: Well, if you want to bring someone, you’re expected to call first and ask if it’s OK.

P32

10 Listening Unique customs

Listen to three people describing unique customs they observed while traveling. Complete the chart.

1. Alice

One thing that I never really got used to when I was traveling in Asia was the way people make noise when they drink soup. I think it’s because they want to show that they’re really enjoying their food so they make a loud slurping noise. It always bothered me. I guess it’s because my parents spent years when I was a kid telling me not to make noise while I was eating.

2. Mark

When I lived in Spain, I was surprised at how late people eat in the evening. When you’re invite d to dinner, you are asked to come around nine o’clock and you usually don’t start dinner until ten. And people stay terribly late – sometimes until two in the morning or even later. I found it difficult. How does one get up and go to work or school the next day after eating and drinking until three in the morning?

3. Susan

I lived in the Middle East for a while, and when I went out, I had to obey the local custom of wearing something over my head and wearing a dress that covered my whole body. At first, I found it a real nuisance, but after a while, I got used to it and even started to like it. You feel really secure, and also you don’t have to worry about what to wear all the time. Unit 6

What’s wrong with it?

P34

2 Conversation:

Listen and practice.

Clerk: Can I help you?

Helen: Yes, I’d like to return this jacket.

C: Is there something the matter with it?

H: Yes. I didn’t notice when I bought it, but there are a few problems. First, it has a tear in the lining.

C: Hmm, actually, it’s torn in s everal places.

H: And some of the buttons are very loose, this one came off, in fact. And there’s a stain on the collar.

C: I’m really sorry about this. Would you like to exchange it for another one?

H: Well, to be honest, I don’t think this jacket is v ery well made. I’d rather get a refund. C: I understand. Do you have the receipt?

P36

4 Listening Fair exchange?

Listen to three customers returning items they purchased. Complete the chart.

1.

C: Can I help you?

M: Yes, I bought this briefcase here last week, but there’s something wrong with the lock.

I can’t get it to close properly.

C: Let me see. Yes, I see what you mean. The lock seems to be jammed or something. No problem. I’ll get you another one. Sorry about that.

2.

W: Hi.

C: Yes?

W: I wonder if you could take a look at these shoes I bought here. They’re pretty new, but they seem to be falling apart.

C: Hmm. Let me see. Yes, this doesn’t look right. The stitching is coming out. How long did you say you’ve had them?

W: Only about a mont h. Here’s the receipt.

C: Hmm…yes. Well, let me exchange these for you. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.

3.

M: Excuse me.

C: Yes, how can I help you?

M: You see this shirt? I bought it here a few weeks ago, but the first time I washed it, the color changed: It went from bright red to light pink.

C: How did you wash it?

M: Well, I just tossed it into the washing machine with my other clothes.

C: What temperature did you use?

M: I usually wash my clothes in hot water, so I guess hot.

C: Well, did you check the washing instructions?

M: Um…maybe not.

C: Well, you see here on this label? It says, “Wash in cold water only.”

M: Um-hmm.

C: So I’m really sorry, but since you didn’t follow the washing instructions, I can’t really do anything for you.

P36

6 Conversation:

A Listen and practice.

Ms. Lock: Hello?

Mr. Burr: Hello, Ms. Lock. This is Jack Burr.

L: Uh, Mr. Burr… in Apartment 205?

B: No, in Apartment 305.

L: Oh, yes. What can I do for you? Does your refrigerator need fix ing again?

B: No, it’s the oven this time.

L: Oh, so what’s wrong with it?

B: Well, I think the temperature control needs to be checked. Everything I try to cook gets burned.

L: Really? OK, I’ll have someone look at it right away.

B: Thanks a lot, Ms. Lock.

L: Uh, by t he way, Mr. Burr, are you sure it’s the oven and not your cooking?

B Listen to another tenant calling Ms. Lock. What’s the tenant’s problem?

Ms. Lock: Hello?

Mrs. Harris: Hello. Is this the manager?

L: Yes, this is Ms. Lock.

H: This is Mrs. Harris in Apartment 216.

L: Yes, how can I help you, Mrs. Harris?

H: I’m having a problem.

L: What sort of problem?

G: With the electricity.

L: What sort of problem with the electricity?

H: Well, I don’t seem to have any.

L: I see. Do you mean for the lights or is it the appliances, too?

H: Let me check…No, the refrigerator is OK, so it must be just the lights.

L: I guess something must be wrong with the fuse box I’ll come up and have a look at it right away.

H: Thanks so much.

