9 Listening
Before You Listen
Complete these pre-listening activities to help you notice social conventions and to understand conversations better.
Social Conventions Around Suggestions, Requests, and Instructions
Sometimes in English, speakers give instructions and make requests that sound like suggestions. This is an indirect or softer way of giving instructions or asking someone to do something. Do you have a similar way of using softeners in your other language(s)?
Place the number of each sentence or question below along the scale to show how direct or indirect you think it is.
- Get in line.
- Could you hang on a second?
- I was hoping you might have a minute …
- If I could just get to you sign off …
- Would you mind if I just jumped ahead of you?
- Would you be able to call him?
- Why don’t you help yourself to a pop?
- You’d better take the keys and move the truck.
Vocabulary
In Chapter 1, there were some homographs, words that sound and are spelled the same although the meanings are different. In this chapter, there are homophones, words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. The pronunciation is the same, but the spelling is slightly different. The definitions are not at all the same.
Match one of the following words: POLE, POLES, POLL, or POLLS, with the word or phrase that has the same meaning in each of the sentences below.
- The campground has a flag flying at the top of a long piece of metal.
- Some campers walk through the forest with a walking stick.
- Claire may take a survey of her neighbours to get their opinion.
- The opinions of city and country people can be very far apart.
- The electricians are stringing power lines between tall, wooden columns.
Predictions
You will hear two face-to-face conversations. The first conversation is about a conflict between neighbours. The second dialogue is a meeting to solve several issues. Predict the answers to the following questions before you listen:
- How will age affect how directly people speak? Will young, middle-aged, or elderly people be more direct or indirect?
- How will familiarity affect how indirectly people speak? Will neighbours or strangers be more direct or indirect?
- How will location affect how people speak? Will they speak differently in their neighbourhood or at a public meeting?
- How will communicating directly or indirectly affect the way people feel?
Listening 1
Listen to a conversation at the campground. Notice how people make requests and suggestions and how they give each other instructions.
After You Listen
Comprehension
Complete the activities below to check your listening comprehension. These strategies focus on ideas and attention to exact words.
Strategy 1: Recognizing Facts
Listen again.
Choose True (T) or False (F) for each statement below.
- How do you know it is true or false?
Be ready to discuss evidence to support your answers.
| 1. | T | F | Roshan called Mr. Broz about his dogs. |
| 2. | T | F | Roshan and Gilles come from