Preparing
for
CEFR
B2 Exam Preparation & Practice Tests
ISE II
Reading & Writing Speaking & Listening from 2015
Andrew Betsis Sean Haughton Lawrence Mamas
GLOBAL EL ELT T
TRINITY ISE II
Preparation & Practice Tests
TABLE OF CONTENTS The format of Trinity ISE II: Reading and Writing Module
page 4
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 1 LONG READING
page 6
Section 1: Questions 1-5 Matching Titles to Paragraphs
page 7
Section 2: Questions 6-10 Selecting the True statements
page 11
Section 3: Questions 11-15 Completing Sentences (Gap Fill)
page 13
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 2 MULTI-TEXT READING
page 14
Section 1: Questions 16-20 Multiple Matching (Information to Texts)
page 15
Section 2: Questions 21-25 Selecting the True statements
page 21
Section 3: Questions 26-30 Summary Notes
page 23
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 3 READING INTO WRITING
page 26
Descriptive Essay
page 27
Discursive Essay
page 34
Argumentative Essay
page 37
Report
page 41
Article
page 43
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 4 EXTENDED WRITING
page 44
Essay
page 45
Article
page 51
Report
page 54
Review
page 57
Letter and Email (Informal)
page 60
Letter (Formal)
page 62
Practice for Trinity ISE II READING AND WRITING MODULE
page 65
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICE TEST 1
page 66
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICE TEST 2
page 72
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICE TEST 3
page 78
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICE TEST 4
page 84
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICE TEST 5
page 90
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICE TEST 6
page 96
Published by GLOBAL ELT LTD www .gl ob ale lt .c o.u k
Copyright © GLOBAL ELT LTD, 2016 An dre w Be tsi s, Se an Hau ght on and Law ren ce Mam as Contributors: Maria Georgopoulou and Linda Maria Windsor While Trinity College London seeks reasonably to ensure that an approved publication is accurate and suitable for exam preparation, Trinity cannot accept any liability for its content.
Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologise in advance for any unintentional omission. We will be happy to insert the appropriate acknowledgements in any subsequent editions.
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Preparing for TRINITY ISE II (CEFR B2) Reading - Writing - Speaking - Listening - Student’s Book - ISBN: 9781781643211
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Preparing for TRINITY ISE II (CEFR B2) Reading - Writing - Speaking - Listening - Overprinted Edition with answers - ISBN: 9781781643228
TRINITY ISE II
Preparation & Practice Tests
TABLE OF CONTENTS ISE II Speaking & Listening Exam: Overview, Tips and Advice
page 102
Trinity ISE II Listening Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Listening Part 1 Focus
page 106
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Listening Part 2 Listening for gist
page 108
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Listening Part 3 Listening for specific information
page 110
Listening Task Cards
page 113
Listening Audioscripts
page 116
Listening Answer Key for the Listening Section
page 118
Trinity ISE II Speaking Step by step preparation for the 3 tasks of Trinity ISE II Speaking Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 1 Polite vs Rude
page 120
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 2 Turn-taking
page 122
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 3 Information Gaps
page 124
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 4 Language
page 128
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 5 Fluency
page 132
Useful Words and Phrases
page 134
Project: A step-by-step method of preparation for the Topic Task
page 136
Speaking Audioscripts
page 138
Speaking Answer Key for the Speaking Section
page 138
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TRINITY ISE II
Preparation for the Reading Test - Task 1
Task 1 Focus: Reading Task 1 This section will help you prepare for Reading Task 1 of the ISE II exam. Main objective: To read a short article about Hogmanay and answer three sets of related questions. • Set 1: Matching titles to paragraphs (Reading for gist) • Set 2: Answering True, False or Not Given (Scanning and Careful Reading) • Set 3: Sentence completion (Scanning and Careful Reading) Skills: Reading for gist: This involves reading a text fairly quickly in order to understand the general topic. You don’t have to understand every single word to find out what the text is basically about. In Set 1, you will be required to select the correct title for each of the article’s five paragraphs. You will need to read each paragraph (1-5) for gist so as to understand its general topic. Scanning: When you scan a text, you don’t read every single word carefully. This is because you are looking for specific information, so not all the details of the text are important. Instead, you move down through the lines of text quickly, trying to find the information you need. When scanning, it usually helps to look for key words or ideas.
