世博英语

Conversation

KELLY: Oh, Anna, there you are! I am so glad we joined the Great City Bird Count! Aren’t you?

ANNA: No. Today has been a bust … a flop … a bummer!

KELLY: I’m sensing a little disappointment.

ANNA: A little?

KELLY: My official bird-watching form is almost full!

ANNA: I’ve only seen pigeons … lots and lots of pigeons! But I did write down some other valuable information.

KELLY: Did you find a bird’s nest?!

ANNA: No.

(She shows Kelly a map of ice cream trucks.)

ANNA: I found 10 ice cream trucks in this five-block area.? Their music seems to follow me everywhere.

KELLY: We’re supposed to be counting birds, not ice cream trucks. This is important scientific work!

ANNA: Well, when you want ice cream, my data will be pretty important.

KELLY: Anna, birds are everywhere! I’m sure you’ll find something. Use your imagination! But, make sure that you put it on the official form.

(Anna walks away with her ice cream truck map.)

PROF. BOT: Anna was supposed to find birds, but she didn’t.

PROF. BOT: Kelly says, “We’re supposed to be counting birds, not ice cream trucks.” To be supposed to means you are expected to do something.

PROF. BOT: It’s different from have to and ought to. Have to means you must do something. And ought to means you should do it but you don’t have to.

PROF. BOT: Keep watching for have to and ought to!

(Anna looks through binoculars but doesn’t see birds. She talks to herself.)

ANNA: No birds. Oh wait, there’s another ice cream truck! Anna, focus on birds. Aw, but that truck has my favorite flavor … banana!

ANNA: That man is in the way. I can’t see the price. I wonder what flavor he’s getting.

ANNA: Strawberry? He doesn’t seem like a strawberry kind of guy.

ANNA: In fact, he doesn’t seem like an ice cream truck kind of guy. That suit looks expensive.

ANNA: Maybe he’s a spy! You know what that means: The ice cream truck driver is a spy, too!

ANNA: Genius! It’s a perfect disguise.

ANNA: What?! The man in the suit left his briefcase at the ice cream truck!

ANNA: I was right! He is a spy! And, he just dropped off top-secret information! I ought to do something. Something needs to be done! I need to do something.

(Anna runs to the ice cream truck and takes the briefcase.)

ANNA: I did it! I took the spy’s briefcase!

ANNA: What’s that?! The ice cream truck — it’s following me! It wants the case back! I have to hide.

(She runs and hides behind a tree.)

ANNA: This is my life now — running, scared, alone.

(She runs to another tree.)

ANNA: That awful music — it’s following me everywhere!

(The man sees her at the tree.)

MAN: Hey! You found my briefcase.

ANNA: You caught me! I mean, I caught you!

MAN: Well, I just want my briefcase. All my poems are in there.

ANNA: Poems? You’re a poet?

MAN: Well, I’m a lawyer. But I write poems, too.

(Anna gives the man his briefcase.)

ANNA: So, you’re not a spy?

MAN: You look disappointed.

ANNA: No, that’s okay. It’s not your fault. Poems are nice, too. I guess.

MAN: Well, would you like me to read my latest one?

ANNA: Why not?

MAN: On sunny day walks, my hand reaches for ice cream from fragaria.

ANNA: I love your poem!

MAN: I love ice cream.

ANNA: Me too.

MAN: What’s your favorite flavor?

ANNA: Banana.

MAN: Well, my favorite flavor is …

ANNA: Strawberry!

MAN: How did you know that?

ANNA: A little bird told me.

Conversation

ANNA: Hello, Ms. Weaver!

MS. WEAVER: Oh, Anna. I’ve invited some people to dinner Saturday. We’re going to that new seafood restaurant — Fish on a Dish.

MS. WEAVER: Why don’t you join us? My treat.

ANNA: Thanks, Ms. Weaver. But I already have plans. My friend has invited me to her houseboat.

MS. WEAVER: Houseboat, really? That’s unique.

ANNA: Yes, it is. In fact, I’m thinking of living on a houseboat.

MS. WEAVER: Aren’t you too tall and klutzy to live on a houseboat?

ANNA: I am not too tall!

(She knocks over a display board.)

PROF. BOT VO: Is Anna really ready for a houseboat?

PROF. BOT: Ms. Weaver invited Anna to dinner. When we make friendly, informal invitations, we use phrases like “Why don’t…?”

PROF. BOT: For example, Ms. Weaver said, “Why don’t you join us? My treat!” That’s: Why don’t plus the subject plus the simple form of the verb.

PROF. BOT: Anna responded to the invitation by saying, “Thanks, but I already have plans.” Keep watching for more examples of informal invitations!

FANNY: Anna, I’m so glad you could come!

ANNA: Hi, Fanny!

FANNY: Hi, this is my son, Phoenix.

ANNA: Hi, Phoenix.

FANNY: How about you give Anna a tour and I will make some lunch?

PHOENIX: Aye, aye, captain!

FANNY: Great!

ANNA: Do you really call her “captain”?

PHOENIX: I kind of have to.

ANNA: So, Phoenix, I think I’d like to live on a houseboat. Do you like living here?

PHOENIX: I love it! It’s much different than living in a house.

ANNA: Oh, I bet. I bet you had to get rid of a lot of stuff, didn’t you?

PHOENIX: No way! We moved from a 3-story house to a boat! So, we really had to downsize!

