Crank Calls

Here are some more crank calls - those funny telephone calls that are designed to wind people up. Have fun listening to these two. (US English spelling) (answers on page 46)

Crank Call I: The Animal Home

For this call we phoned up a home for abandoned animals. Listen to the conversation and answer this question: Why did we phone the animal home?

Victim: Harper’s Animal Refuge, how can I help you? Hot: Oh, hello. Victim Hello? Hot: Yes, hello. Is this the place that takes in abandoned animals? Victim: Yes, that’s right. We take care of abandoned animals. How can I help you? Hot: Well, I recently purchased a puppy for my son. Unfortunately, he’s decided he doesn’t want it any more, and I was wondering whether you could take it off my hands. Victim: We deal with abandoned animals. Hot: Yes, I know. You just told me that. So, can I bring the dog round? Victim: No, you can’t. Hot: Well, I’m going to abandon it anyway. So, I’m just trying to save you a bit of trouble. Victim: Frankly, I find your attitude appalling. Hot: Well, how much would it cost me to put the dog to sleep? Victim: We’re talking about a living creature here. It’s your responsibility to educate your son on these matters… Hot: …You don’t know what my son is like. He can be very persuasive at times. Anyway, I won’t waste your time any longer, bye… Victim: Erm… wait… (sound of a gunshot and a yelp)

Crank Call II:The Early Morning Call

For this call, we put in a classified ad (see advert on this page) offering a cheap car. It didn’t take long before we had a response. Listen to the telephone conversation and answer this question: Why does the ad say “call am”?

Hot: Yeah? Victim: Oh, hi, I was calling about the ad. Hot: What? Victim: The ad. You have an ad about a car. Hot: It’s two in the morning. Who the hell are you? Victim: Your ad said “call am”. Hot: No, it said “Call Amy”. Victim: No, man, I got it here. It definitely says “call am”. You know, like, in the morning. Check it out. Hot: Oh no, I told them to get it right. Victim: Sorry about that. It definitely says “call am”. Hot: Yeah, no problem. Bye. Victim: Bye… hey, what, what about the car? Hot: Car’s going for $450. Victim: That’s cheap. Hot: Yeah, phone back later, and you can speak to Amy.

G L O S S A R Y

to wind someone up phr vb to irritate someone and make them angry to take in phr vb if an organisation “takes in” an abandoned animal, it accepts that animal and takes responsibility for it to take care of exp to look after something; to give food, warmth, love, etc to something a puppy n a young dog I was wondering whether… exp this means: “I wanted to know if…” to take something off your hands exp if someone “takes something off your hands”, they take that thing from you so you are no longer responsible for that thing to bring round phr vb to take something to the place you are referring to appalling adj terrible, horrible to put a dog to sleep exp to kill a dog by giving it drugs so it goes to sleep permanently persuasive adj convincing, manipulative a yelp n a cry of pain a classified ad n some text you put in a newspaper offering to buy or sell something am n in this case “am” means “a.m.” (between midnight and midday) the hell exp inform people use this expression to show they are angry you know exp this is an expression we use in conversation to see if people understand or are following our conversation. It doesn’t really mean anything l ke exp a word people use in conversations as they are trying to think what to say check it out exp this means: “look at it” going for $450 exp if an object is “going for $450”, it costs $450

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