Module V. LISTENING COMPREHENSION

TALKING ENGLISH

 

 

1) Listen to the recording and fill in the missing words as needed.

2) Listen to the conversation again and read along with the recorded voices, striving for the same speed, pronunciation and intonation.

3) Repeat the conversation, practice saying them with a classmate.

4) Role-play the conversation.

CONVERSATION 1

1. – Is there anything I ________ do? I’d like to _______ in some way if ____can.

2. – I can’t think _____ anything at the moment.

1. – ____________ , may be I could run ________________ or something.

2. – You could ______ I needed something.

1. – I _________ so useless just hanging _____________ with nothing to do.

2. – _______ worry. In a couple ______ days there’ll be too __________ to do. Then you’ll __________ to be back in __________ lazy days.

1. – I guess ________ just a workaholic. I ___________ was very good at ____________ nothing.

2. – Maybe you should _________ how to relax and _____________ yourself more.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· to run errands – to go on a short trip in order to do something for someone else or to deliver a message

· to hang around – to loaf; waste time in idleness

· lazy days – leisurely days

· workaholic –person who seemingly is unable to stop working or who works to excess, avoiding rest and leisure

· to relax – to relieve or be relieved from work.

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Who are the speakers?

2. Why does one of the speakers feel useless?

3. What advice is given to one of the speakers?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Are you a workaholic? If not, do you know one?

2. In what ways do you prefer to relax?

3. Do you ever have to run errands?

CONVERSATION 2

1. – Why don’t you begin by telling _____ something about yourself?

2. – What do you ________ to know?

1. – The usual – you know – ______________ about your _________________ and experience and _____________ personal that you feel is pertinent.

2. – _______, I was born in Iowa and _________ to school there, right up through ___________. My father is a doctor, and ______ mother is a ____________.

1. – Sounds as ____ you come from a ______________________ family.

2. – _________ right. One of my sisters is ___ dentist and the other one teaches _____ a university.

1. – What made you decide ____ get into _______________?

2. – Oh, nothing in ________________, I guess. I always liked mathematics ______ tinkering with _____________.

1. – Now what about your ________________? How long have you been _____________ with computers?

2. – More than ________ years _______. After I did my engineering __________, I began to specialize in computer _________________ and I even had my own company ______ a while.

1. – It certainly sounds __________________. _______ don’t you have your credentials sent _____ me and I’ll show them to _____ board.

We’ll ______________ get back to ______ in a week.

2. – Thanks very much.

 

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· right up through –all the way through

· Sounds as if –It appears that

· to get into –to undertake as a career

· in particular –specifically

· to tinker –to work in an unskilled way

· credentials –references

 

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. What is the purpose of the talk between the speakers?

2. Is one speaker younger than the other?

3. Where does the conversation take place?

4. How long has one speaker been working with computers?

5. Do you think the man will get the job?

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Have you ever had a job interview?

2. Do you com from a professional family?

3. Do you like to tinker with machines?

4. Are you interested in computer technology?

CONVERSATION 3

1. – What shall we do today?

2. – _______ you have something special in __________?

1. – No. Not really. I just _____________ that it might be fun _____ do something we’ve never done __________.

2. – Well, are you ______________ adventuresome? _____ you want to do something _______________exciting?

1. – It doesn’t have to ______ dangerous or exciting – just something _______________. I need a change. I ________ like I’m in a rut.

2. – _____ know the feeling. _____________ I _______ it every spring. I feel I have to get away from _____ all, you know, seek new ______________, new beginnings…

1. – I thought that ________ spring fever! What I’m talking __________ is a change, ____________ from _____ humdrum, the mundane.

2. – Sounds like _____ same thing to me! You’ve _______ got spring fever in the _______!

1. – Well, ____________, can we discuss _________ we’re going to do today? ___________ we’ll come up with some __________ of a terrific idea.

2. – Okay _____ me.

 

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· rut– a fixed way of acting, especially one that is boring or monotonous

· to get away from it all – to escape from the monotony of life everyday

· spring fever – a listless, lazy feeling felt by some people during the first sudden warm weather of spring

· humdrum – without variety; commonplace; dull

· mundane – earthly; worldly

· to come up with – to think of; discover

· terrific – excellent; wonderful

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Are the speakers man and wife? If not, who are they?

