Sunday,April23,2006

Lesson8:Askingaboutwayandaddress
X:Excuseme
Y:Yes,CanIhelpyou?

X:CanyoutellmehowdoIgettothisaddress?
Y:Letmeseeit.Ok,getbusnumber13fromthenextstopandgetoffthebusat
CapitalPetrolPump.Thereyoucanaskanybodyandtheywilltellyoutheexact
location.
X:HowfarwillIhavetowalkdownaftergettingoffthebus
Y:It'sjustafewsteps.Infact,youwillseethebillboardontheroaditself
X:Thanksalotforyourhelp
Y:That'sfine

X:Whichisthenextstop?
Y:ThebuswillstopatKhanMarketnow
X:ActuallyIamnewtothecity
Y:Noproblem
X:CanyoujusttellmehowfarthisbusgoesandwillittakemetotheGandhi
Market
Y:Ithinkitgoesthatfarandevenoutsidethecapital.Butyoubettercrosscheck
withtheconductor

X:DoesthetaxigotoJawaharChowk
Y:Iamafraidthetaxisdon'tgothatway

(Theabovelessonisaboutgeneralconversationwhenyouasksomeoneabout
showingtheway,askingaboutthebusstopduringtravellinginacity.Restyou
candoitjustbeconfident)

Wednesday,March22,2006
Financialmatters:Borrowingandlending
Lesson6:BorrowingandLendingmoney/Financialtransaction

1.CanyouyoulendmeRs500(Kyatummujhepanchsaurupayedesakteho?)
2.Sure,whynot
1.ActuallyIdesperatelyneedthemoney
2.Iunderstandbuthowlongwillyoutaketoreturn
1.Inaweek.LetmysalarycomeandthefirstthingIwilldoistoreturnyour
money

Didyougetthemoney?
YesRajeshgaveme.

Salim,CanyoulendmeRs100
Thelasttimeyouborrowedmoneyfromme,youtookayeartoreturn
ItisjustaquestionofRs100
OK,ButIdon'thavechange.
YougivemeRs500.Iwillreturnall
Whatajoke.FirstbringthechangeandthentakeRs100.
[Abovearefewsentencesonhowtoborrow/lendmoney]

Friday,August03,2007
Lesson27:Carrepairconversation
X:Mycarwon'tstart.
Y:Pressthestarterbutton.

X:NothinghappenswhenIpressthestarter.
Y:Thenyourbatteryisdead.

X:Couldyouhelpmeforamoment,please?
Y:WhatcanIdoforyou?

X:Couldyoulookovermyradiator?
Y:I'llcheckitafterIhelpthatotherman.

X:What'syourbrotherdoing?
Y:He'sfixingthemotorofthecar.

X:Couldyoulookovermycar?
Y:What'sthematter?

X:WellIdon'tknow.
Y:Icanlookatitnowifyoucanwait.

X:Couldyouchangethelefttyre,please?Itisflat
Y:Certainly.Doyouwantustofixittoo?
X:Wouldyouplease?
Y:We'llhaveitreadyforyoutomorrowmorning.

Friday,May30,2008
Lesson79:Ladiestalkaboutanewcuisine
Justlikeourpastlessons,thisonedealswithadifferentsituation.Heretwoladies
aretalkingaboutcooking.Withthissimplelessonyoumaygetafairideaabout
theinformalconversationamongpeopleandthiswilladdtoyourexperience.

Rebecca:HelloMary,howareyoudoing?
Mary:Iamfine,youtellaboutyourself.

Rebecca:ActuallyIneedsomehelpfromyouifyoudon'tmind.
Mary:Oh!sureitwouldbemypleasure.Tell.

Rebecca:Couldyoutellmeforhowlongdidyoubakethechickenroastyoumade
thatday?
Mary:Ibakeditfor30minutesat300degrees

Rebecca:Ittastedverynice.
Mary:It'saverysimpledish.

Rebecca:Canyoupleasetellmeindetailofhowyoumadeit.
Mary:Marinatethechickenwithgingergarlicpaste,salt,pepperpowder&lemon
andkeepfor2hours.

Rebecca:That'sallyouneedformarianade.Thatsoundsverysimple.
Mary:Yeah,andthenbakeitinovenforhalfanhour.

RebeccaIwouldsurelytryoutthisone.
Mary:Iamsureyouwillmakeitwell.goodluck.
Rebecca:Thankyou.

