SPEAK! American English Conversation. 6,000+ Vocabulary Words and Phrases in Dialogues

Yes, it’s in the northern part of the city.

Do long-distance trains arrive there?

Yes. Where do you need to go?

To the south, to the seacoast.

Why not fly by plane?

Because I’m scared of flying.

Then find out first if train tickets are available!

* * *

Words

arrive, available, flying, long-distance, north, northern, part, railway, scare, seacoast, south, train

* * *

Phrases

railway station

in the northern part of

long-distance train

to the south

to the seacoast

fly by plane

scared of flying

train ticket

73. Do you often go by train?

Do you often go by train?

Seldom. Just several times a year.

By local or long-distance trains?

Both.

If the trip is long, do you sleep on the train?

Yes. I take the upper berth.

Do you go to the dining car?

No, I eat my food in the compartment.

* * *

Words

berth, both, car, compartment, dine, dining, seldom, trip, upper

* * *

Phrases

go by train

several times a year

sleep on the train

upper berth

dining car

74. At what track does our train arrive on?

At what track does our train arrive on?

Track number five.

How long is the stop?

Just a few minutes.

What time does it depart?

At a quarter past seven.

What if we’re late?

The train will leave without us!

* * *

Words

depart, past, quarter, track

* * *

Phrases

arrive on

a few minutes

a quarter past seven

we’re late

75. Do you know how to drive a vehicle?

Do you know how to drive a vehicle?

Yes, I’ve been driving since I was eighteen.

Who else in your family can drive?

Everyone except my grandmother. She’s too old.

Do you travel in your own car?

Yes, we go to the mountains on weekends.

What car do you have?

An SUV.

* * *

Words

everyone, mountain, SUV, travel, weekend

* * *

Phrases

I’ve been driving since I was…

everyone except

travel in your own car

to the mountains

on weekends

76. Does your sister know how to ride a bike?

Does your sister know how to ride a bike?

Yes, she had a bicycle as a child.

Will she ride with us along the cycle path?

I don’t think so. She prefers a motorcycle.

That’s a dangerous means of transportation!

She says the bike is more dangerous. The bicycle chain can break. You might fall!

Does she wear a helmet?

Fortunately, yes. By the way, we have to wear it, too!

* * *

Words

bicycle, bike, chain, cycle, fall, fortunately, helmet, motorcycle, prefer, ride

* * *

Phrases

ride a bike

along the cycle path

a dangerous means of transportation

wear a helmet

by the way

77. Can your brother ride a horse?

Can your brother ride a horse?

Yes, he’s a great rider!

Where did he learn to ride?

At a riding school.

Does he take part in horse racing?

No, he’s a mounted police officer.

Can he drive a car?

Sure, but the horse is his main mean of transportation!

* * *

Words

horse, mount, officer, race, racing, rider, riding

* * *

Phrases

ride a horse

riding school

take part in

horse racing

police officer

mounted police officer

drive a car

mean(s) of transportation

78. Why did you signal me?

Why did you signal me?

My van is stuck. Will you help me drag it out of the ditch?

Of course I will. Is the van’s frame damaged?

Unlikely. This is a modified model of the vehicle. It has a firm frame.

Is there any load in the body?

Yes, it should be fastened with additional ropes.

Are you in a hurry?

I have to return to the parking lot over there in fifty minutes.

* * *

Words

additional, body, damage, ditch, drag, fasten, fifty, firm, frame, hurry, load, model, modify, parking, return, rope, signal, unlikely, van

* * *

Phrases

drag out of

van’s frame

modified model

firm frame

load in the body

fastened with

in a hurry

parking lot

in fifty minutes

79. I’m running out of gas

I’m running out of gas. What should I do?

Drive to the nearest gas station. Refuel the car.

How can I find a gas station?

Look for the relevant road sign.

What if there are no road signs nearby?

Use a navigator on your mobile phone.

What if there’s no internet connection?

Ask a passerby for directions!

* * *

Words

gas, internet, mobile, navigator, passerby, refuel, relevant, running (base form: run)

* * *

Phrases

running out of

gas station

use a navigator

mobile phone

internet connection

ask for directions

80. I have an electric car

I have an electric car. How do I charge it?

Connect it to a charging post.

Are there such posts in this road section?

Yes, but only one fifth of them works. The rest are not yet powered.

The handle of my charging cable is broken. Do you have a spare cable?

Yes, but it doesn’t support rapid battery charging. It will have to be connected for a few hours!

That won’t work. How do I do it faster?

You need to go to a charging station.

* * *

Words

battery, broken (base form: break), charge, charging, electric, faster (base form: fast), fifth, handle, post, power, rapid, section, spare, such, support

* * *

Phrases

electric car

connect to

road section

one fifth of

spare cable

battery charging

for a few hours

won’t work = will not work

charging station

81. Have you ever sailed on a ship?

Have you ever sailed on a ship?

