English Lesson 111
Social media and your home
Using social media, something you bought for your home and liked, and homes and decoration.
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
Social media
Short answers. About 20 to 30 seconds each. Answer, give a reason, add one detail.
Which social media websites do you use? Why?
I mostly use Instagram and Telegram. Instagram is for seeing photos from friends and following travel pages. Telegram is for news and chatting with family. I also use LinkedIn for work.
- following travel pagesseeing posts from travel accounts
- chatting with familytalking with family
- for workfor my job
How much time do you spend on social media? Why?
Probably too much, about two hours a day. I check it on the bus and before bed. I'm trying to spend less time on it, because it sometimes makes me feel tired and less productive.
- Probably too muchmore than is good
- I'm trying to spend less timeI want to reduce it
- less productivedoing less useful work
What kind of information about yourself have you put on social media?
Not much. I share some photos of trips and food, but I don't share personal details, like my address or my family's photos. I think it's important to protect your privacy online.
- personal detailsprivate information
- protect your privacykeep your private life safe
Is there anything you don't like about social media? Why?
Yes, I don't like how fake it can be. People only show the perfect parts of their lives, so others feel their own life isn't good enough. I also don't like the negative comments and fake news.
- how fake it can behow unreal it can be
- the perfect parts of their livesonly the best moments
- isn't good enoughis not as good as it should be
Part 2 · Cue card
Something you liked very much which you bought for your home
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 something you liked very much which you bought for your home.
You should say:
- what you bought
- when and where you bought it
- why you chose this particular thing
- and explain why you liked it so much
Start
I'd like to talk about a hand-made carpet I bought for my living room. It's my favourite thing in my apartment.
What it was
It's a medium-sized wool carpet, made by hand in a village near Kashan. It's dark red and blue, with a traditional pattern of flowers and birds.
When and where
I bought it about a year ago, when I moved into my new apartment. I went to the old bazaar in Kashan with my mother, because she knows a lot about carpets.
Why you chose it
We visited about ten shops, and I saw hundreds of carpets. I chose this one because the colours were warm and not too bright, and the quality was excellent. My mother checked the back of the carpet and said the knots were very fine. The seller also told us the story of the woman who made it.
Why you liked it
I like it because it makes my living room feel warm and welcoming. It's also a piece of art and a piece of my culture. A good hand-made carpet can last a hundred years, so one day I'll give it to my children. Every time I look at it, I think about the woman who spent months making it.
- a hand-made carpeta carpet made by hand
- a traditional patternan old design
- when I moved into my new apartmentwhen I started living there
- the knots were very finethe small ties in the carpet were very small and close
- warm and welcomingcomfortable and friendly
- can last a hundred yearscan be used for 100 years
Part 3 · Discussion
Homes and decoration
Longer answers. About 30 to 45 seconds. Give your opinion, explain why, and give an example.
Why do some people buy lots of things for their home?
Some people want their home to look beautiful and comfortable. They spend a lot of time at home, so it's important to them. Others buy things because they see them on social media or in adverts, and they want to keep up with trends.
- look beautiful and comfortablebe nice and cosy
- keep up with trendsfollow the newest fashions
Is it very expensive to make a home look nice?
Not necessarily. You can make a home look nice with simple things, like plants, good lighting, family photos and a clean, tidy space. Expensive furniture helps, but taste is more important than money.
- Not necessarily.not always
- good lightingnice lights
- taste is more important than moneygood style matters more than price
Why don't some people care about how their home looks?
Some people are very busy and spend little time at home, so they don't think about it. Others don't have enough money. And some people simply care more about practical things than decoration.
- spend little time at homeare not at home much
- care more about practical thingsthink useful things matter more
In what ways is living in an apartment better than living in a house?
Apartments are usually cheaper and easier to clean. They're often in better locations, close to shops and transport. They can also be safer, because there are neighbours all around and sometimes a security guard.
- easier to cleansimpler to keep clean
- better locationsbetter places
- a security guarda person who protects a building
Do you think homes will look different in the future?
Yes, I think homes will be smaller but smarter. Furniture will be more flexible, and many things will be controlled by voice or phone. I also think homes will use more natural materials and solar energy.
- smaller but smarterless space, more technology
- controlled by voicemanaged by speaking
- solar energyenergy from the sun
Do the kinds of homes people prefer change as they get older?
Yes, definitely. Young people often prefer small apartments in the city centre, close to work and entertainment. Families want bigger homes with space for children. Older people often prefer quiet homes on the ground floor, without stairs.
- close to work and entertainmentnear jobs and fun places
- space for childrenroom for kids
- on the ground flooron the lowest level
Audio: Microsoft neural voices. A British voice reads the examiner's questions, and an American voice reads the model answers.