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Script: Event organizer: Do you hear that? It’s a packed house and your presentation was a hit. People are clamoring for more. Herman: I can’t believe it. I wasn’t expecting that kind of reception. The audience really seemed to like it. Event organizer: Like it? They were on the edge of their seats. Herman: The presentation actually started slowly, but it seemed to gain traction in the middle. Event organizer: You had the audience hooked from the start. You could have heard a pin drop in there when you were going over your main points. Your presentation is undoubtedly the highlight of the conference. Herman: Thanks. I’m still in shock. Maybe if I tweaked it a little, I could give this presentation at the national conference. Event organizer: You’ll have time later to think about that. Right now, you need to get out there for the Q&A. They’re waiting for you. Herman: But I don’t have anything else to say. Event organizer: Just get out there. Your adoring public is waiting for you!

Topics: “God Bless America” & Kate Smith; American Girl Dolls; Q&A Words: patriotic to set (something) aside prayer to bless to stand beside foam rendition seventh-inning stretch line doll child labor accessory provided that as long as “g” to suck

Learn how to write a polite, formal email to someone you do not know well in English. Dialogue/Story Dear Dr. Lee: I don't know if you'll remember me, but I introduced myself to you after your keynote at last week's conference. As I mentioned to you, I have read all of your work and I am a great admirer of your research. Your article in the top journal Language Learning was groundbreaking. The reason I am contacting you is that I would like to come to your university to study with you. I met some of your students at the conference and they couldn't stop singing your praises as a professor. I don't know if you are accepting any new students for the next year, but if so, I hope you will consider me. I have included two attachments to this email. I am sending a copy of my CV, and I am also including a research paper I completed earlier this year. I hope that these will give you an idea of my qualifications and experience. Please let me know if you need more information or more samples of my academic work. It was a pleasure and a privilege to meet you at the conference, and I hope to hear more about your research at a future conference. Sincerely, Lucy Hocevar

Script: Bill: Why are you reading that rag? Rachel: I enjoy reading it. I like its news coverage and its incisive commentaries. Bill: That’s nothing but a liberal propaganda rag. You can’t believe a thing they print in there. Rachel: That’s not true. The news stories are objective and unbiased. This magazine isn’t like the newspapers and news websites you read. Those are run by ultraconservative reactionaries, who only know how to write diatribes. If I only read the news sources you read, I would think that this world was being ruled by liberals. Bill: The world is being ruled by liberals, at least by the liberal press. Rachel: You’ve got to be kidding! Our politics and our financial system are run by staunch conservatives, who ignore any point of view other than their own. Those of us who are enlightened… Bill: You call yourselves enlightened? All you and your dyed-in-the-wool liberals want to do is to tear down old traditions. Rachel: Yes, we do want to tear down old traditions, old traditions that keep us from making progress toward… Sophia: Mom, Dad, what’s going on in here? Why are you yelling? Rachel: Oh, it’s nothing, honey. Go back to sleep. Your Dad and I are just having a friendly little talk.

Script: Vern: I really think we’ve bitten off more than we can chew. I like do-it-yourself projects, but installing a new window and a new door isn’t as easy as it looks. Genevive: What we don’t know, we’ll learn as we go. Okay, we’ve removed the old window. This new double-paned one is going to be great and it’ll slide open and close easily, unlike the old one. We just need to put in a new frame first, and then we can move it into place. Vern: You make it sound so easy. Is the screen going to fit? It looks too big. Genevive: Oh sure, it’ll fit. Vern: This latch doesn’t seem to be working. Genevive: It’ll work once it’s installed. Come on, give me a hand. Hmm…the new window doesn’t seem to fit exactly. I’m not sure what the problem is. Let me think about it. Let’s move on to the door and come back to it later. Vern: Are you sure? Genevive: Sure, I’m sure. Installing the new door will be easier and we can get it out of the way. Vern: Maybe we should wait until the window is installed. If we can’t finish installing the window and the door before nightfall, it’ll be a very cold night in the house. Genevive: Don’t worry. Let’s see, first we have to remove the old door without damaging the jamb. The hinges are rusted; it seems to be stuck. Oh, I think it’s finally coming off. Vern: See? Replacing the door isn’t going to be as easy as you thought, is it? Genevive: I got it off in the end, didn’t I? Vern: Yes, but will you be able to put in the new one before I die of frostbite?

Topics: Ask an American: Latinos in higher education; Q&A Words: role model to look up to (someone) to drop out to hit the exit doors to retire to follow in (one’s) footsteps vacuum scholarship to integrate mentor to keep in touch constantly per se it pays to (be)

Learn how to talk about your clothes and how you dress in English. Dialogue/Story I'm one of those people who don't have much of a fashion sense. I mean, I know that I shouldn't wear a pink shirt with green pants, but beyond that I'm pretty much a basket case when it comes to picking my wardrobe. I have plenty of short-sleeve and long-sleeve dress shirts; some have a button-down collar and some have a shirt pocket in them. I also own some more casual shirts with a collar, and a ton of T-shirts with just about every logo you can think of. I have a couple of good pairs of black slacks for formal occasions, along with khakis and jeans for more informal events. Naturally, I have one nice suit to wear to weddings, funerals, and job interviews, with a suit coat, tie, a belt with a nice-looking buckle, and pants. I also own a sports coat, but I don't use it much. Well, I better stop talking and start dressing. I'm late for work!