P38

10 Listening Repair jobs

Joe:

I work in the watch repair center at a large department store. I repair all kinds of watches, but nowadays, most of them are pretty easy to fix because they all run on batteries. The most common problem is they need a new battery. Since that only takes a minute or so to fix, I always have plenty of time to tell my watch jokes – like this one: What time is it when an elephant sits on your watch? Time to buy a new watch! And here’s another one: What time is it when the big hand……

Louise:

I repair luggage – mostly suitcases. People spend a lot of money on luggage, and often all it takes is one flight for a suitcase to get damaged. The most typical problem, I guess, is the wheels. I fix the wheels on about 20 suitcases a week. It’s not surprising, rea lly, with the way those baggage handlers at the airport throw around people’s luggage. You’d think they were playing ball, the way they throw suitcases around here and there……

Sam:

I repair household appliances. The most frequent calls I get are from people who are having trouble with the garbage-disposal system in their kitchen. Usually the thing gets jammed because the people have put too much food into it at one time or something metal or plastic has fallen down into it. It’s usually pretty easy to fix a garbage disposal, but every once in a while, you run into situations that aren’t exactly typical. One time, a little girl had put her Barbie doll down into the disposal – she thought Barbie would enjoy the ride. She couldn’t get the doll back out again,and she was afraid to tell her mother what she’d done. So when the mother went to use the disposal, it made a horrible noise and then died – and so did Barbie.

Unit 7

The word we live in

P40

2 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Andy: Excuse me. Would you like to make a contribution to Greener World?

Carla: Sure. What are you working on right now?

A: Well, we’re developing educational programs for schools. We want to show children how the oceans are being polluted by industrial waste. And we want to tell them about how fish supplies have been depleted through overfishing.

C: I think what you’re doing is terrific. I wish I could do more to help.

A: So, have you ever thought about becoming a member of Greener World?

C: No, but tell me a little more about it.

B Listen to the rest of the conversation. What else has Greener World accomplished in their city?

A: We’ve been active in this area for almost five years now. Are you aware of some of our other local projects?

C: No, I don’t think I am.

A: W ell, one of the things we’ve been doing is planting trees. We have a group of volunteers involved in several tree-planting projects in different parts of the city. We’re trying to get as many trees planted as possible to help clean the air and also to help lower the temperature during the summer.

C: That sounds smart.

A: Uh-huh. We’ve also placed over 50 recycling bins around the city so that people can drop off things for recycling – cans, bottles, plastic bags, and newspapers. Last year we raised over $100,000 through recycling.

C: That’s fantastic. I’d love to get involved in Greener World. Where do I sign?

P42

5 Listening: Environmental solutions

A Listen to three people describing how come serious environmental problems are being solved. Write down the problem each one talks about.

1. Jenny:

J: You know, I’ve been reading a lot about the problem of landfills – and it really has me worried.

M: Why?

J: Well, it seems that the easiest way of disposing of trash is by burying it in landfills. The pr oblem is that in many countries the landfills have already been filled up, and it’s hard to find places to start new ones. No one wants a huge landfill anywhere near their neighborhood.

M: So what’s the solution?

J: Well, there is no easy solution. But many cities are trying to do more recycling so that they can reduce the amount of stuff that goes into the landfills.

2. Adam:

W: I can’t believe it’s become dangerous to get a suntan. What is this world coming to? A: Well, the sun has never been good fo r you, but it’s really dangerous now. You see, the ozonosphere, which helps protect us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, has been damaged by pollution in the air. When the ozone layer gets too thin, it can cause an increase in skin cancer and other problems.

W: But is there anything we can do to solve the problem?

A: Sure. One of the biggest threats to the ozone layer is cars – the exhaust gases from cars. The best way to save the ozone layer is to drive less. So in many places, people are being asked to carpool.

3. Kate:

K: You know, you always hear about air pollution, but not many people are aware of the problem of water pollution.

M: You mean in the oceans?

K: No. I mean polluted drinking water. It’s a problem in almost every major city in the world. Almost all our rivers and lakes – where we get our drinking water from – are being polluted in some way by businesses farms, homes, industries, and other sources. And even though the water most of us drink is treated, it’s still not 100 percent pure.

M: So what’s the solution?

K: Well, it’s a complicated problem to solve, but basically what’s involved is treating all waste products more carefully so that dangerous chemicals and bacteria don’t get into our water supply.

P43

Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Andy: You know, there’s a factory outside town that’s pumping chemicals into the river. Carla: How can they do that? Isn’t that against the law?

A: Yes, it is. But a lot of companies ignore those laws.

C: That’s terrible! What can Greener Worl d do?

A: Well, on thing to do about it is to talk to the management.

C: What if that doesn’t work?

