Listen to the advice how to make a good friend and answer the questions below.

1. How do people feel if they have no friend?

2. What qualities does a good friend have?

3. Why is it good to be a real friend?

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Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do my classmates feel lonely and unhappy? ” While the answer varies from person to person, we all seem to understand that they have no friend to talk to and share their sad and happy moments.

Have you ever asked yourself how to make a good friend? Of course people have different ideas about it, but I strongly believe that the best ingredients of friendship are compassion*, attention, honesty and caring.

Compassion is the ability to feel the same things your friend is feeling and then share in the emotions your friend is going through. Listening attentively is also important. Often, a friend doesn’t need advice, he just needs someone to listen to him.

Another part of the friendship recipe is honesty. Being truthful is part of that, but also being authentic* is important. Stand firm in your own values and beliefs. Be honest with your friend and be honest about who you are. Two sides of the same coin.

The last part of the recipe is caring. Let your friends know that you care about them and love and respect them. Let them know by the words you use and the actions you take.

Sharing, caring, listening and doing something for another person will make your life different: full, meaningful and interesting. You’ll feel the joy you can’t experience being alone.

 

Card 14

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Listen to Huan, a Chinese man, speaking about moving out and answer the questions below.

1. Why do young people prefer to live with their parents in Hong Kong?

2. How did Huan's parents react to his decision?

3. What are the advantages of living on your own?

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I want to talk about my experience of moving out and living on my own. Living on your own is not very common in Hong Kong. Many people still choose to live with their parents even though they have a good job and they’re already in their thirties.

There are several reasons behind — firstly, it’s expensive to rent a flat in Hong Kong. Secondly, the Chinese traditional value of family is that the parents are the ones who brought you up. When you become an adult, you should also take good care of your parents and you should spend more time to be with them. When I told my people about the idea of moving out, they supported my decision. They thought it was a good idea; it would give me time to understand how good it was to live with my parents.

I really like being on my own. First of all, I save the travelling time to work. It used to take me one hour fifteen minutes to travel to work. It also saves two- thirds of my travelling cost. In addition, I gain my personal space and freedom. I make my own decisions all the time, I can invite my friends to come up and stay late. I would say that as you get older, it is probably better to live on your own.

It is still a new experience for me but it has been worth doing.

 

Card 15

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Listen to the tour guide and answer the questions below.

1. What sort of tour is it?

2. What will the tourists see on the tour?

3. Why does the tourist ask to return the money?

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Tour guide: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this fantastic tour of London by bus. As you can see, we’re on an open-top bus, so you can see all the attractions from your seat and you don’t need to walk anywhere.

Tourist: I have a question.

Tour guide: Yes?

Tourist: Do you have extra umbrellas? I mean, if it rains a lot.

Tour guide: Err, no, we don’t have any extra umbrellas, but don’t worry, I’m sure it won’t rain. Right, OK, so where are we going on our wonderful tour? Well, the tour takes two hours and we are going to visit all the famous sites. First we’ll see Madame Tussauds*, the museum with wax models of famous people and celebrities, then we’ll drive along the most famous shopping street in the world, Oxford Street. After that we’ll see Westminster Abbey* and The Houses of Parliament. As we drive along the river you’ll see the popular attraction, the London Eye, from which you can see the whole city on a sunny day. Then we’ll see Tower Bridge and the famous Tower of London before arriving at Buckingham Palace*, just in time for a cup of tea with the Queen.

Tourist: I have another question.

Tour guide: Yes?

Tourist: Can we have our money back? It’s going to rain heavily.

 

Card 16

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Listen to a part of the interview with a thirteen-year-old writer, Sally Myers, and answer the questions below.

1. Why did Sally decide to write a book?

2. What did Sally's dad think about the book?

3. How did Sally's life change after publishing the book?

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Interviewer: Sally Myers is a thirteen-year-old writer whose first book was published last year. Sally, tell us about that book.

Sally: Well, I loved writing. I’d had a diary for a couple of years. I wrote about my day, poems, stories... But I never showed people what I wrote. Then, because my pen-friend was moving to a new city with her family, just like I’d done the year before, I wrote down some advice for her — the things which had helped me. She thought it was great and she said I should write a little book about it for other kids. So I did.

