英語口語對話(中高級) lesson 7: Blind Date

Summary: Denise and Vanessa are chatting about the blind date she went on the night before. Denise and Vanessa are chatting over a cup of coffee.
Listen to their conversation and answer the question that follows about the main idea
Dialogue:
Denise: So how did it go last night?
Vanessa: Please don’t remind me!
Denise: That bad?
Vanessa: A complete disaster!!!
Denise: What, was he that unattractive? Why? Not good looking enough?
Vanessa: No, come on, I’m not thaaaaat shallow!!
Denise: Then what?
Vanessa: Ok! To begin with, he picked me up in this really cheesy convertible ... you know the kind with zebra-skin seats…
Denise: Oh no……………!
Vanessa: Yeah….and his CD was blasting…soooooooo embarrassing.

Denise: …and where did he take you for dinner?
Vanessa: To this really pretentious restaurant that served small overpriced portions.
Denise: And let me guess, full of wannabees!
Vanessa: Exactly!!
Denise: Oh, you must’ve felt so uncomfortable.
Vanessa: To make matters worse he took the liberty of ordering for me.
Denise: Big mistake…you’re so picky about your food!!
Vanessa: And of course he ordered a mixed grill & cheese platter…

Denise: Didn’t you tell him that you’re a vegan?
Vanessa: The fact that I’m a vegan didn’t seem to make a difference…he just kept on raving about how the restaurant is renowned for it’s meat and insisted I try it. Denise: Then what happened?
Vanessa: Well, he had no table manners whatsoever. He chewed with his mouth open and talked constantly about himself.
Denise: How gross!!!
Vanessa: I just couldn’t stand it anymore! I told him I had a terrible headache and really needed to go home.
Denise: So, did he buy it?
Vanessa: Yeah, he believed me! But, said he wasn’t ready to leave and told me there was a taxi stand outside.
Denise: I can’t believe it!
Vanessa: Oh, believe it! And as I was about to storm out, he had the audacity to ask me to leave money for my share of the food.
Denise: Did you?
Vanessa: You must be kidding! I ate nothing! I swear that’s the last time I ever let somebody talk me into doing something like this again.
Now answer the following question….
What are Vanessa and Denise talking about? They’re talking about Vanessa’s blind date.
Now listen again to the dialogue in parts. After each part there will be 3 to 4 questions on the details...
Part 1
Denise: So how did it go last night?
Vanessa: Pleeeeeeease don’t remind me!
Denise: That bad?
Vanessa: A complete disaster!!!
Denise: What, was he that unattractive? Why? Not good looking enough? Vanessa: No, come on, I’m not thaaaaat shallow!!
Denise: Then what?
Vanessa: Ok! To begin with, he picked me up in this really cheesy convertible……you know the kind with zebra-skin seats…
Denise: Oh no……………!
Vanessa: Yeah….and his CD was blasting…it was soooooooo embarrassing. Denise: …and where did he take you for dinner?
Vanessa: To this really pretentious restaurant that served small overpriced portions.
Denise: And let me guess, full of wannabees! Vanessa: Exactly!! Denise: Oh, you must’ve felt so uncomfortable.
Vanessa: To make matters worse he took the liberty of ordering for me.
Denise: Big mistake…you’re so picky about your food!!
Vanessa: And of course he ordered a mixed grill & cheese platter…
Denise: Didn’t you tell him that you’re a vegan?
Now answer some questions…
1. Vanessa says, “I’m not thaaaaat shallow!!” When we describe someone as shallow, what do we mean? A shallow person is not interested in the deeper meaning of things.
2. Vanessa says, “he picked me up in this really cheesy convertible…” Did she like the car he picked her up in? No, when something is cheesy it is in bad style (slang).
3. Denise says, “full of wannabees.” What are wannabees? Wannabees is the short for want to be. Wannabees are the people who are trying to achieve fame and popularity usually unsuccessfully.
4. Denise says, “You’re so picky about your food.” What does picky mean? A picky person is difficult in choosing what they like.
Now listen to part 2…
Part 2
Vanessa: The fact that I’m a vegan didn’t seem to make a difference…he just kept on raving about how the restaurant is renowned for it’s meat and insisted I try it.
Denise: Then what happened? Vanessa: Well, he had no table manners whatsoever. He chewed with his mouth open and talked constantly about himself. Denise: How gross!!!
Vanessa: I just couldn’t stand it anymore! I told him I had a terrible headache and really needed to go home.
Denise: So, did he buy it?
Vanessa: Yeah, he believed me! But, said he wasn’t ready to leave and told me there was a taxi stand outside.
Denise: I can’t believe it!
Vanessa: Oh, believe it! And as I was about to storm out, he had the audacity to ask me to leave money for my share of the food.
Denise: Did you?
Vanessa: You must be kidding! I ate nothing! I swear that’s the last time I ever let somebody talk me into doing something like this again.
Now answer some questions…
1. Vanessa says, “he just kept on raving about how the restaurant…” What does raving mean? When we rave about something we talk about it in an enthusiastic way.
2. When Denise says, “How gross!!!” what does she mean? We use how gross to express disgust.
3. Denise asks, “Did he buy it?” What does she mean? Did he buy it is an expression which means did he believe you.
4. Vanessa says, “That’s the last time I ever let somebody talk me into doing something like this again.” What do you do when you talk somebody into doing something? When you talk somebody into doing something you persuade them to do it.
GLOSSARY
1. Convertible (noun) is a car with a roof that can be folded down.
2. How gross! (expression) is used when we want to express our disgust. (e.g. That fell on the floor and now you’re eating it? How gross!
3. Pick somebody up (phrasal verb) means to go somewhere in your car and collect somebody who is waiting for you. (e.g. I’ll pick you up at your house around nine.) 4. Portion (noun) is an amount of food that is enough for one person. (e.g. The portions are very big in this restaurant, so don’t order too much.)
5.Pretentious (adjective-disapproving) means trying to appear important or trying to be something you are not, in order to impress other people. (e.g. She buys all these classic literature books but never reads them, she is very pretentious.
6.Rave about (verb-informal) means to praise something greatly. (e.g. She’s always raving about how well her husband cooks.)
7. Renowned (adjective) is used to describe a person/place who/which is famous and respected. (e.g. This restaurant is renowned as one of the best in the city.)
8. Shallow (adjective-disapproving) is used to describe a person who is not interested in the deeper meaning of things. (e.g. The only thing he cares about is how much money someone has, he is so shallow!)
9. Storm off (phrasal verb) means to leave a place quickly and angrily. (e.g. After they got into an argument she stormed off into the rain.)
10.Vegan (noun) is a person who does not eat any animal products such as meat milk or eggs.

Fill in the gaps with one of the words from the glossary.
1. She ate a tuna and jam sandwich. ………………………!!
2. Wait for me, and I’ll …………you ……… from your office when I’m done.
3. She loves to ……………………… about all the trips she has taken.
4. He burst into tears and ………………………after she told him she was in love with another man.
5. Chris Bees is a ……………………… author, who has sold millions of copies of his new book.
6. I can never have a serious conversation with him, all he talks about is the clothes he wants to buy. He is so ……………………………
7. Fran is a ……………………… She doesn’t eat any animal products.
8. I ordered another ……………………… of spaghetti as I was still hungry.
9. It was just an ordinary house, nothing …………………………
10. Daniel bought a new red ………………………… but unfortunately he hasn’t been able to fold the roof down as the weather has been very bad.

1. How gross!! 2. pick …up 3. rave 4. stormed off 5. renowned 6. shallow 7. vegan 8. portion 9. pretentious 10. convertible