Lesson 1.13.3 – American English Lessons With Maestro Sersea

Read the following dialogue and answer the question - What takes a lot of effort?
Debbie: I give up! I simply can’t learn French!
Helen: Why do you say that? I think you’re making a lot of progress.
Debbie: No, I’m not. I try and try, and I still can’t speak it very well.
Helen: Learning any language takes a lot of effort. But don’t give up. Why don’t we practice those dialogs together?
Debbie: Good idea. That just might help.

Read the dialogue below and answer the following question - Who is getting married?
Bonnie: Guess what! Paul and Susan are engaged!
Janice: Really? When did that happen?
Bonnie: A week ago. They met last summer­ and now, just think… they’ll be married soon.
Janice: Have they set a date for the wedding’?
Bonnie: No, not yet. But Susan says they’d like to get married in November or December. Then they’ll go to Hawaii for their honeymoon.

Read the dialogue below and answer the following question - Who has photography as a hobby?
Roger: What do you do in your spare time?
Barry: Oh, nothing special. I read… watch TV… go to the movies.
Roger: Don’t you have any hobbies, like stamp collecting or things like that?
Barry: No, I don’t have any hobbies. How about you?
Roger: I have just one—photography. It’s expensive, but it’s a lot of fun.

Read the dialogue below and then answer the question - Who wants to take the bus?
Joyce: Shall we take a taxi or a bus to the meeting?
Bill: We’d better take a bus. It’s almost impossible to find a taxi during rush hour.
Joyce: Isn’t that a bus stop over there?
Bill: Yes… Oh, oh! There’s a bus now. We’ll have to run to catch it.
Joyce: 0.K.… Oh, no! We just missed it.
Bill: Never mind. There’ll be another one in ten minutes.

Read the dialogue below and answer this question - What color are the gloves?
Saleslady: Can I help you?
Gloria: Yes, I’m looking for a pair of white gloves. I think I wear size six.
Saleslady: The white gloves are on this counter. Let’s see… here’s a size six. These are very nice, and they’re washable, too.
Gloria: Oh, I’ll try them on. Hmmm… they seem to fit. How much are they?
Saleslady: Five dollars.
Gloria: All right. I’ll take them.
Saleslady: That’ll be five­ twenty with the tax.

Read the dialogue below and answer this question - How many birds do the Browns have?
Connie: That’s a beautiful cat. I wonder who it belongs to.
Gary: It belongs to the Browns. They live across the street from us. They have three cats, two dogs, and a canary.
Connie: They certainly must like pets! But how do all those animals get along with each other?
Gary: Don’t ask me. Ask the Browns!

Read the dialogue below and answer the question - Who has stamps?
Dean: Do you mind if we stop by the post office? I have to mail these letters and I don’t have any stamps.
Carol: Oh, I have some. We don’t need to go all the way to the post office.
Dean: That would save time. Can you let me have two airmail stamps and one regular one?
Carol: Here you are. Are you sure that’s enough?
Dean: Yes, that’s fine. Now all we have to do is find a mailbox.

Read the dialogue below and answer this question - Who just baked some cookies?
Shirley: Would you like some cookies? I just made them.
Louise: Thank you. Yes, I would.
Shirley: These are chocolate, and those are almond­ flavored.
Louise: I guess I’ll try a chocolate one first. Mmmm…this is delicious. Are they hard to make?
Shirley: No, they’re really quite easy. Wait a minute, I’ve got the recipe right here. See…these are the ingredients, and then you just follow the directions.
Louise: That does look easy. I think I’ll make some tonight.

Read the dialogue below and answer the question. Who is taking a vacation?
David: Did you say you’re going to take a vacation next month?
Ruth: Yes, my family and I are going to New York for a week. We want to visit the museums and see some plays.
David: I envy you. I haven’t had a vacation for a long time. I wish I could get away for a while.
Ruth: You can take a vacation sometime soon, can’t you?
David: No, there’s too much work to do. Maybe next year, though.

Read the following dialogue and answer this question - Who is a good singer?
Anne: Listen! Somebody’s playing the piano.
Betty: Yeah, it sounds nice, doesn’t it? I wish I could play a musical instrument.
Anne: Don’t you play the violin?
Betty: No, but my sister does. Actually, she’s pretty good at it.
Anne: I took flute lessons for a couple of years, but I never learned to play very well. I guess I don’t have any musical talent.
Betty: Oh, that’s not true. You sing very well. I can’t even do that!

Read the dialogue below and answer this question - Who almost got hit by a car?
Peter: There’s the shoe store we’ve been looking for. It’s just across the street.
Gail: Wait! You can’t cross the street in the middle of the block! You have to cross at the corner.
Peter: Oh, come on. Let’s go across here. (Sound of car screeching)
Gail: Look out! You nearly got hit by that car! Now do you see why you should cross at the corner?
Peter: I guess you’re right. I’ll be more careful after this.

