Read aloud the concersation two times, and then listen to the tape without looking at the text.

　　Richard Everett: Blackard!

　　Blackard: Yes, Mr.. Everett?

　　Everett: I'm speechless1. My wife is speechless and my daughter is in tears2.

　　Blackard: Ah, moved3 is she?

　　Everett: Moved? Sick4. How dare you let our poor little girl get on that stage and make such a fool out of herself5!

　　Blackard: What?

　　Everett: We never pretended that she was the most talented girl around, but for you who should know better6 to let her get up and, and…I'd sue7 you for malpractice8 if such a thing were possible!

　　Blackard: But I did it for you, the money, for the class.

　　Everett: The money for the class? You can forget about that.

　　Blackard: What?

　　Everett: The only way I'd give you a penny for your class is if I had my brain replaced by a very small cauliflower9. I hope you're satisfied! I'm coming, I'm coming…

　　Blackard: But Mr.. Everett! I don't understand.

　　注释：

　　1.speechless:无言的

　　用法：She was speechless in horror when watching that moive.

　　看那部电影的时候，她恐惧得说不出一句话来。

　　2.in tears:流泪

　　用法：She left that country in tears after breaking up with her husband.

　　和丈夫决裂后，她流着泪离开了那个国家。

　　3.moved:被感动的

　　用法：I'm easily moved to emotion.我这个人容易动感情。

　　4.sick: (骂人时用的)有毛病的，恶心人的，讨厌的

　　5.make a fool of oneself:因做蠢事而出丑

　　类似的有：make a fool of someone愚弄某人

　　用法：I make a fool of myself to shout at him in public.

　　我在公共场合对他大喊大叫，出了个大丑。

　　6.know better:明白，清楚地知道

　　用法：You will know better what the emphases are if you've prepared.你如果预习过就能清楚重点所在。

　　7.sue:起诉

　　用法：He swore he would sue for damages.

　　他发誓要起诉请求赔偿损失。

　　8.malpractice:玩忽职守、失职

　　9.cauliflower:花椰菜、菜花

　　1.Conversations: (Find a partner and practice these dialogues.)

　　Victor: You look beautiful, love bug1!

　　Helen: I do, don't I?

　　Victor: Why, you could pass for2 a movie star, or a glamorous top fashion model!

　　Helen:…Hic…Hic!…Hic!…Hic!

　　Victor: Baby! You've got the hiccups3!

　　Helen: Hic! Hic! Tell me something I…Hic!…don't know.

　　Victor: (Giggles4) Sure!

　　Helen: Like how…Hic…to get rid of…Hic…them! (Realizing Victor is giggling)

　　Laugh…Hic…and you're…Hic…dead meat5!

　　Victor: Oh, never, sugar plum6!

　　B: (They keep walking in the corridor.)

　　Helen:…Hic…They're getting worse! Maybe…Hic…you'd just…Hic…better take me…Hic…home.

　　Victor: Let me get my coat.

　　C: (Helen passes by the dean's office.)

　　Dean: What time will that national TV news reporter be here, Mrs. Johnson?

　　Secretary: He said by lunch time.

　　Helen: (Stops and listens)…Hic!

　　Dean: Since they're broadcasting live7, he wants to interview as many students as he possibly can.

　　Helen: Live TV national news, here at school today? Hic!

　　(Victor returns.)

　　Helen: Er…Victor…Hic…I've decided to stay and battle it out!

　　Victor: Okay, I guess. See ya later.

　　D: (Helen walks to the wash room.)

　　Helen: Hic! I've got three hours to get rid of these hideous8 hiccups! Fortunately, they'll never miss me first hour in study hall…Hic!

　　(In the wash room)

　　Helen: I'll try drinking some water…Ahh…! Much better already! Hah! Curing them was certainly a piece of cake! Hic!…Hic!…Hic! Darn9 it! They're worse than ever! I'll try holding my breath!

　　(In the corridor)

　　Helen: Hic!…Hic!

　　Student A: Helen! Are you okay? Your face is turning blue!

　　Helen: I'll give a…Hic…hundred dollars to the…Hic…first person who…Hic…can cure me!

　　Student A: Has Victor worked up the courage to tell you about our engagement10 yet?

　　Helen: (Anger stops her hiccups immediately.) What?

　　Student A: See! No more hiccups! You're cured! That'll be one hundred dollars for Dr. Cooper, please.

　　Helen: Bill me later! Right now I've got things to do. I've got just enough time to make myself gorgeous for that live TV coverage!

　　Student A: Cheap-skate11!

　　注解

　　1 love bug: a pet name showing intimate relationship (昵称，类似于honey，sweetheart)

　　2 pass for :to be accepted as; be considered被当成……；被认为是……

　　用法：Do you think this jacket and pants will pass for a suit? They're almost the same color.你觉得这件短上衣和裤子看上去象是一套的吗？它们颜色几乎一模一样。

　　3 hiccup:打嗝

　　用法：What should I do if I have hiccups?我要是老打嗝怎么办？

　　4 giggle: to laugh in a silly, often high-pitched way傻笑

　　5 dead meat：dead死定了(常用于诅咒或威胁)

　　6 sugar plum：(昵称，类似于honey，sweetheart)

　　7 live: on the scene实况转播的

　　用法：The world cup was shown on TV live.世界杯是电视实况转播的。

　　8 hideous: horrible or terrible可怕的、讨厌的

　　用法：The hideous tale made the children cry.那个可怕的故事把孩子们吓哭了。

　　9 darn: it is used to express dissatisfaction and annoyance(用于惊叹语表示不满和恼怒)该死的，可恶的

　　用法：That darn cat ate all the fish in the kitchen！

　　那只该死的猫吃掉了厨房里所有的鱼!

　　10 engagement: the act of engaging to订婚

　　用法：There is no diamond on my engagement ring.我的订婚戒指上一颗钻石都没有。

　　11 cheap-skate:也拼写为cheapskate,意思是miser吝啬鬼

　　用法：I felt like a cheapskate, tipping the waitress only one dollar.我觉得自己太抠门了，只给了女服务员一美元作小费。

　　Exercise: Turn the four mini-dialoguessintos ONE descriptive narrative. Use only indirect speech.