1.
Adam: Have you seen the new girl in school?
Frank: No. Who is she?
Adam: I forgot her name.
Frank: Is she from around here?
Adam: No. She was born on some small island near India somewhere but then she travelled a lot.
Frank: But she speaks English.
Adam: Yes, perfectly. And, more important, she is beautiful!
Frank: How old is she?
Adam: She’s fourteen, I think. She has lovely eyes.
Frank: How do you know so much about her?
Adam: Well, I saw her and I really wanted to get to know her. So when someone asked her about herself, I listened. She had to come to America because her father got a job here.
Frank: I should meet her. What’s her name?
Adam: Her name’s Sahru. Will you do me a favour?
Frank: Sure. What is it? You don’t want me to ask her if she’ll go out on a date with you, do you?
Adam: Well… yes.
Frank: No way. But maybe I should ask her myself!
Training 1
Adam: “Wow! There is a new girl at school! She is fourteen. She speaks English perfectly. And, what is more important, she is beautiful! She has lovely eyes. I saw her and I really wanted to get to know her. So when someone asked her about herself, I listened. That’s why I know so much about her. Now I want to talk to her. I want her to go on a date with me. But unfortunately, I’ve told Frank everything about Sahru and asked him to do me a favour. You know, I am a bit shy and I thought he could help me and ask Sahru to go out on a date with me. But Frank said he wouldn’t do that. I am sure he wants to go out with her himself, and he is so cute! So he’s got more chances, really.”
1. Is there a new boy or a new girl at school? 2. How old is she? 3. Does she speak English with a strong accent? 4. Is she a pretty girl? 5. What about her eyes? 6. How do you know so much about her? 7. Why did you tell Frank about the girl? 8. Why can’t you ask the girl yourself? 9. What did Frank tell you? 10. Why don’t you think he will help you? 11. Why do you regret now that you’ve told him about the girl? 12. Who has got more chances?
Training 2
Frank: “Adam has just told me there is a new girl at school. You see, I was sick last week so I stayed at home and couldn’t know about the new girl. So Adam is telling me the school news. Adam says the girl’s name is Sahru. He says she comes from some small island near India. I have no idea where it can be, though. However, she speaks English perfectly, so it doesn’t really matter. Actually, I haven’t seen her myself yet. Adam says she is beautiful and she has lovely eyes. He is so enthusiastic about the girl that I think it can be true! Adam is a strange guy, though. He wants me to ask her to go out on a date with him. I know he is my friend but I won’t do that. I can’t even imagine how I could do that and not look stupid in her eyes altogether. Besides friends or not, but if she is really beautiful, I will ask her to go out on a date with me!”
1. What has Adam just told you? 2. Why didn’t you know about the new girl? 3. What is her name? 4. Where does she come from? 5. Where is it? 6. Why doesn’t it matter? 7. Have you seen the girl? 8. How do you know that she is beautiful? 9. What does Adam want you to do? 10. Will you help him? 11. Why won’t you do that? 12. What do you want to ask Sahru to do?
SCHOOLING
2.
Alice: Where were you yesterday?
Betty: I had a lesson.
Alice: What kind of lesson?
Betty: I’m taking private dancing lessons.
Alice: Dancing lessons! I thought you hated dancing.
Betty: That’s true.
Alice: So why are you taking lessons?
Betty: I want to impress this really cute boy I met. He’s a wonderful dancer and somebody told me he only likes girls who can dance.
Alice: So what do you do at your lesson?
Betty: We learn different dances – the waltz, the tango, stuff like that.
Alice: How long does your lesson last?
Betty: About an hour, but sometimes we forget to stop because it is so much fun.
Alice: So now you like dancing?
Betty: No, I still hate it but at least I’m learning about that boy.
Training 3
Betty: “Yesterday I was busy in the evening because I had a lesson. I completely forgot that I had promised Alice to phone her. So now I have to explain everything to her. I’ve told her that I’m taking private dancing lessons at the moment. Actually, she knows I don’t really like dancing. I only want to learn to dance beautifully because I like a boy who is a wonderful dancer. And you can’t go out with a dancer if you can’t dance at all, can you? Besides, somebody told me Greg only likes girls who can dance well. Naturally, I want to impress him. A dancing lesson lasts an hour. But sometimes we forget to stop because it’s so much fun. For example, yesterday we danced for two hours! We learn different dances there like the waltz, the tango, stuff like that. I still don’t like dancing. But Greg is there, too and at least I am learning everything about him!”
1. Where were you yesterday? 2. What had you promised Alice? 3.What kind of private lessons are you taking? 4. Do you like dancing? 5. Why do you want to learn to dance? 6. What did someone tell you about Greg? 7. How long does a lesson last? 8. How long did it last yesterday? 9. What do you learn? 10. Do you like dancing now? 11. Why do you enjoy your classes?
Training 4
Alice: “Yesterday I spent the whole evening trying to talk to Betty on the phone, but she wasn’t at home. What’s more, she had promised to phone me and she didn’t. I had so much to tell her! So I asked her today where she had been. When Betty told me she had a dancing lesson yesterday, I was really amazed. The thing is Betty can’t dance at all. In fact, she hates dancing! But when she added she had met a cute boy, I understood everything. Betty is ready to do anything for a cute boy! And it seems this one is really cute. He is a wonderful dancer. Somebody told Betty that he only liked girls who could dance. So, Betty is taking private dancing lessons because she wants to be near him! Now I am thinking about dancing lessons too. Why, I am pretty and I can dance!”
1. Why couldn’t you talk to Betty yesterday? 2. Why did you want to talk to her so much? 3. Why were you so surprised to hear about her dancing lessons? 4. Who has Betty met recently? 5. Why is Betty taking private dancing lessons? 6. Why are you thinking about dancing lessons now?