世博英语

Conversation

Anna: Hi, Kaveh! Let’s go to lunch!

Kaveh: Ooh, I know a great place. When I first started working here, I would go every day!

Anna: Great. Oh, no.

Kaveh: What’s wrong?

Anna: I lost my key! I just had it this morning.

Kaveh: You should check the Lost & Found office.

Anna: Great idea. Where is it?

Kaveh: Oh, it used to be across from the cafeteria. But now it’s down in the basement next to the elevators. It’s really hard to find.

Anna: The Lost & Found is hard to find. That’s funny.

Kaveh: It is.

Professor Bot: I hope Anna can find the Lost & Found office!

Used to and would describe something that happened repeatedly in the past.

Kaveh uses would when he says, “When I first started working here, I would go every day!

There are two differences between used to and would.

Number 1: We use would only when we say the time period first.

Number 2: For verbs like be, think, feel, see and understand, we can only use used to.

Kaveh says, “It used to be across from the cafeteria.”

Keep listening for more!

(A worker moves the sign for the Lost & Found office. So, Anna walks into the wrong office without knowing it.)

Serenity: Come in! I am Serenity.

Anna: Hi, Serenity. I’m Anna!

Serenity: Please, sit down. How can I help you?

Anna: I lost something very important.

Serenity: Shh. I already know. You need help.

Anna: Yes. I need help finding the key …

Serenity: Shh. You need to find the key – the key that will give you happiness.

Anna: Yes. Finding this key will make me very happy.

Serenity: First, Anna, let me tell you a little bit about myself.

Anna: Okay.

Serenity: I used to be a very important person with a very important job. I made a lot of money — I mean a lot.

Anna: Wow. Good for you!

Serenity: No! No, it was bad for me. I lost the most important thing – the key! You’ve lost it too, haven’t you, Anna? Haven’t you?

Anna: I guess. So, how does this work? Do I have to fill out a form or something?

Serenity: No. No forms. Just answer this one question: As a child, what did you use to do to feel happy?

Anna: When I was little, I used to sing all the time with my family. Those were good times.

Serenity: Singing is so joyful! I used to sing. But now that I’ve started my business, I’ve just been too busy. Too busy! Anna, why don’t you sing again?

Anna: I sing everywhere! I sing in the office. I sing on the metro. I sing in the elevators. I sing on the escalators. I sing in the bathroom. Serenity! Serenity! I really need to find my key. Yeah!

Serenity: Yes, we need to find the key … the key to happiness.

Anna: No, no. I just need to find the key to my apartment.

Serenity: I used to know. But now I don’t! Do you, Anna?

Anna: I don’t know. I think I left it in the ladies’ room. You know, this isn’t the Lost & Found, is it?

(Anna starts walking out of the room)

Serenity: It could be the Lost & Found. I’m lost! And I used to find joy for people! I used to find joy!

Anna: You know, this is a bad time for you. I’ll find the Lost & Found myself. Bye, thanks.

Serenity: I used to find joy. I used to find joy! I used to find joy!

Anna: Ah, I found my key!

Serenity: I used to find joy!

Pofessor Bot: Oh no. Serenity lost her joy. But at least Anna found her key! Check out our website for more!

Conversation

Anna: Penelope, even though we both love speed walking, could we slow down a bit?

Penelope: No way! I think because I’m walking with you, I’m walking faster.

Anna: Come on, Penelope. Let’s take a break. We’ve been speed walking since 8 a.m.! You’re so competitive! You even wore your medals!

Penelope: You brought your trophies! You’re out of shape. When we were little girls, we could speed walk all day! (pulls ahead)

Anna: (chases her) Hey, wait for me! Hey, you know the speed walking rules! If both feet leave the ground, it’s running! You ran!

Prof. Bot: Anna and Penelope are doing something they both love – speed walking!

They are also using adverb clauses.

Adverb clauses tell us when, why, how, where and under what conditions.

For example, “since 8 a.m.” tells us when.

Adverb clauses are dependent clauses and need an independent clause to make a complete sentence.

Words like before, after, when, because, since, if and even though can signal an adverb clause.

Keep watching for more adverb clauses!

Penelope: Whew! That was great!

Anna: (Anna catches up) Wow, Penelope, you’re still really fast! Since I’ve been working in an office, my speed walking has been much slower.

Penelope: You are slower, Anna. Maybe you should hire a personal trainer.

Anna: That will be great. As long as the trainer understands speed walking.

Penelope: (hands her a business card) Try this company. After you fill out an online application, they will match you to the perfect trainer.

Anna: As soon as I get home tonight, I’ll do it! Thanks.

Anna: Are you my trainer?

Alaskan Albert: If you’re Anna, then I’m your trainer — Alaskan Albert. Because I’m from Alaskan wilderness, I’m skilled in all outdoor activities of the wild.

Anna: That’s great but what about speed walking?

Alaskan Albert: Speed walking? That’s funny! Since I’ve been living in the city, I’ve combined wilderness training with a city workout. I call it “Call of the Wild Parkour!” (He howls like a wolf.)

Anna: Okay … but seriously, when do we speed walk?

Alaskan Albert: Your application did not say how funny you are!

Anna: No. But it did say that I’m a speed walker! Did you read it? Forget it. We’ll have to cancel.

Alaskan Albert: Why?

Anna: We can’t train today because it’s too cold and too windy.

Alaskan Albert: No way! No pain, no gain! When you exercise in really cold weather, you feel alive!

Anna: Really? Because right now I just feel cold.

Alaskan Albert: You’re so funny. But seriously, after our training, you will be ready for any extreme physical challenge. Let’s get started!

(He leads Anna through some parkour exercises.)

Alaskan Albert: Anna, even though you’re trying really hard, you’re really bad at Call of the Wild Parkour. (he howls)

Anna: I’m bad at Call of the Wild Parkour because I don’t want to do Call of the Wild Parkour! (she howls) I am a speed walker. It’s what I do. It’s part of who I am.

Alaskan Albert: Why didn’t you say something?

Anna: I did. Several times! You thought I was joking.

Alaskan Albert: Now I understand. Anna, I can help you., if you follow my advice, I’ll put the speed back in your speed walk.

(He shows her how to improve her speed walking)

Alaskan Albert: Go, Anna, go!

Prof. Bot: For more about adverb clauses, visit our website!

Conversation

Anna: Hello! What are you guys looking at?

Pete: I’m showing Ashley pictures of my girlfriend. We have so much in common — even small things. She can’t whistle and I can’t either.

Ashley: (to Pete) And here’s a picture of my boyfriend. (sighs)

Ashley: My family is big and so is his. I don’t like ball sports and he doesn’t either! (sighs) We are made for each other …

Pete: … and so are we. (sighs)

Anna: Uh… you have found perfect partners … and so have I!

Professor Bot: Pete and Ashley are talking about people they love. They are putting two ideas together with connectors.

Let’s start with these two sentences: She can’t whistle. Pete can’t whistle. How do you put them together?

Pete says, “She can’t whistle and I can’t either.”

You can see we just add the conjunction “either” and take away the verb “whistle.” And Ashley says: “I don’t like ball sports and he doesn’t either!”

Keep looking for connectors!

Ashley: You met someone, Anna? That’s great! What’s his name?

Anna: His name? His name is uh… (stalling, looks around, sees a bus) Bus … ter. (stalling, looks around, sees a car) Car … ter.

Ashley: (says it like Anna did) Bus…ter Car…ter?

Anna: It’s just Buster Carter, Ashley. I like him and he likes me. We’re a great couple.

Ashley: Hey, let’s all get dinner tonight, together. You can bring Buster.

Pete: (laughing) Yeah, I can’t wait to meet him.

Anna: Thanks, Ashley, but he’s really busy tonight with his uh, (looks around, sees squirrel) squirrel collection. Bye, guys! Gotta go!

Ashley: Squirrel collection?

Pete: You know, she made all that up.

Ashley: That’s so sad. She needs to meet someone. Hey, do you know anyone who she might…

Pete: No.

Anna: (to herself) Anna, Anna, you lied! You lied! Now, they think you have a boyfriend – with a squirrel collection. Here, squirrel. (throws food) Well, you need to tell them the truth. You don’t have a boyfriend.

Man: Excuse me, is this seat taken?

(Anna shyly shakes head “no”)

Anna: Ashley, Pete, I need to talk to you. This morning, I lied.

Pete: Let me guess. There’s no Buster Carter. What a surprise!

Anna: I’m sorry. But later I really did meet someone and we have a lot in common!

He’s good at flying kites and so am I.

He likes to read comics and so do I.

I can play the ukulele and so can he.

Ashley: He sounds perfect for you, Anna. Can he come tonight?

Anna: That’s the sad part. You see, he just got a job as a spy, and tonight he leaves on assignment.

Pete: Of course he does.

Anna: But that’s okay, because now I know that there is someone out there made for me. (looks at the time) Oh, it’s late! I have to see him off at the train station. Bye, you guys!

Ashley: Bye Anna! Oh dear, she’s worse than we thought.

Pete: She’s lost her mind.

Ashley: What should we do?

Pete: (happy, excited) Let’s tell her!

(Pete goes to leave but Ashley pulls him back.)

Ashley: No, Pete. Mr. Right may not be real but he makes her really happy.

Professor Bot: Did you find any other connectors? Notice how the words are in a different order in the part after “so.” “I am” becomes “am I” and “he can” becomes “can he.”
“He’s good at flying kites and so am I. I can play the ukulele and so can he.”