- •English: listening comprehension for medical students
- •International English
- •1. Complete the following sentence. Use the words from the list if you like. Then compare with other people in the class.
- •2. Why are you learning English? Complete the sentences below and number them in order of importance for you. Compare with a partner.
- •I. Dialogue
- •1. Vocabulary:
- •2. Are statements true or false?
- •3. Answer the questions:
- •II. 1. Listen to a student phoning a language school to find out about summer courses for her friend. Find this information.
- •2. Listen to the dialogue again. Complete the Function File with these words:
- •III. 1. Listen and follow the consequences. Can you continue the chain?
- •2. Make chains from these beginnings.
- •1. Try to predict answers to the questions. More than one answer is possible.
- •II. Listen to the people describing their holidays and correct the wrong information.
- •Vocabulary:
- •III. Listen to the short story. What happened a lovely summer day?
- •Vocabulary:
- •IV. Listen to four points of view about travelling and choose one that is close to you.
- •I. Listen to Conversations a to c. Complete Alicia's boarding pass. Then practice the conversations.
- •VII. Listen to useful advice about choosing the seats in the plane. What of them are the most important for you?
- •VIII. Discuss the following questions with other people in the class.
- •IX. Listen to the tape and fill in the gaps.
- •X. You use indirect questions to sound more polite. Complete the dialogue below. Then listen to see if you are correct.
- •I. Listen to the dialogues and find the words from your vocabulary
- •1. Conversation a
- •2. Conversation b
- •3. Conversation c
- •II. On the airplane there are instructions on video about the immigration form. Listen to the instructions, and complete the u.S. Arrival Record with true information.
- •III. Immigration control in San Diego, California. Listen and practice in groups of three.
- •1. Conversation a
- •2. Conversation b
- •2. Listen to the rest of Edgar's conversation at the hotel, and check (√) the boxes. What facilities does Edgar's room have?
- •3. Fill in the gaps, then listen to the dialogue to check it:
- •2. Conversation b
- •3. Conversation c
- •6. Conversation f
- •It's eleven thirty. Jack Hudson is at a fast food outlet in a mall.
- •VII. Listen to the tape and write down what food is in the fridges of different people.
- •VIII. Nutritionists say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but most people don't have a good breakfast. A market researcher is asking people about their breakfasts.
- •IX. Listen and say which sentences are true for you?
- •X. 1. Listen to the dialogue. Who says these things? Write f (the father), d (the daughter), or s (the son).
- •2. Listen. Tick (√) the things that the father orders.
- •Vocabulary:
- •XI. The following things were said during a business lunch. Who do you think probably said them - the host, the guest or could it be either? Write h, g or e next to each sentence.
- •Vocabulary:
- •XII. Listen to the tape and fill in the gaps.
- •XIII. You will hear an interview with Dr Cooper, a prominent dietician, talking about the British diet.
- •XV. 1. These are some of the instructions for making the food. They are in the wrong order.
- •2. Look at these verbs used to describe how food is prepared and cooked. Using your dictionary if necessary, divide the verbs in the box into those that talk about:
- •3. Use the verbs above to help you write the recipe for a dish from your country.
- •2. Read the opinions and match them to the speakers.
- •XVII. Nowadays there are too many choices.
- •XVIII. Listen to business people from different countries chatting over lunch and answer the questions.
- •III. Listen to the conversations and write down the addresses.
- •Internet
- •1. You are going to listen to a radio documentary on the history of the Internet. Choose the correct answers.
- •2. Listen to the radio documentary once again and fill in the gaps.
- •2. Conversation b
- •2. This is the voicemail of Bernard Lalo. Number these sentences from the message in the correct order.
- •3. Think of a colleague or client. Imagine you are leaving a voicemail message and complete this message in your own words.
- •V. Telephone manners
- •1. Phone etiquette
- •2. In the conversation, Sally shows interest and understanding. Read sentences 1-9 from the listening and tick what Sally says next: a or b. Then listen again and check your answers.
- •3. Listen to four telephone calls and match them to their description.
- •VI. Making appointments
- •Задания для I курса на видеоносителях
- •2. Watch and fill in the gaps.
- •3. Act the dialoque
- •4. Watch and fill in the gaps.
- •5. Watch the dialogue and act the meeting at the medical conference.
