Oscar: How are you adjusting to being a single parent?

Penny: It hasn’t been easy, but Paul and I are trying to be as civil as possible. We worked out joint custody so that Mina will get quality time with both of us. Still, it’s been an adjustment for her.

Oscar: I’m sure, and for you and Paul, too. Will you get to see Mina when she’s with her father?

Penny: We each have visitation rights. Fortunately, Paul and I both want what’s best for Mina, so we’re working hard to make the right decisions.

Oscar: If you don’t mind my asking, how are you managing financially?

Penny: Neither of us is paying alimony to the other so that was never an issue, but Paul will be paying child support since I’ll have Mina most of the year. Paul had no objections. He’s been amenable to anything that would be good for Mina.

Oscar: How has Mina been reacting to the whole thing?

Penny: She has been acting out, which is to be expected. Paul’s parents and my mother have been very supportive, and we’re all trying to give her as much stability as possible.

Oscar: It sounds like you’re doing all you can.

Penny: We’re trying our best, under the circumstances.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
zoning law
urban sprawl
mixed-use zoning
high-density neighborhood
exclusionary
affordable housing
strip club
adult shop
screenwriter
show business
blindly
agent
unless
to persecute
to prosecute

Jasinda: Was that your friend Mitch?

Thomas: Yeah, he and I had lunch today to talk about some business opportunities.

Jasinda: What line of work is he in?

Thomas: Well, I guess you could say he’s in the import/export business.

Jasinda: Hmm…Why are you being so shifty? Isn’t his business on the up and up? He doesn’t deal in the black market, does he?

Thomas: Let’s just say that he takes full advantage of a free market and there’s nothing wrong with the gray market.

Jasinda: You’re not telling me he deals in stolen goods, are you?

Thomas: No, no, nothing like that. Don’t be so naive. There is an entire underground economy in this country, which serves an important purpose. It gets people what they want.

Jasinda: Is he a smuggler? Does he deal in counterfeit or pirated goods? Is that it?

Thomas: I’m not saying another word.

Jasinda: You did say that you were having lunch to talk about business opportunities. You’re not thinking of going into business with him, are you?

Thomas: It was just talk. Nothing is set in stone – yet.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Mary Lou: Am I too late for the opening ceremony?

Jesse: No, it’s just starting. The runner is just coming into Olympic Village with the torch.

Mary Lou: Oh, this is so exciting! I love the summer Olympics. Track and field, gymnastics, swimming – I can’t wait!

Jesse: Oh, here come the athletes from each country, with their flag bearer in front. Look at all those gold, silver, and bronze medalists.

Mary Lou: Isn’t it funny that that country only has one competitor?

Jesse: No way! Can you imagine the accolades you’d get as the only athlete from your country that’s of Olympic caliber? I’d trade places with her any day.

Mary Lou: This schedule says that the track and field events begin tomorrow.

Jesse: Yeah, but those are just the qualifying heats. The real races don’t start for three days. What’s that?

Mary Lou: My flag. I’m cheering on the U.S. team.

Jesse: From the living room?

Mary Lou: Sure, why not? It can’t hurt, can it?

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
image
strait
bay
living expenses
steep
cable car
liberal
costume
civil liberties
litigation
to lobby
to infringe upon
back
failure
error
mistake

Danica: Calm down! Stop throwing things! Have you gone berserk?

Neil: Calm down?! Calm down?! You don’t know what just happened.

Danica: I’ve never seen you lose your temper like this before. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.

Neil: Okay, you know that I like Samantha, right? Well, I told Malik last week. I just found out today that he’s dating her.

Danica: Malik? But he’s your best friend. He wouldn’t do that.

Neil: Do you think I’d be having a fit if I weren’t absolutely certain?

Danica: How can you be so sure? Did he tell you?

Neil: He didn’t have to. I saw him with Samantha together after work. He had his arm around her! I was ready to go off the deep end when I saw the two of them together.

