13BOOK NINE LESSON TEN
N: Welcome to Lesson Ten. Sam
Finch and Maria are at the
studio. They are talking about
changes at WEFL. Listen to their
conversation. Listen carefully for
sentences that begin with the
words if or even if. How many
times do you hear the word if?
Let's listen.
MARIA: Hi, Sam. You wanted to see
me?
SAM: Yes, Maria. Let me pull up a
chair for you . . . Maria, I
want to ask you a few
questions.
MARIA: Yes?
SAM: If you had a million dollars
to spend on "Hello
America," what changes
would you make?
MARIA: A million dollars?
SAM: How about the furniture? If
you had a million dollars,
would you buy new
furniture?
MARIA: New furniture? No. We just
bought these chairs last
year. Even if I had a million
dollars, I wouldn't change
them. I like these chairs.
SAM: Who selected them?
MARIA: I did.
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SAM: How about the colors?
Would you change the
colors of the set?
MARIA: The colors. I wouldn't
change the colors. These
colors are good for Jake and
Connie. We selected these
colors on purpose.
..... SAM: How about the carpeting?
MARIA: If I were making changes, I
wouldn't spend money on
new carpeting. No one
really sees it. If I had a
million dollars, I'd give
everyone on the staff a raise.
N: OK. If you had a million dollars
for every time you heard the
word if in the conversation
between Maria and Sam, how
much money would you have?
F: Five million dollars.
N: That's a lot of money. Now
listen and repeat.
F: if if I had
if I had a million dollars
I'd give everyone
I'd give everyone on the staff
I'd give everyone on the staff a
raise
If I had a million dollars, I'd give
everyone on the staff a raise.
If I had a million dollars, I'd give
everyone on the staff a raise.
N: Good. Now you hear. . .
F: If I had a million dollars, I'd give
everyone on the staff a raise.
N: And I say, "At WEFL." So you
say. . .
M: If I had a million dollars, I'd give
everyone at WEFL a raise.
N: I say, "Buy everyone a new car. "
And you say. . .
F: If I had a million dollars, I'd buy
everyone a new car.
N: Ready! Let's begin.
F: If I had a million dollars, I'd give
everyone on the staff a raise.
N: At WEFL.
M: If I had a million dollars. I'd give
everyone at WEFL a raise.
N: Buy everyone a new car.
F: If I had a million dollars, I'd buy
everyone a new car.
N: A lot of money.
M: If I had a lot of money, I'd buy
everyone a new car.
N: Travel around the world.
F: If I had a lot of money, I'd travel
around the world.
N: More free time.
M: If I had more free time, I'd travel
around the world.
N: Were a millionaire.
F: If I were a millionaire, I'd travel
around the world.
N: Give you everything.
M: If I were a millionaire, I'd give
you everything.
N: All right, now let's listen to
some more of the conversation
between Maria and Sam. Sam
asks Maria for some advice about
. . . what? What does Sam want
advice about?
SAM: Maria, I want to ask you for
some advice.
MARIA: Yes?
SAM: Remember that station in
California I told you about?
MARIA: Sure.
SAM: Well, the owner called me
yesterday. He's ready to sell.
MARIA: Great.
SAM: Yes, but his price is very
high. Maria, do you think I
should buy that station?
MARIA: Yes, I do. But if I were you,
I'd make a lower offer.
SAM: I don't think he'll accept a
lower offer.
MARIA: Then if I were you, I'd pay
his price. It's a very good
station. In a few years, it'll
be very big. I wouldn't miss
this chance to buy it.
N: OK, what does Sam want Maria's
advice about?
M: Buying the station in California.
He wants her advice about
buying the station in California.
N: Now listen and repeat.
F: if I were you
I'd make a lower offer
If I were you, I'd make a lower
offer.
If I were you, I'd make a lower
offer.
if I were you
I'd pay his price
If I were you, I'd pay his price.
N: Now you hear. . .
M: Should I make a lower offer?
N: And you say. . .
F: If I were you, I'd make a lower
offer.
N: You hear. . .
M: Should I pay his price?
N: And you say. . .
F: If I were you, I'd pay his price.
N: OK? Here we go.
M: Should I make a lower offer?
F: If I were you, I'd make a lower
offer.
M: Should I pay his price?
F: If I were you, I'd pay his price.
