Audio Script

Track 3
c = Carla M = Mike
C Hello. My name’s Carla. What’s your name?
M Mike.
C Where are you from, Mike?
M I’m from Miami. Where are you from?
C I’m from Miami, too!
M Oh! Nice to meet you!

Track 8 Camila Torres from Miami

Hi! My name’s Camila Torres, and I’m from the United States. This is a photo of my family. Our
house is in Miami. This is my brother. His name is Ricardo, and he’s 14. He’s in middle school. This
is my mother. Her name’s Ana Sofia. She’s 45, and she’s a Spanish teacher. And this is my father,
Antonio. He’s 51, and he’s a businessman.

Track 17 At a party
A = Alessandra J = Justin
A Hello, I’m Alessandra.
J Hi, Alessandra. I’m Justin, Justin Bates.
A Do you work here in Miami, Justin?
J Well, I work in Miami, but I don’t live in Miami. I live in Coral Gables.
A And what’s your job?
J I’m an actor. What’s your job? Do you work in Miami?
A Yes, I do. I work in a hotel. A big hotel near here.
J You aren’t American, but you speak English very well. Where do you come from?
A I come from Brazil, from Sao Paulo.
J Oh, I love Brazil.
A Do you know Sao Paulo?
J No, I don’t. I don’t know Sao Paulo, but I know Rio. I like Rio a lot. The beaches are amazing.
A Do you speak Portuguese, Justin?
J No, I don’t. I speak Spanish, but I don’t speak Portuguese.
A It’s nice to meet you, Justin.
J You, too.

Track 20 Kim’s day

Well, on weekdays I get up at 6:45. I have breakfast at 7:00 and I go to school at 7:30. I have lunch
at school with my friends, that’s at 12:15 – it’s early in our school. I leave school at 2:30 in the
afternoon and I walk home with my friends. I get home at 3:30, have soda, maybe pizza, and
watch television. I go to bed at 11:00 on weekdays, but later on the weekend, of course!

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Track 27 An Interview
I = Interviewer S = Student
I Can I ask you some questions about your school?
S Yes, of course.
I How many students are in your school?
S There are 650 now.
I That’s a lot. And how many teachers?
S Ten teachers.
I And what time do your classes start?
S Five o’clock every day.
I How much is the school?
S Oh, the school is free.
I Very good! And your teacher, what’s your teacher’s name?
S Babur Ali. He’s only sixteen.
I Sixteen! That’s amazing! Is he a good teacher?
S He is very good.
I What does he teach?
S He teaches English, Bengali, history, and math.
I That’s a lot of subjects. Does he work hard?
S Oh, yes, very hard. He studies all day and he teaches us every evening. He’s the best teacher in
the world!

Track 32 Maggie’s Family

My name’s Maggie. I live with my family in Florida, but I was born in Texas, in 1996. I have two
brothers and a sister. My older brother’s a doctor. His name’s Timothy, and he was born in 1987.
My sister is also older than me. Her name’s Cecilia and she’s a teacher, and she was born in 1990.
And my little brother is Matt, and he was born in 1998. He’s still a student. My father is an artist.
His name’s Alexander, he’s from Texas, and he was born in, I think… 1958. My mother is Canadian,
her name’s Ella, she’s from Vancouver, and she was born in, uh, … in 1961. Then there’s my
grandmother – that’s my mother’s mother. She’s named Edith. Isn’t that a nice name? She was
born in Toronto in … I’m not sure, but I think about 1935.

Track 39 Angie’s weekend

Yesterday was Sunday, so I got up late, about 11:30. I had a big breakfast – orange juice, toast,
eggs, and coffee. Then I went shopping, just to the supermarket, and I bought some tea, some
milk, and the Sunday paper. Then I just stayed home for the rest of the day. In the morning I
cleaned my house, and in the afternoon I did some work on my computer for a bit. Then, in the
evening, I watched a movie on TV. I went to bed early, about 10:00.

Track 41 Angie’s weekend

A = Angie R = Rick
R What about you, Angie? Did you have a good weekend?
A Oh, yes. I did, very good.
R What did you do on Saturday?

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A Well, on Saturday morning I went shopping. Then on Saturday evening I went to a party. It
was great.
R Who did you see at the party?
A Oh, one or two old friends.
R Did you go out on Sunday?
A Oh, no. I didn’t. I didn’t go out because I was too tired. I stayed at home most of the day.
R Did you do anything on Sunday evening?
A No, I didn’t do much on Sunday. I just watched a movie on TV. I didn’t go to bed late. About
10:00.

Track 45 Grace Hunt

I live in the city of Tucuman. I teach English. I can speak Spanish fluently now, but in the beginning
it was very difficult for me. I can also speak Portuguese a little.
I love it there. Saturday night is dancing night, and I go dancing with friends. A lot of my friends
can play the piano really well. I can’t play the piano, but I can play the guitar. I also can dance very
well. I love the music. On Sundays I often go horseback riding here. I can ride a horse pretty well
now. Or sometimes I watch friends playing golf. I can’t play golf, but I like watching it. Sunday is
also the day for asado or barbecue. We always cook beef. I can’t cook at all, but I want to learn.
Life is great here! Everyone is really friendly.

Track 48 Ryan Wang – Pianist

1. He was born in 2008 in Vancouver, Canada.
2. He can play the piano really well.
3. He could play the piano when he was four.
4. He could play the piano very well after a year and a half.
5. When he was five, he played with the Shanghai Symphony. He was a big success.

Track 49 Aelita Andre – Artist

Aelita Andre is an artist and a child prodigy. She was born on January 9, 2007 in Melbourne,
Australia. She started to paint when she was just nine months old. And she could paint beautifully
when she was just one-year-old. When she was two, some of her art was in an exhibition. Today,
Aelita has fans around the world.

Track 58 Interview with Ben Way

I = Interview B = Ben Way
I Hi Ben. Nice to meet you. Can you tell us a bit about your life?
B Well, I was born on September the 28th, 1980 in Devon in the southwest of England.
I And what did your parents do?
B My dad was an accountant and my mum was an artist.
I Did you go to school in Devon?
B Yes, I did. I went to a small village school.
I Did you enjoy school?
B No, I didn’t enjoy it at all. I had problems because I was dyslexic and couldn’t read and write…
I Ah, that’s difficult…

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B Yes, but when I was nine, my dad gave me a computer and it changed my life. I loved it, I took it
everywhere with me. I helped my friends and my parents’ friends with their computers.
I Very good – and then…?
B Then, I wrote my first software program when I was just 11, and when I was 15, I began my
computer company.
I That’s fantastic! Was it successful?
B Yes, very successful – so successful that I left school at 16 and …
I Yes, I know … you were a millionaire at 17?
B Yes, I made my first million at 17 and at 19, I had ₤18.5 million.
I And at 20 you won “Young Entrepreneur of the Year.”
B Yes, I did. I often went on TV and radio and talked about it. It was amazing!
I And then one year later…?
B Yes, and then just a year later, when I was 21, I lost everything. Disaster! Dotcom businesses
everywhere went down.
I Yeah, but now you’re up again! Another company, another ₤1 million!
B I know. I work hard but I’m also very lucky!

