Slow dialogue: 1:37
Explanations: 3:51
Fast dialogue: 14:19

Ginger: It’s really nice of you to come with me to buy my computer. This is the desktop I’m thinking about.

Kevin: This is okay, but if I were you, I’d buy a laptop. It’s more versatile. You can travel with it.

Ginger: I’m not sure about getting a laptop. The screen is so small.

Kevin: No problem. You can get a separate monitor. This is a good one. You just need a connector and a cable to hook it up to your laptop. Here’s a monitor stand, too, so you can elevate it if you want to.

Ginger: The speakers on the laptop aren’t very loud.

Kevin: You can get these great speakers. You plug them into your laptop and the sound is amazing.

Ginger: I’m not sure about the battery.

Kevin: It comes with a battery that lasts three to five hours, but you can always buy a spare. Of course, it comes with a power cord, too, so you can just plug it in if your battery runs low.

Ginger: The keyboard is a little cramped, too.

Kevin: That’s what a full-size keyboard is for. You can buy a separate keyboard and mouse and attaching them to your laptop. It’ll be just like having a desktop.

Ginger: Then why don’t I just buy a desktop?

Kevin: If you do, you won’t be able to buy all of these great accessories. That’s half the fun of buying a new computer!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: American Cities: Chicago; The Star-Spangled Banner; just versus only versus mere; to kick butt

Words:
windy
magnificent
skyscraper
public transportation system
gangster
Prohibition
league
anthem
dawn
twilight
patriotic
mere
to kick butt

Slow dialogue: 1:13
Explanations: 3:03
Fast dialogue: 12:58

Anya: I don’t know how I’m going to get all of this work done before I go on vacation.

Estevan: What you need to do is to delegate. Stop being a control freak and get other people to help you with your work.

Anya: I’ve tried to delegate before, but I ended up having to redo the work myself. It was no timesaver at all. It definitely wasn’t worth the trouble.

Estevan: That’s because you have to delegate in the right way. You can’t just assign a project to one of your employees. You have to give them explicit instructions and measurable goals.

Anya: I did that. I gave my employee detailed instructions and she still let me down.

Estevan: I bet you didn’t ask her to report back to you periodically, did you? To get results, you have to tell your employees to give you progress reports. That way, you can make sure she’s on the right track. See what I mean?

Anya: Okay, maybe you’re right. I know one thing. If I don’t get some help soon, I’ll be spending my vacation at my desk!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Slow dialogue: 1:30
Explanations: 3:35
Fast dialogue: 15:23

Bernie: Oh, I’m in so much pain! Where is the medication we got from the pharmacy?

Gloria: It’s right here, but we need to read the label first. Okay, these are the active ingredients and they seem okay. This warning says that we need to watch out for any allergic reactions. It also says to ask your doctor before using it if you have heart problems.

Bernie: I don’t. Can you just give me the medication?

Gloria: I’m checking to make sure the seal under the cap isn’t broken, just to be on the safe side. I also need to read the dosage information so you’ll know how much to take. It says, “Adults (12 years or older): Two tablets every four hours; do not exceed 12 tablets in 24 hours.”

Bernie: That’s fine. That’s fine. Where is the prescription medication from my doctor?

Gloria: Here it is. This one has several warnings. It says that it may cause drowsiness or dizziness. It also says, “This drug may impair your ability to drive.”

Bernie: I don’t plan to drive today or any day soon. Now will you please give me my medication?

Gloria: I will as soon as I get this childproof cap off.

Bernie: I may be dead by then!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: Ask an American: Tattoos; to cover up, talk versus say versus speak, pronouncing certain consonants in the middle of words

Words:
buzz
tattoo parlor
tough guys
broken heart
to commemorate
new born
angst
to put out there
to hop in/into
intricate
to cover up
to speak
to say
to talk

Slow dialogue: 1:21
Explanations: 3:11
Fast dialogue: 15:48

Svetlana: Tomorrow is the first day of junior high. Are you ready?

Quinn: Sure, it’s not that big a deal. I already put some supplies in my new backpack.

Svetlana: Let’s see. You have some folders, a three-ring binder, and a pen. Is that all you’re bringing to school?

Quinn: I don’t have my books yet. I’ll get those tomorrow morning. What else do I need? I’m not in the second grade. I don’t need things like glue, crayons, and construction paper.

