Difficult

01 – 72-Hour Emergency Kit

Lisa: Hi, Tim. So, are you doing some last-minute shopping before the
weekend?
Tim: Well, actually, I'm looking for supplies to put together 72-hour kits for
each member of my family.
Lisa: [A] 72-hour kit? What's that?
Tim: Basically, a 72-hour kit contains emergency supplies you would need
to sustain yourself for three days in case of an emergency, like an earthquake.
Lisa: An earthquake?! We haven't had an earthquake in years.
Tim: Well, you never know; you have to be prepared. Hey, if earthquakes don't
get you, it could be a flood, hurricane, snowstorm, power outage, fire, alien
attack. [Alien attack!] Well, you never know. Think of any situation in which
you might find yourself without the basic necessities of life, including shelter,
food, and water, for over a period of time.
Lisa: Hum. So, what do you keep in a 42-hour, um, . . . I mean 72-kit?
Tim: Well, you should have enough food and water to last you three days, and
you might want to pack a basic water filter or water purification tablets in case
your only water source turns out to be a murky pool of bug-infested water.
[Ugh!]
Hey, sometimes you don't have a choice, and as for food, you should keep it
simple: food that requires no preparation and that doesn't spoil. And no canned
goods because they are often too heavy and bulky. [Okay, that makes sense.]
And unless you have a can opener or the can has a pull-tab lid, you'll have to use
a rock or something to open them. [Ah, instant mashed green beens.] Yeah, and
oh, energy bars, beef jerky, and a mix of nuts, raisins, and chocolate are
possibilities.
Lisa: Huh, the food might be nasty, but I guess you could survive . . . barely.
Tim: Well, the food doesn't have to taste bad; just select things that are easy to
prepare, and you might want to include some basic comfort foods like a couple
of candy bars. Then, you have to decide on the type of shelter you might need.
Lisa: A hotel sounds nice.
Tim: Yeah, but that's really not an option. The reality is that you might have
to evacuate to a shelter, possibly with hundreds or thousands of other people.
Lisa: That doesn't sound very fun . . . everyone packed together like sardines in
a can. Unsanitary conditions. Disease.
Tim: Ah, now you're sounding paranoid, but if a shelter isn't available, you
might be completely on your own, so I always pack an emergency sleeping bag
or small, lightweight tent in the event that I have to survive on the street or in a
park.
Lisa: Wow.
Tim: And among other things, you should pack a flashlight, portable radio,
extra batteries, a small first-aid kit, personal items like a toothbrush or
toothpaste . . . Having a change of clothing is also important.
Lisa: What about money? I have a credit card.
Tim: Right. Like that's going to help when the power is out. You'd better be
prepared with coins and cash, and having small bills is a must.
Lisa: So, what do you do to communicate with other family members in case
you get separated?
Tim: Oh, in that case? I always pack two-way radios to communicate with the
group. You can never depend on cell phones. [Okay.] Plus, you should decide
on a meeting point in case your family gets separated.
Lisa: Well, that sounds like a detailed plan, definitely.
Tim: Oh, that's not all. You never know what weather conditions you might
encounter, so packing a rain poncho, a jacket, and something to start a fire with
could be very useful.
Lisa: Like Matches?
Tim: Matches? (If) You drop those in a puddle of water, you're toast. You need
to pack at least three forms of fire starter: a magnifying glass, a high-quality
lighter, and waterproof matches.
Lisa: Wow. I never thought about those either. So, what do you do if you have
small kids? They'd probably go stir-crazy under such conditions.
Tim: You're exactly right, so a little extra preparation for them is needed. If you
have to evacuate to a shelter to wait out a disaster, kids soon will be bored out of
their minds, so you have to pack small card games, paper, or something like
pencils or crayons to draw with.
Lisa: You know, preparing a 72-hour kit makes perfect sense . . .
Tim: Yeah, but most people thinking about it after it is too late.

Key Vocabulary
 sustain (verb): keep yourself alive 
- You need a lot of water to sustain yourself in the hot desert sun.
 flood (noun): a large amount of water that covers an area that is generally dry 
- We lost a lot of our possessions in last week's flood.
 power outage (noun): a period of time when you do not have electrical power 
- The power outage lasted over 10 hours, and we had to use flashlights and
candles to see in the dark.
 shelter (noun): a structure used for protection from weather or danger
- After the hurricane, many residents fled to shelters because their homes had
been destroyed by wind and water.
 pack (verb): fill or put things into a container like a suitcase or box
- Hurry and pack your suitcase. We need to leave in 15 minutes.
 purification (noun): the process of removing dirty parts from something (also
a verb purify)
- You really need to purify the water from the stream because it probably
contains bacteria.
 murky (adjective): dark and dirty that is difficult to see through
- The water that comes out of the kitchen faucet is really murky due to the fact
that the city is working on some of the water lines in this area.
 spoil (verb): go bad or decay so you cannot eat or drink something any longer
- The food in the refrigerator started to spoil after the power had been off for
two days.
 bulky (adjective): something difficult to carry because of its size
- Your backpack is too bulky to carry easily in case of an emergency; you
should remove some of the items and then repack it.
 nasty (adjective): having a bad smell, taste, or appearance
- The food looked so nasty that I couldn't bring myself to try it.
 evacuate (verb): move from an unsafe place to safety
- In case of fire, the school will evacuate all of its students to a safer location.
 be packed together like sardines (idiom): be crowded together in a small
place
- The emergency shelter was only designed to accommodate 100 evacuees, but
because all other shelters were overcrowded, this shelter accepted everyone
who came, and the people were packed together like sardines for two days.
 unsanitary (adjective): very dirty and unhealthy
- The unsanitary conditions at the refugee camp were terrible, and nothing
could be done until additional aid arrived.
 poncho (noun): a light coat made a one piece of material to protect you from
wind and rain
- I always carry a poncho in my backpack when I hike in case it starts to rain
suddenly.
 be toast (noun, slang): be in a desperate or very difficult situation
- If you don't have supplies during a severe emergency, you're toast, and no one
will there to help you.
 stir-crazy (adjective): very nervous or anxious
- Many of the people at the shelter have been there for a week, and they are
beginning to feel stir-crazy because they have nothing to do, and they don't
know their futures.
 wait out (phrasal verb): wait until something unpleasant finishes or passes
- We should just wait out the storm before we attempt to cross the river.
 be bored out of your mind (idiom): very bored
- The students were bored out of their minds during the lecture on ancient
religious practices.
02 – A Free Cell Phone!

Daughter: Dad. You love me, don't you?

Father: Of course, I do. Why do you ask . . . Ah, what's on your mind?
Daughter: Well, I saw this great offer for a free cell phone here in the
newspaper, and . . .
Father: Free? Nothing's ever free.
Daughter: Well, the phone is free . . . after a $50 mail-in rebate.
Father: Ah, so that's the catch. And why do you need a cell phone anyway?
Daughter: Dad. All my friends have one, and I can use it to call you in case the
car breaks down.
Father: Ah, I don't know. There are always so many fees.
Daughter: But the monthly charge for this service is only $29.99, with 1,000
free weekday minutes nationwide, and unlimited weekend minutes. Plus,
unlimited, anytime minutes for anyone using the same service.
Father: I don't know.
Daughter: And you can roll over the extra minutes to the next month instead of
just losing them. What do you think of that?
Father: Yeah, but what is the term of the service agreement?
Daughter: It's only for six months.
Father: But what if you cancel early?
Daughter: Um . . . Ah, there's a cancellation fee of $200, but with . . .
Father: Two hundred bucks!
Daughter: Yeah, but you won't have to worry about me while I'm driving the
new car.
Father: New car? What new car?
Daughter: The new car you'll need to buy so I can use the cell phone. I mean,
what's it gonna look like if I'm using a cell phone in our old lemon.
Father: Teenagers. What'll they think of next?

Key Vocabulary
 rebate (noun): a refund of part of all of the amount paid 
 - The company offers a fifty-dollar rebate on the purchase of a new cellphone.
 catch (noun): a hidden drawback or disadvantage 
- So, there must be a catch to buying this cellphone. I mean, why would the
company offer it for free?
 in case (adverb): in the event that 
- Bring your phone in case we need to call for help.
 fee (noun): cost, the amount of money you have to pay for something 
- There are always a number of fees you have to pay when buying a car.
 charge (noun, also a verb): fee, the amount of money you have to pay for
something or (as a verb), require someone to pay money for a product or
service 
- The store charged me too much for the cell phone, so I'm going to return it.
 nationwide (adverb and adjective): happening around the nation or country
- The cell phone company is promoting their services nationwide. 
- That company offers nationwide cell phone coverage.
 roll over (phrasal verb): transfer or carry over 
- This is one of the few companies that allows you to roll over your minutes to
the next month without losing them.
 term (noun): period of time 
- Over the long term, buying a high-quality phone might make the most
financial sense.
 lemon (noun): a defective automobile 
- I bought a used car at a really good price, but it turned out to be a lemon.
03 – A Great Car Deal

Car Salesman: Oh. Hi there. A beauty, isn't she?

Woman: Well . . .
Car Salesman: Do you want to take her a test ride?
Woman: Well . . . Um. How old is it?
Car Salesman: Well, it's only three years old?
Woman: And what's the mileage?
Car Salesman: Uh, let me check. Oh yes. 75,000 miles.
Woman: 75,000 miles? That's quite a bit for a car that's only three years old.
Car Salesman: Well, once you're in the driver's seat, you'll fall in love with her.
Get in.
Woman: Ugh . . . Uh, I can't seem to get the door open. [Ah, it's okay.] It could
be broken.
Car Salesman: Ah, just give her a little tap. Ugh. Now she's opened.
Woman: Great. A door I have to beat up to open.
Car Salesman: Hey. Get in and start her up.
[Woman tries to start the car . . .]
Car Salesman: [Um] Well, it's probably the battery. I know she has enough gas
in her, and I had our mechanic check her out just yesterday. Try it again.
Woman: Uh. It sounds a little rough to me. [Well . . .] How much is this
minivan anyway?
Car Salesman: Oh. It's a real bargain today and tomorrow only at $15,775, plus
you get the extended warranty covering defects, wear, and tear beyond the
normal maintenance on the vehicle for an extra $500 for the next 30,000 miles.
[Oh . . .] with a few minor exclusions.
Woman: Like . . . ?
Car Salesman: Well, I mean, it covers everything except for the battery, and
light bulbs, and brake drums, exhaust system, trim and moldings, upholstery and
carpet, paint, tires . . . Well, a short list, you know.
Woman: Uh. Well, almost $16,000 is a little out of my price range, plus the
seats covers are torn a little.
Car Salesman: Well, hey, I might be able to talk the manager into lowering the
price another two hundred dollars, but that's about all.
Woman: No thanks. I think I'll just keep looking.

Key Vocabulary
 mileage (noun): the distance traveled in miles equal to 1.6 kilometres
- This car gets great gas mileage in the city.
 tap (verb): to hit lightly and often repeatedly
- I tapped on the door, but no one answered.
 extended (verbal adjective): lengthy, extensive
- He has driven his car for an extended period of time without any problems.
 warranty (noun): guarantee
- There is a limited guarantee on parts and labor in case the car breaks down.
 defects (noun): flaws, mistakes, faults
- The company decided to recall the car because defects were discovered in the
engine's cooling system.
 upholstery (noun): a covering often used on furniture or car seats
- The upholstery on these seats needs to be replaced.
04 – A University Degree

Daughter: Uh, Dad. Are you going to miss me when I leave for college next
week?
Father: Yahoo!
Daughter: No, Dad . . . seriously. I mean you're always talking about how much
money you'll save on food, hot water, and gas while I am gone.
Father: Of course I will . . . no, uh, well, I'll miss you, of course. No, honestly, I'll
miss and worry about you, and you've really tried to prepare yourself. You know,
I'm proud of you for that. You know, getting a university degree is a
real accomplishment.
Daughter: Exactly.
Father: But, let's go over the to-do list. Do you have everything ready? I mean,
did you pay your tuition and housing fees by the deadline? [Yeap.] Because, you
know, if you don't, you'll lose your class schedule, and you have to register all over
again.
Daughter: Yeah, I paid for that a few days ago.
Father: Okay, did you sign up for the meal plan at the university so you don't have
to eat instant noodles everyday?
Daughter: Yeap. But Mom said I could take some food from home to get me
started.
Father: Uhhh, well, yeah. The oatmeal is in the pantry.
Daughter: Dad! Mom said I could take a bag of rice, some canned food, and . . .
Father: . . . and grandpa's old army rations.
Daughter: Ugh! Not that old stuff. Mom!
Father: Okay, okay. And you know you should set up an appointment to meet
with your academic advisor to help you select future classes, right? [Yeah.] You
know, business administration will be a great major for you.
Daughter: Well, Dad, uh . . .
Father: And future possibilities . . . a great salary, opportunities to make a
difference in the community, and [Dad. I changed my major.] supporting . . .
Father: What? You changed you major . . . you switched majors!?
Daughter: Yeah. I really thought about it. After talking it over with Mom, I've
decided to major in wildlife science.
Father: What? What are you talking about?
Daughter: Yeah. I want to degree in wildlife science. You
know, analyzing, maintaining, and conserving national forests and wildlife.
Father: What? Uh, uhh . . .
Daughter: Dad. You can close your mouth now. I mean, I've ALWAYS been
interested in working with nature; [Well.] You know that, and this field will give
me the opportunity to live out my dream. [Well . . . ] I've also looked through the
online university catalog, and I actually qualify for a two-year, full tuition
scholarship.
Father: Wait. When did this all happen?
Daughter: I can even go on to graduate school and further my education . . . after
Todd and I get married, of course.
Father: Graduate school . . . Todd? Wait, wait, wait!! Who's Todd? Ah, what's
next?
Daughter: Thanks for the credit card. Mom said it was a present. And I just tried it
out to make sure it worked, and I had no problem buying my new laptop computer.
[Oh, I'm doomed!] Uh, Dad, where are you going?
Father: Uh, I've decided to enroll in night school to get another degree. That's the
only way I'm going to pay for your college.

