Dr. Sandford’s and Mr. Black’s Families

This dialogue is a conversation between Alice Black and her best friend Helen Sandford. Now listen to the dialogue.

Helen: Alice, you`re back! I haven`t seen you for a long time! I`m so glad you`re back, Alice! Please, stay in touch! How`ve you been?

Alice : Just fine. It`s been a long time!

Helen: Come in, Alice. Oh, you look wonderful!

Alice: Thanks, you too. How`s Henry?

Helen: He`s fine. But he isn`t at home yet. Henry is still in the hospital, because he has an urgent operation.

Alice: Oh, that`s a pity! How`s Benny?

Helen: He`s fine. But he isn`t at home either. He is in the park with old Mrs. Sandford. They went there to see a squirrel. Oh, Alice! You know, my son is very fond of birds and animals. We have white mice, a hedgehog and a parrot in the house. Now Benny is eager to have a rabbit. But I`m against it, we have no peace because of all Benny`s birds and animals!

Alice: Oh, I see. I went to my cousin Tom`s farm.

Helen: Oh, I guess you enjoyed yourself immensely!

Alice: Well, you are not right. The farmer`s life, though healthy, is by no means an easy one. There`s always plenty to do. He must look after his stables and his horses, he must milk the cows and clean the cowsheds. He also has to take great care of the young animals. There are cocks and hens, ducks and drakes, turkeys and geese, rabbits, pigs and swine, sheep and lambs, cows and calves on his farm. And they all must be fed and fattened for the market.

Helen: Oh, my! It`s very hard work! My parents also live in the country, but they have only cocks, hens and naturally a dog and a cat. All our family gathered there last year. I met my uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. My parents were very glad to see us.

Alice: Say hello to them. Oh, I quite forgot about Betty! How`s she?

Helen: She`s fine. You know Betty has published her first book, I`ve already read it. Well, it`s very nice for the first time. Now she is writing her second book.

Alice: I think she`ll become a very good and well- known writer. By the way, how`s Mrs. Sandford getting on?

Helen: To tell the truth, she is not well.

Alice: What`s the matter? It`s not the flu, is it?

Helen: Oh, no, it`s a a bad cold! But now she`s better.

Alice:Well, it`s getting late. I`ve got to go home.

Helen:Oh, no, please, don`t go!

Alice: But I`ve really got to go home!

Helen: Come to my place tomorrow for dinner! Will you come?

Alice: Yes, with great pleasure!

Helen: OK. I`ll call you. Bye-bye!

Alice: Say hello to Henry, Mrs. Sandford and Betty.

Helen: I will. Take care. See you tomorrow!

Days and Months; Telling the Time in English

This dialogue is a conversation between Mary Black and her cat.

I’m Mary Black, an eight-year-old girl. That is my cat, Fluffy. I love her so much, that sometimes I wish her to be able to speak. So I often dream that I speak to my cat. This is one of my dreams where I was a teacher and I taught Fluffy to tell the time in English. Now listen to the dialogue.

• Hello, Fluffy! Are you ready for our lesson?

• Hi, Mary! Of course I’m.

• Then let’s begin. Do you know the days of the week?

• Let me see… Well, yes, I know: Saturday, Thursday, Wednesday, Friday and Monday…

• Oh, no, Fluffy! You are not quite right. There are seven days of the week. If it is difficult for you to remember all of them, please, learn the rhyme about Solomon Grundy. Listen to me:

Solomon Grundy

Born on Monday,

Christened on Tuesday,

Married on Wednesday,