GETTING READY
Audio Transcripts:
Welcome back to Mike in the Morning, the talk show that gets you
ready for the day! For those of you just joining us, we’re discussing ways
to make small talk. Some people find initiating a conversation difficult or
even awkward, but it can be easy. Remember to listen carefully to what
the other person says and respond accordingly. Here are a few topics
you can bring up: entertainment news, like Lady Gaga’s newest CD;
sports—talk about the current rankings and make predictions about the
next game; or your perspective on the New York Times weekly best seller.
And food is always a winning subject. You can recommend that new
steak house you tried last night. Most importantly, just be yourself. If
you’re relaxed, your conversation will flow more smoothly.
1
GETTING READY
Audio Transcripts:
Dialogue 1
Hank: Hey, Buddy. I haven’t seen you for ages. How have you been?
Buddy: Pretty good. I’ve been occupied with work—I’m a reporter now.
You know what they say: the news never sleeps.
Hank: Yeah. I bet you look forward to your days off.
Buddy: Definitely. This party is awesome, isn’t it?
Hank: For sure. Have you tried the sushi rolls?
Buddy: Not yet.
Hank: You should. They are the best snacks here.
2
GETTING READY
Audio Transcripts:
Dialogue 2
Melody: What a gorgeous baby!
Woman: Thank you. She’s three weeks old.
Melody: That explains why she is so tiny. What’s her name?
Woman: Emily.
Melody: A pretty name for a pretty baby! Are you two enjoying the
sunshine?
Woman: Very much. It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?
Melody: Yeah, it is. I hope you and Emily have fun on your walk in the
park.
Woman: Thanks. Have a nice day.
3
GETTING READY
Audio Transcripts:
Dialogue 3
Trish: Hello?
Lisa: Hey, Trish. It’s Lisa.
Trish: Hi, Lisa. What’s new?
Lisa: Well, did you hear the news?
Trish: What news? Fill me in.
Lisa: Rumor has it that Molly and Bryan have split up!
Trish: What? They seemed to be really compatible.
Lisa: I know. But I heard that they had a big argument. Molly caught
Bryan cheating on her, so she dumped him.
Trish: Wow. That’s crazy!
4
VOCABULARY DRILL
Audio Transcripts:
I love having a cell phone. With a cell phone, I can keep in touch with the
most important people in my life. My best mate Linda is number one on my speed
dial. We hang out constantly, and our friendship goes back a long time. She is a
considerate listener and a shoulder to cry on when I feel depressed. The other
people I’ve set on speed dial are my parents, Aunt Stella, and Grandma Grace.
Although we may not always get along, we are respectful toward each other. I
also often call Chris, my gym partner; we work out together twice a week. His
encouragement keeps me motivated to accomplish my exercise goals. When I
can’t make it to work, I call my supervisor, Tina, and colleague Nathan. Tina is an
understanding manager. Whenever I make a blunder, she provides constructive
criticism on how to remedy the problem instead of scolding me. Occasionally, I
contact Brett and Lisa, who oversee the homeless shelter I volunteer at. I’m truly
blessed to have a faithful family and dependable friends.
5
EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
Roy:
Hey, Grandpa and Grandma.
Grandpa: Hi, Roy. Good of you to pay us a visit.
Roy:
I wanted to show you something I found in the basement.
Grandma: What . . . oh, our senior yearbook! That brings back a lot of memories.
Grandpa: It sure does. This photo was taken at the County Fair during the pie-eating
contest. I know I competed, but I don’t recall how I did.
Roy:
You won. It says here you ate eight pies in 28 minutes!
Grandpa: Ah yes. It’s all coming back to me now. My classmate Dave had accumulated
several wins over the years, and I was determined to beat him.
Grandma: This was taken during our school’s annual Fall Festival.
Grandpa: That definitely rings a bell. I dressed up as a scarecrow.
Roy:
What about this picture?
Grandpa: This was taken during our junior prom. The theme was “Lovers in History,” so I
went as Romeo and my date was Juliet.
Roy:
What was her name?
Grandpa: Hmm . . . I’m drawing a complete blank.
Grandma: Let me jog your memory: it was me! You crazy old man!
6
EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
My Prince Charming has to love adventure because I’m addicted to thrills.