Svetlana: No, but you’re missing a lot of stuff. I should know. You have a pen, but no pencils. You have no erasers or highlighters. You have a three-ring binder, but you don’t have any ruled paper or a notebook.

Quinn: I don’t need all of that stuff on the first day!

Svetlana: You want to be prepared, don’t you? Where are your index cards? Don’t you have a calculator? You’ll need it for your math class.

Quinn: Are you kidding me?! If I carry all of that plus my books, who will carry me to class?

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Slow dialogue: 1:44
Explanations: 4:34
Fast dialogue: 16:25

Brett: Hi, Mom. Come in. Welcome to my new place. My roommates aren’t here right now or I’d introduce you.

Mom: Hi, dear. This is...uh...nice.

Brett: It is, isn’t it? I know you were a little worried about me moving out and into a house with five roommates. But as you can see, this is a nice place. Let me give you a tour.

Mom: Oh, okay. Isn’t it a little cramped in the house with six people?

Brett: No way! Come on. I’ll show you the rest of the house. Let’s go this way to the kitchen. Watch out for that hole in the floor. I don’t want you to trip. And don’t worry about the “Do Not Cross – Police Line” tape. It’s just a joke.

Mom: This is the kitchen? Why are all of your dishes on the floor? What do you keep in your cupboards?

Brett: Be careful opening them! We’re short on closet space so some of the guys keep their clothes and shoes in them. You never know what you’ll find if you open one. We just have to watch our step when we walk around the kitchen. Come on, I’ll show you the bathroom.

Mom: You only have one bathroom for six people?

Brett: We’re guys so we don’t really need more than one bathroom. I just have to pay attention to when people take showers if I want enough hot water for my own shower. Watch your head!

Mom: Too late for the heads up! Something just fell on my head.

Brett: Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just a little problem with the ceiling.

Mom: Look out! I think the ceiling is falling down! This place is dangerous!

Brett: It’s nothing. Don’t worry. As long as we stay alert, this is a great place to live.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: D.B. Cooper; the Underground Railroad; extend versus expand; God forbid; brown-bag lunch

Words:
to hijack
threat
unsolved mystery
flight attendant
bomb
parachute
in exchange for
frayed
unconvinced
slave
to escape
to be sympathetic toward
to extend
to expand
God forbid
brown-bag lunch

Slow dialogue: 1:13
Explanations: 3:19
Fast dialogue: 14:01

Agency employee: Tell me why you’d like to sign up with our employment agency.

Kurt: Well, right now I’m working in a dead end job. There are no opportunities for advancement. I’m already at the top of the pay scale, so there’s no chance of another pay raise.

Agency employee: Okay, I’d like to find out a little more about your employment history. Tell me about your last job.

Kurt: Oh, that was a mind-numbing position. I did menial work all day and I burned out in six months.

Agency employee: What about the job you had before that?

Kurt: The problem with that job was that there was a glass ceiling. They would never promote a person like me.

Agency employee: And what about the job you had before that?

Kurt: I only took that job as a steppingstone to the next one, but it turned out to be a stumbling block instead. My boss didn’t like me and wouldn’t give me a good reference.

Agency employee: Okay, so you were not happy with any of the jobs you’ve had.

Kurt: No, they weren’t right for me. I don’t want to be trapped in a dead end job. I want something that will give me personal satisfaction.

Agency employee: I see. Well, we’ll do the best we can. Have you considered working at an employment agency? I’m looking for a new job myself.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Slow dialogue: 1:11
Explanations: 3:04
Fast dialogue: 16:15

My best friend, Saul, is getting married. As the best man, it was up to me to plan a bachelor party he’d never forget. All of the groomsmen were chipping in, so we went all out.

I invited everybody over to my apartment. Instead of going to a strip club, we hired a stripper. Before the stripper arrived, we played some drinking games and we gave Saul some gag gifts. We all started to get pretty bombed, but we weren’t thinking of the hangover we’d have the next day.

When the stripper arrived, we told “her” to give Saul a lap dance. He had never had one before and he was really embarrassed! But the best part was when Saul saw the stripper: It was a man! Everyone had a good laugh, and we took some pictures so we’d have incriminating evidence. We poked fun at him for the rest of the night.

And as best man, what was my most important job of all? It was not letting his fiancée find out what happened that night – at least not before the wedding!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse