Meeting an old friend

Listen to the conversation between two old friends to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

MultipleChoice_MjMzNzM=

Transcript

Selina: Patrick? Is that you?

Patrick: Selina! Hello!

Selina: Well, well. Patrick Eastwood. How have you been?

Patrick: Good. Great, actually. How are you? I haven't seen you for ... how long?

Selina: It's been ages. At least fifteen years. Wow.

Patrick: Yeah. Wow.

Patrick and Selina: So, what are you doing here?

Selina: Sorry, you go first.

Patrick: OK. What are you doing here? I thought you'd moved to London.

Selina: I was in London for a couple of years. But it didn't work out.

Patrick: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you ... OK?

Selina: I'm fine! The dream job wasn't really a dream, you know? Um ... and London is great but it's so expensive. I mean, just the rent on a flat is ... uh … crazy expensive.

Patrick: I see.

Selina: So, I came back. I've been back now for almost five months. Living back home with Mum and Dad. Which is err ... interesting. Um ... but anyway, what about you?

Patrick: Me? Oh, nothing new. You know me – 'Patrick the predictable'. I never left here.

Selina: Oh. And is that ...?

Patrick: Oh, I'm very happy. I'm married now. We've just celebrated our tenth anniversary.

Selina: No way! You? Married? To …?

Patrick: I don't think you know her. Her name's Marigold. And we've got two kids. They're five and eight years old.

Selina: Married and with two kids? Wow!

Patrick: Don't look so surprised!

Selina: No, no … I'm just amazed how time flies! I'm happy for you. I really am.

Patrick: Thanks. You should really come round to the house one day.

Selina: That would be great. Let's swap numbers and ...

Task 1

TrueOrFalse_MjMzNzQ=.xml

Task 2

GapFillTyping_MjMzNzU=.xml

Discussion

Do you keep in touch with old friends?

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Worksheet72.52 KB

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Language level

B1 Intermediate

Topics

family and friends

conversation

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I think if I refer to Fahri, from the sentence it dint work out, the word it simply describes the situation or thing .sometimes, the expectation which according to Selinas it was a JOB (DREAM JOB).Hope that was helpful

I've always been kind of introvert and can't socialize easily. I had a very close friend many years ago, we were studying at the same university, as it didn't work out for her, she dropped out of university and after a couple of years, she left the country. I did all I could to keep in touch with her but all in vain. I suppose that I belong to a past she'd like to forgot and I completely understand and accept her choice.

Yes, exactly I keep in touch with my old friends. When I was 18 years old, I have made a big mistake about my university. I wouldn't choose my department but I did. This area wasnt suitable for me. However I have disappointed with my faculty, I had a great friends. I couldnt forget. Still we are meeting and we are keeping in touch. They made me love this university. I believe one of the most valuable things in the life is to create and to establish with solid and reliable friendships. It is happy to me to have these relationships. I would like to say 'thank you for your existence'.

Yes, of course! I have an old and maybe close mate, with who we make friends during summer holidays around 2 or 3 years ago. So, not very often, but sometimes we chat with each other in the social networks. It's great and amazing to have such old friends, because, in my view, that can check your real close friendship.

Dear team. From the lesson above. Selina: No, no … I'm just amazed how time flies! I'm happy for you. I really am. The question is: What the different from 'I really am' and 'I am really' ??? I never hear 'I really am' . Its weird for me. Thank you very much for your answer.

Hello fahri,

When Selina says 'I really am', she is insisting that she is happy -- as if someone else had questioned whether she was happy. In this case, 'really' is an adverb meaning 'in fact'.

It would be a little unusual to say 'I am really' without an adjective or some other words after it, e.g. 'I am really happy'. In this case, 'really' is an intensifier used with a gradable adjective.

Does that make sense?

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

This is enough for me. Thank you sir

Basically, my best friends are the oldest ones. We keep in touch despite we live in different cities now. Actually, even in the different countries )) We try to visit each other as often as possible. And, of course, we use our phone to call or text to one another. I can't imagine my life without them, I've known them for ages, we went through a lot of different situations and it's worth a lot. Of course, I also have some new acquaintances. They are also great and I like spending time with them but despite they are so nice, my old friends mean so much to me

Dear team. From the lesson above. Selina: I was in London for a couple of years. But it didn't work out. The question is: The word 'it' in that sentence refers to London or anything else?? The second question : The word 'work out' is it mean to be successful or develop in a particular way??? So.... was Selina fail or unsuccessful in her job???? Thank you very much for your explanation and answer