Unit 1 Dialogue 1 
FADE IN
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
JESSICA is sitting in a coffee shop eating a piece of cake. MAXINE enters abruptly through the front door, carrying a piece of paper. Both are wearing trendy clothes. Maxine sees Jessica and hurries over.
		MAXINE
Get a load of this.
(She hands the paper to Jessica.)
		JESSICA
What, a charity ball? What's the big deal?
		MAXINE
Come on, we both know why Daddy sets these things up, and it's got nothing to do with charity. It looks like Daddy's latest attempt to set me up with some stuffy rich boy. 
		JESSICA
I know, who does he think we are? Characters in a Jane Austen novel? Who goes to charity balls anymore? 
		MAXINE
It may not be a big deal to you, because you're not the one walking around with a sign on your back that says "must get hitched soon." It's like a blind date with a hundred guys all at once!
		JESSICA
That doesn't sound too bad. It's like speed dating, Victorian style. I bet the guys will be all dressed up.
	(reads the paper)
Look at this: black tie, ballroom dancing, hey--steak dinner!
		MAXINE
You have to come with me. 
		JESSICA
What? Whoa, no. This is your mess, not mine. I'm not going to some goofy ball. 
		MAXINE
Come on, sis--I need you!
		JESSICA
Well...
		MAXINE
Come on!
		JESSICA
What was that about a steak dinner?
		MAXINE
	(laughing)
Oh Jess. When have I known you to pass up a steak dinner? You wouldn't refuse even if the cow was still attached. Anyway, there'll be so many guys there, you're bound to hit it off with at least one of them.
		JESSICA
No, no, I'm only there for the steak. Besides, you've always been the pretty one. 
		MAXINE
Well if I'm the pretty one, what does that make you?
		JESSICA
You know the saying 'You are what you eat.' I guess that would make me the cow.
Jessica looks self-consciously at the cake in front of her and pushes it away.
Hey, do you want the rest of my cake? 
		MAXINE
Oh, come on, don't start this again!
		JESSICA
What? If I'm going to this ball, I better get in shape.	
		MAXINE
Oh come off it, don't start this again! You're not fat! You're an anorexic twig. Besides, I thought you said you were just going for the free food. 
		JESSICA
Yeah, but I always bloat up when I'm stressed out. Besides...Benjamin's going to be there. He texted me yesterday. He said "It would be my honour to escort you to the charity ball, milady." I haven't seen him since university! How did he even get my number?
		MAXINE
I may or may not have told him you'd be there. 
		JESSICA
You didn't! How could you?
		MAXINE
Face it, he's your soul mate. You guys made such a cute couple. 
		JESSICA
Ugh, don't remind me. That was a fling, nothing more. We were friends our whole lives, and then out of the blue he told me he loved me, and then I never saw him again. 
		MAXINE
So he had a huge crush on you. He can hardly be blamed for that. And I remember you did go on a few dates before you broke up.
		JESSICA
Yeah, long enough to find out we had no chemistry. Did you know he dumped me by text message? That boy had a severe allergy to commitment. Anyway, we've both moved on, and I haven't looked back. 
		MAXINE
Maybe he's changed. He's got a steady job now, and he doesn't live at home. Plus, he told me he really wants to see you.
		JESSICA
Ugh. Well, what about Dustin Reynolds? Will he be there?
		MAXINE
Yeah, but he's mine, so hands off. 
		JESSICA
You can have him. You're more the type for a millionaire-playboy like him anyway.
		MAXINE
Oh come on, you're green with envy! I can see it!
		JESSICA
No thanks. Just tell the kitchen I want my steak so rare I can hear it moo. 
		MAXINE
It's a deal!
She picks up the fork and begins to slice off a piece of cake.
		JESSICA
Whoa, what do you think you're doing? That's my cake!
Jessica takes the fork from Maxine and finishes off the cake quickly.
FADE OUT

Idioms from Love and Relationships

set ~ up
Maxine thinks her dad wants to set her up with someone at the ball.

get hitched
Maxine's father wants her to get hitched soon, so he is introducing her to many single men so she can find someone to settle down with and get married. 

blind date
Maxine needs to get married soon, so her father sets her up on blind dates with men she's never met before. 

