Chapter 1 - 4

04 Service Encounter

Listen to a conversation between a student and a university employee. Fill in the diagram with the information that you hear.

M: Excuse me, are you an Ra here at the residence hall?

W: No, sorry, I just work at the front desk. Did you need help with something?

M: Well, yeah, actually. Maybe you can help me out. This is kind of embarrassing.

I went to take a shower, and when I got back to my room, my roommate had left and locked the door behind him.

Well, I didn’t take my keys with me, so now I have no way to get back into my room. This has never happened to us before. You know, usually he’s in there when I’m getting ready to go to class.

He must have had to run off early for some reason this morning.

Would have been nice of him to tell me… Anyway, is there anything you can do to help me out?

W: OK, well, we have a key back here that we can use to get into your room.

Do you have your student ID with you by any chance?

M: No, I don’t… it’s in my room, along with everything else.

W: OK. I don’t think that’s a big problem. I’m sure we can just take a look at it once we let you in.

Just let me go grab the key… Oh, you know what? I just remembered that one of the Ras has the key right now.

He checked it out just a few minutes ago. I think he said someone was locked out of their room, just like you.

M: Do you have any idea when he’s going to be back? I really need to get my stuff from my room.

W: I’m not sure when he’ll be back.

M: I have a midterm to get to in, like, twenty minutes. I have to be able to get into my room and get my backpack and my −

W: Well, I can tell you who has the key. Let me take a look here. OK, the list says that Keith has it. Maybe you could try to track him down. As long as he has the key, he’d be able to let you in.

M: OK, I guess I could try that. There’s no other way? I’m really in a hurry and this place is pretty big. I doubt I’ll be able to find him in time.

W: Well, the only other person I can think of that might have a key would be someone on the custodial staff.

They have keys to pretty much everything, and they’d definitely have a key for all of the rooms. I don’t know if there are any custodians around, but you could try that.

Then you could just have me come with you so I can check your ID and everything.

M: And you’re not sure where a custodian might be right now?

W: I have no idea. Sorry.

M: That’s all right. I’ll try to track one of them down. Thanks for your help.

1) What is the main topic of the conversation?

2) What aspect of the student’s problem does the desk employee help with?