English Lesson 110
The future and thoughtful books
Your future plans, a book that made you think, and children's books and e-books.
How to practise
- Listen to an answer two times. Read the text while you listen.
- Shadow it. Set the speed to 0.75×. Play it again and speak at the same time as the voice.
- Turn on practice mode. The answers are hidden. Read each question and answer it out loud.
- Make it yours. Use the same phrases, but say true things about your city, your job and your life.
- Practise with a partner. One person reads the questions. The other answers without looking.
Part 1 · Interview
The future
Short answers. About 20 to 30 seconds each. Answer, give a reason, add one detail.
What job would you like to have ten years from now? Why?
I'd like to be a project manager in a big technology company. I enjoy organising people and solving problems. I also think it would be a good mix of technology and teamwork.
- ten years from nowin ten years
- organising peopleplanning and managing people
- a good mix of…a nice combination of
How useful will English be for your future? Why?
Extremely useful. Most technical information and online courses are in English. If I want to work with international companies or travel, English is necessary. I think it will open many doors for me.
- Extremely useful.very, very useful
- is necessaryis needed
- it will open many doors for meit will give me many opportunities
How much travelling do you hope to do in the future? Why?
I hope to travel a lot. I'd like to visit at least one new country every year. Travelling teaches you so much about the world and about yourself. My dream is to see South America one day.
- at least one new country every yearone or more each year
- about yourselfabout who you are
- My dream is to…my biggest wish is to
How do you think your life will change in the future?
I hope I'll be more settled, with a stable job and my own home. Maybe I'll have a family. I think I'll have less free time but more responsibilities. I just hope I'll still have time for my hobbies and friends.
- more settledmore stable, not changing much
- more responsibilitiesmore duties
- I just hope…my simple hope is
Part 2 · Cue card
A book you enjoyed because it made you think a lot
You get 1 minute to prepare and then speak for 1 to 2 minutes. Follow the four points on the card in order.
Candidate task card
Describe a book that you enjoyed reading because you had to think a lot.
You should say:
- what the book was
- why you decided to read it
- what it made you think about
- and explain why you enjoyed reading it
Start
I'd like to talk about a book called Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari. It made me think more than any other book I've read.
What the book was
It's a non-fiction book about the history of humans, from the Stone Age to today. It explains how humans became the most powerful species on Earth.
Why you read it
Many of my friends were talking about it, and I saw it in every bookshop. I'm interested in history, so I decided to read it during a long summer holiday.
What it made you think about
It made me think about many things I had never questioned before, like why we use money, why we believe in countries, and whether people today are happier than people thousands of years ago. The writer says that many things we think are natural are actually stories that humans created.
Why you enjoyed it
I enjoyed it because it changed the way I see the world. I didn't agree with everything, but that's what made it interesting. I often stopped reading to think, and I discussed it with my friends for weeks. A book that starts so many conversations is a great book.
- It made me think more than any other booka strong opening
- a non-fiction booka book about real facts
- the most powerful species on Earththe strongest type of animal
- I had never questioned beforeI never asked about before
- I didn't agree with everythingI disagreed with some parts
- starts so many conversationsmakes people talk a lot
Part 3 · Discussion
Children's books and e-books
Longer answers. About 30 to 45 seconds. Give your opinion, explain why, and give an example.
What are the most popular types of children's books in your country?
Picture books with animals are very popular with young children. Traditional stories, like those from the Shahnameh, are also popular. Older children love adventure stories and translated series, like Harry Potter.
- Picture booksbooks with many pictures
- the Shahnameha famous old Persian book of poems and stories
- translated seriesbook series from other languages
What are the benefits of parents reading books to their children?
It helps children learn new words and improve their imagination. It also creates a special time for parents and children to be close. Children who are read to usually enjoy reading more when they're older.
- improve their imaginationmake their creative thinking better
- a special timean important moment
- Children who are read tochildren whose parents read to them
Should parents always let children choose the books they read?
Mostly, yes. When children choose, they're more interested, and they read more. But parents should guide them a little, and make sure the books are suitable for their age.
- Mostly, yes.mainly yes
- guide them a littlehelp them choose a bit
- suitable for their ageright for that age
How popular are electronic books in your country?
They're becoming more popular, especially among students and young people, because they're cheaper and easy to carry. Many people read on their phones. But most people still prefer printed books for reading at home.
- They're becoming more popularmore people use them now
- easy to carrylight and portable
- printed booksbooks on paper
What are the advantages of e-books compared with printed books?
E-books are cheaper, and you can carry hundreds in one small device. You can change the text size and check words in a dictionary instantly. They're also better for the environment, because no paper is used.
- one small deviceone small electronic machine
- change the text sizemake the words bigger or smaller
- better for the environmentless harmful to nature
Will e-books ever completely replace printed books?
I don't think so. Many people love the feeling of holding a real book and turning the pages. Printed books also make good gifts, and they don't need a battery. I think both will continue to exist side by side.
- completely replacetotally take the place of
- turning the pagesmoving from page to page
- side by sidetogether, next to each other
Audio: Microsoft neural voices. A British voice reads the examiner's questions, and an American voice reads the model answers.