Martin: Did you see that? It’s the new McQ. It does 0 to 60 in four seconds. It has amazing performance.
Asta: That car? I guess it’s nice. I like the color.
Martin: Color?! Who cares about the color? The McQ is supposed to top out at 155, but it’s been clocked at 160. Can you imagine?
Asta: No, I can’t.
Martin: It has more horsepower than any car on the market and amazing torque. You wouldn’t believe the RPMs.
Asta: So it can go fast?
Martin: Yeah, it can go fast. It’s supposed to be really responsive, too, and the reviews say that the acceleration is really smooth. I bet that’s because of the tuning.
Asta: I like cars with more trunk space.
Martin: You don’t drive a car like the McQ for its storage capacity. You drive it for speed.
Asta: My cousin doesn't like it that much. He says it doesn’t have enough legroom.
Martin: What?! Your cousin owns a McQ?
Asta: Yes, but he only drives it when his Ediger is in the shop.
Martin: How is it possible that I’ve known you for years and this is the first time you’ve mentioned this cousin to me? You know that I’m the biggest car enthusiast in the world, don’t you?
Asta: My cousin isn’t in town very often. He’s usually traveling to races.
Martin: Your cousin is a racecar driver?
Asta: Yes, didn’t I mention that either?
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Category: Transportation
Mary: I think we should call it a day.
Will: I think we still have time to visit one more historic site and this one is amazing. They’ve done a great job with preservation and restoration.
Mary: It’s not another old castle, is it?
Will: It’s not any old castle. This one dates back to the 1300s. If we’re lucky, we’ll be in time for the last guided tour with a docent who’s knowledgeable. And I hope we have time to visit the archives, too.
Mary: Oh no, not the archives.
Will: I wonder if they’re doing reenactments to commemorate any major historical events during our time here?
Mary: If we visit this castle today, we’re not coming back. There is a lot to see in this city other than old castles and monuments.
Will: Like what?
Mary: Like art museums and stores. It would also be nice to relax a little while on vacation.
Will: But what’s art and shopping when you’re in one of the most ancient cities in the world? And there’s no time to relax. We only have four days here. We have to make the most of it. Hey, where are you going?
Mary: I think it’s time to split up. You go see your castle and I’ll explore on my own.
Will: But you won’t get the full benefits of being in one of the most ancient cities in the world.
Mary: I think I’ll survive.
Category: Transportation|Travel
Ian: Oh, look at your team. How cute! You’ve recruited the puniest players you could find.
Shannon: Are those your players? They’re humungous!
Ian: My players are the best around. They’re massive in size and massive in talent. They’ll crush your teeny-tiny team without breaking a sweat.
Shannon: Our teams are supposed to have players from the same age group, so why is it that I have normal size players and yours are gigantic? Something doesn’t smell right.
Ian: It all comes down to recruitment. I recruited the best players.
Shannon: Are you sure you don’t have a few ringers on your team, some who are a few years older than they’re supposed to be?
Ian: Of course I don’t. I can’t help it if the best players gravitated toward my team and to my better coaching. Ready to be schooled?
Shannon: I think I’d better give my team a pep talk first. A few of them look like they’re ready to bolt – or throw up!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Category: Daily Life
Winnie: I can’t believe it. My dad is so clueless.
Finn: What did he do now?
Winnie: He gave me permission to go to Gabi’s party, but I have to be home by 11 p.m. because of my curfew.
Finn: At least he’s letting you go. My mom is so overprotective that she won’t let me go to any parties.
Winnie: Unbelievable! Do your parents get on your case all the time like mine do?
Finn: Yeah! My mom is always nagging me to do my homework and then complains that I spend too much time by myself in my room rather than with the family.
Winnie: At least your parents don’t tell you what you can wear. My mom still wants to pick out my clothes! What am I, five?
Finn: My parents are worse. They’re always comparing me to my smarter brothers. I’m a huge disappointment to them. I’m always coming up short.
Winnie: My parents are never satisfied either. They’re always saying that my grades aren’t good enough and my attitudeneeds improving.
Finn: At least your parents don’t embarrass you by fighting all the time, even in public.
Winnie: We have such hard lives. Nobody understands us.
Finn: I know. Nobody in history has ever suffered as much as we have!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Category: Relationships + Family
Regina: Hello, this is Horizon. My name is Regina. How may I help you today?
Bob: I’m calling to dispute my bill. There’s a billing error.
Regina: Let me take a look at your statement. Your last bill was $650 and it is past due.
Bob: It’s past due because this is the third time I’ve called to report the problem, but my bill still hasn’t been corrected. My bill is normally $65 a month.
Regina: I’m looking at your account and I don't see a record of any previous calls about this problem.
Bob: I called last week and the week before. Look, I just want to get this sorted out so I can pay my bill before my service is disconnected.
Regina: I understand. Your bill may reflect changes you’ve made to your usage plan, such as upgrading to a more expensive plan.
Bob: I’ve made no changes to my usage plan. I’ve had the same plan for eight months.
Regina: Your bill may also reflect overage charges if you went over your allotted minutes or data.
Bob: I haven’t gone over my limit. Can my case be escalated so that I can speak with a supervisor?
Regina: Certainly, sir. Let me have a supervisor call you back when she’s available.
Bob: Will that be today?
Regina: I can’t tell you that, sir.
Bob: I just hope she calls me back before my service is [call ends].
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Category: Daily Life