US woman &
Englishman
track
7
READING I
Annoying Things
The things that really annoy us.
1
Pre-reading hat annoys you most in life? Here s our list of really
Look at the words below. What is annoying annoying things.
about each thing? Discuss with a partner. W
People who don t cover their mouth when they
cars shops the street
cough or sneeze.
computers mobile phones
When you re in a rush and someone in front of
you is driving really slowly.
friends TV the home driving It s so
annoying!
When someone shows up more than an hour late for a dinner
2
Reading I you ve prepared.
Read the article once and compare your ideas People who sit in parked cars with the engine running.
from the Pre-reading task. TV or radio ads with doorbells, ringing phones or alarm clocks.
When you call the customer service department of a large company
3
Reading II and they put you on hold with some really corny music.
Read the article again. Then, see if you can Shop assistants who ignore you in order to attend someone who has
complete the sentences without referring just phoned up.
back to the text. Car passengers who throw their doors open on the road
GLOSSARY
1. When you re in a rush and without checking first.
to cough vb
to force air out of your lungs with a
someone in front of you is& People talking on their mobile phones who say things such as,
sudden, loud noise, often because
2. People who sit in parked cars  Hi, I m on the train! We ve just left the station.
you re sick
to sneeze vb
with the& When you re walking in the street and someone in front of
to force air out of your nose with a
3. Shop assistants who ignore you you suddenly stops. sudden, loud noise, often because
you re sick
in order to attend someone When someone says  drop it when a conversation goes into
in a rush exp
if you re  in a rush , you need to go
who has& an unwanted direction.
somewhere quickly
4. People who touch the salt or Company reps who can t give you an exact time when they
running adj
if the car is  running , the engine is
pepper shaker with& can deliver your fridge or washing machine so you have to
on and working
5. When you re watching the TV sit around at home for hours. to put someone on hold exp
if you "put someone on hold", you
and someone& People who touch the salt or pepper shaker
block the phone call temporarily
while you transfer the call, or speak
with greasy fingers.
to someone else
Discovering a shoe but not being able to find
corny adj
4  corny music is not cool / not
Language focus its mate.
original / old fashioned, etc.
Verbs as nouns Having a drawer full of batteries but not a rep n
a representative  someone who
Look at the extract from the article on this the one you need.
represents a company
to deliver vb
page,  & Discovering a shoe but When you re watching TV and someone
if you  deliver goods, you take them
not&  . The writer has used a verb that s changes the channel without asking.
from A to B
a fridge n
functioning as a noun ( discovering ). Someone who stands in front of the TV
an appliance in the kitchen for
Complete the following sentence and starts talking to you at the end of a TV programme you re keeping food cold
greasy adj
beginnings with your own ideas. watching.
if you have  greasy fingers, you have
oil / fat on them
1. Having no time to do any Finding a TV remote in the car or anywhere
a mate n
exercise is& else where it couldn t possibly be used.
a partner / the other thing that
forms part of the pair (in this case,
2. Being alone over Christmas When you re on the phone and someone
the matching sock)
is& puts you on speakerphone without warning. a drawer n
a box in a piece of furniture for
3. Taking the dog out for a walk Anonymous calls from other mobile phone
keeping things
a remote n
is& companies offering you their services!
the remote control  the device you
4. Finding out that you ve got A phone cord or hairdryer cord that has
can use to change the channels
on a TV
to work over the weekend become hopelessly tangled.
speakerphone n
is& Cold callers who ask to speak to a device in a telephone that allows
you to hear the other person
 the man of the house .
through a speaker
a cord n
People who point to their wrists
the cable that connects a phone /
5
Discussion when asking,  What time is it? Do
hairdryer, etc. to the electricity
tangled adj
1. Do you agree with any of the we point to our stomachs when we
if a cable / cord has become
ideas mentioned in this article? order a burger?  tangled , it is all mixed up and in
a mess
2. What s the most annoying thing When you hold the door open for
a cold caller n
a salesperson who calls up people
that s happened to you today? someone and they just walk through without
they don t know in order to sell
3. What s the most annoying thing saying  thank you .
things to them
a wrist n
that s happened to you this When you re in the cinema and there s
the joint that connects your hand
month? someone who just won t stop talking. to your arm
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I
ANNOYING THINGS
ANSWERS ON PAGE 45