Describing hair

long, curly hair short, straight hair fine hair = it doesn't weigh very much, vs thick and heavy hair wavy = between straight and curly losing your hair / going bald = when men start to lose their hair a receding hairline = when you lose your hair from your forehead a red-head = with red hair

Here are some ways you can describe hair styles: cut in a bob = a short hair style, where the hair comes down to your chin a fringe = where it is cut horizontally across her forehead a shaved head = where your hair is shaved off a ponytail = where you tie (long) hair behind your head, so it falls down like a horse's tail a Mohican = a punk style where your hair is shaved on the sides, but long and spiky in the middle

Being tactful when you're describing people

People can be sensitive about their body shape or age, so be careful when you're describing people. In particular, three words that can cause offense are "fat", "thin" and "old".

Using "a bit" or "a little" before adjectives can make what you say sound more tactful. For example, "He's a little heavy" or "She's a bit overweight" are less direct (and more polite).

Here are some alternatives to fat, thin and old.

Alternatives to "fat" overweight / heavy / plump / a bit chubby (chubby is especially used for children) curvy /curvaceous (for women) / statuesque (i.e. tall and well-built) well-built / a big man (for men)

Alternatives to "thin" slim = no fat, but not skinny slender / petite (especially for women) wiry = without an inch of fat

Alternatives to "old" a pensioner / elderly (75+) / a senior citizen middle-aged (50 +)

Dialogue2

A University Degree

Daughter: Uh, Dad. Are you going to miss me when I leave for college next week?

Father: Yahoo!

Daughter: No, Dad . . . seriously. I mean you're always talking about how much money you'll save on food, hot water, and gas while I am gone.

Father: Of course I will . . . no, uh, well, I'll miss you, of course. No, honestly, I'll miss and worry about you, and you've really tried to prepare yourself. You know, I'm proud of you for that. You know, getting a university degree is a real accomplishment.

Daughter: Exactly.

Father: But, let's go over the to-do list. Do you have everything ready? I mean, did you pay your tuition and housing fees by the deadline? [Yeap.] Because, you know, if you don't, you'll lose your class schedule, and you have to register all over again.

Daughter: Yeah, I paid for that a few days ago.

Father: Okay, did you sign up for the meal plan at the university so you don't have to eat instant noodles everyday?

Daughter: Yeap. But Mom said I could take some food from home to get me started.

Father: Uhhh, well, yeah. The oatmeal is in the pantry.

Daughter: Dad! Mom said I could take a bag of rice, some canned food, and . . .

Father: . . . and grandpa's old army rations.

Daughter: Ugh! Not that old stuff. Mom!

Father: Okay, okay. And you know you should set up an appointment to meet with your academic advisor to help you select future classes, right? [Yeah.] You know, business administration will be a great major for you.

Daughter: Well, Dad, uh . . .

Father: And future possibilities . . . a great salary, opportunities to make a difference in the community, and [Dad. I changed my major.] supporting . . .

Father: What? You changed you major . . . you switched majors!?

Daughter: Yeah. I really thought about it. After talking it over with Mom, I've decided to major in wildlife science.

Father: What? What are you talking about?

Daughter: Yeah. I want to degree in wildlife science. You know, analyzing, maintaining, and conserving national forests and wildlife.

Father: What? Uh, uhh . . .

Daughter: Dad. You can close your mouth now. I mean, I've ALWAYS been interested in working with nature; [Well.] You know that, and this field will give me the opportunity to live out my dream. [Well . . . ] I've also looked through the online university catalog, and I actually qualify for a two-year, full tuition scholarship.

Father: Wait. When did this all happen?

Daughter: I can even go on to graduate school and further my education . . . after Todd and I get married, of course.

Father: Graduate school . . . Todd? Wait, wait, wait!! Who's Todd? Ah, what's next?

Daughter: Thanks for the credit card. Mom said it was a present. And I just tried it out to make sure it worked, and I had no problem buying my new laptop computer. [Oh, I'm doomed!] Uh, Dad, where are you going?

Father: Uh, I've decided to enroll in night school to get another degree. That's the only way I'm going to pay for your college.

Key Vocabulary

• yahoo (interjection): shouted when you are excited about something - Yahoo! I won two tickets to the concert.

• accomplishment (noun): something successful you do after a lot of hard work - The company recognized my father's accomplishments and gave him a promotion.

• tuition (noun): the money you pay to take classes and be taught - I had to work all summer at two jobs to earn enough money for college tuition.

• pantry (noun): a small closet or storeroom where food is kept. - My sister took a lot of food from the pantry before she left for college.

