Booking a Hotel Room

Good morning. Central Melbourne Hotel. Sarah speaking.
Oh, good morning, Sarah. My name is Tom Lee. I am calling from China.
What can I do for you, Mr lee?
I am attending a conference in Melbourne next week and I would like to book 10 rooms for my group, please.
Sure thing. What days would you like to book the rooms for?
From Wednesday 14th to Sunday 19th. Can you please give me some information about your hotel?
Yes, we are centrally located in Melbourne's CBD.
What does the CBD mean? I don't understand.
The CBD means the Central Business District. This is where all the major companies are.
What else can you tell me about the hotel?
The hotel is fairly new. It was built in 2008. We have 150 well-sized guest rooms. All of our room have LCD flat-screen TVs and satellite channels. Many of our rooms have a spa bath.
Are you close to public transport?
Yes, the train station is a short walk from the hotel. There are also bus and tram stops less than 200 metres away.
Can you tell me how much it costs per single room, please?
The rate is $200 per night. You check in after 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The check-out time is before 10 o'clock in the morning.
That's fine. Do you have internet connection at the hotel?
We have wireless internet available in the entire hotel and it costs $8 per hour.
How much do we have to pay for children?
Children under 1 year stay free of charge. Children under 2 years are charged $5 per night. Older children are charged $45 per night for extra beds.
Do you have a fitness centre?
Yes, we do. We have a big one on the 9th floor. We also provide other services. We can also serve breakfast in bed if you like. We can help with car rental, faxing and photocopying. 
What about pets?
I am sorry. Pets are not allowed in the hotel.
Oh, I see. How can we pay for the booking?
You can pay by credit card or in cash when you come. You can use the hotel's web site to do the booking. If you do so, you will need to pay using a credit card. We will send you an email confirming the booking and giving you more details about the hotel.
What happens if someone from my group would like to cancel the booking?
If he or she chooses to cancel the booking three days before the date of arrival, there will be no charge. If they cancelled later on, the first night will be charged. This means $200, Mr Lee.
I just wanted to know.  This is all I need to know for now. I will have a look on your web site and see what I can do.
Not a problem. Is there any thing else you'd like to know, Mr Lee?
No. Thank you very much. That's all. You've been very helpful.
You're welcome, Mr Lee.

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Good afternoon. East Melbourne Secondary College. Sam Speaking.
Oh, good afternoon. My name is Mark Smith. My son is in year 7. His name is Thomas. Thomas Smith.
What can I do for you, Mr Smith?
My son gave me a form to sign for the school about hepatitis B immunisation. I just need to get some information, please.
Sure. What would you like to know?
Is it necessary for my son to get this immunisation?
If he hasn’t had it, then it is highly recommended that he gets it. People who don’t get Hepatitis B immunisation can put their lives in danger. I personally took my three children to the doctor and he gave them the immunisation. My husband is a doctor and he said it was important. It’s a good thing to do, Mr Smith.
Oh, I see. The problem is that I don’t know much about hepatitis B.
Oh, it’s a virus that can cause serious infection. It is carried in the blood and can affect the liver. It is a good idea to protect your son against this disease.
Oh, dear! Is it really that serious?
Oh, yes, Mr Smith. The number of people with hepatitis B has increased in Australia over the past 20 years. The problem is that there is no cure for hepatitis B infection once someone has caught it.
How soon can my son get the hepatitis B immunisation, please?
Next week all the students in year 7 will get it at school. This will not only take place in our school, it will happen in all other schools. The government wants all year 7 students to have the immunisation. Some children may need to have one, two or three injections on the same day.
Will there be any side effects?
Well, I am not a doctor but I see that some of the students in our school sometimes feel unwell after getting the injection. Some students feel pain at the injection site. You know how it hurts when we go to the doctor to have an injection. It is the same with children. Some girls cry when they take it. If you have internet at home you can go to www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation. They have more information there.
I see. It is not a pleasant thing to take. My wife hates getting injections. She is 40 years old. She can't stand them. She always asks the doctor if there is any other medicine she can take in order not to have an injection. I know exactly what you're talking about.
If your son has any side effects or pain, let him have paracetamol. If you are worried about your son after taking the injection, contact your doctor or take him to hospital after hours.
Is there any thing else my son should be careful about on the day of the immunisation?
Yes. He has to tell the doctor if he is unwell on the day or if he has had severe reactions to any vaccine before. If your son is allergic to certain foods or any thing else, he has to let the doctor know.
Oh, he is not allergic to any thing. Thanks for your help. Bye.
Bye.

Car Towing

Good afternoon. Melbourne City Council. Sarah speaking. How can I help you?
Oh, good morning. My name is Tom Smith.
What can I do for you, Mr Smith?
I parked my car in the city and went to buy something from a shop. When I came back to the car I couldn’t find it. Some people told me it was towed away and I needed to talk to the council.
I see. Now what is your car registration number, please?
It’s UJT 184.
Just give me one moment, Mr Smith. I will see what I can do for you.
Thank you very much.
Mr Smith your car was towed away by council because it was parked in a clearway area at 4.40. I am sorry to say that you have been issued with a parking infringement notice.
A parking infringement notice? Sorry. I don’t understand.
This means that you will have to pay a fine. A parking infringement notice means a parking fine.
Oh, I didn’t know it was a clearway area. I am sorry. Can you do something about the fine? I don’t want to pay any fines, please.
I am sorry. There is nothing I can do about it. Misreading the sign will not exempt you from paying the parking fine.
Oh, I see. Now I need to get my car back.
You will need to go to the Impound Yard in Collingwood. Your car has been taken there. There is a telephone number if you would like to call them.
Yes, can you give me the telephone number, please?
It’s 9621 1525. They open Monday to Friday, 6.30 am to 9 pm. They also open on Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm. They don’t open on Sundays.
I see.
I would suggest you go there as soon as possible.
What can happen if I don’t go soon?
They can start charging you money after 48 hours. If you don’t collect your car from the yard within 10 days, it will be towed to an auction yard in Dandenong.
Oh, I don’t want my car to be sold in an auction. I will go straight away.
When you go there you must pay your parking fine.
What does this mean?
You can’t take the car unless you pay the fine first.
And how much is the penalty?
First you need to pay a $117 parking infringement for parking in a clearway zone.
Is that all?
No, that is not all. You also need to pay $314 towing release fee.
Oh, this is a rip off.
I am sorry, Mr Smith. There is nothing I can do to help you. I understand what you are going through.
My car is not worth $500 and you want me to pay all this money. I will not pay.
In this case they will send your car to Dandenong and you will have to pay an additional $314 if you want to collect it from there.
Oh, dear! What can I do now?
I strongly advise you to go now to the Impound Yard in Collingwood and collect your car. It will save you a lot of trouble. If you are not happy with the parking fine, you can ask to have a payment plan.
What do you mean? I don’t understand.
You don’t have to pay all the money at once. You can pay the money over a few weeks.
I need the car now. I must pay the money but I am not happy.
I am so sorry, Mr Smith.
That’s fine. Bye.
Bye.

