Fadi: It’s just that every time I come in here, you’re here...it’s like you live here or something...
Olivia: Just taking a break that’s all...
Fadi: You’re always taking a break.
Olivia: Well my shop’s next door, so it’s so easy just to pop in here when things are quiet...
Fadi: Where’s the little thief today?
Olivia: Who? Oh! You mean my little nephew Joe...
Fadi: Exactly...the sweet little pest!
Olivia: He’s with his mum, my sister, today, you’ll be relieved to know.
Fadi: Has Harry been in today?
Olivia: He dropped by the shop before. Said he might pop in here later for a coffee.
Fadi: I think he’s angry with me, perhaps I should avoid him for a bit.
Olivia: Why’s he angry with you?
Fadi: Oh, you know, we argued about money – he was going to do that job for me...
Olivia: Oh yeah, but don’t worry. I’m sure he’s not really angry. And even if he is, he’ll soon forget it. You know what he’s like!
Fadi: Yeah, I guess so. I’ll just let it drop.
(enter Magda and Sarah)
Fadi and Olivia: Hi there!
Sarah and Magda: (glumly) Hello
Fadi: Cheer up! What’s up with you two?
Sarah: Just the usual...
Olivia: How’s the flat-hunting going Sarah?
Sarah: (Sighs) Still nothing. I really need somewhere to live. I’m getting desperate. I’ll end up homeless if things don’t get better!
Olivia: Oh come on, it’s not that bad...
Sarah: No, of course it’s not, but...it’s so difficult to find a place...
Fadi: I’m glad you showed up – I wanted to talk to you about that...
Sarah: Oh yeah?
Fadi: Yeah - I’ve heard of something that might interest you...
Sarah: Great! What is it?
Fadi: A cousin of mine has a spare room in his house.
Olivia: A cousin of yours...how many people are there in your family...?
Fadi: A lot!
Sarah: That sounds good...can I look at the flat?
Fadi: I’ll call him now (sound of mobile).
Olivia: (whispering) Are you sure about moving in there?
Sarah: (whispering) Look, I really need a place, urgently, and it’ll be ok, I’m sure...
Olivia: Lots of opportunities to see Fadi....
Sarah: You are such a terrible gossip!
(enter Johnny)
Johnny: There’s Fadi, always stuck to that phone, always working...or perhaps it’s girls!
Olivia: Actually, he’s helping Sarah to find a flat.
Johnny: Oh. Ok. Good. Well hello! What’s up? Why does everyone look so glum here?
Sarah: I’m still trying to find a flat...
Magda: And I finish my degree soon, which means I have to get a job, or go back to Poland.
Johnny: And you want to stay here in London?
Magda: Yeah, but it’s so difficult to get a job.
Olivia: That’s not true, there are lots of jobs around...
Magda: Yes, but I don’t want to just work in a bar or a café or a shop...
Olivia: Oh thanks!
Magda: Sorry! I know you work in a shop, but...that’s different..it’s your own shop, and you sell such special things, those lovely handmade shoes! But usually, you know, shopwork isn’t great..
Olivia: Tell me about it...
Sarah: But you’ll be a trained architect, won’t you?
Magda: Yes, exactly...but it’s not easy to get work as an architect. There’s a lot of competition here in London
Johnny: You should go to China...lots of opportunities there right now, lots of building.
Olivia: You could always get work as a plumber! (laughter)
Magda: Eh?
Olivia: Sorry, it’s a joke...in Britain we think people from Poland are all plumbers..
Magda: Plumbers?
Olivia: People who fix taps and baths and toilets and washing machines
Magda: I see…...why?
Olivia: I don’t know...we think they’re good plumbers though...but expensive ones.
Magda: I’m not sure about that...I’d rather be an architect, thanks!
(re-enter Fadi)
Fadi: Listen, Sarah, I spoke to my cousin and we can go round to have a look at the flat this afternoon if you like...
Sarah: “We”?
Fadi: Well, I’ll go with you, show you where it is...
Sarah: Erm, ok...Thanks!
Olivia: (whispers to Sarah) Told you so!
Magda: Well you might have solved your problem then...but I might not be here much longer!
Glossary
Relieved (adjective) Feeling free from anxiety
He was relieved to hear the good news
Homeless (adjective) Having nowhere to live
The charity helps homeless people to find a place to live
Spare (adjective) Kept in reserve for possible use
Has anyone got a spare pen that I can borrow?
A gossip (noun) A person who talks about the affairs of others
Don’t tell Anne, she’s a terrible gossip so she’ll tell everybody
Handmade (adjective) Made by hand rather than machine
The gloves are handmade so they were quite expensive
A degree (noun) An academic title given by a university
Congratulations on getting your History degree!
Comprehension
Order these events
1 Sarah says she is worried about not finding a flat
2 Olivia makes a joke about plumbers
3 Fadi offers to accompany Sarah to his cousin’s flat
4 Fadi arrives at the café
5 Fadi phones his cousin
6 Johnny asks Magda if she wants to stay in London
Vocabulary one - prepositions
Use a preposition from the box to complete these common expressions
[open box]
so up (x2) drop
in by
[close box]
1 Tom just popped …… to the café
2 I dropped ……. to see what was happening!
3 I guess ….!
4 Please, let it ……..! I don’t want to talk about it
5 What’s ……. ? You look sad
6 Cheer ……..; it’ll be alright
Vocabulary two – collocations
Match the two parts of these common collocations
1 take a here
2 next b machine
3 little c architect
4 flat d a break
5 stay e hunting
6 handmade f pest
7 trained g shoes
8 washing h door
Grammar one – verb forms
Choose the correct form
1 I should to avoid / avoid him for a bit
2 He was going do / to do that job for me
3 He’s helping Sarah to find / finding a flat
4 I have to / must to get a job
5 It’s not easy get / to get work as an architect
6 I’d rather to be / be an architect
Grammar two – so and such
Complete these sentences from the script using so or such.
It’s (1) ……. easy just to pop in
You sell (2) ……… special things
Why does everyone look (3) …….. glum?
You are (4) ……. a terrible gossip!
Now complete the rule using so and such.
We use (5) ………… before an adjective.
We use (6) ………….before an adjective + noun (or just a noun)
Complete these sentences using so and such.
She is (7) ……… happy when she is playing tennis
The book was (8) …………. a success, they decided to make it into a film
