AVALON DIRECT ENGLISH – BOOK 4
UNIT 1
Dictation 61
If you want to have more time for your baby, you can work part-time. In our company the staff are competent and always perform well. That’s why they deserve to be paid a lot of money. There are, however, some unsociable people who don’t get on well with their colleagues. Moreover, they seldom accept boring tasks which have to be done no matter how horrible they are. It seems as though they are not very interested in the job.
Dictation 62
Do you think it matters if people socialize outside wotk? Does it help them perform better? Do you think it matters if you are treated roughly at work? He didn’t get the job because he wore scruffy clothes to the interview. He now owns a clothes shop and is quite successful. Although he often speaks of such things as discounts, sales and special offers, he knows how to rip his customers off.
UNIT 2
Dictation 63
Arranged marriages are popular in countries like India and Pakistan. Women are often forced to make lots of sacrifices for the sake of their husbands. If they do not bring enough money into the family, they often die in unexplained circumstances. Sometimes they are drowned by their own jealous mother in law and sometimes even burned alive.
Dictation 64
It’s typical of him to invite all his relatives to dinner and then spoil it all. Last week he planned to prepare a fancy cake. The other day he used the wrong recipe and forgot to add baking powder to the cake. He must have read the recipe carelessly because he mixed too many ingredients together when preparing his favourite omelette. He really gets on my nerves!
UNIT 3
Dictation 65
When starting a business you have to take into consideration such factors as location, production, advertising costs, local laws, etc. If you are going to choose a manufacturing business, the production should take place away from the city centre, whilst the services are usually located in or near the central area. It’s also worth buying insurance, which will cover the cost of damages caused by fire, flood or even theft.
Dictation 66
Zak’s parents and teachers were proud of his numerous achievements and many considered him to be a genius. His latest success – getting the highest possible mark in his finals – has been officially confirmed by the school authorities. Later on the success turned into a failure. Zak was accused of dealing in drugs and his flat was searched by the police. You can imagine the consequences when they found a considerable amount of heroine in his flat!
UNIT 4
Dictation 67
Ted had a nervous breakdown because everything went wrong during his holiday. First, the weather was much worse than he had expected. Then, his son dived into shallow water and had to go to hospital for a couple of days. After that, he lost the key to his hotel room and was locked out for five hours until the receptionist found the spare key. Finally, he was fined for double parking. It was the worst holiday he had ever had.
Dictation 68
Do you think that men and women have the same opportunities? If you are reluctant to give a woman a job, you are sexist. My friend is involved in the project concerned with equal opportunities. She hopes it will help women realize their ambitions without having to compromise. Would you be willing to sacrifice your career? Or would you rather choose a quiet lifestyle of a devoted wife and mother?
UNIT 5
Dictation 69
Luxury goods, such as designer clothes, are available in small quantities only. Each car should contain such equipment as a first aid kit or an air-bag. When you visit our factory, we will show you where the cars are assembled. Everyone should know what the purpose of insurance is. If you want to get to the administration building, you have to go past the paint shop, where the cars are painted.
Dictation 70
He’s an extremely mysterious person. No one knows him well enough. One day he is depressed, the other day he gets wild and you have to calm him down. On another occasion he gets wound up because everyone criticizes his research results. What can you do not to feel trapped in a relationship? Are there any precautions against unhappy marriage?
UNIT 6
Dictation 71
She had split with her husband just to claim social benefit from the government. However, it soon turned out that they were still living in the same house. They justified their decision by saying that their financial situation was really complicated. It was partially due to the husband’s long recovery from his last illness. Another thing was the poor condition of their house: cracked walls and a damaged roof. To make things worse, the wife had to commute to Leeds five days a week.
Dictation 72
The average person’s major aim in life is to find a good job, get married and have children. Some people, however, differ from the vast majority in their ambitions and want a little more than the relative security of a steady job and a family. They claim they deserve more and sometimes tend to get bigheaded about themselves. Society will always remain divided into separate social classes, with those at the bottom struggling to get to the top. How many of them are likely to succeed in their attempts?
UNIT 7
Dictation 73
The previous minister was accused of bribery and corruption, which he denied it. However, when he was shown the evidence, he admitted to the crime. No wonder he lost his reputation soon after and his rivals benefited from his fall. I must admit his main fault was his shortsightedness. During his trial he insisted on a thorough examination of the other ministers. The judge was too cheerful throughout the trial and nobody took him seriously.
Dictation 74
Some clever people can balance a plate on its edge.A confident person does not get defensive when criticised. I don’t approve of your narrow-minded attitude to life. Would you wear casual clothes to a party? I did him a favour but he did not show his appreciation. I don’t understand your obsession with celebrities.
UNIT 8
Dictation75
The manager’s position was completely beyond his reach. Are you interested in pursuing a career in Public Relations? Legalizing freedom parades was one of the most debated issue in the parliament. The class didn’t like the maths teacher as they often had to listen to tedious remarks about their lack of progress.
Dictation 76
When a blade of a knife gets blunt it needs to be sharpened. I couldn’t eat the meat because it hadn’t been cooked thoroughly. I don’t think fast food contains any essential nutrients. He stretched his right arm out hoping to reach the table. Some people can’t touch their toes without bending their knees. The noun of the verb ‘to widen’ is ‘width’.
UNIT 9
Dictation 77
We didn’t follow your recommendations when choosing the place to live and now we regret our decision. It was obvious that she didn’t want to help you because her explanations were somewhat strange. What are the drawbacks of having cameras installed in the workplace? I don’t think the workers will fancy being under constant supervision. On the contrary, they’ll be strong-willed enough to avoid any exposures.
Dictation 78
How long does it take to brew tea? The class won’t be pleased to discuss such controversial subjects as indigestion or overweight. When you set up a restaurant you ought to be familiar with hygiene requirements. What’s more, your business ought to be environmentally-friendly. In what circumstances would you ask your next-door neighbours out?
UNIT 10
Dictation 79
Try to avoid generalisations when judging people. The management of a business has to deal with clashes of interests between the company’s owners and the workers. They had to alter the company’s organization in order to save money. Children brought up in rural areas should have the same opportunities as those living in urban areas. He couldn’t concentrate, no matter how hard he tried.
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