Plan B: what you do if you can’t do what you first wanted to do!Spring Audio Dialogues
Mow the Lawn!
He: Well, looks like I won’t be mowing the lawn this afternoon. Let’s go to a movie.
She: whoa, whoa, whoa . . . . What do mean you won’t be mowing the lawn? The grass is growing! It’s spring! It’s Saturday! It’s your JOB to mow the lawn on Saturday in spring!
He: Yeah, yeah yeah, I know, I know. And I love to mow the lawn, I really do. I love the smell of the fresh-cut grass, and I love the cool breeze . . . ..
She: OH PLEASE! fresh-cut grass . . . cool breeze . . . You’re just hoping to hire the kid next door to do it for you!
He: You know me so well . . . . But really, no kidding! I can’t mow the lawn this afternoon. Didn’t you hear the weather report? There’s a chance of rain! Can’t mow the grass in the rain.
She: Hey, you! It’s SPRING. There’s ALWAYS a chance of rain. Get out there and start up the lawnmower.
He: But it’s partly cloudy . . .
She: Partly? PARTLY!? It’s partly cloudy? Well, then, what’s the other part?
He: Umm . . .
She: Exactly. Partly cloudy, so the other part is SUNNY.
He: But, umm . . .
She: Oh. wait . . . .. Great.
He: What?
She: Look out the window. We’ve been talking about the weather for so long that it’s started to drizzle . . . . There goes the lawnmowing . . .
He: YAY! Like I said, Let’s go to a movie!
VOCABULARY
•hire: pay someone to do a job
•partly: not completely
Crazy-ish Plans
He: Hey, do you feel like going to a movie tonight?
She: Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. What time were you thinking?
He: I don’t know . . . How does 5-ish sound? We can have something to eat before we go.
She: Well, 5-ish sounds okay to me. But can we finish eating before the movie starts?
He: Sure! We should be finished with dinner . . . oh, 7-ish.
She: Okay, but, um, what time is the movie?
He: Well, I didn’t actually check the time, but it’s probably around 8-ish. I think.
She: Oh boy. This whole idea is starting to sound a little crazy-ish. I think I’ll skip the movie and color my hair tonight instead.
He: WHAT?! You color your hair???? But it looks so . . . so . . . so natural. –ish.
She: Oh very funny. Maybe I’ll really go crazy and pick a new color. I’m tired of being a brunette. I’m thinking blonde! A nice, warm champagne blonde.
He: Ooooh. That sounds TERRIBLE.
She: WHAT? Why? Come on, admit it—it’s better than gray. I mean gray-ish.
He: No, the blonde sounds okay to me . . .
She: Then what’s the problem?
He: WARM CHAMPAGNE IS THE PROBLEM! eeeeww!!!! If you’re going for champagne, it should be ice cold!
She: Oh boy . . . .
VOCABULARY
•color: use a dye to change hair color
•feel like: want to do something
Jewelry Store
She: oooh, look at that gorgeous bracelet . . . .
He: How did this happen?
She: Um, how did what happen?
He: How did we end up looking in the window of a jewelry store at the MALL??? I thought we were going to the movies.
She: Oh come on. We’ll see the movie. But we’re a little too early, so . . . ..
He: So . . . Plan B is Go Jewelry Shopping?
She: Well, it is my birthday next week . . . .
He: Oh. And you were hoping to get a gold bracelet or necklace?
She: Well . . . . . . ..
He: A pretty ring?
She: Hmmm . . . . . . .
He: Some new gold earrings?
She: Oh, I just know that anything you pick will be perfect!
He: Well I am so glad that you just said that . . . because now I know you’ll love the perfect new . . . lawnmower I picked for you! Happy Birthday!
VOCABULARY
•gorgeous: really, really, beautiful
Plan B: what you do if you can’t do what you first wanted to do!
Just an Omelet
Server: Good morning, welcome to Pop’s Diner. Can I get you some coffee? Oh, and I’ll bring you a menu.
Customer: Coffee, yes. But I don’t think I need a menu. I’ll just have an omelet.
Server: Are you sure? We have a pretty big menu...