• rations (noun): an amount of food given out for each meal, particularly when there is not much available in times of war or emergency - The soldiers survived on rations during the darkest days of the war.

• talk it over (phrasal verb): discuss a problem or situation before you make a decision - You really need to talk it over with your parents before you decide to transfer to another school.

• analyze (verb): examine carefully - The rescue workers quickly analyzed the situation before they entered the building.

• maintain (verb): take care of something so it stays in good condition - You really need to maintain all of your hiking gear in good condition because you never know when you'll need it.

• conserve (verb): protect something from destruction or loss - If the missing hikers conserve their energy and food, they should be able to survive a few more days.

• live out (phrasal verb): do something you have planned or hoped for - Although my grandfather was quite old, he was able to live out his dream of graduating from high school, something he wasn't able to do 60 years ago.

• further (verb): help forward or promote - The university wants to further educational opportunities by providing additional scholarships.

• be doomed (verb): certain to die or be destroyed - My sister's plan to go to college was doomed from the beginning because she had terrible grades in high school, and she hadn't saved any money for tuition.

• enroll in (verb): go to or attend - More and more students are enrolling in computer science because they see a future in that field.

1. What will happen if the woman doesn't pay her tuition by the due date? A. She'll have to pay a significant late fee. B. She'll be required to register again for school. C. She'll need to wait a semester to take classes.

2. What is the woman planning to take with her to school from home? A. some food B. warm clothing C. her game system

3. Based on her major, where will she most likely work? A. at a bank B. for a school C. in a national park

4. The father suggests a specific major based on the possibility of _______________. A. earning a decent living B. traveling to different countries C. moving up in the company

5. The man is surprised by the fact that his daughter ________________________. A. already has a part-time job at school B. has earned a scholarship for the first year C. is involved in a serious relationship

Dialogue 3

College Life

Maria: Oh, hi Dave. Long time, no see!

Dave: Hi Maria. I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd drop by.

Maria: Come on in. [Thanks.] Take a seat. Would you like anything to drink? I have Sprite or orange juice.

Dave: Sprite would be fine. Uh, so, how have you been?

Maria: Oh, not bad. And you?

Dave: Oh, I'm doing okay, but school has been really hectic these days, and I haven't had time to relax.

Maria: By the way, what's your major anyway?

Dave: Hotel management.

Maria: Well, what do you want to do once you graduate?

Dave: Uh... I haven't decided for sure, but I think I'd like to work for a hotel or travel agency in this area. How about you?

Maria: Well, when I first started college, I wanted to major in French, but I realized I might have a hard time finding a job using the language, so I changed majors to computer science. [Oh]. With the right skills, landing a job in the computer industry shouldn't be as difficult.

Dave: So, do you have a part-time job to support yourself through school?

Maria: Well, fortunately for me, I received a four-year academic scholarship [Wow] that pays for all of my tuition and books.

Dave: Wow. That's great.

Maria: Yeah. How about you? Are you working your way through school?

Dave: Yeah. I work three times a week at a restaurant near campus.

Maria: Oh. What do you do there?

Dave: I'm a cook.

Maria: How do you like your job?

Dave: It's okay. The other workers are friendly, and the pay isn't bad.

Key Vocabulary

• hectic (adjective): very busy - Life is always very hectic when you're trying to work and go to school at the same time.

• major (noun or verb): course of study - I'm thinking about majoring in computer science next year. (verb) - What is your major? (noun)

• land (a job) (verb): to secure, win, or get a job - It is becoming increasingly difficult to land a job in the field of language teaching.

• work (your way) through (school) (verb): think through, in this case, work while going to school to support yourself - Since my parents had no money, I had no choice but to work myself through school - Sometimes we just have to work through many new experiences before we understand the language and culture.

1. What does the man want to do after he graduates? A. He wants to become a teacher. B. He hopes to go on to graduate school. C. He'd like to work at a hotel.

2. What is the woman majoring in? A. history B. French C. computer science

3. How does the woman pay for college? A. She has a part-time job. B. She received a scholarship. C. Her parents are paying for it.

4. Where does the man work part-time? A. at a bakery B. in a library C. at a restaurant

5. What thing did the man NOT say about his job? A. His co-workers are friendly. B. He works long hours. C. The pay is okay.

Dialogue 4

Nice to meet you

Teacher: Oh, hi. What was your name again. I can't keep straight all the students' names this being the second day of school.

Student: It's okay. I have a hard time remembering names myself.

Teacher: How, uh, Karen, right?

Student: No, it's Nancy. My mom's name is Karen.