Danica: How do you know he wasn’t sweet-talking her for you? He could have been putting in a good word for you, you know.

Neil: That’s bull! That guy is a traitor and I despise him. And I’m such a schmuck for trusting him.

Danica: Well, I still think you may have gotten the wrong idea. Are you going to talk to him about it?

Neil: You bet I am, just as soon as I stop foaming at the mouth.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Rajid: What are you doing?

Nicole: I’m putting my garbage into the garbage can. Why?

Rajid: Don’t you recycle? You’re supposed to separate out your recyclables and put them in a separate bin.

Nicole: I know, I know, but who has the time? I don’t have that much trash anyway.

Rajid: Oh, yeah? The dump is full of food containers that aren’t biodegradable from people who didn’t have the time.

Nicole: Come on. Don’t blow things out of proportion. It’s not like I’m going to save the environment all by myself.

Rajid: No, you’re not, but if everybody thinks the same way you do, we’re going to use up all of our natural resources.

Nicole: When did you turn into an ecologist? I don’t see you conserving energy. You have your lights on all night. I can see them through your window.

Rajid: I use energy-efficient bulbs. Besides, I take my recyclables to the recycling center, I have energy-efficient appliances, and I turn down my thermostat.

Nicole: I’m just saying that you’re not doing everything you can to save the environment. Okay, okay. Put your money where your mouth is and help me separate out my recyclables.

Rajid: Me? You want me to help you sort through your garbage?

Nicole: Since you’re the expert, I need you to show me how.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
to wedge
talkative
to block someone’s view
to be in the comfort of
sprawling
cranky
to disrupt
passion
family fare
second-rate
tinny
concession stand
fattening
risqué
to wind someone up
You don’t say!

Vicky: Did I imagine it or did you just give Gavin the cold shoulder?

Gerard: You didn’t imagine it. I’m not too happy with him.

Vicky: Why? What did he do?

Gerard: He’s two-faced, that’s why. Last week, he told me he was going to put in a good word for me with the manager for a promotion.

Vicky: So that sounds like a nice thing to do.

Gerard: I thought so, too. But as it turns out, I heard from Elanda that he was bad-mouthing me behind my back.

Vicky: Are you sure?

Gerard: I’m sure. He told Elanda that he thought I had gone pretty far in the company for someone who had dropped out of college. That’s a backhanded compliment, if I’ve ever heard one.

Vicky: That sounds pretty nasty. At least the manager wasn’t around.

Gerard: She wasn’t, but who’s to say what he told her behind my back?

Vicky: You know, the manager is pretty sharp and nothing gets by her. I’m sure she’ll put two and two together and realize that Gavin isn’t trustworthy.

Gerard: I hope so. With friends like him, who needs enemies!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Delia: Oh, my feet hurt! We must have walked for four hours straight today. I have blisters on my heels and bruises on my toes. Where are my band-aids?

Yoshi: Yeah, your feet look bad. I told you not to wear new shoes on vacation, but you wouldn’t listen.

Delia: Oh, yeah? Look at you! I told you to put on sunscreen, and did you? Your face and neck are sunburned. Your skin is going to be red and peeling tomorrow.

Yoshi: I’ll be fine. If it weren’t for my stomachache, I’d be ready to walk another four hours.

Delia: I told you not to eat food from street vendors.

Yoshi: My stomach is just feeling a little irritated and I have a little diarrhea. It’s nothing serious.

Delia: You probably have salmonella or food poisoning.

Yoshi: No, I don’t! Don’t be ridiculous. Here are some band-aids. Now leave me in peace.

Delia: Fine. I’ll let you suffer in silence. I won’t say another word.

Yoshi: Will miracles never cease?

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
portrait
the arts
big break
to be named
chief
celebrity
channel
cable
host
product line
affiliated with
name recognition
via
through

Tony: Who did you invite over for dinner Saturday?

