1.4. Unit Four. Conversation “I want to talk to you…”

Phase A. Conversation

Fred Collins is a bus driver. He had an accident yesterday. He’s talking to the manager of the bus company now.

Manager: I want to talk to you, Collins.

Fred: Is it... is it about the accident yesterday?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid it is. Your third accident this month. You ran into a police car.

Fred: No, I didn’t. It ran into me. It wasn’t my fault!

Manager: Yes, it was. Let’s face it, Collins. You aren’t a good driver.

Fred: Yes, I am. I drive very well!

Manager: You don’t do anything very well, Collins. In fact, you do everything very badly.

Fred: Now, just a minute.

Manager: You don’t even work very hard.

Fred: Yes, I do! I work as hard as the others do!

Manager: You drive very dangerously!

Fred: No, I don’t. I don’t drive as dangerously as some of the drivers do! In fact, I’m not dangerous at all!

Manager: For once you’re right, Collins. You aren’t dangerous. Not any more, at least.

Fred: What do you mean?

Manager: You don’t work for us any more. You’re sacked!

Phase B. Pronunciation and Intonation

Do you remember what Fred said when the manager said all those bad things about him? Listen and repeat Fred’s words.

Manager: You ran into a police car.

Fred: No, I didn’t. //

Manager: You aren’t a good driver.

Fred: Yes, I am! //

Remember this intonation. Repeat again!

Fred: Yes, I am! // No, I didn’t. //

Also... remember this. Fred pronounced the word “as” this way. Repeat.

Fred: ‘s (weak, neutral vowel) // ‘s hard ‘s //

The word “s” came twice in one sentence. Remember? And it was always pronounced “s”. Repeat Fred’s words again.

Manager: You don’t even work very hard.

Fred: Yes, I do! // I work ‘s hard ‘s the others do! // ‘s hard ‘s // work ‘s hard ‘s // I work ‘s hard ‘s // the others do // i work ‘s hard ‘s the others do //

Phase C. Repetition

Now repeat only Fred’s part... only Fred’s part.

Manager: I want to talk to you, Collins.

Fred: Is it... is it about the accident yesterday? //

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid it is. Your third accident this week. You ran into a police car.

Fred: No, I didn’t. // It ran into me. // It wasn’t my fault. //

Manager: Yes, it was. Let’s face it, Collins. You aren’t a good driver.

Fred: Yes, I am. // I drive very well. //

Manager: You don’t do anything very well, Collins. In fact, you do everything very badly.

Fred: Now, just a minute. //

Manager: You don’t even work very hard.

Fred: Yes, I do! // I work as hard as the others do! //

Manager: And you drive very dangerously!

Fred: No, I don’t. // I don’t drive as dangerously as some of the drivers do! // In fact, I’m not dangerous at all! //

Manager: For once you’re right, Collins. You aren’t dangerous. Not any more, at least.

Fred: What do you mean? //

Manager: You don’t work for us any more. You’re sacked!

Phase D. Fluency Practice

The manager is talking to the colleague. Listen to the colleague’s replies.

Manager: Fred isn’t a dangerous driver.

Yes, he is. He drives very dangerously.

Manager: Fred isn’t a careful worker.

Yes, he is. He works very carefully.

Now you answer the manager.

Are you ready?

Manager: One. Fred isn’t a dangerous driver.

Yes, he is. He drives very dangerously.

Manager: Two. Fred isn’t a careful worker.

Yes, he is. He works very carefully.

Manager: Three. Fred is a slow driver.

Yes, he is. He drives very slowly.

Manager: Four. Fred isn’t a good driver.

Yes, he is. He drives very well.

Manager: Five. Fred isn’t a careless worker.

Yes, he is. He works very carelessly.

Manager: Six Fred isn’t a fast driver.

Yes, he is. He drives very fast

Manager: Seven. Fred isn’t a hard worker.

Yes, he is. He works very hard.

DRILL 2

Do you remember this? The manager said it.

Manager: You do everything very badly.

Listen to some more sentences like that... and notice where you put words like “badly” and where we put words like “everything”. Listen.

You do everything very badly.

You do everything very badly.

did

You did everything very badly.

the test

You did the test very badly.

quickly

You did the test very quickly.

Now you do it. Are you ready?

Manager: You do everything very badly.

did

You did everything very badly.

that job

You did that job very badly.

very well

You did that job very well.

the homework

You did the homework very well.

very carelessly

You did the homework very carelessly.

very quickly

You did the homework very quickly.

DRILL 3

Remember this.

Manager: You don’t even work very hard!

Fred: I work as hard as the others do.

Make sentences like Fred’s. Remember, always say

Fred: ‘s

Now you do it. Are you ready?

You don’t even work very hard.

I work as hard as the others do.

You don’t even drive carefully.

I drive as carefully as the others do.

You don’t even cook well.

Icook as well as the others do.

You don’t even do the homework carefully.

I do the homework as carefully as the others do.

You don’t even speakclearly.

I speak as clealy as the others do.

You don’t even work fast.

I work as fast as the others do.

DRILL 4

Do you remember this part of the conversation? Listen especially to the Manager’s reply.

Fred: Is it about the accident yesterday?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid it is.

Did you notice the intonation? Listen to some more examples.

Fred: Is it about the accident yesterday?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid it is.

Fred: Was the accident my fault?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid it was.

Now you take the manager’s part and change the two last words as necessary. Remember to make your voice go up and down.

Fred: Is it about the accident yesterday?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid it is.

Fred: Was it my fault?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid it was.

Fred: Do I drive dangerously?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid you do.

Fred: Was I careless?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid you were.

Fred: Does the boss want to sack me?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid he does.

Fred: Are you very angry about it?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid I am.

Fred: Did the driver of the other car phone you?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid he did.

Fred: Were the passengers angry?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid they were.

Fred: Must I find another job?

Manager: Yes, I’m afraid you must.

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