30 Listening
Before You Listen
Complete these pre-listening activities to help you identify how familiarity or lack of familiarity, as well as status in a community, can influence how people filter their own thoughts and expect others to respect boundaries on topics and space.
Social Conventions Around Boundaries and Filters
Sometimes, we let boundaries change depending on the situation (context) and on the person who we are speaking with. Imagine a community conversation among neighbours, such as a town hall meeting. This is a familiar public context. In this situation, what boundaries would different people experience or perceive? Who would likely say exactly what they think and who is more likely to use a filter?
For each of the people listed, place a number on the line above the description that, in your opinion, matches that person best.
- A rich person in the community
- A person who has lived in the community for many years
- A newcomer to the community
- A senior citizen
- A teenager
- A five-year-old child
- An expert on the topic of the meeting
- The elected community leader
Discuss why everybody doesn’t use the same filters. What other situations or contexts change how people use filters?
Vocabulary
In this chapter, some words have multiple meanings. The pronunciation and spelling are the same, but the meanings may be slightly different or not at all the same.
1. The word APPEAL has several meanings. In each sentence below, indicate the words that could be replaced by APPEAL.
a) When Kerry’s tires were slashed, Roshan felt he had to make a sincere request to his parents for money.
b) Leftover food garbage might be attractive to bears in the area.
c) The music that might sound interesting to Roshan might not be the same music that Ivan likes.
d) The moderator is going to receive Randa’s demand for an apology after removing her SpaceBook post.
2. The word SENSITIVE has several meanings. In each sentence below, indicate the words that could be replaced by SENSITIVE.
a) Roshan is someone who notices and cares about other people’s feelings.
b) Ivan is easily bothered.
c) Bears have a very perceptive sense of smell; they can smell things from very far away.
d) Claire doesn’t wear lotions because her skin is easily irritated and she could get a rash.
e) Gilles has to protect very important and private information about the folk musicians
Predictions
You will hear conversations in which many opinions are shared.
Predict the answers to these questions before you listen:
- In Listening 1, we will hear Oksana, Ivan, Gilles, and Roshan give opinions in a familiar public context. What boundaries or filters do you predict each speaker will have?
- In Listening 2, we will hear Oksana and Ivan giving opinions in a private context. Will their boundaries or filters be the same or different than in Listening 1? In what ways might their filters change?
- How will neighbours communicate opinions and feelings similarly to, or different from, the way a marri