Kaplan CD1

Long Conversation 1 (113 words, 160 wpm)

W: I really enjoyed your recital, John. You did a great job.

M: Oh, thank you very much.
W: I cannot believe you sang so well, knowing that you had a cold a week. I have to say,
though, that you sounded a bit hoarse. Are you having a throat trouble?
M: Yes, I've been drinking tea with honey. Was it that noticeable?
W: Probably only to me. Anyway, I love the sound of your voice. Not to worry. The
audience seemed really impressed by your singing.
M: Thanks for the vote of confidence. I was feeling a little self-conscious about my
performance.
W: Well, audiences don't give standing ovations for poor performances. I'd say you totally
won them over.

phonetic transcription

W: aɪ ˈrɪəli inˈdʒɔɪd jɔː riˈsaɪtəl | dʒɑn | ju dɪd ə ɡreɪt dʒɑb

M: oʊ | θæŋk ju ˈveri mʌtʃ

W: aɪ kænt bɪˈliːv ju sæŋ soʊ wel | ˈnoʊɪŋ ðət ju hæd ə koʊld ə wiːk | aɪ hæf tə seɪ ðoʊ | ðət ju

ˈsaʊndɪd ə bɪt hɔːs | ə ju hævɪŋ ə θroʊt trʌbl ̩

M: jes | aɪv bɪn ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ tiː wɪð hʌni | wəz ɪt ðæt ˈnoʊtɪsəbl ̩

W: ˈprɑbəbli ˈoʊnli tə mi | ˈeniweɪ | aɪ lʌv ðə saʊnd əv jʊə vɔɪs | nɑt tə wʌri | ði ˈɔːdiəns

siːmd ˈrɪəli imˈprest baɪ jʊə sɪŋɪŋ

M: θæŋks fə ðə voʊt əv ˈkɑnfədəns | aɪ wəz ˈfiːlɪŋ ə ˈlɪtl ̩ selfˈkɑnʃəs əˈbaʊt maɪ pəˈfɔːməns

W: wel | ˈɔːdiənsɪz doʊnt ɡɪv ˈstændɪŋ əˈveɪʃənz fə pʊə pəˈfɔːmənsɪz | aɪd seɪ ju ˈtəʊtəli wʌn

ðəm ˈoʊvə
Long Conversation 2 (180 words, 180 wpm)
W: Jim, I haven't seen you in weeks. What have you been up to?
M: Well, I've just got back from the trip to the Sahara.
W: In the Sahara? Well, that explains your tan.
M: Actually, I got my tan after that, on the beach. In the desert, I kept my body
protected from the sun at all times. Our guides wouldn't even let us take off our hats.
They said that exposing yourself to the hot desert sun causes dehydration, which, in
the desert, means death.
W: Wow, I guess you have to be very careful. So was it a good trip?
M: Great! The Sahara is so wonderful to see. During the day, everything looks white,
but when the sun is low, in the morning, or when the sun is setting, it's positively
amazing to see the colors and shapes and the incredible expanse of the sky. And it was
good in other ways, too.
W: What do you mean?
M: I had such a good time talking to the people who live there. They are among the
kindest and friendliest people I've ever met.

Phonetic Transcription
W: dʒɪm | aɪ hævnt siːn ju in wiːks | wɒt əv ju biːn ʌp tuː

M: wel | aɪv dʒəst ɡɒt bæk frəm ðə trɪp tə ðə səˈhærə

W: ɪn ðə səˈhærə | wel | ðæt ɪkˈspleɪnz jʊə tæn

M: ˈæktʃəli | aɪ ɡɒt maɪ tæn ˈæftə ðæt ɒn ðə biːtʃ | ɪn ðə ˈdezət | aɪ kept maɪ ˈbɒdi

prəˈtektɪd frəm ðə sʌn ət ɔːl taɪmz | aʊə ɡaɪdz wʊdnt iːvn̩ let ʌs teɪk ɒf aʊə hæts |

ðeɪ sed ðət ikˈspəʊzɪŋ jʊəˈself tə ðə hɒt ˈdezət sʌn ˈkɔːzɪz ˌdiːhaɪˈdreɪʃən | wɪtʃ ɪn

ðə ˈdezət miːnz deθ

W: waʊ | aɪ ɡes ju hæf tə bi ˈveri ˈkeəfəl | səʊ wəz ɪt ə ɡʊd trɪp

M: ɡreɪt | ðə səˈhærə ɪz səʊ ˈwʌndəfəl tə siː | ˈdjʊərɪŋ ðə deɪ | ˈevriθɪŋ lʊks waɪt | bət

wen ðə sʌn ɪs ləʊ | ɪn ðə ˈmɔːnɪŋ | ɔː wen ðə sʌn ɪz setɪŋ | ɪts ˈpɒzətɪvli əˈmeɪzɪŋ tə

siː ðə ˈkʌləz ənd ʃeɪps ənd ði ɪnˈkredɪbl̩ ikˈspæns əv ðə skaɪ | ənd ɪt wəz ɡʊd ɪn ʌðə

weɪz tuː

W: wɒt du ju miːn

M: aɪ hæd sʌtʃ ə ɡʊd taɪm tɔːkɪŋ tə ðə piːpl̩ hu lɪv ðeə | ðeɪ ər əˈmʌŋ ðə ˈkaɪndɪst

ənd ˈfrendliɪst piːpl̩ aɪv ˈevə met