1.2. Unit Two. Conversation “ Guildford 56622…”

Phase A. Conversation

Tom’s in Paris. He’s there with some of his students. He’s phoning Susan.

(Phone ringing.)

Susan: Guildford 56622.

Tom: Hello? Susan? This is Tom. I’m phoning from Paris.

Susan: Tom! How are you? What’s Paris like?

Tom: Oh, wonderful. I always have a good time in Paris.

Susan: And are you having a good time now?

Tom: Yes, I am. The hotel’s good, too.

Susan: Oh? Where is it?

Tom: In the Latin quarter. I always stay in the Latin quarter when I’m in Paris.

Susan: I see. So you’re staying in the Latin quarter.

Tom: Yes, that’s right.

Susan: Are you phoning from the hotel now?

Tom: No, I’m not. I’m phoning from the restaurant. I’m with some students. They’re eating dinner.

Susan: What’s the weather like? Is it good? I mean... you say it never rains when you’re in Paris.

Tom: Well, it’s raining now! Is it raining there, too?

Susan: Yes, it is. Well, don’t talk too long, Tom. It’s expensive.

Tom: Yes, it is, isn’t it. Well... good-bye, Susan. See you soon.

Susan: Yes, Tom. Good-bye.

(Both phones hung up.)

Phase B. Pronunciation Practice.

In this conversation there are examples of the weak forms of the words ‘is’, ‘are’, and ‘am’. Did you notice them? Listen and repeat.

Tom: I’m // I’m phoning // I’m phoning from Paris //

That’s the weak form of the word ‘am’. The next is the weak form of the word ‘are’. Tom’s talking about his students. Repeat again.

Tom: They’re // They’re eating // They’re eating dinner //

And then there’s the weak form of ‘is’. Here Tom’s talking about the weather. Do you remember? Repeat again.

Tom: It’s // It’s raining //

Now repeat all three.

Tom: I’m phoning from Paris// They’re eating dinner // It’s raining //

But in simple questions, those words usually have strong pronunciations. Do you remember these examples of ‘are’ and ‘is’ in such simple questions? Repeat again.

Susan: Are // Are you // Are you having // Are you having a good time?//

Tom: Is // Is it // Is it raining // Is it raining there, too?//

Phase C. Repetition

Now repeat Tom’s words; only Tom’s words.

(Phone ringing.)

Susan: Guildford 56622.

Tom: Hello? // Susan? // This is Tom. // I’m phoning from Paris. //

Susan: Tom! How are you? What’s Paris like?

Tom: Oh, wonderful.// I always have a good time in Paris.//

Susan: And are you having a good time now?

Tom: Yes, I am.// The hotel’s good, too.//

Susan: Oh? Where is it?

Tom: In the Latin Quarter.// I always stay in the Latin Quarter // when I’m in Paris.//

Susan: I see. So you’re staying in the Latin quarter.

Tom: Yes, that’s right.//

Susan: Are you phoning from the hotel now?

Tom: No, I’m not.// I’m phoning from the restaurant.// I’m with some of my students.// They’re eating dinner.//

Susan: What’s the weather like? Is it good? I mean... you say it never rains

when you’re in Paris.

Tom: Well, it’s raining now!// Is it raining there, too?//

Susan: Yes, it is. Well, don’t talk too long, Tom. It’s expensive.

Tom: Yes, it is, isn’t it.// Well... good-bye, Susan.// See you soon.//

Susan: Yes, Tom. Good-bye.

Phase D. Fluency Practice

DRILL 1

Repeat what Tom says... what Tom says.

Susan: What’s the weather like? Is it good? I mean, you say it never rains when you’re in Paris.

Tom: Well, it’s raining now.//

Now make more sentences just like that. For example, listen.

Susan: You say your students never have a good time when they’re in Paris.

Tom: Well, they’re having a good time now.

Now you do it. You are Tom and you’re talking to Susan.

One.

Susan: You say your students never have a good time when they’re in Paris.

Tom: Well, they’re having a good time now.

Two.

Susan: Tom! You never phone me when you’re in Paris!

Tom: Well, I’m phoning now.

Three.

Susan: You say your students never speak French at all... even when they’re in Paris.

Tom: Well, they’re speaking French now.

Four.

Susan: I know one of your students... a girl called Mary... and she never speaks French.

Tom: Well, she’s speaking French now.

Five.

Susan: And there’s another student... a strange boy called Harry... he never drinks wine!

Tom: Well, he’s drinking wine now.

Six.

Susan: You know, Tom. I’m sure that you never think of me when you’re away.

Tom: Well, I’m thinking of you now.

DRILL 2

Do you remember this? Listen.

Tom: I always have a good time in Paris.

Susan: And are you having a good time now?

Listen to Susan’s question again and repeat it.

Tom: I always have a good time in Paris.

Susan: And are you having a good time now?//

Now ask more questions like that. Are you ready?

Tom: One. It always rains when I’m in Paris.

Susan: And is it raining now?

Tom: Two. My students always speak French in Paris.

Susan: And are they speaking French now?

Tom: Three. I always stay in the Latin Quarter.

Susan: And are you staying in the Latin Quarter now?

Tom: Four. I always think about Susan when I’m away.

Narrator: And are you thinking about her now?

Tom: Five. Susan’s father and mother always go to bed around this time.

Narrator: And are they going to bed now?

Tom: Six. Susan’s father always listens when she’s on the phone.

Narrator: And is he listening now?

DRILL 3

Now make negative sentences, like this. Listen.

Tom’s phoning from Paris, not from London.

He isn’t phoning from London.

His students are eating dinner, not breakfast.

They aren’t eating breakfast.

Now notice how we pronounce the words “isn’t” and “aren’t”. Repeat those two negative sentences.

isn’t // He isn’t // He isn’t phoning from London //

aren’t // They aren’t // They aren’t eating breakfast //

Now make negative sentences. Are you ready?

One. Tom’s phoning from a restaurant, not from a hotel.

He isn’t phoning from a hotel.

Two. Susan’s listening to him, not to the radio.

She isn’t listening to the radio.

Three. Her parents are talking about her, not about him.

They aren’t talking about him.

Four. Tom’s students are speaking French, not English.

They aren’t speaking English.

Five. They’re drinking wine, not beer.

They aren’t drinking beer.

Six. Tom’s talking to Susan, not to them.

He isn’t talking to them.

DRILL 4 What’s it like?

Do you remember Susan’s questions about the weather? She’s asking him if it’s raining. Listen to what she is saying and how her voice goes up and down.

Susan: What’s the weather like? Is it good?

Now repeat that.

Susan: What’s the weather like? Is it good? //

Now ask Tom if Paris is beautiful. Ask two questions like Susan’s. Are you ready? Ask Tom if Paris is beautiful.

What’s Paris like? Is it beautiful?

Now ask Tom if the food is good.

What’s the food like? Is it good?

Now ask Tom if the restaurant’s expensive.

What’s the restaurant like? Is it expensive?

Now ask Tom if the hotel’s comfortable.

What’s the hotel like? Is it comfortable?

Now ask Tom if the wine’s cheap.

What’s the wine like? Is it cheap?

Now ask Tom if the coffee’s strong.

What’s the coffee like? Is it strong?

And that is the end of this unit. Thank you.