IV. Listening Listening 1. Mark and Jeff

Mark has just called in to see his friend Jeff on his way home from playing football. Mark suggests that Jeff should try to become more successful.

1. Read questions 1, 2 and 3. Then listen and answer them.

2. What sort of person is Mark?

3. rude

4. lazy

5. friendly

6. aggressive

7. What sort of person is Jeff?

8. dominant

9. assertive

10. pushy

11. a bit shy

12. How would you describe Jeff's life?

13. routine

14. varied

15. interesting

16. stressful

Listen again, then discuss these questions:

1. Do you think Mark should try to change Jeff's life? Yes/No

2. Do you think Jeff should be more assertive? Yes/No

2. Listen again to Mark and Jeff.

Rewrite the sentences, changing the phrases in italics for words or phrases with the same or similar meanings. Make all changes necessary to the word order and structure of the sentence.

1. Mark popped in to see Jeff.

2. Orange juice coming up.

3. The relationship fizzled out.

4. Don't just sit back.

5. People will walk all over you.

6. You have to be pushy to get on in this world.

3. Make a script of the dialogue.

4. Learn the dialogue by heart and act it out.

5. Situations

1) Work in pairs

Student A.

On your way back from the University you decided to call on a friend of yours whom you haven't seen for a long time.

You are rather bored and depressed with your life - you've just broken off with your girlfriend; your professor didn't appreciate the report you made today, though you've been searching information for it very carefully.

You need some encouragement.

Student B.

You are back from a very interesting and exciting weekend. You feel terrific, full of energy and enthusiasm.

A friend of yours drops into your place. He looks tired and disappointed. Find out what the matter is and try to soothe and encourage him.

2) Work in groups of two or three.

Student A.

You were shopping and you decided to call on your friend on your way back. You have seen her with a handsome young man recently and now you are eager to know who he is and what's going on between them.

Student B.

You've just broken off with your new boyfriend. He wanted you to spend a weekend with him, but you thought it's too early and refused. He didn't phone you any more.

Your life is boring and stressful. Nobody notices your efforts at work (you are an interpreter and recently you have been working with a delegation of American businessmen.

Student C.

You were shopping with your friend (Student A) and you decided to call on your common friend (Student B) to have a chat.

On coming you find out that Student B is very depressed with her private life and career. Student A tries to encourage Student B but you think that she sounds rather aggressive. Try to stop Student A from pressing Student B and soothe Student B.

Listening 2. Are you clumsy or absent-minded?

1. Do you know what clumsy and absent-minded mean?

If not, look at these dictionary definitions.

Clumsy: awkward in movement or manner. A clumsy person often has accidents because their actions are not controlled or careful enough. Cambridge International Dictionary of English

absent-minded: likely to forget things, especially because you are thinking about something else. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

A clumsy person moves or handles things in a careless awkward way, often so that things are knocked over or broken. Collins COBUILD English Dictionary

Work with a partner, and use a dictionary where necessary.

Which of these sentences describe the typical actions of a

clumsy person? Which describe an absent-minded person?

Be careful: some sentences refer to neither.

1. I've smashed three glasses this week.

2. He tripped over running for the bus.

3. I crept along the path.

4. He's mislaid his keys.

5. She spilt the coffee down her new dress.

6. He leapt over the gate.

7. I bumped into the table.

8. She bruised her leg on the desk.

9. He left the gas on.

10. He vanished behind the trees.

11. She didn't turn up for the meeting.

12. I scratched the side of the car.

13. She ripped her shirt.

14. I've left my book at home again.

2. Are you (or were you) clumsy or absent-minded? If so, what sort of things do/did you do? Discuss in small groups, using any vocabulary from Exercise 1.

3. Listen to the two people on the recording and complete the tapescripts. Then compare with a partner.

My problem is ……………………………………………………..., important things, such as my front door key or my credit cards - that sort of stuff. And it's really irritating because I know they're important but ……………………………………………… in the house - I don't have one place you see where I keep these things - and within hours, minutes even, I can't remember where they are. My wife ……………………………………………. looking for things I'd mislaid, but now she refuses to lift a finger to help me.

I remember as a teenager I ………………………………………… and my body was covered in bruises all the time where I ………………………………………………and falling over. And at home I ……………………………………………………………………………….and smashing glasses - my mother would never let me do the washing up or anything like that, and for a while it got so bad that she …………………………………………………of value so that I couldn't get my hands on it and break it.

4. What examples do the speakers give to prove that they are really absent-minded and clumsy? Discuss with a partner. Answer the questions with your partner.

1. What forms does the man use to describe his absent-minded habits?

2. Why do you think he uses these forms, and not the present simple (e.g. 'I mislay things'; 'I put them down')?

3. What forms does the woman use to describe the clumsy habits she used to have?

4. Both speakers include used to + verb and the woman uses would + verb. Are these two forms interchangeable in all the examples here?

5. Listen to the recording. Are the speakers clumsy or absent-minded? What examples do they give? Make notes, then compare with a partner.