A Basic Course four
Unit one: Making Plans
There’s a holiday next week and I can’t decide what to do. I have a lot of work to do at
home, and this would be a good chance to do it. But I’d rather not spend the holiday that way. I
can work at home all the rest of the year.
Last year I went north to the mountains. Everything was beautiful, but it is too cold this
time of year. And it’s really too far to go for a short holiday. I have decided that this is not a good
time to go to the mountains. But I do want to go someplace.
Perhaps this would be a good chance to go to the beach. I like to go for walks along the
seashore in the sunshine and watch the water. It’s only about eight miles and I could get there in
about two hours. After thinking it over, I’m sure that this is a better time for the seashore than the
mountains. I guess I’ll plan to go to the beach next week.
Oh, here’s a letter from Jim. He says he is going to this house in the mountains for the
holiday, and he wants me to go with him. After giving it some more thought, I guess it wasn’t
really too cold last year, and perhaps it might rain at the seashore and then I wouldn’t enjoy it at
all. The mountains are only 300 miles away. I think I’ll write Jim right now and tell him I’ll go
with him
Unit two: Making Decisions
It takes me a long time to make up my mind about something. I don’t decide things
quickly. Some people think this is good and some people think it is bad. I don’t know. I know
some people who make up their minds right away. It doesn’t matter how complicated the problem
is. In two minutes they say that they have considered everything and that they are positive they
have made a good decision. I’m surprised that they can be so confident.
I can understand it if the problem isn’t difficult or complicated. But some issues are
extremely hard to decide. Before I make a decision, I try to get all the facts I can. I read the
newspapers, I talk to people, I read books, and I try to think of everything that might be important.
Sometimes my friends try to influence me. I listen to their advice, but I make my own decisions.
Sometimes it takes me a long time to make up my mind, but I don’t often have to change it.
Other people I know are changing their minds all the time. They are afraid to make a decision
about anything.
Unit three: Going Abroad

department, Bob went to buy his sweater. It only took Don a few minutes to select his shirts, and
then he went to the sweater department to meet his friend. Bob tried on every sweater in his size,
but none of them looked good on him. The salesman said that he would have some more sweaters
in a few days, and Bob said he would come back then.
The boys intended to go to the movies before going home. But after they paid for all their
new clothes, they had only enough money to ride home on the bus.
Unit five: Good Food
My wife and I occasionally go to a nice restaurant to eat. My wife’s mother lives with us
and she stays with the children. This makes it very easy for us to go out for the evening.
Last week we went to the restaurant in a new hotel. We had a wonderful meal. First, we
had soup and a salad. Then Helen, my wife, had lamb chops. With peas and carrots, and I had a
medium rare steak with mashed potatoes and plenty of gravy. For dessert, I had some ice cream
and Helen had fresh fruit. We had several cups of coffee after we finished eating. The food was
delicious, the portions were generous, and it wasn’t too expensive.
Our children don’t like to eat in restaurants because they have to sit and be quiet for a long
time. They would rather go to their grandmother’s farm. Their grandmother my mother prepares
everything they like. She usually has fried chicken, corn, and hot biscuits with honey. She always
serves plenty of chocolate ice cream and cake for dessert.
I’m always surprised that my father doesn’t weigh a lot more when I see how much he eats.
But he works hard on the farm from about 5 o’clock in the morning until it gets dark in the
evening.
When my parents visit us in the city, we usually take them to a restaurant. I know they
enjoy it, but my father always eats something else after he gets home. The portions may be
generous in the restaurant, but they are still not large enough for hungry farmer.
Unit six: Going Out for the Evening
My wife and I go to the theater whenever we can. But before we buy tickets, we like to
know if the play is good or bad. When a new play opens, we usually read the review in our
newspaper to get information about it. Last week a new comedy opened at the theater. The
newspaper story said it was very amusing, so we decided to go on Saturday night.
My wife took a long time to make up her mind what to wear and we left our house a little

Dr.Johnson was a heart specialist. He was an excellent doctor and his examinations were
always complete. He listened to the patient’s heart, took his blood pressure and temperature, gave
him an X-ray and examined his eyes and ears.
The doctor finally completed his examination and spoke to me. He told me that heart
trouble is never a minor illness, but this wasn’t a serious heart attack. He advised losing some
weight, getting plenty of sleep and eating good meals. Smoking and drinking would be harmful, of
course. Dr Johnson said it would be necessary to be careful for a while, but he was confident that
there was nothing to worry about.
I felt much better after I spoke to Dr.Johnson. I was certain that my uncle would be up and
around again very soon. He’s seventy years old now, but he can still live for a long time if he takes
good care of himself.
Unit nine: The Wrong Number
When I answered the telephone this morning, I knew right away the lady had the wrong
number. But it took her a long time to find out. She said her name was Mrs. Mills and asked if I
was Dr.Cooper’s secretary. I told her that she had and incorrect number, but I don’t think she
listened to me. She told me she wanted to cancel her two o’clock appointment because her husband
was sick and she had to take care of him. I told her I was very sorry to hear that, but she still had
the wrong number. Then she wanted to know if she could make an appointment for next week. I
told her I couldn’t arrange it: I wasn’t Dr. Cooper’s secretary. Finally she heard what I said. She
wanted to know why I didn’t tell her right away that she had the wrong number. Before I could
answer her, she hung up.
At first I was a little upset about it, but later on in the morning I decided it was really
funny. I wanted to call up my sister and tell her about it. I guess I dialed the wrong number and I
happened to get Mrs. Mills. You can imagine how astonished I was. I tried to explain that I had
made a mistake, but she wouldn’t listen. She just wanted to know how I got her telephone number.
She said she couldn’t understand why I was bothering her. I tried to explain again, but she talked
so much and so fast that I couldn’t interrupt her to say that I was sorry. I finally hung up the
receiver.
I still wanted to call my sister, but I was afraid I might get that lady’s number again. I
didn’t use the telephone for the rest of the day.