RUTH: Welcome to another programme in the teaching English series 'Say It Again'. Today I have Bela here with me. Hello Bela.

BELA: Hello, Ruth.

RUTH: Today we've a new drama to listen to. The 'Grace' in our drama finally has her birthday party. Let's start by listening to our new drama. It's the evening of Grace's party. Bill is Grace's first guest to arrive. Listen out for how Grace and Paul greet him. Also listen out for the list of food that is there for the guests to eat.

Conversation

RUTH: So Bela, did you notice how Paul greeted Bill?

BELA: Yes Ruth, I did. Paul said, 'Come in! Come in!'

RUTH: Yes! That's a warm greeting. Not just 'Come in!' and nothing else, but he repeated it. 'Come in! Come in!' Did you notice what Paul said then?

BELA: Paul said, 'It's good to see you!'

RUTH: Yes! That means Bill's very welcomed and perhaps they haven't seen him for a long time. Paul also said, 'You look great!'

BELA: Paul also said 'You look great!' to Grace.

RUTH: Yes! Everyone dresses up for a party, so you can politely say something about how people look. You only say good things at a party however.

BELA: 'To dress up' means that you put on nice clothes and maybe if it were me going to a party, I would put on some facial make-up.' Is that right?

RUTH: Yes, it is. It's always special when I'm invited to a party. I like putting on special clothes and make-up.

RUTH: Bela, did you hear how Paul greeted his friends?

BELA: Well, we've already said, 'Come in! Come in!' But Paul also said, 'It's good to see you.' And he said, 'You look great!'

RUTH: Yes, let's practice each of those welcomes. I'll say them first, then you say them again with Bela. 'Come in! Come in!'

BELA: 'Come in! Come in!'

RUTH: That's right. Paul then said, 'It's good to see you.'

BELA: 'It's good to see you.'

RUTH: The last phrase Paul used was - 'You look great!'

BELA: 'You look great!'

RUTH: As something different today, I thought we'll have our true story in the middle of our teaching. Leslie was born in Russia. He wanted to find out for himself if there was a God. He began to read the bible but found it very hard to continue when none of his friends believed in what he was reading. Listen to how Leslie found out more about the Christian God. His story is being read by Dick.

Story Testimony

Like many other young people brought up in Russia, I didn't believe in any God. I had a bible at home and began to read it, but there was no one to help me answer my questions. So I stopped reading it. I was embarrassed to speak to other people about my thoughts and I began to 'hate' the God that I read about. It was during this time that I threw away my bible.

I began to be involved in many wrong things. My mind became disturbed and I started to think there were invisible people following me. I was terrified and frightened. It was as my life was becoming even more disturbed that I suddenly had a very clear thought - 'I need to return to God.' I met some Christians and I started to go to their church. I found the atmosphere very open and friendly. I was able to share my questions with these people. I invited into my life Jesus Christ, God's son. I also prayed about all my sicknesses. It was at that moment that God performed a miracle in my life. He healed me completely. Since then, I've had no trouble with my health.

My faith isn't shared by my relatives and friends. Nobody seemed to understand me, so I decided to leave my hometown and move to another town to be with my Christian friends. It was there I met Idle who later became my wife. I know that I have found real peace in my life.

God has done amazing things for me over the last few years. Many of my old friends have come to know Jesus Christ for themselves. Their lives like mine were full of sin but God has changed their lives too. There are still many problems I have to face but now I know that with God's help, I can overcome these things. So I am not afraid of anything. I will follow Jesus Christ.

RUTH: Listen again to some of the drama we heard earlier. Listen out for all the food that's mentioned. See if you can make a list. Also, can you hear some more polite phrases Grace says to her guests?

Conversation

RUTH: So Bela, did you make a list of the food you heard?

BELA: Yes Ruth I did. 'There were pizzas, sausage rolls, drinks and birthday cake'. Is that right?

RUTH: Yes it is. There was no mention of the bread rolls or roast pork we heard them buy in an earlier programme, but I'm sure it was there. Did you remember about making lists? Bela gave her list and before the last item on it, she used the word 'and'. Bela will you repeat your list again? When she's said it, why don't you repeat it with me?

BELA: 'There were pizzas, sausage rolls, drinks and birthday cake.'

RUTH: Now say it again with me - 'There were pizzas, sausage rolls, drinks and birthday cake.' The other thing I asked you to listen out for was any other polite phrases you heard Grace use with her guests. Bela, did you notice one?

BELA: Grace said, 'There's plenty.' I think this referred to the food. Grace was telling her guests there was plenty of food.

RUTH: Yes! We know there was plenty as we went shopping with Grace and Paul a few programmes earlier! Do you remember they bought a lot of bread rolls, drinks and roast pork?

RUTH: Earlier, Bela and I were practising polite phrases used when welcoming guests to a party. Bela can you remember any of them?

BELA: Yes Ruth. The first was 'Come in! Come In!'. That is a very polite way to welcome guests.

RUTH: That's right. 'Come in! Come in!' is very polite. It's also used when you're very pleased to see someone. I wonder if Bill, Paul and Grace's friend, had been away. They were very happy to see him. Let's practice this phrase again. I'll say it first. Why don't you say it again after me with Bela. 'Come in! Come in! '

BELA: 'Come in! Come in! '

RUTH: I think you could also say, 'Come in! Come in! It's lovely to see you.' That would be a very good welcome for a friend. Bela, why don't you say that again after me? 'Come in! Come in! It's lovely to see you.'

BELA: 'Come in! Come in! It's lovely to see you.'

RUTH: With the repeat of that lovely welcome, it's time to say goodbye. Bela and I hope that you'll join us again for our next programme. We'll hear again Grace's birthday party. And there'll be another chance to practice polite phrases you can use when you have a party. Until then.

BOTH: Goodbye.