大城市小世界 Series 1 Episode 12 - Good News & Bad News

 　　Before you listen

　　We suggest you do the vocabulary activity below before you listen. Then listen to the episode 1 and do the first task to check your understanding. Finally, practise some vocabulary and grammar.
　　Match the words and phrases in the boxes to their definitions.
　　1. a distinction (noun)
　　2. proper (adjective)
　　3. to miss someone (verb)
　　4. a decision (noun)
　　5. permanent (adjective)
　　6. a row (noun)
　　Definitions:
　　a. A verbal 2 argument or disagreement We had ________ about whose turn it was to clean the kitchen.
　　b. Long lasting 3, not temporary After having six temporary jobs she was delighted to get a ________ one.
　　c. Appropriate, conforming 4, correct Now I am getting a ________ salary instead of just some pocket money.
　　d. Marked superiority 5 She was an excellent student so it wasn.t a surprise to hear that she had got ________ in her exam.
　　e. To feel sorry about the absence of somebody or something She ________ her family a lot when she moved away to another town.
　　f. a judgement It was a difficult ________ to make but she had to choose a winner.
　　Audio script
　　Olivia: Hi Magda! How was your first day?
　　Magda: Fantastic!
　　Olivia: Really!? I.m amazed...
　　Sarah: Yeah, you were so worried about your new job...
　　Magda: Well, I had some good news...
　　Olivia: Yeah? What?
　　All: Hi Johnny!
　　Johnny: Hi! I.ve got some good news...
　　Sarah: Makes two of you then!
　　Johnny: At least I think it.s good news...I.m not really sure...
　　Olivia: Tell us!
　　Magda: Can.t I tell you my good news first?
　　Sarah: Wow, this is getting complicated...and I.m afraid I.ve only got some bad news...
　　Magda: Oh no...What a shame! What.s the problem?
　　Olivia: Yeah, go on, bad news first, then the good news will cheer us up!
　　Sarah: OK, well, I had a row with my landlord, finally! And I.m moving out...
　　Magda: Oh no!
　　Sarah: Oh yes! So, I need a new flat...
　　Olivia: Again!!!
　　Magda: Oh dear...
　　Olivia: What a shame. I hoped it was going to work out...
　　Sarah: Yeah, but I didn.t get on with the landlord.
　　Magda: Have you told Fadi yet?
　　Sarah: No...I.m worried what he might think. The landlord is his cousin, after all...
　　Olivia: Well, let.s just wait until he comes in. I was going to tell him you weren.t happy – now I.ll tell him you.re leaving!
　　Magda: Is it good news time yet?
　　Sarah: Yes! Go on! What.s your good news?
　　Magda: I.ve been offered a job!
　　Johnny: Me too!
　　Olivia: Hang on! Wait a minute! You.ve already got a job, haven 6.t you Magda?
　　Sarah: And you have too, Johnny, haven.t you? You talk about it all the time...
　　Magda/Johnny: But...
　　Magda: Go on...!
　　Johnny: No, you first, please...
　　Magda: I.ve been offered a permanent job, with the same company! I.ll be a proper architect!
　　Olivia: Wow! That.s fantastic!
　　Magda: But...
　　Olivia: There.s always a .but....
　　Magda: I have to get a distinction in my master.s degree...
　　Sarah: Phew...that.s not easy...
　　Magda: No, but I.m doing well...
　　Olivia: Fingers crossed then...
　　Sarah: Let.s hope!
　　Johnny: That.s amazing – I.ve got the same news!
　　Olivia: What? You.re going to be an architect?
　　Johnny: No!
　　Sarah: You.re doing a master.s degree?
　　Johnny: No!
　　Magda: What then?
　　Johnny: A job...I.ve been offered a new job!
　　Olivia: Yes, you said...
　　Johnny: And there.s a .but....
　　Olivia: I told you there was always a .but....
　　Johnny: It.s not in London...
　　Olivia: You.d have to leave...
　　Johnny: Yeah...
　　Olivia: Well, where is it? New York?
　　Johnny: No...
　　Magda: Paris? Berlin? Where?
　　Johnny: It.s back in China.
　　Sarah: Oh...Beijing? Shanghai?
　　Johnny: No, it.s in Chongqing.
　　Olivia: Where?
　　Johnny: Chongqing!
　　Magda:: Where.s that?
　　Sarah: Southwest China. It.s a really interesting place...growing really quickly...
　　Johnny: Yeah, it.s a great opportunity...
　　Olivia: But?
　　Johnny: But I love it here so much. I.m not sure I want to go back to China yet – I.d miss all my friends...
　　Olivia: You.ll have to choose!
　　Sarah: It.s big decision time! Oh no...here comes Fadi....and Harry 7.
　　All: Hi Fadi! Hi Harry!
　　Fadi: How.s it going everyone?
　　Olivia: Don.t ask...
　　Magda: I.ve been offered a new job, a really good job – if I get a good degree!
　　Johnny: I.ve been offered a new job, a really good job – but I have to go back to China!
　　Harry: Wow! Busy day everyone.s having...I.ve got some news too...
　　Olivia: Oh no...