Carmela: I invited Keith, Sung, Stephanie, and Luis.

Tony: You didn’t!

Carmela: I did. Why?

Tony: You’re going to have a hard time cooking for them. Keith is a vegan and only eats food that’s organic. Sung is lactose intolerant and his doctor put him on a low-salt diet.

Carmela: Really? I didn’t know. How do you know so much about their diets?

Tony: I went on a trip with them and I’ll never do it again. We could never agree on a restaurant.

Carmela: What about Stephanie and Luis?

Tony: Stephanie is a health nut, and doesn’t eat anything with saturated fat, added sugar, or artificial flavors. She also doesn’t eat red meat. And Luis, he can only eat gluten-free kosher foods.

Carmela: This is a disaster. How am I going to cook for all four of them?

Tony: Beats me. Maybe you can turn it into a potluck. At least each of your guests will have one dish they can eat.

Carmela: I can’t invite my friends over for dinner and then tell them to bring their own food!

Tony: Well, you wanted a solution and beggars can’t be choosers.

Carmela: You’re right. Desperate times call for desperate measures!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Walt: What’s the matter with you?

Irene: I have a bad cold.

Walt: Why didn’t you stay home from work? You’re probably contagious!

Irene: I had no choice. I have an important presentation this afternoon and I can’t play hooky.

Walt: You can’t give a presentation in your condition. Your nose is running, your eyes are red and puffy, your voice is hoarse, and you look like you’re running a fever.

Irene: Gee, thanks. I know I look terrible, but I’ll get through it. I’m taking a nasal decongestant, I’m using eye drops, and I’m taking cough medicine and sucking on throat lozenges. I should be better by the time of the presentation. Ahchoo!

Walt: Oh, geez! You just sneezed all over me. You’ve contaminated me for sure!

Irene: Sorry. Where’s the Kleenex? I need to blow my nose.

Walt: I’m out of here! You’re a walking germ machine.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
placement
college-level
subject area
to gear up
financial aid
college credit
interlocking
kit
theme park
replicate
track
to collect
maybe
might
judgment call
no-brainer

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for coming to today’s seminar. We’re going to talk about how to invest your money and how to maximize those holdings.

First, we’ll talk about market trends and where to find the best opportunities right now. Getting in on the ground floor and getting the highest appreciation is what we all want. A good investor also knows when to divest, and we’ll talk about how to read the warning signs.

Many of you have money in savings, but you want a better rate of return, and you’re willing to speculate a little to get it. We’ll discuss how to diversify your portfolio to minimize risk while maximizing your return.

Are you ready to make some money? Let’s get started!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Kathy: Thanks for inviting me to see your team. Who’s your best player?

Brad: That would be Sarah. She’s a natural. No one comes close to her speed and dexterity. She has good instincts and a flair for getting out of difficult situations.

Kathy: She sounds promising. Anyone else I should be keeping an eye on?

Brad: Mollie is a good player, too. In terms of scoring points, she can almost do it in her sleep. She’s also very good at being a leader to the other players, and she has a knack for getting along with even the most difficult teammates.

Kathy: As you know, we recruit only first-rate players for the national team, and this year, we hope to be head and shoulders above any of the other teams. The days of making do with mediocre players are over.

Brad: I understand that. We have a game this Saturday. Why don’t you come out and judge for yourself? I think you’ll be impressed with the talent you see.

Kathy: I’m sure I will. I’ll be here on Saturday ready to be dazzled.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
live
cast
celebrity
sketch
news anchor
current events
big break
controversial
shock jock
offend
fine
on the air
state of the art

Xavier: Look out! Put your foot on the brake!

Brandy: I am braking.

Xavier: No, your foot is on the gas pedal!

Brandy: Oh. There’s the brake.

Xavier: You just took 10 years off my life. I was sure you were going to hit the median or the railing. I didn’t know what I was getting into when I agreed to teach you how to drive.