I’m totally obsessed with skiing—it’s my favorite pastime. I’m also a fan of
outdoor activities, like camping, canoeing, and mountain biking. Also, he must be
an animal lover, as I’m passionate about fighting animal cruelty. Blockbuster
movies aren’t really my thing, but I enjoy watching foreign films. If he’s crazy
about reading, that’s OK. I browse through guidebooks sometimes, but I don’t
care much for popular fiction. Since I’m bored stiff by guys who don’t talk very
much, he should be a good conversationalist. Shopping isn’t my cup of tea, so
I’m not interested in dating someone who is into fashion. And unlike most other
girls, having a nice car doesn’t do anything for me. I’d rather you pick me up for
a date on a bicycle than in a limo. Everyone should care about the environment!
7
EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
Connie: Help me, Maggie. Organizing the seating arrangements for my wedding
reception is so difficult!
Maggie: Relax, Connie. How hard can it be?
Connie: Most of Max’s family act like they are only casual acquaintances. His
two aunts are quite cold to each other.
Maggie: Well, let’s start with your table first. Will Max’s parents be sitting together?
Connie: No. They’re divorced.
Maggie: Oh. Will Max’s sister Susan be in attendance?
Connie: Of course. They are as thick as thieves.
Maggie: Perfect. Your friend Christina is coming, right?
Connie: Yes, but we had a fight last week, and now she’s not talking to me.
Maggie: I hope you two will reconcile before the wedding. How about Louise?
Connie: She must sit at my table. Everybody knows we’re joined at the hip.
Maggie: OK. Where do you want to seat your Uncle Bob?
Connie: He’s a quiet person, and he keeps most of the family at a distance. I
guess I will sit him with the rest of the extended family.
Maggie: What about me?
Connie: We’re buddy-buddy. Of course I want
8 you right by my side.
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
A. Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the correct forms of the verbs. There may be more than one
possible answer.
be playing /
Will / Is
going to be playing2. A Next week, Dad _____________
1. A ______ the band _____________
(play) when the fireworks display
(mingle) with government officials
starts?
at the White House.
will end
B Yes, but they ____________
(end)
B Yeah. He _____________ (stand)
their performance shortly
next to the president when the
afterwards.
camera crews show up.
will need
A We ____________
(need) to get
will be mingling / is
going to be mingling
there early.
will be standing /
is going to be standing
9
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
A. Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the correct forms of the verbs. There may be more than one
possible answer.
be preparing /
going to be
preparing
3. A Mr. Johnson _____________ (not
/ Is Claire still _____________
4. AWill
______
take) calls until the afternoon.
(prepare) the paperwork when the
clients arrive?
B OK. I _____________ (try)
B I don’t think so; I expect that she
contacting him again at around
3:00 p.m.
will finish
_____________
(finish) up ahead
will not be taking /
is not going to be
taking
of time.
will try /
am going to try
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GRAMMAR WORKOUT
B. Complete the Letter
Finish the letter with the words provided. Use the future continuous
tense.
attend
send
Hello Joe,
will be attending /
am going to be
attending
will be serving /
are going to be
serving
will be driving /
am going to be
driving
I’m thrilled about my upcoming excursion. On Saturday, I 1. ____________
drive
a rental car to Taitung Forest Park at three. At 7:00 p.m., I 2. ____________
tour
the Amis Harvest Festival—I’ve heard that they 3. ____________ fabulous
serve
aboriginal food there. On Sunday morning, I 4. ____________ Tianhou
board
Temple. Then guess what? I’m off to Green Island. The flight departs at 2:00
dive
p.m., and I 5. ____________ in the gorgeous Pacific Ocean with my scuba
gear an hour after that. I’ll be back in Taitung in the early evening, and I
6. ____________ the train to Taipei as the sun sets. I 7. ____________ you
some souvenirs after I get home.
Brad
will be boarding /
am going to be
boarding
will be diving /
am going to
be diving
will be touring /
am going to be
touring
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will be sending /
am going to be
sending
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
C. Fill Out the Memo
Listen to the audio. Complete the note using the future continuous
tense.
Dear Mr. Harris,
An early “Happy Birthday” to you! Below is your schedule for October 14 and 15.
will be / are going to be attending a conference
1. At 10:30 a.m., you _______________________________________.
downtown
will be / are going to be signing a
2. If everything goes well, you _______________________________
with the client from
contract
Australia after lunch.