Track 59 The good old days

T = Tommy B = Bill
T Grandpa, when you were a boy did you have television?
B Of course we had television! But it wasn’t a color TV like we have now, it was black and white.
T And were there lots and lots of channels? How many TV channels were there?
B Only three. But that was enough! We loved it! And there weren’t shows all day long. There was
usually nothing on in the morning or the afternoon.
T Oh, no! What time did TV shows start?
B At around 5:00, when children’s TV started. There were some greats shows for us children, I can
tell you! we had real stories in those days!
T Did your mom and dad give you an allowance?
B Yes, but I worked for it! I cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes. We didn’t have dishwashers in
those days.
T That’s terrible! How much allowance did you get!
B My dad gave me six cents a week. He didn’t give me much, did he? But we bought comic books
and candy.
T What kind of comic books did you buy?
B Well, I bought a comic book called Pep Comics, and it was full of adventure stories. And the
Superman! That was really exciting!
T Wow! Did you have vacations?
B Yes, but not like these days. People didn’t go abroad. I never took a plane like people do now! It
was too expensive!
T Where did you go on vacation?
B To the beach.
T How did you get there?
B My father drove. We had a Ford car, a Ford Coupe it was. We went to the same place every year.
T Why did you go to the same place? Why didn’t you go somewhere different?
B Because we all liked it there!

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T I’m glad I wasn’t alive then! It sounds really boring.
B Oh, no! That’s where you’re wrong! It was the most fun ever!

Track 64 I went to the Beatles concert!

J = Joe R = Robert
J Grandpa, did you ever go to a pop concert?
R Did I ever go to a pop concert? I went to the pop concert!
J What do you mean?
R I, Robert, your grandfather, was at the Beatles concert in August 1965 at Shea Stadium in New
York City.
J So, that was a good one?
R That was the best concert ever!
J OK, OK, tell me about it.
R Well, it was kinda exciting and frightening too.
J Why frightening?
R There were so many fans there – over 55,000. And the noise! It was so noisy. Everyone was so
excited. They screamed and shouted. There were over 2,000 police officers there. And when the
Beatles finally appeared, the crowd went wild, uh … they went crazy. They climbed over each
other to get closer. It was amazing.
J What songs did they play?
R Well, the problem was that the screaming was so loud you couldn’t hear the music. We couldn’t
hear the songs very well at all. They only played for 30 minutes. I think they played 12 songs, but I
only heard a little of “Can’t buy me love” and “Help!” Oh, and “Twist and Shout.”
J I know those songs.
R Of course you do. You still hear them today. All the time.
J So how much did you pay not to hear the Beatles?
R Five dollars and seventy-five cents. I had one of the best seats.
J Only five dollars seventy-five cents! That’s really cheap! Grandpa, you still have all your Beatles
records, don’t you?
R Yup! I bought every one. I can’t throw them away, but, of course, I have the CDs too. You know, I
remember buying my very first. It was “I wanna hold your hand” … Oh, those were the days.

Track 75 My hometown
Hi! My name’s Jeremy and I live in Kyoto. I’m from the US, but I work for an international company
here. We make video games. Kyoto’s a great city. It’s really cosmopolitan. People from all over the
world live here. Every Friday after work my wife and I go to Nishiki Market and have delicious
Japanese food – it’s my favorite.
The weather can be really hot in the summer and cold in the winter. But the spring and fall are
beautiful, especially after the rainy season.
I love art. And Kyoto has many good art museums. We can see modern art or ancient art in the
same day. My favorite is ancient Japanese art. There are also beautiful gardens all over Kyoto that
are like works of art. I also go bicycling with my wife. Sometimes we bicycle through the university,
and sometimes we bike near Nijo Castle.
Why doesn’t everyone want to live in Kyoto? It’s the best place in the world!

Track 76 Directions
1. Go down Main Street. Turn left at the bank onto Wood Street. It’s on the right next to the
movie theater.

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 2. Go straight on Main Street. Turn right at the school onto Green Street, and it’s on the left
next to the drugstore.
3. Go down Main Street. Turn right at the bookstore onto Lake Street. Go straight ahead, and
it’s on the right next to the parking lot.
4. Go down Main Street for about five minutes. It’s a big building on the right, next to an
Italian restaurant.
5. Go straight on Main Street. At the post office, turn left onto Park Road. It’s on the right,
past the Chinese restaurant.

Track 78
Donna from Texas, US
I live with my son and my grandson. We live in a small town called Lockhart, near Austin in Texas.
The house is very old and very big. We only live in part of it. There are six bedrooms, but we only
use three of them. Most of the time we live in the kitchen – it’s a big kitchen. We eat and watch TV
in there. We don’t use the living room very much – that’s big too. My son, Billy, is a teacher. My
grandson Tyler is only 9. He goes to school in town.

Kelly from Perth, Australia

I’m very excited because I have my own house for the first time. It’s very new and modern. I have
three bedrooms, a big living room and kitchen, and a small yard. I love it. I love cooking in my
kitchen for my friends. It’s in a part of Perth called Greenwood, not too far from downtown. I work
in a bank right in downtown Perth, and I go to work by train. I live alone. Well, that’s not quite
true. I live with my cat, Ozzy. He’s my best friend.

Nagendra and Anita from Delhi, India

We live in a small apartment with our daughters, Alisha, she’s 13, and Shristi, she’s 15. The
apartment isn’t in the center of Delhi. It’s west of Delhi – 20kms from my work and the children’s
school. It’s old and simple. We have one bedroom, one living room, and a tiny kitchen. The
television’s in one corner of the living room, and the refrigerator is in the other corner. Our
kitchen is too small for a refrigerator. We sit on the floor to watch TV and eat our evening meal.
The girls sleep here too. My wife and I sleep in the bedroom.

Track 82
1. B Is that all? The Times and the two 2. Adam I’d like a latte, please.
magazines? C For here or to go?
Adam Yes, that’s all. Oh, I nearly forgot – I’d Adam For here, please.
like some candy, too. C Small, medium, or large?
B OK. Which kind? Adam Medium, please.
Adam Uh, one of those big chocolate bars, C Would you like something to eat?
please. Adam Um – yes. I’d like some chocolate cake.
B Would you like a bag? C Sure. Anything else?
Adam No, thanks. I don’t need a bag. Adam That’s it, thanks.
B That’s $11.65.

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Track 84
1. A What would you like? Would you like a soda?
B Yes, please. I’m very thirsty.

2. A What kinds of things do you like doing on the weekend?

B Well, I like watching movies.

3. A What sort of house do you want to move into?

B Well…
C We’d like a house with three bedrooms. Somewhere near a good school.

4. A We have this weekend free. What would you like to do?

B I’d like to spend the weekend with you, and only you!
B Ohhhh!

5. A What do you spend all your money on?

B Well, I like new clothes. I buy new clothes every week.

