II. Listening Skills
Listening for Names
1. Doris: Good morning. Can I help you?
David: Yes. I need to change one of my courses.
Doris: I’ll see what we can do. What’s your name, please? David: My name’s David Brown.
Doris: Your first name again?
David: David. D-A-V-I-D.
The boy is called David by his first name.
2. Nancy: Excuse me. I want to make sure if I am registered for the new semester of English with Dr. Lang.
Doris: Just a minute and I’ll check for you. What’s your name, please? Nancy: Nancy Leigh.
Doris: Is “Lee” your last name? Nancy: No, it’s Leigh. L-E-I-G-H. But “Lee” would be easier to spell, wouldn’ t it?
Nancy’s last name is Leigh.
3. Doris: I’m sorry. But if you need a loan, you’ll have to go to the Financial Aid Office before you can register.
Nancy: Them who should I see there? Doris: Well, Mrs. Vicky Klein can help you. As a matter of fact, anybody there is very nice.
Nancy: Oh, thank you. What is her name again?
Doris: Vicky Klein. V-I-C-K-Y, K-L-E-I-N.
Nancy should see Vicky Klein if she needs a loan.
4. Doris: OK, to complete this form I need your name in full, please.
Laura: Laura Tish Hill.
Doris: Tish? That’s an unusual middle name. Would you mind spelling that for me?
Laura: Sure. T-I-S-H. I was named after my mother.
Laura’s full name is Laura Tish Hill.
5. Doris: Well, you need to complete the form for your parking pass. Your name, please? Anthony: Anythony Mcdonald.
Doris: Are you “Mc” or “Mac”?
Anthony: “Mc”. My family was from Scotland.
Doris: OK, Anthony. I’ll have your parking pass ready in a minute.
Anthony McDonald will get his parking pass in a minute.
III. Listening In
Task 1: Enrolling
Good morning, everyone. I’d like to welcome you to City University. I’m Betty Russell and I work in the International Students’ Office. I have some important for you. First, you must enroll by August 28th. Pick up your ID card at our office. Them, you’ll need to pick up a library card so that you can borrow books from the library. Show them your ID card in the library and they will do it for you. You may be thinking about the sports facilities at our school. There’s no charge for student use, but of course you’ll have to show your ID card. Concerning the medical assistance, the University has its own health center, and all services are free for enrolled students.
1.B 2.D 3.B 4.C 5.A
Task 2: Living on Campus
(M=man; W=woman)
M: Hi, Lisa. How’s life on campus?W: Hi, John. Oh, not so bad. Pretty good in fact.
M: Is that what do you think? I mean, do you like living on campus?
W: Yeah, I enjoy living here because there’s so many people around and it’s easy to make friends. What about you? Have you ever lived in a dorm before?
M: No, this is the first time.
W: I think you’ll find it quite convenient. The library, labs, sports center and other facilities are right on campus.
M: That’s true. The atmosphere here is different from the outside. But I guess living in town has its advantage too, like being close to the shopping center. You know, our university is so far from downtown.
W: But the commuting to classes…I mean, you would have to get up so early to get to classes on time. And then going home would be so much time.
M: Yeah, but the food here…it seems it’s the same thing in the cafeteria every day.
W: Well, I think the food here is OK, and if you want a change, you can eat out once in a while.
M: True.
She thinks it’s easy to make friends.
It’s convenient to use the library, the labs, the sports center and many other facilities.
It’s near the shopping center.
They would have to get up so early to get to classes on time. And then it would take a lot of time to get home.
It seems all the same every day.
Task 3: Learning to speak English
Hello, how are you? When most people learn English as a second language, they learn formal English. Unfortunately, learning it like this tends to make you feel distant and bored. The truth is, most people in English-speaking countries don’t speak to each other in such a formal way. They speak in a casual way to their friends and families. When speaking casually, people tend to use a lot of informal or colloquial words, and also shorten and connect their phrases. They say things like “Hey, what’s up?” or “Hey! Whatcha been dion’?” These expressions are both common and natural, and make you seem like a native speaker. Using them may make people more interested in talking to you. This type of English is more like what you will hear in movies and TV shows. Speaking this way makes native speakers feel more relaxed and you will sound like a friendly person who speaks English well. You got that, buddy?
formal formally casual common native relaxed friendly
Task 4: An Announcement
attention closing five checkouts leave
IV. Speaking Out
Model 1 It’s nice to meet you.
Now Your Turn
Michael: Hi1 My name is Michael. Nice to meet you.
Robert: Nice to meet you, Michael. I’m Robert. But you can call me Bob.
Michael: OK, Bob. Are you an international student here?
Robert: Yes, I got here last week. I’m from Canada.
Michael: So, we’re going to be in the same dorm.
Model 2 How are you doing?
Now Your Turn
Joe: Hi, Jack.
Jack: Hello, Joe. How are you doing?
Joe: I’m just fine, thanks. How about you?
Jack: Good. Well, you see, I’m planning to take chemistry this semester. Can you recommend a professor?
Joe: Dr. Smith, of course. They say he’s a prominent professor in chemistry.
Model 3 I’d like you to meet my friend.
Now Your Turn
Jason: Hi, Jane. I’d like you to meet my friend, Mike. Mike, this is Jane.
Michael: Glad to meet you.