Brandy: Relax. I’m really getting the hang of this. Shifting gears isn’t as hard as I thought it would be, it’s cool to parallel park, and driving in reverse is fun!

Xavier: Would you please keep your hands on the steering wheel, instead of playing with the radio? Keep your eyes on the speedometer and stop using the rearview mirror to look at yourself.

Brandy: And you stop working yourself into a tizzy. I’m a fine driver.

Xavier: I don’t think those people you’re about to hit would agree with you.

Brandy: If they don’t like the way I drive, they should get off the sidewalk!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Jae: Hi, are you done with this weight machine?

Sally: Yeah, I am. I was just trying it out. I think I must be doing something wrong. My muscles are aching already.

Jae: Maybe I can help. I’ve been working out on these machines for a few months, so I’m pretty used to them.

Sally: I just joined the gym this week. I usually do a cardio workout on a treadmill or stationary bike, and I’ve used free weights at home before. But now it makes sense to do my strength-training here.

Jae: Have you thought about getting a personal trainer? When I joined, I signed up for a trainer for a few sessions and she helped me set up a good regimen.

Sally: That’s a good idea.

Jae: If you want help with those machines, though, I’m usually here every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Sally: Thanks, I’ll definitely look out for you. I’m Sally.

Jae: I’m Jae. Nice to meet you.

Sally: You, too. I think I’ve sweated enough today. I’m off to the locker room.

Jae: Yeah, me too. See ya!

Sally: Bye!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Danny: Are you sure we should start accepting credit cards from our customers? We’ve always been a cash-only business.

Katy: I think we need to for the convenience of our customers. It won’t be as big a nuisance as you think, with this new cash register.

Danny: The instructions say the merchant has to swipe the cardholder’s card at the POS. What’s that?

Katy: That stands for point of sale. For us, that’s the cash register. All you have to do is take the credit card and swipe it through here, making sure that the magnetic strip is facing you. It’s simple.

Danny: Do I have to write down the credit card number, the expiration date, and the security code on the back?

Katy: No, the cash register does that for you automatically. It will save you a lot of time.

Danny: What if the customer goes over his or her credit limit?

Katy: In that case, their card is declined and we tell the customer to call the issuing bank.

Danny: What if a customer disputes the charges?

Katy: The credit card company will investigate, and if we have double-charged a customer or made a mistake, we’ll have to do a chargeback. We can do it easily with the cash register. Everything can be done with this machine. It’s great.

Danny: What if it doesn’t work?

Katy: What if what doesn’t work?

Danny: What if the cash register breaks down?

Katy: Um...I guess you’ll have to write down all of the information and process it when the machine is working again.

Danny: Not such a timesaver, huh?

Katy: But you only have to do that if it breaks down, and it won’t break down...very often.

Danny: We’ll see about that!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
loyal
logo
engine
reputation
pejorative
mid-life crisis
reverend
civil rights
activist
segregated
march
shadow senator
because
since
yikes
speaking of which

David: Why has Joyce been moping around all week? What’s wrong with her?

Victoria: She’s suffering from a broken heart. Her boyfriend broke up with her over the weekend. They had been together for two years.

David: Did she tell you the gruesome details?

Victoria: Not really. She just said that she’s feeling depressed and she didn’t want to talk about it, but you can see the grief all over her face.

David: I can think of a way to cheer her up. I’ve always wanted to go out with Joyce. Maybe I’ll ask her out.

Victoria: Wait a second. I think she’s feeling pretty vulnerable right now, and there’s no way she’s ready to date yet. I think you’re jumping the gun.

David: There’s nothing better to help someone bounce back from a failed relationship than the promise of a new one.

Victoria: Maybe, but I think it might backfire. If you just want a fling, she might not be able to recover from rejection – twice.

David: Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. I’ll just distract her from her misery for a while until she starts to recover.

Victoria: Just tread carefully.