A: Well, then another way to stop them is to get a TV station to run a story on it.

C: Yes! Companies hate bad publicity. By the way, what’s the name of this company? A: It’s called Apex Industries.

C: Oh no! My uncle is one of their top executives!

C Listen to the rest of the conversation. What do Andy and Carla decide to do? Carla: Wait a minute, Before Greener World does anything, shouldn’t we make sure that we’ve got our facts straight?

Andy: Absolutely. The best thing to do is to monitor the situation over the next several weeks to see what exactly is happening.

C: How do we do that?

A: Well, we can take pictures of the river and even take water samples to see how had the situation is.

C: OK. And maybe I could talk to my uncle about it.

A: Oh, no, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Not yet, anyway.

C: Why not?

A: I don’t think we want to say anything to anyone until we have a clearer picture o f what is going on. After we’ve monitored the situation for a while, then we can decide whether we need to have a meeting with a representative of the company to tell them what we’ve discovered. OK, Carla?

C: OK.

Unit 8

Learning to learn

P46

2 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

Paula: Do you want to take a class with me at the community college?

Jason: Maybe. What are they offering?

P: Well, here’s the course catalog. Take a look.

J: Hmm. They’ve got a lot of language classes – Chinese, German, Japanese. Would you rather learn an Asian language or a European one?

P: Um, actually, I think I’d rather take an art class. They have one on landscape photography and another on making videos.

J: That sounds OK. But I think I’d prefer studying video to l earning about photography. P: OH, wait. It says here that you need to provide your own video equipment.

J: Oh, I’d rather not spend a lot of money. Let’s see what else they’re offering.

B Listen to the rest of the conversation. What course do they decide to take? Why?

Paula: Hmm. Hey, this sounds kind of interesting: the art of bonsai.

Jason: What’s bonsai?

P: You know, those miniature trees they grow in little tubs. It says here that they have a course on how to grow them, and on how to develop a bus iness selling bonsais. Apparently, you can sell them for up to $500 apiece.

J: Really? Wow! That does sound good. We could learn how to grow them and then maybe set up a little business.

P: Yeah. We could do it out at my dad’s place. He has lots of room to grow things in his garden.

J: Is the course expensive? Do you have to buy any special equipment?

P: It says no special equipment is required except plant containers and some young trees. J: Let’s check it out, then.

P48

Listening:

A Listen to three people talking about the part-time courses they took recently. Complete the chart.

1. Linda

M: So, Linda, what have you been doing with yourself?

L: Not much. Oh, wait! That’s not true. I took this great dancing course last semester. M: Oh, yeah! What kind of dancing?

L: We learned tap dancing and square dancing.

M: Wait……why on earth would you want to learn tap dancing and square dancing? It sounds exhausting.

L: Oh, just for fun. You should try taking the course. You’ll see that you learn more th an just dancing. You also learn how to be more confident and how to interact better with other people.

M: Hmm. I think with all that hopping around I’d be too exhausted to interact with anyone.

2. Rich

W: So, how did you enjoy your cooking course?

R: It was great.

W: What kinds of things did you learn to cook?

R: Well, it was a course on vegetarian cooking.

W: I didn’t know you were a vegetarian.

R: Oh, I’m not. But a lot of people are these days. So I thought it would be useful to know how to make some interesting dishes without meat for times when I invite friends over for dinner.

W: Hmm. Well, I guess that makes sense.

R: Oh, but we learned more than just cooking. They also taught us all kinds of useful things about…uh…the health value of differ ent kinds of vegetables, and how to prepare them so that you don’t remove all the valuable vitamins and minerals that they contain.

W: So…uh…when’s dinner?

3. Gwen

G: I just got my grade in the mail. I got an A!

M: Wow! That’s terrific. Congratulations. What kind of course was it?

G: Oh, it was one of those business courses. They just taught us how to open a small business.

M: Oh, did it help?

G: Oh, absolutely. We learned a lot of general principles, and then they taught us about how to run a small retail business. I got a lot of great information that I could use if ever I decide to open……oh, let’s say a plumbing supply store.

M: A plumbing supply store?

P48

7 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

W: So, how’s your French class going?

J: Not bad, but I’m finding the pronunciation difficult.

W: Well, it takes a while to get it right. You could improve your accent by listening to tapes. J: That’s a good idea. But how do you learn new vocabulary? I always seem to forget new words.

W: I learn new words by writing them on pieces of paper and sticking them on my bedroom wall. I look at them every night before I go to sleep.

J: Maybe I should try something like that!

B Listen to two other people explain how they learn new words in a foreign language. What techniques do they use?

