Unit 5 Countries & Places/ What’s life like there?

1. Unit 5 Countries & Places/ What’s life like there? Before you listen

2. 2. Listen and understand (Track 38)

3. Track 38 Audio script 1. A: Are houses expensive in your country? B: Yes, they are. For example, a three-bedroom house costs over $500,000. A: Wow! That is expensive! B: Isn’t it? So most people don’t buy one. They usually just rent. And actually, more people live in apartments. A: Really? That’s interesting. So what about you? Do you live in a house or an apartment? B: My family lives in an apartment, but we actually own it.

4. 2. A: Do children learn English at school in your country? B: Oh, definitely. Kids start learning English at the age of seven. In high school, students also have to learn another foreign language. Usually Spanish or French. A: What about Asian languages? B: Oh, yeah, they’re becoming more popular these days. 3. A: Do you have big families in your country? B: Most families are quite small, with two or three children. But often the grandparents also live with the family. A: I see. How does that work out? B: Fine. Both parents usually work, so the grandparents look after the young children.

5. 4. A: Is traffic a problem in your country? B: Yes, most people drive cars so the roads are crowded. The public transportation system isn’t very good. A: Isn’t there a subway system? B: No. And the public buses are pretty bad. A: So what about children? How do they get to school? B: Oh, we have school buses. 5. A: What do people in your country do to relax? B: Well, they play sports. Or they go to the beach or go hiking. A: Uh-huh. And what do older people do? B: Well, gardening is popular with older people. A: Oh? And what about children? B: Well, they’re like kids everywhere. They like watching TV, playing computer games, and going to the mall.

6. 3. Listen and understand (Track 39)

7. 3. Listen and understand (Track 39)

8. Unit 6 Appearances/ How tall are you? Before you listen

9. 2. Listen and understand (CD2 Track 02)

10. Track 02, CD2 Audio script 1. Let’s welcome contestant number one, David from Hawaii. David is 19 years old and is a university student. He is majoring in marketing and enjoys climbing and surfing. He’s a first-time model, although all his brothers are in the business. Now, as you can see, David is quite tall. He is in fact 1.9 meters tall. Thank you very much, David. 2. And now please welcome contestant number two, Andrew. Los Angeles–born Andrew is a nurse in a public hospital and works part time as a sportswear model. In his free time he enjoys sports, weightlifting, and music. Andrew comes from a family of seven and, at 25, is our oldest contestant. He is also one of the tallest, at 1.85 meters tall. Thank you, Andrew. Fantastic.

11. 3. Our third contestant today is Justin. Born in Toronto, Canada, Justin now lives in Vancouver. Justin is our youngest contestant here today. Just 17 and still a high school student, Justin has never modeled before, but he’s doing a great job. He speaks three languages and is active in drama and music. Justin is 1.8 meters tall. Justin, Thanks very much. 4. Now please welcome contestant number four, Steven, a 19-year-old sales assistant from Paris. He has a wonderful smile, doesn’t he, ladies and gentlemen? Steven works in a department store and is 1.75 meters tall. He has been working as a part-time model for over a year now. Thank you, Steven.

12. 5. And here’s our next contestant, Ben from Miami. Please welcome Ben, ladies and gentlemen. Ben is 22 years old, and works as an aerobics instructor. He must be very fit, I’m sure. Ben is 1.75 meters tall. He loves movies, baseball, and athletics, and is hoping to be a TV sportscaster. Last summer he worked as a model in several countries in Europe. Thank you, Ben.

13. Unit 6 Appearances/ How do I look? Before you listen

14. 2. Listen and understand CD2 Track 07

15. Track 07, CD2 Audio script 1. A: Stacy’s eyes are amazing, aren’t they? B: Yes, I noticed them as soon as I saw her. They are such a beautiful deep blue color. I thought she was wearing colored contact lenses at first. A: Yeah, so did I. B: It’s hard to believe they’re real. You can’t help noticing them. A: Yes, especially when she looks you right in the eye. 2. A: They are the first thing you notice about Kenta, aren’t they?

16. B: Yes, they’re quite large, but rather elegant too, I think. A: Yes, he must lift heavy things because they’re really rough and the skin looks very dry. B: Maybe he works with his hands a lot? I noticed he had very long fingers too. I wonder if he plays the piano. A: Hmm. You know, I think he does … yeah, now I remember. His mom is a piano teacher, and he told me he’s been playing since he was a kid. 3. A: Gosh, what is Elizabeth wearing? She looks awful today! B: She does, doesn’t she? It’s a pity. She’s so nice and quite pretty too, but she just isn’t careful about the things she wears. The first time I met her I noticed she was wearing a very old jacket and it didn’t match her dress. And her shoes looked old too and not very clean.

17. A: Maybe she thinks appearances are not that important—it’s what you’re like inside that’s important. B: Maybe, but sorry. I just don’t get it! 4. A: Wow. Gina looks fabulous! B: Doesn’t she? Much better, in my opinion. Remember how she used to have it? It looked so long and old-fashioned. I remember when I first met her. I thought she was so much older. A: Me too! Well, she definitely looks much better now that it’s short. Do you think she had it done professionally? B: I’m not sure. But she obviously takes very good care of it. A: Yeah, it looks great.