David: Leave it to the master.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
hip
fracture
balance
to stub
to go flying
to fall flat
incompetent
nursing home
to keep something to oneself
emergency room
acute care
rehab
to be discharged
brethren
anymore

Jamal: Have you found a place for us to stay in Chicago?

Erin: I’m still exploring the options. Instead of a run-of-the-mill chain hotel, I thought we could do something different.

Jamal: How different?

Erin: I thought we might stay in a cabin near the lake.

Jamal: A cabin? That sounds a little too rustic for me. My days of roughing it in hostels or fleabag motels are over. A cabin sounds like it would be in the same league.

Erin: Oh, I don’t know. There are some very nice cabins, and even if they’re less than luxurious, I don’t mind staying in a modest place. We can’t afford an expensive boutique hotel, you know.

Jamal: I know that, but there are a lot of other options. We could stay in a bed and breakfast or a vacation rental. Remember the bed and breakfast we stayed in in Montreal?

Erin: Yeah, that was nice. Okay, you win. I was trying to appeal to your adventurous spirit.

Jamal: My adventurous spirit is still here. It just needs the right inducement.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Jamal: Have you found a place for us to stay in Chicago?

Erin: I’m still exploring the options. Instead of a run-of-the-mill chain hotel, I thought we could do something different.

Jamal: How different?

Erin: I thought we might stay in a cabin near the lake.

Jamal: A cabin? That sounds a little too rustic for me. My days of roughing it in hostels or fleabag motels are over. A cabin sounds like it would be in the same league.

Erin: Oh, I don’t know. There are some very nice cabins, and even if they’re less than luxurious, I don’t mind staying in a modest place. We can’t afford an expensive boutique hotel, you know.

Jamal: I know that, but there are a lot of other options. We could stay in a bed and breakfast or a vacation rental. Remember the bed and breakfast we stayed in in Montreal?

Erin: Yeah, that was nice. Okay, you win. I was trying to appeal to your adventurous spirit.

Jamal: My adventurous spirit is still here. It just needs the right inducement.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
series
episode
animation
puppet
make-believe
values
founding fathers
Congress
free and open to the public
monument
memorial
bike path
to mix
to combine
to stir
to beat
stock photography

Bethany: I just talked to Steve about hiring replacements for Cyril, who quit last month and for Megan, who is leaving at the end of this week. Do you know what he told me? He doesn’t want to hire permanent replacements. He wants to make do with temps!

Enrique: I can see it from Steve’s perspective. The economy isn’t so good right now and maybe he’s not sure if we can afford full-time replacements.

Bethany: But how am I suppose to staff the office to cover all of the work that needs to be done with temps!

Enrique: Don’t undervalue temps. Many of them are very skilled and you may be surprised at how well they do. I should know. I worked as a temp right after graduating from college.

Bethany: You did? I didn’t know that. But you went to a great school. I’m surprised you had trouble landing a full-time job.

Enrique: Actually, I was offered a full-time job before I graduated, but I turned it down. I decided I wanted to test the waters in a few different companies before deciding on where I wanted to work. In retrospect, it was the best thing I could have done.

Bethany: You didn’t miss the job security?

Enrique: Yeah, I did, but there are other perks to working as a temp. I got offered permanent jobs with two of the companies I temped for. That’s how I got my first full-time job. Working there was the best way to get my foot in the door.

Bethany: Well, thanks for the fresh perspective. Maybe working with temps won’t be so bad.

Enrique: I hope not. And if they get out of line, just tell me and I’ll set them straight.

Bethany: Yeah, right.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Julia: Aren’t you nervous about your surgery next week?

Hugh: No, it’s a routine procedure. I don’t even need to be admitted overnight.

Julia: But aren’t you going under general anesthesia? It’s not the same as local anesthesia, you know.

Hugh: Yes, I know. This is an out-patient procedure. If the doctors don’t think I can go home the same day, they’ll just keep me under observation.