Track 85
E = Even N = Nick
N Oh, good, we have some tomatoes.
E Sorry, Nick. I don’t like them.
N Come on, Evan! Tomatoes are really good for you. I didn’t like them much when I was a child,
but I love them now.
E Hmm – I didn’t like a lot of things when I was a kid.
N Oh – you were a picky eater! What didn’t you like?
E I didn’t like any green vegetables.
N Did you like any vegetables at all?
E Only potatoes. I loved French fries.
N What about fruit? Did you like fruit?
E I liked some fruit, but not all. I didn’t like bananas. I liked fruit juice. I drank a lot of apple juice.
N And now you drink a lot of coffee!
E Yeah – and tea. But I didn’t like coffee or tea when I was a kid.
N So what were your favorite foods?
E I liked ice cream, chocolate, chips, cookies, especially chocolate cookies, - uh – you know, I liked
all the usual things kids like.
N All the unhealthy things!
E I liked pasta too. Pasta with tomato sauce. I love that!
N Tomato sauce!? But you don’t like tomatoes.
E Tomato sauce is different. Hey, let’s not eat in tonight. Let’s go out to Romano’s.
N Romano’s – a great idea! It’s my favorite Italian restaurant.

Track 90
1. A What kind of coffee do you like?
B I like dark roast coffee.
2. A Would you like a turkey and cheese sandwich?
B Just turkey, please. I don’t like cheese.

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 3. A Who’s your favorite author?
B I like books by Patricia Cornwell.
4. A What do you want for your birthday?
B I’d like a new computer.
5. A Do you have any pets?
B No, but I’d like a dog.
6. A Do you want some ice cream for dessert?
B No, thanks. I don’t like ice cream.

Track 91
S = Server M = Mike J = Jenny
Part One
S Good evening.
M Hello. Can we have a table for two, please?
S Did you make a reservation?
M No, we didn’t.
S Well … yes, we have a table. Over here, please.
J Thank you very much.
M Jenny, would you like to sit there?
J Yes, that’s fine.
Part two
S What would you like to drink?
J I’d like a soda, please.
S And you?
M I’ll have the same, please.
S So two sodas. Are you ready to order?
M Yes, I think so. Jenny, what would you like?
J What’s the soup of the day?
S It’s tomato soup.
J OK. Then can I have the vegetable tart, please?
S And your main course?
J I’d like the salmon, with a salad.
S Very good. And you, sir?
M I’d like the shrimp cocktail to start.
S And for your main course?
M I’d like the steak, please.
S How would you like it cooked? Rare, medium, or well-done?
M Medium. With some French fries, please.
S Certainly. And do you want tap or bottled water?
J Bottled, please, for me.
M And me too, please.
Part Three
S How was your meal?
J Very good, thank you. My salmon was delicious.
S Would you like to see the dessert menu?
M No, thanks. Could we have the check, please?
S Of course.

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M Is service included?
S No, it isn’t.
Part Four
M It was a great meal. Thank you very much.
S Thank you. Goodbye!
J Bye! See you again soon.

Track 95 Who’s who?

A Oh, no! I don’t know anybody. Who are they all?
B Don’t worry. They’re all very nice, I’ll tell you who everybody is. Can you see that man over
there?
A The man near the window?
B Yes. That’s Paul. He’s talking to Sophie. He’s a banker. Very rich. And very funny. He works in
New York City.
A Wow! So he’s Paul. OK. and that’s Sophie next to him?
B Yes. She’s laughing at Paul’s jokes. She’s really nice. She’s a professor at New York University.
She teaches business studies.
A And who’s that woman on the left?
B That’s Helena. She’s drinking orange juice. She’s a writer. She writes stories for children. They’re
excellent. A very nice woman.
A And who’s that man she’s talking to?
B Helena’s talking to Roger. Roger’s eating chips. He’s an interesting man. He’s an art dealer. He
works for the Museum of Modern Art.
A Really? Wow! What a job! So that’s Paul and Sophie… Helena and Roger… Now there are two
more. Who are they?
B They’re Sam and Annie. They’re looking at photos on Sam’s phone.
A And what do they do?
B They’re designers. They make clothes for children.
A OK. So that’s everybody. Thanks.
B No problem.

Track 100
1. A Would you like an espresso?
B No, thank you. I hate black coffee.
A Really? I love it.

2. A What time does the movie start?

B 6:45.
A And do you know when it finishes?
B About 8:30, I think.

3. A Would you like to play tennis after work?

B Sorry, I can’t. I’m working late again.

4. A Our train leaves Boston at 1:15.

B And what time does it arrive in New York?
A 4:30.

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 B Wow! That’s fast.

5. A Did you remember to bring your dictionary?

B Oh, sorry. I forgot it.
A Not again!

6. A Can I open the window? I’m hot.

B Of course. Just remember to close it when you leave the room.

Track 102 Indefinite Pronouns

1. A Did you meet anyone nice at the party?
B Yes. I met somebody who knows you!
A Oh, who?
B Your ex-boyfriend.

2. A Ouch! There’s something in my eye!

B Let me look. No, I can’t see anything.
A but I can feel it. Somewhere in the corner of my eye.

3. A Let’s go somewhere hot for our vacation.

B But we can’t go anywhere that’s too expensive.
A I know, but we can afford this vacation package to Turkey.

4. A Where are my glasses? I can’t find them anywhere.

B What’s on the top of your head?
A There they are! Thank you.

5. A It was a great party. Everybody loved it.

B They did. Nobody wanted to go home.
A I know. A few people were still dancing at 3:00 a.m.

6. A Did you get anything nice at the sale?

B No, nothing. I couldn’t find anything I liked.
A Why not try shopping online? You can buy everything online these days.

Track 104 An interview with an astronaut

I = Interview S = Soichi
I Soichi, what exactly is your job?
S I’m an aeronautical engineer, and I’m a JAXA astronaut.
I What is JAXA?
S JAXA is the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
I What did you study in college?
S Well, I studied engineering, of course! Aeronautical engineering.
I Where did you study? What college?
S I studied at the University of Tokyo, and I graduated in 1991.
I What part of Japan are you from?
S I’m from Yokohama, Kanagawa, which is part of Tokyo.
I Are you married?
S Yes. I have three children.
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I What do you like doing when you’re on Earth?
S Well, I guess my hobbies are jogging and basketball. And I like skiing and camping with my kids.
I What are you doing on the space station right now?
S I’m doing quite a few space walks. I’m going out into space, and I’m checking the instruments on
the outside of the space station to make sure they’re working properly.
I You’re a part of the Russian crew. What does that mean?
S It means that my commander is Oleg Kotov, from Roscosmos, and I’m working on his team.
We’re studying weather conditions in space, and we’re doing experiments with plants to see how
they grow in zero gravity.
I What do you do when you aren’t working?
S Well, I spend a lot of time just looking down at you on Earth! And I think how lucky I am to be
here. And I wish that everyone could see Earth from space. Maybe people would stop fighting if
they could see how beautiful our planet is.

