OFFICIAL10 Why is the professor not going to discuss the book by Jane Bowles in the class?

[00:00.00]Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and an employee in the university bookstore.
[00:08.39]MALE STUDENT: Hi, I bought this book at the beginning of the semester, but something’s come up, and I’d like to return it.
[00:15.70]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: Well, for a full refund, store policy is that you have to return merchandise two weeks from the time it was purchased, [00:22.22]but for assigned textbooks or anything having to do with specific courses… [00:27.09]wait, was it for a specific course?
[00:29.41]MALE STUDENT: Yes, but , uh, actually…
[00:31.15]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: Well, for course books, the deadline is four weeks after the beginning of the semester. [00:35.40]So for this fall semester, the deadline was October first.
[00:39.39]MALE STUDENT: Ouch! Then I missed it. [00:41.22]But, uh, why October first?
[00:43.26]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: I guess the reasoning is that by October first, the semester is in full gear [00:47.91]and everyone kinda knows what courses they’ll be taking that semester.
[00:51.20]MALE STUDENT: I get it. So, it’s mainly for people who decide to withdraw from… uh, to change to new courses early on…
[00:57.34]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: Exactly. [00:58.33]The books have to be in perfect condition of course; [01:00.81]they can’t be marked up or look used in any way. For the full refund, I mean.
[01:05.72]MALE STUDENT: Well, but uh, see, my situation is a little different… [01:08.94]I-I hoped you might be able to make an exception.
[01:10.97]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: Well, the policies are generally pretty rigid—and the semester is almost over.
[01:15.83]MALE STUDENT: OK—here’s what happened… [01:17.92]uh, I think my professor really miscalculated. [01:21.50]Anyway, the syllabus was way too ambitious in my opinion. [01:24.53]There are only two weeks of classes left in the semester, and there are, like, six books on the syllabus that we haven’t even touched.
[01:31.48]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: I see. So you were hoping to return this one.
[01:34.35]MALE STUDENT: Yeah—the professor already announced that we won’t be reading this one by Jane Bowles. And all the others I bought used.
[01:40.60]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: Jane Bowles? Which book of hers?
[01:42.79]MALE STUDENT: It’s called Two Serious Ladies.
[01:45.14]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: Oh! But you should keep that one! [01:47.22]Are you interested in literature?
[01:48.77]MALE STUDENT: Well, I am an English major…
[01:50.86]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: You’re lucky to have a professor who includes a lesser-known writer like her on the syllabus. You know, not the usual authors we’ve all read.
[01:58.23]MALE STUDENT: So you really think, uh …?
[01:59.51]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: I do, and especially if you’re into literature.
[02:02.49]MALE STUDENT: Hmm, well, I wasn’t expecting. I mean, uh, wow!
[02:07.97]FEMALE EMPLOYEE: I hope you don’t think I’m being too pushy. [02:10.26]If you prefer, you can return the book and arrange for a store credit. [02:14.30]You don’t qualify for a refund—[02:16.59]policy is policy, after all—but you can make an exchange. And you can use the credit for your books for next semester. [02:23.75]The credit carries over from one semester to the next.
[02:26.61]MALE STUDENT: Hmm—that’s good to know. But now I’m really intrigued. [02:29.52]I guess that just because we ran out of time to read this book in class doesn’t mean that I can’t read it on my own time. [02:35.27]You know, I think I’ll give it a try.