Unit 1 Starting out

Inside view

Conversation 1

Porter Good afternoon.

Janet Good afternoon.

Porter New student?

Janet Yes.

Porter Welcome to Hertford College.

Janet Thank you.

Porter Can I have your family name, please?

Janet Yes, it's Li.

Porter Er, L-double E?

Janet No, L-I.

Porter And what's your first name, Ms Li?

Janet Janet.

Porter Janet Li... ah yes, there you are. Here are your keys.

Janet Where's my room?

Porter You're in Staircase 6 Room 5.

Janet Who am I sharing with?

Porter Nobody. You have your own room. Er...there's a Ms Santos in the room next to you.

Janet Oh. My own room? In China we usually have several people in a dormitory.

Porter Well, here you don't have to share with anyone.

Janet Thank you Sir.

Porter No need to call me sir, Ms Li. Everyone calls me Stewart.

Janet Please call me Janet!

Porter OK, Janet, um, can you just sign for your keys, please?

Conversation 2

Kate Hi, have you just arrived too?

Janet Yes!

Kate I guess we're neighbours. My name's Kate Santos.

Janet I'm Janet Li. Where are you from?

Kate From New York. How about you?

Janet I'm from Anshan in China.

Kate Is Janet your real name?

Janet No, it's my English name. My Chinese name is Li Hui. Is Kate your full name?

Kate No, it's short for Catherine.

Janet So do I call you Catherine or Kate?

Kate Everyone calls me Kate.

Janet Nice to meet you.

Kate OK, Janet. See you later.

Janet Bye!

Conversation 3

Kate Hey! This is awesome! Look at the size of this dining hall.

Janet Is this where we have all our meals?

Kate I guess.

Mark You just arrived?

Girls Yes!

Mark Me too. By the way, I'm Mark. Nice to meet you.

Kate Hi, I'm Kate.

Mark Hi Kate, I guess you're from the States.

Kate Right! How can you tell? You're British, huh?

Mark Yes, I'm from London. And you are ...?

Janet I'm Li Hui. I'm from China. But you can call me Janet.

Mark Hi Janet. Welcome to England. What are you reading?

Janet English.

Mark How about you, Kate?

Kate My major is law. And you?

Mark I'm studying PPE.

Kate That's a special Oxford subject, isn't it?

Outside view

Julie My name's Julie Dearden, and I'm the Director of International Programmes here at Hertford College.

Eugene My name's Eugene Berger, I studied here in Oxford for four years er, studying modern languages at

Somerville College.