Track 106
1. Jason
I’m a journalist, and I like Twitter because it’s the fastest way to spread news and information. It’s
immediate! I love hearing people responding so immediately to world events. We can discuss the
news in real time, while it is happening, before it is on TV or in the newspaper. I think Twitter’s
important because often when a story begins there it becomes the most important news story of
the day.

2. Mary
I’m a librarian, and I like Twitter because I can tweet about topics that interest me, and I can find
other people with similar interests. For example, I’m a vegetarian, and I heard the Beatle, Paul
McCartney, is a vegetarian like me. I heard him talking about his idea for “Meat-free Monday.” He
wants everybody to stop eating meat just on Mondays, which I think is a great idea. There were so
many tweets about it. Most thought it was a good idea – more healthy for people and the planet –
but then there were farmers who were really angry about it. Anyway, it was a really good
discussion.

3. Ken
I’m a history teacher, and recently we had a conference for history teachers, and I advertised it on
Twitter. I’m sure that’s why so many teachers came. But before the conference I “met” and
discussed things on Twitter with a lot of them. I “Oh, so you’re Jane, uh, or Ted or John! Really nice
to meet you finally!” It was great to meet other tweeters at the conference and put faces to
names. We already knew each other’s problems and could continue the discussion face to face. I
think it helped a lot, and we still keep in touch by email, and also on Twitter, of course.

4. Donna
I’m a marketing director, and Twitter gives me the chance to talk to people from all over the
world, both formally and informally. Sometimes I tweet people who are in the same line of
business as me, and it’s exciting because I’m learning about different countries and cultures. It’s
great! I’m making friends with strangers, and the conversations are both serious and not-so-
serious. I like to think that one day I’ll meet some of the people I talk to. Maybe some will become
my friends.

pg. 11
Track 113 Future Plans
Jack
When I grow up I’m going to be a soccer player – a really good one. I’m on the school team and I
play three times a week. But I’m going to train very hard, every day, so I can be really, really good.
First I’m going to play for a Major League soccer team. Then I’m going to travel all over the world
and I’m going to be famous. I’m not going to marry until I’m very old – about 25. Then I want to
have two sons. I’m going to play soccer until I’m 35 – that’s a very long time. And I’m going to
teach my sons to play. I want them to be famous soccer players, too!

Danny Carrick
When I retire next year … I’m going to retire early … I’m not going to stay at home and watch TV.
I’m going to try lots of new things. First I want to go mountain climbing. In fact, I want to climb
Mount Everest, so I’m going to train very hard for that. I’m going to learn to scuba dive, too,
because I want to go scuba diving in Australia. There are so many things I want to do! I’m going to
travel all over the world, then I’m going to write a book about my adventures. I want to call it LIFE
BEGINS AT 60! In my book, I’m going to tell other retired people to try new things, too. You are
only as old as you feel!

Track 116
S = Sally N = Noburu
S So .. you’re going to visit Graceland! You’re so lucky!
N Yes, I know. We’re very excited.
S Where are you going to stay? In downtown Memphis?
N No, we’re going to stay in a hotel near Graceland!
S Wow! Really?
N Yes, it’s called Heartbreak Hotel.
S Of course! Like the song! And what happens on the Graceland tour? What do you do first?
N Well, first we’re going to have our photo taken in front of the famous Music Gate, and then we
go into the house.
S Uh-huh. Then what?
N A guide is going to tell us the history of the house while we’re in the entrance hall, and then
we’re going to see Elvis’s living room and his music room.
S And what’s in the music room?
N There’s a television and a piano. We’re going to see the piano that Elvis played himself.
S Amazing! And can you go everywhere? Upstairs and downstairs? Are you going to see his
bedroom?
N No. Upstairs is private, but we are going to see his basement after the music room, where there
are three televisions! He liked to watch three TVs all at the same time.
S Really! That’s strange!
N Next we go to a room where we’re going to see all his gold records and a lot of the clothes he
wore when he was performing. Then there’s another museum, where we’re going to see his
collection of cars.
S Wow! How many did he have?
N Oh, a lot. He loved cars. And there are also two of his planes!
S His planes! This museum is enormous!
N Yes, it is. And finally, we’re going to see his grave, where he’s buried.

pg. 12
S Oh! How sad!
N Yes, it is. Then in the evening we’re going to watch a video of one of his concerts, and we’re
going to eat in the Rockabilly’s Diner and have his favorite meal, which was a cheeseburger and
fries, and a peanut butter and banana sandwich.
S Well, that sounds like quite a day! You’re going to have a good time.
N Yes, you’re right. We really are going to enjoy it.

Track 117
Tom
I’m 16 and I’m fed up with school and exams. I’d like to quit now and get a job, any job. I hope to
earn some money, but my parents say that I can’t quit school. They think I’ll regret it later, but I
don’t think I will.

Abby
I’m a student in my last year of college. I have almost $50,000 of student loan debt. I’m going to
study hard for my final exams because I want to get a well-paid job. I hate owing so much money.
I’m going for an interview next Friday. Wish me luck!

Martin
I work in I.T. There’s nothing I don’t’ know about computers, but I need a change. I’m thinking of
applying for another job with a company in New York. I saw it advertised online and it looks like
the job for me. I’d love to work there for a couple of years.

Kelly
I’m a paramedic. I love my job, but it’s very stressful. I’m looking forward to taking a break. We’re
going to the Caribbean this summer. I’m planning to do nothing but read on the beach for two
whole weeks.

Alison
I have three kids under seven and my husband travels for work a lot of the time. I enjoy taking
care of the kids, but I’d love to travel, too. Sometimes I get fed up with staying home all day. I’m
looking forward to going back to work in a year or two.

Bill
I’m a retired newspaper delivery man, and I didn’t have a day off for 40 years. Now I like sleeping
late and planning vacations online for me and my wife. I’m pretty good at using a computer. We’re
going on vacation to Tuscany next year, so I’m going to learn some Italian before leaving.

Track 120 Making Questions

1. A I hope to go to college.
B What do you want to study?
A I’m going to study philosophy and politics. I’d like to be a president.
B I think that’s the worst job in the world!

2. A One of my favorite hobbies is baking.

B What do you like to bake?
A Well, cakes, all kinds of cakes.
B OK. Can I have a big chocolate cake for my birthday?
pg. 13
 3. A I’m bored.
B What would you like to do?
A Nothing. I’m happy being bored.
B Well, OK then!

4. A I’m looking forward to the party.

B Who are you hoping to see there?
A No one special. I just like parties.
B Me too!

5. A We’re planning our summer vacation.

B Where are you thinking of going?
A We want to go camping this year.
B Ugh! I hate sleeping in tents.

Track 123 Discussing Grammar

1. A Have you decided which college to apply to?
B Yes. I’m going to apply to Reed College.
A Good luck! It’s difficult to get into.

2. A I don’t have your number.

B Really? I’ll text it to you right now.
A Thanks.

3. A We don’t have any fruit in the house.

B I’m going shopping this afternoon. I’ll get some apples.
A Great. I’ll give you money.

4. A My bag is really heavy.

B Give it to me. I’ll carry it for you.
A Thanks.
B Wow! What do you have in here.