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Careful reading: Sometimes, when you find the information you need by scanning, you may have to read this information slowly and carefully to make sure you get the right answer. You may not have time in the exam to read the entire article very slowly, but you will be able to read the relevant short sections carefully to help choose the right answers. Theme: In Reading Task 1, there are a number of different broad themes the text can be about. These include: • Society and living standards • Personal values and ideals • The world of work • Natural environmental concerns • Public figures past and present • Education • National customs • Village and city life • National and local produce and products • Early memories • Pollution and recycling In the article we will be looking at, the theme is National customs. When you practise, read as many different texts as you can related to all the above themes.
TRINITY ISE II
Preparation for the Reading Test - Task 1
Section 1: Matching Titles to Paragraphs Pre-reading
Write down as many ideas as you can think of for your answers to these questions. Then, if possible, discuss your notes with a partner. 1. What big national celebrations are there in your country? 2. What celebrations from other countries or cultures do you know about? 3. What’s your favourite celebration and why? 4. What do people do during this celebration? 5. What are the benefits of having things to celebrate?
Exercise 1 This is NOT an exam task, but it will help you practise reading for gist. Think about how texts are structured and how the different ideas/topics are usually linked together in a logical order. When you have finished this task, you should find the actual exam task which follows easier. Why? Because Exercise 1 will help you get a general understanding of what each paragraph is about. Read the following text about Hogmanay, a Scottish New Year’s celebration. The paragraphs are not in the correct order. Put the paragraphs in order from 1-5. Write the correct paragraph number on the answer line. Reading for gist
5 Paragraph ...............
Happy New Year!
Perhaps the biggest and most famous of these is the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebration, now a three-day event. In 1996-97, 400,000 people attended, making it the biggest single New Year’s celebration in the world that year. In recent years, the attendance figures for the celebration have dropped somewhat, but only because a limit has been imposed on how many people can go for safety reasons. The street party is still one of the largest New Year’s events across the globe and features well-known bands performing in front of the beautiful Edinburgh Castle. It’s quite the celebration and has been voted one of the top 25 travel experiences on the planet by the Discovery Channel – the only festival to feature on the list.
3 Paragraph ............... Apart from singing this popular Robert Burns lyric, other traditional customs of Hogmanay include redding and first-footing. The former involves cleaning the home before the New Year. It is particularly important to make sure that fires are cleared of ashes and the leaves of the juniper tree are also sometimes burned in a custom that is traditionally thought to keep away evil spirits. The latter refers to the tradition of the first visitor into the home after midnight on New Year’s taking a gift for the homeowners with them. This visitor or first-footer is thought to bring luck to the household. The traditional gift was coal (or alternatively salt) but, nowadays, drinks and food are more typical, as the arrival of the first-footer often signals the start of a great party.
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Test 1 Task 1 – Long Reading As part of your studies you are going to read about the Congo Pygmies, an African tribal group. Read the following text and answer the 15 questions on the next page.