Julia: All the same, there may be complications.

Hugh: It’s supposed to be a low-risk procedure. If there are post-op problems, I’m sure the doctors will take good care of me.

Julia: But what if they release you too early from the hospital. I’ve heard that these days doctors are under pressure to free up beds as soon as possible.

Hugh: It’s true that I may be impaired after the procedure, but my daughter will be there and I trust her judgment. I’m sure she’ll make sure I’m fine to go home before I’m discharged.

Julia: But what if...?

Hugh: Don’t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen. If it does, you can say, “I told you so.”

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
district
mainstream
controversial
cutting-edge
lucrative
figurine
infant
voluptuous
to distort
accessory
action figure
armed force
I have no

Juanita: What time is it?

Chuck: It’s a quarter to 12. Why?

Juanita: At noon, on the dot, I’m supposed to meet James.

Chuck: On the dot? What if you don’t get there until a few minutes past four? Will you turn into a pumpkin?

Juanita: Knock it off. I have good reason to be on time. I was supposed to meet him at the movies at 8:30 last Saturday and I didn’t turn up until 10 ‘til 9:00. We missed the first 10 minutes of the movie.

Chuck: That doesn’t sound too bad.

Juanita: You don’t know the half of it. The week before that, I was supposed to pick him up from work at a quarter after 5:00, and I didn’t show up until nearly 20 minutes to six. To add insult to injury, James’ boss saw that he was still in the office and gave him an extra assignment to do that night and he didn’t finish until well after 10:00.

Chuck: I can see why he’s pissed off at you.

Juanita: What time is it now?

Chuck: It’s 12:03.

Juanita: Oh my god! I’m late again! What am I going to tell him?

Chuck: Tell him it was all my fault. My incredible charm made you lose track of time.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Kenji: Hello, my car was stolen and I want to report it.

Officer: Where was it when it was stolen?

Kenji: It was parked outside of my apartment building. I went outside this morning to drive to work, and it was gone.

Officer: Okay, you need to fill out this form. Put down the make and model of the vehicle, the year, and the color. You’ll also need the license plate number. Do you know the vehicle’s VIN number?

Kenji: No, I don’t.

Officer: That’s okay. Just fill it out and we’ll launch an investigation.

Kenji: What do you think the chances are that I’ll recover my car?

Officer: That’s hard to say. If it was stolen by some kids who wanted to take a joyride, they’ll abandon it afterwards and you may get it back in one piece. If it was taken by professional car thieves, that’s a different story. They usually strip the cars of their parts and sell them to chop shops. You may not want your car back after it’s been stripped.

Kenji: I’ll just have to wish for the best.

Officer: We’ll notify you if we have some news.

Kenji: Thanks. In the meantime, I’d better get used to hoofing it around town!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
ancestor
settler
reservation
forced relocation
trail
tribe
retirement
Social Security benefits
retirement community
clubhouse
to deteriorate
to cherish
to be subject to
to be subjected to
hedge trimming

Store owner: Hello.

Karin: Hello, is this Joe’s Shoe Repair?

Store owner: Yes, how can I help you?

Karin: I’m calling to find out your business hours.

Store owner: We’re open 24/7.

Karin: Really? You’re open 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

Store owner: Yes, we are, more often than not. Of course we close for major holidays.

Karin: Is that all?

Store owner: We also close the first and third Monday and every other Sunday of each month, except the fourth Sunday, when we’re always open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., unless we have extended hours.

Karin: Oh, okay. If I brought in a pair of shoes to be fixed today, how quickly can you have them ready?

Store owner: Normally, we can have shoes repaired in three or four days, but not this week.

Karin: Why?

Store owner: We’re closed Wednesday through Friday for renovation.

Karin: Okay, what if I brought them in next week?

Store owner: That’s no good either. The exterminators are coming in and we’re closed Monday through Thursday.

Karin: Are you pulling my leg?