- •6. Watch the dialogue and remember the way to the Business Centre.
- •7. What food do the visitors order? Remember some exotic dishes from the menu.
- •8. Act the dialogues and make your own ones according to these models.
- •1. Listen to the dialogue and fill in the card.
- •6. Listen to the dialogue “At the doctor’s”. Write are these statements true or false?
- •What is Stroke?
- •3. Listen to the tape and complete the following statement.
- •Vocabulary:
- •Can You Prevent a Stroke?
- •4. Round table discussion.
- •1 Liz Hartley gives the following advice and recommendations. Complete the sentences from memory and then listen again to check your answers.
- •2 Work with a partner. Which piece of advice seems the most sensible? Which piece of advice would you find the most difficult to follow?
- •3. Listen to Sam and Catherine talking about a time when they dieted for a special occasion. Find out what the special occasion was in each case.
- •1. Read these conversations. Use the table to make sentences to describe the different body ailments.
- •2. Look again at the conversations in 1. What advice do you think each friend gives? Work in pairs and complete the conversations with a suitable piece of advice.
- •3. Listen. Was the advice similar to your advice in 2?
- •4. Match the complaints to the reasons below. Then listen and check.
- •1. Listen to the talk about the human brain. Fill in the gaps.
- •2. Discuss these questions:
- •1. Work in pairs before you listen to the recording, look at the sentences below. Can you guess what some of the missing words are?
- •2. You'll hear an interview with a doctor. Complete these notes summarizing what he says.
- •1. Work with a partner and discuss these questions:
- •3. Work with a partner. Look at the verbs in the box. Which refer to ability? Which refer to an action? Which can refer to both?
- •1. Listen to the text paying attention to the important details and making a list of professionally useful words. Write their Russian equivalents.
- •Vocabulary:
- •4. Work with a partner. Which points in 3 do you agree with?
- •5. Cindy Jackson talks about why she had several years of cosmetic surgery in her attempt to create the perfect face and body. Complete her account using had, have or having.
- •6. Five people were asked the question, “What do you think makes a face attractive?”
- •1. An ancient disease
- •2. Early links to diet
- •1) Listen to the second part and answer the questions:
- •2) Complеtе the statements.
- •3. Invasive techniques. Conventional treatment problems.
- •1) Agree оr disagree with the following statements. Begin with the words:
- •4. The paradigm changes. What we can do.
- •1) Listen to the fourth part and answer the questions
- •2) Complete the following statements
- •5. You are in control of your health. Act accordingly!
- •Introduction
- •Vocabulary:
- •Vocabulary:
- •Vocabulary:
- •1. Answer the following questions:
- •2. Read and translate a passage from “The Home Medical Encyclopedia”:
- •1) Listen to the 1st section of the talk and answer the questions.
- •1) Listen to the 3rd section of the talk and list the names of the agents that can cause asthma.
- •2) Listen to the section, again and complete the sentences:
- •1) Listen to the 4th Section of the talk and say what it is about.
- •2) Listen to it again and answer the questions:
- •3) Listen to the part devoted to basic immunology. Say if these statements are true or false:
- •1) Listen to the part and answer the questions:
- •2) Listen to the same part again and choose the right statement:
- •3) Answer the following questions:
- •1) Listen to the 6th section of the talk and say what the two «musts» are for allergic people.
- •2. Listen to the part again and complete the sentences:
- •3. Answer the questions:
- •1. Read this short text on asthma and answer the questions:
- •1) Listen to the 1st part of the talk. Say if these statements are true or false:
- •2) Answer the questions!
- •1) Listen to the 2nd section of the talk and answer the questions:
- •2) Listen to the 2nd part of the talk again and say if the following statements are true or false:
- •3) Practice the reading of the passage. Imitate the speaker.
- •1) Listen to the 3rd section of the talk and say what kind of asthma it is about.
- •2) Answer the questions:
- •3) Translate the passage at sight:
- •1) Listen to the 4th section of the talk and say what it is about.
- •2) Listen to it again and choose the correct statements:
- •3) Answer the questions:
- •4) Listen to the passage on the danger of smoking for asthmatic individuals and then read aloud. Try to imitate the speaker:
- •1. Vocabulary:
- •2. Listen to the text.
