Short Conversations

11.       
M: How many people speak English as their native tongue?
W: Roughly I imagine about two hundred and fifty million in the United States and two hundred million in the British Commonwealth.
Q: How many people are believed to be native speakers of English?

12.       
M: I'm still hungry, mother. I want the chocolate cake that I saw on the menu.
W: But your weight is already a regular problem. Eat something that won't make you fatter.
Q: What is the mother worried about?

13.       
W: Look here, Peter. The Nile is longer than the Mississippi.
M: Maybe. But the Nile doesn't have as much river traffic.
Q: What are the man and woman probably doing?

14.       
W: I think we should do more to expand our business still further.
M: No, to go back to what I was saying earlier, we really need to think again before making the decision.
Q: What does the man think of the woman's suggestion?

15.       
M: Dr. Hanson wants to redecorate the patient's waiting room. He asked me to do some research to find out what colors would be best.
W: That sounds like quite a job. How did you research something like that?
Q: What is the woman's opinion of the research work?

16.       
W: Show me that sentence you were talking about. What page is it on?
M: It's near the end of the book, on the next to last page. Right here, in this middle para­graph.
Q: Which page was the man talking about?

17.       
M: Now, Mrs. Thorpe, can you remember what the pickpocket looked like?
W: I'll never forget him. It's disgraceful, picking on elderly people like me.
Q: What happened to the woman?

18.       
W: Do we have enough time for the 7:30 train if we get off right away?
M: No, it's too late. It's impossible for us to get to the station in 20 minutes.
Q: What time is it now?

Long Conversations 1

WOMAN:  
Dad!

MAN:         
Yes? What's the matter?

WOMAN:  
I'm wondering if I should buy a pair of tennis shoes. I'm going to join the tennis club in school.

MAN:         
Why not? It's good that you finally play sports.

WOMAN:   
But I'd like to have Adidas.

MAN:          
Adidas? It's expensive. It's for the Chicago Bulls!

WOMAN:   
No. All the guys in the school tennis team are wearing Adidas, boys, as well as girls...

MAN:          
But none of us has ever had Adidas and we used to play quite OK.

WOMAN:    
Here, Dad, is an ad about Adidas. Can I read it to you?

MAN:           
Go ahead.

WOMAN:   
Over forty years ago, Adidas gave birth to a new idea in sports shoes. And the people who wear our shoes have been running and winning ever since. In fact, Adidas has helped them set over 400 world records in track and field alone.

MAN:           
Nonsense! The players have to go through a lot of hard training and practice. It's nothing to do with the shoes. They may be comfortable, but...

WOMAN:   
You're right, Dad. The ad goes on to say "You are born to run. And we were born to HELP YOU DO IT BETTER."

MAN:          
Hmm. It may be good for running, but you don't run.

WOMAN:   
Listen. "... Maybe that's why more and more football, soccer, basketball and tennis," see? TENNIS players are turning to Adidas. They know that, whatever their game, they can rely on Adidas workmanship and quality in every product we make.

MAN:          
OK, OK, dear, I know Adidas is good. But how much is a pair of your size?

WOMAN:   
You don't have to worry about that, Dad. I've saved some money since last Christmas. I just want to hear your opinion.

MAN:           
That's good. I have been wanting to have a pair of Adidas sneakers myself.
 
Q19. What does her father think about Adidas shoes?
Q20. Which of the following is NOT mentioned by the father?
Q21. Why does the father object to Joyce's idea of buying Adidas?