Views #1124 | Intermediate (B1)

Katia's Party

Katia tells Todd about her party and invites him over to hang out with friends.

Katia: Hey Todd. How was the party last Saturday?

Todd: It was fun, you should have come.

Katia: I know but I had too many things to do so I just decided not to go.

Todd: In the end it was a lot of fun. There was a lot of good food and everybody ate too much and drank too much a little bit but maybe next year.

Katia: All right, well it sounds great, maybe for next year. But listen, I have a party this coming Saturday, perhaps you want to join us?

Todd: Ooh, I'm always ready for a party.

Katia: But you do have to bring food.

Todd: OK. Well you know I'm not a very good cook so can I just buy something?

Katia: That's not a problem. There will be maybe about ten to fifteen people.

Todd: OK.

Katia: And we'll have music, we'll have food and there will be students, there will be local people.

Todd: So is there anything that you can recommend that I bring?

Katia: Perhaps something without meat, so everybody can eat.

Todd: OK. Are you a vegetarian?

Katia: Actually no, I'm not a vegetarian but I believe there will be some people that cannot eat certain kinds of meat, so just to be on the safer side maybe just vegetables or a fruit salad.

Todd: OK. Maybe I'll make a vegetable tray, a vegetable platter or whatever and maybe cut up some carrots, cucumbers, maybe get some dip, how's that?

Katia: That sounds really good. I'm getting hungry already.

Todd: Then of course I can maybe just bring a cake or a pie. There's a nice bakery shop that I know about, they make really good cakes.

Katia: OK. That sounds really good especially as I don't think anybody else will be bringing dessert.

Todd: Fantastic. Actually that's what I did last week at the party is I brought a chocolate cake so maybe I'll get the same one, it was really good.

Katia: OK, that's sounds really good. I would like to try the chocolate cake.

Todd: So this party is it going to be just kind of a casual party, will people sit around and talk and drink or is it going to be dancing, what's going on?

Katia: I really don't know, whatever people feel like doing, it's more like a spontaneous thing. If people want to talk, there'll be talking, there will be some music of course and different kinds of people so I'm not sure what will be expected but as long as everybody enjoys a good time and talk and meet new people, so really no expectations just a good time.

Todd: Actually I've never been to your place. Is this at your apartment?

Katia: Yes, it's going to be at my apartment which is not very far from here.

Todd: OK. Do you have a big apartment?

Katia: Considering the norm, it's a little bit bigger but not big considering other houses or other apartments.

Todd: Big enough for fifteen people?

Katia: We can all fit.

Todd: OK. What about alcohol? Is it BYOB?

Katia: Yes.

Todd: Oh really so just bring wine or beer?

Katia: Yes, yes. Anything that you want to bring that you want to drink yes, but food will be provided, the main food.

Todd: The main food, just the side stuff we bring?

Katia: Yes.

Todd: And the dress, is it casual?

Katia: Just casual, yes casual, yes casual.

Todd: All right, yeah. Actually when does it start?

Katia: OK, it starts, you can come between eight thirty or nine, that's the time that people will be arriving or any time after or before really, so you can come any time but that's the time that people will be gathering.

Todd: All right and what time do you think it will be over?

Katia: That's a very difficult question. It depends how people are enjoying it or not.

Todd: And how nice your neighbors are maybe?

Katia: Exactly. It should be all right though with the neighbors.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

I'm always ready for (something)

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I'm always ready for a party.

We are always ready to do something we love to do.  Notice the following:

  1. I'm always ready to go dancing!
  2. I'm never ready to go back to school.

spontaneous

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It's more like a spontaneous thing.

When we do something spontaneous, that means we do it without thinking or planning.  Notice the following:

  1. It was a spontaneous decision.
  2. The reaction was spontaneous.

expectation

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There are no expectations.

Expectations are what we think will happen in a certain situation.  Notice the following:

  1. The company had high expectations for the new employee.
  2. We had no expectations of what the trip would be like.

considering the norm

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Considering the norm, it's a little bigger.

When we 'consider the norm', that means we think about what is usual or most common.  Here, we are comparing something to the norm.  Notice the following:

  1. Considering the norm, my apartment is cheap.
  2. It's not so bad considering the norm.

gathering

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People will be gathering.

When we gather, that means we form groups.  Notice the following:

  1. Angry crowds gatherd outside the embassy.
  2. People started gathering hours before the show.

Vocabulary Quiz

always ready • spontaneous • expectation
norm • gathering
  1. Set a realistic , so you won't get too disappointed.
  2. Considering the , our proposed budget is really high.
  3. Crowds started in front of the building.
  4. He made a comment in front of everyone.
  5. You seem to be for a fight!
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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