【正文】 certain narrowing, to put it mildly, of the information flowing into my life. You take in information as if you are drinking from a big been stein。Unit 1 That’s what friends are for! P2 2 Conversation A Listen and practice. Chris: Do you have a date for the party yet? Kim: Actually, I don’t ……Do you think you could help me find one? Chris: Hmm. What kind of guys do you like? Kim: Oh, I like guys who aren’t too serious and who have a good sense of humor. You know ... like you. Chris: OK. What else? Kim: Well, I’d prefer someone I have something in mon with – who I can talk to easily. Chris: I think I know just the guy for you. Bob Branson. Do you know him? Kim: No, I don’t think so. Chris: Let me arrange for you to meet him, and you can tell me what you think. B Listen to Chris and Kim discussing Bob after Kim met him. How did Kim like him? Chris: So, what’s the Verdict? What did you think of Bob? Kim: Well, I was worried at first especially when I saw that he wears not one but two earrings, I thought he might turn out to be one of those guys who are into heavy rock music and stuff like that. You know what I mean? Chris: But he’s just a regular kind of guy, right? Kim: Yeah, we got along really well! Chris: I just knew you’d like him. Kim: Yeah, I do, and he’s really funny. He had me laughing hysterically during dinner. I think the people sitting next to us in the restaurant thought we were crazy. Chris: So, are you two going to get together again? Kim: Definitely, in fact, we’re going to a concert tomorrow night. Chris: That’s great. P4 Listening What are they like? B Listen to conversations about what the people above are like. Write down two adjectives for each person. How similar were your guesses? 1. Andrea A: So, have you seen Andrea lately? B: Yeah, I see her pretty often. We work together at a caf233。 for me, it’s like sucking through a tiny, clogged straw. But the good part is the same enforced need to concentrate. I may do only one thing at a time now, but I do that thing very intently. One of the things I’ve begun doing most seriously is to read books all the way through. Of course, we all read books in America, too, but precisely because of the other distractions, it’s often hard to stick with them. Reviews, excerpts, TV interviews take the place of actual books. But here, with my onetrack mind and my exhaustive need to retreat into English, there’s nothing to keep me from finishing a book once I get started. I have the added plus of spending three to four hours each day on the Tokyo train system, which, when it’s not so crowded that I can’t raise my arms, lets me go through several books a week. Indeed, thanks to the train, I am the only person on Earth actually to have read Paul Kennedy’s famous Rise and Fall of the Great Powers book. This wholebook environment changes your world view, making you more deeply but more spottily informed. I find that I have bee more patient with longwinded explanation, and less likely to cut somebody else off and make him get to his point. There are problems with this perspective, too, I’m sure, but right now my brain can’t handle thinking what they might be. AnnouncerThis report was originally broadcast on National Public Radio on Morning Edition, and is reproduced with permission of National Public Radio. Any unauthorized duplication is prohibited.P31 8 Conversation A Listen and practice. Marta: Guess what! I just got invited to my teacher’s house for dinner! Karen: Oh, how nice. M: Yes, but what do you do when you’re invited to someone’s house here? K: Well, it’s the custom to bring a small gift. M: Really? Like what? K: Oh, maybe some flowers or dessert. M: And is it all right to bring a friend along? K: Well, if you want to bring someone, you’re expected to call first and ask if it’s OK. P32 10 Listening Unique customs Listen to three people describing unique customs they observed while traveling. Complete the chart. 1. Alice One thing that I never really got used to when I was traveling in Asia was the way people make noise when they drink soup. I think it’s because they want to show that they’re really enjoying their food so they make a loud slurping noise. It always bothered me. I guess it’s because my parents spent years when I was a kid telling me not to make noise while I was eating. 2. Mark When I lived in Spain, I was surprised at how late people eat in the evening. When you’re invited to dinner, you are asked to e around nine o’clock and you usually don’t start dinner until ten. And people stay terribly late – sometimes until two in the morning or even later. I found it difficult. How does one get up and go to work or school the next day after eating and drinking until three in the morning? 3. Susan I lived in the Middle East for a while, and when I went out, I had to obey the local custom of wearing something over my head and wearing a dress that covered my whole body. At first, I found it a real nuisance, but after a while, I got used to it and even started to like it. You feel really secure, and also you don’t have to worry about what to wear all the time. Unit 6 What’s wrong with it? P34 2 Conversation: Listen and practice. Clerk: Can I help you? Helen: Yes, I’d like to return this jacket. C: Is there something the matter with it? H: Yes. I didn’t notice when I bought it, but there are a few problems. First, it has a tear in the lining. C: Hmm, actually, it’s torn in several places. H: And some of the buttons are very loose, this one came off, in fact. And there’s a stain on the collar. C: I’m really sorry about this. Would you like to exchange it for another one? H: Well, to be honest, I don’t think this jacket is very well made. I’d rather get a refund. C: I understand. Do you have the receipt? P36 4 Listening Fair exchange? Listen to three customers returning items they purchased.