Introduction of functions

Listen and speak

Try to speak more

Make your own dialogue

What are they for

If you want to learn more

Some polite expressions before a complaint

Excuse me…

I hate to say this…

Maybe it is not your fault…

Just for your information…

Making complaints

Some expressions on making complaints

I wonder if you could…

I am sorry to trouble you, but…

I really do hate to complain, but…

I’d like to make a complaint about…

It really bothers me when people…

Aren’t you annoyed when…

I was disappointed with…

Keys to Conversation One

1. b 2. a 3. c 4. c

Keys to Conversation Two

1. a 2. a 3. c 4. b

Useful structures and expressions in Conversation One

• I hate to say this, but do you mind not making so much noise?

• Please accept my apology…\

Useful structures and expressions in Conversation Two

I’m afraid I have a complaint to make.

You should have tested it.

Conversation One

• go back on something: fail to keep a promise; change one’s

mind about something

Conversation Two

• take away: weaken, lesson or diminish the effect or value

of something

• Puff at the stick: smoke a pipe, cigarette, etc in puffs

• Meddle with: handle something that one ought not to

What are they for

1.b 2.e 3.d 4.a 5.c 6.f

If you want to learn more

a. 4 b.6 c.2 d.5 e.3 f.7 g.1

Pre-reading tasks

Text study

Quotable quotation

Smoking is a fire at one end and a fool at the other.

Some basic facts in smoking related issues Medical science has already established numerous facts and

reliable statistics that link smoking to several kinds of cancer.

It is also true that some cigarette smokers do not contract cancer

and some non-smokers do contract lung cancer. The reason is

still not clear. But this does not exclude the validity of a fact.

The Chinese constitution did not totally ban the use of cigarettes,

and none of the countries in the world has done so. But this does

not mean smoking is a commendable way of life for young people.

For

Who owns the air? Who has the right to impose

regulations? Don’t public places belong as much to

smokers as to non-smokers? In open places, the air belongs

to everyone in general but to no one in particular. In closed

places, such as eating establishments, offices and stores,

property rights are more clearly defined.

impose: to establish something as a rule to be obeyed or

to force people to accept something

e.g. The local government has imposed a ban on

gambling in public places.

in particular: especially

define: to describe/state something

e.g. The chairman said, “I will first try to define the current

policies of the government.”

In either case, government-imposed, across-the-board

bans on public smoking are not the answer. Where could

the regulation stop? Why not ban perfume, since many

people are allergic to some kinds? Cars emit harmful

fumes. Shall we ban cars, too?

be allergic to : be sensitive to something eaten,

breathed in or touched

e.g. I’m allergic to pollen.

This girl is allergic to that brand perfume.

ban: to forbid someone from doing something or

something from being done

e.g. The new regulations ban smoking from all work sites.

[ban somebody from doing something]

Owners of businesses, shops and restaurants must

maintain the right to choose their own policies. They, not

the government, know their clientele best. Business

proprietors can choose a smoking or a non-smoking policy,

or they can set up separate smoking and non-smoking

sections. Customers can vote with their feet and their

money, and owners can evaluate their policies.

maintain:

• continue to have; keep in existence

e.g. Despite living in different cities, the brothers have

maintained their relations for many years.

• to express strongly your belief that something is true

e.g. She maintains that she is being criticized simply for

telling the truth.

evaluate: assess in order to make a judgment

e.g. The market situation is difficult to evaluate.

As for the risk to public health, questions still linger.

Some scientists maintain that second-hand smoke is no

more harmful than bad diet, industrial pollution or stress.

as for: [especially spoken] an expression meaning

“concerning”; with regard to

e.g. As regard to my research, much progress has been

made recently.

linger: to last, stay longer than expected

e.g. Customers are welcome to linger over coffee until

midnight.

Against

Health is still the main issue. Overwhelming evidence

cites tobacco use as the single largest cause of premature

death. And second-hand tobacco smoke can be deadly, as

well. Cigarette smoke is not just a nuisance. It contains

about 4000 chemicals. About 50 of these are known

cancer-causing agents. Moreover, many of the harmful

smoke chemicals cannot be removed by ventilation or

filtration.

反对： 健康仍是主要争论点。大量事实证明吸烟时引起过早死亡的罪魁祸首，而被动吸烟也同样是致命的。吸烟喷出的烟尘不仅仅是一种令人讨厌的东西，它还大约包括四千种化学成分，其中知道的大约有五十种是致癌的。此外，大部分有害烟尘化学物不能被空气流通带走，也不能被过滤掉。

Unfortunately, only one smoker makes a majority, as

the smoke spreads and fills all available space. Where the

ownership of the air is not clearly defined, conflicts will

result. This calls for clear legal rules. Government should

pass laws to protect people and place controls on action

that harm others. Damaging one’s own health may be

viewed as a personal liberty; damaging someone else’s

health may not.

call for ： to suggest strongly that something should

happen or is necessary

不幸的是，一个吸烟者就会殃及一群人，因为烟尘可以扩散并且无孔不入。在空气所有权没有明确界定的哪些地方，冲突就会产生。这就需要有一个明确的法律条例。政府应该半部法律，保护人民健康，对危害他人健康的行为采取限定措施。损害自己的健康或许可以被看作是个人自由，损害众人健康也许就不能这样认为了吧。

A ban on smoking in public places is only an

inconvenience to the smoker. By contrast, smoking in such

places constitutes a real hazard. Which should carry more

weight: a mere inconvenience, or a clear risk? Consider

also that many people must work long hours in restaurants,

offices and other buildings. Explicit rules against smoking

would protect not only other customers, who may leave,

but the workers, who must stay.

by contrast: showing the great difference between what

has been said the what is under discussion

e.g. Readers were surprised by the extravagant lifestyle of

the wealthy family and by contrast the extreme poverty

of its neighbors.

hazard: danger

e.g. A new report points out that chewing gum can be a

hazard to health.

carry weight: be more important e.g. His opinion carries much weight.

Cultural Information

Tobacco