Little people with big problems
1 t s e T e c i t c a r P I I E S I y t i n i r T
Paragraph 1 No one knows exactly how many of them there are, but estimates suggest that between one quarter and half a million pygmies live in central Africa, in and around the Congo rainforest. Together the various groups of Congo Pygmies make up the largest population of traditional hunter-gatherers left on Earth. They survive off the wild products, the animals and plants, as nature puts in the environment around them. Or, at least, they used to before we interfered. Now the pygmy people are being forced out of the rainforest by both the Bantu and the men from the West. Paragraph 2 The term ‘pygmy’ was originally used by the Ancient Greeks to describe a group of small people they believed lived in Ethiopia. Many hundreds of years later, when European explorers arrived in Central Africa, they used this same term to label the small forest people they found living there. These jungle people were not only very short in height (typically under five feet tall) but also very small in build. In contrast, the other native Africans, the Bantu, were similar in both build and height to the Europeans themselves. Paragraph 3 It is not known exactly why the pygmies developed such small body frames. One theory suggests it was due to the lack of natural light in the rainforests. This meant the forest people did not get enough calcium for proper bone growth so they developed smaller skeletons. Another theory claims the pygmies are small because they have naturally adapted to forest life over hundreds of years. It is, after all, easier to travel through thick jungle if you are short and thin. One thing that’s not small, however, is the pygmy love of music. In fact, this is enormous. Music is a huge part of daily life and not just for entertainment purposes; there are songs for specific events and for activities, such as hunting, too. Paragraph 4 The Baka Pygmies of Cameroon, one of the largest pygmy groups, have little to sing about these days, though. They, like most of their people, are under attack. Deforestation is one big issue. For this, both the Bantu and the Europeans are to blame. Thousands of pygmies have been forced from their homes, only to see the forests and their way of life destroyed. And then there is war. The pygmies are often caught in the middle of fights between rival Bantu groups. Paragraph 5 Struggling pygmies are forced to move into built-up areas. Here, in the larger villages and towns of Cameroon, they can only find the lowest-paid jobs. They live in poverty and are often the victims of unfair treatment by the locals. To make matters worse, the pygmies have been exposed to new diseases here too, causing the population further harm. And they have little access to medical assistance, which makes the situation even more serious. It is not just the Baka Pygmies that are in crisis either. Pygmies across Africa are facing these same issues. Their jungle home is being destroyed at an alarming rate and so is their culture and way of life.
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Preparing for TRINITY ISE II
TEST 1 - Task 1
Questions 1-5 (one mark per question) The text on the previous page has five paragraphs (1-5). Choose the best title for each paragraph from A-F below and write the letter (A-F) on the lines below . There is one title you don’t need.
E 1. Paragraph 1 ………………………… B 2. Paragraph 2 …………………………
A Suggestions for how the pygmy people developed and an important part of their culture B How the pygmy people got their name and what they look like
A 3. Paragraph 3 …………………………
C Important parts of pygmy culture and their different animal-hunting methods
F 4. Paragraph 4 …………………………
D How the pygmy people are struggling to adapt to the threats they face E Where in Africa the pygmy people live and their traditional way of life
D 5. Paragraph 5 …………………………
F
Serious threats facing one specific group of pygmies in Africa
Questions 6-10 (one mark per question) Choose the five statements from A-H below that are TRUE according to the information given in the text on the previous page. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).
A The Bantu people of Africa are much shorter than Europeans. C/E/F/G/H 6. ………………………… C/E/F/G/H 7. ………………………… C/E/F/G/H 8. ………………………… C/E/F/G/H 9. ………………………… C/E/F/G/H 10. …………………………
B The Baka Pygmies are different to other pygmy groups because they do not sing or like music. C Pygmies in urban areas typically have low incomes and do not get proper healthcare. D Fighting between different groups of pygmies has harmed their way of life. E Pygmies are typically shorter and thinner than Bantu people.
T r i n i t y I S E I I P r a c t i c e T e s t 1
F There is not an accurate figure for the number of pygmies living in Africa. G The cutting down of forests where pygmies live is the fault of both local Africans and Europeans. H One theory for why pygmies are short suggests it may be because there is not much sunshine in the forests where they live.