5. A Tony’s back from vacation.

B Is he? I’ll give him a call.
A I’m seeing him tonight. Do you want to come?

6. A What are we having for dinner?

B I’m going to make spaghetti and meatballs.
A Not again. We had that twice last week.

Track 124
1. Pete and Ben
B Hi, Pete! What are you doing this evening?
P I’m meeting my brother for dinner. Would you like to come, Ben?
B Sorry, I can’t. I’m working late tonight. But – are you doing anything interesting this weekend?
P Yes, I’m going to stay with an old friend from school. It’s his birthday and he’s having a party.

pg. 14
B Are you going to have a party for your birthday?
P Of course! I’m going to invite all my friends.
B Great! I’ll look forward to that! Hey, where are you going on vacation this year?
P I’m going surfing in Costa Rica. I’m really excited.
B Wow, that sounds amazing. I’m not going anywhere this year. I can’t afford it.
P Yeah, but that’s ‘cause you’re saving to buy a car.
B I know. You can’t have everything. Give my regards to your brother. I’ll see you later.

2. Debbie and Ella

E Hey, Debbie! It’s the weekend. Are you doing anything interesting?
D No, I’m not. I’ll call you and maybe we can do something together.
E Sorry, I can’t this weekend. I’m going on vacation on Saturday.
D Oh, nice! Where?
E Mexico, for a week. What about you? Where are you going on vacation this year?
D I can’t decide. Maybe I’ll go bike riding in Colorado. Hey, will you be back from vacation for my
birthday on the 25th?
E Yes, I am. Are you going to have a party?
D I haven’t thought about it. Maybe I’ll just celebrate at home with a few friends.
E Nice idea! So what about tonight? I’d like to see you before I go away. What are you doing this
evening?
D Nothing much. I think I’ll just watch a movie and order a pizza. Come and join me!
E OK, I’ll do that, but I won’t stay late. My flight leaves at eight in the morning.

Track 125 How does it feel to be 20-something?

Leo 28
I had a real shock the other day. My little nephew, he’s six, said to me “Uncle Leo, when you were
a little boy, did you have telephones?” I couldn’t believe it. I said, “Of course we did. How old do
you think I’m?” Then he said, “But did you have cell phones?” And I thought, “Did we?” I can’t
remember life without cell phones, but in fact, uh, I think I was about eight when my dad got our
first one. “Yeah,” I said, “When I was eight.” “Aha!” said my nephew “I knew it. You are old.” I
didn’t like hearing that! Even though I’m 28, I don’t feel grown up at all. I have a great life – a good
job, lots of friends. I go out with them most nights. I go to the gym every morning. I’m going to buy
a condo next year. Maybe when I’m in my 30s, I’ll get married and start a family.

Elsa, 26
I started studying to be a paralegal after I graduated from college. I was making good money, and
in many ways I had a good life, but, uh, the more I studied law, the more I hated it. I was bored
and miserable – so I decided to give it all up and travel. I was away for a year. I went to Australia,
New Zealand, Central and South America – it was amazing, but then I went back home. I was 24
and with no money, no job, and nowhere to live. I moved back with my mom and dad. They’re
wonderful, and they don’t make me pay rent, but – oh my gosh – it’s like being a little girl again.
Right now, I’m working as a waitress just to make a little bit of money and my dad keeps asking,
“When are you going to find a real job?” My mom says, “When I was your age, I was married with
two children.” Married with kids! I don’t feel old enough for that. I have a boyfriend, but we’re not
thinking about getting married! Maybe I’ll study to be a teacher. Now that’s a real job.

pg. 15
Dan, 24
When I left home at 18, I thought that was it – “goodbye mom and dad.” Now six years later I’m
back! My college years were great. I worked hard and played hard, but I left with huge debts –
over $20,000 in student loans. I thought, “No problem, I’ll just get a job and pay it back.” I moved
into an apartment with some friends and I was lucky – I got a job pretty quickly, but … I want to be
a journalist and the only way is to begin at the bottom. I’m a very junior reporter for a small local
newspaper. I like working there, but it only pays $25,000 a year. I couldn’t afford the rent for the
apartment, so here I am, back with the parents. They call us the “Boomerang Kids” – you know,
kids who grow up, leave home, and then move back again, like a boomerang. A lot of my friends
are doing the same thing. My girlfriend is back with her mom, too. One day we’re hoping to get
married and get a place of our own, but that probably won’t be for a few years. You can’t grow up
when you’re still at home with your parents I’m fed up.

Track 126 An interview with Palina Yanachkina

I = Interviewer P = Palina
I Today I’m talking to Palina Yanachkina. Nice to meet you, Palina. Can I ask you some questions?
P Sure.
I I hear that you call yourself the girl with two families. Why is that?
P Well, I have my family back in Belarus and my family in Ireland.
I Where exactly do you come from?
P I come from the village of Polessye not far from Chernobyl. I was born in 1988 just two years
after the nuclear accident there. It was a terrible time for us.
I I can understand that. What happened to your family?
P My parents are farmers, and after the accident they couldn’t sell any of their produce. No one
wanted to buy our meat or vegetables. We were poor and sick – like many people in the village.
I How awful.
P But I was lucky. I had the chance to go to Ireland and that was when I met my second family. I
loved staying with them. They were so kind to me. They looked after me so well.
I Your English is excellent now. Did you speak English then?
P Not a word. But I learned quickly, especially from the children. I got along really well with them.
I So you picked up English little by little?
P I took some classes, too and I went back to Ireland many times.
I What are you doing now?
P I’m studying in Ireland. My Irish family is paying for my studies. I’m hoping to become a doctor
one day and return to my village to help the people there. That’s my big hope for the future.
I Well, I’m sure you’ll do that one day. Thank you, Palina. It was a pleasure talking to you.

Track 128 Been there! Done that!

K = Kyle L = Lara
K Hi Lara! Are you and Mel ready for your trip?
L Yeah, almost. We leave next Monday for Hong Kong.
K Ah, Hong Kong, I’ve been to Hong Kong many times.
L Well, I’ve never been there. It’s my first time in Asia.
K Really? What about your friend, Mel?
L She’s been to Tokyo and Taipei. But she hasn’t been to Hong Kong.
K Ah, Tokyo and Taipei. I’ve been there, too. I studied in Tokyo for a year before I went to work in
Toronto. Have you ever been to Canada?
pg. 16
L No, I haven’t, I haven’t traveled much at all, so I’m really excited.
K Oh, I’ve been to Asia, North and South America so many times, and I’ve …
L I’m sure you have, Kyle. Oh no, look at the time! Mel’s waiting for me. We have so much to do.
Bye Kyle, we’ll send you a postcard.

Track 131 What has Ryan done?

