语音讲解：
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　Short Conversations （短对话）

　　Read aloud the conversations two times, and then listen to the tape without looking at the text.
　　Connie's play

　　Whittaker: Now wait a minute, Connie. Edwin Blackard wants to produce1 your play about the desert2 island?

　　Connie: Yeah! Why are you acting so surprised?

　　Whittaker: I guess you've re-written it since last time I read it.

　　Connie: No. I haven't touched a word.

　　Whittaker: Really?

　　Connie: Whit, what's wrong?

　　Whittaker: Connie, you remember what I said when I read your play.

　　Connie: Well, you didn't like it?

　　Whittaker: No, it's not that3 I didn't like it. It's that it wasn't a good play. Your characters were weak, your dialogue was clichéd4 and you didn't have much of a story5.

　　Connie: Yeah, besides that.

　　Whittaker: If you haven't re-written it, then why in the world6 would Blackard want to produce it?

　　Connie: Obviously he knows talent7 when he sees it.

　　Whittaker: Uh, yes, he does, but ...er..., I'd like to knowswhereshe sees it in this idea.

　　注释：

　　1.produce: 制作

　　用法：This hit Disney movie was produced by a bigwig.

　　这部走红的Disney大片是一位业内大腕级人物制作的。

　　2.desert: 沙漠

　　用法：The desert stretches far and wide.

　　沙漠伸展得一望无际。比较：dessert(餐后)甜食

　　3.It's not that... / It's (just)that...：不是（说）...，而是（说）...。这一对句型在口语中极常出现。

　　用法：It's not that she doesn't love you anymore. It's just that she's too busy these days.

　　不是她不再爱你了，只是她近来太忙了。

　　4.clichéd: 陈词滥调的、老生长谈的

　　用法: "No pains no gains" is a clichéd expression students like to use。

　　"一分耕耘一分收获"是一个被学生用滥的谚语。

　　5.you didn't have much of a story: 你没有太多故事情节

　　6.in the world: 究竟，类似的有：on earth, in the hell

　　用法：How in the world did you know that he was in the house?

　　你究竟是怎么知道他在这个房子里的？

　　7.talent: 天才、天资

　　用法：He has a talent for languages. 他有语言天赋。
　　Long Conversations （长对话）

　　1.Conversations: (Find a partner and practice these dialogues.)
　　A:

　　Victor: Hey, Mike!swheresare you off to?

　　Mike: I'm heading for the Price Chopper. I do a lot of the family shopping since my mom got a part-time job.

　　Victor: Can you give me a ride1? I want to get some drinks.

　　Mike: Sure! Let's go!

　　Victor: Do you enjoy shopping?

　　Mike: Enjoy? I don't mind admitting I hate shopping almost as much as I hate algebra.

　　Correction! I hate shopping even more than I hate algebra.

　　Victor: Yipes! A loose shopping cart!

　　B: (They walk in from the entrance.)

　　Mike: Today I'm proud of myself. I remembered to bring along my shopping list.

　　Victor: You're becoming an experienced shopper!

　　Mike: Gosh! Wrong shopping list!

　　Victor: I'm sorry to hear that.

　　Mike: But it's okay! I'm sure I can remember most of the six or seven items that my mom wanted me to pick up.

　　Victor: Watch out for the cart, Mike!

　　Mike: Thanks! You know, as I scamper2 through the aisles3 I can always successfully avoid the flying carts of my fellow shoppers.

　　Victor: Whew! That was close!

　　C: (They move up and down the aisles.)

　　Mike: Victor, you see! I manage to pick up what I want in record4 time!

　　Victor: Great! Let's head for the express5 line. Everyone knows express lines move much faster than regular lines.

　　Mike: All right!

　　(They get in line.)

　　Mike: Unfortunately, this express line doesn't move at all!

　　Cashier: (Shouting) Price check6 on Munchy Cereal and Florida Grapefruits!

　　Customer: Nowswheresdid I put my checkbook7 and store coupons8?

　　Victor: The next line has one shopper. Let's switch lines!

　　(After switching lines)

　　Mike: Holy cow! Her cart looks like Mt. Everest! (Thinking of switching lines) Good grief9! It's too late to go back to my original line. By now the line is three times as long as it was before!

　　D: (At the check-out counter)

　　Victor: Thank God! The line moves along at a real fast pace.

　　Mike: Gee! I forgot one thing! (Saying to a lady) Uh, ma'am, would you please mind my cart for a second?

　　Female Customer: Sure!

　　(A few minutes later)

　　Mike: Miracle of miracles! I managed to get back to my cart just as it's my turn to be totaled! I'm here.Female Customer: Computer break-down9 !

　　Mike: Computer break-down?

　　Female Customer: Not to worry. It never takes more than a half hour to clear up!

　　Mike: A half hour?! But you have only one more item to total. Can't you do it in your head?

　　Female Customer: Sorry, sir. We're not allowed to.

　　(Finally the computer kicks in and Mike's agony9 is gone.)

　　Bagger: Paper or plastic, sir?

　　Mike: Ellen!

　　Bagger: Hi, Mike!

　　Mike: (Saying to Victor in a low voice) She's the new girl in my history class, the one I've been dying to meet!

　　Bagger: Are you going to the school dance this Friday?

　　Mike: Uh, I am, if you are.

　　Bagger: Then I guess I'll be seeing you at the dance, Mike!

　　Mike: Count on it! (He waves good-bye to Ellen.) Oh, wow! Oh, wow! What was I saying to myself before I met Ellen? Oh, now I remember. I can't think of anything I enjoy more than shopping!

　　注解

　　1 give somebody a ride: 让别人搭便车

　　用法：David always gave Jane a ride after school. Jane放学后总是搭David的便车。

　　2 scamper: to run or go too quickly快速地跑或走

　　用法：It is dangerous to scamper through the street. 急匆匆跑着过马路很危险。

　　3 aisle: a walkway between or along sections of seats, shelves, counters（剧场、教堂、超市中的）过道；express line 指超市付钱时，只收现金的"快队"

　　用法：You'll find the shampoo and the toilettissue in Aisle C.在过道C你能找到洗发水和卫生纸。

　　4 record: 创纪录的

　　用法：The amount of eggs he is able to eat in an hour is a record one.

　　他在一小时内吃下的鸡蛋数创了记录。

　　5 express: 快速的、特快的

　　用法：Many companies use the EMS (Express Mail Service) to deliver their business letters. 很多公司使用特快专递递送商务信件。

　　6 Price check on ...! 请查一下......的价钱！（商店中有的物品上没有贴条形码，收款员经常会向值班经理问这句话）

　　7 checkbook: （个人）支票簿

　　8 coupon: （在一个商店里购买商品时可打折的）优惠券

　　9 Good grief！: (表示诧异, 吃惊, 恐惧的感叹语)哎呀! 天哪! 类似的有：Oh, gosh! Oh, my goodness! Oh, gee! Oh, boy!

　　用法：Good grief! You've messed my hair! 天哪，你弄乱了我的头发！

　　10reak-down: an instance of ceasing to function (计算机)出毛病，坏了

　　用法：I cannot hand in my paper on time because of the break-down of my computer. 由于电脑坏了，我不能按时交论文。

　　11 agony: pain 苦恼, 极大的痛苦

　　用法：He fellsintosextreme agony for the death of his mother. 母亲的死使他陷入极大的悲痛之中。

　　exercise: Turn the four mini-dialoguessintosONE descriptive narrative. Use only indirect speech.