Store owner: Of course not! This is a respectable business. I never joke about business.

Karin: How about the week after next?

Store owner: Sorry, but you’re out of luck. The week after next we’re closed for vacation.

Karin: When do you actually open 24/7?

Store owner: We’re always open 24/7 – with just a few exceptions.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Doris: Hello.

Telemarketer: Hello, may I speak to the lady of the house?

Doris: What is this regarding?

Telemarketer: I’m calling from Cheetam Cable Company and we have a very special offer. This month only, you can get a bundle of services for the low, low price of $69.99! This offer...

Doris: Thank you, but I’m not interested.

Telemarketer: But that’s because you haven’t heard the rest of the offer yet. If you sign up today, you will get at no extra charge, all of the equipment you’ll need to switch to our cable company.

Doris: As I said, I’m not interested. I’m also on the national do-not-call registry and I want to be taken off your call list.

Telemarketer: If you’re on my list, it means that you have a prior relationship with our company and telemarketers are allowed to call you. Now about that special offer...

Doris: I don’t want to hear your sales pitch. I demand to be taken off your call list and I don’t want to get any more calls from your company.

Telemarketer: Is that a “no” on the special offer?

Doris: Yes, that’s a “no” on the special offer and a “no” on getting any more calls from your company. Do I make myself clear?

Telemarketer: Yes, very clear. If you’re not interested in our special offer, I can tell you about our other services...

Doris: No you can’t! [Hangs up the phone]

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
monster
pickup truck
destructive
to crush
track
obstacle
freestyle
to root
blue jeans (or jeans)
denim
ranch
Gold Rush
miner
durable
to be up against the wall
responsibility
liability

Rafael: They’re playing Pomp and Circumstance and the graduates are filing in. Do you see your daughter? I don’t see my son.

April: No, we’re too far from the field and everybody is wearing a cap and gown. It’s hard to see who’s who.

Rafael: Oh, there’s the dean and I think that’s the commencement speaker behind her. You must be really proud of your daughter. I know I would be if my son were valedictorian.

April: I’m very proud of her, but your son is graduating cum laude, with honors. Those are great accomplishments.

Rafael: It’s a proud day for both of us. I just hope that the graduates will keep this a dignified ceremony. I don’t want to see any shenanigans.

April: What do you mean?

Rafael: Last year when my other son graduated, a group of rowdy students started singing an offensive song as the graduates went up to get their diplomas.

April: Hey, what’s that over there?

Rafael: Where? Oh, that’s a beach ball! How dare they throw a beach ball around while the dean is speaking!

April: Don’t look now. Those students are doing something strange with their tassels.

Rafael: Shame on them! Shame on every one of them!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Order clerk: Hello, Torino’s Restaurant.

Nancy: Hello, I’d like to place a delivery order.

Order clerk: Can I have your address and the major cross streets, please?

Nancy: It’s 1212 Main Street, and the nearest cross streets are Speedway and Highland.

Order clerk: Okay, it looks like you’re in our delivery area. What would you like to order?

Nancy: I’d like an order of spaghetti. Does that come with any sides?

Order clerk: You have a choice of soup or salad.

Nancy: I’ll have the salad.

Order clerk: Is that all? We have a $15 minimum for delivery orders.

Nancy: In that case, I’ll also take an appetizer sampler plate.

Order clerk: Okay, that’s one order of spaghetti and an appetizer sampler plate. You’re still $3 short. Would you like a drink or some dessert?

Nancy: I’ll take an iced tea.

Order clerk: All right, but you’re still a dollar short.

Nancy: What can I get for a dollar?

Order clerk: There’s nothing on the menu for a dollar, ma’am.

Nancy: And you won’t deliver my $14 order?

Order clerk: That’s our policy, ma’am.

Nancy: All right, you win. Give me an order of bread. How long will that take?

Order clerk: You should get your food in about an hour.

Nancy: An hour?!?