Key Vocabulary
 yahoo (interjection): shouted when you are excited about something 
- Yahoo! I won two tickets to the concert.
 accomplishment (noun): something successful you do after a lot of hard work 
- The company recognized my father's accomplishments and gave him a
promotion.
 tuition (noun): the money you pay to take classes and be taught 
- I had to work all summer at two jobs to earn enough money for
college tuition.
 pantry (noun): a small closet or storeroom where food is kept.
- My sister took a lot of food from the pantry before she left for college.
 rations (noun): an amount of food given out for each meal, particularly when
there is not much available in times of war or emergency
- The soldiers survived on rations during the darkest days of the war.
 talk it over (phrasal verb): discuss a problem or situation before you make a
decision
- You really need to talk it over with your parents before you decide to transfer
to another school.
 analyze (verb ): examine carefully
- The rescue workers quickly analyzed the situation before they entered the
building.
 maintain (verb): take care of something so it stays in good condition
- You really need to maintain all of your hiking gear in good condition because
you never know when you'll need it.
 conserve (verb): protect something from destruction or loss
- If the missing hikers conserve their energy and food, they should be able to
survive a few more days.
 live out (phrasal verb): do something you have planned or hoped for
- Although my grandfather was quite old, he was able to live out his dream of
graduating from high school, something he wasn't able to do 60 years ago.
 further (verb): help forward or promote
- The university wants to further educational opportunities by providing
additional scholarships.
 be doomed (verb): certain to die or be destroyed
- My sister's plan to go to college was doomed from the beginning because she
had terrible grades in high school, and she hadn't saved any money for tuition.
 enroll in (verb): go to or attend
- More and more students are enrolling in computer science because they see a
future in that field.
05 – ABCs of Money Matters

Ron: Uh, could I borrow a few bucks until payday? I'm a little strapped for cash.
Nancy: Uh, yeah, I guess, but I'm pinching pennies myself, and you still owe me
$20 from last week. And mom and your friend Ron said you borrowed money from
them this past week. [Oh, yeah.] How ARE things going anyway?
Ron: Well, not very well. To be honest, I'm really in the hole, and I can't seem
to make ends meetthese days.
Nancy: What do you mean? I thought you landed a great job recently, so you must
be loaded.
Ron: Well, I do have a job, but I've used my credit cards to pay off a lot of things
recently, but now, I can't seem to pay the money off.
Nancy: Uh, do you have a budget? I mean, how do you keep track of your income
and expenses?
Ron: Well, when my money runs out, I come to you. Of course. [Great!] No, but I
guess I should have some financial plan.
Nancy: Well, let me see if I can help you. How much money do you spend on your
apartment?
Ron: Uh, I pay $890 on rent for the studio apartment downtown . . . not
including utilities and cable TV. But the place has an awesome view of the city.
Nancy: Uh, $890! Why are you paying through the nose for such a small place when
you could find a cheaper one somewhere outside of the downtown area?
Ron: Yeah, I guess.
Nancy: Okay. How much money do you spend on food a month?
Ron: Hmmm. I'm not really sure. I think I spend around $600. [$600?!] Well, I go
out to eat at least four times a week, so those expenses add up. I just don't enjoy
eating alone, and I don't have a knack for cooking like you do.
Nancy: Well, I can understand that, but perhaps you ought to buy some
microwaveable meals you could prepare at home.
Ron: Well, I guess I could.
Nancy: And entertainment?
Ron: Well, I spend a few dollars here and there on basketball and movie tickets, a
concert or two, and ballroom dance lessons.
Nancy: Uh, exactly how much do you spend on all of these? Just a "few" dollars?
Ron: Well, oh . . . about $400 or so.
Nancy: Or so? No wonder you're having money problems. You can't just blow your
money on things like that! And what about transportation?
Ron: Oh, I commute to work everyday in my new sports car, but I got a great deal,
and my monthly payments are only $450. Come outside and take a look. We can go
for a spin!
Nancy: No, I've heard enough. You've got to curb your spending, or you'll end
up broke. I suggest you get rid of your credit cards, cut back on your entertainment
expenses, and sell your car. Take public transportation from now on.
Ron: Sell my car?! I can't date without a car. What am I going to say? "Uh, could
you meet me downtown at the bus stop at 7:00?" Come on!
Nancy: And you need to create a budget for yourself and stick to it, and start with
paying off your bills, starting with me. You owe me $50 dollars.
Ron: Fifty dollars! Wait, I only borrowed $20 from you last week. How did you
come up with $50?
Nancy: Financial consulting fees. My advice is at least worth $30!

Key Vocabulary
 buck (noun): dollar
- Could you load me a buck or two until tomorrow?
 be strapped for cash (idiom): have no money available
- He has really been strapped for cash because he lost his job two weeks ago.
 pinch pennies (idiom): be careful with money
- That young couple had to pinch pennies so they can live.
 in the hole (idiom): in debt
- My brother has charged so some many purchases to his credit cards that he's
is the hole.
 make ends meet (idiom): make enough money to live
- When I was a student, I had to work three part-time jobs to make ends meet.
 land (verb): find
- I need to land a good job where I can earn a lot of money.
 be loaded (adjective): having a lot of money
- Don't let him borrow money off you because, in reality, he's loaded. His rich
parents give him $2,500 in spending money a month!
 budget (noun): a financial plan of expenses and income
- You should create a budget of your expenses.
 keep track of (idiom): keep a record of
- Any business should keep track of its earnings.
 run out (phrasal verb): use up or exhaust
- If you don't keep a budget, you might run out of money before your next
paycheck.
 utilities (noun): services provided by gas, power, and water companies
- The rent for this apartment includes the cost of utilities.
 pay through the nose (idiom): pay an excessive amount of money
- Car insurance is so expensive that you have to pay through the nose to get any
type of coverage these days.
 knack (noun): a special way or ability of doing something
- My mother has a real knack for saving money on her low salary.
 blow (verb): spend thoughtlessly or wastefully; throw away
- People sometimes blow money on things that have no lasting value.
 commute (verb): travel back and forth between work and home
- I commute by bus everyday.
 curb (verb): lessen or reduce
- Unless you curb your spending, you're going to run out of money before the
week is over.
06 – Adsense: Making Money

Welcome to today's news segment, highlighting business opportunities on the

Internet. One such opportunity is a program called Adsense from the major search
engine, Google. Basically, Adsense is a simple and easy way for Website owners
to place discreet ads on their sites as a means of earning income. You simply insert
certain lines of code and then receive a certain percentage of resulting revenue.
What is so nice about this program is that it is very simple
and straightforward to implement and maintain. Here are some points you should
keep in mind.
 First, the program is free to join.
 Next, you only have to add a snippet of code to each page to display the
ads.
 Also, Google serves up ads on your pages that are relevant to your site's
content. These ads also enhance the content and substance of your own
pages.
 Also, the ads are less noticeable (and annoying) than pop-up or pop-under
ads, and you can customize the look and feel, and placement of the ads.
 Furthermore, you don't have to deal with advertisers since Google manages
the entire program.
 Finally, an online area gives you statistics as to the performance of your
account.
As you can see, the Adsense program can be beneficial to both sides in allowing
advertisers to spread the word about their products and services, while Websites
who display the ads can earn money to support their own businesses or interests.
Visit the Google Web site and read the Terms of Service to learn more about this
program and see if Adsense is right for you.

Key Vocabulary
 discreet (adjective): careful not to attract attention or cause embarrassment 
- Sometimes, doctors have to be very discreet when talking with their family
about patients.
 means (noun): method or way 
- Many advertisers use almost any means to persuade customers to buy their
products.
 straightforward (adjective): simple, direct, and clear
- I suggest you use a straightforward approach when dealing with the problem
with your girlfriend.
 implement (verb): put into action
- The company president decided to implement a new training program to
improve employee morale.
 relevant (adjective): having some connection to a certain subject 
- If a Website is relevant to the needs of its visitors, people will return to use it
again and again.
 enhance (verb): improve or make better
- You can enhance your Website by making it easier to navigate.
 annoying (adjective): making you feel bothered by or unhappy with something
- I can't stand annoying ads that try to get you to buy unwanted products.
 customize (verb): change something to make it more appropriate or suitable for
you
- Many people customize their computers the way they like them.
 spread the word (idiom): tell or announce something to a lot of people
- Hey. Tom is getting married. Spread the word!
 display (verb): show
- Some Web sites display to raise money to support their sites.
07 – Alcoholics Anonymous

Dave's Sister: Hey, Dave. Can we talk for a minute?

Dave: Sure about what? I'm kind of busy, but yeah . . .
Dave's Sister: Well, . . . .um, well, I'm not sure what to say, but um . . .
Dave: Come on. come on.
Dave's Sister: Well, . . .
Dave: What is it? I've never known my sister to be at a loss for words.
Dave's Sister: Well, you know Dave. I've got to be honest. I'm getting really,
really concerned about your drinking.
Dave: What are you talking about?
Dave's Sister: Well, uh, it's . . .
Dave: Can't a person just have a few drinks without people getting on their
case? I mean, first, Dad, then you!
Dave's Sister: Dave, Dave. No seriously. Listen, Dave. You're my brother. I
love you, but you've had two DUIs, you lost your last job because you showed
up drunk, your girlfriend's going to dump you because you're drinking too
much. Dave.
Dave: You don't understand. I have it under control.
Dave's Sister: Dave, you don't.
Dave: That was the old me.
Dave's Sister: Dave. You got your last DUI three weeks ago. You can't keep
doing this. Dave, you're going to kill someone.
Dave: I thought . . .
Dave's Sister: You might kill yourself.
Dave: I thought siblings there, were there to support each other, and that's not
what you're doing right now.
Dave's Sister: Dave. I love you, and I'm trying to help you. I really care about
you. And these friends that you hang out with . . . they're not friends. A friend is
a person who is honest and frank with you, not these so-called buddies you've
got that encourage you to go and buy booze for any old party.
Dave: You just know them like I don't. I mean . . .
Dave's Sister: I know them well enough. Come on. Wake up. These guys are
dragging you down.
Dave: I've had enough.
Dave's Sister: No, no. Listen. The truth hurts; it stings. Listen. I know. I've seen
what's happening to you, and look, there's . . .
Dave: You don't understand.
Dave's Sister: You know what? AA. Alcoholics Anonymous. You can go there
and you can meet with other people, and they can help you be sober.
Dave: That's for people who have problems.
Dave's Sister: You've got problems, Dave. AA. There's no membership fees,
anyone can attend, the meetings are very confidential. I'll even go with you. I'll
help you. What do you say? Come on.
Dave: Right. Like I said, I'm in control. I just need more time to deal with this.
It just takes a little bit more time.
Dave's Sister: Dave. How long? You can't do this alone. You're not doing it.
Dave: No, I'm done. You'll see, you'll see.
Dave's Sister: Dave, No. I can't . . . it'll kill me if there's another DUI, an
accident, something, I'm really worried, Dave.
Dave: I'm done, I'm done. I don't want to talk about this anymore.

