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At the Post Office

At the Post Office

Date: Aug 31 2001

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

I went to the Post Office last week to mail three very important letters. It was crucial that my letters arrive at their destinations the next day. I asked the Postal Clerk for help with my letters. I wanted to make sure that they were sent via the very fastest mail.
The Postal Clerk helped me choose the best way to mail my letters. The first time I went to the counter at the Post Office, the clerk told me what I needed to do to get my letters ready to be sent.
In the conversation below, I am returning to the counter to send out my letters after I have finished addressing the letters in the special, “Express Mail” envelopes.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Tanis

Tanis

Tanis:   Hi!

Postal Clerk: Are you ready?

Tanis:   I’m ready! How are you?

Postal Clerk: Good!

Tanis:   Have you guys been busy?

Postal Clerk: Oh, off and on, off and on… There’s a busy spurt then it will quiet down. This one’s just going right to…

Tanis:   No, no, no, no. I’m sorry. I went ahead and addressed them, but all of these are going Priority, okay? So…

Postal Clerk: Express, you mean.

Tanis:   What?

Postal Clerk: Express, you mean.

Tanis:   Express, that is what I mean, yes! Fast! I want it Next Day.

Postal Clerk: Let me see if this will fit in here….

Tanis:   So is Christmas the busiest time of year here?

Postal Clerk: Yeah, I’d say so. Christmas…

Tanis:   And tax time?

Postal Clerk: Mother’s Day, tax time… yeah.

Tanis:   How long have you been working here?

Postal Clerk: Out in the window here? About twelve years, but I’ve been with the Post Office twenty-six years.

Tanis:   Were you a Postman before that?

Postal Clerk: No, most clerks… Clerks and, and carriers are two different things.

Tanis:   Uh-uh.

Postal Clerk: And I’ve been, I’ve been a clerk the whole time.

Tanis:   Do you like it?

Postal Clerk: Oh yeah! Especially up here!

Tanis:   Right, you get to see all the people!

 

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Discussion

I was very lucky to have such a nice Postal Clerk help me with my letters! Can you hear by the tone of his voice how much he enjoys his job?
The Postal Clerk is an older man, and he is very mellow. He doesn’t get easily excited, and he is comfortable doing his job. He enjoys talking to people every day and helping to answer their questions. I sense that even though he has a very relaxed attitude, he really cares about helping the people who come to the post office.
Do you have any Post Office stories to tell? Come to the “Life Goes On” Message board and share them with us!
Have a great week!
Tanis

 

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