- •3. Answer the questions:
- •1. Vocabulary:
- •2. Listen to the text
- •3. Answer the questions:
- •1. In the sentences below a woman is talking about her annoying work-mate.
- •2. How does the woman express her annoyance? What verb structures does she use?
- •3. Work with a partner. Which of the habits would most annoy you? Put them in order of most to least annoying.
- •1. Fill in the gaps:
- •2. Fill in the table:
- •3. What is your opinion about the following statements?
- •2. Is the procedure in the reception room the same in Britain and Russia? If not, what differences are there?
- •Учебное издание
International English
1. Complete the following sentence. Use the words from the list if you like. Then compare with other people in the class.
'For me, learning English is:
a pleasure
a hobby
an opportunity
an investment
a necessity
an effort
a problem
a pain
a nightmare
2. Why are you learning English? Complete the sentences below and number them in order of importance for you. Compare with a partner.
In general, I want to:
learn, improve, feel, make, speak, write, read
________ more confident when I speak.
________ my listening skills.
________ lots of new vocabulary.
________ fewer grammar mistakes.
________ better, clearer English without using a dictionary so much.
In particular, I need English for:
taking, traveling, socializing, doing, giving, writing
________ on business.
________ business on the phone.
________ e-mails, faxes and letters.
________ with clients and colleagues.
________ part in meetings.
________ short presentations.
3. Are you learning English for any other reasons? Add them to the lists above.
4. Global communication.
Quiz
1. How much do you know about the world's major languages? Try the quiz below. Then check your answers in the article opposite.
Test you knowledge.
1. Approximately how many languages are there in the world?
a) 650 b) 6500 c) 65 000 d) 650 000
2. Order the world’s top ten languages according to the number of native speakers.
1. Portuguese |
6. Arabic |
2. Chinese |
7. Japanese |
3. Russian |
8. German |
4. English |
9. Spanish |
5. Hindi |
10. Bengali |
3. How many people speak English as a first, second or third language?
a) 0,5 billion b) 1 billion
c) 1,5 billion d) 2 billion
4. In a recent survey, how many Europeans said everyone should speak English?
a) 49% b) 69% c) 89% d) 99%
5. How much of the world’s mail is written in English?
a) 50% b) 60% c) 70% d) 80%
6. How many languages “disappear” every year?
a) 2 b) 5 c) 10 d) 20
7. What is the world record for the most foreign languages spoken by one person?
a) 14 b) 24 c) 44 d) 64
8. Where is the record holder in 7 from?
a) The USA b) Singapore
c) Holland d) Nigeria.
The number of native speakers of the world’s top ten languages is:
Chinese726 m
English 427 m
Spanish266 m
Hindi182 m
Arabic181 m
Portuguese165 m
Bengali162 m
Russian 158 m
Japanese 124 m
German121 m
Global communication
English is to international communication what VHS is to video, Microsoft to software and Pentium to the microchip. It is, for better or worse, the 'industry standard'. And those who don't speak at least a little risk losing business to the increasing number who do. A quarter of the planet currently speaks English. That's one and a half billion people, two-thirds of whom speak it as a foreign language.
In a recent survey*, 69% of Europeans said they thought everyone should speak English. More than half of them already do. For most, it's not a question of choice but of necessity, as English has rapidly become the first language of business, science and popular culture. Three-quarters of the world's mail is in English. So are four out of five e-mails and most of what you find on the Internet.
However not everyone welcomes this linguistic monopoly. The French Ministry of Finance, for instance, recently surprised the international business community by banning English terms like e-mail and Internet. In fact, seven teams of language experts have been employed to come up with French alternatives. Le Web is not acceptable. La toile is. And when the French President himself referred to start-up companies as les start-up companise in a televised speech, he was strongly criticised for failing to defend France against the advance of the English language.
The French have a point twenty languages disappear every year because nobody speaks them anymore. At that rate, by the end of the 21st century almost a third of the world's six and a half thousand languages will be dead. Even in Germany, where Denglish is fashionable, and phrases like jointventure, Powerpartner and Fitness-Training are common, the leader of the Free Democrats has expressed concern about the 'flood of anglicisms descending on us from the media, advertising, product descriptions and technology'. Some go so far as to call it 'a form of violence'. Maybe it is, and big business certainly accelerates the process. As Professor David Crystal, author of The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, puts it, 'wave dollar bills in front of someone, and they will learn complicated spellings and grammar.'