Interviewer: Did anybody help you?

Sally: Not with the writing. I only showed it to my Dad after it was finished. He thought it was good, but he tried to stop me from sending it to any publishers. He thought I’d feel disappointed and frustrated if they didn’t like it. So, I sent it to just one company.

Interviewer: Has being an author changed you?

Sally: I don’t really think so. I just go to school, hang out with the same friends. People think I make lots of money, but it’s not true. But I do get letters from kids who’ve read my book and that’s cool as they share their own experience with me. I’ve also become more confident and now I am planning to write one more book.

 

Card 17

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Listen to the interview and answer the questions below.

1. What does Jackie want to become?

2. Why has she chosen this profession?

3. Why is it important for students to do sport at school?

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Jackie: Hello, Mrs Spence. Nice to meet you.

Mrs Spence: Hello, Jackie. So, you’ve applied to do a teaching course here.

Jackie: Yes, that’s right.

Mrs Spence: I’d like you to tell me why you want to be a teacher.

Jackie: Well, I’ve always loved explaining things and helping people. I’m not looking for an easy job — I like a challenge*! I also want to work with young people.

Mrs Spence: And why have you decided to become a PE* teacher?

Jackie: I love all sports and I really believe it’s important for young people to do sport at school. Well, first of all, we all know it’s important for our health to keep physically fit. Secondly, physical exercise is good for our mental wellbeing and self-esteem. Finally, playing sport teaches young people important life lessons, like the importance of teamwork, discipline and fairness*, for instance.

Mrs Spence: OK, thank you. And, where does your passion for sport come from? Jackie: Hmm, let me think. It’s difficult to choose one thing in particular... I grew up around sport. My mum was a really good athlete, actually.

Mrs Spence: Oh, yes?

Jackie: Wc used to go and see her running marathons, which made a big impression on me as a child. I suppose it’s in my blood.

Mrs Spence: OK, thank you very much, Jackie. Now I’m going to show you around the college...

 

Card 18

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Listen to the conversation between two friends and answer the questions below.

1. What does Christian want to become?

2. Why does Kate need to learn English?

3. What piece of advice does Christian give to his friend?

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Christian: Hello, Kate! I hear you’re learning English now. Why?

Kate: Hi, Christian. Oh, yes. Two years ago I learned French, but now I need English for my future career.

Christian: You’re right. As for me, my ambition is to be a businessman and it’s impossible to become a successful businessman in Norway if you don’t know English. That’s why I’m learning English hard now and I attend special courses.

Kate: So do I. My ambition is to be a tourist manager. I’ll visit different countries and talk to different people. When you are in different countries, you can manage a lot better if you understand people and people understand you.

Christian: Right! English is an international language nowadays.

Kate: Your English sounds perfect. How long have you been learning it? Christian: Well, for about five years now.

Kate: Can you give me any advice about learning English?

Christian: Welt, you say you like travelling, right?

Kate: Yes, I’ve already been to some foreign countries but unfortunately, not to English-speaking ones.

Christian: That doesn’t matter. When you travel, try to speak English as much as possible. Practice is very important if you want to speak English well.

Kate: I agree with you. Thanks a lot for your advice!

 

Card 19

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Listen to the young man describing where he lived and answer the questions below.

1. Why did the man's family have to rent a flat for about a year?

2. What was their flat in the capital like?

3. How many people is he sharing the flat with at present?

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Young man:

When I was born, my parents were living in a house in a small village about 20 kilometres away from the capital. I was three years old when my brother was born and my parents decided we needed a larger home. So we moved into a rented flat and we lived there for fifteen months, while the new block of flats we were going to move to was being completed. I don’t think my parents liked the rented Hat because it was even smaller than our old house.

We finally moved into the capital at the beginning of 1988. Our flat wasn’t really large, only 68 square metres, but there was enough room for two adults and two small boys. There were two bedrooms, a cosy living-room with a balcony, a small bathroom and a kitchen, where we used to have the family meals as well.

