2. Interviewing a parent

Organize the students into groups of and discuss the ways to solve the problem of the boy stealing the money.

Discuss the situation with the boy’s parent.

Role-play the dialogue.

1. Lead in

Read the two dialogues and judge which one is more polite.

Dialogue 1

A: Are you coming with me to the concert tonight?

B: No. I’ve got my hands full with this report.

Dialogue 2

A: Excuse me, I would like to invite you to the concert.

　 Could you please spare me some time tonight?

B: I am terribly sorry. I am busy with this report and do not have any time to spare.

The first one is more informal using colloquial language while the second one is formal using very polite language.

Summary

In many situations, it is not very polite to be too direct or blunt in the way you ask or answer a question. It is usually more polite to use the expressions like:

Could you please tell me...?

Could you explain...?

Would you mind telling me...?

I wonder what you think about...?

Have you thought about...?

Well, you see....

Let me explain...

It’s like this....

I’m afraid I don’t know....

5. Will he pay back the money?

4. Why did he not ask for money from his parents?

3.Where did his parents think he was doing while he was at the Internet café?

2.When did he go?

1.Who did he go to the Internet café with?

3.　 I... do my ... homework.

Part C　 A Letter of apology

Read the letter on page 59 and answer the questions

2. I’m sorry, Mr Li. I didn’t mean　

　　 that. Really, I was going to　

　　 return the money later.

1. How does he know it was me? It could have been anyone.