Conversation 1

Woman: I'm so excited to see where you grew up.
Man: Well, a lot has changed since I lived here.
Woman: Still, it must feel like home to you.
Man: Not so much. For example, the house where I grew up is no longer there.
Woman: Oh, that's too bad. What happened to it?
Man: Well, the land it was sitting on was sold to build a new stadium.
Woman: Oh, that's a shame.
Man: Yeah. The whole neighborhood has been completely gentrified.
Woman: Oh, really? How do you feel about that?
Man: It's all for the best, I suppose. The whole area was run down anyway.
Woman: Is anything from your childhood still there?
Man: Yeah, a few things. The school I attended and the park where I used to hang out are still there. That's about it.
Woman: Well, I'd love to see them. I'd love to know more about your past.
Man: Sure. We can swing by, but they're not much to write home about.

Conversation 2

Woman: How do you like the new club?
Man: It's okay, but the music they're playing is not my taste.
Woman: I agree. But the last song they played was kind of nice.
Man: The people that are dancing seem to like it.
Woman: The woman who's dancing is my friend. She loves this kind of music.
Man: The guy she's dancing with sure likes it, too.
Woman: Would you like to dance?
Man: I'm sorry, but I'd rather not. Dancing is not my thing.

Conversation 3

Woman: Hey, Joe. You're from San Francisco, right?
Man: That's right. Born and raised. Why do you ask?
Woman: Well, I'm going there with my family on holiday, and I was hoping you could give us some tips.
Man: Well, the first place I would check out is Muir Woods. It's really beautiful.
Woman: Yeah, I already have that down. What else would you recommend?
Man: Well, another place I'd check out is Fisherman's Wharf. You can see sea lions that live on the pier.
Woman: Okay. I'll look into that. Any place else?
Man: The last place I'd recommend is the Presidio. It's a park that's next to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Woman: Yeah, I read about that. I hear that there are bikes that you can rent to ride in the park and across the bridge.
Man: Yes, and there are audio apps that you can download that give a history of the area.
Woman: Oh, thanks so much. I'm so excited to go.
Man: Also, a dish that's worth trying is the clam chowder bread bowl. It's just a big loaf of bread with clam chowder inside it.
Woman: Oh, that sounds wonderful. Thanks for the tips.

Conversation 4

Woman: Thanks for inviting me to go camping with you. I'm having a great time.
Man: Oh, thanks for coming. The last thing that I wanted was to be out here all alone.
Woman: Oh, I go camping all the time. The time I spent in the army taught me how to survive in the wild.
Man: Well, you are a lot braver than me.
Woman: Plus, the food that you brought is amazing. How long did it take you to make it?
Man: No time at all. All the food we had was bought from the store. I don't cook much.
Woman: It sounds like you need to work on your survivor skills a bit more. There are a few things that I could teach you.
Man: No, I'm good. As long as I have a credit card, I have everything that I need.

---

Vocabulary - Key Words and Phrases

Conversation 1

Grew up - Where someone lived or spent their childhood.
Feels like home - A feeling of comfort and belonging, similar to what one feels in their own house.
That's a shame - That is unfortunate.
It's all for the best - A phrase used to suggest that a situation, often negative, has positive outcomes.
Gentrified - When a poor area of a city is changed by people with more money moving in.
Run down - Something that is old and in bad condition.
Swing by - To visit a place for a short time.
Not much to write home about - A way to say something is not very special or interesting.

Conversation 2

Club - A place that plays music for dancing.
Sure - definitely.
Not my taste - When something does not suit your personal preference.
Not my thing - When something does not suit your personal preference.
I'd rather not - Prefer not to do something.

Conversation 3

Check out - To look at or visit something.
Pier - A walkway over water for boats or people.
Wharf - A place for next to water for ships to load and unload cargo.
Sea lion - A large animal that lives in the sea.
Clam chowder bread bowl - A dish where soup, typically clam chowder, is served inside a hollowed-out loaf of bread.

Conversation 4

Survivor skills - Abilities needed to continue living in tough conditions.
In the wild - In nature.
I'm good - A phrase to decline an offer.
No time at all - A short time, not long regarding time.