Lesson 43: Time for Plan B

Speaking

Pronunciation

Conversation

Anna: Hey there! Tonight, I am teaching my ukulele class. It is far away. So, I am going to ride the Metro. Oh, no! I lost my wallet! It has my Metro card, my credit card and my money! Oh, no!
Anna: It’s times like this I remember my father’s important words. He said, “Anna, never … ” No wait, “Always have emergency money.” .” (Anna pulls an envelope out of her bag and looks inside) It’s empty. Time for Plan B. ‘Extra Emergency Money.’ (Anna pulls another envelope out of her bag and looks inside)
Anna: No! It’s empty too! Anna, it’s time for Plan C.
Anna: Hi, Marsha!
Marsha: Hi Anna. What’s up?
Anna: I’m stuck downtown without any money. Would you be able to come downtown? Please?
Marsha: Anna, I can’t. I’m too busy. I have to give a big presentation in one hour. Sorry!
Anna: That’s ok. Good luck with your presentation!
Marsha: Thanks!
Anna: Time for Plan D.
Anna: Hi, Jonathan! How’s it going?
Jonathan: Hey, Anna. Things are great. What’s up?
Anna: Well, I was wondering if you could give me some money.
Jonathan: What?
Anna: See, I lost my wallet and I’m stuck downtown and I —
Jonathan: Anna, I wish I could. I’m at the airport with my mother. Her flight leaves in two hours.
Anna: That’s okay. Tell your Mom to have a nice trip!
Jonathan: I do wish I could help. Thanks.
Anna: ‘Bye.
Anna: This is serious. Time for … Plan E.
Ashley: Hello.
Anna: Hi, Ashley! What are you doing?
Ashley: Oh! Hi Anna!
Anna: (Anna hears a child crying through the phone.) Ashley, I was wondering, uh, would you be able to come downtown? And could you give me $20?
Ashley: Anna, I can’t.
Anna: I’ll pay you back the money. I promise.
Ashley: Anna, I’m not worried about the money. I’m babysitting. (off-camera to niece) That was very, very, bad!
Anna: Well, losing your wallet is bad, but it’s not the end of the world, Ashley.
Ashley: I was talking to my niece, Anna.
Anna: Well, thanks anyway, Ashley!
Ashley: Good luck getting money.
Anna: Good luck babysitting!
Ashley: Thanks.
Anna: Well, Plans A, B, C, D and E did not work. Think, Anna, think. Time for Plan F.
Anna: (singing) Won’t you give, could — Thank you very much, sir! — would you give me money, won’t you give — Thank you very much! — could you give, won’t you give me money — until next time! — won’t you give me money?

Lesson 42: I Was Minding My Own Business

Speaking

Pronunciation

Conversation

Guy: Hello. I’m Guy Newsman with News Channel XYZ. I’m here in Washington, D.C. at the scene of a crime.
Guy: We are talking with this woman.
Guy: She saw the crime during her lunch break. It looks like she hurt herself while she was trying to stop the crime.
Guy: Tell us your name.
Anna: Hi, Guy. I’m Anna.
Guy: Anna, what did you see and what happened to your arm?
Anna: Guy, I was minding my own business. See, I work over there.
Guy: Um-hum
Anna: I left work to get some lunch. Then suddenly, I heard a woman yelling. She was yelling like this … “Help! Help!”
Guy: Um-hum
Anna: Two robbers were grabbing her bag like this. She was hitting them with her umbrella.
Guy: Is that when you hurt your arm?
Anna: No. At that time, I was not fighting the robbers.
Guy: Um-hum.
Anna: See. I was too far away and I didn’t have my own umbrella.
Guy: So, what happened next?
Anna: They grabbed her bag and ran away! So, I grabbed her umbrella and ran after the robbers.
Guy: Then that is the time that you hurt your arm?
Anna: No. I was yelling, “Stop, robbers! Stop!” She was yelling, “Hey, come back with my umbrella!”
Guy: Were you afraid?
Anna: I had no time to be afraid, Guy. Well, I had time while I was resting on a bench. I had a lot of time.
Guy: Then what happened?
Anna: The robbers got on a bus. So, I ran after the bus.
A VO: While I was running, I tripped and fell.
Guy: And that is the time that you hurt your arm?
Anna: No. While I was lying on the ground, someone stepped on my arm!
Guy: Ouch. That’s too bad.
Anna: Yeah. And they didn’t apologize. Well, then the robbers got themselves kicked off the bus.
Guy: Why?
Anna: They didn’t pay. You’ve got to pay when you get on a bus. The police came and took them away.
Guy: And that’s when you hurt your arm!
Anna: No.
Guy: Then, when did you hurt yourself?
Anna: Well, Guy, by this time, I was feeling very hungry. So, I went to my office to get a snack.
C: Anna, I’m calling for help right now.
C: (on the phone) Hello? Yes, please come right away. My co-worker is stuck in a vending machine.
Guy: You hurt your arm in a vending machine buying a bag of chips?
Anna: I was really hungry and the bag was stuck. I had to –
Guy: That’s all from News Channel XYZ. This is Guy Newsman saying goodbye.
Guy: Okay, we have to find ourselves another story, guys.
Anna: Until next time! Hi Mom!

Lesson 41: Teamwork Works Best With a Team

Speaking

Pronunciation

Conversation

Anna: Hi. I am walking to work. Today my boss will tell me what she thinks of my work. Is it good? Or is it bad? Okay, time for work. I am going right now. Okay, okay, I’m going!

Ms. Weaver: Anna, hello.
Anna: Hello.
Ms. Weaver: Sit down. As you know, at the start of a new year we have a work review.
Anna: Yes. It’s time for mine.
Ms. Weaver: Yes. Anna, this chart shows the audience of The Time Traveling Treehouse. If you look at it, you will see something bad. Your audience is going down, down, DOWN!
Anna: Ms. Weaver, I think the chart is upside down.
Anna: Here, let’s flip that around. Now, it’s right-side up.
Ms. Weaver: Oh. If you look at this chart, you will see something good. Your audience is big.
Anna: Good!
Ms. Weaver: But not big enough.
Anna: Not good.
Ms. Weaver: I want to see these numbers go up, and up, and UP!
Anna: How?
Ms. Weaver: I have something — idea posters!
Anna: (whispers) Idea posters.
Ms. Weaver: You really ought to think seriously about them. I like this one. Please read it.
Anna: “If at first you SUCCEED; you will be a success.” Well, it’s a cute cat.
Ms. Weaver: Here’s another one. I like it.
Anna: “WORKING HARD looks hard because it really is hard.” I see. It’s another cute cat.
Ms. Weaver: This is my favorite.
Anna: “TEAMWORK works best with a team.” A team of cats. Look at all those cats!
Ms. Weaver: So, Anna, do you understand what I want?
Anna: Yes, Ms. Weaver. I understand.
Anna: Okay, team. There is a problem in the Treehouse.
Amelia: Problem? What’s the problem?
Anna: Our audience is big.
Bryan: But that’s a good thing.
Anna: No, it is not big enough.
Anna: Please don’t worry. I know what Ms. Weaver wants. Here’s the plan. (whispers)
Bryan: Is that what she wants?
Amelia: Are you sure?
Anna: Yes. Let’s get to work!
Anna: Good job, team. This is exactly what Ms. Weaver wants!
Anna: Welcome to The Time Traveling Treehouse! Today you will learn about a very popular pet … cats!
MINDY: Anna. Did I give you enough cats?
Anna: I don’t know, MINDY. I think we need more cats!