Parking Fines

Parking in different parts in Melbourne can be a problem if you don’t know how to read the parking signs. There are green signs to allow you to park for two hours or more for free. Other signs ask you to buy a ticket from a ticket machine in the street and display it on the dashboard. Be careful when you see a red sign. If you buy a ticket and don’t display it on the dashboard, you will get a parking fine. A parking fine is also called an infringement notice. To buy a ticket from a ticket machine, you need to have the right change (coins). Ticket machines don’t accept banknotes or bank cards. If you leave your car and go to get change, you can get a fine by the time you get back.
People feel angry when they get parking fines. They say it is not fair to get a 57-dolar-fine for parking two or three minutes more after the ticket expires. If drivers who get fines don’t pay them in 28 days, they will have to pay 20 dollars more. If they still don’t pay, they can be asked to pay even more or go to court.
Councils make a lot of money from parking fines each year. Council inspectors now have digital cameras to capture infringements. Whitehorse Council made more than 1 million dollars after 23,000 people got parking fines in 2009. Melbourne City Council made 11.2 millions. Councils say they spend the money on looking after hospitals, public libraries, schools and do road maintenance. Councils say that people must not break the law.
What do I do if I get a parking fine? You can pay it within 28 days or apply for an internal review or you can go to court.
If you want to pay a parking fine, you can do so in different ways:
Online. Visit the council’s web site and use your credit card. This service is available 24 hours a day.
By phone. You will find a telephone number on the back of your parking fine notice. Call the number and give your bank details.
By mail. You can send a cheque or your bank details by mail to council.
In person. You can go to the council and pay your fine there.
How do parking inspectors know if you have parked for longer than the allowed time? This is a secret. They don’t want you to know. Just be careful and read the signs when you park your car.
Correct these sentences:
When people get parking tickets, they always feel happy.
Whitehorse Council made more than 10 million dollars from parking fines in 2009.
When you get a parking fine, you must pay it in 28 years.
You can't pay your parking ticket online using a credit card.
You can use banknotes to buy a parking ticket from a ticket machine.
If the sign says you can park for two hours this means that you can stay for four hours only.
If you don't pay your fine in 28 days, you will be asked to pay less money.
Parking officers in the city of Whitehorse issued 20,000 parking tickets in 2009.
Councils want drivers to break the law.
It is very easy to park your car in the city of Whitehorse because there are no parking inspectors.
Another name for a parking fine is an infringement book.
Parking inspectors want you to know how they can find out if you have parked your car for a longer time.
If you think you have got a parking fine by mistake, you can contact your class teacher.
If you get a parking fine, you can pay it in one way only.

Not a Nurse

I read this story in an Egyptian newspaper this week. It tells the story of a woman who has been married for 8 years. A young man who lived in the same street proposed to her. He was known to be quiet and he kept to himself.
After marrying she fell pregnant. She had her first daughter and then soon after that she had a son. Her husband had a full time job. He worked as a nurse at a hospital. He was doing night shifts. She asked him to change his work time but he said the manager wanted him to work during the night because he trusted him.
On different occasions the husband came back home drunk. He started to have fights with her. In Egypt being drunk is not a good thing. The woman also started to get phone calls from other women wanting to talk to her husband. She was not happy about what was happening.
One day she decided to follow her husband to work and see what he was doing. She found out that he didn't work as a nurse as he told her when he entered a night club. She asked the security guard about him and he told her that her husband had worked as a singer at the night club for many years.
The woman was not happy. She filed for a divorce. She said she didn't want her children to have a father who was drunk and dishonest. The court granted her a divorce and ordered him to pay money to her and her children every month. The woman said that her life dramatically changed. She does not want to go back to her husband because she is angry. She said she would find a job and start a new life with her kids.

Freedom of Speech

 Look at the people in the picture. They are in London, the capital of England. They are protesting against the war in Gaza. They are not happy that Israel bombed Gaza and killed thousands of civilians.
This picture was taken when the war was going on. They wanted the war to stop. They said that it was wrong to kill women and children.
The problem hasn't ended for those people. The police arrested tens of them after using tear gas. They ordered the people arrested to stand before a judge.
The judge ordered them to serve two years in prison for protesting against the war. He said that those people used violence against the police.
Most of the people who were ordered to go to prison are Muslims.
Their lawyers said that other people who protested against the government were not ordered to go to prison. They were ordered to do community service for some hours.
The case is different now. Britain is the second biggest supporter of Israel after the United States of America.
Families of the people arrested say they don't expect the judge to change his sentence. They say that their family members didn't go to prison because of their protest - it was because of their religion.
In Australia many people protested against the war in Gaza but they didn't get media attention.

Picture: http://english.aljazeera.net

Raya and Sekina

 Early in the twentieth century police in the city of Alexandria were told that some of women who went to a very busy shopping area downtown disappeared. The women went to do some shopping and never came back to their homes. The police didn't know how that happened. There was one thing in common for all those women - they were wearing a lot of gold.


The police couldn't find any dead bodies while they were following the cases. There was nothing to help them find out how those women disappeared suddenly.


