Series 02 Episode 08

Listen to the whole podcast

These exercises help you when you listen to the podcast for the first time. To get ready to listen to the podcast on your computer:

• Read through the questions in the exercises in the practice materials below. This will give you an idea of the programme you are going to listen to.
• Read the questions and instructions carefully. Sometimes you must listen for the 'right' answers. But in some of these questions, you must choose the one answer that is not possible, or wrong.

Practice materials

Listen to the whole podcast and try to answer the questions while you listen.

Exercise

Check your answers when you have finished. How many did you get right? Remember this, because if you listen to the podcast again later (say next month), you can do the exercise again, and see if you have improved!

Section 1 - Conversations in English

“Have you ever been to...?” – Recommending things to do

Part 1 is based on the Introduction. This section looks at talking about plans for a holiday.

Suggestion: One way to use this is to read the transcript, and then do some exercises to help you to learn the common phrases. A good idea is to practise these with a friend who speaks English or is also learning English.

Practice materials: exercise 1

Put the lines of the dialogue in the right order.

Exercise

Practice materials: further practice

For further practice activities please download and print the support pack.

Section 2 - I'd like to talk about

Section 2 is based on someone talking about something that they’re interested in – it could be anything – a hobby, a person, a place, a thing – something that they know a bit about and would like to share. In this section, you heard Tim talking about fell running, a sport he takes part in.

• What sports or activities do you take part in?
• Why do you enjoy it?
• What do you know about how the sport or activity started?

Write a paragraph about a sport or activity you take part in. You can add your paragraph to the comments on the website.

Here are some phrases that might help you:

• I started about __________ years ago.
• At first it was hard/difficult/strange.
• I like it because it’s __________.
• It makes me feel __________.
• The [sport/activity] started about __________ years ago in __________.
• People used to __________

Practice materials: further practice

For further practice activities please download and print the support pack.

Section 3 - Quiz

Section 3 is based on the Quiz. This helps you to learn the meaning of new words and how to remember them.

Suggestion: You can write your answers in our Support Pack. You might want to use a notebook or part of your folder to make your own word lists and maps.

The quiz today was about holiday words.

Practice materials: Exercise 1

Put the words from the box under the right headings.

Exercise

Practice materials: Exercise 2

Fill in the gaps in the text with the words related to holidays.

Exercise

Practice materials: further practice

For further practice activities please download and print the support pack.

Section 4 - Your turn

Section 4 is based on 'Your Turn'. It helps you to listen and understand people giving their opinions.

Suggestion: Download the support pack (below) and look at the phrases that the people use. Sometimes they don't use complete sentences. Write down notes and then say what you think.

In 'Your Turn' this time the question was "What talent would you like to have?”
What about you? What talent would you like to have? Would you like to be able to sing or dance or tell great jokes? Do you have the same wish as any of the people said in the podcast?

We'd like you to tell us your opinion. Add your paragraph to the "Your turn" comments on the website.

For some useful language, download the support pack.

Practice materials: further practice

For further practice activities please download and print the support pack.

Section 5 - Carolina

Section 5 follows Carolina – a girl who has come to the United Kingdom (UK) to live, study, and to have fun exploring a different country and culture. Listening to this can help you if you find yourself in a similar situation. You will see that there is often more than one way of saying the same thing in English.

Suggestion: listen to Carolina's conversations with her friends and then do exercises 1 and 2.

Practice materials - Exercise 1

Look at some parts of Carolina and her friends‟ conversations in the car park.

Put the expressions in the right places.

Exercise

Practice materials - Exercise 2

Look again at parts of the conversations.

Choose all the phrases that people can say.

Exercise

Remember: there is always more than one correct answer.

Practice materials: further practice

For further practice activities please download and print the support pack.

Section 6 - Joke

Section 6 is a joke. A joke is normally a funny story you hear and tell someone else. But you can also describe funny things that happen to you. The most important thing is to watch your friends to see if they are enjoying the story or not – then you can make it longer or shorter.

Suggestion: We suggest you do this:

• Listen to the joke on your computer/mp3 player.
• Do Exercise 1, in which you put the lines of the joke in order.
• Do Exercise 2, in which you reconstruct the joke, word by word.
• Do Exercise 3, in which you tell the joke.
• Think of a funny story that you know. Write down the most important words in English (use a dictionary?). Then try telling the joke.

Practice materials - Exercise 1

Put the lines of the joke in the correct order.

Exercise

Practice materials: further practice

For further practice activities please download and print the support pack.

Section 7 - Tom the Teacher

Section 7 is Tom the Teacher. These are more traditional exercises. They look at being accurate in English, and often use the type of exercises you may find in English tests and exams.

Practice materials - Exercise 1

Read the sentences and decide which one is true.

Exercise

Practice materials - Exercise 2

Read and decide if the sentences are correct or incorrect.

Exercise

Practice materials - Exercise 3

Match the words from the two columns to make compound nouns.

Exercise

Practice materials: further practice

For further practice activities please download and print the support pack.