Key Vocabulary
 be at a loss for words (idiom): not knowing what to say
- My parents are at a loss (for words) to know how to help my younger sister
with the drug addiction.
 get on someone's case (idiom): criticize or give someone a hard time
- If you don't get on his case for speeding, he'll end up causing a serious
accident.
 dump someone (verb): end a relationship 
- Sarah decided to dump her boyfriend because he was involved in self-
destructive behaviors.
 siblings (noun): brothers or sisters
 - Many siblings experience problems as they grow up.
 frank (adjective): direct or open
- You often have to be frank with people who are struggling with serious
financial problems, so you can help them get out of debt.
 booze (noun): alcohol (informal)
- They were giving out booze at that party to kids who were drinking illegally.
 confidential (adjective): private
- Marriage therapists always keep conversations confidential, so you don't have
to worry that your problems don't become the gossip of the town.
08 – Assisted Living and Alzheimer's Disease

Hi. Today, I want to talk about my mom, Alzheimer's disease, and the special care
that is sometimes available for such individuals. Now, I love my mom very much,
and she is a wonderful woman. She was born in Texas, worked as a teacher for
many years, and later with my dad, helped build an orphanage for children in
Honduras, which is in Central America. And my parents were very committed to
caring for the poorest of the poor, both physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Now, my mom has Alzheimer's disease which is a progressive brain disorder that
destroys the memory and cognitive abilities, or thinking skills, of people. For years,
I had been aware of the disease, but I always saw it at a distance; it was something
that affected other people, but it didn't touch my life personally. Now, that's
different, and I rub shoulders with it every day. My mom has been suffering from
this disease for the past few years, and on top of that, she also has Parkinson's
disease, another neurological disorder. Just having one of this is very difficult;
having both of them is devastating, and watching a friend or family member slowly
drifting away, no longer being able to carry on conversations or even remember who
you, can be very difficult.
Right now, my mom lives in a special care center that meets the needs of residents
who suffer from such medical conditions. She needs assistance in about every aspect
of her life, and the CNAs, or certified nursing assistants, help her get dressed in the
morning since she can't do that on her own. My father spends most of his day there,
so he usually feeds her. Her appetite has diminished over time, and she no longer
can feed herself.
Several times a week, a woman comes to bathe her. They often offer activities at the
center where she is during the day and evening, and these include singing time,
exercise, and even short excursions in the local area. Although mom isn't able to
participate in these like she did in the past, she still enjoys the simple things: holding
hands, watching some TV shows, and taking short walks outside . . . well, my
pushing her in a wheel chair. She used to be able to walk on her own, but she isn't
able to walk without assistance now.
My conversations with my mom are very short. Always in the here and now. She
can't remember what she ate ten minutes ago, nor can she talk about things that
happened years ago. In other words, she doesn't have any real long-term or short-
term memory . . . at least nothing that I can recognize. Now, I long to have
meaningful conversations with my mom, but I'm0 just happy when she responds to
my voice in any small way, like saying "Thank you" or "Hello."
And while I can't see and predict the future, I only know that if we can live each day
as if it were our last, someday we'll certainly be right, and thus, I try to live each day
to the best I can, seeking to show love and compassion to all I meet. And if we all
try to lighten the burdens of one another---with a smile, a touch, and kind word---oh,
how wonderful this world could be.

Key Vocabulary
 orphanage (noun): a home for children whose parents have died 
- My parents are going to build an orphanage next year.
 be committed (verb): dedicated or loyal to something or someone 
- Maria and James are very committed to their children. They always spend
time with them on the weekends.
 disorder (noun): a health condition that is not normal 
- The doctors are doing a lot of tests to determine the cause of the disorder.
 cognitive (adjective): having the mental ability to think and learn 
- The disease is having a negative effect on her cognitive ability to speak.
 devastating (adjective): causing extreme emotional pain or harm 
- The loss of their mom has had a devastating impact on the family.
 carry on (verb): continue doing something 
- It is often difficult to carry on with your work when you are worried about the
poor health of your family.
 appetite (noun): a desire for food 
- Maria's sister has lost her appetite due to her illness, and she hasn't eaten
much for three days.
 excursion (noun): a short trip for fun or pleasure 
 - The hospital tries to take patients out for short excursions whenever the
weather is nice.
 lighten (verb): make less heavy or difficult 
- Some of the neighbors have donated meals and money to lighten the financial
load on our family.
 burden (noun): something that is difficult to do or deal with 
- Paying for hospital bills can be a heavy burden on families without the means
to pay for them.
09 – Car Accident

Man: Honey. Do you know what time Katie will be home?

Woman: Uh, she should be here any minute. She took the car to pick up
something from the store.
Man: Okay, I was just a little worried that . . . Man, what was that? Oh, no. The
car! She drove over the mailbox and hit a tree in the front yard. Ah, the car!
Woman: Well, just don't stand there blabbing all day. Let's go out and see if
Katie's okay.
Man: Ah, my car.
Woman: Honey, are you okay?
Daughter: Oh, mom. I'm so sorry. I can't believe this is happening.
Man: Oh, my car!
Woman: Forget your car!
Man: Driving with the cell phone. I know.
Daughter: It wasn't that at all. Don't jump to conclusions.
Man: Oh, yeah.
Daughter: Dad . . . uh, mom. It's not like that at all. I mean, as I was pulling
into the driveway, something rolled from under the seat and got stuck under the
brake pedal . . . the gas pedal . . . I, I don't know, and I couldn't stop the car. And
then I accidentally hit the gas when I wanted to brake, and I hit the mailbox.
Woman: Uh, I think I know what the problem was. Honey, did you put those
golf balls away like I told you? The ones YOU put under the driver's seat . . . the
ones I told you would get in the way.
Man: Man, I thought I got those.
Daughter: Plus, Mom, the windshield wipers on the car didn't work, so I
couldn't see very well in the rain.
Woman: Didn't you get those fixed?
Man: Uh, I've been meaning to get those repaired.
Daughter: And mom. I was going to use the car this weekend to go camping
with my friends, but now my plans are ruined. My friends are going to hate me.
What am I going to do?
Woman: Hon, yeah, what IS your daughter going to do? It appears that it's
mainly your fault for the accident and that she's in such a jam.
Man: My fault? Hey, why don't you just invite your friends over for pizza? I'll
buy.
Daughter: Mom, we've been planning this weekend for months. I need a car.
Woman: Hon.
Man: What? I mean, man, what a predicament! That's tough.
Woman: I think what your dad is trying to say is that you can take his new Jeep.
Daughter: Yeah, awesome.
Man: What?
Daughter: Yes!
Man: Wait, not my new Jeep. I don't even have 500 miles on it.
Daughter: Four-wheeling through the mud, over big rocks and in deep ruts in
the road . . . if there IS a road.
Man: Ah.
Woman: You love your daughter, don't you?
Man: Ask me after she returns from the trip.
Daughter: Ah, Dad. I'm going to call my friends to let them know of the good
news. Thanks, Dad, I knew I could count on you.
Man: Yeah, but make sure wrecking the car doesn't become a routine activity.
Daughter: Dad!

Key Vocabulary
 blab (verb): talk too much about unimportant things, some of which might be
private matters 
- She blabbed to her friends all about the accident and how it was all my fault.
How embarrassing.
 jump to conclusions (idiom): form an opinion without all the facts and
evidence 
- Hey, don't jump to conclusions. The accident might not have been her fault.
 pull into (phrasal verb): move into a spot like a parking space or driveway 
 - When you arrive, just pull your car into the garage.
 ruin (verb): spoil or destroy something completely
- You're going to ruin your car if you drive it like that.
 be in a jam (idiom): be in a difficult situation
- I'm in a real jam because I have a date tonight, but my car broke down this
afternoon? What am I going to do?
 tough (adjective): difficult or unfortunate
- Not having a car right now must be really tough. How are you going to get to
work without one?
 awesome (adjective): very good, impressive
- That's awesome that your parents are letting you use their car for the
weekend.
 count on (phrasal verb): depend on
- I can always count on my kids to drive safely. Otherwise, I wouldn't let them
use my car.
 wreck (verb): completely destroy or ruin
- My father wrecked the family car last night, but fortunately, he wasn't hurt.
10 – Car Repairs

Mechanic: What can we do for you today?

Car Owner: Uh, hi. Yes, I'm having a problem with my car, and it doesn't seem
to run right. I mean every time I start it up, the engine runs for a minute or
so, sputters like it isn't getting enough gas, and then dies.
Mechanic: Hmmm. Okay. Let's open the hood, and let's take a look . . . Okay,
start her up.
[Engine starting . . .]
Okay, Okay. Shut her off. Hmmm. [So . . .] Let me look at the book here . . . [It]
sounds like a possible fuel line, a dirty carburetor, bad alternator, or even a weak
battery.
Car Owner: So, which one is it?
Mechanic: Uhh. Difficult to say. Let me try this . . . Uh, alright . . . You need to
talk to the mechanic.
Car Owner: The mechanic! So, who are you?
Mechanic: Well, I'm the assistant, and I've only been here on the job for two
days.
Car Owner: So, why didn't you tell me that in the first place? I mean, I
wouldn't have wasted all this time!
Mechanic: You didn't ask.
Car Owner: Okay, so how much is it going to cost?
Mechanic: Ah. Difficult to say. [That's what you said about the last thing!] Are
you a local or from out of town?
Car Owner: I'm just passing through, and this is the only place for miles.
[Yeah, that's right.] Man, can't you see my license plate? [Sure did!]
Mechanic: Okay. The out-of-town rate. Let's see. Okay, here we go. If it's a fuel
line, that'll be $100 . . . No, no, That's the local rate. Here, $200 for the pre-
screening check, $150 for parts, plus or minus $100, and $75 an hour for labor.
Oh, oh yeah. Today's a holiday, so labor is actually $50 more per hour.
Car Owner: Huh? Those prices are outrageous, and what holiday is it today?
Mechanic: Oh, it's the local pumpkin festival.
Car Owner: Ah, come on. I can't believe this. Of all my luck, my car breaks
down in an out-of-the-way town [That's right.], and it'll cost an arm and a leg to
get my car fixed.
Mechanic: Ah, we'll take care of you. Just bring the car back on Tuesday so
Mike, our mechanic, can take a look at it.
Car Owner: Why not today? It's only 11:00 a.m.!
Mechanic: Ahh, we close at 11:30 a.m. on holidays, and we're closed tomorrow
and Sunday, and we're closed the following day as well.
Car Owner: I can't wait that long! I need my car repaired now.
Mechanic: Well, next week is the best we can do, but you can talk to Mike at
the Pumpkin Festival.This town will grow on you. [Ah, man!]

Key Vocabulary
 sputter (verb): make consecutive explosive noises 
- My car tends to sputter a lot in cold weather when I start it up.
 carburetor (noun): part of the engine that mixes air with gasoline vapor before
combustion 
- The carburetor needs to be fixed or replaced.
 alternator (noun): a generator that produces electrical current 
- There must be a problem with the alternator in my old truck.
 outrageous (adjective): very expensive 
- The cost of repairing the old car would have been outrageous, so that I
decided to buy a new one instead.
 out-of-the-way (adjective): remote or far from populated areas 
- We took a trip to an out-of-the-way ghost town during our vacation.
 cost an arm and a leg (idiom): be very expensive, outrageous 
- It cost me an arm and a leg to fix the damage to my sports car.
11 – Cyberbullying

Teacher: Hi. Welcome to Parent-Teacher Conference.