The police asked family members but none of those women had any problems with their husbands and there was no good reason for any of them not to return home.


After a long search, the police found out how all those women disappeared. They were all killed by a gang headed by two sisters. Their names were Raya and Sekina.


Raya and Sekina used to go to the market with different pieces of material. They waited in the streets in busy markets until they saw wealthy women who wore a lot of gold. Raya and Sekina used to go to a victim and offer to sell her high quality material for a cheap price. After talking to the victim for a few minutes, they used to invite her to come to their house to choose any material she liked.


At home, they offered the victim a sweet drink that was spiked. This means that the drink had a strong drug in it to make the woman fall asleep.

After the victim fell asleep, the two sisters used to take all the gold and with the help of their husbands, they got rid of the body. They buried the bodies of the women under their home.


The police found out about the two sisters when one of the jewelers reported them to the police. They were trying to sell him a piece of gold that they took from one of their victims.


The police stormed their house and arrested them. They found a lot of cash and gold. They arrested the husbands too.


They all went to court and stood before a judge. They judge ordered that they be hanged. The court case was reported in the major newspapers in Egypt and in many countries in the Middle East too.


Today the place where the crime took place is still a very busy shopping area in Alexandria. Thousands of women go there every day. Today the place has hundreds of shops that are open to the public. It is safe for women, children and old people to go to. Those people know the story. They smile and laugh when they remember it. They tell the story to their children.

Conversation Questions

What is your name?
What country do you come from?
What city did you grow up in?
Tell me about your family in your country.
Who was your best friend when you were young?
How did you meet your best friend?
Tell me about your primary school.
What do you like about our English class?
What subjects did you like in high school?
Who was your favourite teacher?
Was your school in your country different from schools in Australia?
What did you do after high school?
When did you decide to come to Australia?
How long have you been in Australia for?
What is different in Australia compared with your country?
Do you think it is easy to get a job in Australia?
What would you like to do in the future in Australia?
Have you had any problems since you came to live here?
What will you say about Australia to your friends in your country when you travel back to see them?
What countries would you like to visit one day in the future?
Would you like any other members from your family to come and live here in Australia?
Have you ever used 000 in Australia to call for help?
Do you think you know enough about the law in Australia?
What courses do you think you need to do before you get a job in Australia?
Would you like to set up a business one day in Australia? What business?
What presents will you buy if you decide to go to your country to visit family and friends?
Have you ever had a bad experience in Australia?

Driving Licence

Good morning. VicRoads. Samantha Speaking. How can I help you?
Oh, good morning, Samantha. My name is Alan Roger.
What can I do for you, Mr Roger?
I would like to apply for a licence, please.
What sort of license do you want to apply for?
I would like to apply for a car license.
Sure thing. You can come to our office and fill in a form.
Can I do it online instead of coming to your office?
You can download the car license application form from our web site but you will need to send it to us in the mail.
Oh, I see. Can you tell me what sort of questions there are in the form?
Oh, some general questions like name, address, contact numbers and so on.
Is that all?
No, there are more specific questions that you need to answer.
Like what?
Give me one moment and I will be able to tell you some of the questions in the form, please.
Not a problem.
OK. Here we go. Now do you suffer from any eyesight or hearing defect?
No, I don’t. My eyesight is good. My hearing is good too.
Great. Now are you taking any drugs or prescribed medications?
Sorry. I don’t understand.
Does your doctor ask you to take medicine?
No, I am perfectly fine. I haven’t been to the doctor for over a year.
Are you diabetic? Do you suffer from any illnesses?
No, I am not diabetic. I can eat what I like. I don’t have any health concerns.
Great. Are you recorded with VicRoads?
No, I am not recorded with VicRoads. This is the first time to apply for a licence.
Have you held an overseas driving licence before?
No, I haven’t. I have never been outside Australia.
Ok, Mr Roger. You need to apply for a learner permit first. You can get the form from our web site if you like. Make sure you sign the form and then you can pay the fees.
How soon can I apply for the learner permit?
You can come now if you like. We can give you a form here and you can pay the money today.
What will happen after that?
You need to study a book. It is called “The Road to Solo Driving”.
Where can I get this book?
You can buy it here. We have it in 20 major languages. You can also buy it at the newsagent’s. When you finish the book you can come here for a test at VicRoads. If you pass the test, you will be able to start learning to drive a car. A fully licensed person has to sit next to you at all times when you drive. You have to display an “L” license when you drive.
Great. When can I get my full licence?
You will need to set for another test on a computer and a driving test. If you pass them both, you will get a “P” licence. It takes time as you see.
Good. I think I understand every thing now. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
Not a problem, Mr Roger. Is there any thing else you would like to ask?
No, that’s all. Thanks very much.
You’re welcome. Have a nice day.
You too. Bye.
Bye.

Good Web Sites

There are many web sites that I recommend to my students to use online. Most of these web sites are from Amercia. Sadly there are not Australian web sites that help students learn English. Most of the topics are international topics and there is a big gap that needs to be filled.
Here is a list of some web sites you can use at home.

www.listen-to-english.com

www.cdlponline.org

www.breakingnewsenglish.com

www.elllo.org

www.marshalladulteducation.org

All these web sites are free. You don't pay any money to use them from home. You can use them from anywhere in the world.

Calling 000 in Australia

This week in class we learn about calling 000 to ask for help. We also got a gentleman from the ambulance service who gave us some information on when to call for help from the police, the ambulance service, the fire department or the emergency service. I found this link on the internet and thought it might be useful to you. Click here to read more.

Tok Tok

Is this a car, a motorcycle or a scooter? Do you have these ones in your country? Have you ever taken a ride in one of them? This is the new type of cheap transport in poor countries.
People in these countries can't afford to buy cars because they are too expensive for them. The vehicle in the picture has different names in different countries. Young boys and girls as old as 10 can drive them. They are very easy to drive. They are neither cars nor a motorcycles. They were first made in India. They were soon exported overseas to other countries - mainly in Africa and Asia.
In Egypt this car is called a Tok Tok. It was imported from India. People started to use them in villages where there were no reliable bus or taxi services.
How many people can travel in a Tok Tok? They are normally designed to carry three people but don't be surprised to see more than 6 people inside one Tok Tok. How is this possible? Just go to Pakistan or Sudan and have a look for yourself.
A Tok Tok is not comfortable to travel in and that is why people mainly use it to travel short distances. Tok Toks don't travel fast as cars but they can be used in narrow streets and take short cuts. They are not suitable to travel in on a rainy day. They are not as safe as cars. Most drivers don't normally carry a license because Tok Toks are mainly used in small villages and not big cities where they are banned.