No, only in a small boat down the river. You?

I cruised the Pacific Ocean.

Wow! Who did you go with?

My husband. We had a double-berth cabin.

Was it a big ship?

Yes, it was huge. Would you like to travel like that?

No, there will always be waves in the ocean. I suffer from seasickness!

* * *

Words

always, big, cabin, cruise, double-berth, huge, ocean, pacific, sail, seasickness, ship, suffer, wave

* * *

Phrases

Have you ever…

sail on a ship

sail in a boat

down the river

double-berth cabin

suffer from

82. What fuel is used in aircraft engines?

What fuel is used in aircraft engines?

Liquid fuel called kerosene.

Can it be used as an energy source at home?

In the past, it was widely used in lamps and for cooking.

What fuel do ships run on?

Modern ships use fuel oil. A century ago, ships were powered by coal.

What powers trains?

It used to be wood and coal. Today, it is liquid or gas fuel and electricity.

* * *

Words

aircraft, century, coal, cooking, electricity, energy, engine, fuel, kerosene, lamp, liquid, modern, oil, source, widely, wood

* * *

Phrases

aircraft engine

liquid fuel

energy source

widely used in

run on

fuel oil

a century ago

powered by

83. What is the underground railroad called in London?

What is the underground railroad called in London?

The Tube. Some lines are round pipes there.

Is the London Underground crowded?

In rush hours, it is overcrowded.

Are there lots of passengers in the New York subway, too?

Yes. It’s noisy and unsafe. Standing on the edge of the platform is risky. You might fall onto the tracks!

Are there no barriers?

None. The authorities should install screen doors on all platforms!

* * *

Words

authority, barrier, crowded, edge, install, line, lots, noisy, none, onto, overcrowd, overcrowded, passenger, pipe, platform, railroad, risky, round, rush, screen, standing, tube, underground, unsafe

* * *

Phrases

underground railroad

the Tube

round pipe

rush hour

lots of

on the edge of

fall onto

no barrier

install screen doors

84. Is a tanker intended to carry army tanks?

Is a tankerintended to carry army tanks?

No, the ship is a tank itself. It carries various cargoes, mainly liquids or gases.

Where do the sea routes of tankers lie?

Everywhere, in all oceans. The routes are not fixed.

Where are the ships loaded and unloaded?

At ports of export and import.

What is the cargo capacity of tankers?

From a few hundred to several thousand tons.

* * *

Words

capacity, cargo, cargoes, carry, everywhere, export, fix, import, intend, itself, lie, port, route, sea, tank, tanker, thousand, ton, unload, various

* * *

Phrases

intended to carry

a tank itself

various cargoes

liquids or gases

sea route

loaded and unloaded

export and import

cargo capacity

a few hundred tons

several thousand tons

85. How many airlines are there in the world?

How many airlines are there in the world?

Over five thousand. Their number is increasing rapidly all over the world.

What companies fly to the most destinations worldwide?

American Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.

How often do airplanes crash?

Just once. Calm down, it’s a joke. Actually, plane crashes are rare.

If a plane is damaged, can it land on water?

Sometimes it happens. Many passengers survive!

* * *

Words

actually, airline, airplane, American, calm, China, crash, destination, eastern, increase, joke, land, rapidly, survive, world, worldwide

* * *

Phrases

in the world

five thousand

all over the world

What companies fly to…

fly to

the most destinations

American Airlines

China Eastern Airlines

just once

calm down

plane crash

land on water

many passengers

Purchases

86. Do you have any money?

Do you have any money?

A little. Why are you asking?

We need to buy some groceries at the store.

What groceries?

Flour and butter.

I’ll buy them. What else do we need?

Oatmeal and napkins.

My money won’t be enough. Can you give me some?

* * *

Words

butter, flour, napkin, oatmeal, purchase

* * *

Phrases

any money

need to buy

some groceries

at the store

be enough

give me

87. Buy some washing powder, please!

Buy some washing powder, please!

Don’t we have the powder at home?

No, it’s out. Soap, too.

Good. What else shall I buy?

Batteries for the flashlight.

Where are they sold?

Right at the cashier’s desk, I think.

Okay, I’ll ask the cashier.

* * *

Words

cashier, flashlight, powder, soap, sold, washing

* * *

Phrases

washing powder

at home

it’s out

right at

cashier’s desk

88. How much is a pound of nuts?

How much is a pound of nuts?

Thirty-eight dollars.

Weigh half a pound, please!

Anything else?

No, that’s all.

Nineteen dollars, please!

Here are twenty.

Keep the change, please!

