1.M:Areyoureadytoordernow?
W:Yes,I'llhaveroastbeef,Frenchfriedpotatoesandgreenbeans.
2.M:Well,ifIhadbegunstudyingEnglishearlier.
Iwouldn'tbehavingsomuchtroublewithmypronunciation.
W:Oh,Icanunderstandwhyyoufeelthatway.
Q:Whatproblemdoesthemanhave?
3.M:Ican'tmakeupmymindabouttakingtheEnglishexaminthissummer.
W:IwouldbeinclinedtotakeitifIwereyou.
Anyqualificationisusefulthesedays.
Q:What'sthewoman'sopinionabouttheexam?
4:W:CanIdependonyoutopickupthesodaforthepartytonight?
M:Sure.IpromiseI'llpickitup.
Q:Whatdidthewomanaskthemantodo?
5.M:Louise,doyoumindturningofftheover-headlight.
I'vegotabigdaytomorrowandIreallyneedtogetsomesleep.
W:Sorry.I'llturnitoffinasecond.
Q:Whydidthewomansay"sorry"?
6.M:IthoughtwemightgotothenewmovieatthePlayhouseTheater.
W:Fantastic!IreadagoodreviewofitandI'dlovetogo!
7.M:Well,itmightdoyougoodtoquitsmokingoratleastcutdownonit.
W:Alotofpeoplehavetoldmethesamething
butsomehowIjustcan'tforcemyselftodoit.
Q:Whatdoesthewomanthinkoftheman'ssuggestion?
8.W:CouldIpossiblyaskyoutohelpmegetthisrefrigeratorupthesteps?
M:I'dliketo,butI'mafraidIcan't.
Q:Whatcanyouconcludefromtheconversation?
9.M:Whichmodelofthewashingmachineareyouinterestedinpurchasing?
w:I'mnotsure.Imightbuythecheapone.
Ontheotherhand,perhapsI'llbuythedeluxeversion.
10.M:Ah,nowthisisbetter.
Thisishowatomatosoupshouldtaste.
W:Oh,yes.It'sreallydelicious!
Abitbetterthantheonewehadlastweek.
PassageOne
Americanseatbreakfastandlunchquicklyunlessitisasocial
businessorfamilyoccasion.
Theeveningmealisusuallylongerandatimeforfamilytogathertogether.
RushingthroughdaytimemealsispartofthefastpaceinAmerica.
Anotherreasonforrushingthroughdaytimemealsisthatmanypeopleeatinrestaurant
thatareusuallycrowdedwithpeoplewaitingforaplacesothat
theytoocanbeservedandreturntoworkatthepropertime.
Soeachonehurriestomakeroomforthenextperson.
Aswithbusypeopleeverywhere
thereisarealdifferencewithmeals
thatareeateninahurryandthosethatcanbeenjoyedslowlywithfriends.
11.Whattimewouldbetheleastbusytimetoeatinarestaurant?
12.WhatisareasonorhowmanyreasonsarethereforAmericanstorushthroughtheirdaytimemeals?
13.OnwhichoccasiondoAmericanseatbreakfastandlunchquickly?
PassageTwo
Inmanycountriestoday,lawsprotectwildlife.
InIndiatheneedforsuchprotectionwasrealizedcenturiesago.
About300B.C.anIndianwriterdescribedforeststhatweresomewhatlikenationalparkstoday.
Thekillingofgamebeastswascarefullysupervise.
Someanimalswerefullyprotected.
Withintheforest,nobodywasallowedtocuttimber
burnwoodforcharcoal,ortrapanimalsfortheirfurs.
Animalsthatbecamedangeroustohumanvisitorsweretrappedorkilledoutsidethepark.
Sothatotheranimalswouldnotbecomeuneasy.
Theneedforwildlifeprotectionisgreaternowthaneverbefore.
Aboutathousandspeciesofanimalsareindangerofextinction
andtherateatwhichtheyarebeingdestroyedhasincreased.
Withinmammals,forinstance
therateofextinctionisnowaboutonespecieseveryyear.
FromA.D.1to1800,theratewasaboutonespecieseveryfiftyyears.