Listening booster
Stress matters!
Look at the list of functions. Do you know how to express them?
Agreeing
Disagreeing
Persuading
Complaining
Sympathising
Seeking permission
Expressing surprise
Blaming
Do you often express these things?
Functional language is often very personal – we each have our own favourite expressions that we prefer to use.
Now listen to the recording. Each person expresses one of the functions.
A Agreeing ___
B Disagreeing ___
C Persuading ___
D Complaining ___
E Sympathising ___
F Seeking permission ___
G Expressing surprise ___
H Blaming ___
Match each statement to a function. Write the correct numbers.
Think about what is being said and how it is being said.
Now listen to the recording again to check your answers.
Which phrase and/or tone of voice helped you to recognise the function?
Function? Who? What about?
Listen to the recording of more speakers expressing different functions.
Write down the names of the functions (thanking, expressing hope, etc).
For each dialogue answer these questions?
Function (Why?)
Who are they? (What's their relationship?)
What are they talking about?
WHAT’S APPROPRIATE?
Think about suitable responses to different functions.
Listen to the recording.
There is a 10-second pause after each item to give you time to write down what you think may be a suitable response.
There are many likely responses (not just one correct one).
Now listen to the recording with responses.
How similar are they to the ones you have written?
Write down the ones you hear.
Let me stress that!
Look at the following sentences.
1 ‘Did you invite Jason to the party?’
2 ‘Did you invite Jason to the party?’
3 ‘Did you invite Jason to the party?’ .
4 ‘Did you invite Jason to the party?’
They are identical, but the meaning varies depending on where the stress falls (the underlined words).
Talk about how the meaning varies, depending on where the stress is put.
Write suitable responses to the questions.
Did you invite Jason to the party?’ ____________________
‘Did you invite Jason to the party?’ ____________________
‘Did you invite Jason to the party?’ ____________________
‘Did you invite Jason to the party?’ ____________________
Listen to the recording.
How similar were your responses to the recording?
Now listen to some more examples of stress and choose the most suitable response from each choice of four. Circle the correct letters.
1
a ‘No, Tess is.’
b ‘No, early.’
c ‘No, Thursday.’
d ‘No, studying.’
2
a ‘Most of it.’
b ‘They make it.’
c ‘Not the cheese.’
d ‘In the shop.’
3
a ‘He called by.’
b ‘His wife did.’
c ‘This morning.’
d ‘Philip Cameron.’
4
a ‘No, the main import.’
b ‘No, the second largest.’
c ‘No, in the Eastern part.’
d ‘No, pistachio nuts are.’
Now listen to the recording with the correct responses. Check your answers.
Discuss why the other options are wrong.
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