ANNA: I’d have to get rid of a lot of stuff. I have a rock collection and I have some really big rocks.

ANNA: Can you stop this boat from rocking for a minute?

PHOENIX: No. We’re floating on water. I can’t do that.

ANNA: Well, since you live on the water, aren’t you afraid of great white sharks?

PHOENIX: No, not really. They don’t live in these waters.

ANNA: … that you know of. What about killer whales?

PHOENIX: No.

ANNA: Electric eels?

PHOENIX: No.

ANNA: Barracudas?

PHOENIX: No.

ANNA: Piranhas?

PHOENIX: Uh-uh.

FANNY: You know, Anna, if you’re afraid of sea life, maybe you shouldn’t live on a houseboat. Do you have any boating experience?

ANNA: Oh, oh yeah, Fanny. I have battled the great waters before — once on a swan boat and once in a duck boat … bus. It was a boat that turned into a bus.

FANNY: Yeah, I don’t think that counts.

ANNA: Fanny, does this rocking ever bother you?

FANNY: No, I love it. It goes up and down and side to side and up and down. Anna, I love it!

(Because of the rocking, Anna begins to feel seasick.)

FANNY: Anna, are you feeling okay?

ANNA: Yeah, yeah. You know, I just need some fresh air.

FANNY: Let me open a window for you.

ANNA: No, I need some fresh land air. I mean, I need to breathe air on land. Oh, is that the time? I should really be going.

ANNA: Thanks for lunch, Fanny, and a tour of your houseboat. It’s given me a great idea!

FANNY: You’re going to live on a houseboat?
ANNA: Sort of. Thanks again!

ANNA: Hi! How would you like to hang out on my boat? Great! See you then!

(Ms. Weaver and Anna sit in a boat on land.)

ANNA: …and this is my shark net.

MS. WEAVER: Thank you for the invitation, Anna.

ANNA: Of course, would you like more orange juice?

MS. WEAVER: Uh..

ANNA: (to young man) Ahoy!

Conversation

Anna: This article is so interesting. Pete, listen to this: “Somewhere in the world there is someone who looks just like you.”

Pete: No one is this handsome.

Anna: Oh Pete, there’s something between your teeth.

(Pete tries to clean his teeth.)

Pete: It is gone?

Anna: No. No. It’s still there. There. You got it. But think of it: There could be two of us in the world!

Pete: Two Annas?

Pete: Actually, Anna, maybe your silly article is right. Yesterday at work, I met a woman who looks just like you.

Anna: Really? Wait, are you making fun of me?

Pete: Not this time.

Pete: She’s tall and has curly hair. But even her face looks like yours. I think she’s a career consultant.

Anna: I bet she has a lot of great advice. I can’t wait to meet her.

Pete: Yes, you can. I met her and she is very difficult.

Anna: Pete, she’s just new. We have to give her a chance. What’s her name?

Pete: Evelyna or something like that. You can’t miss her. She always wears a hat.

Penelope: So, Anna, have you met the new consultant yet?

Anna: No. But I’ve already heard. We look alike, don’t we?

Penelope: Yeah, but you don’t act alike. You’re much nicer than she is.

Anna: Maybe she gets nervous at new jobs. Or maybe she’s shy. Let’s not judge, Penelope.

Penelope: She’s not nervous or shy. She’s mean.

Anna: You know, we should get to know her better. Let’s invite her to lunch!

Penelope: Sorry but I’m busy that day.

(Penelope walks away. Anna yells after her.)

Anna: Oh, that’s too bad. Hey, I haven’t picked a day yet!

(Anna and Pete are playing a game.)

Anna: This is going to be so much fun. Boy, I can’t wait to play this game.

Evilana: How much longer are you going to be?

Anna: We’ll be just a minute …

(Anna turns around and sees her look-alike.)

Anna: You must be Evelana. I’m Anna. We are look-alikes!

Evilana: No, we’re not. And my name is pronounced “Evil-ana.”

Pete: Oh. This is going to be fun.

Evilana: You had better hurry up. I need this room for a lecture. It’s called: “If You Want to Win, Others Must Lose.” What is all this stuff, anyway?

Anna: It’s a game. We’re going to play at lunch.

Evilana: It’s a stupid child’s game!

Anna: It’s a fun game. But yes, it is for children.

Evilana: Well, you may be childish but I’m not. And you look stupid with that thing on your head.

Anna: Well, you look serious with that look on your face. Come on, Pete. Let’s play somewhere else.

Pete: Actually, I’m going to stay for Evilana’s lecture.

Anna: Fine. You can learn new ways to beat people.

Evilana: He will. He will.

(Days later, Anna and Penelope are playing the game. Pete comes in. He has a problem with his eye.)

Anna: Okay. Am I a food?

Penelope: Nope.

Pete: Hey, do you guys have room for one more?

Penelope: Sure, Pete! Come on over. What happened to your eye?

Pete: Evilana “accidentally” hit me. And she didn’t even say sorry. She’s so mean!

Penelope: I told you so.

Anna: Here, Pete. Put on this headband. You’ll feel better. Penelope, you’re right. Evilana is an awful person!

Penelope: And violent. And now we have to work with her!

Anna: Haven’t you heard? She’s gone! She was given another assignment.

Penelope: What assignment?

Anna: I’m not sure. I think it has something to do with outdoors. Anyway, let’s play! Pete it’s your turn.