1.12. Unit Twelve. Conversation “ I’m going to visit my father…”

Phase A.

Again you’re going to hear the conversation in two parts.

Part One of the Conversation

Susan’s father is in hospital. Susan’s going to visit him. Listen.

Susan: I’m going to visit my father now, Tom. Good-bye.

Tom: But... but Susan! Wait a moment!

Susan: Yes?

Tom: You haven’t washed the dishes yet.

Susan: Oh, haven’t I?

Tom: No, you haven’t.

Susan: Oh! Would you mind washing them?

Tom: What? Wash the dishes?

Susan: Yes, good-bye!

(Front door slams)

Tom: I don’t like washing the dishes! And she hasn’t made the beds, either!

(Front door opening)

Susan: Oh, I forgot! I wonder if you’d mind making the beds? Good-bye!

(Front door slams again)

Phase B. Fluency Practice

DRILL 1

Now notice what Susan says here. Repeat what she says.

Tom: You haven’t washed the dishes yet.

Susan: Oh, haven’t I? //

Tom: No, you haven’t.

Susan: Oh! // Would you mind washing them? //

Now carry on the same sort of conversation with different words. For instance, what do you say here? Answer Tom.

Tom: You haven’t made the beds yet.

Susan: Oh, haven’t I?

Tom: No, you haven’t.

Susan: Oh! Would you mind making them?

Now do it yourself. Are you ready?

One.

Tom: You haven’t done the dishes yet.

Susan: Oh, haven’t I?

Tom: No, you haven’t.

Susan: Oh! Would you mind doing them?

Two.

Tom: You haven’t cooked the evening meal yet.

Susan: Oh, haven’t I?

Tom: No, you haven’t.

Susan: Oh! Would you mind cooking it?

Three.

Tom: You haven’t cleaned the house yet.

Susan: Oh, haven’t I?

Tom: No, you haven’t.

Susan: Oh! Would you mind cleaning it?

Four.

Tom: And then there are all these letters. You haven’t posted them yet.

Susan: Oh, haven’t I?

Tom: No, you haven’t.

Susan: Oh! Would you mind posting them?

DRILL 3

Do you remember what happens later in the conversation? Susan has just gone out. Tom says:

Tom: She hasn’t made the beds, either!

And then Susan comes back and says:

Susan: I wonder if you’d mind making the beds?

Repeat that.

Susan: I wonder // I wonder if // I wonder if you’d // you’d // I wonder if you’d mind making the beds? //

Now make more sentences like that. For instance, what do you say if Tom has just said this?

Tom: She hasn’t done the shopping, either!

Susan: I wonder if you’d mind doing the shopping?

And now you do it.

One.

Tom: She hasn’t prepared the dinner, either!

Susan: I wonder if you’d mind preparing the dinner?

Two.

Tom: And she hasn’t polished the furniture.

Susan: I wonder if you’d mind polishing the furniture?

Three.

Tom: She hasn’t hoovered the carpet, either!

Susan: I wonder if you’d mind hoovering the carpet?

Four.

Tom: And... Good Lord! She hasn’t even cleaned the toilet!

Susan: I wonder if you’d mind cleaning the toilet!

DRILL 3

Now repeat what Tom says here. He’s just told Susan that she hasn’t washed the dishes. Repeat what he says.

Susan: Would you mind washing them?

Tom: What? // Wash the dishes? //

Susan: Yes, good-bye!

(Front door slamming)

Tom: I don’t like washing the dishes!

Now do that kind of conversation with different words. For example, what do you say if Susan says this?

Susan: Would you mind cutting the grass?

Tom: What? Cut the grass?

Susan: Yes, good-bye!

Tom: I don’t like cutting the grass.

Now you do it. Are you ready?

One.

Susan: Would you mind washing the dog?

Tom: What? Wash the dog?

Susan: Yes, good-bye!

Tom: I don’t like washing the dog.

Two.

Susan: Would you mind scrubbing the floor?

Tom: What? Scrub the floor?

Susan: Yes, good-bye!

Tom: I don’t like scrubbing the floor.

Three.

Susan: Oh, I can’t make you any dinner this evening so... would you mind eating in the school canteen?

Tom: What? Eat in the school canteen?

Susan: Yes, good-bye!

Tom: I don’t like eating in the school canteen!

Four.

Susan: And... the garden... it’s in a terrible state. Weeds everywhere! So, would you mind working in the garden?

Tom: What? Work in the garden?

Susan: Yes, good-bye!

Tom: I don’t like working in the garden!

Phase C. The Second Part of the Conversation

Susan’s at the hospital now. She’s visiting her father. Listen.

Susan: How are you today, father?

Frank: Oh... all right, I suppose.

Susan: Is there anything I can do for you?

Frank: Well... um... yes, there is, Susan, as a matter of fact...

Susan: Yes? What is it?

