A: Hi, are you busy this weekend? B: Yes. What’s on your mind?

A: I’ve got two tickets for the car exhibition. Would you like to go with me? B: Sure. Thanks for your invitation. A: It’s nothing.

B: I’ve been wanting to see the movie, but it was not at all easy to get a ticket. How did you manage to get two tickets?

A: A friend of mine works at the exhibition center. She was able to get three free tickets.

B: Wow, people are paying almost 100 yuan for a ticket on the black market. Thank you very much indeed for inviting me. A: No problem.

Model 2 What did you think about the movie?

John: So… what did you think about the movie?

Laura: Well… I think this Star Wars episode is an excellent piece of work, but not as good as the previous ones.

John: Really? But I think this Star Wars episode was incredible! Laura: Why do you think so?

John: Well, one of the most spectacular things about it was the special effects. State-of-the-art

special effects were the main reason for the success of the previous episodes.

Laura: You’re right. The special effects were amazing! And I like the fact that they created so

many fantastic settings and other-worldly costumes, weapons and creatures.

Now Your Turn SAMPLE DIALOG

A: What did you think about The Lion King?

B: Well… I think this cartoon was pretty good, but not as good as Beauty and the Beast. It’s a killer flick.

A: Really? But I think The Lion King was unbelievably good. B: I thought it was just OK. Why do you think so?

A: Well, it’s so interesting that the lives of the lions were similar to the lives of human beings. B: You’re right. The murder in The Lion King was almost the same as the murder in the Shakespearean play Hamlet.

Model 3 The plot is first-class.

John: It’s kind of cool that they still used the same Star Wars theme song for this movie. Laura: Yeah! It just reminds me of the previous Star Wars scenes.

John: I know exactly what you mean! Hearing that song makes me think of the past.

Laura: I think the plot was first-class. But I don’t think the character development was that strong. John: Do you think that has anything to do with the casting of the movie?

Laura: No, the casting was great; the actors are excellent, but I think the acting was a little weak.

They just didn’t have a lot of funny or meaningful lines.

John: Well, maybe, but I liked the little kid that played “Skywalker”. I can’t imagine anyone else

playing that part.

Laura: Yeah, I liked him too. He’s soooo cute!

Now Your Turn SAMPLE DIALOG

A: What do you think about the movie?

B: I think the plot was first-class. But I don’t think the character development was so strong. A: Yes, the characterization was rather weak. Do you think it is because of the casting of the movie? B: No, the cast was strong. But the acting was rather poor. And the lines are not interesting at all. A: Well, maybe. But I liked the heroine of the movie. She is excellent. B: Yeah, I liked her too. She’s adorable!

V. Let’s Talk

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock was a British director. His movies frequently show innocent people caught up in situations beyond their control or even understanding.

Hitchcock preferred the use of suspense in his movies. In surprise, the director provides the viewer with frightening things. In suspense, the director tells or shows things to the audience which the characters in the movie do not know, and then skillfully builds up tension around what will happen when the characters finally learn the truth. Hitchcock had a great sense of humor. Once at a French airport, a suspicious customs official looked at Hitchcock’s passport, which was marked simply PRODUCER. The curious official asked, “And what do you produce?” “Gooseflesh.” replied Hitchcock.

Alfred Hitchcock always managed to make a brief appearance in his movies: He was sometimes getting on a bus, or crossing a street, pr walking in front of a store, or across the courtyard in an apartment. However, for the movie Lifeboat in 1944, he was faced with a difficult problem. The entire movie was set in a lifeboat out at sea, and there were only a few characters in the boat. Originally, he wanted to float by as a dead body, but he was afraid he’d sink! His clever solution was to place a photograph of himself in a newspaper that one of the characters read during the course of the movie. 1. A

VI. Furthering Listening and Speaking

Listening

Task 1: Only One Line

Peter has always wanted to be an actor, but never succeeded because he had a hard time memorizing lines. A friend of his told him about a small part in a play. He promised Peter that he could do it because he’s only have to remember one line. Peter decided to take the part. His only line was, “Listen, I hear the guns roar!” Peter practiced and practiced, “Listen, I hear the guns roar!” On the opening night of the play Peter was very nervous. Backstage, he practiced his line, over and over again, “Listen, I hear the guns roar! Listen, I hear the guns roar!” Finally came his turn, Peter went onto stage. He heard a loud BOOM and cried out in spite of himself, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?” 1. memorizing lines 2. remember one line 3. I hear the guns roar

4. a loud boom 5. his line

Task 2: An Interview with . Rowling

Q: How did you get the idea for Harry Potter?

