English Lesson 26

Shopping and childhood

Shopping and luxury items, a typical day in your childhood, and the role of parents.

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

Shopping

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

Do you like shopping?

It depends on what I'm buying. I love shopping for books and electronics, because I enjoy comparing different models. But I don't enjoy shopping for clothes. It takes too long, and I can never decide what to buy.

  • It depends on what I'm buyingthe answer changes with the situation
  • comparing different modelslooking at differences between products
  • I can never decideI find it hard to choose

What types of shops do you and your family usually go to?

We usually go to the big supermarket near our house once a week for food. My mother also likes the local fruit shop, because the fruit is fresher there. For clothes, we usually go to a shopping centre in the city.

  • once a weekone time every week
  • the fruit is fresher therecompare quality
  • a shopping centrea big building with many shops

What changes have you seen in shops these days?

Shops have become more modern. Many have self-checkout machines, so you can pay without a cashier. Also, prices change very often now. And more shops deliver to your home if you order by phone or online.

  • have become more moderndescribe a change
  • self-checkout machinesmachines where you pay by yourself
  • a cashiera person who takes your money in a shop
  • deliver to your homebring things to your house

Do you spend a lot of money on luxury items?

No, not really. I prefer to spend my money on experiences, like travelling, rather than expensive things. I think luxury items are often too expensive for what they are. The only luxury I sometimes buy is good coffee.

  • luxury itemsexpensive things you don't really need
  • No, not really.a soft no
  • rather than…means instead of
  • too expensive for what they arenot worth the price

Part 2 · Cue card

A typical day in your life when you were a child

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 typical day in your life when you were a child.

You should say:

  • who was around you
  • what you usually did and ate
  • who took care of you
  • and explain what you most enjoyed doing then
Ready 1:00

Start

I'd like to talk about a typical day when I was about seven years old. Those were very happy and simple days.

Who was around you

I lived with my parents and my older brother. My grandmother lived with us too, and our neighbours had three children, so there were always kids around.

What you did and ate

In the morning, I went to school, which was just a five-minute walk from home. For breakfast, I usually had bread, cheese and sweet tea. After school, I had lunch, usually rice with some kind of stew. Then I did my homework quickly, and went out to play in the street until dinner.

Who took care of you

My mother worked as a teacher, so my grandmother took care of me in the afternoons. She was very kind, and she always made me a snack after school.

What you enjoyed most

What I enjoyed most was playing football in the street with the neighbours' kids. We used two stones as a goal, and we played for hours. Sometimes we broke a window, and we had to run away! I miss that freedom. Children today spend much more time indoors.

  • Those were very happy and simple daysdescribe a time in the past
  • there were always kids aroundkids = children
  • a five-minute walk from homeclose to home
  • took care of melooked after me
  • What I enjoyed most was…give your favourite thing
  • I miss that freedommiss = feel sad because it is gone

Part 3 · Discussion

Parents and raising children

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

In your opinion, what is the role of parents in raising children?

Parents are a child's first teachers. Their role is to keep children safe and healthy, but also to teach them right from wrong. They should give love and support, so children feel confident. And they should be good examples, because children copy what they see.

  • raising childrenlooking after them until they are adults
  • a child's first teachersthe first people who teach them
  • right from wrongwhat is good and what is bad
  • feel confidentbelieve in themselves

Has the role of parents changed in recent years?

Yes, it has. In the past, mothers usually stayed at home, and fathers worked. Now, both parents often work, so they share the childcare. Parents also give children more freedom and talk with them more. But they're busier, so they have less time with their kids.

  • Yes, it has.a short answer
  • share the childcareboth look after the children
  • give children more freedomlet them decide more things

Who do you think is responsible for disciplining children?

Mainly the parents. They spend the most time with their children, so they should teach them good behaviour. But teachers also have a role at school. It's best when parents and teachers work together and follow the same rules.

  • discipliningteaching children to follow rules
  • Mainly the parents.a short, clear answer
  • also have a roleare also part of it
  • work togethercooperate

How are the activities of a child in a city different from those of a child in a village?

City children usually have more organised activities, like music lessons, sports clubs and language classes. But they spend a lot of time indoors. Village children have more freedom. They play outside, help on the farm and spend more time in nature.

  • organised activitiesplanned activities with a teacher
  • indoorsinside a building
  • help on the farmdo farm work with the family

Who should be responsible for teaching children about morality?

I don't think one person can do it alone. Parents are the most important, because children learn values at home first. But teachers, relatives and even friends also teach children what is fair and kind. So it's a shared responsibility.

  • moralityideas about what is right and wrong
  • I don't think one person can do it aloneit needs many people
  • valuesimportant beliefs, like honesty
  • a shared responsibilitya duty for many people

Are children today less responsible than in the past? Do you agree?

Partly, yes. In the past, children helped a lot at home and on the farm, so they learned responsibility early. Today, many parents do everything for their kids. But in other ways, children today are very responsible. For example, they manage a lot of school work and activities.

  • Partly, yes.agree with some of it
  • learned responsibility earlylearned to do their duties when young
  • do everything for their kidsdon't let kids do things alone
  • in other waysfrom another point of view

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