[1]
HOW DID YOU STUDY, DAD?
D = Daughter F = Father
D: Hi Dad, sorry I’m late, what are you looking at?
F: I’m reading a website called Degree courses you didn’t know existed. You should read it.
D: Sounds like fun. Yeah, I’ve been thinking about what I should apply for at university.
F: Well, you’ve put so much effort into your end-ofschool exams. You can look forward to dropping the subjects you don’t like and focusing on something you love.
D: Is that how it was for you, Dad?
F: No, not really. You’re much more gifted academically than I was … and self-disciplined!
D: You make me sound like a swot! I just like studying.
F: You are a swot compared with me. I struggled a lot at school. I just couldn’t settle down in class – I was really disruptive. In fact, I nearly got expelled a few times.
D: No!! You haven’t told me this before!
F: No, but now, that you’re leaving school, I can tell you about all the times I got into trouble. But it was different back then. Our teachers were extremelystrict. In fact, some of them were real bullies, and if you had a problem you couldn’t talk to them – not like now. If you weren’t a good student, the teachers just gave up on you.
D: So why weren’t you a good student? You’re really clever!
F: Hahaha, thank you. I didn’t know then but I was dyslexic. I still am, but I’ve learned how to deal with it and it’s not a problem. But I fell behind at school and only scraped through my exams.
D: So how did you get such a good job?
F: Oh, that’s another story. Right now we’re supposed to be talking about you and the university course that’s going to set you up for a great future! How about this one? A surfing degree in Plymouth – now that looks like fun!
D: Ha ha surfing! Very funny…
[2]
I JUST LIKE DANCING, MUM!
M = Man W = Woman
M: What are you reading?
W: Oh this? It’s a book about people who become successful because they do what they love doing.
M: Oh, that sounds good. What sort of thing?
W: Well, I’m just reading about a famous ballet dancer called Gillian Lynne. When she was a little girl her teachers at school complained that she didn’t pay attention and was always fidgeting and disturbing her classmates. So her mother arranged for her to see a psychologist to find out what her problem was.
M: Oh right.
W: Anyway, the psychologist talked to the girl’s mother, and then he put some music on the radio and left Gillian on her own in his office. He told the mother to watch Gillian through a window and as soon as they left the room, the little girl got up and started dancing.
M: Ah - that’s so clever!
W: I know - the psychologist realised that Gillian didn’t have a problem, she just had a gift for dancing.
M: So what did the mother do?
W: She sent her daughter to a dance school and Gillian ended up being a famous ballet dancer and choreographer.
M: Wow, that’s a great story.
[3]
NOT REALLY! JUST BY CHANCE
OK, a memorable day out. Hmm, let’s see. Right, so I’m going to tell you about a great day out I had at the local lake. This took place about a month ago, on a Saturday, and I had been working really hard studying after school in the evenings and at weekends. I hadn’t been out for weeks and I felt like I really needed a break. So I called
my friend, Lisa and we decided we would take a picnic and go to the lake not far from our village. The weather wasn’t great, but we went anyway and as soon as we got there, the sun came out. Initially, we were the only people there, but it’s a popular spot and, as expected, other people soon started arriving. As we were sitting there on our blanket, another group of teenagers came and sat down right next to us. They were really friendly and we chatted for a bit, then someone got a bat and ball out. All of a sudden, the weather changed and out of the blue, it started pouring with rain. We were going to go and then someone said we might as well go for a swim as we were wet anyway.
Swimming in the rain was fantastic and fortunately, after it stopped raining, the sun came out again and we ended up staying all afternoon. Eventually, the evening came and it started to get cold so we headed home. Without a
nguon VI OLET