Answer the question after you read the dialogue below. Who asks for directions to the bookstore?
Marilyn: Excuse Me. Could you tell me which way Dobson’s bookstore is?
Nancy: Yes, it’s that way. You go two blocks, then turn left. It’s on the corner opposite the post office.
Marilyn: Thanks I’ve only been in town a few days, so I really don’t know my way around yet.
Nancy: Oh, I know how you feel. We moved here a year ago, and I still don’t know where everything is.

Read this dialogue and answer the question - Who had the flu?
Jane: I hear you’ve been ill.
Cathy: Well, I had the flu for a couple of weeks, but I’m fine now.
Jane: You’re looking well. By the way, did you hear about Mrs. Jackson?
Cathy: No, What about her?
Jane: She had such a bad case of the flu that they had to take her to the hospital.
Cathy: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that!

Identify the title of this dialogue:
George: Say, Joe, do you play bridge?
Joe: No, I don’t play any card games. But I know how to play chess. How about you, George?
George: Well, I happen to be one of the best chess players around.
Joe: 0.K. Let’s play, then. We’ll see who’s the best.

Identify the title of this dialogue:
Bruce: Where did John go?
Laura: He went to the drugstore. (Pause)
Bruce: To the bookstore?
Laura: No, I said he went to the drugstore.
Bruce: Oh, I misunderstood you. I thought you said bookstore.
Laura: How could you make a mistake like that? Weren’t you paying attention?

Identify the title of this dialogue:
(Theater murmur)

Bob: Excuse me, is this seat taken?
Larry: No. it isn’t.
Bob: Would you mind moving over one, so my friend and I can sit together?
Larry: No, not at all.
Bob: Thanks a lot.

Identify the title of this dialogue:
Patty: How old are you?
Susan: Nine … but I’ll be ten on May sixteenth.
Patty: I’m older than you! I’ll be ten on May fourteenth.
Susan: Are you going to have a birthday party?
Patty: Maybe. I’ll have to ask my mother.

Identify the title of this dialogue:
(Restaurant sounds)

Waiter: Are you ready to order now, sir?
Ralph: Yes. I’ll have tomato soup, roast beef, mashed potatoes, and peas.
Waiter: That’s tomato soup…roast beef…mashed potatoes…and peas. How do you want the beef—rare, medium, or well­ done?
Ralph: Well­ done, please.
Waiter: Anything to drink?
Ralph: Hmmm… just water. I’ll have coffee with my dessert.

Identify the title of this dialogue:
Linda: You look happy today!
Frank: I am happy. I just heard I passed my physics exam.
Linda: Congratulations! I’m glad somebody’s happy.
Frank: Why? What’s the matter?
Linda: Oh, I’m just worried, I guess I have to take a history exam next week.

Identify the title of this dialogue:
(Phone rings)

Barbara: Hello.
Fred: Hello. May I speak to Alice Weaver, please?
Barbara: Just a minute… Alice, it’s for you.
Alice: Hello.
Fred: Hi, Alice. This is Fred. Would you like to go to a movie tonight?
Alice: Thanks, I’d love to. I haven’t been to a movie for a long time.
Fred: Good. I’ll pick you up around seven ­thirty, then. The movie starts at eight.
Alice: Fine, I’ll be ready. (Phone clicks down)

Identify the title of this dialogue:
Margaret: What time is it?
Toni: It’s a quarter to five.
Margaret: Aren’t we supposed to be at Jim’s house by five o’clock?
Toni: Five or five­ thirty. He said it didn’t make any difference.
Margaret: Then maybe we could pick your suit up at the cleaners.
Toni: Sure, we have plenty of time.

Identify the title of this dialogue:

(Sound of background conversation)

Jim: Who’s the tall girl next to Barbara?
Charles: That’s Mary Anderson. Didn’t you meet her at Steve’s party?
Jim: No, I wasn’t at Steve’s party.
Charles: Oh! Then let me introduce you to her now. Mary, this is my cousin Jim.
Mary: Hi, Jim. I’m glad to meet you.
Jim: I’m glad to meet you. Can’t we sit down somewhere and talk?
Mary: Sure, let’s sit over there.

Identify the title of this dialogue:

Margaret: Mr. Wilson, I’d like you to meet Dr. Edward Smith.

Mr. Wilson: How do you do, Dr. Smith.

Dr. Smith: How do you do.

Margaret: Dr. Smith is an economist. He’s just finished writing a book on international trade.

Mr. Wilson: Oh? That’s my field, too. I work for the United Nations.

Dr. Smith: In the Development Program, by any chance?

Mr. Wilson: Yes. How did you guess?

Dr. Smith: I’ve read your articles on technical assistance. They’re excellent.

Identify the title of this dialogue:

Dick: Hi! How are you?

Helen: Fine, thanks—and you?

Dick: Just fine. Where are you going?

Helen: To the library.

Dick: O.K. I’ll see you later. So long

Helen: So long.

Identify the title for this dialogue:

Paul: Hello. How are you?

Don: Fine, thank you. How are you?

Paul: Fine, thanks. (bus sound ­effect) Oh, excuse me—here’s my bus. Good­bye.

Don: Good­bye.