Questions 11-15 (one mark per question) Complete sentences 11-15 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum three words). Write the word, phrase or number on the lines below.
estimates 11. Some ……………………………………………….....…… put the figure of Congo Pygmies that live in central Africa as high as one quarter and half a million. European explorers gave the pygmies their name when they first visited Africa. 12. ……………………………………………….....…… smaller skeletons . 13. A lack of calcium may have caused pygmies to develop …….....……………………………………………… big issue for the Baka Pygmies. 14. Destruction of forests is a .....……………………………………………… (new) diseases they never had before, 15. Pygmies in built-up areas have suffered from …………………………………………….....……… damaging their health and population numbers.
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Trinity ISE II
Speaking & Listening Overview
ISE II Speaking & Listening Exam Overview A fresh approach that’s a little different… This exam has a different format from other exams that you may be familiar with. For that reason, it’s very important to know the format in advance and prepare. Trinity ISE II is student-centred and the aim is to allow you to give the best account of yourself that you can in a natural communicative environment. Put simply, it gives you the opportunity to show that you can use English in conversation, just as you might at college or at work.
How is it different?
mISE II Speaking & Listening is one single exam, all done face-to-face a with the examiner. x E g n What about the details? i n ISE II Speaking & Listening is a B2-level exam. It lasts 20 minutes and includes four different tasks. e t s Let’s have a look: i L Task & 1. Topic task g You prepare a topic for discussion in advance. In the exam, you will discuss your topic with n i the examiner. You will have to take some control over the discussion, showing what you k can do in English, and responding to the examiner's questions. a e 2. Collaborative task p The examiner plays a role. They tell you something general about their imaginary situa S tion or dilemma. You have to ask the examiner questions to find out more about the situ I I ation or dilemma, exchange information and opinions, and give them your opinion/recommendation/advice, using language functions of the level. E S 3. Conversation task I You will have a discussion about a subject area chosen by the examiner from the list of subject areas for the Conversation phase. You will need to respond to the examiner's questions/ideas and express your own ideas/ask them questions. 4. Independent Listening task You listen to the examiner’s spoken instructions. Then, you listen to a recording twice. The first time you listen, you must report back to the examiner on the general topic. The second time you listen, the examiner encourages you to take notes on some points, which you must then rep ort back to them in one minute. Total time: (This includes about 2 minutes extra examiner administration time.)
Time
4 minutes
4 minutes
2 minutes
8 minutes
20 minutes
ISE rating scale All tasks in each ISE level are linked to a particular CEFR level. The rating scales are based on CEFR level descriptors.
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Trinity ISE II
Speaking & Listening Tips and Advice
Tips and Advice General DOs and DON’Ts Don’t be passive. In the three speaking tasks of this exam, you are expected to play an active role. That means you should be prepared to ask the examiner questions and invite their thoughts and responses to what you say. Don’t give long rehearsed monologues. You will not score highly if you look and sound very unnatural and say things that are simply learned by heart. Make an effort to be spontaneous (react on the spot). This may seem difficult at first, but that is where practice comes in. Practise spoken conversation at every opportunity. Try to speak clearly and fluently. Avoid long, unnatural pauses, if possible. Don’t wait for the right word to come into your head; say whatever you’re trying to say in another way instead. Be polite at all times. Practise the art of turn-taking and of disagreeing politely. Avoid rudeness, extreme language and sarcasm at all costs. Always try to explain/develop/exemplify the points you make. For example, it’s not enough to say: I don’t think people could survive today without mobile phones . You have to explain yourself: I don’t think people could survive today without mobile phones. After all, we rely on them to communicate, for entertainment and even to do business on the move. They’re with us constantly. Take notes in the Listening Task (Independent Listening) when given the opportunity to by the examiner. Bring a mind-map card, or a very basic plan for a topic you have prepared to the exam. You will use this in Speaking Task 1, the Topic Task. You should prepare and practise for this task in advance, but don't forget that your Topic should not be memorised. There should be a natural discussion of your Topic with the examiner.
