Whats London really like?

Luke: So, um, what do you think of London? Whats it really like? Man: Londons a very nice place to be, yeah. Luke: Yeah? Man: Yeah. Luke: Whats the best thing about it? Man: The best thing is the architecture, the old stuff Luke: Yeah, yeah. Like Buckingham Palace Man: Like Buckingham Palace, yeah Luke: What about Man: Anything else, yeah? Luke: What about the worst thing? Man: The worst thing is all the rest, Im afraid. Luke: Everything else? Man: Everything else, gone to the dogs. Luke: Really, its all gone to the dogs? Man: With the country. Luke: Ok. Alright, thank you very much. Cheers. Man: Thank you. These girls are from Hull, which is in Yorkshire in the north of England. Theyre in London on holiday. They have Yorkshire accents. Luke: Hello Girls: Hi! Luke: So, where are you from? Girls: Erm, Hull. Luke: Hull? Ok, so how long have you been in London? Blonde girl: We came yesterday Luke: Ok, what do you think? Whats London like? Redhead girl: Really good! Blonde girl: Its a bit busy Brunette girl: busy Luke: Right, okay. Whats, err, whats the best thing about it? Redhead girl: The weather, the last couple of days Blonde girl: Yeah, its been hotter than it is back home Redhead girl: Its been really nice, yeah. Luke: So its better here than it is in Hull, is it? Redhead girl: It is Blonde girl: Yeah, but we couldnt live here all the time Redhead girl: The worst thing about it is the tube, the underground Luke: Why? Whats wrong with the tube? Redhead girl: Its too stressful Brunette girl: Its too hot and busy Redhead girl: and grimy Luke: Busy, grimy, stressful ok. Anything else to say to the people of the world? Blonde girl: Come to London! Redhead girl: Hiiii! Come to Hull to go out with us Blonde girl: Come to Hull Redhead girl: Well have lots of fun Luke: Great, thank you very much This couple are from New York City in USA. They have New York accents. Luke: Hello. So, where are you from? American man: Were from the good old USA, the biggest city in the world, New York Luke: Oh, amazing American man: which cannot compare to London. Luke: Really? USA man: I wanna just express our love for England, the people, and especially the British

Airway[s] that brought us here. They were so polite and extended themselves to the best airline that I travelled [on] all over the world. Luke: Great USA Man: Now coming to England, we stayed at the Holiday Inn, and the people and the experience at the Holiday Inn was super. Luke: Excellent USA Man: We just came from the Holiday Inn to see the Buckingham Palace and now were going to from here to Picadilly Square [Circus]. Yeah, great. Luke: Great! USA man: Thank you USA woman: A wonderful experience USA man: A wonderful experience Luke: Im very glad, thats great. USA man: And where is this going? Luke: This is going on a website for people who are learning English as a foreign language, so its just going to be on, err I work for this school, The London School of English and also Im going to put it on a kind of podcast website for people all over the world, so, thats great. USA man: Now, what is that over there? (pointing at the Queen Victoria Memorial) Luke: That? Err, Im not sure to be honest. Err, its USA woman: Its a nice statue. Luke: Its a lovely statue, covered in gold. USA man: Uh huh, okay Luke: Err, it I dont really know who all these people are, to be honest with you. USA man: Well, Im gonna take a picture Luke: Exactly. Its big and its shiny, so just take a picture of it.

Luke: So, where are you from? First of all. Man: Well, Im from Pinner, in Middlesex, which is near enough London, and we just come up once a week. Its a long time ago now, Im talking about before the war, and during the war, yes. A long time. And madam Woman: Im from Schleswig Holstein [on the German/Danish border] but I love London. Love it. My son lives here and I need to go from time to time, because its such a life city isnt it? Luke: it is Man: Recharge your batteries Woman: Yes, yes. And, so green too! All these lovely parks, you know? And I think its the most beautiful city in the world. Man: Sounds as though shes selling it Luke: Is she it does! Yes. What do you think, I mean, we, err, you think its the most beautiful city in the world, but, is there a, what about bad things? Whats the worst thing about London? Man: Well, I used to work just down there in Victoria Victoria Station House. Erm, no, I it tends to be a little dirty, a lot of rubbish around. I have the impression thats got a bit better lately. I dont know whether thats true. Luke: Right. Woman: I was in Rome, and I told them all that London was much more beautiful and they all shouted me down, so Luke: Oh really Woman: But when the sun shines, you know and all these green places, and nothing drive s me mad because you expect a bit of dirt and dont you? Luke: Yes, in the city Woman: Yes, yes. And it has good communication, I mean you can go everywhere, and I love it Man: Youll never stop her, but I must Woman: So, shall we go now? Luke: Great, thank you very much Man: Not at all Luke: Have a lovely day Woman: You have a lovely day Luke: Thank you Man: Dont you sell that Luke: Im not selling it, dont worry. Alright, cheers.

Girl 1: Hello Luke: Where are you from? Girl 1: Im from Blackpool, which is up north Girl 2: Im from just near Reading, just near London Luke: Ok. So, how long have you been here? Girl 1: Ive lived in London for about 2 weeks so far Girl 2: And Ive lived in London for probably the last 4 years Luke: OK, right so whats London like then? Girl 1: So far Londons quite exciting. Ive been surprised by how many things are going on all the time, sort of, day and night. Theres always something to do, always something free to do, and so far its not rained! Luke: Eyy! Great. Err, yourself? Girl 2: Err, yeah the same, like, its been a good place to live. I dont know, because Ive been here for so long, I probably dont really take as much advantage of it as I should do. Luke: Yep, whats the worst thing about London? Girl 2: Erm Traffic, commuting, going around, I think Price. Luke: Yeah, its very expensive. Have you discovered a worst thing yet? Girl 1: Erm, honestly, the worst thing is its quite difficult to meet people, and because a lot of people live so far away, its quite difficult to get to them, its quite hard to see your friends, so it can sometimes be quite lonely. Luke: Ok, thank you very much. Cheers. Definitions of some vocabulary and expressions: Whats London really like?

Its gone to the dogs = everything is m uch worse now than it was before grimy = dirty recharge your batteries = to give yourself some energy, by doing something pleasant and stimulating to shout someone down = to disagree with someone loudly in order to stop them talking to take advantage of something = to use something good which is available to you commuting = travelling from home to work every day