Conversationsponger.docx

Sponger Neil : hello and welcome to teh english we speak, i’m neil. Li : and li. Neil, is that a new watch ? Neil : yes i got it from my parents. Li : oh that’s nice. Neil : did i tell you i’m going to holiday soon ? Li : no, where ? Neil : to hawaii. Li : wow, how can you afford a holiday to hawaii ? Neil : my in-laws paid for it. We told them it was too expensive but, you know, we just need holiday. Li : hmm.... so your in-laws have paid for holiday too? Neil : i’m thinking of giving up work actually,li. Li : giving up work ? what about the cost a living ? Neil : oh my wife can work. You know what, li ? i really need to move into a bigger house in a nicer part of london. Li : but you just talk me but you’re going to give up work! How can you afford a new house if you have no job ? Neil my grandparents will give me some money. They always do. Li : neil, there’s a word for people like you. You’re a sponger! Neil : a sponger!? How rude? A : when i was at university i had no money at all. I had to buy second-hand clothes and i could never afford to go out fo ra meal even though i had apart-time job. B : yeah me too,but there were all these other students with cars and designer labels eating in expensive restaurant all paid for by daddy. A : what a bunch of spongers ? B : yeah.

Li : a sponger is a person who gets money, food and otehr things from other people without paying. Often it’s used very negatively to describe people who live off state benefits. Neil : just like a sponge. Li : yes, a sponge. Neil : a sponge soaks up the water all around it. A sponger soaks up gifts,food and money without working. And itcan also be used as a verb- to spone off someone. Li : yes, it’s also a verb ‘to sponge off someone’. Be careful to use the word ‘off’ with this verb. Neil : whether it’s a verb or a noun, it’s still not a nice thing to say about someone, li. Li : well i’m sorry to be rude, but it’s true-you are a sponger. Neil : you’re right. I’m sponger but i’m proud of it. Do you fancy taking me out for dinner ? there’s fantastic restaurant i’ve been meaning to go to. It’s very very expensive, but you can afford it li. Li : he’s trying to sponge a meal off me! What a sponger...