Order clerk: Yes, ma’am. You’ve ordered a lot of food and it takes time for us to prepare it.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
to bring over
to pass down something
to flatten
bridge
basically
roots
origins
melody
acoustic
fiddle
banjo
bass
résumé
curriculum vitae

Wanda: I can’t take it anymore. I try to put up with Robert, but I’ve had enough!

Dana: I’m not surprised. That guy is a big bully and it’s time somebody stood up to him. What has he done now?

Wanda: This was the last straw. We’re both managers and we’re supposed to work together, but Robert looks for every opportunity to put me down in front of our employees. This morning, I presented an idea about upgrading our computer equipment and he jumped down my throat.

Dana: What did he do?

Wanda: He said that the idea was stupid and that he couldn’t understand how anyone could propose it. He said this in front of everybody. I was too stunned to respond, so I just stood there.

Dana: That’s totally inappropriate and unprofessional.

Wanda: He’s arrogant to everybody, but especially to me. He always says he’s just being honest when he makes a biting remark, but I’m realizing that that’s just his excuse to be rude. He treats everyone with contempt. I really don’t know what to do.

Dana: I know people like Robert. They’re so insecure that they have to belittle everyone else to make themselves feel better. They have really poor social skills and don’t know how to have a conversation or to disagree without being a jerk.

Wanda: That may be, but what should I do about him?

Dana: There’s only one way to handle a bully.

Wanda: How?

Dana: You have to call his bluff. If he criticizes your plan, ask him to back it up with evidence or a specific reason. If you disagree with him, keep your cool, but tell him why. Most bullies back down when someone stands up to them.

Wanda: Okay, it’s worth a try. I’ve been trying to keep calm and maintain a professional atmosphere in the office, so I haven’t confronted him, but I will if you think it’ll help.

Dana: I do. And if that doesn’t work, tell him to act his age, not his shoe size!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Caridad: Look at this! The president of McQuillan University is stepping down. He submitted his resignation this morning after an undergraduate student made allegations that they had an affair and that she’s pregnant with his baby.

Nate: That’s terrible. Maybe they were in love.

Caridad: In love? He’s married and has four kids, and when she first went public about the affair, he denied it and said that she had made up the whole story. Would someone in love try to cover up something like this?

Nate: Who knows? The president of a major university is a person with a lot to lose. I’m not making excuses for him, but maybe he lost his head.

Caridad: Of course he had a lot to lose. Anyone who is in the public eye like he is shouldn’t be playing with fire. He’s an embarrassment to his family and to his university.

Nate: I still think there could be extenuating circumstances. All you know you’ve learned from one newspaper article.

Caridad: That much is true, but I know one thing: Whatever happens to him, it serves him right!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Words:
addiction
rehab
painkiller
intervention
residential
counselor
hand
tournament
champion
endorsement
to show (one’s) hand
poker face
to raise the stakes
to be short on time
time is running short
past year
last year
supervisor
manager

Caterina: I can’t believe I let you rope me into seeing this performance. It was so lame!

Oliver: Okay, you’re right, it was the pits. I had no idea it was going to be amateur hour. When I saw the ad in the paper describing this as an experimental play, I thought it might be interesting. Was I wrong!

Caterina: I didn’t understand that play at all. The music, if you can call it that, was atrocious. How can anyone be expected to listen to that for more than three seconds without going crazy? I wish I could get those two hours of my life back!

Oliver: Yeah, it’s left a bad taste in my mouth, too. Let’s go see something else. I want to put this whole experience behind me.

Caterina: Benjamin’s Bar is having open-mic tonight. Do you want to check it out?

Oliver: No way! Wild horses couldn’t drag me to another amateur show. How about a movie instead?

Caterina: Okay, I’d go to a movie.

Oliver: You’d better pick one, though. Look what happened when I was left to pick a play.

Caterina: Forget about it. We’ll just chalk it up to temporary insanity.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse