English Lesson 17

Family and the news

Your family, your favourite news source, and journalists and the media.

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

Family

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

Do you have a large family or a small family?

I have quite a large family. I have two brothers and one sister, and I'm the youngest. My father also has seven brothers and sisters, so I have more than twenty cousins. When we all get together, the house is very full.

  • quite a large familyquite a + adjective + noun
  • I'm the youngestthe youngest = the child born last
  • When we all get together, …get together = meet as a group

Can you tell me something about your family members?

My parents are both retired now. My father used to work in a bank, and my mother was a nurse. My oldest brother is married, and he has two little kids. My sister is a dentist, and my other brother is still at university.

  • are both retiredretired = stopped working because of age
  • used to work in…used to = in the past, not now
  • is still at universitystill = continues now

How much time do you manage to spend with your family?

I live with my parents, so I see them every day, mostly in the evening. My brothers and sister have their own homes, so we usually meet once a week, on Friday. We have lunch together at my parents' house, which is a family tradition.

  • manage tosucceed in doing something difficult
  • have their own homeslive in different houses
  • which is a family traditiontradition = something done for a long time

What sorts of things do you like to do together?

We mostly eat and talk. My mother is a great cook, so lunch on Friday is the best part of the week. After lunch, we drink tea and play board games with the children. In the summer, we sometimes go on a picnic in the mountains.

  • We mostly eat and talka simple, honest answer
  • the best part of the weekthe nicest time of the week
  • play board gamesgames like chess, played on a table
  • go on a picniceat outside, in nature

Part 2 · Cue card

Your favourite news source

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 your favourite news source.

You should say:

  • what it is and how often you use it
  • what other news sources you use
  • what kinds of news you are interested in
  • and explain why it is your favourite news source
Ready 1:00

Start

I'd like to talk about the BBC News app. It's my favourite way to get the news.

What it is and how often

It's a free app on my phone. I check it every morning on the bus, and sometimes again in the evening. It usually takes me about fifteen minutes to read the main stories.

Other news sources

I also watch the news on TV with my parents sometimes. And I follow a few news pages on Instagram, but I don't always trust them, because some of them share rumours.

What news you like

I'm mostly interested in technology and science news, because of my job. I also like reading about the economy, because it affects my life directly, for example the price of things.

Why it is your favourite

It's my favourite because I think it's quite reliable. The articles are short and clear, and they usually explain different sides of a story. It's also great for my English, because I learn new words every day. So I get the news and practise English at the same time.

  • my favourite way to get the newsa clear opening
  • It usually takes me about…say how long something takes
  • rumoursstories that may not be true
  • it affects my life directlyit changes my life in a clear way
  • reliableyou can trust it
  • at the same timetogether, in one activity

Part 3 · Discussion

The media and journalists

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

How have people's attitudes to the media changed in the last 20 years?

Twenty years ago, people trusted the newspapers and TV much more. Today, people are more careful, because there's so much fake news. Also, people don't just read the news now. They share it, comment on it and even make their own news on social media.

  • attitudes tothe way people think about
  • trusted … much morebelieved them more
  • fake newsfalse stories that look like real news
  • comment on itwrite your opinion about it

Should we trust journalists? Why?

We can trust some journalists, but not all of them. Good journalists check their facts carefully. But some work for companies or groups with their own interests, so their stories may not be fair. I think it's best to read news from different sources and compare them.

  • We can trust some …, but not all of thema balanced answer
  • check their factsmake sure information is true
  • with their own interestswanting something for themselves
  • it's best to…give advice

What do you think a good journalist should be like?

A good journalist should be honest and fair. They should report the facts, not their own opinions. They also need to be brave, because sometimes they have to report on dangerous situations, like wars. And they should write clearly, so everyone can understand.

  • honest and fairtelling the truth and treating everyone equally
  • report the factstell what really happened
  • bravenot afraid of danger
  • so everyone can understandexplain the purpose

Will the internet soon replace printed newspapers and magazines?

I think it already has, for most people. Very few young people buy printed newspapers now. Some older people still like to hold a real newspaper, and some magazines will stay in print for collectors. But in ten years, I think most newspapers will be online only.

  • replacetake the place of
  • I think it already hasit has happened already
  • Very few young people…very few = almost none
  • online onlyonly on the internet

Is the internet a trustworthy source of news?

It depends on the website. News from well-known organisations, like big news agencies, is usually trustworthy. But on social media, anyone can post anything, so there are many false stories. Before believing a story, it's a good idea to check whether other reliable websites report it too.

  • trustworthyyou can believe it
  • It depends on…the answer changes with…
  • anyone can post anythingthere is no control
  • it's a good idea to…give advice

How has the way we get news changed? How will it change in the next 10 years?

In the past, we waited for the evening news or the morning paper. Now, we get news on our phones every minute. In the next ten years, I think news will be even more personal. Apps will choose stories for each person, and maybe AI will read the news to us.

  • In the past, … Now, …compare the past and present
  • every minuteall the time
  • even more personalmade for each person
  • AIartificial intelligence, computers that can think

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