sexta-feira, 26 de agosto de 2016

Advanced Conversation Practice








1- You're so difficult to get through 
Storyline: John was trying to get a hold of Ben, but his line was always busy.....
Sydney:Did you call Ben last night?
John:Yes. I tried to get a hold of him last night, but it was so difficult to get through.
Sydney:That's strange. Maybe he was on the Net.
John:That's probably it! No wonder the line was busy all the time! Maybe he ought to get another line. 
Sydney:Or he should get call-waiting.

New Vocabulary


  1. get a hold of - ter acesso,tentar entrar em contato
  2. get through - conseguir
  3. no wonder - não é de admirar, se espantar, nenhuma surpresa
  4. ought - should - deve,devia,deveria
  5. get another line - adquirir outra linha
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 2- Eating out
The two people in the dialogue below want to fix pork chops for dinner, but they later find out that the meat has gone bad....
Wayne:What are we going to eat for dinner?
Lilia:I'm going to fix some pork chops.
Wayne:I'm afraid the meat is rotten.
Lilia:That's strange!  I just bought it the day before yesterday.
Wayne:Well, I forgot to put it in the refrigerator.
Lilia:Good for you!  Now what should we eat?
Wayne:Why don't we eat out?
Lilia:Again?  Weren't you just complaining that it's too expensive to eat out?
Wayne:Not when you're hungry.


New vocabulary


  1. to fix pork chops - preparar costela de porco
  2. to be afraid - recear
  3. the day before yesterday - anteontem
  4. rotten - podre,estragada

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3- I Can't Stand Him Any Longer!
 

Storyline: Andy told Jan that he didn't realize that Gary would fly into a rage at his advice....

Jan:What's going on between you and Gary?  Did you guys have a fight or something?
Andy:I can't stand him any more!  He has such a short fuse that even a little piece of friendly advice sets him off.
Jan:So what did you tell him?
Andy:I told him that if he could be more patient and try not to lose his temper so easily, he would be more popular.
Jan:No wonder he threw a fit.  His popularity is really a sore spot.
Andy:Well, I guess I'll just keep my mouth shut.  That'll teach me to give advice!
Jan:Not unless you want to die!

New Vocabulary


  1. fly into a rage - ficar fora de si, ficar com muita raiva - ( flew)
  2. to stand - suportar,aguentar
  3. to have a short fuse - se irritar facilmente
  4. set somebody off - contrariar alguém
  5. throw a fit - ter um " ataque"
  6. sore spot - o lado fraco, o dedo na ferida, o calo , o que há de pior
  7. not unless - a menos que


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4- Her Skin Looks So Baby Smooth!
 

When John tells Becky that the girl who sits several seats away is pretty, Becky seems to be a little jealous....
John:She's really pretty, isn't she?  Her skin looks so baby smooth!
Becky:Well, it's just that she puts lots of make-up on her face.  Actually, natural beauty comes from within.
John:Ah, I can smell jealousy in the air!
Becky:She has nothing that deserves my jealousy.  I don't have to put things on my face and I still look pretty.  Don't you think so?
John:Yeah, right!  But what did you put on your face last night, those little greenish things?
Becky:They're cucumbers.  They're natural skin soothers, natural healers of the skin.  Haven't you heard them say on TV that...erh...they soften the skin, wipe out the roughness, counter irritation, and build strength and resilience?
John:Yeah, yeah, yeah!  They wipe out tight, tired feelings and remove lines and age signs.  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!  See I can even recite it. 
Becky:That's right!  You've learned a lot, haven't you?


New Vocabulary


  1. baby smooth - macia,suave, como rostinho de bebê
  2. come from within - vir de dentro, nascer com a pessoa
  3. jealousy - ciumeira/ciúmes
  4. greenish - esverdeado
  5. cucumbers -  pepinos
  6. skin soother - máscara de pele
  7. natural healer - reparador natural
  8. soften - suavizar
  9. wipe out - exterminar
  10. roughness - rugas
  11. resilience - elasticidade,resistência
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5- A Drink to Our Friendship!
 
Storyline: William hasn't seen Margaret for a long time, but they finally meet again in a party hosted by William. ....
William:I'm really happy that you could come.
Margaret:Yeah. It's been years since we did this together.
William:I know. It has been a long time.
Margaret:Well, anyway, a drink to our friendship!
William:Cheers!