　　Harry: Oh yes – I.ve been sacked!
　　Magda: “Sacked”?
　　Harry: Yes – I.ve lost my job, been made redundant 8, unemployed 9, no longer working!
　　Magda: Oh no!
　　Harry: Don.t worry – I don.t care. I hated that job anyway. I.ll soon find another job. A man with my skills and abilities is always in demand!
　　Johnny: Somebody from my company sacked you? Why?
　　Harry: I told them I wasn.t going to work at the weekend – Saturdays and Sundays. If I worked on Saturday and Sunday, when could I play football!? So I said .no., and they said .goodbye....
　　Magda: What will you do now?
　　Harry: I have absolutely no idea! The future is an open book...
　　Sarah: Very poetic 10!
　　Fadi: Well Sarah, at least you.re ok...with your new flat and everything...
　　Sarah: Oh...er...well...
　　Olivia: Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that...cousin
　　Fadi: You wanted to talk to me?
　　Olivia: (whispering) Yeah, well, you see, Sarah.s a bit embarrassed...
　　Fadi: (whispering) What.s up?
　　Olivia: She wants to leave the new flat...she doesn.t get on well with the landlord...
　　Fadi: My cousin.
　　Olivia: Yes, your cousin.
　　Fadi: I.m not surprised!
　　Olivia: Eh?
　　Fadi: I said I.m not surprised! My cousin.s horrible! I can.t stand him!
　　Olivia: (laughs) Oh that.s a relief...
　　Fadi: Sarah – I.m sorry if I got you involved with my cousin...I thought you were desperate for a place to live...I know my cousin.s horrible!
　　Sarah: Oh, never mind Fadi – thanks for trying to help anyway...Now I need a new place to live though...
　　Magda: If I get this job, I.ll have more money – we could get a place together...
　　Sarah: That.d be great...
　　Johnny: If I take the job in China, I.ll have to leave my flat...
　　Sarah: And we could move in...
　　Olivia: What a lot of .if.s....
　　Sarah: It.s exciting...
　　Magda: But also worrying...
　　Johnny: And confusing...
　　Harry: And that.s not all...
　　Fadi: What?
　　Harry: I.ve just been speaking to the owner of the café...
　　Olivia: And?
　　Harry: They.re closing down – next week!
　　All: What!!?? Oh…that.s terrible…no....what are we all going to do??
　　Comprehension Task
　　True or false
　　Decide whether these statements are true or false:
　　1. If Magda does well in her degree she will get a permanent job.
　　2. Johnny is moving to Shanghai.
　　3. Fadi doesn.t like his cousin.
　　4. Harry has been offered a permanent job.
　　5. Magda suggests that she and Sarah share a flat.
　　6. The café is going to close down.
　　Vocabulary 1
　　Adjective + noun collocations
　　Match the halves to make common adjective + noun collocations
　　First
　　degree
　　Good
　　 week
　　Permanent
　　decision
　　Master's
　　day
　　Big
　　job
　　Next
　　 news
　　Vocabulary 2
　　Colloquial 11 expressions
　　Complete the colloquial expressions with a word from the box.
　　1. What a __________
　　2. Cheer __________
　　3. Fingers __________
　　4. Decision __________
　　5. Don.t __________
　　6. I.m __________
　　crossed
　　time
　　worry
　　up
　　sorry
　　shame
　　Grammar 1
　　Adjective endings: -ed and –ing
　　Complete the gaps with the correct adjective
　　1. Something __________ happened to me today. (amazed / amazing)
　　2. Try not to get too __________ about the exam. (worried / worrying)
　　3. It was an __________ situation. (embarrassed / embarrassing)
　　4. She was __________ to hear the news. (surprised / surprising)
　　5. What an __________ plan! (excited / exciting)
　　6. We are __________ because there are too many options. (confused / confusing)
　　7. Is the film __________? (bored / boring)
　　8. The book was much more __________.(interested / interesting)
　　Grammar 2
　　Articles Fill in the gaps with a, an, the or - (no article)
　　1. I.ve had ______ row with my boyfriend.
　　2. I don.t get on with ______ landlord.
　　3. I.m going to be ______ architect.
　　4. The job is in ______ China.
　　5. That.s ______ excellent news.
　　6. I hated ______ job so I left.
　　Answers
　　Grammar 2: 1 a, 2 the, 3 an, 4  - , 5 -  , 6 the
　　Grammar 1: 1 - amazing, 2 - worried, 3 - embarrassing, 4 - surprised, 5 - exciting, 6 - confused, 7 - boring, 8 - interesting
　　Vocabulary 2: 1 -  What a shame, 2 -  Cheer up, 3 - Fingers crossed, 4 - Decision time, 5 - Don’t worry, 6 - I’m sorry
　　Vocabulary 1: First day - Good news - Permanent job - Master's degree - Big decision - Next week
　　Comprehension Task: 1 – true, 2 – false (he may move to Chongqing), 3 – true, 4 – false(he has lost his job), 5 – true, 6 – true,
　　Before you listen: 1 – d, 2 - c, 3 - e, 4 - f, 5 - b, 6 - a