Parent: Thanks.
Teacher: So, what is your child's name?
Parent: It's Megan Jones.
Teacher: Megan. Uh, let's see. Oh yeah, Megan. Um, she missed the last couple of
days. Has she been sick?
Parent: No, she's been having some problems with the other kids in your class, and .
..
Teacher: Well, you know, junior high school is a difficult time, but she just needs
to speak up a little more in class. I think . . .
Parent: No, it's . . . it's more than that. Some of the kids in your class have really
been bullying her a lot.
Teacher: What do you mean?
Parent: Well, um, they've been teasing her a lot about her appearance, and then, the
other day, you didn't help things [ What? ] Yeah, she said you made a comment
about her clothes.
Teacher: What do you mean? I mean . . .
Parent: She said you commented on her shirt and jeans, like they were from the
1970s or something like that.
Teacher: Well I was just kind of joking a little bit with her.
Parent: Well, yeah, that's what you think, but other kids follow your example. In
fact, one of the kids took a picture of her with their phone and posted it and had
some real nasty comments on Facebook. It was terrible.
Teacher: Well, you know, kids can be kids.
Parent: No, don't you get it? This is bullying; it's cyberbullying, and adults like you
are part of the problem. Forget it. I'm planning on discussing this with
the principal tomorrow.
Teacher: Oh, wait, wait, wait. Um, uh, oh. I'm sorry if I hurt her feelings [ Yeah.
You did! ], but . . .
Parent: I get sick and tired of people thinking that a little teasing is okay. Too many
kids are killing themselves because they feel that there's just no way to escape this.
Teacher: Okay. Well, I guess I need to be a little bit more careful, but . . .
Parent: Yeah, you do. I really hope I can get Megan to come to school tomorrow.
She's been really, really anxious and depressed [ Wow. ] for some time, and your
comments and those that the other kids made haven't helped.
Teacher: Wow. Uh, I'm really sorry. Could you see if you can bring her to school
tomorrow? Uh, I'd like to apologize and see what I can do to, maybe, improve the
situation.
Parent: Thanks. I'd appreciate it. That would help.

Key Vocabulary
 speak up (phrasal verb): speak without fear or hesitation 
- People need to speak up against bullying when the see it happen.
 bully (verb): treat someone badly in action or words 
- Why do you always bully Brandon? He hasn't done anything to you.
 tease (verb): make fun of 
- Some of the kids my class are always teasing my sister, and I can't get them to
stop.
 nasty (adjective): terrible 
- I can't believe kids post such nasty messages on Facebook.
 principal (noun): manager or director of a school 
- The principal spoke to all of the kids at school about the problems of
cyberbullying.
 anxious (adjective): nervous 
- Brittany feels very anxious about going to school these days.
 improve (verb): make better 
- If you want to improve the environment for kids at school, you have to speak
out about the problems of bullying.
12 – Dating Violence

Man: Hey. How are you doing these days?

Woman: Well, I'm okay, but Brandon isn't doing so well.
Man: What do you mean?
Woman: Well . . . . . I don't . . . I don't know. It's kind of a strange situation. He was
dating this girl . . . you know Alex? He was dating her and then he ended up
breaking up with her because she was using drugs, and . . .
Man: Oh, wow. Well, that was a good thing, right?
Woman: Well, yeah, that was, but now she's really angry with him, and he's having
all kinds of problems with her, like last week, she punched him in the face and in
the groin at school. Right in front of everyone.
Man: Oh, man! So, what did he do about it?
Woman: Well, um . . . she told him that if he said anything to a teacher, to the
principal or anyone, she would get her friends to beat him up after school.
Man: Man. This sounds really bad. I mean, you often think of men
becoming aggressive toward women, but I guess it can go the other way.
Woman: Yeah, yeah. You don't really think of this, but it happens, so um . . .
Man: So, what are you going to do about it?
Woman: Well, first, Brandon said that, um, he was just going to let it go, but you
know, he didn't want to cause any more problems . . .
Man: Yeah, I can see that.
Woman: Then he decided that if she was doing that to do that to him and get away
with it, she'd just do it to the next guy, so he went to the principal and the school
police officer and reported everything, and now they're going to press assault
charges against her.
Man: So, isn't he worried about what her friends are going to do to him?
Yeah, but he thinks that the other people in her group were just going along with
her. [ Yeah. ] You know, I don't know. We'll see. They're probably frightened of
what she might do to them. You know, she'll probably get suspended and have to go
to court, but I don't know. He's kind of worried about some backlash.
Man: I mean, people have to realize that you can't inflict violence on others, you
know, in any type of relationship or friendship.
Woman: Yeah, that's right. Anyway, I guess . . . I got to go, but I'll keep you
updated on what happens.
Man: Alright, thanks.

Key Vocabulary
 groin (noun): the top of your inner thigh where your legs come together, often
a man's private area 
- I got kicked in the groin accidently during the soccer game, and I couldn't
move for a few minutes.
 aggressive (adjective): showing feelings of anger and being ready to fight 
- Richards sometimes gets really upset at little things and becomes
somewhat aggressive.
 let go of something (verb): stop holding on to a feeling or idea 
- Amber apologized to her boyfriend about forgetting his birthday, but he
won't let it go. He's been angry for two weeks.
 press charges (verb): take legal action against someone 
- Brandon's ex-girlfriend smashed his car window, and now he is going to press
charges against here.
 frightened (adjective): afraid or scared 
- Maria felt very frightened when her boyfriend demanded that she not hang
out with her friends after school.
 backlash (noun): a strong reaction to something 
- Michael knew his old girlfriend would be angry at him when they broke up,
but when she stole his cell phone and posted terrible messages on Facebook, he
said he never expected such a negative backlash like that.
 inflict (verb): cause someone to feel something harmful or painful 
- Why do you want to inflict such terrible emotional pain on your old
girlfriend? You were using drugs, and she couldn't stand your abuse, so I don't
blame her for leaving you.
 keep someone updated (verb): give or provide the lastest information on
something 
- I'm worried that Sarah's boyfriend is selling drugs, and Sarah is feeling
pressure to do it, too. I'm going to talk to her tonight. I'll keep you updated if I
find out anything.
13 – Dating Woes

Greg: Hey, sorry, I can't come to the phone now. Just leave a message . . .
[Beep]
Dave: Greg, greg. Where in the world are you? Hey, man. I'm in hot water, and
it's all your fault! I thought you said Cindy was single and available!! Man, were
you wrong!! You should have told me that your sis had just broken up with a
seven-foot gorilla named Butch. I mean the guy is huge, and he caught me
dropping her at her place, and he nearly strangled me before I could get in my
car. And the guy's dog. You might have warned me about his vicious beast dog.
The thing nearly ripped off my arm.
Well, once I peeled out of the drive way, the maniac started chasing me in his
monster truck and nearly ran me off the road. And man, you could have told me
that your car didn't have much gas 'cause it ran out in the middle of this dark
parking lot, and I'm now hiding in the men's room of the gas station. Now, pick
up the phone . . . pick it up , . . . Oh, no I can hear the guy outside and . . . hey,
and your phone is going dead . . . Ah, man . . . you might have told me that this
thing couldn't hold a charge . . . Ah man . . . I should have stayed home and
done the laundry . . . I shouldn't have listened to your wacky idea of going out
tonight . . . Greg, Greg? Where are you?

Key Vocabulary
 be in hot water (idiom): be in serious trouble 
- I'll be in hot water if I don't buy my wife flowers for Valentines Day.
 vicious (adjective): something causing great physical or emotional pain
through aggressive actions or behavior, dangerous 
- That watch dog is really vicious. It will bite you if you get too close.
 peel out (phrasal verb): to accelerate a vehicle very quickly 
- The man peeled out of the parking lot and nearly ran into our car.
 maniac (noun): a person who acts in a wild or uncontrollable way 
- That guy is a maniac. He driving out of control and almost hit us.
 run off (phrasal verb): to force or drive off 
 - He fell asleep at the wheel, and the car ran off the road.
 hide (verb): to prevent from being seen or discovered 
- Last night, I just wanted to hide under the table when I spilt my drink on my
date.
 wacky (adjective): crazy, irrational, or silly 
- Don't listen to his wacky ideas. They'll only get you in hot water.
14 – Diet Plan

Andrew's Sister: Hey, Andrew! An . . . ? Andrew. [ What? ] Andrew.

Andrew: What? What's going on?
Andrew's Sister: What happened to YOU?
Andrew: You mean my hair? You like my hair?
Andrew's Sister: Uh, I think you know what I mean, Andrew. Do you want me to
be honest? [ What? ] Okay. Andrew. You've put on, like, a ton of weight since I saw
you at Christmas time. What on earth happened to you?
Andrew: Why are you always so blunt?
Andrew's Sister: Well, I'm your big sister. I'm . . . what am I? Three years older
than you, and I can be blunt if I want. Besides, you used to say stuff like that to me
all of the time. You used to call me fatso all the time when I was little.
Andrew: Oh, yeah, well, to be honest, uh . . . , I started changing my life . . . .
yesterday. [ Oh good! ] I'm on the Wafu Diet.
Andrew's Sister: What? I've never even heard of the Wafu Diet. What is that?
Andrew: Ah, it's too difficult to explain. I found information about it in my junk
mail the other day . . .
Andrew's Sister: What? You read your junk mail? No one reads their junk mail.
Andrew: . . . and I signed up for it, and it only cost $490.
Andrew's Sister: You're serious? [ Yeah. ] Four hundred and ninety bucks? [ Yeah. ]
Like every month or every week or . . . ?
Andrew: I didn't check that . . . ah, ah, but, but, but, but . . . I think . . .
Andrew's Sister: Listen. I think you're getting scammed, and it sounds really stupid,
so listen. I'm not fat anymore, so trust me. I . . . if you want to lose weight, you need
to do it the right way.
Andrew: Well, like what?
Andrew's Sister: Well, okay.
Andrew: Okay, uh, well, look. Look at my running shoes over there.
Andrew's Sister: Andrew. They're still in the box. ( Well . . . ). Never used. Besides
exercise, yeah, exercise is wonderful. It's great, but you also need to learn how to eat
right. For example, you need to eat smaller portions. And, and you can't load
up your plate with seconds and thirds like you always used to do at the family
parties.
Andrew: Well, okay. I'll just get a bigger plate!
Andrew's Sister: Andrew! That won't help. Next [ Oh, next? ]. Oh yeah. So, first of
all, smaller portions [ Okay. ] Then, you need to make sure you eat a good, well-
balanced breakfast first thing in the morning [ I do that. ] and then you follow that
up with smaller meals throughout the day, cause, you know what? If you skip
breakfast, then throughout the day, you feel like you need to make up it by
overeating at lunch and dinner and lots of snacks. [ Uh . . . ]
Andrew's Sister: Anyway, um, oh yeah. Don't eat late at night. [ What? Like
what? ] Well, you know a lot of people . . . they want a . . . they want a late night
snake and stuff like that, but a lot of times, that's really, really high-calorie stuff like
ice cream and things, and your body's not active to burn it off, so you just store all
those calories as fat. You have to throw away . . . Oh my gosh! [ What? ] That's all
you have in your freezer! You've only got ice cream in here! You're going to have to
throw that all away?
Andrew: It's low-calorie (ice cream).
Andrew's Sister: Low cal. No, it's not low-cal. Look right here. Andrew! That's all
the food you've got in here is ice cream.
Andrew: Well, what else, what else?
Andrew's Sister: Also, what else are you eating? [ Well, you know . . .] I mean,
seriously. All you eat is ice cream? Oh, oh, oh. Look in your trash. You go to
McDonalds every day. Every day you're eating at fast food? [ Well . . .] Okay, you
got to cut out the fast food. When you know the manger of McDonalds by name, and
he's your best buddy on Facebook, you know that you're going to McDonalds or any
fast food place too much.
Andrew: Uh, this is going to be tough.
Andrew's Sister: Yeah. It' probably will be. But you also need to eat a lot of fresh
fruits and vegetables [ Oh, well. ]; cut way back on sugar. No more sugary drinks
like those five gallons of Coke you drink every day.
Andrew: I don't drink five gallons.
Andrew's Sister: Close enough. Look at the size of those cups! How many times do
you refill them?
Andrew: Well, then, drink what?
Andrew's Sister: Water! [ Water? ] It's really good for you.
Andrew: Oh, this is going to be tough.
Andrew's Sister: It might be.
Key Vocabulary
 blunt (adjective): direct 
- Ashley is always very blunt about her feelings towards other people.
 fatso (noun): fat or heavy (not polite) 
- Kids at school always used to call me fatso. It was a hard time in my life.
 scam (verb; also noun): to cheat or deceive someone 
- A few dishonest companies scam people into buying things they don't need.
 portion (noun): amount of food, serving 
- I sometimes overeat at this restaurant because their portions are very
generous.
 load up (verb): fill 
- I know this is an all-you-can-eat restaurant, but you don't have to load up on
all those fatty foods.
 cut out (verb): stop or remove 
- If you want to really lose weight, you need to cut out the cakes and cookies
after every meal.
 buddy (noun): close friend 
- You and your buddy drink way to much soda with your meals.
 tough (adjective): difficult 
- It's sometimes tough not to overeat during the holidays.
 cut back on something (verb): reduce the amount of something 
- You should cut back on soda and drink water instead.
15 – Divorce Lawyers

Tonya: Hey, Phil. Uh. Why the gloomy face?

Phil: Ah, Sharon and I are calling it quits. We're breaking up. Divorce time.
[What?] I need to find a good divorce lawyer.
Tonya: What? Phil You've only been married two months. What's going on?
Phil: You just don't understand. There are just some difference we haven't been
able to work out.
Tonya: Well, you've only been married two months. Like what? Things can't be
THAT bad.
Phil: Oh, yeah. Yeah, they are, sis. I thought married life was going to be filled
with bliss, but things are really terrible right now.
Tonya: Like what? You haven't give me a reason yet for breaking up.
Phil: Well, okay, okay. First of all, she drinks 2% milk and won't switch of non-
fat milk. [So what? I do too.] She's always telling me to put the toilet seat . . .
Tonya: Buy two things of milk. Big deal.
Phil: She's always telling me to put the toilet seat down in the bathroom.
[Duh . . .] And, and, and, she wears this smelly facial cream. Oh, it's so smelly.
And, and she . . .
Tonya: Well, that IS annoying, but so what?
Phil: And, she sometimes fall asleep with the light on. Oh yeah. And get this:
she studies English grammar in her free time. [Serious?] Really romantic, right?
Tonya: You know what? So what? It's not a big deal. That's it? Don't you think
those are petty reasons for wanting to get a divorce?
Phil: Hey, the movie stars do it all the time. [What?] And, AND AND . . .
Tonya: You wanna (want to) be like them?
Phil: And get this. She gets upset when I call my old girlfriend two or three
times a week. I mean . . .
Tonya: WHAT? YOU'RE CALLING YOUR OLD GIRLFRIEND?
Phil: Just to say hello. That's all.
Tonya: You shouldn't be calling her! No wonder she's upset.
Phil: And I now only have one picture of my (old) girlfriend in my wallet. I got
rid of the other three last week.
Tonya: You're still carrying pictures of your old girlfriend?
Phil: You just don't understand.
Tonya: What is wrong with you? Phil, be quiet and listen, Phil. What is wrong
with you? You have a really screwy way of thinking about this. [You don't
understand.] Listen, listen, listen. First of all, those character flaws, as you see
them, they are just habits, personal habits that aren't bad at all, but YOU a big
part of the problem. [WHAT?] Calling your old girlfriend? WHAT ARE YOU
THINKING? [You don't understand.]
Keeping pictures of your girlfriend? Only having one in your wallet and feeling
bad? What is wrong with you, Phil?
Phil: What? I'm just . . .
Tonya: No, listen. Stop thinking of yourself. You're so self-centered. I am
ashamed that you are my brother.[I still . . .] What's wrong with you?
Phil: Still, I just need a good divorce lawyer.
Tonya: A divorce lawyer is the last thing you need; maybe she needs one, but
you don't.
Phil: Man. Wha . . .?
Tonya: Listen, listen. You just need to grow up. [But. . . ] Save your energy and
frustration for real problems. Listen, people get really sick, sometimes people
die. When you guys have kids, you're going to have some teenagers
coming down the road, and that's pretty scary. You're going to have some
financial problems. You haven't see anything yet. I think you guys really need to
get some marriage counseling; you've got to work on these problems, Phil.
Phil: Ah. WOMEN!

Key Vocabulary
 gloomy (adjective): sad or depressed
- I've noticed a very gloomy atmosphere in their family recently.
 call it quits (phrasal verb): give up or end 
 - After having gone through marriage counseling, Karl and Susan decided
to call it quits.
 bliss (noun): happiness 
- Marriage is filled with a combination of bliss and trails.
 petty (adjective): simplistic, unimportant
- My parents often get into petty arguments about dumb things.
 down the road (prepositional phrase): in the future
- Their relationship is going to be in serious trouble down the road unless they
work to resolve their differences. He should stop taking such a belligerent
(hostile or agressive) attitude toward things.
16 – Driving Road Test

Driving Officer: Okay. Mr. Smith. Let's begin your road test.
Mr. Smith: Oh. I know I'm ready. I've been practicing in my driveway all week.
Driving Officer: Okay. Mr. Smith. As I'm sure you are aware, you will not only
be tested on your knowledge of the rules of the road, but on your behavior
toward othermotorists.
Mr. Smith: Okey-dokey.
Driving Officer: Okay. Now you can start your car.
Mr. Smith: Yeah, right. Here we go!
Driving Officer: Whoa! Take it easy. The speed limit in this business district is
only 25 miles an hour. [Oh]. All right. Now, turn right at the next corner . . .
[This corner?] Na, not here! Wow! You forgot to signal too!
Mr. Smith: Gosh. I didn't see that one, and . . . Ah, Could you grab my cell
phone under my seat. [Huh?] Nah, I'll get it.
Driving Officer: Oh, Mr. Smith. Keep your eyes on the road!
Mr. Smith: Oh yeah.
Driving Officer: Okay. Now, pull over here and show me that you can parallel
park.
Mr. Smith: Sure. Wait. Hey bud. Move your car. I was here first!
Driving Officer: Ah. Forget it. Just keep driving.
Mr. Smith: So, how am I doing? Can I just take a peek at your notes?
Driving Officer: No! And, uh, watch out. Mr. Smith. Now you're tailgating the
vehicle in front of us.
Mr. Smith: Oh, yeah. I'm just so excited about getting my license today.
[Right.].
Driving Officer: Okay. Now carefully, CAREFULLY turn right here, and wait,
wait, WAIT . . .STOP!! You almost hit that pedestrian . How in the world did
you pass the written test anyway? [Well . . .]You have to give way to any
pedestrians crossing the street. Jeez!
Mr. Smith: Oh. sorry about that. It won't happen again.
[Car screeching to a stop . . .]
Driving Officer: Whoa! Get out! [What?] Get out! I'm driving back to the
office.
Mr. Smith: Does this mean I didn't pass the test?
Driving Officer: Look, Mr. Smith. Could you do me a favor? When you come
back to take the test again, plan on coming on Friday.
Mr. Smith: Again? Why? Is it less crowded that day?
Driving Officer: No. It's my day off.

Key Vocabulary
 driveway (noun): a small road leading up to a private house 
- My car is parked in the driveway.
 motorists (noun): a person who operates a motor vehicle (car, motorcycle)
- Nowadays, more and more motorists are deciding to use public transportation
to commute to work.
 Okey-dokey (exclamation): informal for "Okay"
- Okey-dokey. Let's begin the driving test.
 district (noun): area
- The speed limit in most residential districts is 25 miles per hour.
 grab (verb): to take hold of something
- The woman grabbed the running child before he ran out into the road.
 bud (noun): informal, sometimes used in a hostile or unfriendly manner when
speaking to a man whose name is unknown 
- Hey bud. Watch where you're driving. You almost hit that tree.
 peek (verb): to take a short look at something
- This car looks nice. Hey, take a peek inside to check how many miles it has.
 tailgate (verb): to drive too close to the vehicle in front of you that might make
it impossible to avoid hitting in case of an emergency 
- Tailgating too closely is the cause of many accidents.
 pedestrian (noun):a person who walks, particularly where motor vehicles
travel 
 - You should pay careful attention to pedestrians when making turns on busy
streets.
 jeez (interjection): an expression to show mild surprise, frustration, or
disappointment
- Jeez. You should have told me you didn't have money for gas.
17 – Drug Addiction

Stacy: Hey, Brandon.

Brandon: Yeah.
Stacy: Um . . . Um . . .
Brandon: What?
Stacy: Well, I need to talk to you, and I'm not really sure how to do it. It's kind of
difficult, but I kind of, I need to talk to you about something.
Brandon: Alright. Go ahead.
Stacy: Okay. You know, Stephanie. [Yeah.] You're dating my sister, right?
Stephanie. [Yeah, yeah.] Um, I think she's back on drugs.
Brandon: What do you mean? I, I know she had a problem in the past, but she told
me that that was over.
Stacy: Well, that's what she says, but you know, I know my sister pretty well; I
think I know her better than just about anyone else, and I know you guys have talked
about getting married soon, and [Yeah] . . . I'm pretty sure she's using drugs again,
and you really need to, you need to know this . . . you really need to face the facts,
and you're going to have to deal with this now.
Brandon: So, but, I . . . again, how do you know?
Stacy: She's doing some of the same stuff, you know, um, like. Well, like. Listen,
you know. Um, you've noticed she's been skipping work lately?
Brandon: Well, she said she's been having some health problems, so I just figured it
was that.
Stacy: No, no, no. She's not. [ Are you sure? ] Yeah. It's, it's more than that. Like, a
month ago, she asked me to lend her a thousand bucks to fix her car.
Brandon: Wow. Man. Um, I mean, she didn't tell me anything like that. I mean, her
car is running fine, I think.
Stacy: Yeah, I know, it is. It's running fine. [ Oh, great. ] Exactly. She's lying a lot
now, and she's, you know, she's trying to hide it, and she's good at hiding it.
Brandon: And, I let her borrow my car a couple days ago, and I had fifty bucks in
there, and when the car came back, it was gone. She's . . . I don't know how else it
could have disappeared. [ Man. I can't belive this. ] I'm pretty sure she stole it.
Stacy: I know. Um, but she's hiding things, and she hides things from us, and okay,
for example, like last week. I saw her with the two cell phones, and when I checked
the texts on the one phone . . . .
Brandon: Wait, wait. Two phones? What do you mean?
Stacy: . . . .Yeah, umm.
Brandon: She only has one.
Stacy: No, she's got at least two phones, and when I checked the one phone, I saw
some texts, and she was talking about, um, um, some drugs and needing to meet up
with someone to buy them.
Brandon: Ah, man.
Stacy: I'm sorry, Brandon, um, I . . . we need to, we need to confront her on this.
You need to confront her on this.
Brandon: I don't know how to do this. I mean . . . yeah, I don't know.
Stacy: I know, but you've got to. You, you can't . . . the . . . you know, you've got to
do this if you want to try to hope that there's going to be anything to this
relationship. It's, it's much better to talk to her openly about this now, cause, I
promise you, the problems will just escalate, so . . .
Brandon: But, she might blow up.
Stacy: She might, but hey, wait, listen. Why don't you guys come over for dinner
and we can talk about it together? You know, um . . .
Brandon: I just don't know.
Stacy: I know, and you're right, she might blow up, but if you don't do anything, I
promise the problems are just going to get bigger. She's probably going to end up
losing her job, she's probably going to get arrested, and she might even die.
Brandon: Man, you're probably right. I have to think about this and how to
approach her. Alright. Let, let me thing about it, and I'll call you. [ Okay. ] Alright,
thanks.
Stacy: Alright. Bye, Brandon.

Key Vocabulary
 face the facts (verb): come face to face with something difficult 
 - Let's face the facts. Your brother has a real substance abuse problem.
 figure (verb): believe or conclude 
- I figure that that drug rehab is going to take a lot of time and money to be
successful.
 buck (noun): informal for dollar 
- I'm not going to lend you a single buck to support your bad habit.
 run (verb): function or operate 
- This flashlight runs on AAA batteries.
 contront (verb): come face to face with something difficult 
- My parents contronted me about the drugs they found in the car.
 escalate (verb): grow bigger, intensify 
- Drug use has escalated in some schools across the nation.
 blow up (verb): suddenly get angry 
- My wife blew up when she found cigarrettes in our daughter's bedroom.
18 – Enjoying the Zoo

Father: Mikey. Time for bed [Why?] Why? It's getting dark out. Well, do you
want to talk before you go to bed? [Yeah] Uh, what do you want to talk about?
Boy: Um, the zoo.
Father: The zoo? Oh, that was so fun when we went to the zoo. What did you
like best about the zoo?
Boy: Um, the porcupines.
Father: They were big, weren't they. And what else . . . yeah. What else do you
remember?
Boy: Um, the two giraffes.
Father: The two giraffes? And were they taller than me or shorter than me?
Boy: Over your head.
Father: They were over my head. They were pretty tall. And what else do you
remember? I remember . . . didn't you see an elephant? [Yeah] What about the
elephant do you remember? [Um] What was he . . . was he eating? [Yeah] He
was eating. And then, mommy said something happened with the elephant. That
he did something.
Boy: He throwed dirt on us.
Father: He did? Oh, how did he do that? With his foot?
Boy: No, with his trunk.
Father: And then you fed some ducks. What color were the ducks?
Boy: White.
Father: And what other animals do you remember?[Um] Wasn't there some
type of show.
Boy: Yeah. A bird show.
Father: A bird show? What did the birds do?
Boy: Um, flied.
Father: Oh, they flew around!
Boy: One flied.
Father: Oh, one flew. Were they good birds? [Yeah] Were they naughty at all?
Boy: One was naughty.
Father: What did it do?
Boy: Um, did, to, thing, what you . . . it the . . . the man what it could not do.
[Translation: It did something it wasn't supposed to do.]
Father: Uhh, okay. And then you saw some butterflies, didn't you? [Yeah] What
colors were they?
Boy: After the bird show.
Father: After the bird show you saw them. And were the butterflies flying
around all over the zoo?
Boy: Uh, um, they're inside.
Father: They were inside, what, a little building? [Yeah] What was the building
made of? Was it made of wood? [No] What was it made of? [Glass] Oh, made
of glass. And couldn't the butterflies fly out of the glass? [No] No, oh, what
stopped them from flying out?
Boy: Um, the air.
Father: Oh, the air. Oh, there was air coming down? [Yeah] Oh, well that's
great. Well, it's time to go to bed now. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs
bite. Good night.
Boy: Good night.

Key Vocabulary 
 porcupines (noun): a land animal with long, sharp needles used to protect
itself 
- You don't want to touch the porcupines unless you want to get hurt.
 trunk (noun): the long nose or snout of an elephant 
- The elephant used its trunk move that big tree.
 naughty (adjective): badly behaved 
- The monkeys were really naughty and stole my hat right off my head.
19 – Easy Pet Care

Norman: Hey, neighbor. How's it going?

Shawn: Fine. How about you?
Norman: Okay. Huh, by the way, my wife and I are going out of town this
weekend, and I was wondering if you could take care of some of our animals
while we're gone. You know our dog, Jaws, don't you?
Shawn: Yeah. My leg still hurts from the last incident.
Norman: Hey, he's just a playful little beast.
Shawn: Right.
Norman: Hey, he likes to bark a little, and his bark is worse than his bite.
Shawn: Oh yeah.
Norman: Just feed him a can of dog food a day, and make sure he has plenty of
water in his dish. [Oh] And then, take him for a walk around the block.
Shawn: Well, how about if I just throw a Frisbee over the fence to give him
some exercise? Wouldn't that work?
Norman: Ah, and then, he likes to watch the 3:00 soap opera on Channel 4
[What?] . . . and brush his teeth after you give you some doggie treats around
4:00.
Shawn: Man, you really pamper your dog.
Norman: And, then brush his fur for about twenty minutes. He tends to shed
this time of year. [Ah, what?] And then scratch him around the ears. Otherwise,
he feels neglected.
Shawn: Is that it?
Norman: Well, and then there's Claws.
Shawn: Claws? Who's Claws.
Norman: Oh, he's the cat we adopted from the animal shelter, but he's a
little temperamental.
Shawn: What do you mean "temperamental"?
Norman: Well, he has mood swings [Mood swings?], but he's been doing better
since he's been going to the animal therapist.
Shawn: A therapist?
Norman: So, be sure to feed him a half cup of cat food two times a day [What?
A therapist . . .], and don't forget to put out (on) some soft classical music during
his nap time at 2:40 p.m. But don't let him out of the house because he might
run away and chase the neighbor's dog.
Shawn: You have some high-maintenance animals.
Norman: Not really. And, don't forget to change the cat litter daily, or he might
have an accident on the carpet. [Oh, great.] And finally, there's Buttercup.
Shawn: Buttercup? Who's Buttercu . . . ? I'm afraid to ask.
Norman: Ah, she's a sweetie [What?] . . . if you know how to handle her right.
[Oh, great.] Wait. Let me get her for you. Here you are.
Shawn: That's . . . That's a snake . . .[Hold her.] That's a big snake with
big fangs. Does the snake go to a therapist, too?
Norman: Of course not . . . just an anger-management class.
Shawn: Oh! What?
Norman: I'm joking. Buttercup is a very docile creature, and she never bites
anyone she likes. If she doesn't, you'll know because she starts hissing and
staring at you . . . . kind like what she's doing now.
Shawn: Well, I'm leaving. You must be going out of you mind to think I'm
going to watch a zoo full of misunderstood animals. You'd better hire some
professional help 'cause I wouldn't watch them even if you paid me a million
dollars.

Key Vocabulary 
 incident (noun): a situation that occurs, sometimes serious 
- There was an incident today involving a dog biting a young boy.
 bark (verb; also noun): making the sound of a dog 
- The neighbor's dog barked all night, and I couldn't get any sleep.
 pamper (verb): treat a person or an animal in a special way 
- My parents really pamper their dog by allowing it to sleep on their bed and
watch TV.
 adopt (verb): take into one's family 
 - Adopting a dog from an animal shelter is one way to save the lives of
unwanted pets.
 temperamental (adjective): changing feelings or moods 
- My brother can be a little temperamental at times, so try to be understanding.
 handle (verb): take care of, hold or touch with your hands 
- Please handle the lizard with care. It is a very delicate creature.
 fangs (noun): long sharp teeth from an animal such as a snake 
- If a rattlesnake bites you, and its fangs break your skin, you should seek
medical attention immediately.
 docile (adjective): easy to work with or handle 
- Although a rat looks like a scary creature, it is a very docile animal.
 go out of your mind: go crazy 
- She's been going out of her mind ever since her cat was hit by a car.
20 – Fishing Trip

Man: Well, I couldn't have picked out a better spot to fish. What do you think?
Woman: Uh . . .
Man: I mean, the water is so clear here. Listen to the birds and the sounds of nature.
Woman: Well . . . .
Man: I mean, I'm not bragging or anything, but I have a real sense for fishing. I
mean, I was born to fish, you know, my dad used to say.
Woman: Really?
Man: Yeah.
Woman: When was the last time you caught a fish? Didn't you tell me that you went
fishing six or seven times last month and didn't catch anything?
Man: Well, Well, I'm not making excuses or anything, but the weather was bad a
couple of times, and, and . . . and a fish dragged my pole into the water while I
wasn't looking another time [ No way! Serious? ] , and . . . and I wasn't wearing my
fishing hat another day.
Woman: You have to have a fishing hat to catch fish?
Man: Well, today is different. Listen.
Woman: What's different about it? We've been here about an hour, and you still
haven't caught anything.
Man: Well, do you think you can do any better, or are you just going to sit there and
continue reading that book?
Woman: Okay, let me show you. Let me show you. Give me that pole. I'll show
you. I'm just to cast the bait out right over . . . . there . . . perfect.
Man: Ah, right. You'll probably catch a tree branch or get your line snagged in a
tree.
Woman: Yeah, you're going to see. Just wait.
Man: Some big shoe or something like that.
Woman: You just wait. You have to be patient. [ Yeah. ] Yeah . . . Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!
I got a bite. Oh, man, man, man. Look at that! That fish is huge.
Man: Wow, wait, wait, wait, wait. Can't . . . . that . . no, no, no.
Woman: Yes, it is, it is. Help me! Come on. Help me! Come on. Help me. I'm
trying to reel it in. Help me!
Man: I . . . I got to go back to the car.
Woman: No, no. Look! Look at thing jump! Go get the net! Get the net!
Man: Well, nah . . .
Woman: Come on. You gotta help me catch it!
Man: That's beginner's luck.
Woman: No. Come on. Wow! I got it Look at that. What are you going to say now?
Huh? Huh? What are you going to say?
Man: Nothing!
Woman: So look who's teaching who. I'm going to remember this day FOREVER.
Man: Forget it.

Key Vocabulary
 brag (verb): to talk about yourself or others in a way that shows too much
pride 
- My brother always brags about his soccer skills, but he really isn't that good
of a player.
 drag (verb): to pull something heavy or difficult to move 
- He huge fish tried to drag me into the water 
- I took us a few minutes to drag the boat out of the water.
 pole (noun): a long slender piece of bamboo, fiberglass, or other material that
is used to catch fish 
- My fishing pole broke when I tried to bring in the giant cat fish..
 cast (verb): to throw something like food into the water by hand or with a
fishing pole 
- My son couldn't cast his fishing line very far, so helped him most of the time
yesterday.
 bait (noun): food or other material used to attract fish or animals 
- What kind of bait did you use to catch that fish?
 snag (verb): to catch or get caught on something 
- I tore my shirt when it got snagged on a tree branch.
 huge (adjective): very large 
- My brother owns a huge fishing boat that he uses to catch tuna and swordfish
off the coast.
21 – Flower Shop

Florist: Hi. May I help you?

Customer: Yeah. Um. You see, I need some flowers for my wife, and uh, and,
you know, I . . .
Florist: Let . . . Let me guess. You forget your anniversary, and you're trying
to make things up, right?
Customer: Oh. Yeah, is it that obvious?
Florist: Well, yeah. We see men like you all the time that are so involved in
their work that they simply forget about us.
Customer: Well, in, in . . . in this case, it's not like that.
Florist: Sure. What do you need?
Customer: Well, uh, I'd like to get a dozen roses with some greenery, and a
very nice card.
Florist: Do you really think a dozen roses is going to cut it?
Customer: Well, yeah . . .
Florist: I mean, if my husband forgot our anniversary, he'd be in the
doghouse for sure. [Well . . .] You need at least two dozen roses, a dozen
balloons, and a romantic evening at an expensive restaurant.
Customer: Well, I only have $10, and . . .
Florist: Ten dollars? Well, that will buy you a single rose and a hamburger at
McDonalds, but that's it.
Customer: Uh, wait. I actually have twelve dollars and . . . wait, hang on, let
me see here . . . thirty-two cents, so that might be . . .
Florist: Forget playing golf this weekend. Your wife is way more important.
Customer: Oh, no. OH, NO! My wife is out in the parking lot looking for me.
Oh. And, and . . . she's looking this way. PLEASE, PLEASE. Help me!
She'll wring my neck for sure.
Florist: Okay, Okay. Uh, let's see. Hum. [PLEASE, PLEASE!]. Well, well, it
looks like I can arrange a small bouquet of roses. [Okay.] A couple are a
little wilted [Oh, that's okay.], but that's the best I can do. [Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
That's fine.] And I can also attach a small card and tie a nice ribbon around the
flowers.
Customer: Oh, that would be great. You're a lifesaver. I'll put you on my
Christmas card list forever.
Florist: Okay. Okay. That'll be twelve dollars even.
Customer: You're an angel. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, no. [What?] Now, she's
parked in front of your store waiting for me. I'm dead meat. Do you have a back
door?
Florist: No! It looks like you need to face the music and just talk to her. [I can't,
I can't.] She'll probably be very understanding after you promise . . . [You don't
know my wife.] Well, you need to promise to wash the dishes and clean the
bathroom for the next six months. Get out there and be a man.
Customer: Could you call an ambulance . . . just in case? This could get ugly.
Florist: Men.