Speaking Task 1: Topic task This task is unique in that you prepare your Topic in advance. Choose any topic that interests you but don't forget that it must not be on one of the subject areas from the Conversation phase. Prepare well and practise discussing your topic as often as you can. Bring a mind map, or a very basic plan with your topic notes to the exam and show it to the examiner.
I S E I I S p e a k i n g & L i s t e n i n g E x a m
Do not be upset or concerned if the examiner interrupts you on several occasions during your discussion of your chosen topic. It is very likely that you will have a lot to say and could go on talking for a considerable time because you have prepared. The examiner wants to ask you specific questions and encourage a spontaneous conversation; that is why he/she is likely to interrupt you. It doesn’t mean you have done anything wrong. Do the Speaking section of this book to help you prepare.
Speaking Task 2: Collaborative task In this task, the examiner will read you a prompt: a description of a situation/problem/dilemma. You need to find out more information about the situation/problem/dilemma. It is very important that YOU take the lead in this section and be prepared to ask the examiner questions to find out more details so that you can offer good opinions, comments or advice. Do lead this task and ask the examiner plenty of questions. Listen carefully to the responses so you can build a better picture of the situation/problem/dilemma. The Information Gaps lesson in particular will be helpful in preparing for this task. Here are a selection of sample prompts: • [Problem] I'm doing quite well at work, but I'd like to do even better and I'm not sure how. • [Opinion]
I think work experience counts for more than qualifications, so, when I’m hiring staff, I don’t even look at the qualifications section of their CV.
• [Opinion]
None of the young people I hire seem to know what to do when they first join my company. This is a problem for the company.
• [Problem]
I am always busy with work and family commitments. I don’t have time to relax.
• [Dilemma] My oldest child says he wants to leave school. He’s legally old enough to do that and there’s nothing I can do to stop him. • [Dilemma] I’ve been invited to go on holiday with my best friend’s family to Barbados. It would be an amazing experience but I’d miss an important business meeting.
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Listening Part 1 - Focus What do you already know? The subject of this lesson is country and city life.
1 t r a P
Let’s get thinking about what we already know about the subject of this lesson. Look at the pictures. Then read the questions and make some short notes for your answers. Finally, discuss your answers with a partner or in groups.
Concentrate! ‘Pretend you are the only person in the room.’ The Independent Listening Task is very different to the ones you may be familiar with from other exams and to how students normally practise Listening questions. Because of this, there are some things you have to prepare yourself for. First of all, it’s not paper-based and you are not in an exam hall with other students. You will do the listening task just with the examiner, who will tell you what to do and play the recording for you. Don’t worry about this at all, and most impor tantly, don’t let it distract you from the task. Don’t worry about what the examiner is doing while you are listening and don’t be tempted to look at them to find out. This is only likely to make you more distracted. Try to forget about the examiner altogether and focus on a point in the room while you listen. For example, stare at the play button on the recording device, or look at the tip of your pen. Then listen carefully to the recording and think about nothing else. You can practise this at home with some of the example questions from this book. Ask a friend or family member to sit down at a desk with you (it only takes a few minutes of their time). Then play the recording twice. The first time listen for gist (explained later) and the second time listen for specific information (also explained later). Stare at something specific to help you concentrate and avoid looking at your friend / family member or what they are doing. To improve your powers of concentration, ask the other person to fidget (make a lot of small movements that could be distracting) and try to ignore them. Don’t worry, though, the examiner won’t be trying to distract you in the actual exam!
1. Why do so many people live in cities? What advantages do cities have over rural areas? 2. Now think about the disadvantages of living in a big city. What are they? 3. Would you prefer to live in a large country house or in a nice city flat? Give reasons for your answer. 4. Cities usually have a lot of traffic problems. What are the transport options for people living in cities, apart from their cars? List as many as you can think of. 5. What are the problems associated with the different transport options you listed in the last question? How can these forms of transport be improved? 6. Do you think people living in cities have a similar lifestyle to people living in rural areas? Explain your answer with examples.
