來自世界不同地方的六位學生在美國相遇。他們都是交換學生，到美國大學就讀一個學期，學習英語，了解美國文化，同時修專業課程。英語「日常會話」 (Everyday Conversations)系列圍繞這六位學生在美國的經歷展開。這套材料適於中級或中級以上英語水平的學生使用。
兩個學生（Peter and Akinyi）談清潔安全飲水的重要。
Peter: Is that a straw?
Akinyi: Yes. Isn’t it great? This is a solution to water scarcity.
Peter: You’re starting to sound a bit like Lee. Are you studying water scarcity in a class? And how is a straw the solution?
Akinyi: I’m studying the business model of one company that creates these filter straws. Believe it or not, this straw is a portable water purifier.
Peter: Is there really a large need for a water purifier to be portable?
Akinyi: Definitely. We all know that clean and safe water is essential to healthy living. But lack of clean water can affect the education of many children in the world.
Peter: Really? How?
Akinyi: Well, for example, students might get sick from drinking unsafe water and miss school.
Peter: And if students can carry filter straws, then they can always drink safe water?
Akinyi: Exactly. The straws have iodine, charcoal and filters – these combine to reduce harmful particles and remove bacteria. And they last up to a year!
Peter: Wow. That seems like a great solution for people without access to clean and safe drinking water.
讓我們來學習一些詞語（也可閱讀英文解釋）：A straw：喝飲料用的吸管
Water scarcity ：缺水，也可指缺少清潔飲水
A business model ：商務模型，通常包含宗旨、目標以及達標步驟或舉措
A filter ：過濾裝置，用於過濾清除水或空氣中的有害物質。在這個對話中，過濾吸管是用於飲水。吸管帶有過濾裝置，可以將有害細菌（可致病的微生物）和顆粒物質從水中去除。
形容某件東西 portable，是指它可以被攜帶，即可攜式的。
To purify 的意思是淨化。A water purifier是生水淨化器 。
Essential: 必要的，極其重要的，絕對需要的
Iodine：碘。它有殺菌功能，可被用來淨化水。
Charcoal ：木炭。它可清除水中有害物質，並改善水的味道，因此也被用來淨化水。
Bacteria ：細菌，（複數bacterium）
有興趣聽更多英語對話嗎？請瀏覽「英語學習」專題網頁。
American English 網站提供可供英語學生和教師免費使用的多種英語資源。American English Facebook網頁提供每天更新的英語學習資料。
「日常會話」由美國國務院教育與文化事務局英語語言項目處（Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs）資深項目官員海蒂·豪蘭（Heidi Howland）編寫。
Everyday conversations: What do you want to drink? [audio]Six students from around the world meet. What do they have in common? They are all exchange students studying at a U.S. university for a semester. Throughout the semester, they learn more English, learn about U.S. culture, and learn more about their fields of study. This series of Everyday Conversations is about these six students and their experiences during a semester at a university in the U.S. These conversations are for intermediate-level English-language learners or higher.
Two students (Peter and Akinyi) discuss the importance of clean, safe drinking water.
Peter: Is that a straw?
Akinyi: Yes. Isn’t it great? This is a solution to water scarcity.
Peter: You’re starting to sound a bit like Lee. Are you studying water scarcity in a class? And how is a straw the solution?
Akinyi: I’m studying the business model of one company that creates these filter straws. Believe it or not, this straw is a portable water purifier.
Peter: Is there really a large need for a water purifier to be portable?
Akinyi: Definitely. We all know that clean and safe water is essential to healthy living. But lack of clean water can affect the education of many children in the world.
Peter: Really? How?
Akinyi: Well, for example, students might get sick from drinking unsafe water and miss school.
Peter: And if students can carry filter straws, then they can always drink safe water?
Akinyi: Exactly. The straws have iodine, charcoal and filters – these combine to reduce harmful particles and remove bacteria. And they last up to a year!
Peter: Wow. That seems like a great solution for people without access to clean and safe drinking water.
Now let’s review the vocabulary.A straw is a thin, hollow tube that is used to suck water or other drinks from a container.
Water scarcity is the lack of water or the lack of access to clean, safe water.
A business model is a design for the success of a business, including its purpose, goals and ways to achieve its goals.
A filter is a device that removes unwanted things (such as particles) from a liquid or gas. In this conversation, a filter straw is a straw for drinking water. The straw has a filter, and this filter removes unwanted bacteria (very small living organisms that often cause diseases) and particles from the water.
When something is portable, it is easy to carry and move around.
To purify means to remove bad substances from something. A water purifierremoves harmful substances from water.
Essential: necessary; extremely important; absolutely needed.
Iodine is a chemical element. It is used in water purification because it kills many bad small organisms in water.
Charcoal is a form of carbon. It is used in water purification because it removes harmful materials in water and improves the taste of water.
Bacteria (plural of bacterium): very small living organisms that often cause diseases.
Ready to learn more English? Our materials can help.
The American English website offers a variety of free resources for learners and teachers of English. The American English Facebook page posts learning materials for English-language learners daily.
Everyday Conversations are developed by the State Department’s Heidi Howland, a senior program officer in the Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.