Key Vocabulary 
 make up (phrasal verb): become friendly after having a fight or argument 
- My parents made up after having a simple argument over who cooked more at
home.
 cut it (phrasal verb): be enough to do something or deal with an issue 
- Studying only 30 minutes for the final exam just won't cut it. You'll fail the
test for sure if you don't study more. 
- Buying cheap flowers for your wife won't cut it. She'll certainly be unhappy if
you do that.
 be in the doghouse (idiom): be in disfavor or in a bad situation because you
did or said something bad 
- He was in the doghouse for a while because didn't tell his wife the truth.
 wring someone's neck (idiom): punish someone for something he or she did 
- My girlfriend will wring my neck if she finds out I watched a football game
with some friends instead of taking her out for dinner.
 wilt (verb): to bend over and look dead because something is old and dry 
 - The flowers I was going to give my wife wilted because I forgot to water
them.
 dead meat ( (idiom): in serious trouble 
- Sara's boyfriend is dead meat. She just found out that he has been seeing
someone else.
 face the music (idiom): accept the punishment or the consequences for certain
events or your actions 
- Hey, you have to face the music sooner or later and just accept the fact that
your girlfriend isn't coming back to you.
 ugly (adjective): very bad or potentially violent
- The game turned ugly when players from both teams ran onto the field and
started fighting.
22 – Friday Night Mishaps

Sam: Hey, Henry, how's everything going, and what's with the flowers?
Henry: They're for my wife.
Sam: Oh, a wedding anniversary or something?
Henry: To tell the truth, it couldn't be worse. [Oh]. You see, I have to pick my wife
up from the airport this evening, but while she was gone, there were a few
minor mishaps.
Sam: Oh really? What happened?
Henry: Well, I had some of the guys over Friday night to watch a basketball game
on TV, but one of them got all excited, and started horsing around, waving his arms,
and he accidentally knocked over my wife's 250-year old Chinese porcelain vase
given to her [Oh no!], given to her by her grandmother, and broke it beyond repair.
Sam: Man, have you tried . . .
Henry: . . . super glue? Yeap, but she would be able to tell in a second I was
trying to pull something over her eyes.
Sam: Oh, wow. You're in hot water now.
Henry: If it had only been that.
Sam: Oh, there's more?
Henry: Yeah, you see, the water from the vase spilled all over the manuscript of a
book my wife has been writing for the past two years. It blurred the ink over many
of the pages. [Oh no.] And so one of the guys had the bright idea of drying the pages
by the fire while we watched, uh, the rest game, but a spark from the fire must have
blown out and burned the manuscript to a crisp.
Sam: But what about an electronic file copy? Had one, didn't she?
Henry: Well, actually, her computer crashed the day before while I was playing
some computer games, and I haven't been able to get it to work since.
Sam: Man, are you in trouble now. [I know.] You're going to have a hard
time digging yourself out of this one. [Yeah.] Ah, so I get it now. You're buying the
flowers for her as a part of some kind of peace offering, right?
Henry: No, not at all. They're for my funeral.
Sam: [laughter]
Key Vocabulary
 mishaps (noun): accidents
- There were a few unfortunate mishaps while we were on vacation.
 horsing around (phrasal verb): playing around or wasting time
- Hey! Stop horsing around and get to work.
 to pull something over someone's eyes (idiom): to deceive or hide the truth
- Don't even try pulling something over my eyes. I'll be watching you very
carefully.
 be in hot water (idiom): be in bad trouble
- Oh no, you broke the window! You're going to be in hot water when mom
gets back from the store.
 digging yourself out of something (idiom): trying to explain or justify the
causes of a situation
- There's no way you're going to be able to dig yourself out of this one. It was
your fault, so just admit it.
23 – Friendly Dental Care

Patient: Hi. Dr. Hyde?

Dentist: So, what's seems to be the problem today?
Patient: Well, I just came in for a check up and a dental cleaning.
Dentist: Hum. Open up. Let's take a look . . .
Patient: Okay. Uh . . .
Dentist: Hummmm. [Humm? Uh?] Wow! I've never seen one like THIS before.
Let me try this.
Patient: Uhhh . . . Ouhhhh [Man screaming in pain . . .]
Dentist: Well, besides a lot of plaque buildup, there is a major cavity in one of
your wisdom teeth. [I feel that.] Hasn't this given you any trouble?
Patient: Well, the tooth has been bothering me, and it sometimes hurts when I
drink something cold. Does it look that bad?
Dentist: Well, we're going to remove the decay, and then we'll either put
a filling in, or if the decay is extensive, we can't repair it, we might have to put
a crown on your tooth. Or as a last resort, we may have to extract the tooth.
Patient: Uh, well, that sounds painful!
Dentist: Don't worry. I've done this . . . once before. [Huh?] Nah, just relax.
Patient: Wait! Aren't you suppose to give me something to dull the pain?
Dentist: Uh, chicken. Oh yeah. I almost forgot. We can either use
a localanesthetic or nitrous oxide . . . laughing gas. . . to minimize
the discomfort you might feel. Or you can just grin and bear it.
Patient: Nah, Nah, nah! Put me under! [I thought so.] I can't stand pain, and I'd
rather not be aware of what's going on. And, if I need a filling, can I get one that
looks like my other teeth?
Dentist: If we can save the tooth with a filling, I recommend a high-strength
silver alloy filling instead of a porcelain one. It'll probably last longer.
Patient: Okay, well whatever. Let's get it over with.
Dentist: Okay, pleasant dreams. Drill please.

Key Vocabulary
 plaque (noun): a substance that builds up around teeth that can damage them 
- Brushing with toothpaste can help remove plaque.
 cavity (noun): tooth decay 
- If you take care of your teeth, you can reduce the risk of having cavities.
 wisdom tooth (noun): the last of your back teeth to come in 
- The dentist removed one of my wisdom teeth because it was bothering me.
 decay (noun, also verb): the gradual process of the tooth going bad, sometimes
caused by poor dental care and eating habits 
- If the decay in the tooth is not removed, it could lead to a serious problem.
 filling (noun): a substance inserted into a tooth to repair a cavity 
- I need to get one of my fillings replaced because it came out yesterday.
 extensive (adjective): large in extent, range, or scope 
- Researchers have conducted extensive studies on the causes and prevention of
tooth decay.
 crown (noun): a metal covering over the enamel-covered part of a tooth 
- The dentist suggested putting a crown on the tooth since the cavity would
have been too difficult to repair with a filling.
 extract (verb): remove 
- The dentist extracted the decayed tooth without a problem.
 dull (verb, also adjective): numb or make insensitive, deaden feeling 
- I was shocked that the dentist didn't give me anything to dull the pain.
 local anesthetic (noun): a drug used to dull the body`s senses from pain in a
specific area 
- The dentist used a local anesthetic on the patient before she extracted the
tooth.
 nitrous oxide (noun): a gas inhaled as an anesthetic in dentistry and surgery 
- Sometimes, dentists use nitrous oxide on patients when more extensive dental
work is required or to help patients relax during certain procedures.
 discomfort (noun): pain or an uncomfortable feeling associated with a part of
the body 
 - I went to the dentist because I felt a great deal of discomfort in one of my
teeth.
 alloy (noun): a mixture of two or more metals 
- Different alloy fillings may be used to fill cavities, depending on the severity
and location of the cavity, as well as the patient's preference.
 porcelain (noun): made of semitransparent ceramic 
- Porcelain fillings may be used to fill cavities, depending on the severity and
location of the cavity, as well as the patient's preference.
24 – Funerals: Expressing Condolences

Heather: Hi, Tim. [Hi] I'm really sorry to hear about your dad. My
sincerest condolences go out to you and your family. He was such a great man.
Tim: Thanks. As you know, he had been sick for some time before he passed
away, so we were somewhat prepared.
Heather: So, how's your mom taking it?
Tim: Oh, it's been really hard on her. I don't think you get over something like
that.
Heather: Yeah, I'm sure. My heart really goes out to her. [Thanks.] Uh, so
how's your mom going to be able to manage things alone?
Tim: Well, financially, mom will be able to live a secure life from now on. I
mean, Dad had life insurance and substantial investments in property and
stocks, so returns on those should take care of her. [That's good to hear.] But
our main concern at this moment is her emotional state. [Yeah.] She's
really down, so a call now and again should brighten her day.
Heather: So, what are the funeral arrangements? The obituary in the paper
didn't mention much about the funeral.
Tim: Well, some of the family members will get together on Tuesday morning
for a private memorial service, but there will be a viewing in the afternoon from
2:00 to 3:00, followed by the funeral service. One of my uncles will be giving
the eulogy.
Heather: I wish there was something I could do you. *
Tim: Well, actually, there is. [Oh?]. You know, Dad really admired you a lot,
and before he died, he asked if you'd sing a musical number at the funeral.
Heather: Really? I'd be honored.
Tim: It would really mean a lot to the family.
Heather: Sure. Then, see you on Tuesday.
Tim: Okay, see you then.

* The form "was" is often used in conversational speech for unreal conditionals.
"Were" is the formal form.
Key Vocabulary
 condolences (noun): expressions of sympathy with another's sadness 
- We're sorry to hear about your brother. Please give our condolences to his
wife and children.
 pass away (verb): die 
- My father passed away suddenly three months ago.
 hard (adjective): difficult 
- Greg went through some very hard times after his wife died in a car accident.
 get over (verb): recover from
- It took Sarah over a year to get over the loss of her baby.
 down (adjective): low in spirits
- I'm feeling so down now that I can hardly concentrate on my work.
 funeral (noun): a ceremony where a person is buried or cremated
- My boss took the day off to attend the funeral of a close friend.
 viewing (noun): a period before the funeral when family and friends view the
dead body and sometimes share memories about the person
- Only the immediate family is invited to attend the viewing.
 eulogy (noun): a speech of praise given at a funeral for someone who has
recently died
- The minister offered the eulogy on behalf of the family.
25 – Furniture Store Ad
Are you looking for appliances or furniture to give new life to your home? Look no
further. Here at Frontier Furniture, we have everything you need to give your home a
new look and feel.
Stereos, video machines, refrigerators, light fixtures, dining room tables, washers and
dryers. You name it; we have it! Low on cash? We have an easy rent-to-own plan that
will put you in your favorite sofa tonight. Big color TVs as low as two hundred and
twenty-five dollars; digital pianos starting at three ninety-nine ($399); king size beds
from two hundred and fifty dollars. Free delivery on all major appliances.
So come on down to Frontier Furniture. Located downtown two blocks east of city
hall, across from Union Square. We're open daily from 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. So,
come on in, and let us make your dream home a reality.
26 – Gardening Show

Susan: Hi. Welcome back to Susan's Gardening Show. I'm Susan, and we're ready
to take our next caller. We have Mark from Seattle. Are you still there, Mark?
Mark: Uh. Yeah, but maybe not for long.
Susan: So, how can we help you today?
Mark: Okay. Uh, my wife is really into gardening, and about five years ago, she
received a beautiful climbing rose bush . . . I think an Agatha Christie [That's a nice
one.] from her mother who has passed away. Anyway, the rose plant seems to be on
its last leg.
Susan: Really? Nomally, that rose is really quite hardy [I know.], and it's very
disease-resistant, too. [I know.]
Mark: Yeah. Well, this situation ISN'T normal. You see about a week ago, I was
doing some yard work, and I was using some weed killer [UH-oh.], yeah, to try
to get rid of some terrible weeds and . . .
Susan: Did you spray the roses?
Mark: Uh, well, not exactly. I set the spray container down near the roses while I
was trimming a bush, and the container must have gotten knocked over, and the
weed killer soaked into the ground near the roses.
Susan: How much weed killer are you talking about?
Mark: Uh, about six or seven quarts (about six liters or 1.6 gallons), I think. [Oh,
that's a lot.] You know, I mean when you put . . .
Susan: And the roses? What do they look like now?
Mark: Oh, Dead, real dead. Dead as a doornail dead, but my wife hasn't seen them
yet.
Susan: Really? What have you done? Blindfolded her?
Mark: Well, I've kept her away from that side of the house where the roses are, but
she is bound to see them at some point.
Susan: Yeah, yeah. You've got a problem.
Mark: I mean, is there anything I can do to revive them?
Susan: Not unless you're a magician.
Mark: Well, can you recommend a quick-growing variety that can take its place?
Susan: Marc. I'm sorry. You've made a mistake . . . A big mistake.
Mark: . . . except that my wife warned me this could happen . . . Oh, man.
Susan: Oh, shoot. Listen. You made a blunder. A big mistake. A really big mistake.
But unless your wife goes on vacation for a couple of years, you're not going to be
able to replace the roses that fast.
Mark: So, any recommendation? I mean, what do I do?
Susan: You need to talk to her.
Mark: Are you kidding? You don't know my wife.
Susan: I'm sorry. Look. You've waited long enough. Don't let the grass grow around
your feet. Say something, but be sure to hide the garden shears before you do. Kneel
down; ask for forgiveness now.
Mark: But that's what I did when I killed her prized apple tree last year.
Susan: No way. Really?
Mark: Oh, man. Oh! She's coming in from outside [Oh, no, oh no.].
Susan: One final word: Hide the weed killer. [But . . .] Thanks, Mark. That's all the
time we have for now. Let's move on to the next caller.