Jane: Glad to meet you, too.
Michael: Jason often tells me how much he enjoys you playing the piano.
Jane: Thank you. I enjoy watching him playing tennis, too.
Michael: Excuse me. I have an appointment, so I’m afraid I must go now. Very nice meeting you.
Jane: Same here. Bye!
V. Let’s Talk
Michael: Hi! I saw you yesterday with John. We room together. I’m Michael.
Jane: Oh, hi, Mike. How are you doing?
Michael: I’m okay, but school has been really hectic since I came. I haven’t even had a chance to breathe!
Jane: I know. It’s especially crazy when you’re a freshman. Hey, what’s your major?Michael: Travel and tourism.
Jane: Well, what do you plan to do after you graduate?
Michael: Uh… I really haven’t decided. I think I’d like to work for a travel agency in this area. What about you?
Jane: Well, when I first started college. I majored in physics, but later I realized I might have a hard time finding a job in that field. I ended up changing to computer science. Finding a job in the IT industry shouldn’t be as difficult.
Michael: Have you got a part=time job to support yourself through school?Jane: Well, I’m on a four-year scholarship that pays my tuition.
Michael: Wow, lucky you!
Jane: Yeah. How about you? Are you paying for school yourself?Michael: Sort of. I work weekends at travel agency.
Jane: A travel agency? That seems like a perfect experience for you! What do you do there?
Michael: I’m a tour guide. I show tour groups around the city.
Jane: Wow, your English must be pretty good then.
Michael: Actually, they’re all Chinese tourists. That’s why I got the job!
Speaker Major Future Job Plan Tuition Source
Michael Travel and tourism To work for a travel agency Working his way through school
Jane Computer science To work in the IT industry A four-year scholarship
For Reference
a
A, say what you think about college life.
Hi, John. Life on campus is really exciting! It’s totally different form high school.
B, give your opinion of A’s view.
Yeah. I feel the same. It’s an entirely new world.
A, tell B your problem and the cause for that.
Well, my problem is this: I major in Engineering, but I want to work in a foreign trade company.
So, I decide to spend more time on English. But, it’s hard, you know, to manage your time.
B, give your opinion of what A says, and tell him/her about your situation.
I think you made the right decision. Actually, I have the same problem. You know, I’m majoring
in computer science, but I don’t like it very much. I’m really fond of travel and tourism, and I am considering changing my major, if it’s possible.
A, comment on B’s word.
Why? Computer science is cool! You’re sure to get a big salary in your future job!
B
A, tell B about your problem.
Hi, john. I’m having a hard time paying my tuition.
B, Show your sympathy.
Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Have any way to get money?A, say your plan to solve the problem.
I am considering a part-time job. I think it will help pay my tuition and give me useful experience.
B, Give your opinion of A’s plan, and tell him/her about your experience.
Right. Actually, I’m working part-time at a chain store now. It does bring in some money, but I think experience is more important.
VI. Further Listening and Speaking
Listening
Task 1: University Life
University life is a new and different experience for me. First of all, living at the university gives me a sense of responsibility, of being on my own. My parents aren’t around to say, “No, you’re not going out tonight.” I decide everything for myself. Being around lots of friendly people is another aspect I like about university life. On my first say, when I arrived on campus, I was a bit confused about where I was going. An upperclassman noticed out I was looking for my dorm, he said, “Oh, just follow me; that’s where I’m going.” Now, I can really say that I feel comfortable in the dorm because there are so many friendly people around to talk with. Finally, I LOVE HAVING Fridays off; I would not be able to deal with five days of classes in a row. How did I do it in high school? I love sleeping in on Fridays. I guess I’m sort of a party animal, but it seems like I go out every Thursday night. It also seems like I don’t get home until early the next day1 My head hits the pillow and I don’t move until Friday afternoon.
new and different
on his own
a bit confused
talk with
sleep in
Task 2: Key to Learning English
I think one of the most important keys to learning English id to establish a regular study program, like planning a few minutes every morning around breakfast time. This idea may sound a little too simple to the learners, because they took English in high school for a quite a few years, but they didn’t become proficient speakers of the language. As a matter of fact I do not mean that we can become fluent speakers with just a few minutes here and there, but following a regular and consistent course of study can help us on the way to language mastery. In other words, people need to plan out their study by setting realistic and attainable goals from the beginning. Some people get caught up in the craze of learning the language on 30 days, only to give up when they can’t perform up to their expectations. And small steps little by little, are the key. For example, planning to learn to use them actively—is far better than learning 30 and forgetting them the next day.
T 2. F 3.F 4.F 5.T
Task 3: Listening Effectively
Through it is 50% of everyday communication, listening, it seems, is the least taught. Listening is more than just hearing: it requires understanding. In an educational setting, listening effectively is critical. Effective listening results in doing the right assignment, doing the assignment correctly, and taking notes effectively. Doing these activities well results in learning and, most of the time, good grades. In a professional setting, listening is also critical. When you receive an oral message, your response must be correct. If you fail to listen to customers or clients, you may lose their business, and your job! Ina personal setting, listening effectively deepens your relationships. When we listen to someone, we say “You are important” without ever speaking a word. When we fail to listen, not only do we not receive the message, but we send the message that we are just plain dumb.
1.B 2.D 3.A 4.B 5.D |