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Practise this kind of listening as much as you can so you get comfortable with it. The aim is to blank out or ignore everything else and focus entirely on the recording. Another useful way to improve your focus is to deliberately put yourself in distracting situations while you listen. For example, using headphones so as not to interfere with anyone else, go into a room full of family or friends. They will probably be moving around quite a lot and talking. The headphones will block out their noise (so the situation is like the exam, where you will also have a quiet room) but their movements will be distracting and you may lose concentration while listening to the recording. The more you practise listening in this kind of situation, the more your concentration and focus will improve.
We are going to do a few simple listening exercises now that challenge your ability to concentrate and focus on what you hear. These exercises may seem a little silly or even funny (which is good!) but there is a point to them, as well, so please take them seriously. They challenge your ability to focus on listening no matter what distractions there are around you.
Trinity ISE II - Independent Listening
Part 1
Exercise 1 A. For this exercise, you need groups of three, Student 1, Student 2 and Student 3. Each student has a different task. Student 1, read the Task Card 1 on page 113 of the book and follow the instructions when the other two students are ready. Student 2, read the Task Card 1 on page 114 of the book and do the same. Student 3, your Task Card 1 is on page 115 of the book. When all three students are ready, start the exercise. B. Now it’s time to swap roles. Student 1, read Task Card 2 on page 113. Student 2, read Task Card 2 on page 114 and Student 3, read Task Card 2 on page 115. Get ready for your new roles, then start the exercise. C. Now repeat for Task Card 3. Exercise 2 - Track 1 So, how was Exercise 1? Easy or hard to concentrate?
cars 4. People who live there use their _____________ a lot due to poorer transport links.
We’re going to try one more exercise now. It’s about a survey on the best places to live in the UK. This time, watch the video, or listen to the recording. Listen carefully to the speaker and answer the questions below.
5. The weather makes Inverness not very suitable for _______________ . the elderly
Complete each sentence with a word, phrase or number you hear on the recording (maximum 3 words).
cost of living is low there. 7. Inverness is safe and the _____________
1. Inverness came __________________ in the survey second of best places in the UK to live. 2. Inverness is located in the __________________ Scottish Highlands . 3. Internet and __________ mobile are not very dependable there.
P a r t 1
(quite) specialised 6. Inverness’s job market is ___________________ and there are fewer jobs there than in big cities. (realistic) goal that’s possible 8. Home-owning is a ________________ for most people.
9. The city’s location promotes healthy living and Inverness has good facilities and ________________ . amenities Rail 10. ____________________ connections to other cities are excellent and there is an international airport.
services
Practise at home Here are some more Listenings you can practise at home. Pick a distracting place, put your headphones on and try to answer the questions. Track 2 Track 3 A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions. B. Listen to the recording and answer the questions. Complete each sentence with a word, phrase or number Complete each sentence with a word, phrase or number you hear (maximum 3 words). Play the recording as many you hear (maximum 3 words). Play the recording as many times as necessary for you to complete all the answers. times as necessary for you to complete all the answers. THE PROBLEM There is a housing crisis in London. Examples of the problem: 43 - only (1.) ___________ homes for sale in London this week were affordable for first-time buyers - the average age of first-time buyers will soon rise to 52 (2.) ________________ parents’ - 60% of first-time buyers use their (3.) __________ money for a house deposit Cause of the problem: - first-time buyers have to compete with wealthy investors (4.) ______________ from the UK and abroad THE SOLUTION rent Control (5.) _________________ : - at the moment landlords can increase as much as first year they want after the (6.) _________________ - needs to change more houses Build (7.) _________________ : first-time buyers to purchase them - only allow (8.) ________________ - if there’s no competition from the wealthy, prices more affordable will be (9.) ________________
Extra! Go on the internet and find out as much as you can about a serious problem in a city/town/village near where you live and ways to help solve it. Make some notes, then write out a full speech on the subject (about 400 words).