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New Vocabulary


  1. hosted - sediada
  2. since - desde ( que )
  3. anyway - de qualquer forma, seja como for
  4. cheers! - saúde!
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6- I'm on a Diet to Lose Weight.

Storyline: Martha is on a diet to lose weight, but her friend is trying to coax her into eating a bowl of ice-cream. Can Martha stand the temptation?
Sydney:Would you like to have some ice-cream?  I've got a variety of flavors for you to choose from.  I've got strawberry, peach, chocolate, chocolate chip, chocolate brownie, coffee, vanilla, rocky road, butter pecan, and praline.
Martha:Wow!  What choices you have!  I wish I could, but I just can't.  I'm on a diet to lose weight.
Sydney:Come on, it's just a bite.  It doesn't really hurt to have just a bite.
Martha:I'd better not.  Please don't tempt me.  Please!
Sydney:Gee!  You are really strong-willed. 
Martha:You're darn right.  I'm not so easily coaxed into doing something that I think is wrong.
Sydney:Well, I'd better not tempt you.  Otherwise, if I give you a piece of cake, you might ask for a glass of milk.
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New  Vocabulary

  1. to lose weight - perder peso
  2. to coax - persuadir,convencer
  3. to stand the temptation - resistir á tentação
  4. chocolate brownie - bolo americano de chocolate
  5. vanilla - baunilha
  6. rocky road -  baunilha com leite condensado e miniaturas de marshmallows.
  7. butter pecan - manteiga de pecan ( é uma árvore do sul dos Estados Unidos )
  8. praline - um tipo de amendoim
  9. gee! - nossa! Ixi!
  10. strong-willed - enérgico
  11. to be darn right - estar coberto de razão
  12. otherwise - senão, caso o contrário
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the window air-conditioner




7- Don't you have air-conditioning in your apartment?



Alice's apartment is very hot in summer because her apartment does not have air-conditioning.  Do you know how she deals with the heat?
Tracey:Don't you have air-conditioning in your apartment?  It's sweltering here!
Alice:Well, there's air-conditioning.  Did you see that window air-conditioner there?  The problem is that the window unit is not powerful enough.
Tracey:I guess not, huh. 
Alice:Well, I'm going to move out anyway.  The new apartment has central air-conditioning.
Tracey:You should've moved out long, long ago.
Alice:Well, I had to wait until the lease expired.  So.... 
Tracey:So how can you stand the heat?
Alice:Well, I open the windows and...and I've got an electric fan here.  It helps a little.



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New Vocabulary


  1. air - conditioning - ar- condicionado
  2. to swelter - abafar/sufocar
  3. window air-conditioner - janela com ar condicionado
  4. window unit - tipo de janela/unidade de janela
  5. enough - suficiente
  6. to move out - mudar de endereço
  7. the lease - aluguel/contrato de aluguel
  8. to stand the heat - suportar o calor
  9. eletric fan - ventilador elétrico
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8- I've got a pretty tight schedule today!
Storyline: Cynthia wants to have a talk with Victor sometime today, but Victor is very busy.  He has a very tight schedule.
Cynthia:Hi, Victor, do you think it's possible for us to have a talk sometime today?
Victor:I'd love to, but I've got a pretty tight schedule today.
Cynthia:Oh, what have you got going on?
Victor:Well, I've got to finish a report by ten.  Then I have to drive to the airport to pick up a client of mine at eleven.  After that, I'll have a meeting with him over lunch.  I guess I won't have a break until two o'clock.  But then from three until five, I have to attend a senior staff meeting.
Cynthia:Wow, that's cutting it close.
New Vocabulary


  1. tight schedules - calendário/horário/agenda apertada
  2. What have you got going on? - O que vc tem que fazer?
  3. by ten - até as 10 no máximo
  4. to pick up - pegar
  5. over lunch - durante o almoço
  6. to have a break - ter um intervalo
  7. senior staff meeting - reunião de líderes superiores( diretores/gerentes/supervisores)
  8. that's cutting it close - Os horários bem apertado/tá tudo muito junto



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9-  I can't think of it off hand!