First person

I keep a record of new words I come across. Then I make up study cards. I write the word on one side of the card and the meaning on the other side. Oh, and I always include at least one sentence with the word in it. Then I go through the cards whenever I have some spare time –like when. I’m waiting for my clothes at the Laundromat or between classes –and study the words until I know them by heart. Every week or so, I organize the cards

into categories: you kno w, I put all the words together that have to do with food…or work…or home…or school…whatever I can find that my new words have in common. Second person

I keep a vocabulary notebook. It’s organized alphabetically. Whenever I hear or read a new word. I write it down. Then when I have time, I look it up in my dictionary. Then I put down some key information about the word –you know, whether it’s a noun or a verb, and some examples of how it’s used. I go through the notebook and study the words as often as I can. I really believe that the only way to learn new words – even in your own language – is by memorizing them.

P49

9 Ways of learning

A First, discuss how you would learn to do the things in the chart. Then listen to two people describe how they developed these skills. How did they learn?

1. Become a good cook

First person

Well. I first learned to cook by watching my mom. She’s a great cook, so I used to help her in the kitchen whenever I had the chance. I also took a couple of cooking classes to learn how to do other kinds of cooking, like pastries and Chinese cooking.

Second person

I never actually spent any time in the kitchen until I moved away form home and got my own apartment. Then I had to learn – that is, if I wanted to eat something besides fast food! So I learned to cook just by getting some cookbooks and trying the recipes out. I made a lot of really awful mistakes, and…ugh…ate some of those mistakes, but practice does make perfect. Now I’m a pretty good cook, I’ve even thrown some dinne r parties.

2. Become a good conversationalist

First person

I had always been really shy. I was the sort of person who could go to a party and never talk to anybody, and when you don’t talk to anybody, it’s hard to make friends. Anyway, my sister suggested I take an acting class. She said it might help me become more outgoing. So, I did. I was really frightened in that first acting class. But you know it really helped. The teacher was very kind, and taught me that I could talk to anybody just by pretending to be someone else.

Second person

I guess I learned how to communicate with people when I was a flight attendant. I worked as a flight attendant for five years. The most important thing you have to do in that job is to talk to passengers – especially during long flights. You learn to talk about all kinds of stuff, and you find out just how interesting some people’s lives are. I think the key to being a good conversationalist is to be sincerely interested in other people and to try to get them to talk about themselves as much as possible.

Review of Units 5-8

P52

2 Listening Tenant complaints

Listen to three tenants complaining to their building manager. Complete the chart.

1.

A: Hello, Mr. Smith? I was wondering if you could, uh, change the lightbulb out front? It went out again.

B: Look, why are you bothering me now? It’s still light outside and it will be for another five hours.

A: Well, I realize that, but it was dark last night, and I was fumbling with my keys,

and …I’m headed out now, and …

B: Miss, it just rained. It’s very wet. It’s dangerous to work with electricity when it’s wet outside.

A: Oh, I…I don’t want to endanger you. It’s just that I’ll be coming home late tonight and I just want to make…

B: I would love to help you miss, but so mebody borrowed my ladder. I don’t have a ladder. A: Well, you know, I have a chair! If you’d just give me a lightbulb, I wouldn’t mind doing it myself. OK?

B: Oh, oh. Oh! OK. Here. Take a lightbulb from one of my lamps…

A: Oh, no, you don’t have to do that!

B: …so you know it works. No, please. It’s my pleasure.

A: Oh! Thank you!

2.

A: Uh, excuse me. Mr. Smith?

B: Yeah?

A: Uh, I was wondering if you could do something about my next-door neighbor’s dog? It’s been barking and…and keeping…keeping…

B: Hey! Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, dogs gotta……

A: Dogs…

B: That’s nature’s way.

A: Dogs…yes, but they don’t have to bark all night! This is three nights in a row……

B: Oh! Wait! Wait! Have you tried earplugs?

A: I’ve tried earplugs. They don’t……

B: Have you seen the size of that dog? You want me to go in there? That dog could hurt me! A: Well, I need my sleep! I don’t know what to tell you, I mean……

B: Look, look. I tell you what. I’ll call him on the phone, and ask if he can keep his dog quiet.

A: Thank you!

3.

A: Mr. Smith.

B: Mrs. Taylor.

A: I have a bone to pick with you.

B: What is it?

A: My mail keeps arriv ing every day later and later.

B: Mrs. Taylor, that’s the government’s fault-not mine……

A: Well, I think……

B: Well, complain to the post office.

A: Mr. Smith! I think that it’s your job to take care of this!

B: Mrs. Taylor, why do you need your mail early? Take my advice. Just relax, put your feet