English Lesson 30
Your home and gifts
Your home and neighbourhood, an important gift you received, and why we give gifts.
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
Your home
Short answers. About 20 to 30 seconds each. Answer, give a reason, add one detail.
What kind of place do you live in, a house or an apartment?
I live in an apartment on the fourth floor of a building. It has two bedrooms, a living room and a small kitchen. It isn't very big, but it's bright, because it has big windows. From the balcony, I can see the mountains.
- on the fourth floorthe level of a building
- It isn't very big, but…a balanced description
- it's brightfull of light
- From the balcony, I can see…describe a view
Who do you live with?
I live with my wife. We got married two years ago, and we moved into this apartment soon after. Before that, I lived with my parents. We also have a cat, so sometimes it feels like there are three of us!
- We got married…get married = become husband and wife
- moved into this apartmentstarted living there
- soon aftera short time later
Is it better to live in a house or an apartment? Why?
Both have advantages. A house has more space and maybe a garden, which is great for children. But apartments are cheaper and safer, and they're usually closer to the city centre. For a young couple like us, an apartment is better right now.
- Both have advantages.a balanced start
- more spacemore room
- closer to the city centrenearer to the centre
- right nowat this time
Can you briefly describe your neighbourhood?
It's a quiet, residential area, with lots of trees. There's a small park nearby, where people walk their dogs in the evening. There are also a few shops, a bakery and a pharmacy. It's not exciting, but it's very convenient.
- brieflyin a short way
- residential areaan area with homes, not offices
- walk their dogstake dogs outside for a walk
- convenienteasy and useful for daily life
Part 2 · Cue card
A gift you received that was important to you
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 gift you have received that was important to you.
You should say:
- who gave it to you and on what occasion
- what it looked like
- how you used it
- and explain why it was important to you
Start
I'd like to talk about a bicycle that my parents gave me. It was a very important gift for me as a child.
Who and when
My parents gave it to me on my tenth birthday. I had passed my school exams with very good marks, so it was also a reward.
What it looked like
It was a red mountain bike, with black tyres and a small bell. It had gears, which was very special at that time, because most of my friends had simple bikes.
How you used it
I used it almost every day. I rode it to school, and in the afternoon, I rode around the neighbourhood with my friends. At weekends, my father and I sometimes rode to the park together.
Why it was important
It was important because it gave me freedom. For the first time, I could go places on my own. It also taught me responsibility, because I had to take care of it and fix it when it broke. I still have some great memories from those bike rides.
- on my tenth birthdaywhen I became ten
- a rewarda reward = something you get for doing well
- It had gearsgears = parts that make cycling easier or faster
- rode around the neighbourhoodride = travel on a bike
- it gave me freedomI could do things alone
- It also taught me responsibilityI learned to take care of things
Part 3 · Discussion
Giving gifts
Longer answers. About 30 to 45 seconds. Give your opinion, explain why, and give an example.
Why do people give gifts to others?
People give gifts to show love and thanks. For example, we give gifts on birthdays, weddings and festivals. Sometimes, a gift is a way to say sorry, or to say congratulations. In my culture, it's also polite to bring a small gift when you visit someone's home.
- to show love and thanksexplain the purpose
- a way to say sorryto apologise
- congratulationswords to say you are happy for someone's success
- it's also polite to…polite = having good manners
Why do some people prefer to give hand-made gifts?
Because a hand-made gift shows more effort and thought. When you make something yourself, like a card, a cake or a scarf, the other person knows you spent time on it. It's also unique. Nobody else has the same gift.
- hand-mademade by hand
- shows more effort and thoughtshows you worked and thought about it
- spent time on itused time to make it
- uniquethe only one of its kind
How important is gift-giving in a relationship?
I think it's quite important, but it's not the most important thing. Small gifts show that you remember the other person and care about them. But in a relationship, time, respect and support are much more important than expensive presents.
- it's not the most important thingother things matter more
- care about themthink they are important
- much more important than…compare clearly
What is more important when giving a gift, cost or effort?
Effort, definitely. An expensive gift can be bought in five minutes, without any thought. But a gift that matches the person's interests shows that you really know them. For example, a book by their favourite writer can mean more than an expensive watch.
- Effort, definitely.a short, strong answer
- without any thoughtwithout thinking
- matches the person's interestsfits what they like
- can mean more than…can be more important than
Do people today still give the same kinds of gifts as in the past?
Not really. In the past, people often gave practical gifts, like clothes, dishes or sweets. Today, electronic gifts and gift cards are very popular. Also, many people now give experiences, like concert tickets or a dinner at a restaurant.
- Not really.a soft no
- practical giftsuseful things for daily life
- gift cardscards with money to spend
- give experiencesgive activities, not objects
What kinds of educational gifts can be given to children?
Books are always a great choice. Puzzles and building toys, like Lego, are also good, because they help children think and be creative. For older children, a science kit or a simple microscope can make learning fun. Even a membership to a library can be a nice gift.
- a great choicea very good option
- help children think and be creativeexplain the benefit
- a science kita box with things for simple science experiments
- a membershipbeing part of a club or library
Audio: Microsoft neural voices. A British voice reads the examiner's questions, and an American voice reads the model answers.