How to Use Language Lab

NARRATOR:Listen to a conversation between a student and the language lab manager.

MALE STUDENT:Hi, I'm not sure, but err... is this the Carter language lab?

FEMALE MANAGER:Yes, it is. How can I help you?

MALE STUDENT:I’m taking first-year Spanish this semester. Our professor says that we need to come here to view a series of videos.I think it’s called Spanish: Working on Your Accent.

FEMALE MANAGER:Yes, we have that... Um, they’re on the wall behind you.

MALE STUDENT:Okay,so, I can just take... err... can I take the whole series home? I think there are three of them.

FEMALE MANAGER:I guess you haven't been here before.

MALE STUDENT:No, no I haven't.

FEMALE MANAGER:Ok, well, you have to watch the videos here.You need to sign in to reserve an open room, and sign out the video you need. Just start with the first one in the series, each video is half an hour long.

MALE STUDENT:So, it is a video library, basically?

FEMALE MANAGER:Yes, but unlike the library, you can't take any videos out of the lab.

MALE STUDENT:OK... So, how long can I use a video room for?

FEMALE MANAGER:You can sign up for two hours at a time.

MALE STUDENT:Oh, good, so I can watch more than one video when I come up here.Is the lab pretty busy all the time?

FEMALE MANAGER:Well, rooms are usually full right after dinner time, but you can sign up the day before to reserve the room if you want.

MALE STUDENT:[musing] Hmmm, the day before . . . But I can just stop in too . . . to see if there’re any rooms open, right?

FEMALE MANAGER:Sure, stop in any time.

MALE STUDENT:What about copies of the videos? Is there just one copy of each in the series?I don't want to miss out if everyone comes in advance.

FEMALE MANAGER:Oh, no, we have several copies of each tape in the Spanish accent series.We usually have multiple copies of everything for each video collection.

MALE STUDENT:Super. So... how many rooms are there total in the lab?

FEMALE MANAGER:Twenty. They’re pretty small, so we normally get one person or no more than a small group of people in there watching a video together.Actually, someone else from your class just came in and took the first Spanish video in to watch.You could probably run in there and watch it with them.Of course, you are welcome to have own room, but sometimes students like to watch with a classmate so they can review the material with each other afterwards... for example, if there was some content they didn’t really understand.

MALE STUDENT:I guess I prefer my own room.I concentrate better by myself and I don't want to miss anything, you know, and he’s probably already started watching it...

FEMALE MANAGER:No problem, we've got a lot of rooms open right now.When you come in, you sign your name on the list and you're assigned a room number ,or if you call in advance, then the attendant will tell you your room number, if you forget, just come in and take a look at the list.The videos are over there.

MALE STUDENT:Great, thanks.