2. What are the speakers discussing and why?

3. How do the speakers react to each other?

4. What “solution” is proposed?

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Do you ever get spring fever? If so, what do you do about it?

2. How do you usually “get away from it all”?

3. Is it easy to get into a rut?

4. Is your life humdrum?

CONVERSATION 4

1. – Hey! What’s the _________?

2. – The bank closes _____ half an hour ______ I need to _________ a check.

1. – I _______ lend you some ___________.

2. – I need to _________ a check because _____ going on a ________ this weekend. Actually, ____ want to buy ________ traveler’s checks.

1. – Hmm. _______ I help in ______ way?

2. – You can __________ me to the ________ if you want ____. My car’s out ____ gas.

1. – Yeah. Glad ____. Let’s go.

2. – Wait _________ a minute. I ________ to get my ______________ out of the _________.

 

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· What’s the rush? –What’s the hurry?

· to cash –to get cash for

· actually –in reality

· traveler’s check –check issued by a bank for a specified amount and signed by the buyer, who may use it as cash

· drive me –take me in your car

· out of gas –without gasoline

 

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Are the speakers in a bank?

2. Why do they discuss traveler’s checks?

3. Does anyone borrow money?

4. Why is car necessary?

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Do you normally use traveler’s checks?

2. How often do you take trips?

3. Has your car ever been out of gas?

4. Where do you get your pocket money?

CONVERSATION 5

1. – How’s school going?

2. – Just fine. I _____________ got the _________ to go to ________________ school.

1. – Great! Are _______ starting your doctorate?

2. – That’s right. ______ going to do it in ___________________.

1. – Sounds like an ________________ field.

2. – ____ is to me.

1. – You’ve got ___ degree in nuclear physics, haven’t ______?

2. – Just a Master’s ___________. Actually, __________________ is a lot better field ______ me. I’ve ____________ preferred chemistry ____ physics.

1. – What do you plan ____ do after you finish?

2. – I ___________ decided yet, but probably medical _______________.

1. – Well, you’ve got some years _____ hard study ahead of you.

2. – ____ know it.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· just fine –quite well

· actually –in reality

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Are the two speakers the same age?

2. What university degrees are mentioned?

3. What plans does the graduate student have?

4. What is the purpose of the grant?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. What is your field of study?

2. What kinds of advanced university degrees are offered in your country?

3. Have you ever received a grant for university study?

 

CONVERSATION 6

1. – So Marsha’s getting ______________?

2. – __________ what I hear!

1. – That’s __________ I hear, too.

2. – It’s ___________ of sudden, isn’t it?

1. – _____ thought so. She’s only _____________ the guy a month.

2. – _______________ me of the old _____________, “Look before you leap,” ______ least that’s what my ___________________ always said.

1. – Well, you ___________ how Marsha is. She’s __________ a romantic as long _____ I’ve known her, always ________________ about “love at first ___________”.

2. – She does tend to __________ a little too quickly ______ my judgment.

1. – Of course, _________not getting any _____________.

2. – ___________, and as they say. “_________ who hesitates is lost.” ______ this case, it could be a ________________ who’s lost.

 

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· kind of –somewhat; rather

· to tend – to be likely; incline (to)

· guy – fellow

 

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Who are the speakers?

2. How do the speakers feel about Marsha?

3. Has Marsha planned to be married for a long time?

4. How old do you think Marsha is?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Do you have sayings in your own language similar to “Look before you leap” and “She who hesitates is lost?”

2. Are you a romantic?

3. Do you believe in “love at first sight”?

CONVERSATION 7

1. – Did you see the movie _____ channel 6 last ____________?

2. – No. I _____________ it. I went shopping ______ clothes.

1. – It was an excellent _________. It had been especially ______ television, you know.

2. – I read ______ preview in yesterday’s paper and ____________ to watch it last night, _______, then, Meg called me to ______ shopping with her. So I __________.

1. – You __________________ that the critic ________________ that it was one of ______ best films of the last _______ years.

2. – Yes. I do remember. ______ felt it would be a __________________ for some film awards at the ________ of the year.

1. – Well, _____ I were one of the ____________, I’d pick it as the __________ film of the year. I __________ seen such a marvelous plot ________ such superb acting in a _________ time!

2. – Sounds as if I’ll __________ to see it, if they _________ re-run it.