We lived in the same flat all the time I was at school. I only moved house again when I started university. Rents were quite expensive so I decided to move into a shared flat. Five of us rented a large flat in the city centre. I had the time of my life! I’m still living in the same town, but I’m sharing with just one person now. It’s more comfortable, and of course, there is more privacy but I often miss the big parties we used to have.

 

Card 20

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Listen to Tom speaking about his day off and answer the questions below.

1. How did Tom spend his day off?

2. What went wrong?

3. What made Tom feel frightened?

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Tom: It was a beautiful sunny morning and I had the day off work. I thought it would be a good idea to visit my cousins, Paul and Bob, who had recently rented a summer cottage near the seaside. I threw a towel and a pair of swimming trunks into my bag and set off on my motorbike.

The boys were pleased to see me. “We’ve rented a speedboat to go water-skiing. Do you want to come with us? ” they asked. I wasn’t sure because I had never been water-skiing before. But the boys promised to teach me how to do it. After a while I managed to stand on the skis without falling into the sea. We were having so much fun that we didn’t notice the dark clouds in the sky.

It was about six o’clock in the afternoon when Bob shouted to me: “It’s getting dark and it’s time we went back.” While they were pulling me along, the engine suddenly stopped. We tried hard to get the engine started, but we couldn’t. Then the boat slowly began to drift out to sea.

As we were sitting there wondering what to do, there was a loud crash of thunder and a flash of lightning lit up the evening sky. The sea was dark and angry and it looked as if there was going to be a storm. Paul and Bob looked worried and that made me feel frightened. Just then we saw a lifeboat approaching in the distance and we breathed a sigh of relief!

 

Card 21

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Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.

1. What is the flat like?

2. What do Anna and Carlos like and dislike about the flat?

3. What have they decided to do?

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Estate agent: Well, here we are. Number 5 Oxford Street. After you.

Anna and Carlos: Thanks.

Estate agent: This is the hall, as you can see. There is a big mirror on the wall and a telephone over there too.

Anna: Is the telephone working?

Estate agent: Oh yes. You only pay for the calls you make. Now, through here to the left... this is the living room. There’s a television and...

Carlos: Look, Anna. What a big sofa!

Anna: It’s huge! We can have a good time here in the evening after work.

Estate agent: Oh, yes. It’s new, too. And if you go through that door in front of you, that’s the dining room... with a nice big table and six chairs... It has two windows so it’s very light in here, too. Now, on the left here is the bathroom with a washbasin and a shower.

Carlos: Hmm.

Anna: It’s a bit small.

Estate agent: Yes, but the shower and toilet are both new. And opposite... just here, we have the kitchen. And finally, this is the bedroom.

Anna: Oh yes! This is lovely. I like the big wardrobe where we can keep all our clothes and you won’t hang them over chairs!

Carlos: There’s a desk here too, so I can study and read books.

Anna: What do you think, Carlos?

Carlos: I think it’s OK. How much?

Estate agent: £ 550 a month, including bills.

Carlos: Hmm. £ 550. So, when can we move in?

 

Card 22

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Listen to three people talking about their favourite countries and answer the questions below.

1. What country does the first speaker like most?

2. What makes Italy a favourite place for the second speaker?

3. Why does the third speaker like Argentina?

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Speaker 1: What’s my favourite place? Well, that’s a really difficult question! So many countries are fantastic in different ways. I enjoyed my visits to Spain and Germany. But I think China is my favourite country and it is a very interesting place — such a mixture!

Speaker 2: My favourite country is Italy It’s got the most wonderful mountains, coasts, beaches and lakes. Its towns are fabulous — everywhere has lots of history and, of course, there are delicious things to eat. The people are so lively and friendly, too. I love it. Unfortunately, though, some of the towns are very big with lots of factories, as Italy makes things like cars, shoes and canned food products. Those towns aren’t much fun to visit.

Speaker 3: Visit Argentina if you get a chance. That’s my favourite country and you’ll just love it, too. Everyone says that Argentinians are really friendly, and it’s true! Of course, there is fantastic music and dancing as well, especially the tango. The country itself is wonderful if you love the great outdoors — huge prairies*, mountain ranges, waterfalls and in the south, glaciers*. My favourite food was the beef. I’ve never eaten such good beef before. It’s just so fresh and natural. It has a different taste to beef in other countries.