Yes, I’ve lived in a foreign country – in Japan. I lived in Osaka for a year. I enjoyed it very much. I
loved the food. And, yes, I have worked for a big company. I worked for Nissan, the car company,
that’s why I was in Japan. That was three years ago, then I got a job back in New York.
Have I stayed in an expensive hotel? No, never – only cheap hotels for me, I’m afraid, but I have
flown in a jumbo jet – lots of times, actually. Oh, I’ve never cooked a meal for a lot of people. I
love food, but I don’t like cooking much. Sometimes I cook for me and my girlfriend Tara, but she
likes it better if we go out to eat! And I’ve never met a famous person – oh, just a minute, well not
met, but I’ve seen … ummm … I saw a famous politician at the airport once – oh, who was it? I
can’t remember his name, um … I’ve only seen one Shakespeare play, when I was in high school,
we saw Romeo and Juliet. It was OK. I’ve ridden a motorcycle though. My brother has one. It’s very
fast. Fortunately, I’ve never been in the hospital. My brother has – he fell off his motorcycle!
Unfortunately, I’ve never won a competition. I play the lottery every week, but I’ve never, ever
won a thing.

Track 132 Getting ready to go!

L = Lara M = Mel
L Where’s the list?
M I have it. OK, let’s check it. Umm we’ve bought new backpacks, we did that a while ago.
L They look pretty big. I hope we can carry them.
M Oh, don’t worry. We’re strong! I haven’t finished packing mine yet. Have you?
L Not yet, just one or two more things to go in. Oh, have you gotten the Hong Kong dollars from
the bank?
M Yup. I got five thousand for you and five thousand for me.
L All our savings. I hope it’s enough!
M No worries. We can stay with my aunt in Tokyo.
L Have you emailed her yet?
M Yeah, she just emailed back. She’s going to meet us at the airport when we fly into Tokyo from
Hong Kong.
L Great. Hey, look, I just checked the weather in Hong Kong for next week. Hot and sunny!
M Yeah, it’s going to be so good. We’re going to leave winter here and arrive in the middle of
summer in Hong Kong.
L What about the tickets?
M I think we only need passports, but I printed our tickets just in case, but I haven’t checked in
online yet. You can only do that 24 hours before the flight.
L Oh Mel! I’m so excited. I can’t wait.

Track 134 The Glastonbury festival

1 Elsa from New York
OK, I’ve been to Glastonbury twice now. My highlights this year were: the weather – it was sunny
and beautiful every day, and the food van with the best sausages and fries ever. However, I was
very disappointed with the music on Saturday night. DJs played House music all night. I love
House, but this was awful. I got really bored, so I went back to my tent to hang out with friends!
pg. 17
2 Daniel Evans from Wales
Last Wednesday at 2:30 in the afternoon, I decided that I wanted to go to Glastonbury. I was
lucky! I found a ticket online. I’m so glad I went. The music was really great. Sometimes it took a
long time to get to the stages. The lines were long, but people were always friendly. In the busy
“real world” it’s difficult to have good conversations with people. At Glastonbury you can do this.
It’s a great festival, with a great crowd of people. What more could you want? 100,000 friendly
people. I wish the rest of life was the same! Four days of 365 is a good start!

Track 138
I = Interviewer S = Simon
I Simon, you’ve had a very successful life.
S Yes, I’ve been very lucky.
I Now, I know you were in the French Foreign Legion from 1960 to 1965. How did someone born in
England end up joining the French Foreign Legion?
S Well, there was a girl I liked, and she liked me, but not enough, and I was really upset. Then I
read about the French Foreign Legion, and a week later I signed up for it.
I Clearly, you are someone who likes a challenge. What was your day-to-day life like as a
legionnaire?
S I think we have this romantic idea that it’s all riding camels across the desert, but it was nothing
like that. The training was very difficult. I was the only Englishman. There were no telephones. I
didn’t make a phone call for over four years. The day always began at 2 o’clock in the morning,
and often we began the day marching for about 15 miles, sometimes 25 miles. Every night you
slept somewhere different. Sometimes we were walking six days in the mountains.
I You were very young at the time, weren’t you?
S Yes, I was only 19 years old, but it’s amazing what you can do when you have no choice.
I Did you make any friends?
S Not really. There were so many of us. In my day there were 25,000 legionnaires with 52
nationalities. Today the Legion is 8,000 with 156 nationalities. They have 197,000 applications
every year. They interview 5,000, and they take only 500. It’s pretty difficult to join.
I You wrote a book about your time in the Legion, which was made into a movie called Simon: An
English Legionnaire. Did the movie get it right? How close was it to how remember it?
S I think the book got it right. I think the movie was a little “Hollywood” at the end. But it’s OK … I
liked it because it’s about me!
I Since leaving the Legion you’ve had amazing success as a businessman. You’ve worked for some
of the world’s most successful companies, such as Deutsche Bank in its Asia Pacific Division, and
now you are a director of Vodafone PLC. And you’ve walked to the South Pole. These are
extraordinary achievements.
B Are they extraordinary? I think my life’s been different but not extraordinary. I don’t think
everybody does things my way, but I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been very exciting.

Track 140 Welcome to the Peter Peterson Show!

P = Peter Peterson D = Damien Decker
P Good morning, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the Peter Peterson Show. Our special
guest this evening is Damien Decker, the star of Hollywood’s latest blockbuster War Without Guns.
Hi, Damien. So glad you could be with us tonight. I’m sure you’re delighted with the success of
War Without Guns. You’ve become a famous actor overnight! How do you feel about your
success?

pg. 18
D Yeah, I can’t really believe it. It’s all happened so quickly. I mean, six months ago, I was a waiter
at Hamburger Heaven, and now I’m a Hollywood star. Man! It’s unbelievable.
P Have you always wanted to be an actor, Damien?
D Well, I’m 28 now, but I’ve wanted to be an actor for years, uh, since I was about 8. My mum
took me to see Tom Cruise in Top Gun. I loved that movie, and from then on I dreamed about
becoming a famous actor. So it’s taken 20 years to get a big part. I’ve been really unlucky up until
now. I got close a couple of times, but then it always went to another successful actor like Orlando
Bloom or Brat Pitt.
P I heard the part you play in War Without Guns was offered first to Ben Storm. He’s been in so
many successful Hollywood movies.
D Yeah. That’s right. I was the second choice. I mean, Ben’s a great actor, but he was really busy at
the time, and he just didn’t want to do this movie.
P So your dream has come true at last. You landed the role of Mark Matthews, a successful war
photographer, who’s followed wars all over the world.
D Yeah. He’s a brave guy and also a nice guy who adores his wife – uh, she’s an important
politician – and is a great dad to his young son, but then he meets this beautiful-
P Hey, don’t tell us the whole story – you want people to go and see it!
D Yeah, sure – anyway it was a fantastic part to play, and Christina Diaz is terrific as the young girl.
P She certainly is. It’s only been out a few days, and it’s already been an incredible success. I loved
the ending, I just didn’t expect Mark to-
D Hey, that’s enough now, Peter. A lot of people haven’t seen it yet, and you’re telling them the
ending.
P Sorry. Well, everyone, you must go and see War Without Guns – It’s one of the best movies I’ve
seen in years. Thank you, Damian. It’s been great to meet you. I’m sure we’ll see lots more of you
in the future. What’s your next movie?
D Well, I haven’t heard anything definite yet, but maybe the next James Bond!

