CONVERSATION PRACTICE
5. Changing plans
Listen to the audio. Pay attention on the pronunciation and listen again but see the transcript, then practice with your friends.
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/pre-intermediate- a2/changing-plans
169 Francesco: Sachi? Sachi? Sachiko!
Sachi: Francesco! Is everything OK?
Francesco: Yes. Yes. Sorry, I saw you and I was across the street … I ran.
Sachi: I see. What’s up?
Francesco: Do you have the tickets … for the play?
Sachi: No, I don’t. I’m going to buy them this afternoon.
Francesco: Oh good, good. Listen, don’t buy tickets for this Friday.
Sachi: Oh? Why not?
Francesco: I can’t go to the theatre on Friday. Something’s come up.
I have a concert this Friday.
Sachi: Another concert? But you said …
Francesco: I know, I know. I’m sorry. I forgot.
Sachi: Francesco!
Francesco: How about next week? Are you free then? I can definitely go next Friday.
Sachi: Francesco. You did this two weeks ago, remember? I had cinema tickets for the new Marvel movie and you changed the plans then too. For band practice.
Francesco: I know, and I …
Sachi: We also missed my favourite dance group. Because your band was playing at some child’s birthday party.
Francesco: It was my nephew’s birthday … Sachi: Ha!
Francesco: OK, why don’t we go out for dinner before my concert?
Then, next Friday we can go to the play.
Sachi: Oh …
Francesco: Come on, Sachi. Just this one more time.
Sachi: OK, but promise me next Friday. OK?
Francesco: I promise. I promise!
170 6. Missing a class
Listen to the audio. Pay attention on the pronunciation and listen again but see the transcript, then practice with your friends.
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/pre-intermediate- a2/missing-a-class
Student: Excuse me, Ms Henderson?
Teacher: Yes, Diana. How can I help you?
Student: I’m sorry, but I can’t come to class next Wednesday. I have a doctor’s appointment.
Teacher: OK. Thanks for letting me know.
Student: Is there anything to do at home?
Teacher: Let me just check my notebook. OK, first of all … you need to read chapters 17, 19 and 20 in the book. There are also some articles and a video to watch – those are online. I’ll post the links online in the usual place.
Student: Chapters 17 to 20.
Teacher: Yes, except chapter 18. Chapters 17, 19 and 20.
Student: Ah, OK. Um ... is there a deadline?
Teacher: Yes, this Friday. But there’s something else. I was going to give you all a practice test.
Student: A practice test?
Teacher: Yes, to help people prepare for the mid-term exam.
Student: Ah. All right.
Teacher: Don’t worry, I can send you the practice test by email on Wednesday. Can you send it to me before Friday?
Student: Sure, no problem.
Teacher: And don’t forget to bring a certificate from the doctor to the office.
Student: Thanks, Ms Henderson! I’ll do that. Teacher: You’re welcome, Diana. Take care.
171 7. An interview about listening skills
Listen to the audio. Pay attention on the pronunciation and listen again but see the transcript, then practice with your friends.
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/intermediate- b1/an-interview-about-listening-skills
Presenter: So, today’s expert teacher is Gabriella, a university English teacher from Leeds. Gabriella, hi and thanks for joining us today.
Gabriella: Thanks for having me!
Presenter: So, I have to confess today’s topic is something I am really bad at: listening. Mo people say speaking is the most stressful part of learning a new language but, for me, with B1 German, speaking isn’t so bad. At least I’m in control of it. But listening … woah … people speak so fast and it’s like my brain just shuts down.
Am I just really strange and bad at listening? Tell me, honestly, I can take it.
Gabriella: No, you’re not strange. In fact, it’s really common. You know, in exams most peo do pretty well in speaking compared with listening. Of course, exams are a different situatio from real life because in an exam you can’t ask for something to be repeated or explained. You usually have just one or maybe two opportunities to listen to the dialogue and then it’s st my ple n gone.
Presenter: Right, but in real life I feel stupid always saying, ‘Sorry, can you repeat that, please?’, especially if I still don’t understand even when they repeat it. And people out there listening, I hope you don’t do this – quite often the person just repeats what they said equally as fast and I’m still lost!
Gabriella: They do, don’t they? In real life, you’ve got two strategies.
One is to pretend to understand and get out of the conversation as fast as you can.
Presenter: Yep, sounds familiar!
172
Gabriella: But, obviously that’s not going to help if it’s a conversation with high stakes. It might have important consequences.
I mean, if you’re just chatting with a stranger at the bus stop, it doesn’t matter. But imagine you’re at a government office or a bank, trying to find out what paperwork you need to get your ID or open a bank account. What can you do then?
Presenter: I hope you’ve got the answer, Gabriella, because I’m coming out in a cold sweat just thinking about either of those situations!
Gabriella: The other strategy is to summarise what they said.
Presenter: But how can you do that if you didn’t understand what they said?
Gabriella: Ah, well, you only start the summary, so you might say, in German in your case, ‘OK, so the first thing I have to do is …?’ and make it a question. Or, for example, ‘And which office is that again?’
Break it down into smaller questions and the other person will naturally start answering them. That way you’re controlling the conversation a bit more.
Presenter: I get you ...