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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

DailyStep-5_conversation-reminiscing-002_GB-04

Frank: Yes, I had moved on from Franco’s restaurant before the famous

food poisoning incident occurred.

Gill: It was probably a good job for you that you had, otherwise your

reputation could have been ruined as well.

Frank: Well, I was only washing the dishes there - I could hardly have

been held responsible for it. Whose fault was it anyway?

Gill: They never traced the incident back to Franco’s, but after what was

printed in the local newspaper it was only a matter of time before

Franco’s went to the wall.

Frank: He should have sued the newspaper for libel.

Gill: I think he considered it but he just didn’t have the energy. By this

time, he just wanted out of catering game. It seems almost impossible to

believe that all that was over twenty years ago.

Frank: It’s almost frightening. The years certainly have flown by.

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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

Situation: Gill and Frank talk about how the food poisoning incident at Franco’s
restaurant could have easily damaged Frank’s career in catering.
Style: general conversation between friends
.
Functions:
1. Talking about good fortune: It was probably a good job for you that you had,
otherwise your reputation could have been ruined as well. (note: please copy the
tone and emphasis carefully here.)
2. Expressing indignation: I could hardly have been held responsible for it (note:
please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
3. Describing an inevitable course of events: it was only a matter of time before
Franco’s went to the wall. (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully
here.)
4. Giving retrospective advice: He should have sued the newspaper for libel.
5. Emphasising: he just didn’t have the energy (note: please copy the tone and
emphasis carefully here.)
6. Emphasising: The years certainly have flown by. (note: please copy the tone
and emphasis carefully here.)
.
Notes:
1. I had moved on (phrasal verb) from = I had left
2. It was probably a good job (idiom) for you = It was probably fortunate for you
(more formal)
3. reputation = good name
4. could have been ruined = could have been destroyed
5. I could hardly have been held responsible for it (note: this expression ‘I could
hardly have been held responsible’ is used when we are expressing indignation) =
It would not have been fair for people to blame me for it
6. Whose fault was it...? = Who was to blame for it...?
7. They never traced the incident back (phrasal verb) to Franco’s = They never
found evidence that pointed to Franco’s being to blame
8. printed in the local newspaper = written in the local newspaper
9. it was only a matter of time before (idiom) = it was only necessary to wait a little
time before / it was inevitable that
10. went to the wall (idiom) = went bankrupt / went out of business (idiom) / was
forced by circumstances to stop trading
11. He should have sued the newspaper for...= He should have taken the newspaper
to court in order to get compensation for...
12. libel = defamation of character that comes from a printed article. (note: if the
defamation of character was from what somebody said i.e. spoken English rather
than written English, then the defamed person would sue for slander, not libel.
Not many native English speakers know the difference between slander and libel,
and often use them interchangeably.)
13. he considered it = he thought about it
14. he just wanted out of (phrasal verb) = he only wanted to leave
15. the catering game (informal) = the catering business
16. It’s seems almost impossible to believe that all that was over twenty years ago =
It seems like much less than twenty years ago
17. The years certainly have flown by (phrasal verb) = The time has certainly passed
very quickly
.
Audio file name: DailyStep-5_conversation-reminiscing-002_GB-04

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DailyStep English, London, UK. © DailyStep Ltd. www.dailystep.com
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step