Ashlie: Oh hi, Stephen. You made it then!
Stephen: Hi, Ashlie, I thought we were going Christmas shopping, not ice-skating.
Ashlie: Oh, we are. But I saw the rink and ice-skating is so much fun. It’s almost as much fun as shopping!
Stephen: It’s Christmas Eve and this is the Tower of London Ice Rink. Ashlie and I are supposed to be doing some last-minute Christmas shopping.
Ashlie: We’re cooking dinner for the family this year. They’re coming to Stephen’s to give our mum a rest.
Stephen: And we’ve still got lots of presents to buy. So you shouldn’t be messing around on the ice.
Ashlie: Oh come on, Stephen. Come and have a go. What’s wrong with you? Look watch me - I can go backwards!
Stephen: Stop showing off. Alright, I’ll come on, but just for five minutes - no more.
.....
Ashlie: Come on then. Take my hand. That’s it and we just go in a big circle… like this…
Stephen: It’s not as difficult as it looks. I think I’m better than you. It’s all about keeping your balance.
Ashlie: Stephen, you’re going in the wrong direction.
Ashlie: Stephen! Watch out!
Stephen: Oh, sorry!
.....
Stephen: Oh, I love Christmas, Ash. It’s so exciting.
Ashlie: I know. All the presents, the wonderful food. I can’t wait.
Stephen: Wow, look at these. They’re great. Oh, I love these. Look, it’s snowing! Let’s get some Christmas decorations. These are so cool.
Ashlie: Well, maybe we could get something for the tree. What about some tinsel? I want the tree to look really tasteful and stylish. These are nice.
Stephen: Those are really boring. What we need is lots of different colours to make the tree look really beautiful.
Ashlie: Mmm, well, I’m not sure. I think the tree will look better with just a few decorations.
Stephen: No way! A Christmas tree is meant to be bright and colourful. Oh come on, Ash, let me choose some Christmas decorations.
Ashlie: Well, I suppose so. As long as you don’t get too much. Listen, I want to go and buy your present now, but it’s a secret. So I will see you later.
Stephen: Presents - of course. OK. Bye!
Ashlie: Bye!
.....
Stephen: There... perfect!
Ashlie: Stephen! What have you done? What has happened to the Christmas tree?
Stephen: It looks so much better now, doesn’t it? All bright and Christmassy. It’s as big as the tree Mum and Dad had last year but it looks even better.
Ashlie: But I wanted the tree to be stylish and beautiful. Now it looks like a kid’s decorated it!
Stephen: Do you think we should add some more of these baubles?
Ashlie: No, I really don’t. Just don’t put anything else on the Christmas tree, OK? Come on, let’s hang up our stockings.
Stephen: OK. They look great. And look, I’ve put out some mince pies for when Father Christmas comes down the chimney and some carrots for the reindeer.
Ashlie: Ah, that is sweet of you. Hmm, mince pies! They do look good. I’m starving. I suppose Father Christmas won’t mind if I have one.
Stephen: Maybe one or two won't matter.
Comments
Hello JOBFER,
You can say that. Don't forget the apostrophe, however: They are coming over to Stephen's.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello JOBFER,
You can say that. Don't forget the apostrophe, however: They are coming over to Stephen's.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello everyone,talking about Christmas is a nice subject to thinking about.
I know one of the tradition in Britain is to have a turkey on the dinner,and another thing is to spend the Christmas time with your family,and of course to have Christmas Cracker during the meal Christmas.
People can buy all kind of presents but when I used to be a child most of the time my parents give me sweets and sometimes a pair of socks like a present and sometimes pair of gloves because all the time in the Christmas perioud It was a lot of snow,but most of the time I've enjoying receive a toy as a present.
When I was a child we used to decorate our Christmas tree with tinsel,baubles and and with colored bulbs.
and in this way our Christmas tree it was all the time colorful.
Hi everybody. I would like to know what "casualty flat" means. I can't translate it.
Hello Narina,
This is not a phrase I have seen before and I can't think what it might mean without knowing the context in which it occurred. Are you sure it is a correct phrase?
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you very much for supporting me. I found this phrase when translating a medical text. Here is the sentence. " Act quickly: lay the casualty flat on his back, keep from falling back into the throat and blocking the air passages." Thank you!
Hi Narina
Kindly I like to say
The sentence inspire that it is taken from first aid book and the practical training is so important
in this situations
Hello Narina,
Thank you for supplying the context. 'Flat' here describes how the person should be laid down:
lay (something) down on the ground
'The casualty' means the person hurt in the accident. So the sentence means that the casualty should be laid down (made to lie down) in such a way that they are flat on their back (not curled up or on their stomach).
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you very much. I cought the meaning. Now the context is clear to me. You really helped me. We appreciate your work.
hi Team!
your lesson is very great.
thanks so much!
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