Episode 01: Fingers crossed

Episode 01: Fingers crossed

The old friends are gathering around in Tony's café to share some good news. But the café might be closing down soon!

Do the Preparation task first. Then listen to the audio. Next go to each Task and do the activity. If you need help, you can read the Transcript at any time.

Preparation

Before you listen

Do the vocabulary activity below before you listen.

Exercise

Transcript

Audio script

Olivia:  Hey! Good to see you again!

Sarah/Magda:  Hey!  You too!

Harry:  Hello Sarah, hi Magda....

Sarah:  How are you Olivia?  Harry!  Great to see you too...

Olivia:  Fine, fine thanks, all well.  Tony!?  Could we have some coffees over here please?

Tony:  Ok, ok...hold on...I’m rushed off my feet here...

Harry:  He’s always so miserable, so grumpy that guy....

Olivia:  He’s not really, it’s just his way...

Harry:  I’ll believe you then...his coffee’s always good!

Olivia:  So, how are you two getting on?

Magda:  Fine.  It’s great, we’ve got this really nice flat...  

Sarah:  We moved into Harry’s old place...

Olivia:  Yeah, I remember. How’s it going?  No problems?  Still friends?  It’s not always easy sharing a flat...

Sarah/Magda:  No, no problems...

Sarah: …except she leaves the top off the toothpaste tube…

Magda:  ...and she spends too much time watching soap operas on tv!

Sarah:  No, really, we’re getting along fine.

Magda:  The only problem is the rent...

Sarah:  It’s really expensive.  

Magda:  I still need to find that proper job, and that depends on me getting the right degree results...

Olivia:  Yeah, I remember you telling me.  When will you find out?

Magda:  Next week.

Olivia:  Fingers crossed, then!

Magda:  Fingers what?

Olivia:  Crossed.  It’s what we say when we hope for something good to happen.

Magda:  Oh, ok...fingers crossed!

Olivia: Has anybody heard from Johnny?  Sarah?

Sarah:  Just because we’re both Chinese doesn’t mean we keep in touch all the time, you know!  There are a lot of people in China!  (laughs)

Olivia:  Of course...sorry...I just thought...

Sarah:  He was more of a friend of yours, wasn’t he Harry?

Harry: Yeah, we’re good mates.  I hear from him all the time.

Sarah:  How’s he doing?

Harry:  He’s still in Chongqing with his new job.  He says it’s really interesting, really exciting, but he misses us – and he wants to come back to London!

Magda:  Fingers crossed!

Sarah:  And how about you Harry? What are you up to?  Are you still job hunting?

Harry:  Yeah, that’s right.  I’m still looking for a new job.  

Magda:  Any luck?

Harry:  I haven’t found anything yet, but I’ve got a few possibilities.  I really liked not working at first, I really enjoyed the free time, but now – well, I need the money, and also – well, I just get bored if I haven’t got something to do all the time.

Magda:  Where’s Fadi, Olivia?  I haven’t seen him for ages.  

Olivia:  Why ask me?

Magda:  I thought you’d know...y’know, you’re like, good friends, aren’t you?

Olivia:  Yes, that’s exactly what we are.  Good friends.  Nothing more.

Magda:  I wasn’t suggesting anything! (laughs)

Olivia:  I hope not!  Anyway, he’s away at the moment, gone to visit his family.  He’ll be back next week.

Tony:  Here you are...four coffees...

All:  Thanks Tony!

Olivia:  Cheer up Tony.

Harry:  Yeah...it can only get worse...!

Tony:  It might get worse!  This café might be closing down soon, so then you’ll all have to find somewhere else to go.

All:  Oh no....

Olivia: What’s this all about, Tony?

Tony:  A big property company - they’re building new luxury flats, just behind here.  They want to get rid of these old buildings.

Magda:  “Get rid of”?

Tony:  Yeah...knock them down.  Demolish them.

All:  Oh no, that’s terrible.

Tony:  It is terrible!  I’ve worked here for ages.  I mean, they’re offering me compensation, but I want to stay here.

Olivia:  Oh no...I’ve just realised...perhaps that means my shop’s affected too...

Tony:  It might be.  Your shop’s only next door...

Olivia:  They can’t knock my shop down!  We must do something...

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Average: 4.1 (62 votes)
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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Mon, 06/04/2020 - 18:19

In reply to by PhuongHoang

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Hello PhuongHoang

That's the idea. Sarah means that Johnny was closer with Harry than with her.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by jmajo on Sun, 28/07/2019 - 16:06

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Good episode!, thanks!.

Submitted by Marrot Fabrice on Tue, 09/04/2019 - 14:26

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No i did not know it was possible to make that before...

Submitted by Marrot Fabrice on Tue, 09/04/2019 - 14:23

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I don't understand the phrase "I'm rushed off my feet here", can you explain it to me ? Thanks
Hello Marrot Fabrice This is a way of saying 'I'm very busy', which is something very common for the staff in popular cafés! All the best Kirk The LearnEnglish Team