Wednesday,January30,2008
Lesson60:Askingquestions&replyinginEnglish
Bob:HiDavid.
David:HelloBob.

Bob:Whyareyouupset.
David:Becauseofthisbikeofmine.
Bob:Howdidyougetthatpunctureinyourtyre.
David:IthinkIrodeoverglasssomewhere.

Bob:Whatnext?
David:Ihavealongwaytogo.

Bob:Idon'tthinkthereisanymechanichere
David:CanIleaveithere,atyourhouse.

Bob:Sure.Youjustparkitinside.
David:TomorrowI'llgetsomemechanicandtakeit.

Bob:Absolutelynoproblem.I'lltakecareofit.
David:Imustthankyoudear.Seeyoutomorrow

Tuesday,January22,2008
Lesson58:GeneralconversationinEnglish
Keith:Whydon'tyougoandmeethimathishouse?
Tim:ActuallyIdon'thaveavehiclerightnow.

Keith:Isthisthereason?Don'tlie.
Tim:Ok,soyouknow,Idon'tliketo.

Keith:Ok...thenwhydon'tyougotothewedding.
Tim:I'mnotinvited

Keith:hmm...butdon'tbesodull.
Tim:Iamperfectlyok.

Keith:Socanyoucomewithmetothemarket?
Tim:Iamaloneanddon'twanttoleavethehouse.

Keith:Doyoumindopeningthewindows?
Tim:Iwouldbegladto.

Keith:Ok,wearenotgoinganywhere.Let'swatchTV.
Tim:That'sabetteridea.

Saturday,August02,2008
Lesson87:Mockdiscussionoverpolitics[SpokenEnglishPractice]
[Studentsofmanagement,especiallythoseappearingforMBAandotherentrance
examinationsareoftenshyoffacingthegroupdiscussions(GDs).Thefactisthat
theyarenotsotough.Onejusthastobealittleimaginative.

Ifyouhaveviews,youwilldefinitelyexcel.Hereisjustasampleconversationin
English.IfyourmothertongueisnotEnglish,youdon'tneedtoworry,justwork
hardandsuchconversationswillhopefullygiveyouanidea,howtotacklethe
situation.Justdon'tlooseyourcoolandmakearesolvethatyouwillappearinthe
competitiveexamwithfullconfidenceandgetthroughthevariousstages
includingGDs.BestofLuck.]

X:Whatisyoursayaboutthepresentpoliticians?
Y:Ijustdon'ttrustanypoliticianfromanypoliticalpartyandfeelallofthemare
selfcenteredandnoneofthemhaveanyconcernforthecountry.

X:Don'tgeneralizeit.Surelyfewofthemarelikethatbutnotall.Thereareall
kindsofpeopleinallprofessions.
Y:Butthesedayspoliticshasbecomeverydirty.Everybodyisrunningafter
powerandmoney.

X:Ithasalwaysbeenlikethis.Inoldendayseven,kingsusedtodothesame
things.Nowtheonlydifferenceisduetotheelectronicandprintmediathingsget
publicized,whichwasnotthecaseearlier.
Y:Butthekingsofthosedays,weresinceretowardstheirnationandtheirpeople
butthepoliticianscanstoopdowntoanylevelfortheirpersonalbenefit.

X:AgainIdisagreewithyou,thatisnotthecasewithallthepoliticians.
Y:ToanextentIagreebutIfeelthestandardsofpoliticshavegonedowntoo
muchandonecan'thavefaithintheleadersofourtimes.

X:Therewerekingswhomassacredtheirownpeopleandwereunconcerned
abouttheirsubjects.Atleastnowthepoliticiansknowthattheyhavetoface
electionandtheyhavetodosomething.
Y:Ah,anendlessdebate.Butyoudohaveapoint.

Sunday,August12,2007
Lesson31:TalkingaboutweatherinEnglish
X:Itwasquitequitehot,wasn'tit?
Y:Ya,itwashotyesterday.
X:Thoughttodayitisquitechilly.
Y:Iamgoingtoputonajacket.

X:Itwasquitedampyesterday.Todayitisquitewarm.
Y:It'sbetterthanyesterday.
X:Yait'shotterthanyesterday.

X:Whatastickyweatherthisis!
Y:Iwonderwhattheweatherisgoingtobeliketobetomorrow.

X:It'saniceday,isn'tit?
Y:Yes,it'swarmandsunny,forachange.

X:Whatacloudyweather!
Y:Andwindytoo.
X:Idon'tmindthewind.Butyesitacoolestdayinalogtime.