18. 5. A: That must be Wen-ping’s new boyfriend. B: Wow. He’s got a pretty great body. A: He does, doesn’t he? B: He must spend a lot of time at the gym. Look at those arms! A: Yeah. I heard he goes every day. B: Really? Every day? I guess any guy would have a body like that if they worked out that much. A: I guess. But he’s really good-looking too. You know what? He looks kind of familiar. I wonder if he does any modeling.

19. Unit 7 Sports/ Do you like sports? Vocabulary

20. 1. Before you listen

21. 2. Listen and understand (CD2 Track 11)

22. CD2 Track 11 audio scrip 1. A: Do you play a lot of sports? How often do you play? B: I play tennis about three or four times a week, usually after I finish classes. I play doubles with a friend from school. A: Do you prefer playing doubles? B: I prefer playing singles, actually. It’s better exercise. You have to run more and a lot faster, too. 2. A: Do you get much exercise? What do you do to keep fit? B: Well, I play basketball with my kids once a week. I guess it’s not enough, but I haven’t found other sports that I enjoy. A: I see. What about the rest of your family? B: Well, my wife loves aerobics, and she wants me to join her aerobics class. She says it’s good exercise and also a lot of fun, but I really don’t think so.

23. 3. A: Do you work out at all? B: I used to go to the school gym, but I found it really boring after a while. I prefer doing something that is more social. A: So what do you do? B: I belong to a volleyball club at school and we play together twice a week. I love it, and I’ve made several new friends that way.

24. 4. A: How do you keep fit? Do you play any sports? B: Unlike my kids, I don’t play any sports, but I do a lot of walking and ride my bike a lot. There are plenty of places to ride a bicycle near where I live. A: And what about walking? B: Yes, my husband and I both enjoy walking. I find that’s all I have to do to keep fit. 5. A: Do you get much exercise? B: I’m afraid I’m rather lazy—I don’t get as much exercise as I should. My dad keeps telling me that I should go to the gym or go for long walks, but I never seem to find the time. A: I know what you mean. B: I’m always so busy with my school work. I guess that’s why I started putting on weight. I really have to do something about it.

25. Unit 7 Sports/ What do you think of boxing on TV? 1. Before you listen

26. 2. Listen and understand CD2 Track 15

27. CD2 Track 15 audio scrip A: Good morning and welcome to “Sports Forum,” where we answer your questions about the world of sports. Just text-message your questions, and we’ll do our best to answer them. But first, let’s meet our two sports experts, Tina and Justin. Welcome! B, C: Thank you, Eric. It’s great to be here. A: OK. Let’s go straight to our questions. Here’s our first for the day and it comes from Sports-fan. “How old was Michelle Wie when she turned pro? I say 15, but my friend says she was 16 years old. Who’s correct?” Thanks for your question, Sports-fan.

28. B: I can take this one, Eric. Michelle Wie was 15 years old when she turned pro, but your friend wasn’t too far off. She turned pro six days before her sixteenth birthday. A: Great. Thanks, Tina. Now let’s look at our second question. It’s from Max and he writes: “Do you agree that sports celebrities should get paid a lot of money?” Do you want to take this one, Justin? C: Sure. Well, you know I really love sports, but personally, I don’t agree. It’s ridiculous how much some of these sports celebrities get paid! I think doctors and scientists should get more money. They do more important work, after all. A: Hmm. That’s interesting, Justin. Thanks. Let’s see ... Our next question is, “What do you think of boxing on TV? I think it should be banned.” Tina?

29. B: Oh, definitely. Um ... who is this from? A: Oh, sorry. It’s from Sporty in Chicago. B: Absolutely, Sporty. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a dangerous sport and should be banned. It’s too violent to show on TV, especially for kids. A: Thanks, Tina. OK, here’s our next question and it comes from Daiki in LA. He wants to know which player has had the most hits in one season in Major League Baseball. Well, Justin …? C: That’s a great question, Daiki. And you’ll be surprised to know that it’s not an American player but a Japanese one! In 2004, Ichiro Suzuki set the single-season record with 262 hits while playing for the Seattle Mariners. And what’s even more amazing is that this record had not been broken in 84 years! That’s just incredible! He also holds the record in Japan for the most hits in one season. What can I say … he’s just an amazing player! I’m sure he’ll break more records if he continues to play. A: Great answer as usual, Justin. Now let’s …

30. 3. Listen and understand (CD2 Track 16)

31. Unit 8 The Home/ Where do you live? Vocabulary

32. 1. Before you listen

33. 2. Listen and understand CD2 Track 19

34. CD2 Track 19 audio scrip 1. A: Look at this one. It sounds quite good. It’s a three-bedroom house near the university. It’s near a bus stop and not far from a public school. B: It sounds perfect. A: The only thing is in the photos it looks very old and looks like it needs some repairs. Do you want to take a look? 2. A: The guy who showed it to me says it’s great for a student like me. I liked the look of the place, too—it has nice furniture and it’s just been painted. B: What about the bedroom? A: The bedroom is quite big, and there’s parking downstairs. The problem is the owner is asking $1,000 a month, which is more than I can pay. I need something around $800 a month.

