Activities done in class
EXERCISE 1:
Listen to the dialogue and transcribe it. Identify tones and tonic syllables in the interviewer's utterances. Why is he using these tones?
http://ifile.it/tmqynl2
EXERCISE 2:
Listen to the recording and transcribe the utterances. Identify tones and tonic syllables in the second tone unit in each example. Why is the speaker using these tones?
http://ifile.it/6z1xcwg
EXERCISE 3:
Listen to the dialogue and transcribe it. Identify tones and tonic syllables. Why are the speakers using these tones?
http://ifile.it/bvainju
EXERCISE 4:
a) Listen to the introduction.
Discussion:
Where are the speakers? What are they doing?
Where do people often wait? What do people/you usually do while waiting?
What do you talk about while waiting? What is "smalltalk"?
b) Listen to the whole recording.
Discussion: What happened?
*Identify vocabulary related to medicine and dentistry.
http://ifile.it/dk93qfv
Homework for Wednesday August 5th: Vocabulary related to:
-being nervous
-medicine: symptoms, illnesses, what doctors do when they examine you, what the doctor might ask you, what the doctor prescribes...
c) Listen to the recording and identify tones and tone units.
The Dentist
The idea for this sketch came from a member of the ETT who had studied to be a dentist. It was first performed in 1975. In the stage version, it is a very visual sketch with a very large number of props, so we have rewritten it somewhat for this book. It has, in fact, been used in ETT shows in several versions over the years, including a 1992 rewrite in which the patients were Batman and Superman, and the dentist had an assistant, with those two characters turning out to be Catwoman and Parrotwoman respectively.
Scene A dentist's waiting-room.
Characters Two patients: a man and a woman/A 'dentist'/The real dentist
The man and the woman are siting in the waiting-room. The woman is calm, but the man is very nervous.
Man Um ... Is he good? (1)
Woman Pardon?
Man The dentist (2). Is he good?(3)
Woman I don't know.
Man You don't know? (4)
Woman No. I haven't seen him before. He's new (5)
Man New!? (6)
Woman Yes. It's his first day.(7)
Man Oh ... This is my first visit, you know.
Woman Oh, really?
Man It's the first time I've been here.
Woman Oh.
Man Don't you understand? It's the first time I've been to the dentist in my life!
Woman I see.
The man looks at his watch.
Man He's late, isn't he?
Woman Well, it is his first day.
Man Oh, well, perhaps I won't wait. I can come back tomorrow ... or the next day.
They hear the dentist coming.
Woman Ah, here he comes now.
Man (Disappointed) Oh, good.
The 'dentist' comes in, carrying a large bag.
'Dentist' Ah, good morning, good morning, good morning. Sorry I'm late. Now, who's first?
Woman He was here first.
Man Oh no, after you.
Woman No, no, you were before me.
Man No, no, ladies first.
'Dentist' Now, now, what seems to be the matter? (8)
Man I've got a bad tooth. (9)
Woman So have I.
'Dentist' Well, I can do you both at the same time.
Man/Woman Both at the same time? (10)
'Dentist' Yes, I've got two pieces of string. Look!
Woman String?(11) To take out a tooth?(12) Have you done that before? (13)
'Dentist' Not on people, no. But I tried it this morning on the cat. (14)
Woman And was the cat all right?
'Dentist' Oh, yes! It got up(15) ran across the room (16), and jumped out of the window(17). And we live on the thirteenth floor (18).
Woman The thirteenth floor? (19)
'Dentist' Don't worry, the cat's not superstitious.
Man But dentists don't use string to take out teeth!
'Dentist' Don't they? What do you want, then?
Man Well, to begin with, I'd like an anaesthetic.
'Dentist' Oh, you'd like an anaesthetic, would you? Just a minute.
He takes a hammer out of his bag.
'Dentist' Ah, yes. Here we are.
Woman What's that?
'Dentist' A hammer.
Man Ah! Is that the anaesthetic?
'Dentist' I'm not sure. It's the first time I've given(20) an anaesthetic (21). Sit still.
He hits the table; this frightens the man, who faints.
Man Oh! Ohh!
'Dentist' Oh, it works! He puts the hammer down.
'Dentist' Now, madam, what's the matter with you? (22)
Woman I've got a pain.
'Dentist' Where?
Woman In my mouth.
'Dentist' Yes, I know it's in your mouth(23), but which tooth?(24)
Woman This one here.
'Dentist' Ah yes, a molar.
Woman What are you going to do?
'Dentist' I'm going to take it out.
Woman How?
'Dentist' I don't know.(25)
Woman You don't know? (26)
'Dentist' No. This is the first time I've taken out a molar. In fact, it's the first time I've taken out a tooth.
Woman The first time you've taken out a tooth!
'Dentist' Yes. This is a very important day for me -my first extraction. Now, where's that hammer?
Woman Listen, I don't want the hammer(27) and I don't want the string (28). I want you to take my tooth out with a pair of -
'Dentist' A pair of scissors?
Woman No.
'Dentist' A pair of socks?
Woman No.
'Dentist' A pair of trousers?
Woman No.
'Dentist' Oh. Just a minute.
He looks inside his bag, and takes out a large pair of forceps.
'Dentist' These?
Woman Yes, I suppose so.
'Dentist' Right then. Open your mouth.
Woman But what about the anaesthetic?
'Dentist' Oh. yes. Pass me the hammer.
Woman I don't want the hammer!(29) I want a proper anaesthetic.(30) I want an injection.(31)
'Dentist' An injection?
Woman Yes.
'Dentist' Just a minute.
He looks inside his bag again, and takes out a large syringe.
'Dentist' Ah yes, this is for injections, isn't it? How does it work?
Woman Well, you're the dentist. Don't you know?
'Dentist' No. It's the first time I've used one of these. Oh well, I'll have a try. Open your mouth.
Woman Er, no ... I don't think you really know ... er ... no, no, I'll come back another day. I -
The man wakes up.
Man Oh! Where am I ? Hey! What are you doing?
'Dentist' I'll be with you in a moment, sir. Now, just sit still, madam ...
Man No, no, stop that! You're absolutely crazy!
Woman I agree. He's absolutely crazy, completely mad. Let's get out of here.
Man Oh yes, good idea.
'Dentist' So you don't want me to take out that molar?
Woman Certainly not. (To the man) Come on.
Man Yes. Good idea.
The man and the woman leave.
'Dentist' Hmm, that worked very well.
He puts his things into the bag, laughing to himself.
'Dentist' 'But dentists don't use string to take out teeth!' - 'Oh, you'd like an anaesthetic, would you?'
The real dentist arrives.
Dentist Oh, good morning. Sorry I'm late. It's my first day. It's the first time I've been here. Are you the only one?
'Dentist' Yes, there's just me.
Dentist Right. You can come straigh
t in, then.
'Dentist' Oh, good. I hate having to wait.