「Beginner」step1 ：初級入門

    A ： Good morning. I understand that you‘ve got a problem with your
washing machine. I’m from the repair company.

    B ： Excellent. Come in please. The washing machine is in the bathroom
upstairs. It keeps breaking down.

    A ： When did it first break down ？

    A ： About ten days ago. I‘ve tried to use it since then. Sometimes
it works and sometimes it doesn ’t. It ‘s very frustrating.

    B ： Is it still under warranty ？ If it is and I can ‘t fix it，
it would be quicker and easier to exchange it for a new one.

    A ： Yes， it ‘s still under warranty. Over the last few weeks ，
it’s also been making a high-pitched noise when it ‘s in use.

    A ： Ok. I‘ll start by looking at the motor. I ’ll just unplug it
and take a look inside the machine………oh， yes. There ‘s the problem.
It’s quite simple. I ‘ll sort it out in a few minutes.

    B ： What ‘s wrong with it ？

    A ： Part of the motor is loose. I can put it back in place quite
easily.

    B ： That ‘s great. Thanks very much. Would you like a cup of tea
or coffee ？

    「Intermediate」step2 ：中級進階

    A ： So ， you friend ‘s getting married on Saturday. What have you
bought her as a wedding gift？ I find it so hard to choose the right gift.

    B ： My friend and her fiancé had a really good idea. They have cut
out pictures from catalogues and pasted them in a notebook. The picture
are of the things they want. People sign their name by the item they will
buy.

    A ： That ‘s clever！ Then everyone knows that they are buying something
the couple really wants and there ’s no chance of two people buying the
same gift. What things were in the notebook ？

    B ： Most of the things were household appliances. You know ， everything
from an iron through a vacuum cleaner to a cooker. I think it ‘s an excellent
way for everyone who knows the couple to help them set up home.

    A ： So ， what did you get them？

    B ： I bought a sewing machine. I know that my friend likes making
her own clothes ， but her current sewing machine is quite old and has
some problems.

    A ： What ‘s wrong with it ？

    B ： She says that after several years of use ， it ‘s not working
properly. When she uses it， it makes a funny noise.

    A ： Household appliances don ‘t seem to last for a long time nowadays.

    B ： I think it ‘s because the manufactures are constantly bringing
out new models. Because they know that we will buy the new models ， the
appliances don’t need to last more than five or ten years at most.