English Lesson 115

Languages and consumer society

Learning languages, a website you bought something from (a second example), and buying things we don't need.

How to practise
  1. Listen to an answer two times. Read the text while you listen.
  2. Shadow it. Set the speed to 0.75×. Play it again and speak at the same time as the voice.
  3. Turn on practice mode. The answers are hidden. Read each question and answer it out loud.
  4. Make it yours. Use the same phrases, but say true things about your city, your job and your life.
  5. Practise with a partner. One person reads the questions. The other answers without looking.
Speed

Part 1 · Interview

Languages

Short answers. About 20 to 30 seconds each. Answer, give a reason, add one detail.

How many languages can you speak? Why?

I can speak two: Persian, my first language, and English. I learned English at school and then at a language institute. I also know a little Turkish, because my grandmother spoke it at home.

  • my first languagethe language you learned first
  • a language institutea private school for languages
  • a little Turkisha small amount of Turkish

What do you remember about learning languages at school?

I remember that we learned a lot of grammar rules and word lists, but we hardly ever spoke. The classes were quite boring. I really started to learn English when I watched films and talked with people online.

  • word listslists of words to memorise
  • we hardly ever spokewe almost never spoke
  • I really started to learn…the real learning began

What would be the hardest language for you to learn? Why?

Probably Chinese. The writing system is completely different, with thousands of characters. Also, the meaning of a word changes with the tone of your voice, which is very difficult for me.

  • the writing systemthe way a language is written
  • characterssymbols used in writing
  • the tone of your voicehow high or low your voice goes

How useful will English be to you in your future?

Very useful. I'd like to do a master's degree abroad, so I need a good IELTS score. Also, most of the information in my field is in English, so it helps me learn and keep up to date.

  • a master's degree abroada higher degree in another country
  • in my fieldin my area of work or study
  • keep up to dateknow the newest information

Part 2 · Cue card

A website you bought something from

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 website that you bought something from.

You should say:

  • what the website is
  • what you bought from it
  • how satisfied you were with what you bought
  • and explain what you liked or disliked about using it
Ready 1:00

Start

I'd like to talk about a website called Taaghche. It's a Persian website and app where you can buy e-books and audiobooks.

What the website is

It's like an online bookshop, but everything is digital. It has thousands of books in Persian, from novels to science books, and many of them are cheaper than printed books.

What you bought

Last month, I bought an audiobook of a famous Persian novel. I listen to it on my way to work, because I spend an hour on the metro every day.

How satisfied you were

I was very satisfied. The narrator had a beautiful voice, and the story was so interesting that I sometimes stayed on the metro one station longer to finish a chapter!

Likes and dislikes

I liked that it was cheap, quick to download and easy to use. I can also read a free sample before I buy a book. What I didn't like is that some new books aren't available yet, and sometimes the app is a bit slow. But overall, it changed my reading habits, because now I 'read' every day on the metro.

  • audiobooksbooks you listen to
  • everything is digitalnothing is printed
  • The narratorthe person who reads the audiobook
  • finish a chaptercomplete a part of a book
  • a free samplea small free part to try
  • it changed my reading habitsit changed how I read

Part 3 · Discussion

Online shopping and consumer society

Longer answers. About 30 to 45 seconds. Give your opinion, explain why, and give an example.

Why do you think online shopping has become so popular?

Because it saves time and energy. You don't need to drive, park or walk around shops. You can compare prices from many sellers in minutes. And with fast delivery, you often get the product the next day.

  • saves time and energyuses less time and effort
  • in minutesvery quickly
  • the next dayone day later

What are some possible disadvantages of buying things online?

The product might not look like the photo, or the size might be wrong. Sometimes delivery is late. It's also easy to spend too much money, because you just click a button. And small local shops lose customers.

  • might not look like the photomay be different from the picture
  • just click a buttonit's very easy
  • lose customershave fewer buyers

Why do many people keep buying things they don't need?

Advertising and social media make us think that new things will make us happier. Shopping also gives a short feeling of pleasure, especially when people are bored or stressed. And sales make people think they're saving money, even when they aren't.

  • a short feeling of pleasurea little happiness for a short time
  • salestimes when prices are lower
  • even when they aren'teven if it's not true

Do the benefits of a consumer society outweigh the disadvantages?

It's a difficult question. A consumer society creates jobs and gives people many choices. But it also creates a lot of waste and pollution, and people can become materialistic. I think the disadvantages are becoming more serious, especially for the environment.

  • a consumer societya society where buying is very important
  • outweighare bigger or more important than
  • materialisticcaring too much about things and money

How possible is it to avoid the culture of consumerism?

It's hard, but possible to some degree. You can buy only what you need, repair things instead of replacing them, and buy second-hand. Spending less time on social media also helps, because you see fewer adverts.

  • consumerismthe idea that buying a lot is good
  • to some degreepartly
  • repair things instead of replacing themfix them instead of buying new

What kinds of things do people in your country often buy online?

Electronics, clothes and books are very common. Many people also order food and groceries through apps. And recently, people buy a lot of digital things, like online courses and e-books.

  • are very commonmany people buy them
  • groceriesfood and things for the house
  • digital thingsthings that are not physical

Audio: Microsoft neural voices. A British voice reads the examiner's questions, and an American voice reads the model answers.