Jack:Shoud we go straight to her classroom?
Jenny:Perhaps we should report to the school office first.
Jack:Good idea.After you.
Jenny:Thank you.
Jack:It’s this way,isn’t it?
Jenny:Yes,that’s right.
Jack:It’s strange how all school seem to smell the same?
Jenny:I know what you mean.
Jack :And that smell immediately takes you back to your own schooldays.
Jenny:Yes.I wish I were a schoolgirl agsin.
Jack:Really?
Jenny:Yes,When I was a teenager,I couldn’t wait to be grown up.I wish I had enjoyed being a child more.
Jack:I hated school.I could’t wait to be leave.
Jenny:Don’t you have any regrets?
Jack:No,not really.Well,at one time,Iwanted to be a doctor.
Jenny:Ididn’t Know that.
Jac:Yes.
Jenny:Why didn’t you become a doctor?
Jack:I didn’t work hard at school.If I worked hard,Iwould have gotten better grades.
Jenny:And if you’d gotten better grades,you would now be Dr Nixon.
Jack:Yes,maybe.
Jenny:So you do have at least one regret.
Jack:Yes,I wish I’d worked harder at school.But I’m not sure I would like to be a doctor.
Jenny:I think you’d make a very good doctor.
Jack:Really?Oh,here’s the office.
Secretary:Can I help you?
Jack:Yes.My name is Jack Nixon.I have a daughter in……
Secretary:You must be Paula’s father.
Jack:That’s right.
Secretary:You can go straight to her classroom.The teacher will be there in a moment.
Jack:Thank you.
Jenny:This is the classroom.
Jack:Hello.
Man:Hello.Mrs Butlin said she would be back in a moment.In the meantime,you can look at anything in your daughter’s desk.As you can see,the pupils have a name card on each desk.You can also look at the work they have done on the walls.
Jack:Thank you.
Jenny:Are you a teacher or a parent?
Man:Neither.I’m the caretaker.
Jenny:Oh,I see.Sorry.
Man:No problem.
Jack:These whit boards must be a lot better than the old blackboards.
Jenny:It’s certainly much nicer without all that chalk dust.But it’s not easy to keep them clean,is it,Mr…um…?
Man:Harrison.No,you’re right.They’re a lot harder to keep clean than the old blackboards.
Teacher:SorryI’m late.Thank you.Mr Harrison.
Man:Don’t mention it.Bye.
Jenny:Goodbye.
Jack:Bye.
Teacher:You must be Paula’s Parents.
Jack:Well,I’m Paula’s father.
Jenny:And I’m her nanny.Is it OK to be here?
Teacher:Yes,of course.
Jenny:Thank you.
Teacher:Well,Paula is doing very well.She has got used to the English way of doing trhings very quickly.
Jack:Good.
Teacher:She is good at maths and English,and her written work is always very neat.
Jack:What about her homework?
Teacher:She always does it and always hands it on time.
Jenny:Is there anything that she could improve?
Teacher:Yes,she doesn’t talk much in class.Is she very shy?
Jack:Paula shy?No,not at all.She talks allthe time at home.
Teacher:Perhaps you could have s word with her about it.
Jack:Yes,Iwill.
Teacher:Otherwise,she’s a model pupil.
Jack:I’m glad to here it.
Teacher:Doyou have any other questions that you like to ask?
Jack:I didn’t think so.
Teacher:In that case,will you excuse me while I talk to the next parents?
Jack:Of course.Thank you very much.
Teacher My pleasure.
PEOPLE AT SCHOOL
teacher caretaker
headteacher janitor
pricipal prefect
tutor montior
staff pupil
faculty student
member of staff parent
faculty member governor
school secretary board of governors
SCHOOL WORK
Curriculum schedule
Subject period
Exam lesson
Homework break
Revision recess
Review free period
Timetable assembly
School equipment
Blackboard protractor
Whiteboard compass
Chalk calculator
Maker pen desk
Rubber desk
Erasser chair
Textbook cupboard
Exercrise book closet
Notebook cabinet
Pen bell
Pencil bell
Rubber
Eraser
Parts of a school
Classroom canteen
Class cafeteria
Hall school office
Dining hall school gate
Gym palyground
Science lab school yard
Language lab playing field
Computer room toilets
Staff room lavatories
Responding to a Telephone Complaint
T:Hello,Mr Zhang?This is Bill Trent from Equipment Plus.I’m calling about our most recent order.
Z:Yes,Mr Trent.How can I help you?
T:Well, we ordered item FP232 three weeks ago,and still hasn’t be delivered.Icalled your customer service department on Monday and was promised delivery by 5 p.m. yesterday.But we’re still waiting.This is taking too long.
Z:I’m sorry about this,Mr Trent.Let me find out what I can do about your order,and I’ll get back to you in a few minutes.
T:Fine.
Z:Mr Trent,this is Zhang Ming.I’m very sorry for the delay,but we’ve been waiting for delivery from the manufacturer.
T:look,I’m really not interested in all that.I just want to know we’ll get the part.
Z:I’ll see if we can get your order out by tomorrow morning.Will that work for you ?
T:No.If I don’t get the part today,I’ll go to another supplier.
Z:OK.I’ll call the manufacturer and see what Ican do.I’ll call you back by one and let you know what the situation is.
T:Yes.I’d appreciate that.
A reminder about payment
B:Hello,Tom Brennan speaking.
G:Hello,Mr Brennan.This is Alan Godfrey from Henshaw Brothers.Did you receive a letter from us last week reminding you about the outstanding balance you have with us ?
B:Actually,I received it today. We ‘ve just moved into a new office, and some of our paperwork got misplaced dring the move.
G:Oh,I’m sorry to hear that.Can you tell me when we can expect to receive payment?
B:Well,I was planning to send you a partial payment at the the end of this month.
G:I’m afraid I have to ask you to send the full amount of the balance. Your payment is now two months overdue, and our invoice requests full payment in 30 days. If we don’t receive full payment by June 1,we’ll have to take appropriate action.
B:I see. Well, I’ll send you a cheque for the full amount today.
G:Good.We’ll look forward to receiving your cheque.
B:No,I can’t say that I did.But given the state of this office,that’s not surprising we’ve just moved into a new building.
G:Oh…Well,your account has a balance of $3,578 that was due on May 1.
B:Can you remind me what it was for?
G:Of course.In April we supplied you with several hundred celling fittings.The invoice number is 782-02.
B:OK.I’ll look for it.But please me a copy so that we can pay up at the end of the month even if we can’t find the original.
G:No problem.I’ll fax you a copy this affternoon.