English Lesson 11

Work and children

Your job, a child you know, and activities and school for children.

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

Work

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

Are you working or studying?

I'm working at the moment. I'm a software developer in a company that makes online shopping websites. I finished my studies a few years ago, but I still take short online courses to keep my skills up to date.

  • at the momentmeans now
  • I finished my studiesmeans I graduated
  • keep my skills up to datekeep learning the newest things

What are your main duties?

My main duty is to write code for new features on our website. I also fix bugs, which are small mistakes in the program. Every morning, I have a short meeting with my team, and we decide what each person will work on that day.

  • My main duty is to…duty = a task that is part of your job
  • fix bugsrepair mistakes in a computer program
  • we decide what each person will work ondescribe teamwork

What do you like about the job you do?

What I like most is that I'm always learning. Technology changes very fast, so my job is never boring. I also like my colleagues. They're friendly and helpful, and we often have lunch together.

  • What I like most is that…give your main reason
  • my job is never boringa simple, strong statement
  • colleaguespeople you work with

What would you like to change in your job if you had the chance?

If I had the chance, I'd like to work from home a few days a week. The traffic in my city is terrible, and I lose almost two hours every day on the way to work. I could use that time to rest or to learn something new.

  • If I had the chance, I'd like to…talk about an imaginary situation
  • work from homedo your job at home, not in the office
  • on the way to workwhile travelling to work

Part 2 · Cue card

A child you know

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 child you know.

You should say:

  • how old he or she is
  • what he or she looks like
  • how you two are related
  • and explain why you like this child
Ready 1:00

Start

I'd like to talk about my nephew, Ali. He's one of my favourite people in the world.

How old he is

He's six years old. He started primary school this year, and he's very proud of his new school bag.

What he looks like

He's quite small for his age, with curly black hair and big brown eyes. He has a lovely smile, and he's always running around, so his clothes are usually a bit dirty.

How you are related

He's my sister's son, so I'm his uncle. They live quite close to us, so I see him almost every weekend.

Why you like him

I like him because he's so curious. He asks me questions all the time, like why the sky is blue or how planes fly. Sometimes I don't know the answer, so we look it up together. He also makes me laugh a lot, and when I'm with him, I forget about my problems.

  • one of my favourite people in the worlda warm opening
  • small for his agesmaller than other children of the same age
  • curly black hairdescribe hair: curly = with many curves
  • He's my sister's son, so I'm his uncleexplain how you are family
  • curiouswanting to know and learn about things
  • we look it up togetherlook up = find information

Part 3 · Discussion

Children's activities and schools

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

What kinds of activities for children are there in your city?

There are lots of activities. Many children take swimming classes or play in football teams. Some learn music, like the piano or the guitar. There are also language institutes, where children learn English after school. And in summer, there are summer camps, with sports and art classes.

  • There are lots of activitiesa general start
  • take swimming classestake a class = study something with a teacher
  • language institutesprivate schools for learning languages
  • summer campsprogrammes for children in the summer holiday

How can you make a child interested in these activities?

I think the activity should be fun, not like another school lesson. Children learn best through games. It also helps if the child can choose the activity. And parents should encourage them, not push them. If you push a child too hard, they may start to hate the activity.

  • Children learn best through gamesbest = in the most effective way
  • It also helps if…add an extra idea
  • encourage them, not push themencourage = give support; push = force
  • too hardmeans too much

What kind of pressure do children have at school?

There's a lot of pressure to get good marks. Parents want their children to go to a good university, so children have extra classes after school and at weekends. Some kids study for ten hours a day before big exams. I think this is too much for young people.

  • There's a lot of pressure to…pressure = a feeling that you must do something
  • get good marksmarks = scores at school
  • extra classeslessons in addition to normal school
  • this is too much for…give your opinion

What activities do you think there will be for children in the future?

I think there will be more activities with technology, like coding classes and robot-building clubs. Some children are already learning these things. But I hope traditional activities, like sports and playing outside, will stay popular. Children need to move and play with real friends, not just screens.

  • I think there will be more…make a prediction
  • coding classeslessons on how to write computer programs
  • stay popularcontinue to be liked
  • not just screensnot only phones and computers

What do you think schools for young children will be like in the future?

I think they'll be more relaxed and more creative. Instead of sitting at desks all day, young children will learn by doing projects and playing games. Teachers will probably use tablets and interactive screens. I also hope classes will be smaller, so teachers can help each child more.

  • more relaxed and more creativedescribe a change
  • learn by doing projectslearn by + -ing form
  • interactive screensscreens you can touch and use
  • I also hope…add a wish

How could education be made more practical for children in your country?

First, schools should teach more life skills, like cooking, managing money and first aid. Second, there should be more trips, for example to museums, farms and factories. When children see things in real life, they remember them much better than from a textbook.

  • First, … Second, …organise your answer
  • life skillsskills you need in daily life
  • first aidsimple help for someone who is hurt or sick
  • they remember them much bettercompare two ways of learning

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