THE PROBLEM There is a large divide between the north and the south of England in terms of wealth and opportunities. Examples of the problem: - average salaries in Northern England are up to £ 10-15 thousand less than down south (1.) _______________ jobs - too few (2.) _______________ are being created unemployment is at 10% in the - as a result, (3.) _______________ south-east north compared to just 5% in (4.) the ____________ - young people are forced to move to London, causing brain drain a (5.) __________ THE SOLUTION infrastructure of the Spend money on improving the (6.) ____________ north: - for example, build a high-speed rail system between London the north and (7.) _______________ - improve local transport systems too coverage for 4G mobile phones - improve the (8.)(network) ________________ local government more power and control over Give (9.) _________________
decisions: rules - allow it to make its own (10.) _______________ and increase investment
In your next class, make pairs. Read your speech to your partner. Ask them to listen and then summarise the problem and solution in their own words. Then swap roles. You listen and report back on your partner’s speech.
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Speaking 1 t r a P
Part 1 - Polite vs Rude
Always be polite to the examiner
First, look at the images. Then, make short notes to answer the questions. Finally, discuss your answers in pairs.
It’s very important to speak politely throughout the exam, even when you disagree with or want to interrupt the examiner.
Exercise 1 - Track 19 A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions. rude 1. Are the speakers being rude or polite? _________
2. How do you know? Is the tone of the conversation aggressive calm or aggressive? __________ 3. What about the language they use? Is it moderate or extreme? __________ extreme 4. When a compliment is given, is it sincere (honest sarcastic and real) or sarcastic? __________ B. Obviously both speakers were very rude. That was an example of how not to speak. But we can learn from it. Remember to avoid these things:
Don’t be sarcastic! Don’t be aggressive! Don’t use extreme or bad language!
In fact, with a little bit of work, we could turn our two speakers into angels! Listen to them again. (Track 20) Compare the transcript of the original recording below with what you hear this time. Write the phrases that replace the words in italics in the space below. Male: I think the rudest behaviour is when a person starts having a really loud conversation on their phone in publ… Female: (1) Hold on a minute. That’s absolute and complete nonsense. Gossiping about a person is far ruder and it hurts their feelings. (2) I’m right, aren’t I? Admit it. Male: (3) You’re dead wrong, actually. That’s a stupid answer. What’s the big deal about gossiping? The person may never find out you’re talking about them, so how can they even know if it’s rude or not? (4) Well, what do you have to say to that, huh? Female: (5) OK, but so what? It doesn’t matter if the person doesn’t know; you still shouldn’t do it and it’s really bad behaviour. Besides, people usually find out about gossip, so they almost always DO get hurt. (6) You see? Ha. Now who’s right? 1. What behaviour do you find rude? Think of as many examples as you can and list them in order, starting with the worst behaviour. Explain your choice of worst behaviour.
Um, can I just say something? I’m not sure I agree. (1) _____________________________________________
2. How do you feel/react when someone is rude to you? Describe a time when you experienced rudeness.
Don’t you think so? (2) _____________________________________________
3. Have you ever been very rude to someone? If so, describe what happened? Did you regret your rudeness later?
Wouldn’t you agree? (4) _____________________________________________
4. Is it important to be respectful of our elders? Why? / Why not? 5. Are the teachers in your school respected by students, or do students behave rudely?
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Male: (7) Oh, well done you. You’re so smart! Talking loudly on a train or bus affects all the people around you, though. So, even if both actions are rude, my example’s way worse. (8) I’m right, you see. Ha!
I’m afraid I couldn’t disagree more. (3) _____________________________________________
Um, I take your point, but... (5) _____________________________________________ You agree with me, don’t you? (6) _____________________________________________ Yeah, I see where you’re coming from. (7) _____________________________________________ Surely you’d agree. (8) _____________________________________________
