—Can I see Zulu on Sunday?

　　—I'm not sure.

　　—Do you like football?

　　—Yes, very much.

　　—Would you like to go to a match on the 18th of December?

　　—I'd like to see Coming Home at the Royal Theatre.

　　—What a good idea! Do you know what time it starts?

　　—I think it starts at 8 pm.

　　—Tomorrow is the third of December. It's my birthday and I'm going to the George and Dragon. Would you like to come?

　　—To celebrate your birthday? Of course I would. What group's playing?

　　—The Riverside Stompers, I think.

　　—I like organ music. Do you know where I can hear a recital?

　　—Try St. Mary's Church. I know they have a beautiful organ.

　　—I'd like to go to a recital on the 16th of December, but I'm working from ten to four. Do you know what time the recital begins?

　　—Sorry, I'm afraid I don't. Why don't you look at your "What's on"?

　　1st Student: Well, first of all, I'm intending to have a good holiday abroad, just traveling round Europe, and then when I get tired of traveling I'm going to—well, come back and start looking for a job. I haven't quite decided yet what job, but I'm probably going to try and get a job in advertising of some kind.

　　2nd Student: Well, eventually I'm planning to open my own restaurant. Only I haven't got enough money to do that at the moment, of course, so I've decided to get a temporary job for a year or so, and I'm going to work really hard and try and save as much money as possible. Actually, I'm thinking of working as a waiter, or some job in a restaurant anyway ...

　　Male Voice: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Victoria Hall for our annual presentation of the Nurse of the Year Award. First I'd like to introduce Dame Alice Thornton. Dame Alice is now retired after more than forty years of dedicated service to the public and the nursing profession. Dame Alice Thornton.

　　Male Voice: Dame Alice, you were the first nurse of the year. That was thirty years ago. Would you now announce this year's winner?

　　Dame Alice: Good evening. It gives me great pleasure to introduce our nurse of the year, Miss Helen Taylor.

　　Dame Alice: Miss Taylor, you have been awarded this prize as a result of recommendations from your senior officers, your colleagues and the parents of the children you nurse. Here are some of the recommendations: 'efficient but patient', 'helpful and happy', 'strict but caring', 'human and interested'. These are the greatest recommendations any nurse could receive. I congratulate you!

　　Jerry: Could I speak to you for a few minutes, Mr. Sherwin?

　　Sherwin: I'm very busy at the moment. Can't it wait until tomorrow?

　　Jerry: Uh, ... well, it's rather urgent. And it won't take long.

　　Sherwin: Oh, all right, then. What is it?

　　Jerry: It's a personal matter. Uh, you see, my wife is ill and has to go into hospital.

　　Sherwin: Sorry to hear that. But why do you want to talk to me about it?

　　Jerry: Because ... because we have a baby and there's nobody to look after her while she's in hospital.

　　Sherwin: Who? Your wife?

　　Jerry: No, no. My daughter.

　　Sherwin: Oh, I see. But I still don't understand what all this has to do with me.

　　Jerry: But that's what I'm trying to explain. I'd like to stay at home for a few days.

　　Sherwin: But why?

　　Jerry: To look after my daughter, of course.

　　Sherwin: I thought you said she was going to hospital. They'll look after her there, won't they?

　　Jerry: No, no, no! It's my wife who's going to hospital! Not my daughter.

　　Sherwin: Really? I thought you said it was your daughter. You are not explaining this very well.

　　Here is an alternative dialogue between Jerry and Mr. Sherwin. Listen.

　　Jerry: Uh ... excuse me, Mr. Sherwin, but I was wondering if I could speak to you for a few minutes.

　　Sherwin: Well, I'm rather busy at the moment, Jerry. Is it urgent?

　　Jerry: Uh, yes, I ... I'm afraid it is. It's a personal matter.

　　Sherwin: Oh, well, then, we'd better discuss it now. Sit down.

　　Jerry: Thank you. Uh ... you see, it's about my wife. She ... uh ... well ... she ...

　　Sherwin: Yes, go on, Jerry. I'm listening.

　　Jerry: She's ill and has to go to hospital tomorrow. But we have a young baby, you know.

　　Sherwin: Yes, I know that, Jerry. You must be rather worried. Is it anything serious? Your wife's illness, I mean?

　　Jerry: The doctors say it's just a minor operation. But it has to be done as soon as possible. And ... well ... the problem is my daughter. The baby. That's the problem.

　　Sherwin: In what way, Jerry? I'm not quite sure if I understand.

　　Jerry: Well, as I said, my wife'll be in hospital for several days, so there's nobody to look after her.

　　Sherwin: You mean, nobody to look after your daughter, is that it?

　　Jerry: Yes, exactly. Both our parents live rather far away, and ...and that's why I'd like to have a few days off. From tomorrow.