Script: Benny: Mom says we’re supposed to share. Julia: I know. I’m divvying up the candy right now. Just hold your horses. Benny: I want to do it. I want to make sure I get my fair share. Julia: I called dibs on dividing up the candy, remember? You snooze you lose. Benny: That’s not fair! I wasn’t here when Mom came home. Julia: Bummer for you. Okay, I’m done. Here’s your share and here’s mine. Benny: Hey, the two piles aren’t equal. You definitely got the lion’s share. You do that to me every time. That’s not fair! Julia: What are you going to do about it? Benny: I’m going to tell! Julia: You’re such a baby. Okay, if you don’t run to Mom, I’ll let you call shotgun the next time we go anywhere in the car. Benny: You will? You promise? Julia: I cross my heart and hope to die. Okay? Benny: All right, but I still want my fair share of the candy. Julia: Okay, I’ve evened out the piles. Satisfied? Benny: Yeah. And can I do the divvying up next time? Julia: Don’t push your luck!

Script: Javier: I saw Terry cozying up to you this morning. What was that about? Floriane: He was just offering me some advice on my first proposal. Javier: Sure, he was. What were his true intentions? Floriane: I think he was being upfront about wanting to help a new employee. I don’t think he had an ulterior motive. Javier: I wouldn’t take Terry at face value. He has a reputation around the office of being two-faced. He’ll try to get to know you under false pretenses and then stab you in the back. Floriane: I don’t get that feeling from Terry. He seemed genuine and open. By the way, was there something you needed? Javier: Me? No. I was just trying to watch out for you. Floriane: In that case, I’d better get back to work, and I’ll keep your warning in mind. I’ll beware of anyone giving me advice who may have an ulterior motive.

Topics: Eleanor Roosevelt; Renaissance fairs; Q&A Words: paralyzed to stick by (one’s) side First Lady role newspaper column press conference civil rights delegate instrumental period costume reign living history to admit to confess to mix to blend chick flick

Topics Famous Americans: Thomas Edison · Liberia and U.S. slavery · Questions and Answers Key Terms inventor prodigious practical phonograph patent entrepreneur telegraph wizard perspiration to repatriate to colonize elite symposium workshop seminar to account for to negotiate

Script: After a long tiring day at work, I stopped at a restaurant nearby for a quick meal. Server: Hi, I’m Ursula. Can I get you something to drink? Paulo: Yes, I’d like an iced tea and I’m also ready to order. I’ll just have a bowl of soup and a salad. Server: Sure, no problem. What kind of soup would you like? We have chicken noodle, minestrone, and cream of mushroom. Paulo: Do you have something that’s hearty? Server: If you want something hearty, I would suggest our clam chowder or beef stew. Paulo: I’ll take a bowl of beef stew. Server: Great! What kind of salad would you like: a chef salad, Caesar salad, or Cobb salad? Paulo: I’ll just have a garden salad. Server: Okay, what kind of dressing would you like? Paulo: What kind do you have? Server: We have French, Italian, ranch, Thousand Island, and vinaigrette. Paulo: Do you have blue cheese? Server: Oh yes, I forgot to mention blue cheese. Okay, that’s a bowl of beef stew and a garden salad with blue cheese dressing. Will that be all? Paulo: Yes, that’s all. … By the time I had finished placing my order, I was even more tired. Do you sometimes feel that life gives you too many choices?

Script: Rebecca: Look, there’s smoke coming from six stories up. Hugh: Yes, I know. Didn’t you hear the fire alarm go off upstairs a few minutes ago? Rebecca: No, but I’m really glad there’s a fire station only a few blocks away. Hey look, there’s the fire engine. Here come the firefighters! Hugh: Yeah, let’s get back to work. I’m sure they’ll have the blaze under control pretty quickly. Rebecca: How can you work with all of this excitement? Maybe I should get the fire extinguisher from the hallway and go upstairs to help. Hugh: I think that’s a really bad idea. You can see for yourself that the firefighters are getting ready to fight the fire. They’re getting the ladder out and attaching the fire hose to the hydrant. Anyway, it’s probably just a false alarm. Rebecca: If the smoke detector went off then I’m sure there’s a fire. We’ll know if we start to see something burning near a window or ashes coming down. Hugh: I’ve never seen you like this before. Why are you so excited? Rebecca: I wanted to be a firefighter when I grew up. I’ve always had a fascination with fire. Hugh: Ah, that explains it. Would it make you feel better if I lit up a cigarette?

Topics: Minimum wage; Cyber crime; Q&A Words: wages subject to indexed to inflation consumer price index opponent to nickel and dime (someone) cyber to hack identity theft copyright infringement handle victim I will want to… I would want to… except for conversely

Learn how to talk about heavy traffic and being stuck on the road in English. Dialogue/Story I was on my way to a restaurant to meet my date for dinner when I hit a traffic jam. I saw that the road was congested, but since I had to take the bridge to reach downtown, I had no choice but to stay on that road. The traffic was bumper-to-bumper. One crazy driver even tried to drive on the shoulder to get around the backup. But as it turns out, there wasn't any way to bypass it because the backup wasn't due to an accident, a stalled car or some rubberneckers. It was because of road construction and only one lane was open. After 25 minutes of stop-and-go traffic, I was at my wit's end. My date was sitting at the restaurant waiting for me and I didn't have her cell phone number. What's more, I was really hungry. Finally, I got past the road construction and was on my way again. I drove a little recklessly, but I had to make up for lost time. I really liked this girl. The last thing I wanted was to make her think that I stood her up!