Learn to Use Computers

Do you want to learn to use a computer without paying any money? If your answer is "Yes", I can help. If you have an internet connection at home, you can go to different web sites and learn. Some web sites charge money if you want to use their services. I can tell you about a training course that will not cost you any thing. It is from Microsoft. Microsoft is a software giant. This means it is a very big software company. It makes computer programs that you can buy at computer shops. All you have to do is to click here and enjoy learning.
Learning to use computers takes a lot of time. You do things by hand. When you first start to use a computer, you always need help. After that you will be amazed what you can do. Good luck with your learning.

Can I see the doctor?

Good afternoon. Family Medical Centre. Tamara speaking. How can I help you?
Oh, good afternoon. My name is Irina Smith.
What can I do for you, Mrs Smith?
I'd like to have an appointment to see Dr Douglas, please.
I'm afraid Dr Douglas is fully booked out for today.
Oh, I see. I just wanted to see him to get the results of an ultra sound that I had yesterday at Box Hill Hospital. They told me they would fax the results to him.
I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to make you able to see Dr Douglas. He took yesterday off and that is why he is too busy today.
I see. When is the first appointment that I can have then?
If you give me a moment, please. Well, you can see him at 2.30 tomorrow if you like.
Oh, I will be at work then. Can we make it a little bit later, please?
Yes, what time do you finish work?
I finish work at 4.30.
I can book you in for 4.45. Will that be Ok with you?
Yes, that will be fine.
Just make sure to be here on time because we finish at 5.
I know. I will do my best. I will try to leave work 10 minutes early in case there is any traffic jam on the way.
That's fine. Now Mrs Smith I will confirm your appointment for 4.45 tomorrow.
Thanks very much. I appreciate it.
Not at all. Have a good afternoon.
You too. Bye.
Bye.

Do You Want to be Rich?

I got an email from someone that I don't know. This person wants to give me more than 15 million dollars for free. He told me a story that was too good to be true. He said that there was an American doctor who died in a plane crash in 2003. His wife died in the crash too. They didn't have any children. The doctor was a wealthy person and he had a lot of money at a bank in Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is in Africa. The man who sent the email said that nobody knew about the money at the bank and he wanted to give it to someone who lived abroad. He was offering me the money because I am a foreigner. I am not sure how he got my email address. I don't know anybody in Burkina Faso.
Well, I am not interested in this money because it does not exist. I don't believe the story in the first place. When I send a reply to that person, he will ask me to send him money to be able to transfer the money to my account in Australia.
After that he will send me an email telling me that the police knew about the money and will blame me for it. After losing a few thousand dollars, I will not get any cent transferred to my account. In fact I will not get any money at all. I wonder how many people will get the same email and start contacting that guy.
I always get similar email messages from people that I don't know. Some of the emails come from Russia. There is always a different story each time. If you get one of these email messages, delete it at once. Don't send your bank account details to people you don't know or trust.
The first person who tricked thousand of people and asked them to send him their bank details was a man from Nigeria. He used to send letters to people around the world. Those people got letters in the mail and read them. Some of those people dreamed of becoming rich without having to work. They contacted the Nigerian man and ended up losing their money.

Council Rates

Every year in Australia home owners have to pay council rates on their properties. People pay a few hundred dollars every year to the local council. The council spends this money on looking after roads, footpaths, parks, street lighting, libraries, leisure centres and other services. The council also spends a lot of money to collect hard rubbish from the streets twice a year.
Home owners can call the council if they have any questions regarding their rates. Staff who work at the council will answer any question the owners may have. People who own homes can also go on the council’s web site to check information for themselves.
The council normally sends a letter to the owners to remind them of the payment time. People can pay their council rate in one go or by installments. They can pay by credit card, cheque, phone or in cash. They can also pay at any Australia Post office if they like. If people don’t pay their rates on time, they have to pay interest and other charges. If someone has internet access, he or she can pay the rates online using the council’s web site.
If some people have financial problems and can’t pay on time, they can ring the council and discuss other payment options.

The Best Cities in the World

Do you like the city you live in? Do you think that it is the best place in the world? A magazine called The Economist conducted a survey early in 2010 to find out the top ten most liveable cities in the world. The first one on the list was Vancouver and it was followed by Vienna and then Melbourne. The magazine said that people who lived in Vancouver were happy with what the city had to offer. It had the best healthcare, education and infrastructure. It also had very good streets, trains, buses, parks and many other things.
Four cities from Australia made the list. These cities were Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.
Some people are not happy about the survey and say it is wrong. They say that Vancouver is the most unaffordable city to live in. It is followed by Melbourne and Sydney. They say that it is strange for cities that are too expensive for most people to live in to be the most liveable ones.
One woman said that Australia’s health system ranked 23rd in the world according to the World Health Organization in the year 2000 and that makes it hard to believe that four cities made the top ten on the list.
The magazine also mentioned the bottom ten cities to live in. They included Harare, Dhaka, Algiers, Port Moresby, Lagos, Karachi, Douala, Kathmandu, Colombo, and Dakar. Most of these cities are in Africa in third-world countries that can't afford to have good hospitals or schools. These countries have a lot of corruption too and many people there die from AIDS and other serious illnesses.