Track 144
H = Host A – Alex (reporter) D = Davina PA = Personal Assistant
H Our reporter Alex Thompson spoke to Davina Moody outside her hotel.
A Hey Davina! Is it true what we’ve all read in today’s Hollywood Star?
D I just don’t know how you guys can write this stuff about me!
A So it’s all false? You don’t have six bodyguards?
D No, I don’t. I’ve never had six bodyguards. Three usually – well, maybe four sometimes.
A And the carpet! What about the carpet?
D Look. It was raining and I asked for an umbrella, not a carpet!
A But not a yellow umbrella, Davina? Is it true you hate anything yellow, especially roses?
D This is crazy. OK so I’ve never worn yellow dresses. I look sick in yellow stuff. But red roses,
yellow roses, white roses? Like, who cares? Roses are roses. They’re all the same to me.
A Too bad you missed the premiere of your movie.
D That’s not true. I did not miss it. I was just a little late.
A Like three hours late! How’s your poor fingernail?
D Well, it’s still not good …
A Aw! Davina. Hey, what about the movie? Have you read what the papers are saying about The
Lady Love To? They all …
PA Miss Moody does not want to talk about the movie. Come on, Davina. Come on, Pooksie! We
have a plane to catch.
D Bye, guys.

pg. 19
Track 145 A Family History
I come from Newcastle in England, but now I live in Perth, Australia. I’ve been here nearly ten
years. My wife, Jodie, is Australian and our children Russel and Alice were born here. Alice is
named after my grandmother, her great-grandmother, Alice Bews. She’s 89 now and still lives in
Newcastle. Lately I’ve become really interested in my family history back in the UK. I’ve started
speaking to my grandmother about it. I’ve found out that she was the youngest of nine children
and the only one to have been born in England. Her eight brothers and sisters were all born in
Scotland. They came from the very north of Scotland, from some islands called the Orkneys. They
worked there as farmers over a hundred years ago. My grandmother told me that hundreds of
years ago our family’s ancestors were actually Norwegian – they came over to Scotland in the 9th
century. She says that’s why we all have blond hair in our family. Anyway, it became more and
more difficult for my great-grandparents to make a living farming, so they traveled south. They
finally arrived in the north of England, in Newcastle with their eight children. Alice was born soon
after they arrived.

Track 145 A House History

D = David A = Alice Bews
D So Grandma, your parents were both born in the Orkney Islands, is that right?
A Yes, my mother was called Jane. She grew up there and she married when she was just 17.
D And you were her ninth child?
A Yes, I was the only one born in England. Times were really hard for my mother – you see my
father died when I was three. I can’t remember him at all.
D So what did your mother do?
A She worked as a cleaner and a dressmaker.
D She had two jobs and a big family, that’s …
A Oh, yes, she was an amazing lady. But my two eldest brothers … they got work in the shipyards
so that helped, too. All my brothers and sisters have died now – I’m the only one left.
D I know. Did you marry young, Grandma?
A Oh, no. I didn’t marry until I was 22.
D That’s still young.
A It wasn’t unusual in those days. And I had only three children.
D But now you have lots of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A I do. They live all over the world – not just in Australia.
D I know. I have cousins in New Zealand and America. But cousin Peter still lives near you, doesn’t
he?
A Yes, he does. He helps me keep in touch with you all with this Skype thing.
D Yeah, this Skype is amazing, isn’t it?
A Oh, yes. I love it. I talk to all my grandchildren and I’ve seen all my great-grandchildren. I email
sometimes, too. Email, Skype, and texting – it’s all really wonderful, isn’t it?
D It is, Grandma. It’s just great talking to you. I’ve got lots more questions for you next time.

Track 152 I worked in Dubai

I = Interviewer B = Ben
I Ben, you lived and worked in Dubai for five years. Tell me something about the place. Did you like
it?
B Yes, I did. It was a very exciting place to work and very multicultural. There are people from all
over the world who live and work together very happily. It’s a great place in many ways.
I Why is it so great?
pg. 20
B Well, not many years ago it was just a small fishing village, and now, just a few years later, there
are huge modern buildings everywhere. There are so many shopping malls, sports stadiums,
offices, hotels … It’s incredible.
I How did you find the people?
B Very friendly. Everyone was there to do business, and we were guests in the country, and they
made us feel very welcome.
I So people there work very hard. What about entertainment? Was there a lot to do in your free
time?
B There are a lot of things to do. All the water sports – swimming, windsurfing – and sports
centers, where you can play tennis and squash. You can even go skiing there!
I Yes, I understand that there’s a ski center with real snow!
B That’s right! It can be 100 Fahrenheit outside, but you can ski on snow! There are a lot of things
to do in the evening – dancing, listening to music…
I What about restaurants? I suppose there are a lot.
B There’s every kind of restaurant you can imagine – from high end international ones in the big
hotels to Indian, Chinese, Thai, traditional Arab … everything.
I Did you find the weather OK? I mean, it’s really hot.
B Yeah, it’s a lot hotter than Boston! In the summer months of June to August it’s really hot, but
for eight months a year the climate is perfect, and it doesn’t really rain at all.
I You were there with your family. Did they enjoy it?
B Very much. My two children were born there. We had a much better standard of living than in
Boston. Houses were cheaper and much bigger. My kids loved having a swimming pool!
I I’m sure they did! What did you miss while you were there?
B Well, three things really. The biggest thing we missed was family and seeing family and friends
on weekends. Another thing was the seasons. In Boston we have four seasons – different seasons.
Winter is different from spring, summer is different from fall – but in Dubai it’s always hot or very
hot. And the third is the walks in the country around Boston – the green fields and woods are so
beautiful. Sand and desert just isn’t the same as the country around Boston.

Track 153
Well, I like both New York and Paris. But they’re very different cities in some ways and very similar
in other ways. Take public transportation for example. The New York City Subway is cheaper than
the Metro, but they’re both easy to use. And the weather … well, New York has colder winters
than Paris. Paris is rainier than New York, but New York has bigger storms. What about the
buildings? Well, … the architecture in Paris is definitely more beautiful, but the buildings in New
York are more modern. And living in the two cities? Well … life is faster in New York. And the
people? … Mmm, people in New York work harder, and they make more money. In Paris, having a
good time is more important.

Track 156 A Parisian in New York

I = Interviwer C = Chantal
I Hello Chantal!
C Hi!
I Now, you’re French, but you live in New York. Is that right?
C Yes, that’s right.
I And are you … on your own here in New York?
C No, no! I’m here with my husband, Andre.
I Oh, I see. Do you work in New York?
pg. 21
C Yes, I do. I work in a bank. I really like my job.
I Oh that’s good. And … Where do you live in New York?
C Well, we’re renting an apartment in Chelsea. It’s probably the smallest apartment in the city! But
we love the neighborhood.
I Yes, Chelsea’s a fun neighborhood. So, what does your husband do?
C He has a cheese shop in Chelsea Market… he sells French cheese. I think it’s the most delicious
food at the market!
I Wow, that’s great! And tell me, do you have a car here?
C No, I don’t. The subway is the easiest way to get around New York.
I OK! Thank you very much! I hope you enjoy your time here!