Customer: Nah, no I don’t need a menu. Just an omelet please.
Server: Okaaay. What kind of omelet do you want?
Customer: Hmm. Oh, just a cheese omelet. With ham.
Server: What kind of cheese—American, cheddar, swiss, Monterey Jack, feta, or goat cheese?
Customer: Ummm. uhhhh . . . .. American, I guess.
Server: The American cheese omelet comes with onions, spinach, mushrooms, or kale.
Customer: Ummmm . . . . No, no vegetables for me. Just the cheese.
Server: Okay, do you still want it with ham?
Customer: Yes. Just the cheese. No vegetables. And yes, ham.
Server: What kind of ham—country, spiced, black forest, honey, baked, smoked, glazed, Virginia, Taylor? Or ham steak?
Customer: Ummm . . . .. uhhhhhh . . . . Hey, you know I think I changed my mind. I’ll just have some eggs.
Server: soft-boiled, poached, Eggs Benedict, fried, over-easy, scrambled, or just egg whites?
Customer: aaaaarghhhh!
VOCABULARY
•Eggs Benedict: breakfast dish of poached (cooked in water) eggs, ham, and Hollandaise sauce (Don’t ask us—it’s a fancy cooking word!) on an English muffin (a special round bread). WE WANT THIS NOW!!!
nah: a very informal no
•spinach: a leafy green vegetable (Hey, this is one that we actually like!)
April Fool
He: Hey, don’t forget to print that report for the meeting this morning.
She: WHAT???? Wait, what report?
He: Wow, it’s the one the boss asked you for . . . the sales report. We’ve got a meeting in an hour, and he needs it!
She: NO!!!! No, no, no, no! No, that report isn’t due for a month . . . on the first.
He: My, my, my . . . Do you see the big 1 on the calendar? Today IS the first! She: But wait! No, I thought the boss meant the first of NEXT month!
He: Hoo boy. NO, it’s today and the big boss from headquarters is coming down just for our meeting.
She: Oh NO! What am I going to do? I haven’t even started that report! The boss is going to kill me! Oh no. Nonononononno . . .
He: Whoa! Whoawhoawhoawhoa . . . .
She: What?
He: Look carefully at the calendar. Yeah, it IS the first today, but it’s the first of April . . . APRIL FOOL!
She: Oh man!!!!! Wow, you really got me that time! I was really in a panic.
He: Haha, I know! I was going to keep the joke going a little longer, but you really did look worried!
She: WORRIED?! No, that was PANIC!
He: HA! Well, I guess I got you back for last year . . . Remember last April Fool’s Day when you made me believe the boss was going to fire me?
She: HAHA, oh yeah . . . That really was a good one, wasn’t it? Okay, I guess I deserved this, didn’t I?
He: Um, yes. Yes you did!
She: Just you wait for next year . . .
Do it Yourself!
Store Guy: Hi. Can I help you find something?
Customer: I hope so. I want a mirror with a pretty frame around it.
Store Guy: We have a bunch of mirrors over in Aisle 5. On the left side.
Customer: Yeah, I looked at those. There are some really nice ones, but they’re pretty expensive. Actually, I have a plain mirror at home, and I thought maybe I could just make a frame for it.
Store Guy: Oh. Yeah, I think you should be able to do that. You’d just need to buy some molding and special glue. Maybe some paint . . .
Customer: YES! That is exactly what I was thinking! But I could use some help with HOW to do it.
Store Guy: We have a pretty big Do It Yourself section. Lots of people find help with their DIY projects there. Check Aisle 14. You can find DIY kits with everything you need, or just instructions for the Do It Yourself project you’re planning.
Customer: Aisle 14?
Store Guy: Yeah. You can’t miss it. There’s a big sign that says, “DIY” right at the front of the aisle.
Customer: Thanks a lot!
Store Guy: Good luck.
VOCABULARY
•aisle: the walkway between all the stuff in a store
•frame: wood or metal pieces going around a picture or mirror
•molding: (sometimes spelled moulding) wood pieces used to frame pictures, and to decorate walls near ceilings
•you can’t miss it: There are very large or very clear signs to show you where something is.