Lesson 21

Dialogue I

Qian: Little Bai, how quickly time passes! School will be over in a month. Do you have

any plans?

Bai: I don't have an idea yet. What about you, Old Qian?

Qian: I'm going to Taiwan.

Bai: Really? What will you be doing in Taiwan?

Qian: I'd like to teach English, and learn Chinese at the same time. When I'm free, I'll

travel to different places in Taiwan.

Bai: Have you been to Taiwan before?

Qian: No. This will be my first time.

Bai: When are you going?

Qian: I plan to go in mid June. I've got my passport, but I haven't applied for my visa

yet.

Bai: I heard it isn't difficult to get a visa to go to Taiwan, but it's difficult to get a plane

ticket in June. You'd better book your ticket right away.

Qian: There was an ad in yesterday's paper. Northwest and China Airlines are

discounting their air fares. But I've been so busy that I haven't had the time to call.

Bai: My brother works at a travel agency. Give me your itinerary. I'll ask him to take

care of it.

Qian: That'd be great. Can I get a discount?

Bai: Uh... I'll ask him to give you ten percent off, but you have to take me to dinner.

Qian: That's no problem.

Bai. It's settled then.

Qian: OK, it's settled.

Dialogue II

Agent: Hello, Dazhong Travel Agency.

Wang Peng: Hi. Miss, could you tell me how much is a ticket to Beijing in early June?

Agent: Would you like to get a one-way or round-trip ticket?

Wang Peng: I'd like to get a round-trip ticket.

Agent: With some airlines it's a little over a thousand dollars. With others it's less

than a thousand. Which airline's (ticket) would you like to get?

Wang Peng: Whichever airline that has the cheapest airfare.

Agent: Where do you plan to depart from?

Wang Peng: Washington.

Agent: Korean Airlines has the cheapest ticket.

Wang Peng: What's Korean Airlines' itinerary?

Agent: From Washington to Chicago first. You'd change planes in Chicago to go

to Los Angeles. Then direct from Los Angeles to Seoul. You'd stay there

overnight, and then fly to Hong Kong. Then it's from Hong Kong to

Be~ng.

Wang Peng: That's too much hassle. Are there direct flights from Los Angeles to

Beijing?

Agent: Yes, both Northwest and Air China (fly from LA to Beijing), but their fares

are two hundred dollars more.

Wang Peng: (If) I book a ticket now, when would I have to pay?

Agent: Within a week.

Wang Peng: All right. I'll think about it. Then I'll give you a call.

Agent: There's a discount on air fares this week. Prices will go up next week. If

you want to book a ticket, you have to act quickly.