 

Card 23

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Listen to the conversation between two friends and answer the questions below.

1. What does Margaret complain about?

2. Why does Peter need new clothes?

3. What piece of advice does Margaret give to her friend?

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Peter: Hi, Margaret. Congratulations on your new job!

Margaret: Thanks, Peter. To tell you the truth, I’m not so sure I like it.

Peter: Oh, come on. Don’t complain. You’re making a good salary now. Last year you didn’t make anything.

Margaret: Right. Now, I’ve got money, a nice apartment and a car. But I haven’t got any time to enjoy it all. It’s just work, work and work. I work hard all day, every day.

Peter: It can’t be all that bad. You can still go to parties, and you can stay up late.

Margaret: Right, but then I’m tired at work.

Peter: I think you are too serious about everything.

Margaret: That’s easy for you to say. Anyway, what are you doing here?

Peter: Oh, I’m shopping for a new suit. I want to make the best impression possible at my job interviews!

Margaret: Are you looking for a new job?

Peter: Yes, I am. And I’m not doing very well, actually. I can’t seem to find a job. Unfortunately, I’ve only had two interviews so far.

Margaret: How about going to some of those networking groups? They’re groups of people who are also looking for work. They help each other discover new opportunities.

Peter: That sounds great! I’ll definitely try some of them.

Margaret: I’m glad to hear that. I’m sure things will look up for you soon. Peter: Yes, you’re probably right. I hope so!

 

Card 24

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Listen to three people speaking about how they met their partners and answer the questions below.

1. Why was the first speaker surprised?

2. When did the second speaker ask the girl out?

3. Why did the third speaker think that the girl was awful when they first met?

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Speaker 1: The first time I saw Terry was at a local dance when I was 17. Oh, he

was so handsome in those days! I remember I was standing with my best friend Vera Mills and Terry walked towards us. Well, I thought he was going to ask Vera to dance — she was the type that men would cross a dance floor for. I was so surprised when he asked me instead. We dated for two years but Terry was quite shy really, so I was the one who asked him to marry me. Thank goodness he said “Yes” or I don’t know what I would have done.

Speaker 2: Cathy and I grew up in the same neighbourhood in Birmingham, but we didn’t actually meet until we were teenagers. Funny really, living so close all that time. We met in a lift at the Town Hall. I was only going to the first floor, but I stayed with her all the way to the sixth just to talk to her. We went out that night and I asked her to marry me a month later.

Speaker 3: I thought Amy was awful the first time we met. She was introduced to me by a friend. Tim Green was his name. Anyway, she practically ignored me and she spent all night chatting and laughing with Tim. I met up with her again a few months later at a charity dinner and we got on a lot better that time. We got married on St. Valentine’s Day.

 

Card 25

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Listen to three people speaking about their work-life balance and answer the questions below.

1. What does the first speaker complain about?

2. How has the lifestyle of the second speaker changed?

3. What does the third speaker think about his way of life and the typical Japanese work-life balance?

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Speaker 1: l am not happy with my work-life balance at all. I work at least 50—60 hours a week so I don’t have any time at all for myself to enjoy hobbies or to see my children and spend quality time with them. I communicate with my wife leaving messages on the fridge. We hardly ever see each other because we work different hours. Also, I eat very badly because my working lunch ‘hour’ is only 10 minutes and it is not enough to have a proper meal. OK, I earn a lot but I have no free time.

Speaker 2: I didn’t use to have much time for anything because I worked too much: 40—45 hours a week. Now I am working 30 hours a week. I feel much happier. I play tennis twice a week and have long weekends. I think if you have time to enjoy your personal life you work much better and your productivity is much higher.

Speaker 3: Yes, I am happy because I’ve chosen a lifestyle that I like and that gives me a lot of freedom. But my father, on the other hand, works 70 hours a week for a car company in Japan, which I think is madness. There’s an expression in Japanese ‘karoshi’ which means dying because you work too hard. A lot of people in Japan get ill and die because they work too much. I don’t want my life to be ruled by work. I want to have time for myself.

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