speed dating
At the ball, there will be a lot of interaction with many men in a short period of time, which is similar to speed dating.

hit it off
Maxine encourages Jessica to find someone she hits it off with, and start dating him.

soul mate
Maxine thinks that Benjamin is Jessica's soul mate, since they've known each other their whole lives. 

fling
Jessica considers her short relationship with Benjamin to be a fling. 

crush
Benjamin had a crush on Jessica, so he told her he loved her. 

broke up
Jessica and Benjamin only went on a few dates before they broke up.

chemistry
Benjamin and Jessica didn't have any chemistry, so their relationship didn't work out. 

dumped
Benjamin dumped Jessica by text message, ending their relationship.

moved on
After they broke up, Benjamin and Jessica both moved on and started dating other people.

green with envy
Jessica thinks Maxine is green with envy about Dustin Reynolds. 

Others: 
get a load of
what's the big deal?
stuffy
twig
bloat up
out of the blue
hands off

Practice - Love and Relationships
1. ______________________ To play matchmaker with two people.
2. ______________________ To get married.
3. ______________________ The perfect romantic match for someone.
4. ______________________ A date between two people who have not met before, usually arranged by friends or family.
5. ______________________ A date in which participants mingle with a large number of people of the opposite sex in turns, sizing up potential partners and eliminating bad matches efficiently.
6. ______________________ To like each other and get along when first meeting.
7.  ______________________ A short and meaningless relationship.
8. ______________________ A strong feeling of attraction towards another person.
9. ______________________ To stop dating someone.
10. ______________________ To instigate the end of a relationship.
11. ______________________ The amount of attraction between two people.
12. ______________________ To put a past relationship behind oneself, and usually start dating other people.
13. ______________________ To be extremely jealous. 

UNIT 2 DIALOGUE 1

FADE IN
INT. OFFICE - DAY
BENJAMIN is sitting in a small office with a cluttered desk. His boss, DANNY, barges in through the door. Both are wearing suits. 
		DANNY
I suppose you've heard about Chalmers. I've decided to let him go.
		BENJAMIN
You're firing him? But why? 
		DANNY
There's no room on my team for people who can't act as team players. You're a team player, Benny. Team. Team. Team. Team. Team. I even love saying the word team. 
		BENJAMIN
So, what do you need with me?
		DANNY
You're going to deliver the bad news.
		BENJAMIN
Me, sir? But i'm just a clerk.
		DANNY
Not after today. As soon as Chalmers is gone, you'll be our new assistant to the creative director.
		BENJAMIN
	(nervously)
Thank you, sir.
		DANNY
Oh, there's no need to be so formal, Benny. Call me Danny.
		BENJAMIN
Alright...Danny.
		DANNY
Now put 'er there!
They shake hands.
		DANNY
Congratulations, our new assistant to the creative director!
		BENJAMIN
Thank you, sir.
		DANNY
There you go again. That's Dan--or Danny--for you, my boy. 
		BENJAMIN
Of course. Sorry, sir--I mean Danny. 
Danny leaves. Benjamin places a call on his phone.
		DAD
Hello?
		BENJAMIN
Hi, Dad, it's me.
		DAD
Oh, Benjamin. How are things over in the fast lane?
		BENJAMIN
Good, I guess. I just got a promotion at work. 
		DAD
You're on your way to the top now! What's your new position?
		BENJAMIN
Assistant to the creative director.
		DAD
	(pensively)
Does that mean a pay raise?
		BENJAMIN
No, but it means more responsibility. 
		DAD
You know, when I was your age, I was already an office manager. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Or wait, come to think of it, I was a few years younger than you. 
		BENJAMIN
Dad, when you were my age you already owned your own company.
		DAD
Did I? Oh yes, that's right, Steak n' Cut. Get your hair cut while you enjoy a delicious tenderloin steak. 
		BENJAMIN
	(sarcastically)
Yeah, I wonder why that didn't take off.
		DAD
Well, you're my own flesh and blood. I know that if you really wanted to be successful, you could make it happen. You wouldn't be an assistant creative director now. 
		BENJAMIN
Assistant to the creative director.
		DAD
Wow, one more promotion and you'll be an assistant director.
		BENJAMIN
	(frustrated)
Dad...
		DAD
Like father, like son, I always say. You could be doing so much more. Trust me, success runs in the family. It's in your genes.
		BENJAMIN
Dad, nobody wants to get their hair cut while they're eating dinner. Where do you think all the hair clippings will go?
		DAD
What's that? Hold on a sec.
	(listens to someone in another room)
		DAD
Fine, I'll tell him! 
	(quieter)
You know, your mother is always nagging me to tell you to settle down with a nice girl and give us some grandchildren. Family reunions are getting smaller and smaller these days.
		BENJAMIN
Okay, Dad.
		DAD
What was that one girl's name? The one you dated in university? Jessica?
		BENJAMIN
Maxine, Dad. Jessica was her sister. Look, I need to get back to work.
		DAD
Oh right, Maxine. She was terrific. Look, son, she'll come back to you one day. And one day, you'll finally get that promotion you deserve.
		BENJAMIN
Dad, I just got a promotion. Today.
		DAD
Oh, right. Well then, congratulations on a job well done. Make us proud.
		BENJAMIN
Bye, Dad. 
Benjamin hangs up the phone.
FADE OUT