M: Should I sell my share of WEFL?
F: If I were you, I'd sell my share of
WEFL.
M: Should I tell the staff?
F: If I were you, I'd tell the staff.
M: Should I call a meeting for
tonight?
F: If I were you, I'd call a meeting
for tonight.
M: Should I offer them a million
dollars?
F: If I were you, I'd offer them a
million dollars.
M: Should I wait a few months?
F: If I were you, I'd wait a few
months.
N: Sam is still asking Maria for
advice about the station in
California. Listen for the things
Maria tells Sam not to do.
SAM: If I bought this station, how
could I improve the show?
MARIA: If I were you, I wouldn't
make any changes at first.
I'd wait a few months.
SAM: You would?
MARIA: Yes. I'd spend some time at
the station. I'd follow the
ratings. Then, after I
learned everything about the
show, I'd think about
changes.
SAM: Would you hire new people?
MARIA: No, I wouldn't hire new
people at first. I wouldn't
fire anyone. I'd wait.
SAM: Good advice, Maria. So, if
you were me, you would buy
the new station.
N: What does Maria tell Sam not to
do?
M: She tells him not to make any
changes, not to hire or fire
anyone.
N: Now listen and repeat.
F: I wouldn't make
I wouldn't make any changes
if I were you
If! were you, I wouldn't make
any changes.
If I were you, I wouldn't make
any changes.
I wouldn't hire
I wouldn't hire new people
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if I were you
If I were you, I wouldn't hire
new people.
If I were you, I wouldn't hire
new people.
N: OK. Let's practice giving advice
using the negative form. You
hear.. .
M: Would you make any changes?
N: And you say. . .
F: No. If! were you, I wouldn't
make any changes.
N: You hear. . .
M: Would you hire new people?
N: And you say. . .
F: No. If I were you, I wouldn't
hire new people.
N: Ready? Here we go.
M: Would you make any changes?
F: No. If I were you, I wouldn't
make any changes.
M: Would you hire new people?
F: No. If I were you, I wouldn't hire
new people.
M: Would you sell your share of
WEFL ?
F: No. If I were you, I wouldn't sell
my share of WEFL.
M: Would you fire the old staff at
KELT?
F: No. If I were you, I wouldn't fire
the old staff at KELT.
M: Would you offer Connie a raise?
F: No. If I were you, I wouldn't
offer Connie a raise.
M: Would you be worried about this
deal?
F: No. If I were you, I wouldn't be
worried about this deal.
M: Would you continue this
exercise?
F: No. If! were you, I wouldn't
continue this exercise.
N: OK, let's move on. In this
lesson, you have heard the
expression to hire people, which
means to give them a job, and to
fire people, which means the
opposite: to dismiss them from
their job. The boss usually
decides who to hire and who to
fire. Here are some short
statements made by people who
are employed at KELT. If you
were the new boss of KELT,
which ones would you fire? Listen.
TOM: My name is Tom Malek. I'm
thirty-five years old. I have an
M.A. in journalism from
Columbia University and have
worked as a writer at KELT for
three years. I'm always on time
and have never missed a day of
work. My health is excellent.
I'm not married. I live with my
friend Greg and my dog,
Charlie.
N: If you were the boss at KELT,
would you fire Tom?
BETH: Hi. I'm Beth Smith. Not
everybody likes me here at
KELT. Some of the members
of the staff are jealous because
I'm such a good worker. I
always look terrific, as you can
see. Sometimes I type a letter
or two, lick envelopes, and
answer the phone. I'm very
good at answering the phone
- it's not an easy job, you
know. But really, most of the
time I just try to look good
and stay out of trouble. Oh, I
never come in on Tuesdays
and Thursdays. I have to
spend quality time with my
cat.
N: How about Beth? Would you fire
her?
BOB: The name's Bob, Bob Conte.
I've been at KELT since it
began. I'm the janitor here. I
know everything about this
station. When the boss wants
to find out something about
someone, he calls me. Yes, sir.
You see, I spend a lot of time
at the coffee machine. I
pretend to clean the floor, but
actually I listen to what people
say. It's been hard work, but
it's paid off. You want to know
anything, anything at all,
about the other employees
around here, just come to old
Bob.
N: And finally, Bob Conte, the
janitor. If you were the boss at
KELT, would you fire Bob?
This is the end of Lesson
Ten.