Stories for English Learners

08. Kate gets a call

Aprende expresiones idiomáticas y phasal verbs con la historia de Kate.

In this episode, Kate’s best friend, Melanie, is upset that Kate doesn’t have time for her. Meanwhile, Kate is waiting for an important phone call. Who could it be?

Juan Carlos Martinez
August 1, 2022
Everyday Idioms 2
More stories
Everyday Idioms 2

Preview

In the last episode, Kate talked to her best friend,
Melanie, on the phone. Melanie was upset because
Kate doesn’t have time to hang out on the weekend.
Kate is busy working, studying, and pursuing a boy
named Jason. Melanie is hurt that Kate doesn’t have
any time for her. Speaking of phone calls, Kate is
waiting for an important one today. Who will it be?

Exercise A

Vocabulary for the story

Audio

Difficulty: Intermediate (B1)

Audio

Transcript

Jason: You really didn’t think I was going to call, did you?

Kate: Well, you said Wednesday, and it’s Thursday now. You never know with guys.

Jason: Sorry I didn’t call last night. I ended up having to close up. It was dead tonight, so I am glad you’re free.

Kate: Well, thanks for picking me up. I could have taken the bus downtown.

Jason: Are you kidding? What kind of a guy makes a girl take a bus on a first date? Besides, I wanted you to check out my wheels.

Kate: Yes, I see. Um…what kind of car is it? It’s a nice color.

Jason: You’re too sweet. It’s a lemon, but it gets me from A to B.

Kate: That’s all that matters. Did you buy it second-hand?

Jason: My uncle gave it to me for my 19th birthday. Actually, he was going to take it to the junkers. I offered to take it off his hands.

Kate: Well, it beats the bus.

Jason: You can say that again. So where do you want to go for coffee? Do you even drink coffee?

Kate: Yes, I couldn’t get by without it. I’d better make it a decaf or I’ll never make it to class in the morning, though.

Jason: Sounds good. So what are you studying, anyway? Wait, let me guess. You look like a science girl.

Kate: Me? Not a chance. Then again, I’m not exactly acing English literature. I didn’t put much thought into picking a major.

Jason: English? I would never have guessed. I hear English majors have a ton of required reading.

Kate: It’s true. If Randy didn’t call me in to fill shifts all of the time, I’d be able to get some studying done.

Exercise B

Comprehension

What does Kate mean when she says, “Well, you said Wednesday, and it’s Thursday now”?
What excuse does Jason make at the beginning of the phone call?
True or false? Kate takes the bus to meet Jason.
Why does Jason mention a lemon?
Why will Kate get a decaf coffee?
What do English majors have to spend a lot of time doing?
Why is Kate finding it difficult to study now?