1) Read each expression out loud one by one.

—Guess what?

—To be precise...

—Let me be perfectly clear.

—Here’s the bottom line.

—You won’t believe this.

—To make a long story short…

—Did you hear what happened?

—You’ll never guess what I heard!

2) Play the roles of Morgan and Karenna in the following text-based dialogue after reading it loud, paying attention to the underlined expressions.

Morgan:And guess what?Mrs. Thompson wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing!

Karenna: Did she?

Morgan: Yes.She also wore the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

Karenna: Why did she do that?

Morgan:To be precise,Mrs. Thompson was trying to tell Teddy by her behavior that she greatly valued all he had given her, since his actionshad helped her become a much better teacher.

Karenna:  Really? I’m not sure I get it…

Morgan:To make a long story short,she wanted Teddy to know he was the one who had taught her that she could make a real difference in a student’s life.

Karenna: Oh,now I got it! Thanks.

*Since you know how Mrs. Thompson and Teddy’s story ends, give your thoughts on the importance of saying thank you. The following may serve as an example:

Topic:Saying Thank You

I like the way the teacher’s story ends. Both Dr. Stoddard and Mrs. Thompson were thankful to each other for adifference each had made in the other’s life.   

In the real world, you need to be thankful to those people who say something to or do something for you that has helped or made a difference in your life. All you need to do is say “thank you.” It’s best, too, to mention what you are thankful for. You’ll notice an important difference in the quality of your life.

Saying thank you is easy yet very meaningful both for yourself and others. This is because by appreciating(感谢)other people’s care and help you don’t just recognize them; at the same time you add meaning to your own life.