Exchange Host
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Kate | Todd |
Todd: Now Kate, you said that you actually had exchange students live with you…
Kate: I did.
Todd: …in New Zealand.
Kate: I’ve had 3 exchange students.
Todd: Ok, can you talk about each one?
Kate: Yep, the first one, she was very young, she was 14 I think at the time, so it was quite difficult for her to come to another country by herself, but by the end of 2 weeks she was in tears when she left our family. She was just so happy and overjoyed. And we still keep in contact.
Todd: What was her name?
Kate: Ariko.
Todd: Oh, ok.
Kate: Ariko.
Todd: So were all the exchange students from Japan?
Kate: They were. Three from Japan.
Todd: Who else did you have come to stay with you?
Kate: The next one was interesting. She was from Kanto.. Kansai, near Osaka in Japan. And she actually…she was in a band, a brass band, an orchestra. She actually came to New Zealand to just play in this orchestra. She was a very lovely girl. She spoke fluent English so we had no problems in communicating.
Todd: How long did she stay?
Kate: She stayed for 3 weeks actually. A bit longer.
Todd: You said there was one more…
Kate: One more was Ayako. She was older, she was actually more my brother’s age so she spent a lot of time with my brother rather than with me ‘cause I was going to school every day.
Todd: Oh, I see.
Kate: But we still got on very well. And my most memorable moment was going horse riding with her.
Todd: Oh, nice. Had she been on a horse before?
Kate: No, first time.
Todd: She must have been pretty scared of the horses!
Kate: Yeah she was.
by herself
It was quite difficult for her to come to another country by herself.
If a woman is "by herself," then she is alone or with people she doesn't know. Notice the following:
- She went to the cinema by herself.
- He likes to go for walks by himself when he is stressed.
overjoyed
She was just so happy and overjoyed.
"Overjoyed" is excessively pleased or excited. You feel overjoyed if you get the job you have always wanted. Notice the following:
- She sounded overjoyed when she told me she was getting married.
- They were overjoyed when they won the lottery.
keep in contact
We still keep in contact.
If you "keep in contact," you continue communication with a person using a telephone, email or letters. Notice the following:
- She was my friend in university, but we didn't keep in contact after that.
- It is much easier to keep in contact with friends now that we can use the internet.
brass band
She was in a band, a brass band, an orchestra.
The "brass band" is the part of a musical band with brass instruments such as the tuba, trombone, trumpet or french horn. Notice the following:
- There was a brass band in the parade today.
- She was a member of the brass band in high school and played the trumpet.
get on
But we still got on very well.
If you have a good relationship with someone, then you "get on" well with him. Notice the following:
- I think you will get on well with my friend Grace. She loves to laugh too.
- Do you get on well with your mother-in-law?
Vocabulary Quiz
brass band • got on
