Birthday parties

Birthday parties

Listen to a conversation about birthday parties between three friends to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

Transcript

Marco: The big four-oh, Charles!

Dora: Oh!! It's your 40th!

Marco: Are you planning a party?

Charles: Nah, I never celebrate birthdays. I don't see why this one should be any different.

Dora: Why not?

Charles: First, you know me, I can't be bothered with the hassle. It's my birthday but I'm supposed to do all the hard work – contacting people, finding a venue, organising food, worrying who will show up. No, thanks.

Marco: Ah, someone's angling for a surprise party, eh, Dora? 

Charles: Marco, stop! Even worse. Having to pretend to be delighted 50 people just sprang up in your living room when you thought you were coming home to put your feet up. Probably having a heart attack at the shock.

Dora: Note to self: never to organise you a surprise party. OK then!

Marco: You've got to do something, though, Charles. It's your 40th.

Charles: Why? What's so great about getting old?

Dora: Er … still being here to have your birthday?

Marco: Yeah, 'Ageing is better than the alternative', as they say.

Dora: Yeah, and it's true – so why not celebrate?

Charles: You guys can have parties for your 40ths if you like. I just don't go in for that kind of self-indulgent attention-seeking.

Dora: Wow, that's a bit harsh! I had a huge bash for my 30th. And you came. And enjoyed yourself if I recall. Are you trying to say I was just doing it for attention?

Charles: Not exactly … but … well … at least a small part of you must have been.

Dora: Remind me not to invite you to my 40th then, so you won't have to put up with my huge ego while I feed you and provide free drinks all night because I thought we were friends. 

Charles: I meant, er, I mean, not all attention-seeking is bad. It's just not my style is all.

Dora: Whereas it is mine?

Marco: Anyway ...

Charles: I didn't say that!

Dora: Er, yes, yes, you did. You said celebrating birthdays is self-indulgent and ...

Marco: Guys, guys! Who knew birthdays was such a touchy subject? Speaking of which, I have to sort out my nine-year-old’s party the weekend after next.

Charles: Now, that's a party I'd love to organise.

Marco: Really? It's a nightmare. It's not like when we were kids. Now you have to take them all rock-climbing or hire a make-up artist to come and teach them how to look like a zombie or a film star. And there'd be trouble if someone else in school had the same kind of party and your kid gets accused of copying. That fear you said about no one turning up? It's a million times worse when you're scared your kid is going to have no one turn up.

Charles: Is there that much pressure?

Marco: Yeah, it's crazy. Last year, I got it right with a cinema trip. Simple, but always a winner. But we can't do the same thing again apparently. It says it in my 'Official Laws for 9-Year-Olds' book.

Charles: That's a pity. I've got so many fond memories of birthday parties as a kid. Party food and games and watching cartoons until your parents arrived.

Marco: Trust me, your parents were stressing out!

Dora: At the risk of restarting the argument, when do you think you stopped enjoying birthdays then?

Charles: I dunno really … somewhere around moving away from home and getting a job and being a grown-up. I don't mean birthdays are immature. I mean, it takes a while to make new friends and so birthdays just become more low-key and it's drinks with a couple of friends or dinner or something. And I just got out of the habit, I guess. Maybe I just need to have a kids-style party like we used to have! Play musical chairs and eat pineapple and cheese on sticks and all that.

Dora: Very retro. I bet people would love that.

Marco: Yeah, they would. Well, I would anyway. And maybe it'll catch on with my kids and it'll start a new party trend.

Charles: You've got me thinking … it's not a terrible idea. Maybe I will have a party this year!

Discussion

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Language level

Average: 4.6 (15 votes)

Submitted by MATHILDA ELINE… on Thu, 19/09/2019 - 11:41

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I have completed the following lessons of A Job Interview, A Project Management Project, and Birthday Parties. The level that I chose was Advanced C1 Listening

Submitted by ram123654 on Wed, 18/09/2019 - 15:24

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As far as my birthday celebration is concerned, it was never celebrated. Culturally my family wasn't aware of such celebration when I was born in 1995. Being a middle class family, my parents spent their time in villages, I think this may have been the reason. However, we live in a city now

Submitted by eleh on Tue, 17/09/2019 - 17:55

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I'd like to celebrate my birthday with my husband. We go to the restaurant, eat delicious food and drink our favourite drinks. Sometimes I try to have a vacation for this day.

Submitted by afieqahhh on Tue, 17/09/2019 - 08:28

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I realise that listening exercise harder than writing exercise which is I must be fully focus listening the task and writing the point to understand what they are talking about and to answer the questions.

Submitted by Moe Kyaw on Sat, 31/08/2019 - 15:34

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I have tried it and I think I could not read while I am listening. I come to know it because I don't understand what I read while listening. Plz help me and give some advice. Thanks in advance.

Hello Moe Kyaw,

For many people reading and listening at the same time is helpful, but people learn in different ways and if you find it distracting then there is no requirement for you to work this way. Experiment and try first listening and then reading, or first reading and then listening. See what technique is most productive for you. There is no one way to learn, after all.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by nikoslado on Thu, 27/06/2019 - 20:13

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Dear Team I realise, reading and thinking carefully what the three discussants say and what the Task 1 requires as a correct option, that there're different answers from the suggested ones.What your opinion is about that, do I have some right?
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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Fri, 28/06/2019 - 08:56

In reply to by nikoslado

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Hello nikoslado

I suppose that is possible. If you have a specific interpretation for a specific question in mind, we're happy to help you with it.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by Hoàng Nhung on Thu, 27/06/2019 - 10:00

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I have used the online dictionary to find out the meaning of a new word. I don't celebrate my birthday. I only want to celebrate my nieces's birthdays.

Submitted by Tai le on Mon, 24/06/2019 - 23:02

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Dear! To whom may I concern about I just want to know the meaning ( at the risk of restarting...,.) Best regards Tai