Visa to China

Good Morning. Chinese Embassy. Hong Speaking.
Good morning, Hong. My name is Carol Smith. I need to get some information on getting a tourist visa to visit China, please.
Yes, Mrs Smith. What would you like to know?
Can I do the visa application online?
Yes, you can. You can also download a form from our web site, fill it in and send it to us by mail if you want. We will study your application and ring you to come with your passport and other documents to the embassy. 
What sort of questions are there in the form?
The form has many questions. You may take about half an hour to answer them all.
Can you give me an idea of what sort of questions are asked?
Yes, sure. Now what is your passport type? Is it diplomatic or regular? 
Oh, I've got a regular passport.
What sort of passport do you hold? 
Australian.
And when will it expire?
It will expire on 23rd May 2019.
What is your current occupation? 
I am an office admin.
And why do you want to visit China, Mrs Smith? 
I want to see China. I will go there as a tourist.
And how many times do you intend to go to China? 
Only once for now. I may go there later on if I like it.
What cities or provinces do you want to visit? 
I would like to visit Beijing and Shanghai.
Now, Mrs Smith. Have you ever been refused a visa to China before? 
No, it's the first time to visit China. It's the first time for me to be overseas too.
Good. Have you had any criminal record in any country before? 
No, I haven't. I never cause any trouble.
And do you suffer from any serious illnesses? 
No, I don't suffer from any serious illnesses. I am perfectly healthy.
Has anyone invited you to visit China? 
No. Nobody has invited me. I am going there on my own. I don't even know anyone in China.
That is all. These are all the questions that you will find in the visa form. 
I see. Now can you tell me how long I have to wait before I get my visa?
It normally takes 4-5 days. You can get it faster if you pay a fee.
No, I don't want to get it faster, thank you.
Is there any thing else I can do for you? 
No, that's all. Thanks a lot for your help.
Not at all. Have a good stay in China. 
I will. Bye.
Bye. 

Before You Move House

Families in Australia sometimes need to move house. They may want to live in a bigger one or work circumstances may change. Before moving house there are many things to take care of. You need to give your landlord 4 week notice before you move out. If you don't give this notice, you may lose your bond. This is very important to know. The real estate agent will come for a final inspection and tell you what needs to be done in the house. You can't leave the house dirty and go. They will hire a cleaner to clean the house and you will have to pay. If you don't want to pay, the real estate agent will deduct the money out of your bond.
You will need to hire a carpet cleaner to steam clean your house. You will also need to clean the walls of the house with sugar soap. You can buy sugar soap at any hardware store. Remember to wear gloves when you use it.
You need to call your electricity, phone, gas and water companies to arrange for a disconnection of the service. Tell them what date you plan to leave the house.
Start packing your things in boxes. You can hold a garage sale. People can come to your garage and buy the things you don't want any more. You can also give your old furniture away to friends and family or you can give them away to charity. The charity will send people to your house to pick them up if they are in good condition.
Go to the post office and fill in a form to get the letters sent to your new address. This normally costs about 6 dollars a month.
Arrange for a removal company to come and pick up your furniture to the new house. A removal company always charges a lot of money. If you want to save money, you can rent a truck and do the job yourself. Ask friends to come and help you on the big day. Be careful not to hurt your back. When every thing is done, say goodbye to your close neighbours and friends and give them the new phone number. Make sure they have your email address.
When you settle down in your new home you need to have your new phone connected. You also need to find out some important information. You need to know where the supermarket, the local school and shopping centre are. You need to know what day rubbish gets collected in your street. The first thing people do when they move to a new house is to get plenty of sleep because by that time they feel very tired.

Phobia

Are you scared of spiders? Do you feel afraid if the light goes out suddenly and the place becomes dark? Are you scared of flying in an airplane? Do you feel afraid when you look out of the window of a tall building? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you have a phobia. Phobia is intense fear of something. There are different kinds of phobias that people suffer from. When someone sees a spider, he or she starts to have a very fast heartbeat and breathe faster. They feel they are going to die and start to panic. There are hundreds of phobias that may cause great stress to people.
There are also some types of strange phobias that some people suffer from. Some people may feel nervous if they smell a certain thing or see certain types of food like fish. There is a phobia of taking tests.
There is also a social phobia that some people suffer from. They feel embarrassed when they meet new people. That is why they prefer to sit in a corner or away from others.  They also feel they would be wrongly judged by others. That is why they try to avoid them. They feel nervous when they enter class for the first time or when other people start to look at them.

Some people have a phobia of the dentist. They panic every time they have their teeth checked. Other than that, they don't feel scared of any thing. Other than their fear of the dentist, they are normal people. They talk, they laugh. They go to work and use public transport. They play sports and you can never tell that they have a phobia unless a dentist comes near them to examine a bad tooth. That is when they start to panic. That is when it is easy to say that they suffer from a phobia.

Looking After a Child

Hello.
Oh, hi, Mary. It's Norma here. How are you?
Not too bad, Norma. How are things?
Very busy. I have had a lot of work at the office lately and can't wait to go on holiday.
Are you going on holiday soon?
Not soon. I will get my annual leave in two months. Can't wait to have some rest.
You are a very busy woman, Norma. It's been two weeks since we met.
Yes, I know. Things have been crazy lately. We have had a new boss and she is putting everyone under stress to meet deadlines. We need to finish a lot of work before she starts screaming at us. I think she is mad or something.
What a horrible boss you are talking about. Is she for real?
Sadly yes. Everyone misses our former boss now. She had to resign to look after her sick husband. It was very good back then.
Oh, that's too bad. I hope every thing is OK for her.
I hope so too. Look I need to ask you a favour.
Sure thing. What do you want me to do?
I want you to look after my daughter Elizabeth for a few hours if you can.
It depends what day you want me to look after her.
Oh, it's next Thursday. I have a very important ceremony to attend.
Ceremony? What ceremony are you talking about?
A graduation ceremony. My son is finishing primary school and there is a graduation night at school. All the parents will be there.
Oh, I almost forget he is going to high school very soon.
Time flies.
Sure thing. Are you talking about Thursday next week?
Yes, Thursday next week.
Well you are in luck. I don't have any thing to do on Thursday and am happy to have your daughter for as long as the graduation ceremony will take.
Oh, thank you very much.
Not a problem. Have fun at the ceremony and give my best to Mark.
I will. See you later.
Bye.