Track 161 Singapore, Shanghai, and Dubai

T What did you think of Singapore? What’s it like?
M Well, Singapore is very old. It’s older than Shanghai, but it’s a lot smaller. Shanghai has a
population of 20 million, and it’s enormous! Shanghai is much bigger than Singapore, and it’s
much noisier, too.
T Oh, OK. What about business? What’s it like to do business in these places?
M Well, they’re both top financial centers, but Singapore is more important. It’s better for
investment.
T Ah, right. And the buildings? Are they all new?
M Yeah, there are a lot of new buildings in Shanghai, so it’s more modern than Singapore, but it
isn’t as cosmopolitan as Singapore. Half the population of Singapore is foreigners.
T Wow! Really? What about Dubai? What’s that like?
M Dubai is the newest and youngest city, and it’s the most modern. I like it because it has a “can-
do” feel to it.
T What about the climate in these places? What was the weather like?
M It’s interesting. Singapore is near the equator, so it’s a lot hotter than Shanghai. But it isn’t as
hot as Dubai. Dubai is the hottest place. When I was there the temperature was over 100 degrees
Fahrenheit.
T Wow! That’s incredible.
M Singapore is very humid, so it’s wetter than Shanghai. But Dubai is the driest. It only rains for a
few days a year.
T Where did you like most of all? Where was best for you?
M For me Shanghai is the best because it’s the busiest and the most exciting. There are so many
things to do – the best restaurants, theaters, stores. It has everything.

Track 163 My family

Sally
Well, I’m very much like my mom. We’re interested in the same kind of things, and we can talk
forever. We like the same movies and the same books. I look like my mom, too. We have the same
hair and eye. And she’s the same size as me, so I can wear her clothes! My sister’s a little older
than me. Her name’s Lena. We’re pretty different. She’s very neat, and I’m messy. She’s much
neater than me. And she’s very ambitious. She wants to be a doctor. I’m a lot lazier. I don’t know
what I want to do.
Jamie
I’m not really like my mom or my dad, but I’m a twin. I have a twin brother, Rob, and we look a lot
like each other. He has darker hair than me. Mine’s blonder. His is dark brown. But people are
always mixing us up. People come up to me and say hello and start a conversation, and I have no
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idea who they are. It’s pretty funny. I just say “OK! Really?” We have similar interests. We both
love art, theater, and books, but he’s a little moody and quiet. I’m a lot noisier. I guess he’s pretty
shy. And I’m definitely smarter than him!
Rachel
People say I’m like my father. Hmm. I’m not sure about that. We do look the same. We’re both
tall, and I guess our faces are similar. But my father’s a selfish man, and I hope I’m different from
him. I hope I’m a little bit kinder than him. He doesn’t talk much. He isn’t very happy. I’m a happier
person. He doesn’t sound very nice, does he? He’s OK, but there are things about him that I really
don’t like. I have a sister, Jenny, and we do everything together. I love her to pieces. But she’s
prettier and thinner than me, so I don’t like that part about her!

Track 164
Ben The best thing for me is my dog, Jasper. He’s a black Labrador and he’s great. I got him
when he was a puppy, and I was nine. So we’ve grown up together. My uncle gave him to me for
my ninth birthday, so he didn’t cost anything. What’s he like? Well, he’s very loving. He’s also a bit
crazy, and great fun to play with. He’s much more energetic than I am. I’m always tired after taking
him for a walk!

Mary Ooh, there are lots of things I like that don’t cost anything, I’m sure. Let’s see … sunsets.
That’s one thing I love. My house is on a hill, and in the evening when I look out of my kitchen
window, there’s sometimes a beautiful sunset. It makes washing the dishes much easier! I also
love getting phone calls and cards from my family. I suppose they cost something, but not to me!
But actually, the best thing of all is my first grandchild. He’s the most beautiful baby boy I’ve ever
seen!

Michael I work in the city, so the best thing for me is being in the countryside. I don’t care what
the weather is like. Even if it’s rainy and windy, it’s great to be outside. It’s much quieter than the
city, so there’s a time to think. Actually, the countryside costs money, because I have to drive
there first! OK, so the next best thing is going for a walk in the park near my place after work. It’s a
nice park with lots of trees and a small lake. It’s the most relaxing way to end the day.

Laura Um, well, I think the best thing for me is playing with my little sister, Abby. She’s almost 4,
so I’m much older than her. I also have a brother, Dominic. He’s 6. But he doesn’t like the games I
like, so he isn’t as much fun to play with. Abby’s always waiting for me when I come home from
school. She’s thinks I’m the best person in the whole world. We usually play hospital or school. I’m
the doctor or teacher, of course, because I’m the biggest.

Kelly Definitely the best thing for me is being with my boyfriend, Dan. We don’t have to go out
or spend money. I love just going for a walk and chatting with him. He makes me laugh all the
time. He’s the funniest person I know. And the nicest friend. We’ve been together for nearly a
year, and our relationship just gets better and better. I think I’m really lucky.

Track 167 The richest man in town

R = Reporter D = Danny
R Well, Danny, I’m sure you are the happiest, luckiest, and richest man in Watford today. What
does it feel like to win $10 million?

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D It feels fantastic. I still can’t quite believe it! It’s going to make a big difference to my life. I mean,
I’m not a poor man – we plumbers make good money, but I never thought I would be as rich as
this. It’s just amazing!
R So, what is the first thing you are going to buy? A new car? A big house?
D Hmmm. I think it will have to be a new car. Not the most expensive, not as expensive as a Ferrari or a
Lamborghini – I think maybe a Porsche, they’re a little cheaper. I’ve always dreamed of owning a silver
Porsche, and it’ll be faster than my ten-year-old van, that’s for sure.
R Sounds good to me, Danny. And what’s it like being famous? Everyone in Watford knows you’re the
richest man in town.
D I’m suddenly the most popular, too.
R Oh yes. I’m sure lots of women will want to meet you. suddenly you’ll be the most handsome man in
town!
D Well, I was before I won all this money. No. Only joking. I’m afraid money can’t change the fact that I’m
still an ugly old guy with no hair!
R Haven’t you heard of plastic surgery, Danny? You can be as good looking as Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, and
you could also look ten years younger.
D Tom cruise? Me! You’re joking now. No way. No plastic surgery for me. I’m wealthy and I’m healthy, and
that’s good enough for me. but I could lose a few pounds – I’m not as thin as I’d like to be. Too much pizza!
R Well, you can go to the most expensive restaurants now and stay in the best hotels.
D Expensive restaurants? I don’t think so. I don’t like them very much. I like my pizza, and l like my French
fries, but I am going to stay in the best hotels. I’m taking my mom and dad for the vacation of a lifetime.
We’re going to Hawaii.
R Wonderful! Well, Danny, it’s been very interesting talking to you, and I’m sure you are going to enjoy
spending all that money.
D Oh yes. Now, could you tell me where the nearest Porsche dealership is?

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