Reader 16

May 11

The Phone Call

Alina sat at her kitchen table with her phone and internet bill in front of her. The total was fifteen dollars higher than usual, and she did not understand why.

She took a breath and said to herself, “Don’t get worked up before you even talk to someone.” Then she circled the extra charge and compared the new bill with the one from the previous month.

“I just need to walk through the numbers and ask what changed,” she said.

Alina called the internet company, but she had to wait on hold. After several minutes, she looked at the bill again and whispered, “Hang in there. Someone will answer soon.”

When a customer service worker finally answered, Alina explained the problem. “I’m calling because I need help understanding this equipment charge. It wasn’t on my last bill.”

The worker reviewed her account and discovered that the charge had been added by mistake. Alina asked two questions to make sure she understood what had happened.

“I’ll remove the charge and send you a corrected bill,” the worker said.

Alina wrote down the worker’s name and the confirmation number. After the call ended, she leaned back in her chair. The call had taken longer than expected, but staying calm had helped her get the information she needed.

VOCABULARY

Write the words or expressions from the story that are new to you or that you want to review.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Share your thoughts. Use details from the story to support your answers.

How does Alina prepare herself both emotionally and practically before calling? Explain how each type of preparation helps her address the problem.
What do Alina’s words to herself reveal about the difficulties she experiences? Use two details to explain how she manages her reactions.
Why might Alina ask questions and record the confirmation number even after the worker promises to remove the charge? What does this suggest about how she handles the solution?

LISTEN

Listen to the recording and respond in complete sentences.

What did the speaker say?
Do you agree or disagree with the speaker? Why?

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