A: I was traveling on a train between Manchester and London and the idea for Harry just fell into my head. At that point it was essentially the idea for a body who didn’t know he was a wizard. Q: Did you always plan to write Harry’s story in more than one book? If so, how many?

A: I always conceived it as a seven-book series because I decided that it would take seven years, from

age eleven to seventeen, inclusive, to train as a wizard, and each of the books would deal with one year of Harry’s life at the school. Q: Any clues about the next book?

A: I don’t want to i\\give anything away, but I tell you that the books are getting darker. Harry’s

going to have quite a bit to deal with as he gets older. Sorry if they get too scary!

Q: Of the many things you must have heard people say about Harry Potter, what are some of your favorites? A: My very favorite was from a twelve-year-old Scottish girl who came to hear me read at the Edinburgh book festival. At the end of the festival, the queue for signing was very long. When the girl finally reached me, she said, “I didn’t WANT there to be so many people here, because this is MY books!” That is exactly how I feel about my favorite books. Nobody else has a right to know them; let alone like them!

Task 3: The Secret of the Next Harry Potter Book

The Harry Potter books rapidly became one of the most in-demand book series among young readers and have earned large sums of money. Movies based on the books won several Oscar nominations. Readers are now keen to know the plot of the next book.

Harry Potter movie fans will get a long-awaited treat. The movie Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secret is finally about to come out. This time around, Harry discovers a frightening secret at Hogwarts School. Eager readers of the first four Harry Potter books are also trying to discover a secret, the secret plot of the fifth book in the series. Because of the long wait since Book Four, they are guessing many things. Some think that Professor Lupin will die or that Harry and his friend Ron may be related! . Rowling herself has only said that Book Five will be shorter and scarier than Book Four. To make sure her readers hear only rumors, she locks all her ideas for the books in a hidden place. Since the next book does not come out until 2003, for mow Harry’s secret is safe with her! 1. D

Speaking Views on Movies

Interviewer: Hello, Robert and Richard, I’d like to ask you something about movies. Do you prefer going

to the theater or watching movies on video at home?

Robert: I prefer, personally, going to the theater, because I believe there are certain movies that

come over better when you see them in a large theater. The sound effect is much better.

Interviewer: What about you, Richard?

Richard: Just the opposite. It’s more comfortable to sit at home.

Interviewer: There’re many different movie genres, for example, science fiction, action, comedy,

romance. What’s your personal favorite?

Robert: My favorite would be action movies.

Richard: And mine would be nice movies that touch me deeply.

Interviewer: How do you like the old black and white movies of the forties, and fifties compared with

the modern blockbusters?

Robert: For their time, the movies of the forties and fifties were excellent. But try to compare

them with today’s technology, and you’ll find there isn’t anything to compare. It’s so superior today.

Richard: I agree.

UNIT3

II. Listening Skills

1. M: Will you love and keep him in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?

W: I will.

Q: Who is the woman?

2. W: Mike, wake up1 It is time to go to school. Hurry up or you’re going to be late!

M: Don’t worry. I can sleep all day long. Did you forget today is Martin Luther King’s birthday? Q: Who is the woman most likely to be?

3. M: Could I see your driver’s license and registration, please? W: What’s the matter, officer? Q: Who is the man?

4. M: I’d like to ask you about the research paper you assigned that we have to do by the end of the

semester.

W: ok. What would you like to know? Q: Who is the woman most likely to be?

5. W: I’ve cleaned the windows, mopped the floors, and folded the laundry. Is there anything else

that you would like me to do before I cal lit a day? M: Did you do the living room yet?

Q: Who is the woman most likely to be?

III. Listening In

Task 1: Don’t be a chicken!

Gilbert: Hey, Henry, is Sarah coming with us? Henry: Yes. Why?

Gilbert: Nothing. I’m just asking.

Henry: Just asking? But why is your face flaming red? Ah-huh, someone has a crush on Sarah, doesn’t

he?

Gilbert: Who has a crush?!

Henry: Come on, Gilbert, don’t be such a chicken. If you like her, just go and tell her. Maybe she

likes you.

Gilbert: But I don’t have the guts to ask her out.