Bernard is trying to get a hold of Herbert, but he forgets his phone number, so he asks Beatrice....
Bernard:Do you know what Herbert's phone number is?
Beatrice:Oh, Herbert's phone number?  I don't have my address book on me....hmmm...I can't think of it right off hand. 
Bernard:That's too BAD!  I've got to find him.  It's urgent!  If I can't find him today, I'll be dead!
Beatrice:Well, why don't you call Michelle?  She has his phone number.
Bernard:I've tried, but no one ANSWERED!
Beatrice:Oh, you are so dead!
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  1. to think off something right off hand - lembrar de algo de cabeça
  2. to be dead - estar encrencado, em sérias dificuldades, em situação complicada

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10- Can you break a twenty-dollar bill?

Jackie has a 20-dollar bill and wants to break it so that she may have some smaller bills and change for the laundry.
Cashier:How can I help you, Miss?
Jackie:Could you break a 20 for me?
Cashier:Sure.  How do you want it?
Jackie:Could I have two 5's and the rest in ones?
Cashier:Well, I have some 5's, but I don't have enough 1's.  Are quarters fine with you?
Jackie:Oh, that's even better!  In that case, I won't have to worry about the small change for the laundry.
Cashier:Here you go!
Jackie:Thanks a million!



  1. to break a dollar bill - trocar uma nota de dollar
  2. two 5's = duas de cinco
  3. quarters - 25 cents
  4. small change - trocadinhos
  5. thanks a million - nem tenho como agradecer


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sábado, 13 de agosto de 2016

Questions and Answers


100 Answers To Common English Questions


Sometimes, even when you know a lot of English, you can have difficulty finding the right words or phrases to answer simple questions. Here are 20 of the most common questions in English – each one with five sample responses.

General Questions

1. WHAT DO YOU DO?

This question means “What is your job/profession?”
Audio Player
  • I’m a student.
  • I work in a bank.
  • I’m unemployed at the moment.
  • I run my own business.
    The word “run” means you are the primary person responsible for operating the business.
  • I’m retired now. I used to be an engineer.
    “Retired” means you have stopped working (usually after you are 60 or 65 years old).

2. ARE YOU MARRIED?

Audio Player
  • Yes, I’ve been married for two years now.
  • I’m divorced.
  • I’m engaged – we’re getting married next year.
  • No, but I’m in a relationship.
  • Nope, I’m single.
    “Nope” is an informal way to say “No.”

3. WHY ARE YOU STUDYING ENGLISH?

Audio Player
  • For work.
  • So I can communicate when I travel.
  • I love learning new languages.
  • Because I’d like to immigrate to the U.S.
  • I’m thinking of studying in England.
    The correct way is “thinking of studying” and not “thinking to study.”

4. WHERE/HOW DID YOU LEARN ENGLISH?

Audio Player
  • I took classes for three years.
  • I did an intensive course.
  • I’ve been studying on my own.
    You can also say “studying by myself.”
  • I picked it up from movies and songs.
    In this context, “picked it up” means “learned it casually.”
  • My girlfriend taught me.

5. WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

Audio Player
  • I don’t have any free time!
  • I usually hang out with friends.
    “Hang out” means to spend time in an informal way.
  • I go running a lot.
  • I do volunteer work.
  • I like reading and relaxing at home.

6. WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE? / HOW’S THE WEATHER?

Audio Player
  • Hot and humid.
    “Humid” means there is a lot of water vapor in the air.
  • It’s pouring – take an umbrella.
    “Pouring” means raining very heavily.
  • A little chilly – you might wanna bring a jacket.
    “Chilly” means a little bit cold.
  • Gorgeous – a perfect summer day!
  • It’s quite cold – make sure to bundle up.
    “Bundle up” means to wear warm clothing for protection against the cold.

7. WHAT TIME IS IT? / DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?

Audio Player
  • It’s ten o’clock.
  • It’s half past four.
    This means “4:30”
  • It’s a quarter to twelve.
    “A quarter” is 15 minutes – so this means “11:45”
  • Let me check my phone.
  • Sorry, I don’t know.

Shopping & Social Questions

8. CAN I HELP YOU? / DO YOU NEED ANY HELP?

This is a question that you might hear from an employee or salesperson in a store.
Audio Player
  • No thanks, I’m just browsing.
    “Browsing” means looking casually at the items.
  • Yes – do you have this in a larger size?
  • Yes – where are the try-on rooms?
    “Try-on rooms” means the place where you can put on the clothes to see if they are the right size and if you like them.
  • Yeah, can you tell me how much this is?
  • Yeah, I’m looking for something under $30.

9. HOW’S IT GOING?

Audio Player
  • Great! Couldn’t be better!
    This means that everything is excellent.
  • Fine. How are things with you?
  • Not bad.
    This means that things are OK.
  • I can’t complain.
  • Do you really wanna know?
    Normally when people ask “how’s it going?” they expect a positive response like “fine” or “good.” If you say “Do you really wanna know?” it means that things are going badly, but you are not sure if the other person wants to listen to your problems or not.

10. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

Audio Player
  • Great! Never better.
  • I’m all right.
  • Like I need a vacation.
  • A little depressed.
  • Really awful.
    You can say you’re feeling “awful” for both physical and emotional pain.

11. HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

Audio Player
  • Really good!
  • Pretty uneventful.
    This means that nothing particularly special or interesting happened during the day.
  • Very productive.
  • Super busy.
  • A total nightmare.
    A “nightmare” is a terrible, scary dream. Describing an experience as a “nightmare” means it was horrible.

12. DID YOU LIKE THE MOVIE?

Audio Player
  • It was fantastic.
  • It was terrible.
  • It wasn’t bad.
  • It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.
  • No, I didn’t think it lived up to the hype.
    This means the movie was not as good as its publicity presented.

13. HOW WAS THE PARTY?

Audio Player
  • Crazy – it was absolutely packed.
    “Packed” means it was crowded; there were very many people there.
  • It was a good time.
  • Small, but fun.
  • There was hardly anybody there.
  • Boring – I couldn’t wait to get outta there.

14. CAN YOU GIVE ME A HAND?

This means “can you help me?” – often with a physical task like moving furniture or carrying a box.
Audio Player
  • Of course!
  • I’d be glad to.
  • Will it take long?
  • Sure – just a sec.
    This means “just a second” – you need the other person to wait one moment before you can help them.
  • Sorry – I’m a bit busy at the moment.

15. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO LATELY?

This question means “What have you been doing recently?” – you can answer it in the present perfect continuous.
Audio Player
  • I’ve been working a lot.
  • Mostly studying.
  • I’ve been taking it easy.
    This means “relaxing, not doing anything intense or stressful.”
  • Planning my summer vacation.
  • Nothing much.

16. WHAT’S THE MATTER?

This means “What’s the problem?” – you can ask it to someone who appears sad or upset.
Audio Player
  • Oh, I’m just having a rough day.
    A “rough day” means a difficult, bad day.
  • I’m not feeling so good.
  • I just found out my mother’s in the hospital.
    The phrasal verb “found out” means “discovered or heard some new information.”
  • I’d rather not talk about it.
    This means “I’d prefer not to talk about it.”
  • Nothing, I’m fine.

Restaurant Questions

17. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRINK?

Audio Player
  • Iced tea, please.
  • Just water for me.
  • What do you have?
  • Could we see the wine list?
  • Nothing for me, thanks.

18. ARE YOU READY TO ORDER?

To “order” means to ask the waiter/waitress for the food you want to eat.
Audio Player
  • Not quite – I think we need a little more time.
  • What are the specials today?
    “Specials” are featured dishes that might also have a discount.
  • Yes, I’ll have a Caesar salad and then the baked chicken with potatoes.
    The most common way to order food is to say “I’ll have…”
  • Uh-huh. To start off, we’ll split an order of nachos.
    “To start off” means you are ordering an appetizer (small amount of food eaten before the main meal). “Split” means that two or more people will share/divide one order of food.
  • Almost – I just have a couple of questions.

19. IS EVERYTHING OK?

While you are eating, the waiter/waitress will often come to your table and ask this question to check if you need anything.
Audio Player
  • Yes, everything’s fine, thanks.
  • It’s all delicious!
  • Could we have some more water, please?
    “Could we have…” is a polite way to ask for something.
  • Actually, I’m still waiting for my side dish.
    A “side dish” is a small portion of food that accompanies the main meal.
  • To be honest, my food is kinda cold. Could you heat it up?
    “To be honest…” is a diplomatic way to introduce a complaint or negative comment.

20. CAN I GET YOU ANYTHING ELSE?

The waiter/waitress will probably ask you this after you have finished eating.
Audio Player
  • Two decaf coffees, please.
    “Decaf coffee” is coffee with no caffeine.
  • Just the check, please.
    The “check” is the list of items and the total price to pay.
  • Could I have a look at the dessert menu?
  • I’ll have a slice of apple pie.
    A “slice” is a single piece of a pie, cake, or pizza.
  • No thanks – I think we’re just about done.
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