Y:Weneedsomeraintomakethingsgreen.
X:Ya,agoodrainwouldcoolthingsoffalittle.

Monday,April06,2009
Lesson106:Talkingontelephone[SpokenEnglishMockLessons]
X:Hello,canIspeaktoRebeccaplease?
Y:Justamomentplease.I'llseeifshe'sin.

X:It'surgent.
Y:I'msorrysheisout.Wouldyouliketoleaveamessage?

X:CanIhavehercellphonenumber?
Y:Sure.It'sninetwoonesevenseven....

X:Ididn'tquitecatchthenumber.Couldyousayitagainplease.
X:Noproblem.HereIrepeat.
Y:Thanks

[Whenthepersonispresent.
X:CanIspeaktoRebecca
Y:Letmeseeifshe'saround.Willyouholdon?

X:Sure...I'mwaiting
Y:Sheisincanteen.I'lljustgether.
X:Thankyousomuch]

Sunday,July13,2008
Lesson84:Colleaguesdiscussworkplacetension
That'squiteanormalsituation.Wheneveranewguytakesover,thesubordinates
feelabituneasy.Somefeelthattheyareinthefiringline.Thestaffattheoffice
discussesthelikesanddislikesoftheboss.Thelessonisjustaboutthat:

James:Whatswrongwithyou,thesedaysyoulookupset?
Kevin:No,IamnotupsetbutIamquitetensethesedays

James:Why?Isthereanyproblem?
Kevin:Asyouknowthereissomuchpressureintheoffice.

James:Ofcourse,thereisabitofpressurebutonehastodealwithit
Kevin:Theboss,Ireallydontlikehisattitude.

James:Ifeelheisnewsoheistryingtobeoverenthusiasticaboutwork
Kevin:Maybeyouarerightbutheistoodemanding.

James:Hehasalsotoprovehimself
Kevin:...butinhisenthusiasmhegivesussuchtargetsthatarenearlyimpossibleto
achieve

James:Hashetargetedyou?Idontthinkso.Hisstyleis.Iacceptdifferent
fromtheearlierboss.butheistoughtoeveryone,notjustyou
Kevin:Iagree.Sowhatsyoursuggestion?

James:Dontworry.Itsatemporaryphase.Aftersometimeitwillbebackto
normalsituationelseallofuscanhaveatalkwithhim,politely.
Kevin:Thanks.Ifeellighterafterthistalk.

Friday,March07,2008
Lesson66:FacingInterviewinEnglish:HowtofaceinterviewPart1
MayIcomein,Sir/Sirs*

Yesyoumaycomein,MrHarrison.

GoodMorningSirs
Verygoodmorning.Pleasesitdown.

Soyouhaveappliedforalltheposts.

NoSir,IaminterestedinthepostofTechnicalAssistant.

OhIsee.CanIhavealookatyourCV.

Suresir.It'shere.

YourdidwellinArts.Whydidyouswitchtoscience.

Ididwellinarts,Sir,buttheinterestwasonlyuptilltheschoollevel.

Soyoulostinterestsuddenly?

It'snotthat,pleaseletmeexplain.

Ya,goahead.

Ididwellbecauseofmycommandoverlanguageandlikedtoreadhistorical
accountsasstories,butIfeltIdidn'thavethekindofinterestthatisrequiredfor
higherstudiesinthesubjects.

Isee.SoyoudecidedtojoinPolytechnic.

Sir,IappearedintheStateTestandearnedaseatintheinstitute.

WhichCityyoulikethemost?

Myhometown,Madrid.

Doyougothereregularly?

QuiteoftenSir.

Incaseofjob,howwillyoumanage.Won'ttheorganisationsufferbecauseof
frequentleaves?

Sir,evenasastudentIwentjustforaweek,twiceayear,onceinChristmasand
theotheroccasionismyparents'marriageanniversarythatfallsinJuly.Ithink
thismuchvacationanemployeeisentitledtoget.

Well,wearequiteliberal.Andyouwillgetanentiremonthofleaveeveryyearin
December.
That'sagoodpolicySir.

Ithinkyouhavepresentedyourselffairlywellintheinterview.
Sir,mayIexpectafavourableresponse.

Ithinkyoushould.
ThanksalotSir.

[*Whenmorethanonepersonisintheroomforinterview,addressthem
collectivelyasSirs,andnotsayGoodmorningtoeverybodyaftertheother,as
somefoolsdo]