Диалоги на английском языке с переводом (уровень Intermediate). № 80. Тема: Расписание автобусов.

Which person talks about…

(1) sometimes not sleeping enough? C
(2) having difficulties waking up? E
(3) going to bed late? A
(4) feeling sleepy during the day? F
(5) suffering from insomnia? D
(6) having bad dreams? B

SLEEP CLINIC

A Personally, I've never had any problems getting enough sleep. The only problem I might have is with neighbours that consider the hours I keep a bit strange. I'm not exactly what you call an early bird. I guess it's mainly because of my work, but I've always been more of a night owl. I like the stillness of night, it allows me to connect with my thoughts and relax. I play my music but not too loud because I don't want complaints from the neighbours. I'm just doing my own thing. I feel great and I'm not hurting anyone so why not?

B It all started a few months ago, just after I left my last job in fact. I think there must be some issues left unresolved from that time which I still haven't come to terms with. It's ironic really when you consider that I'm under a lot less pressure now than I was then. I think I just burnt myself out. The doctor says the nightmares are just my mind's way of trying to reconcile the loss of my home and have got nothing to do with my work. He could be right. I don't know. What do you think?

C There just aren't enough hours in the day during the week. I'm literally rushed off my feet from the crack of dawn to last thing at night. Then when my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light. Fortunately, I sleep like a baby most nights. I don't exactly bounce out of bed in the mornings but I'm alright after I've had a shower. Of course, I have to catch up at the weekends otherwise I'd be good for nothing. It's probably not all that healthy but it all adds up in the end, doesn't it?

D At bedtime, my mind is all a buzz, thinking about this and that. To take my mind off things, I sometimes get up and play on the computer until I'm too tired to do even that. If that doesn't work, I'll read a book or watch television. My wife says I should just lie still, which is easier said than done. I've tried counting sheep but that's boring as well as ineffective. I've started taking herbal teas about an hour before bedtime and although that isn't totally effective, it does seem to reduce my anxiety levels.

E I'm what you might call a heavy sleeper. I once woke up to find that there had been a massive storm in the night and just about every tree in the street had been up-ended. Quite a shock that was. It doesn't present much of a problem except when there's a break to my routine and I've got to get up earlier than usual or something like that. Sleeping through the alarm clock used to be a habit of mine but I think I've cured myself of it. I practically lost a job once because I didn't hear the thing go off.

F We moved up from London a couple of weeks ago but I still haven't fully adjusted yet. To save some money we hired a couple of big trucks and moved ourselves, but even then it took us two round trips. It was definitely worth it in the end though. The afternoons are most difficult. I can't seem to get through them without yawning and wanting to curl up like a kitten. After lunch all I want to do is have a nap. My neighbour says that's perfectly natural and that in plenty of other countries that's what people do.