Idioms from Family

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Benjamin is doing well at work, just like his father with his business, so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

flesh and blood
Benjamin and his father are related, so they are considered  to be of the same flesh and blood.

like father, like son
Benjamin's father thinks they are alike, and he wants his son to get married, because like father, like son.

runs in the family
Success runs in the family for Benjamin, because he and his relatives are successful in business.

nagging
Benjamin's mother is always nagging Benjamin's father about Benjamin getting married.

settle down
Benjamin's parents want him to settle down and start a family of his own. 

Others:
let ~ go
team player
put 'er there
fast lane

Practice - Family
1. ________________________ a phrase used to express a similarity between a parent and child
2. ________________________ a phrase which expresses the similarity between family members
3. ________________________ a blood relative, whose safety and wellbeing are important to other relatives
4. ________________________ a phrase used to express a common trait or characteristic within a family
5. ________________________ to end the single life and get married and start a family
6. ________________________ to complain to someone, most stereotypically a husband or child, in order to get them to take a certain action

UNIT 2 DIALOGUE 1

FADE IN
INT. OFFICE - DAY
BENJAMIN is sitting in a small office with a cluttered desk. His phone rings and he answers. It's DUSTIN
		BENJAMIN
Hello?
		DUSTIN
Hey Ben, it's Dustin. How's it going?
		BENJAMIN
Oh, you know, meh. 
		DUSTIN
Why, what's wrong?
		BENJAMIN
I gotta phone my old man and tell him about this new promotion I got.
		DUSTIN
Oh yeah? He'll be proud of you for that.
		BENJAMIN
I'm really not looking forward to it. I know what he'll say. He and my mom have both been really nagging me lately. "You need a real job." "When are you getting married?" "I want grandkids already."
		DUSTIN
Oh, I totally know what you mean. It never ends with my parents. "Why don't you hire a maid?" "When will you follow in my footsteps and take over the company?" "You can't withdraw that much from your trust fund."
		BENJAMIN
You see, Dustin, here's something you need to understand. Your problems are not normal. You're not normal. Blue blood runs through your veins. 
		DUSTIN
Come on, I'm just like you.
		BENJAMIN
No, you're not. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Me, I come from a working class family. And now that my dad's retired, I'm the sole breadwinner of the family. 
		DUSTIN
Oh, come on, my parents are a financial burden on me too. They wouldn't even let me take money from my trust fund until I was 18.
		BENJAMIN
See? It's like you're not even from the same planet as everyone else. I'm at work every day, bringing home the bacon for myself and for them.
		DUSTIN
Is it really that bad? I could always give you a loan. All you need to do is ask.
		BENJAMIN
No thanks, man. Anyway, I have to call him now. Talk to you later.
		DUSTIN
Bye.
Benjamin places a call on his phone.
		DAD
Hello?
		BENJAMIN
Hi, Dad, it's me.
		DAD
Oh, Benjamin. How are things over in the fast lane?
		BENJAMIN
Good, I guess. I just got a promotion at work. 
		DAD
Well I'll be a son of a gun! You're on your way to the top now! What are you doing now?
		BENJAMIN
Assistant to the creative director.
		DAD
	(pensively)
Does that mean a pay raise?
		BENJAMIN
No, but it means more responsibility. 
		DAD
You know, when I was your age, I was already an office manager. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Or wait, come to think of it, I was a few years younger than you. 
		BENJAMIN
Dad, when you were my age you already owned your own company.
		DAD
Did I? Oh yes, that's right, Steak n' Cut. Get your hair cut while you enjoy a delicious tenderloin steak. 
		BENJAMIN
	(sarcastically)
Yeah, I wonder why that didn't take off.
		DAD