Teacher: Nancy. Okay. I think I heard you were from England.

Student: Well, I was born there, but my parents are American. I grew up in France.

Teacher: Oh, a world traveller!

Student: But then we moved here when I was nine.

Teacher: So, what does your father do now?

Student: Well, he's a college professor, and he is in Scotland at the moment.

Teacher: How interesting. What does he teach?

Student: Oh, I haven't a clue. Nah, just joking. He teaches chemistry.

Teacher: Oh, chemistry, and uh, what about your mother?

Student: She works full time at home.

Teacher: Oh, and what, does she have her own business or something?

Student: Nah, she takes care of me.

Teacher: Well, being a homemaker can be a real hard, but rewarding job.

Student: I think so too.

Key Vocabulary

• keep straight (verb): remember clearly - You need to keep the facts straight if you want to pass the test.

• nah: no (informal) Do you want to come to the party? Nah. I have other plans that evening.

• homemaker (noun): housewife - His wife is a homemaker.

1. Where does this conversation most likely take place? A. at a park B. at a school C. at a birthday party D. at a music recital

2. What is the girl's name? A. Kathy B. Karen C. Nancy D. Nanny

3. Where does the girl probably live now? A. in Scotland B. in France C. in England D. in the United States

4. What does the girl's father do for a living? A. He is a travel agent. B. He is a professor. C. He is computer programmer. D. He is a French teacher.

5. What is one thing NOT mentioned about the girl's family? A. why her parents lived in England for several years B. where her mother works at the present time C. where the girl grew up D. how old the girl was when she moved to her present location

Dialogue 5

Where are you from?

Tom: Hi. I don't think we've met. My name's Tom.

Jenny: Hi, Tom. Nice to meet you. My name is Juanita, but everybody calls me Jenny.

Tom: Nice to meet you, Jenny. So, where are you from?

Jenny: Well, originally I'm from Argentina, but we moved to the United States when I was about five years old. My parents now live in Chile. That's where they first met. How about you, Tom?

Tom: I was born in Fresno, California, and we lived there until I was seven. Then, since my father worked for the military, we moved all over the place.

Jenny: Oh yeah? Where are some of the places you've lived?

Tom: Mostly, we were overseas. We spent ten years in Korea, Germany, and Okinawa, Japan, and then, we were transferred back to the States three years ago.

Jenny: Wow. It sounds like you've had an interesting life. So, what do you do now?

Tom: I'm a university student.

Jenny: Oh really? What are you studying?

Tom: I'm majoring in psychology. How about you? What do you do?

Jenny: Well, I'm working as a sales representative for computer company called CompTech downtown.

Tom: No kidding! My brother works there too.

1. What is the woman's name? A. Julie B. Jenny C. Jane

2. Where is the woman from originally? A. Argentina B. the United States C. Chile

3. About how old was the man when he returned to the United States? A. 7 years old B. 10 years old C. 17 years old

4. What is the man studying? A. physics B. biology C. psychology

5. What is the woman's job? A. a sales representative B. a computer programmer C. a receptionist

Tell me about yourself

Hi. My name's Greg, and I'm originally from Denver, Colorado, but my family moved to Arizona when I was about 3, so I grew up there. I graduated from high school about three years ago, and I am currently attending a university in my city. I'm a junior, and I am majoring in economics with a minor in Spanish. I also work part time as a cashier at a grocery store. Life is really busy, but I enjoy hiking, reading, and hanging out with friends in my free time. When I graduate, I want to work for a company in this area.

• originally (adverb): in the beginning, in the first place - My mom is originally from a small town in Texas.

• currently (adverb): now, at this time - She is currently working as a server at a restaurant.

• attend (verb): go to - I want to attend a school near my family.

• junior (noun): third-year student - He is only a junior, so he has another year to graduate.

• major in (verb): have as one's main field of study - I'm thinking about majoring in restaurant and hotel management.

• cashier (noun): a person who receives and pays out money at a store - Kathy found a job as a cashier at a restaurant.

• grocery store (noun): supermarket - My brother works full time as the manager of a grocery store.

• hang out (phrasal verb): spend time with, socialize - We usually hang out with friends after school.

1. What is the man's name? A. Craig B. Greg C. Gary

2. Where was the man born? A. Arizona B. Kansas C. Colorado

3. Which sentence best describes his university studies? A. He is a third-year student. B. He is majoring in Spanish. C. He really enjoys his studies.

4. Where does the man work? A. at a bookstore B. at a restaurant C. at a supermarket

5. What is one thing the man likes to do in his free time? A. reading B. jogging C. camping