3. You __________________________________
will be / are going to be giving a lecture to some executives in Chicago at 8:30
p.m.
will be / are going to be celebrating your at the end of the
4. You and some colleagues __________________________________
birthday
day.
5. The next morning, you __________________________________
for the new
will be / are going to be hosting a
Midwest branch.
ground-breaking ceremony
Kind regards,
Jasmine
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GRAMMAR WORKOUT
Audio Transcripts:
The first thing I’ll be doing tomorrow when I get to the office is sending e-mails
to clients on the east coast. After that, I’ll be making my way downtown as I have
an important conference at 10:30 a.m. At noon, a potential client from Australia
will be meeting me for lunch, and hopefully we’ll be signing a contract in the early
afternoon. Before our office closes at 5:00, I’ll be taking a taxi to the airport in
order to catch a flight to Chicago. After I land, I’ll be giving a speech to a group of
managers at 8:30 in the evening. When my speech is over, a few colleagues will
be taking me out to dinner to celebrate my birthday! Then the day after tomorrow,
I will be hosting a ground-breaking ceremony for our company’s new Midwest
branch office.
13
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
A. Complete the Sentences
Fill in the blanks with words from the article. Use the hints to help you.
p.38
advisable to always carry an
1. When visiting Seattle, it’s ___________
umbrella, as it often rains there. (recommended)
disrespectful to talk on a cell phone while watching a movie in
2. It’s ___________
a movie theater. (discourteous)
3. The author’s writing style is a sharp contrast to the literary
norm
___________.
(standard)
seemingly qualified during the interview,
4. The newcomer was ___________
but she is actually quite disorganized. (appearing to be a certain way)
proximity of a newly announced
5. Zack wanted to avoid living in the ___________
construction site. (closeness)
14
p.39
p.40
p.41
p.42
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
B. Fix the Blunders
Write down what the people should be doing based on the article.
Common Cultural Blunder
1.
Eva is presenting her business card to a Japanese client with her right hand.
Rule of Thumb
1.
Eva should present her business card with both hands, as that is the social
norm in Japan.
15
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
B. Fix the Blunders
Write down what the people should be doing based on the article.
Common Cultural Blunder
2.
Alan has been introduced to a Thai woman. He attempts to kiss her on the
cheek.
Rule of Thumb
2.
It is inappropriate for members of the opposite sex to touch in public in
Thailand. Instead, Alan should just nod or bow to the woman.
16
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
B. Fix the Blunders
Write down what the people should be doing based on the article.
Common Cultural Blunder
3.
Mr. Wang stands right next to his American business partner while talking.
Rule of Thumb
3.
Mr. Wang is standing too close. Americans prefer more personal space, so
Mr. Wang should step back a little.
17
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
B. Fix the Blunders
Write down what the people should be doing based on the article.
Common Cultural Blunder
4.
Pam is vacationing in India. She takes her change from a cashier with her left
hand.
Rule of Thumb
4.
Pam should not be using her left hand to accept things in India since it is
considered unclean. She should use her right hand to accept the money.
18
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
B. Fix the Blunders
Write down what the people should be doing based on the article.
Common Cultural Blunder
5.
Melody is perplexed because the guys she meets in Paris don’t shake her
hand.
Rule of Thumb
5.
In France, men commonly kiss the cheeks of women they are acquainted
with. If Melody is comfortable with that, she should let the men kiss her on
the cheeks.
19
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
C. Multiple Choice
Circle the answers.
1. What should you keep in mind when
meeting people from another culture?
a. You must always show affection to
people of the opposite sex.
b. You should be cautious so you don’t
accidentally offend someone.
c. People treat acquaintances with respect.
d. Visitors will always be familiar with
what to do.
20
READING ─AFTER YOU READ
C. Multiple Choice
Circle the answers.
2. What is TRUE about physical distance?
a. Most people don’t mind someone
invading their personal space.
b. Everyone stands the same distance
apart.
c. The amount needed varies with one’s
social status.
d. The requirement depends on where the
speaker is from.
21
AFTER YOU READ
C. Multiple Choice
Circle the answers.
3. What would be considered rude in Brazil?
a. Standing close to new acquaintances
b. Accepting an item with only one hand
c. Keeping your distance from someone
while conversing
d. Shaking hands with someone senior to
you
22