Meeting an old friend

Meeting an old friend

Listen to the conversation between two old friends to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Transcript

Selina: Patrick? Is that you?

Patrick: Selina! Hello!

Selina: Well, well. Patrick Eastwood. How have you been?

Patrick: Good. Great, actually. How are you? I haven't seen you for ... how long?

Selina: It's been ages. At least fifteen years. Wow.

Patrick: Yeah. Wow.

Patrick and Selina: So, what are you doing here?

Selina: Sorry, you go first.

Patrick: OK. What are you doing here? I thought you'd moved to London.

Selina: I was in London for a couple of years. But it didn't work out.

Patrick: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you ... OK?

Selina: I'm fine! The dream job wasn't really a dream, you know? Um ... and London is great but it's so expensive. I mean, just the rent on a flat is ... uh … crazy expensive.

Patrick: I see.

Selina: So, I came back. I've been back now for almost five months. Living back home with Mum and Dad. Which is err ... interesting. Um ... but anyway, what about you?

Patrick: Me? Oh, nothing new. You know me – 'Patrick the predictable'. I never left here.

Selina: Oh. And is that ...?

Patrick: Oh, I'm very happy. I'm married now. We've just celebrated our tenth anniversary.

Selina: No way! You? Married? To …?

Patrick: I don't think you know her. Her name's Marigold. And we've got two kids. They're five and eight years old.

Selina: Married and with two kids? Wow!

Patrick: Don't look so surprised!

Selina: No, no … I'm just amazed how time flies! I'm happy for you. I really am.

Patrick: Thanks. You should really come round to the house one day.

Selina: That would be great. Let's swap numbers and ...

Discussion

Download
Worksheet72.52 KB

Language level

Average: 4.3 (71 votes)
Profile picture for user Jonathan R

Submitted by Jonathan R on Thu, 25/02/2021 - 13:58

In reply to by lean

Permalink

Hi lean,

Right, in the listening, Selina's dream job was disappointing. But the preparation task asks you to choose the correct meaning of the word in CAPITALS. So, The dream job wasn't really A DREAM - this is the same as saying The dream job wasn't really PERFECT (i.e. both sentences mean there were some problems with the job). 'A dream' means the same thing as 'perfect' in this sentence.

Does that make sense?

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by lean on Fri, 26/02/2021 - 08:56

In reply to by Jonathan R

Permalink
Ah :-)))) Yes, that was simply Thanks a lot

Submitted by Shahrood on Fri, 19/02/2021 - 15:19

Permalink
It's pleasant to have more friends so extend our social life's limits.

Submitted by cittàutopica on Tue, 09/02/2021 - 16:10

Permalink
I've remained in contact with my old colleagues, when I were working in other job role and in a different city. I didn't keep in touch with my old schoolmates, but, not many weeks ago, I've received a phone call from a schoolmate of my classic high school: we've had a chat very pleasant, remembering the past times.

Submitted by Abrarhussain on Tue, 09/02/2021 - 08:45

Permalink
Yes I have kept in touch with tow old friends , we keep linked with each other through social media.

Submitted by opik on Wed, 03/02/2021 - 02:43

Permalink
it's good chance to meet an old friend especially a girl hihi

Submitted by marlio96 on Sat, 23/01/2021 - 04:24

Permalink
yes, I like to keep in touch with my old school friends, I like to meet with them when I came back to visit my parent in my home town and I invite them to come around my parent's house and lunch here. It's been ages since I finish school and it's excellent to remember old ages, the time flies.
Profile picture for user El Cuy Mágico

Submitted by El Cuy Mágico on Sat, 23/01/2021 - 00:30

Permalink
Yes I try to keep in touch whit old friends, especially close friends. But you know some times its difficult.

Submitted by Dariusz on Thu, 21/01/2021 - 22:03

Permalink
Yeah, I keep in touch with old closest friends. We meet regularly, additional with some friends, I keep in touch only by internet and messages.

Submitted by Elham Barakat on Sun, 10/01/2021 - 21:43

Permalink
I have many old friends. I didn't see them for ages. Some of them follow their dreams. Some of these dreams are perfect and dreamy, others don't work out. Most of them are married and have kids. How time flies. I occasionally think we are still at school and walk with each other, like the previous days.