Well, you're my own flesh and blood. I know that if you really wanted to be successful, you could make it happen. You wouldn't be an assistant creative director now. 
		BENJAMIN
Assistant to the creative director.
		DAD
Wow, one more promotion and you'll be an assistant director.
		BENJAMIN
	(frustrated)
Dad...
		DAD
Like father, like son, I always say. You could be doing so much more. Trust me, success runs in the family. It's in your genes.
		BENJAMIN
Dad, nobody wants to get their hair cut while they're eating dinner. Where do you think all the hair clippings will go?
		DAD
What's that? Hold on a sec.
	(listens to someone in another room)
		DAD
Fine, I'll tell him! 
	(quieter)
You know, your mother is always nagging me to tell you to settle down with a nice girl and give us some grandchildren. Family reunions are getting smaller and smaller these days.
		BENJAMIN
Okay, Dad.
		DAD
What was that one girl's name? The one you dated in university? Jessica?
		BENJAMIN
Maxine, Dad. Jessica was her sister. Look, I need to get back to work.
		DAD
Oh right, Maxine. She was terrific. Look, son, she'll come back to you one day. And one day, you'll finally get that promotion you deserve.
		BENJAMIN
Dad, I just got a promotion. Today.
		DAD
Oh, right. Well then, congratulations on a job well done. Make us proud.
		BENJAMIN
Bye, Dad. 
Benjamin hangs up the phone.
FADE OUT

Idioms from Family
my old man
Benjamin affectionally refers to his father as "my old man."

blue blood
Dustin comes from a rich family, so Benjamin tells him he has blue blood.

born with a silver spoon in your mouth
Dustin comes from a rich family, so Benjamin tells him he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

breadwinner
Nobody else in Benjamiin's family has a job, so Benjamin is the sole breadwinner of the family.

follow in ~ footsteps
Dustin's parents want him to stay in the family business, so they want him to follow in their footsteps. 

bringing home the bacon
Benjamin's parents can't support themselves, so Benjamin is bringing home the bacon for them.

son of a gun
Benjamin's father is surprised, so he remarks "I'll be a son of a gun!"

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Benjamin is doing well at work, just like his father with his business, so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

flesh and blood
Benjamin and his father are related, so they are considered  to be of the same flesh and blood.

like father, like son
Benjamin's father thinks they are alike, and he wants his son to get married, because like father, like son.

runs in the family
Success runs in the family for Benjamin, because he and his relatives are successful in business.

nagging
Benjamin's mother is always nagging Benjamin's father about Benjamin getting married.

settle down
Benjamin's parents want him to settle down and start a family of his own. 

Others:
working class
fast lane

Practice - Family
1. ________________________ a phrase used to express a similarity between a parent and child
2. ________________________ a phrase which expresses the similarity between family members
3. ________________________ a blood relative, whose safety and wellbeing are important to other relatives
4. ________________________ a phrase used to express a common trait or characteristic within a family
5. ________________________ to end the single life and get married and start a family
6. ________________________ to complain to someone, most stereotypically a husband or child, in order to get them to take a certain action
7. ________________________ an affectionate name for my father, which I would never say to his face
8. ________________________ to be born into a wealthy family
9. ________________________ to be part of the aristocracy, and therefore different from common people
10. ________________________ to be the primary source of income of your family
11. ________________________ earn a living
12. ________________________ continue the legacy of one's parents by having the same job as them