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Text 1
M: Will you be here before lunch?
W: I’m not sure. I have to pick up my son on the way.
Text 2
W: I really appreciate it if you can lend me some money. I want to buy a gift for my mother.
M: I wish I could, but I have spent all the money on my brother’s bike.
Text 3
W: Do you have something on your mind? You look so concerned! Maybe I can help you.
M: Well, I’m under a lot of pressure. My boss has urged me to finish the tasks overnight.
Text 4
M: I’m going downtown. Do you have anything to buy？
W: Honey, we need to buy some vegetables and fruit.
Text 5
M: I missed the bus again today because I turned the alarm clock off in my sleep.
W: Try putting it far enough away from your bed and you’ll have to get up on time.
Text 6
W: I’ve heard there will be a pay rise. What are the chances of getting a rise this year?
M: Chances are slim!
W: Wow! You haven’t gotten a rise for how many years by now?
M: It’s been three years! The company keeps losing money and they can’t afford to give a rise for those who are in a low position like me.
W: That’s too bad. Did you ever think of working somewhere else?
M: Yeah. In fact, I will have an interview next Monday.
W: Good luck!
Text 7
W: Why do you have so many clocks in your bedroom?
M: Yeah, I want to make sure I can wake up in the morning.
W: But is there something wrong with your clocks? None of them has the same time.
M: I do it on purpose. I set this clock ahead ten minutes, and this one back ten minutes, but I always set that one to the right time.
W: So the alarms ring every ten minutes?
M: Yeah.
W: Are you crazy or what?
M: No, I am a heavy sleeper. I need thunder to wake me up.
Text 8
W: Hello, my dear son. Did you have a good time today?
M: Thanks, Mummy. Fine except the bad weather.
W: I know Wuhan is having a roasting summer. Don’t you have air conditioning in your apartment?
M: Well, there’s air conditioning. The window air conditioner has been there for a long time. The problem is that the window unit is not powerful enough.
W: I’m worried how you get through this hot summer.
M: Don’t worry about me. Well, I’m going to move out anyway. The new apartment has central air conditioning.
W: You should have moved out long long ago.
M: Well, the rental term comes to an end by next week. So...
W: So how can you stand the heat?
M: Well, I open the windows and...and I’ve got an electric fan here. It helps a little.
Text 9
W: Welcome, Mr. Johnson. First, I’d like to ask a few questions about your background. Did you go to school in India?
M: Well, no. My parents returned to England when I was only five, so I started school in England actually.
W: OK. What did you do all the time while you were traveling? I mean, how did you support yourself?
M: I’ve been writing articles for magazines, and some guidebooks ever since I started traveling.
W: How many books have you written?
M: About six in total.
W: Could you tell us something about your latest book?
M: Yes, of course. It’s all about my experience of traveling by train through Asia. You see, two years ago, I started this trip by train.
W: That sounds a little uncomfortable.
M: Sometimes it was, but in general, I loved it. It’s a wonderful way to see the various countries and get to know the people. Much better than airplanes, I think.
Text 10
Hi, I’d like to talk to the manager about something. I have to travel every day from Souk Road to the airport. Only the Number 16 bus travels along this road.
Your timetable is there. It shows that there are buses from Souk Road to the airport every ten minutes. If so, why do I have to wait half an hour for a bus nearly every day?
The rules say that if there are empty seats on a bus, it will just stop at every stop where people are waiting. Why is it, therefore, that half-empty buses go straight past me when I am standing at the bus stop?
The rules say that no bus may carry more than 40 seated passengers and 20 standing passengers. Yesterday I was the first to get off the bus when I reached the airport. I counted the other passengers as they got off. There were 129 of them.
Clearly printed on the back of every bus is a sign that says "highest speed: 50mph". The distance from Souk Road to Kai Tak International Airport is 12 miles. On Saturday morning a Number 16 bus traveled this distance in 10 minutes. At times, it must have done at least 80 or 90 mph.
It is obvious that our bus companies have no respect for the rules or consideration for the passengers. Can nothing be done about this?
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