Frank: I ... I wonder if you’d mind bringing me some cigarettes next time you come! I haven’t smoked one for a week.

Susan: Cigarettes! But you’ve given up smoking them haven’t you?

Frank: Well... yes... more or less. I don’t smoke any more... not really.

Susan: But either you’ve stopped smoking or you haven’t! Which is it?

Frank: Shh! I wonder if you’d mind not shouting, Susan. The doctor might hear!

Phase D. Fluency Practice

DRILL 1

Repeat what Susan says here.

Frank: I’d really like a few cigarettes. I haven’t smoked one for a week.

Susan: Cigarettes? // But you’ve // you’ve given up // you’ve given up smoking them // haven’t you? // Cigarettes? But you’ve given up smoking them haven’t you?//

Now make more sentences like that. For instance, suppose you’re visiting a friend in hospital and he says this. Answer him in the same way.

Frank: I’d really like some beer. I haven’t drunk any for a month.

The answer is this.

Susan: Beer? But you’ve given up drinking it, haven’t you?

Now you do it. Are you ready?

One.

Frank: You know, I’d really like some whisky. I haven’t drunk any for over a month.

Susan: Whisky? But you’ve given up drinking it, haven’t you?

Two.

Frank: And then I’d really like a few good cigars. I haven’t smoked one for a long time.

Susan: Cigars? But you’ve given up smoking them haven’t you?

Three.

Frank: I’d really like some chocolate. The doctor says it’s bad for me but I haven’t eaten any for a long time.

Susan: Chocolate? But you’ve given up eating it, haven’t you?

Four.

Frank: Could you bring me some books about car-repairing? I used to study car-repairing, you know... I haven’t studied it for ages now.

Susan: Car-repairing? But you’ve given up studying it, haven’t you?

Five.

Frank: Bring me my old bicycle, will you? That’s right. My old bicycle. I haven’t used it for a while.

Susan: Your old bicycle? But you’ve given up using it, haven’t you?

DRILL 2

Do you remember what Susan said when she heard this?

Frank: I don’t smoke any more... not really.

Susan: But either you’ve stopped smoking or you haven’t! Which is it?

Repeat that.

Susan: But either // you’ve // But either you’ve // But either you’ve stopped smoking or you haven’t! // Which is it? //

Now make more sentences like that. For instance, what do you say if Frank says this?

Frank: Whisky? No, I don’t really drink it any more... not really.

The answer should be:

Susan: But either you’ve stopped drinking it or you haven’t. Which is it?

Now you do it.

One.

Frank: Those strange pains? The ones I used to get in my legs? No, I don’t get them any more... not really.

Susan: But either you’ve stopped getting them or you haven’t. Which is it?

Two.

Frank: That trouble I used to have with my legs? No, I don’t really have it... not really.

Susan: But either you’ve stopped having it or you haven’t. Which is it?

Three.

Frank: Frank Collins?.. That fellow who used to visit me here... No, he doesn’t visit me any more... not really.

Susan: But either he’s stopped visiting you or he hasn’t. Which is it?

Four.

Frank: My old bike? No, I don’t use it now... not really.

Susan: But either you’ve stopped using it or you haven’t. Which is it?

Five.

Frank: My old friends at the pub? The ones who came here every day last week? No, they don’t come now... not really.

Susan: Well, either they’ve stopped coming or they haven’t. Which is it?

Six.

Frank: That pretty nurse? The one who used to kiss me all the time? No, she doesn’t kiss me any more... not really.

Susan: Well, either she’s stopped kissing you or she hasn’t. Which is it?

Repetition

And now you’ll hear the conversation again. Repeat what Susan says.

Susan: How are you today, father? //

Frank: Oh... all right, I suppose.

Susan: Is there anything I can do for you? //

Frank: Well... er... yes... there is, Susan, as a matter of fact.

Susan: Yes? What is it? //

Frank: I (coughing) I wonder if you’d mind bringing me some cigarettes next time you come? I’d really like a few cigarettes. I haven’t smoked one for a week.

Susan: Cigarettes? // But you’ve given up smoking, haven’t you? //

Frank: Well... yes... more or less. I don’t smoke any more... not really.

Susan: But either you’ve stopped smoking or you haven’t! // Which is it? //

Frank: Shh! I wonder if you’d mind not shouting, Susan. The doctor might hear!

And that is the end of this unit. Thank you.

Susan: Yes? What is it? //

Frank: I (coughing) I wonder if you’d mind bringing me some cigarettes next time you come? I’d really like a few cigarettes. I haven’t smoked one for a week.

Susan: Cigarettes? // But you’ve given up smoking, haven’t you? //

Frank: Well... yes... more or less. I don’t smoke any more... not really.

Susan: But either you’ve stopped smoking or you haven’t! // Which is it? //

Frank: Shh! I wonder if you’d mind not shouting, Susan. The doctor might hear!

And that is the end of this unit. Thank you.

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