The Wrong Book

Good afternoon. Thomas and Young Bookshop. Sam speaking. How can I help you?
Oh, good afternoon. My name is Rob Smith. I am one of your customers.
Yes, Mr Smith. What can I do for you?
I went to your bookshop in Collins Street in the city yesterday and bought a computer book called Windows 7 - A Beginner's Guide. I paid by credit card. The young lady in the shop put the book in a paper bag and I took it home. When I went home, I opened the bag and found a totally different book.
What do you mean a different book?
I found a cooking book. I didn't find my computer book. I don't know what happened to my book.
Oh, I see. I am sorry. This must be a mistake.
I can understand that. There were many customers at the bookshop then. I am sure she didn't mean to give me the wrong book.
Thanks for your consideration, Mr Smith. I have just got a customer at the bookshop and she returned a wrong book. This was only 5 minutes ago. I am sure that lady got your book and you got hers by mistake.
What can I do now? I need to get my computer book, please.
If it is no trouble to you, could you please bring the cooking book back to us or to any branch that is close to your home and we will exchange it for the Windows 7 book for you?
Not a problem. I will be near your bookshop doing some work. I will finish at 5.30. I can come to you after that. 
Oh, I am sorry. We close at 5. Is it possible for you to come tomorrow?
Yes, I can come tomorrow but early in the morning. What time do you open?
We open at 9 o'clock.
I'll come at 9 then. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
Not at all, Mr Smith. Have a good afternoon.
You, too. Bye.
Bye and sorry for the hassle.

English Course Information

Good morning. ABC Language School. Sam Speaking.
Oh, Good morning. My name is Tom. I would like to get some information about your general English classes, please.
Sure. What would you like to know?
When is the next class starting?
We have new classes every Monday. They normally start at 9 o’clock in the morning and finish at 1 Monday to Friday.
And how much does it cost?
$289 per week. The class goes for five weeks. After that you get some tests and if you pass you go to the next level.
And how long does one level go for?
Normally 5 weeks.
How big is the class, please?
We normally have between 4 and 10 students. We don’t have more than 10 in one class. This gives the teacher a chance to give you more individual attention. You don’t want to study in a big class, do you?
No, I don’t. Now if my wife and I would like to enrol, will we get a discount?
Normally we don’t offer any discounts but you can speak to the manager about that. I am sorry. I can’t give you an exact answer about this.
Oh, I understand. Now can you tell me one more thing?
Sure. What would you like to know?
Will I be using computers in the class?
We normally have computers in the class and they have educational software programs to help you learn English. You can search the internet as well inside class. So the answer is yes.
Will I get a certificate after I finish the course?
Of course. You will get a certificate at the end of each level. Our certificate is nationally accredited. You can use it anywhere in Australia. Not just in Melbourne.
And where are you located?
We are located at 345 Collins Street in the city. Do you know Collins Street? Have you been to the city before?
No, I haven’t. I have just arrived here in Melbourne recently. I live in Box Hill.
From Box Hill you can take a train to the city. It normally takes about half an hour. You get off at Flinders Street Train Station and walk to our college. It is not hard to find it at all. Anything else you would like to know?
No, Thanks. That's all. Thanks for your help. Bye.
Bye.

Buy Online

My friend lives in Box Hill and he does his shopping online. He visits different web sites and buys from them every now and then. I call him a shopaholic. This means that he spends too much money and time on buying different things. He does not even go to the local supermarket and does his shopping online. My friend gets the food he buys delivered to his door. He tells me that he is very careful when he buys items online because people can sometimes have very unpleasant surprises when they shop online. My friend says that he uses trusted web sites to do his shopping. He bought a medical book from Hong Kong for $60. The same book is sold in Australia for $150. My friend saved a lot of money.
Now it is easier than ever to do your shopping online. For example people can visit real estate web sites to have a look on houses and units before buying their own.
Sometimes people have problems when they buy goods online. They pay the money but never get the goods they paid for. Sometimes they buy things from companies that are not in Australia and they can’t have their money back. This is called a SCAM. If they buy an item from a company in Australia, consumers are protected by the Australian law. The police can help in some situations too.
Sometimes a person can contact the company that runs the web site and they can help him or her get a refund.
In Australia there is a web site to help consumers and give them advice. It is called the Consumers Affairs web site. You can find it at www.accc.gov.au. This web site has a lot of information to help you.
As for me, I don’t like online shopping. I hate using my credit card to buy things. I only use my credit card when I pay my bills. I pay the phone bill online using my telephone company’s web site. I also use my electricity and gas companies’ web sites to pay the bills.

Saving Water

Australia is a dry country. This means that there is not much rain water here. Countries like the United States of America have plenty of rain every year. Other countries don’t have enough water and people there live in poor conditions. In Australia there are 22 million people but the water is not enough. When there is not enough rain, food prices go up a lot. That is why we need to do something to save water.
In your kitchen you can wash up your dishes by hand or use a dishwasher. Each dishwater has a label to tell you how much water and electricity it uses. You can check this label before you buy a dishwasher. On the label you can see stars. The more stars the dishwasher has, the better it is.
When you wash up your dishes, try not to use a lot of water. Only use a dishwasher when it is full. Try to take a shower in 4 minutes only. This will save you a lot of water every day. If you have an old shower head, replace it with a new water-efficient one. You can call your water company or go to their web site and see how you can do the job yourself.
In some countries people spend as much time as they like under the shower because these countries have a lot of rainfall. There is no problem there. In Australia it is not the same. When you have a shower it is a good idea to use a bucket to collect water and use it for cleaning and to do other things around the house. You can use this water when you wash clothes too. If you have a leaking tap, try to fix it or get a plumber to do the job for you but this will cost you quite a bit.
You can only water your garden in certain times during the week. This will normally be twice between 6 and 8 am. You can not wash your car using a hose outside your home. You can only use a bucket and wash the windows and mirrors.

My Primary School

In Egypt I started school when I was five years and ten months. There was a local school that was one minute away from my home but they refused to take me. They said that I was not six years old. I had to go to a primary school that was twenty kilometres away from my home. My father used to work at a technical school in a nearby town and I used to travel with him every day. It was fun to travel by train in the morning and watch the farmers work at their fields. It was not fun though to have to wake up early in the morning.
In the afternoon I used to go home with one or two teachers who worked at my school. My father knew them because he was their teacher. I used to walk with them to the train station in the town and they used to walk me home. They used to take me from class before the school finished to be able to catch the train. This happened every day.
One day I was waiting for them to come and take me from class but they didn't. I told my class teacher that I had to leave to catch the train early but she didn't allow me to leave class before school ended.
When school ended I ran to the train station and saw that my train had not left. There were many people on the train. I also saw the teachers who were supposed to walk with me home. The train was delayed by more than one hour. I also met the station master. He was one of my father's former students too. I used to go to his office to book a ticket every day and my father used to have a chat with him nearly every day.
The station master took me to the train driver and told him to make sure I met my father at the train station in my city. When I got on the train, the station master blew his whistle and the train departed.
The train driver explained that the station master delayed the train on purpose until I got there.
At the train station in my city I was picked up by my father. He was worried that I got lost. I explained to him what happened and he walked me home. My mother was very worried at home too.
After spending more than one year travelling to school in a different town, there was one school that accepted me in my city. It was about 15 minutes walk from my house. My school was in an apartment. It didn't have any oval to play sports and we didn't have music lessons because we didn't have any musical instruments there. In my school there were three classes. Years two, four and six. We didn't have a chance to make friends with other students from different classes. We spend break times inside class and when we made a noise, the headmistress used to come and shout at us to do some study.
In that school I had very good teachers. Some of my friends in class got degrees and they work now in different jobs.
A few years after I finished my primary school the Department of Education decided to close it down. They said it was not good to keep children inside classes all the time and not let them have activities. They couldn't do that back when I was a student because at that time my country was at war with Israel. Many of the cities in my country were destroyed by Israel.
Now when I look back at my days in primary school I feel sad. I didn't have a chance to have a normal education like other boys and girls.
Now because there are many people who live in Egypt, it is very common to see that some students go to school in the morning and finish at one o'clock in the afternoon. After that other students start from 1:30 till 7 pm. It can be worse than that in some areal where schools work three shifts a day.

Home Schooling

In Australia it is compulsory to send your child to school at the age of five. Children can go to a public school or a private one. Private schools normally cost more than $20,000 per year. Public schools are not expensive. They cost only a few hundred dollars per year. At school children do many activities inside and outside class. They also interact with other parents and staff at their schools. 
There are many parents who decide not to send their children to normal schools. They choose to teach them at home. This is called Home Schooling. Parents can teach their children at home from year one till the end of year 12. You may be surprised to know that some famous people did home schooling when they were young like the British author Agatha Christie, the American tennis players Serena and Venus Williams and singer Justin Timberlake. 

Before a child can start home schooling in Australia, a parent has to register as a home educator with the Department of Education. There are many web sites to help parents get started even if they don’t have any experience as teachers.There are many good things about home schooling. It is a one-on-one teaching experience where a child gets personal attention instead of going to a class that is overcrowded. It creates close bonds between parents and their children. Sometimes parents choose home schooling for their children if they live in remote areas that don’t have any schools. They may want to provide their children with religious education that is not provided by local schools. They may want to make sure their child does more work than that provided at normal schools. 
Parents may also choose home schooling for their children if they feel that the education system is failing them. Homeschooling helps children keep away from drugs, alcohol and bullying. Home schooling may be a good idea if the parents always travel because of work and the child can't stay at one school for a considerable amount of time in one city or country. 
Other people oppose the idea of home schooling and say it is bad. They say that children don’t have a chance to make friends. Parents also miss out on many social activities because they spend most of the time teaching their children at home. Children can miss out on taking part in team sports and other activities that can’t be provided through home schooling. They also say that parents sometimes can’t teach their children science, languages and mathematics because these subjects are not easy.

Victoria Market

Queen Victoria Market is a very famous place to visit in Melbourne. It is named after Queen Victoria who ruled Britain from 1837 to 1901. At Victoria Market people can buy meat, fish, chicken, seafood and vegetables. They can also buy birds, gifts, souvineers, handmade items, jewellery and clothes. Victoria Market is also called Vic Market for short. The market has been open for more than 130 years now.

At Victoria Market you can see thousands of items to choose from. It is also a tourist attraction for anyone visiting Melbourne. There are hudreds of stall holders who can look after you. On the weekend there are different rides for children to enjoy. It is also a good place for a family outing. It is very close to the CBD in Melbourne and people can easily go there by tram, bus or on foot.

Victoria Market is a good place to go to if you want to bargain. You normally buy goods there at lower prices than in the big shops. You can park your car easily there for a whole day if you want or for just a few hours. There is no ticket to buy to enter the market and you can stay as long as you want.

The market is not open for business every day. It opens just four days a week.

In 1997 there were some items sold in the market that were fake. They were not original. People could buy designer sunglasses for just ten dollars. These sunglasses were not originals of course. The original ones may have cost a thousand dollars or more. Some people were arrested by the police and the problem ended. Now this does not happen. You don't go to Victoria Market if you want to buy an expensive pair of jeans or sunglasses. You go there if you want to buy cheap goods.

King Tutankhamun

Howard Carter was a British artist. He was born in 1874. He loved studying Egyptian history at a young age and traveled to Egypt for the first time when he was 17 years old. He became famous when he discovered the tomb of a very famous Egyptian king called Tutankhamun in the city of Luxor. Tutankhamun lived nearly 3000 years ago . Howard Carter worked at the Egyptian museum from 1899 to 1905. Later on he met a British Lord called Lord Carnarvon who was known for his love of Egyptian history. Lord Carnarvon gave Howard Carter money to discover tombs of old Egyptian kings and queens and look for treasures.

On November 22, 1922 Carter made a very important discovery. He  found the tomb of Tutankhamun. Inside the tomb Carter found nearly 3500 pieces of gold and furniture. All the pieces were in a very good condition. Howard Cater also found two big masks of the king and three coffins.  They were all made of gold. You can see a picture of one of the gold masks on the left hand side.

The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. That is why they kept all their gold and furniture inside their tombs. They wanted to use them again when they returned back to life.

Shortly after the discovery of the tomb, Lord Carnarvon was suddenly taken to hospital in Cairo where he died two days later. Doctors said later on that he had an infection when an insect bit him inside the tomb. He was only 57 years old.

11 people from those who took part in the discovery had died by 1929 of unnatural causes. They  included two of Lord Carnarvon’s family members and his personal secretary. The secretary’s father also killed himself by jumping from a balcony. 22 people connected to the discovery of the tomb died for unknown reasons by the year 1935.
After the discovery, Howard Carter left Egypt after spending more than 30 year there and went to live in New York. He gave lectures about his great discovery and the history of ancient Egypt. In the year 1939, Howard Carter died at the age of 66.

Now most of the items of the treasure found inside the tomb of King Tutankhamun are kept at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Some items of the treasure were stolen and sent to England because at that time Egypt was occupied by England. They are kept at the British Museum. England has always refused to return the stolen pieces to Egypt.

Swine Flu

Thousands of people around the world have died of swine flu. Swine flu is a new type of influenza. It is a virus that can travel through the air when someone coughs or sneezes. The first cases of swine flu were in Mexico in April 2009. Not long after that, swine flu infections spread to other countries. Governments had to shut down schools where swine flu cases were reported. People started to use masks on their faces and there were telephone hotlines that anyone could call to get information on swine flu. In Australia the swine flu hotline phone number is 180 2007. More than 360 people have died in England from swine flu so far.
People who suffer from swine flu normally have high temperatures (over 38°C), muscle aches, sore throats or a dry cough. Most people become healthy again within one week. Some people only needed to take a painkiller and rest in bed and let their bodies fight the infection. They were also asked to drink plenty of fluids and stop smoking immediately. Others had to take a type of medicine called Tamiflu because they were at risk. Swine flu can cause death to people who suffer from asthma, heart disease, kidney disease or those who are diabetic. Tamiflu is an expensive medicine but it was given for free to anyone who suffered from swine flu in Australia.
A swine flu vaccine program started to protect people in most countries around the world. Some people who had a weak immune system like the aboriginals in Australia needed to have the vaccine. Other people also needed the vaccine like pregnant women and young children under five. The swine flu vaccine was also given to health workers at hospitals.
There are things you can do to protect yourself from swine flu. Always wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze so you don’t spread the infection to others. Don’t go to school if you start to have a high temperature. Go on the internet and read about swine flu to learn more about it and protect yourself and your family.

Australia

Australia is a very special country. It is the sixth largest country in the world. It is also the world’s smallest continent. The coastline of Australia is almost 50,000 kilometres long. There are over 10,000 beaches to choose from but many Australians travel overseas to visit nearby countries that are famous for their beaches. Most Australians live in cities. These cities are located along the coast. The middle part of Australia is called the Outback. It is a bare desert and there are no rivers. Temperatures in the Outback are always high and that is why many people don’t like to live there.
Australia is rich in its natural resources. It produces 95 per cent of the world's precious opals and 99 per cent of its black opals. Opal is found in South Australia. The world’s largest opal was found in 1990. It weighed 5.27 kilograms. Gold is also found in Australia. Kalgoorlie in Western Australia is Australia's largest producer of gold.
Australia produces most of the world’s wool. It has 85.7 million sheep. It is also the world’s largest exporter of beef. Japan and the Middle East are the biggest importers of Australian beef. The world's longest continuous fence – the dingo fence – was built to keep sheep safe from dingos. A dingo is Australia’s native dog. It is different from other animals because it kills for pleasure. One dingo can kill about 100 sheep overnight. The dingo fence runs for 5,531 kilometres through central Queensland and South Australia. Today Australia is home to a wealth of wildlife not found anywhere else in the world. The kangaroo is a famous animal and it is unique to Australia. There are an estimated 40 million kangaroos in Australia. There are around 800 species of birds in Australia, half of which are native to this country.
Since 1945 more than six million people from across the world have come to Australia to live. Today, more than 20 per cent of Australians were born in foreign countries. In our homes we speak 226 languages. After English, the most popular are Italian, Greek, Cantonese and Arabic. The aboriginal civilization is believed to be the world’s oldest civilization. Aboriginal people have lived and thrived on this continent for more than 50,000 years.
The aboriginals made many advances long before the Europeans arrived. They invented the boomerang. Now there are not many aboriginal people. They die at an early age because their bodies can’t resist certain diseases like the common cold. Some of them have drinking problems and they live in poor conditions.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was a great American singer and dancer. He died of a heart attack at his Los Angles home in 2009. The news of his death shocked the world. Doctors at the hospital he was taken to spent over an hour trying to save his life but they couldn’t. Some people said that Michael Jackson was addicted to painkillers. Michael’s scalp was burnt many years ago when he was filming an advertisement for Pepsi and he couldn’t stand the pain. He needed very strong pain killers and became addicted to them.
Many people also said that his private doctor gave him an overdose of medicine and that is why he died. His family requested privacy but there was a huge media circus outside his hospital and his house.
Michael was about to start a singing tour of 50 concerts in London. He was also having a lot of financial problems because he used to spend a lot of money. He gave his private doctor a salary of 150,000 dollars a month.
Michael Jackson started singing at a young age and soon became the lead singer of a music band that included his brothers. That music band was called the Jackson 5. He was very talented and his songs soon became famous. He was also a very good dancer. People called him the King of Pop. Millions of people still remember his Moonwalk dance. Thousands of aspiring singers around the world wanted to be like him.
In 1982 his album “Thriller” became the biggest-selling album of all time. It has sold 65 million copies worldwide.
Michael Jackson also had a lot of troubles and people took him to court. They claimed that he was a paedophile. He settled an out of court case for 22 million dollars.
People around the world did not understand why he chose to change the colour of his skin and became a white man. His children are also white. He also displayed strange behaviour but on the stage he was the number one world star. His concerts were all sold out in a few minutes and people were ready to pay hundreds of dollars to get a ticket to see him on stage.