35. 3. A: I need a bigger one with more room to move around in. It’s very small. B: It is? A: Yes, and it doesn’t have an oven, and the refrigerator is tiny. I can’t really cook anything in there, and you know how much I love to have people over. B: Gosh, that’s very inconvenient. 4. A: It’s quite a nice area to live in. I really like it. B: You do? A: Yeah. There are some stores just down the street and a few good restaurants. It’s a very old part of the city so there’re some really interesting old buildings, too. B: I see. A: The only thing I don’t like is the noise. It’s near a big high school.

36. 5. A: It’s a really nice place to live. It’s big. It has four bedrooms and a nice big yard. It also has a large living room and a good-sized kitchen. B: That sounds great! It’s really difficult to find a place reasonably priced these days. A: Yeah. And it’s in pretty good condition, too. The only thing is it’s a long way from my office. It takes me two hours to get into work! B: It does?

37. 5. After you listen

38. Unit 8 The Home/ What a fantastic home! 1. Before you listen 2. Listen and understand CD2 Track 24

39. 2. Listen and understand CD2 Track 24

40. CD2 Track 24 audio script 1. A: So what kind of house do you live in, Jia-hong? B: Actually, I live on a houseboat. Quite a few people do here in Hong Kong. A: That sounds cool. What’s it like to live on a houseboat? B: Oh, it’s fun and it’s much cheaper than living in an apartment. Plus, it’s big enough for our family. A: Oh, really? How many rooms are there? B: Um … there’re two bedrooms and a living area. A: I see. And do you have all your meals on the houseboat? B: Yeah, pretty much. We have a small kitchen at the front of the boat. A: Does the boat always stay in the same place? B: Yeah, it usually does. Of course we could move it, but we normally keep it in the same place.

41. 2. A: Where do you live, Mark? B: I actually live in a trailer. A: Really? B: Yeah, but it’s quite a special trailer. It’s 30 meters long and it has three bedrooms, a big kitchen, a TV room, and a small gym. A: That’s amazing! I’ve never heard of a trailer like that. B: Yeah, well, you see, my dad is a musician. He’s in a famous rock band, actually, and he tours a lot. So instead of paying for hotels and moving all the time, we just live in our trailer. It’s much cheaper that way. A: Wow! That sounds so cool. And what city will you be in next? B: We’re in Chicago for a big concert next week.

42. 3. A: What’s unusual about your house, Susan? B: Well, I live in an earth-sheltered house. A: Earth-sheltered? What do you mean? B: Well, basically, most of my house is under the ground. But we didn’t dig a big hole in the ground, if that’s what you’re thinking. The house is built into the side of a hill, so it’s quite comfortable. A: But what about light? If you’re under the ground, isn’t the house always dark? B: No. One side of the house is all glass so we actually get a lot of sunlight and save energy as well. A: That’s terrific.

43. 3. Listen and understand CD2 Tack 25

44. Unit 9 Animals/ What an amazing animal! 1. Before you listen

45. 2. Listen and understand CD2 Track 28

46. CD2 Track 28 audio script Story 1 A: We have a caller with an interesting story. Go ahead, please. B: Hi, my name is Irene, and I read this true story on the Internet. A family was going overseas on vacation and left their pet cat with the grandparents. The grandparents lived in another city a thousand kilometers away. A: And where did this happen? B: Oh, it was in Australia. A: Australia. OK. So what happened? B: Well, the cat escaped from the grandparents’ house soon after the family left the country. No one could find it anywhere. So when the family came back two months later, they were very sad to hear about the cat. Then one day about a year later, they heard the sound of a cat in their yard. A: Did you say a year later?

47. B: That’s right. It turned out to be their cat! The poor thing walked a thousand kilometers crossing the desert to find them. It was in awful condition, but it was their cat. A: That’s amazing! But how were they sure it was their cat? B: It was still wearing a tag with its name on it. Story 2 A: Here’s our next caller. Hello? What’s your name, please? B: My name is Jun-hong. A: And what story do you have, Jun-hong? B: I read a story in the paper this week about a dog in Nairobi that saved a baby’s life. A: Nairobi. That’s in Kenya, isn’t it? B: That’s right. Well, I guess someone left a newborn baby in a parking lot near a supermarket.

48. A: Do you know why it was left there? B: No, I don’t. But a wild dog found the baby and carried it back to an old building nearby. The dog itself had some young puppies. A: So how did anyone find the baby? B: Someone heard the baby crying and went to look. They were very surprised to find the dog looking after the baby, just like it did for its puppies. A: And was the baby OK? B: Yes, it was fine. A local family took the baby in. And the dog is now a hero in that neighborhood.

49. Unit 9 Animals/ I didn’t know animals could do that 1. Before you listen

50. 2. Listen and understand CD2 Track 32