ShortConversations11．M:IjustreceivedanEmailfromoneofmyformerclassmates.Iwassurprised,Ihadn’theardfromhimforages.W:Well,I’vebeenoutoftouchwithmostofmyoldfriends,onlyoneortwostilldropmealineoccasionally,Q:Whatdoesthewomanmean?12.M:Ifyoucanmakeupyourmindaboutthecolor,Icanstartontheoutsideofyourhouseearlynextweek.W:Well,rightnowIthinkIwantwhiteforthewindowframesandyellowforthewalls,butI’llletyouknowtomorrow.Q:Whoisthewomantalkingto?13.W:Excuseme,doyouhaveanyapartmentsavailableforunder500dollarsamonth?Ineedtomoveinnextweekwhenmynewjobstarts.M:TheonlyvacantoneIhaveis600dollars,haveyouinquiredattheapartmentcomplexdownthestreet?Q:Whatdoesthemansuggestthewomando?14.W:Youboughtapairofjeansyesterday,didn’tyou?Whataretheylike?M:Oh,theyareprettymuchlikemyotherones,exceptwithalargerwaist.IguessIhaven’tspentmuchtimeexercisinglately.Q:Whatcanweinferfromtheconversationabouttheman?15.W:Ireallylikethoseabstractpaintingswesawyesterday.Whatdoyouthink?M:Iguessit’ssomethingIhaven’tacquiredatasteforyet.Q:Whatdoesthemanimply?16.W:Youhaven’tseenabluenotebook,haveyou?IhopeIdidn’tleaveitinthereadingroom.M:Didyoucheckthatpileofjournalsyou’veborrowedfromthelibrarytheotherday?Q:Whatisthemantryingtosaytothewoman?17.M:Howaboutjoiningmeforacupofcoffee?W:I’dloveto,butI’mexhausted.Iwasuptill3thismorning,writingapaperformyliteratureclass.Q:Whydoesthewomandeclinetheman’sinvitation?18.W:Youhadajobinterviewyesterday,didn’tyou?Howdiditgo?M:Nottoobad,Iguess.Therewereabout20candidatescompetingforthesalesmanager’sjob.Andfinallyitwasdowntothreeofus,buttheothertwoseemedbetterqualified.Q:Whatdoesthemanimply?长对话1F:Simon,howdoesitfeeltoberetired?M:Well,notsobad.F:Howhaveyoubeenspendingyourtime?M:Ihavebeenspendingmoretimewithmyfamily.I’vealsotravelledabit,youknow,offseasonwheneverywhereislesscrowdedandhotelscostless.F:Great.M:YouknowIhaven’tstoppedworkcompletely.F:Yes,couldyoutellusmoreaboutthis?M:I’monaschemethat’scalledphasedretirement;Ihadasix-monthbreakfromwork,afterthatIcouldapplyforprojectworkwiththecompanyIusedtoworkfor.F:Howdoestheschemework?M:Well,it’satrialatthemoment.Insteadofhiringtemporarystuff,thecompanyadvertisespostsonitswebsitethatretiredemployeeslikemyselfcanaccess.F:Whatsortofworksadvertised?M:Well,allsortsofthings,really.Administrativeworkandmorespecializedwork,thesortofthingIcando.Someoftheprojectscanlastfiveorsixmonths,andotherscanjustbeacoupleofdays.Icandecidemoreorlesswhentowork.SoIcanmanagemyowntime.F:Icanseeit’sgoodforyou.Whatisyourcompanygetoutofthis?M:Well,Istillhaveallmyoldcontactsatwork,soIknowwhotocontacttogetsomethingdone.Thecompanygetsflexibility,too.Oncethejob’sover,that’sit.I’mnotontheirbooksanymore.Questions19-21arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustheard.19.WhydoesSimonfindhisretiredlifeenjoyable?20.HowdoesSimongettoknowaboutthecompany’savailableposts?21.Whydoesthecompanyadoptthephasedretirementscheme?长对话2W:Oh,wherearewegoing?M:Iwanttoshowyousomething.W:Iknow,butwhatisit?M:Afarm.It’sjustdownthisroad.It’sasmallplace,butatleastitwouldbeourown.W:Afarm?Howcanweaffordtobuyafarm?M:Itisn’tverylarge,only40acres.Wewouldn’thavetopayverymuchrightnow.W:Isthereahouseontheplace?M:Asmallone,twobedrooms,butitneedstobefixedupalittle.Icandothejobmyself.W:OK.Isthereenoughspaceforakitchengarden?M:Thereisabouthalfanacrearoundthehouse.That’splentyofspace.W:Thenwecangrow...