* * *

Words

dollar, nut, pound, thirty-eight, twenty, weigh

* * *

Phrases

How much is…

a pound of nuts

half a pound

Here are…

keep the change

89. Give me a packet of chips, please!

Give me a packet of chips, please!

From which shelf?

From the top one.

What else?

A box of candies from the bottom shelf.

Here you go.

How much does it all cost?

Seventeen dollars, please!

* * *

Words

bottom, candies, candy, chip, packet, seventeen, shelf, top

* * *

Phrases

a packet of chips

a box of candies

90. How much do fifteen gallons of gas cost?

How much do fifteen gallons of gas cost?

Thirty dollars and forty-two cents.

Can I pay in cash?

Of course.

Wait a minute! I think I forgot the money at home.

There is no need to go home. You can pay with a card.

Is that the card reader?

Yes, place your card against it.

* * *

Words

cent, forty-two, gallon, reader, thirty

* * *

Phrases

fifteen gallons of gas

pay in cash

no need to go

pay with a card

card reader

91. Is this house for sale?

Is this house for sale?

Yes. Do you want to buy it?

Maybe. How much does it cost?

Three hundred thousand dollars.

It’s too expensive!

How much would you pay?

Half as much.

No, that would be too cheap!

* * *

Words

sale

* * *

Phrases

for sale

three hundred thousand

too expensive

half as much

too cheap

92. What is the actual cost of a house?

What is the actual cost of a house?

Well, it’s the price of the house itself plus other fees.

What fees?

Firstly, the real estate agent’s commission. Secondly, property taxes.

Do I gain any advantages if I buy without a realtor?

In theory, yes. In practice, you can run into problems.

What other payments do I need to make?

Home maintenance and repairs.

* * *

Words

actual, agent, commission, estate, fee, firstly, gain, maintenance, payment, plus, practice, price, property, realtor, secondly, tax, theory

* * *

Phrases

actual cost

price of the house

other fees

agent’s commission

property taxes

gain advantages

in theory

in practice

run into problems

other payments

home maintenance

home repairs

93. Are credit cards used for everyday purchases?

Are credit cards used for everyday purchases?

Yes, but be careful, otherwise you can get into debt.

Do banks forgive debts?

Rarely. Therefore, don’t spend more than you can afford.

How do I determine my limit?

Use limited amounts on all occasions.

A lot of people can’t do that, nor can I. Should I close my bank account?

On the contrary, you ought to open one more. Use it to set aside money for the future!

* * *

Words

account, afford, amount, aside, bank, contrary, credit, debt, determine, everyday, forgive, future, limit, limited, nor, occasion, otherwise, ought, rarely, set, spend, therefore

* * *

Phrases

credit card

get into debt

forgive debts

more than you can afford

limited amounts

on all occasions

bank account

on the contrary

you ought to

one more

set aside money

for the future

Daily Routine

94. Good morning! Are you in bed yet?

Good morning! Are you in bed yet? It’s time to get up!

(No answer.)

Are you sleeping?

(No answer.)

Wake up, son!

I have woken up. What time is it now?

Look at the wall clock. It’s eight in the morning!

Oh, hell, I overslept!

* * *

Words

answer, clock, daily, hell, oversleep, overslept, routine, wake, woken

* * *

Phrases

in bed

no answer

wake up

look at

wall clock

eight in the morning

95. Are you asleep?

Are you asleep?

No. Why are you whispering?

I thought you were sleeping.

Currently I’m having a conversation with you. What do you want to say?

It’s nearly nine in the morning! Didn’t you hear the alarm-clock ringing?

It didn’t ring. I altered the time setting yesterday.

What option did you choose?

Ten in the morning. I love to break the routine occasionally.

* * *

Words

alarm-clock, alter, asleep, conversation, currently, nearly, nine, occasionally, option, setting, thought (base form: think), whisper, yesterday

* * *

Phrases

be asleep

nearly nine

hear the alarm-clock ringing

time setting

break the routine

96. Have you got up yet?

Have you got up yet?

Yes, I have.

Make the bed.

I have made it.

Go to the bathroom. Don’t forget to flush the toilet!

I’ve been there. I’ve flushed it.

Have you got dressed?

Not yet. I’m getting dressed!

* * *

Words

flush

toilet

* * *

Phrases

make the bed

don’t forget to

flush the toilet

get dressed

97. What a mess! Whose towel is on the floor?

What a mess! Whose towel is on the floor?

It’s mine. I took a shower.

Who left the toothpaste tube on the sink?

My little sister did.

Is that her toothbrush?

Yes, it’s hers.

You two need to clean up here!

I’ll remove my towel. Let her clear her things herself!

* * *

Words

clean, clear, floor, hers, herself, mess, remove, shower, sink, took, toothbrush, toothpaste, towel

* * *

Phrases

take a shower

toothpaste tube

on the sink

clean up

clear her things