Key Vocabulary
 be into something (idiom): be interested in something 
- I was really into running for awhile until I injured my knee.
 be on one's last leg (idiom): be ready to die or give out because of lack of
energy 
- My truck is on its last leg, so I need to start looking for a new one.
 hardy (adjective): strong or sturdy 
- You need to plant hardy varieties of bushes in this area because of the harsh
winter weather.
 get rid of (idiom): throw away or discard 
- You should get rid of these plants; they are growing out of control.
 be/looks dead as a doornail (idiom): undoubtably dead 
- Unfortunately, our pet chicken in the garden looks as dead as a doornail. It
must have died during the snow storm last night.
 be bound to (verb): be likely to happen 
- Seeing that you have taken so good care of your garden, you are bound
to have a great harvest this summer and fall.
 revive (verb): bring back to life or make something more alive 
- I think it is too late. No matter how much you water that plant, you won't be
able to revive it.
 blunder (noun; also a verb): a careless or embarrassing mistake 
- It was a real blunder not to have watered the garden more frequently. Now,
none of the plants will survive.
 let the grass grow around your feet (idiom): wait, waste time, or delay doing
something 
- When it comes do doing well in school, you should never let the grass grow
around your feet. Get busy and study every day.
 shears (noun): a gardening tool that looks like a large pair of scissors for
cutting and trimming bushes and plants 
- Does anyone know where the shears are? I need them to trim the bushes in the
front yard.
27 – Hamburger Restaurant

Server: Hi. Welcome to Joe's Hamburger Restaurant. [Hi] Home of the one-
pound super deluxe hot and spicy cheeseburger. Will this be for here or to go?
Customer: Uh, to go.
Server: Okay. What would you like today? Would you like to try the one-pound
super hot and spicy cheeseburger?
Customer: Uh. I don't think so. I'd probably have heartburn for a week
after downing that monster.
Server: Well. It's our house special this week, and it comes with fries, and a
large specialty drink called "Everything-but-the-kitchen-sink."
Customer: A what? "Everything-but-the-kitchen-sink"? What in the world is
that?
Server: Well, it's a little mix of everything in a large cup: Pepsi, Sprite, Fanta
Orange, and lemonade with crushed ice and a scoop of ice cream.
Customer: Ah, that sounds disgusting.
Server: Hey, it'll grow on you.
Customer: Nay, I think I'll just order a hamburger with some mustard and
lettuce and a glass of water.
Server: Boring. Hey. Would you care for anything else like a side order of
amazing cheesy onion rings?
Customer: No thank you. Onion rings usually don't agree with me.
Server: Hmm. Okay. Your total comes to ten ninety ($10.90).
Customer: Ten ninety? For just a hamburger?! You've got to be kidding
Server: Well, the one-pound super deluxe hamburger is nine dollars.
Customer: Hey, I didn't order a one-pound burger. I just wanted a simple
burger. That's all.
Server: Well, sir. Joe's Hamburger Restaurant only serves one-pound burgers.
[Man!] The one-pound super hot and spicy, the one-pound barbecue burger, the
one-pound bacon cheese burger, the one-pound . . .
Customer: No, no. Those are all huge.
Server: Well, sir. If you really want something smaller [Yeah], you should order
from the kids' menu: The half-pound super hot and spicy burger, the half-pound
barbecue burger, the half-pound bacon cheese burger, the half-pound . . .
Customer: No. Those are still giant burgers.
Server: Well, in these parts, we are hearty eaters.
Customer: Okay, but you said my total was ten ninety, but the burger only
comes to ten bucks. What about the other ninety cents?
Server: Well, sir. We only serve natural spring water from yonder hills, and . . .
Customer: Okay, okay. I'll take the giant burger and a bottle of your spring
water. The sandwich should feed me for a week.

Key Vocabulary
 deluxe (adjective): of higher quality than similar products 
- She ordered a deluxe shake from the menu.
 to go: takeout 
- We ordered the food to go because we didn't have time to sit down and eat.
 down something (verb): eat quickly 
- No one could believe that the woman downed fifteen hotdogs in twelve
minutes.
 grow on someone (verb): develop a liking for someone or something over
time 
- Eating raw fish is something that will grow on you if you eat it enough.
 not agree with someone (verb): become sick from something you eat 
- Boy, I feel really sick. That soup didn't agree with me at all, and I feel like I'm
going to throw up.
 hearty eater (noun): someone who enjoys eating a lot 
- That baby is a real hearty eater and eats constantly.
28 – Home Cleaning Service

Man: Hey. Megan. Come on in. Take a seat . . . uh, somewhere.

Woman: Whao. This place is a disaster and the smell.
Man: It's . . . . Ah. [ Sniff, sniff ]. Ah, it's not so bad.
Woman: Yes, it is. It's terrible.
Man: Ah. Come on.
Woman: No, look. There are pizza boxes all over the floor.
Man: Do you need a piece?
Woman: Wait! I think that (pizza) company's been closed . . . like two months
ago . . . for health reasons. Stains on the carpet from who knows what. Say good-bye
to your deposit. I'm . . . I'm not even going into the bathroom. And, what is that
smell?
Man: What smell? Wait . . . what! Ah!
Woman: Uh . . . What is in your garbage? This milk is curdled. How long has it
been in there? Are you trying to develop intelligent life? I mean it looks like your
trying to build a civilization in there?
Man: It's . . . it's not so bad.
Woman: You keep saying that. Uh, do you need to hire a housecleaning service?
Man: A what?
Woman: Yes. A cleaning service. [ Cleaning service? ] I You know my friend. She
has . . . She has her own company. They'll come to your apartment . . . clean
everything from top to bottom. Clean your carpet . . . and it certainly needs it. Uh,
dust your furniture, sweep, mop, everything. Clean your blinds . . . not that you'd
notice, closets, and your appliances.
Man: That . . . that . . . that sounds expensive. I . . . I . . . I don't think I can afford
that.
Woman: They . . . they usually send out teams of two people, but for you, they're
going to need a whole HazMat (hazardous materials) crew.
Man: Well, how much?
Woman: They usually charge $30 an hour.
Man: THIRTY DOLLARS!?!? Whoa!!!! That's expensive.
Woman: But it's going to be more for you, I'm sure.
Man: Whoa!!! That's expensive.
Woman: Look. You always tell me you don't have friends . . . . I can see why. Give
them a try. Look. I can get you a discount. Okay, you can't keep living like this.
Man: Oh, well, uh, Sis. Uh, do you have time? Maybe, you could . . .
Woman: No, no! In fact, I remember I have to be somewhere.
Man: Oh, okay, well. What's their number?
Woman: I'll . . . I'll text it to you later. Good-bye.
Man: All right. Bye.
Key Vocabulary
 disaster (noun): something that cause a lot of suffering and loss 
- A fire started in one of the apartments, and we lost everything. It was a
terrible disaster for everyone.
 deposit (noun): money that you pay when you rent an apartment and you may
get back if you leave it in good condition 
- You usually have to pay a deposit to rent an apartment in this area.
 curdle(adjective or verb): to be thick and often spoiled 
- I couldn't drink the milk because it was all curdled. (adjective)
- The pudding will curdle if leave it on the stove too long. (verb)
 civilization (noun): an organized and developed society 
- You'll be apart of modern civilization if you live in such a dirty apartment and
not realize it.
 blinds (noun): something that is used to cover a window on the inside of a
room 
- Could you close the blinds? The light outside is bothering me.
 HazMat (noun): dangerous or hazardous materials 
- You need to wear a HazMat suit to enter that building. It is too dangerous
otherwise.
 crew (noun): a group of people who work together on a team 
- A crew of workers are in charge of cleaning all of the apartments this week.
29 – Home Repairs

Dave: Hi Randall. [ Hi ] Come on in.

Randall: Uh, yeah, I stopped by to see if you were still looking for a
roommate to share your house.
Dave: Yeap. I sure am. Ever since I cut back on my working hours to go to
school, I've been really strapped for cash.
Randall: Oh.
Dave: Hey, let me show you the place. Uh, here's the living room.
Randall: Oh. It looks like you could use a new carpet . . . and those stains?
Dave: Well. I've had a few problems with some former roommates. I know
it needs to be cleaned, but I just don't have the money to do it right now.
Randall: Oh. And what about the kitchen?
Dave: Right this way. Look. It's completely furnished with all the
latest appliances, except . . .
Randall: What?
Dave: Well, the refrigerator door is broken . . . a little bit . . . and it won't
shut all the way. It needs fixing, but don't worry. I've just improvised by
pushing a box against it to keep it shut.
Randall: Hmm. Great.
Dave: Ah. It isn't that bad.
Randall: Well how about the bathroom?
Dave: Well . . .
Randall: No, no. Don't tell me. The toilet is clogged or the sink has a few
leaks.
Dave: No, those work fine, but, uh, the tile in the shower needs to be
replaced, and the window needs fixing.
Randall: Let me see. The tile . . . what? The window? Where's the window
pane?
Dave: Well, that's another slight problem. I've put up a piece of cardboard
to keep out the [ Hmmm ] rain and snow , and if it gets a little cold, you can
always turn up the heat. Well, you used to until the central heating went out.
[Oh boy.]
Randall: Hey, I think I've seen enough. I can't believe you've survived
under these conditions.
Dave: So what do you think? You really can't beat a place like this for $450
a month. So it has a few problems, but we can fix those.
Randall: Uh, no thank you. I think I've seen enough.

Key Vocabulary
 share (verb): use together 
- My son didn't want to share his toys.
 be strapped for cash (idiom): have little money
- I'd love to help you, but I'm strapped for cash this month.
 furnished (adjective): having furniture and appliances
- I'm looking for a furnished apartment.
 appliances (noun): electronic devices often used in the kitchen including the
stove, microwave, blender, dishwasher,and refrigerator
- This store sells excellent appliances.
 improvise (verb): to use another way of doing something to accomplish your
goal
- I didn't have the right brushes to paint the living room, so I had to improvise.
 window pane (noun): the glass part of the window
- The window pane in the bedroom needs replacing.
 beat (verb): be better than
- I've looked around the best prices on paint, and this store beats any other
place around.
30 – Home Security

Hi. I'm Bob, and welcome to the show, My Home Your Home.
Imagine that it's Monday afternoon, and you decide to step out and buy a few
things for dinner before the kids get home from school. You look at your watch.
It's 1:30 PM, and you need to be back in 20 minutes. When you get back, you
notice nothing out of the ordinary, and everything is just as you left it. Then, as
you are looking through your dresser drawer, you notice that the contents are
in disarray. You realize money you had hidden carefully at the bottom is gone.
Nothing else in the house has been taken. And the only evidence of entry is a
dirty footprint through an unlocked window.
Sound untrue? Not to our family because it happened to us.
There are several basic steps you can take to avoid being victimized in your own
home. First of all, make sure that all of your exterior doors and windows
have secure locks. If you've recently moved into a new home, you would
be wise to rekey all of the doors because you never know who might be walking
around with a copy of one. Never leave a copy of the key outside under a
doormat, on a window sill, above a door, or in the mailbox. Burglars are very
aware of your temptation to do so, and they will find an easy way in through
your carelessness.
Second, discourage burglars from even considering your home by keeping your
yard well groomed. Trim back shrubbery and trees around entryways and
windows where burglars can conceal themselves. Install bright porch lights both
in front and in back of your house and consider investing in a motion detector as
well. Also, use a light timer to automatically turn on your interior or exterior
lights at times when you are away. Next, set up a neighborhood watch group
to patrol the area. Keep neighbors informed when you might be away, and have
them collect your mail and newspapers if needed.
Finally, prepare your family in the event someone breaks into your house in
order to avoid serious confrontations. If you hear strange sounds in the house,
call the police rather than seeking out the intruder. Having a gun to protect you
at home is often not the best deterrent because it can be used against you.
Think smart and prepare. Doing these basics will go a long way to securing your
home, property, and peace of mind.

Key Vocabulary
 step out (phrasal verb): leave or go outside a room for a short period of time
- Be sure to lock the front door if you step out to get lunch.
 out of the ordinary: unusual or unexpected 
- If you notice anything out of the ordinary, call the police.
 disarray (noun): a state of confusion or lack of organization, not tidy
- The whole house was in disarray when we returned home from the store.
 exterior (adjective): outside
- The lock on the exterior door to the building needs to be replaced.
 secure (adjective): strong 
- You ought to buy a very secure lock for your bike, so it doesn't get stolen.
 wise (adjective): smart
- You would be wise to keep your valuables in a secure place.
 shrubbery (noun): small bushes 
- We planted some shrubbery around our house.
 conceal (verb): hide 
- Burglars sometimes conceal their true identities by wearing different clothes.
 patrol (verb): go around an area to check security 
- The police patrol our neighbor on a regular basis for suspicious people.
 confrontation (noun): a fight or argument 
- There was a serious confrontation between the neighbors.
 seek out (verb): look for 
- I suggest that we seek out more effective ways to prevent crime.
 deterrent (noun): something that prevents or discourages people from doing
something else 
- Keeping a light on in your house can be a good deterrent to burglars while
you are away.