　　Sherwin: I see. I think I understand now. You need a few days off to look after your daughter while your wife is in hospital.

　　Jerry: Yes, yes. That's it. I'm not explaining this very well.

　　Sherwin: No, no. On the contrary. I just want to be sure I understand completely. That's all.

　　Jerry: Will ... will that be all right?

　　Sherwin: Yes, I'm sure it will, Jerry. All I want to do now is make sure that there's someone to cover for you while you're away. Uh ... how long did you say you'll need?

　　Jerry: Just a few days. She ... my wife, I mean ... should be out of hospital by next Thursday, so I can be back on Friday.

　　Sherwin: Well, perhaps you'd better stay at home on Friday, as well. Just to give your wife a few extra days to rest after the operation.

　　Jerry: That's very kind of you, Mr. Sherwin.

　　Sherwin: Don't mention it.

　　Landlady: 447 4716.

　　Student: Hello. Is that Mrs. Davies?

　　Landlady: Speaking.

　　Student: Good afternoon. My name's Stephen Brent. I was given your address by the student accommodation agency. I understand you have a room to let.

　　Landlady: Yes, that's right. I've just got one room still vacant. It's an attic room, on the second floor. It's rather small, but I'm sure you'll find it's very comfortable.

　　Student: I see. And how much do you charge for it?

　　Landlady: The rent's twenty-five pounds a week. That includes electricity, but not gas.

　　Student: Has the room got central heating?

　　Landlady: No, it's got a gas fire which keeps the room very warm.

　　Student: I see ... And what about furniture? It is furnished, isn't it?

　　Landlady: Oh yes ... Er ... There's a divan bed in the corner with a new mattress on it. Er ... Let me see ... There's a small wardrobe, an armchair, a coffee table, a bookshelf ...

　　Student: Is there a desk?

　　Landlady: Yes, there's one under the window. It's got plenty of drawers and there's a lamp on it.

　　Student: Oh good ... Is there a washbasin in the room?

　　Landlady: No, I'm afraid there isn't a washbasin. But there's a bathroom just across the corridor, and that's got a washbasin and a shower as well as a bath. You share the bathroom with the people in the other rooms. The toilet is separate, but unfortunately it's on the floor below.

　　Student: Oh, that's all right. ... What about cooking? Can I cook my own meals?

　　Landlady: Well, there's a little kitchenette next to your room. It hasn't got a proper cooker in it, but there's a gas ring and an electric kettle by the sink. I find my students prefer to eat at the university.

　　Student: I see. And is the room fairly quiet?

　　Landlady: Oh yes. It's at the back of the house. It looks onto the garden and it faces south, so it's bright and sunny, too. It's very attractive, really. And it's just under the roof, so it's got a low, sloping ceiling. Would you like to come and see it? I'll be in for the rest of the day.

　　Student: Yes, I'm very interested. It sounds like the kind of room I'm looking for. Can you tell me how to get there?

　　Landlady: Oh, it's very easy. The house is only five minutes' walk from Finchley Road tube station. Turn right outside the station, and then it's the third street on the left. You can't miss it. It's got the number on the gate. It's exactly opposite the cemetery.

　　Frankly, I've been delighted. As you know, I decided to give it up ten years ago. I put them all in the attic—all fifty or sixty of them—to gather dust, and forgot about them. Then I just happened to meet him one day in a bar, entirely by chance, and we got talking about this and that, and, well—to cut a long story short—he went to have a look at them, and this is the result. It's for two weeks. And it's devoted entirely to my work. Doing very well, too, as you can see from the little tickets on about half of them. You know, now that they're hanging on the wall like this, with all the clever lighting, and glossy catalogue, and the smart people, they really don't seem anything to do with me. It's a bit like seeing old friends in new circumstances where they fit and you don't. Now, you see her? She's already bought three. Heard her saying one day she's 'dying to meet the man'. Afraid she'd be very disappointed if she did. Interesting, though, some of the things you overhear. Some know something about it. Others know nothing and admit it. Others know nothing and don't. By the way, I heard someone say the other day that the 'Portrait of a Woman' reminded her of you, you know. So you see, you're not only very famous, but—as I keep on telling you—you haven't changed a bit.

　　Ours is a very expensive perfume. When people see it or hear the name we want them to think of luxury. There are many ways to do this. You show a woman in a fur coat, in a silk evening dress, maybe covered in diamonds. You can show an expensive car, an expensive restaurant, or a man in a tuxedo. We decided to do something different. We show a beautiful woman, simply but elegantly dressed, beside a series of paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, and it works. Because she is wearing the perfume, and because she is next to expensive and beautiful paintings, our perfume must be beautiful and expensive too. It does work.