 

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· award –prize

· plot –the main story of a play, poem, novel, movie, etc.

· sounds –(it) seems

· to re-run – to show a film or television program again

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Where are the speakers?

2. What are they discussing?

3. Is one of the speakers a film judge?

4. Who is Meg?

5. Why did one of the speakers miss the film on television?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Do you enjoy movies on television?

2. Do you normally read the film critics’ reviews in the newspaper?

3. What’s the best film you have ever seen?

4. Would you like to be a film critic?

CONVERSATION 8

1. – The other night certainly was an ____________________ one, wasn’t it?

2. – You ______________ it, then?

1. – Immensely. I don’t ____________ I’ve ever been with such a stimulating ____________ of people.

2. – They ________ lively, aren’t they? I think ___________ one of the liveliest groups _______ever been with.

1. – I certainly _______ my mind stretched! I think _____ was shrinking!

2. – I find that’s _________ with me, too. One needs __________ kind of ________________ now and _________ just to keep the old _________ matter from getting stagnant!

1. – Will ______ group be meeting again soon?

2. – _______ for another ________ months. We’re ______________ a month’s break because so __________ of us are going to ______ on vacation.

1. – Well, let me __________ when you’re going to meet ____________. I’d like to join you.

2. – __________ worry. I will.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· other night – past night

· immensely – very much

· lively – exciting; cheerful

· to stretch – to extend; draw out

· to shrink – to make or get smaller

· gray matter – mind; brain

· stagnant – not active

 

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Who are the speakers?

2. What experience do they share?

3. What kind of group is it?

4. What makes the group lively?

5. When is the next meeting?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Do you like to have your mind “stretched”? How do you usually do it?

2. Do you enjoy meeting with groups of people for discussion of current events?

3. How often do you take breaks at work?

4. How stagnant is your gray matter?

 

CONVERSATION 9

1. – Whose book is this?

2. – ______ mine. Why do you ________?

1. – Could I ____________ it? I’ve _________ wanting to read _____.

2. – Be my guest, but _____ warn you. It’s not ______ good as they say.

1. – ___________ the matter with it?

2. – __________, for one thing the __________ is highly improbable and _______ another, the ______________________ seem _________ like paper dolls than _____________.

1. – That’s strange. Usually that _____________ does a good job ______ characterization. I’ve read __________ of his books and thought ________ were all well___________.

2. – _______ been a fan of _______ for a long time ______, but he really flubbed ______ this one!

1. – What did _______ reviews say?

2. – They were ___________ – some_________, some bad. _______ review, bad!

 

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· Be my guest –You are welcome (to borrow the book)

· to flub – to fail

 

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. Are the speakers authors of books?

2. What’s wrong with the book?

3. What do you learn about the author’s failure?

4. Were the reviews good?

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. What kind of books do you prefer to read?

2. Are you a fan of a particular author?

3. What makes a novel good in your opinion?

4. Do you habitually read book reviews?

 

CONVERSATION 10

1. – _______________ became of Martha ______________?

2. – Didn’t you hear? She ___________ to New York. The last I ___________ she was ____________ for an advertising agency.

1. – She ____________ was good with __________. Remember how she used _____ make up slogans for ________________ household products?

2. – Yeah. She ___________ to be a natural _______ advertising. But she studied ____________ in school, didn’t she?

1. – _______. Remember, _______ majored in _________ history.

2. – Oh, yeah. Now _____ remember. We used to __________ a drill her on the ___________ of painters and their _______________.

1. – She was a ________ fun to be around.

2. – Uh-huh. Do you _________ hear ________ her?

1. – Oh, only at ______________. I guess she’s doing __________ well _________________. I think ________ a vice-president or __________ kind of big shot.

 

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

· to major in –to take as a principal course of study

· to drill –to tech by doing something over and over again

· fun to be around –enjoyable company

· big shot –important person

CONVERSATION IN CONTEXT

1. How do the speakers react to Martha Stevens?

2. Who are the speakers and why are they discussing Martha Stevens?

3. When did the speakers know Martha Stevens?

4. What memories do the speakers have of Martha?

5. How successful has Martha been?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

1. Do students in your country have majors in college? What is your major?

2. Is advertising a big business in your country?

3. What are some of your favorite slogans?

4. Would you like to be a big shot?