actually was beneficial . We altered the climate for the better, perhaps, by preventing an ice age . But then industrialization, of course, has drastically increased the amount of carbon dioxide that humans are putting into the atmosphere; the burning of fossil fuels, uh, tends to put a lot of CO2 into the atmosphere . Uh, [concerned] so we’re entering into uncharted territory now, in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, the concentrations of carbon dioxide that are now being put into the atmosphere as a result of industrialization and the use of fossil fuels.
Activity 8.4: Conversation Narrator:
Listen to a conversation between a student and a library employee.
Student:
Excuse me. I received a letter ... that I’m supposed to return a book that I checked out back in September— uh, it’s called Modern Social Problems — but I’m writing my senior thesis, so I thought I was allowed to keep the book for the whole academic year.
Employee: Student: Employee: Student: Employee: Student: Employee: Student: Employee: Student: Employee:
So you signed up for “Extended Borrowing Privileges?”
Yeah .
And we’re still asking you to bring the book back .
Uh huh . Do I really have to?
Well, let me check the computer. The title was Modern Social Problems ?
Yeah .
Uh … Okay, yeah, it’s been recalled. You can keep it all year as long as no one else requests it. But someone else has … it looks like one of the professors in the sociology department, so you have to bring it back. You can check it out again when it’s returned in a couple of weeks.
Well, what if the person renews it? And I really need it right now. All of it, or is there a certain section or chapter you’re working with? Well, there’s one chapter in particular I’m working with, but … why?
Well, we normally don’t do this, but because of the circumstances, we can photocopy up to one chapter of the book for you . Why don’t you do that for the one you’re working with right now— and by the time you need the rest of the book, maybe it’ll have been returned.
Student: Employee: Student:
Oh, well, that would be great . Do you have it with you?
Uh, no. It’s in my dorm room. These are books I want to check out today. Um, is it OK if I bring that by in a couple of days? Uh, actually, the due date is tomorrow—after that there will be a two dollar per day fine . But you need to return it today if you want to check out any books today. That’s our policy.
Employee:
Student: Employee:
Oh, I see .
Yeah, not a lot of people realize that . In fact, every semester we get a few students who’ve had their borrowing privileges suspended completely because they haven’t returned books . They’re allowed to use books only in the library; they’re not allowed to check anything out because of unreturned books.
Student: Employee:
That’s not good. I guess I should head back down to the dorm right now.
But before you go, what you should do is fill out a form requesting the book back in two weeks. Then the person who requested it won’t be able to renew it, and you’ll get it back quickly.
Student:
I’ll do that right now.
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