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Self-help Books

Date: Jun 19 2001

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Do you like to read? Have you ever read books on how to improve yourself? These types of books are very popular in the U.S.
In this conversation, Tanis and I talk about how reading self-help books can help you be a better person. Come listen!

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

John

Tanis

John: Have you ever read that book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People?”

Tanis: Oh my gosh. I can’t even believe you’re bringing that one up. Yes, I have read that book!

John: I just got it from one of my friends. She loved it and she recommended it to me and… The title’s kind of funny but, you know, there’s a lot of good stuff in there.

Tanis: Oh, that’s a great book. And you know, it was written so long ago but the information in it is really valuable.

John: So, you’ve read it?

Tanis: Well, yeah. In fact, when I was a little kid, my dad once a week after dinner… We’d be stuck at the dinner table and my dad would read us different excerpts from different motivational speakers’ books and things like that…

John: Seriously?

Tanis: Yes!

John: And how old were you?

Tanis: Oh, I think this started when I was eight maybe. But, we were ingrained with all this, kind of, positive mental attitude and excepting others and negotiating and all these things that really have been so useful as an adult.

John: Yeah. I think this age, you know, at any age it’s good to read that kind of stuff and listen to speakers and you can always get new ideas and it kind of helps you refocus what you’re trying to do.

Tanis: Definitely. I think probably the most valuable thing I got from all that was just to, sort of, innately look for the good in things, in like, situations and in people and to always believe that anything is possible.

John: Well, now I’m motivated to finish that book!

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Discussion

So, what do you think? Do you feel like going out and buying a self-help book right now? :)
What about Tanis’ dad reading this kind of material to her when she was so young? Do you think that’s a good thing? Tanis believes it was. She believes that because her dad did that for her, she is a better person today.
This is a high-level conversation. The sentences are long, the words are tough and we both speak fairly fast.
I hope you enjoyed this lesson on self-help books. Write to us if you have any you’d like to share!
Ciao for now!
John