But what about people who learn foreign languages just for fun? A 37-year-old American, Gregg Cox, has taken this simple pleasure to extremes. He holds the world record for speaking the most foreign languages - sixty-four at the last count! He would undoubtedly be an asset to any company doing international business. But for those of us who are less gifted linguistically, the power of the American dollar means there may soon be only one foreign language we need to learn, and that language will be English.
Listen to six business people talking about their attitudes to learning English. Take notes. Whose opinion is closest to your own?
Complete the following expressions. They were used by the people you just listened to.
a) Learning English isn't my idea fun. _________________
b) I want to get in my career. ____________________
c) English is the language _________________ the media.
d) It's certainly not _______ beautiful a language as ... Italian.
e) I think it's more difficult _________________ ou get older.
f) I'll always think _______________ Italian.
g) With native English speakers, I do feel ________________ a disadvantage.
h) That's the thing _______________English – it's easy to speak a little quite quickly.
Conversation gambits
You are at a conference and you don't know anybody. What can you say to start a conversation with someone? Listen to the tape and find conversation gambits.
1.
A: Excuse me; are you here for the ITM conference?
B: Yes, that's right.
A: Me too. Do you know where to register?
B: I think it's over there.
A: Oh, yes. Right, I'm Paulo, by the way.
B: Hello, Paulo, I'm Kate. Let's go and register.
2.
C: Phew! Is it me, or is it boiling in here?
D: Yes, they always seem to have the heating on full.
C: So, it's not your first time.
D: No, it's my fourth time here.
C: Oh, right, so you're an ‘old hand’. I'm Boris.
D: David. Pleased to meet you.
3.
E: Is it my mobile phone, or is there some problem with coverage here?
F: Oh, hang on. No, mine seems to be working okay.
E: Typical, flat batteries and nowhere to charge up.
F: Can I lend you mine?
E: Oh, that's very kind, but I was expecting a call on this number.
F: I see.
E: My name's Nadine, by the way from Xanadu Electronics.
F: Pleased to meet you. I'm Miko.
4.
G: Excuse me; do you know anything about this speaker?
H: No, I'm sorry, I don't.
G: I can't find my programme notes.
H: Oh, here. Borrow mine.
G: Thanks. By the way, I'm Bill Smart from Silicon Technologies.
H: Right, how do you do? I'm Kazuo Yamada from Mexico.
5.
A: Excuse me. Would you mind if I had a quick look at your newspaper?
B: Er, no, go ahead. I've finished with it.
A: There's just something I want to check out.
B: No problem. Take your time.
A: Thanks. By the way, my name's Allan. I'm here on a business trip.
B: Oh, right.
6.
A: Here's your paper then. Thanks very much.
B: Don't mention it.
A: I'm afraid my team didn't win.
B: Sorry?
A: The football results.
B: Oh, I see.
A: Can I buy you a drink? If you don't have anything else to do, that is.
B: I was just about to go, actually, but yes, why not... Ah, I think you said your name was.
A: Allan, Allan Vilkas.
7.
B: I'm Sean, Sean O'Malley.
A: Pleased to meet you, Sean. What would you like to drink?
B: A beer, please.
A: Right. Two beers, please.
C: Right, sir.
B: So, Allan, where are you from?
A: Well, I was born in Lithuania, but I've lived in Germany most of my life. Are you from here?
B: Yes, what do you think of Dublin?
A: Well, I've only just arrived today and it's my first visit, but it seems very nice. Lots of character.
B: Are you here on business?
A: Yes, that's right. I have a meeting tomorrow. I'm a bit nervous about it.
B I'm sure it'll go all right. How long are you staying?
A: Just a couple of days. I go back on Thursday morning. I was just looking at your paper to see how Bayern Munich did yesterday. Do you like football?
B: If it's a good match, but I'm not that keen. Actually, I prefer golf myself.
A: Do you mean you play golf?
B: That's right.
A: I play myself. What's your handicap?
8.
B: Well, Allan, it's getting late. I have to be off. Thanks for the drink, and good luck with your meeting.
A: Right, it was nice talking to you.
B: It was nice to meet you too. Cheerio, then.
A: Bye.
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