Education
'Hear English' is a blog that provides podcasts and transcripts to help people learn English, find us at http://hearenglishhere.blogspot.com/.Free image courtesy of 'stockfreeimages.com'The Water Cooler (Slow)Too slow? Try the faster version in the next post. They may look like busy professionals, but the staff at Colourful Solutions Ltd (Colsol), aren’t always as serious or hardworking as they appear, and we find out what mischief they’ve been up to as they talk around the water cooler.Click above to listen. You can get the mp3. here.Episode 7 - Bees (Slow) Too slow? Try the faster version in the next post. Featuring the vocal talents of Sophie Iafrate (Susan). (Free sound effects courtesy of 'Soundjay.com'), Susan: Hello Keith. What have you got there?Keith: I thought our office was looking a little drab so I have brought some flowers in to liven it up. A little bit of colour will boost our morale.Susan: That is a lovely idea, but I am very allergic to flowers. Didn’t you hear me saying to Janet yesterday how bad my hay fever was this year? Keith: How terrible Susan, I had no idea. Well, I will keep them to my side of the office then; I’ll even open the window to ventilate the room a bit. Here, you can put the trophy I won for being a good team player on your desk; that will keep your side of the office from looking too glum.Susan: You didn’t win that trophy Keith, I know that you bought it yourself; your story for why you were awarded that trophy changes every time. Besides, it is no good, there is too much pollen in the air now. I will go and see if I can work in another office for the rest of the day.Keith: Finally, an office all to myself. The perfect crime! Eh eh eh.A few minutes later…Janet: Keith, thank goodness I have found you here.Keith: I was only getting a quick cup of coffee, I will be back in my office in just a jiffy.Janet: No! Don’t even think of going back into your office – it is full of bees!Keith: Full of bees? Janet: Yes, I have no idea why, but a huge swarm of bees has flown in through your window. Something must have attracted them, and I can’t see how we are going to get them out again. We have closed off the room. Thank goodness Susan wasn’t in there at the time; she said that something in there was aggravating her hay fever. Ah, there you are Susan, is everything OK? Susan: Yes. I was going to move all my things into the storage room at the end of the corridor until the bee situation is sorted out. That will do as an office for the short-term.Janet: Hmm, I’m not sure that is the best room for you Susan. It’s really dusty in there, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that room wouldn’t also set off your hay fever. Tell you what, I am away on business for the rest of the week, so why don’t you take my office?Keith: I suppose I will have to join you.Janet: Sorry Keith, but even though my office may look expansive and spacious, it is really only due to the tasteful styling and clever layout of furniture. Honestly, there is only room for one person to comfortably work in there. I know the storage room isn’t very nice, but considering that you don’t suffer from hay fever, I think it is best that you take that as your temporary office, just until we get pest control in.Keith: The storage room! That doesn’t even have a window.Susan: Well, how about you take your hard-won trophy in there with you? That is sure to brighten the place up.