English Lesson 34

Emails and technology at home

Using email, a useful machine in your home, and how we use technology.

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

Emails

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

Do you send and receive emails regularly?

Yes, I do, mostly for work. I get about thirty emails a day from clients and colleagues. For personal messages, I almost never use email. I prefer messaging apps, because they're quicker and more relaxed.

  • mostly for workmainly for my job
  • clientspeople who pay for a service
  • I almost never use…very rarely
  • more relaxedless formal

How often do you check your emails?

At work, I check them every hour or so. I try not to check them all the time, because it stops me from focusing. After work, I usually turn off email notifications on my phone, so I can rest.

  • every hour or soabout once an hour
  • it stops me from focusingit doesn't let me concentrate
  • turn off … notificationsstop messages appearing on the phone

Do you think writing emails has made people's writing skills better or worse?

I think it has made them a bit worse. People write very quickly, without checking their spelling and grammar. Many emails are short and informal. But formal work emails can be good practice, because you need to write clearly and politely.

  • a bit worsea little worse
  • without checking their spellingnot looking for mistakes
  • informalrelaxed, not official
  • good practiceuseful for improving a skill

What are some disadvantages of emails?

The main disadvantage is that we get too many of them. Many are spam or advertising, so it takes time to find the important ones. Also, emails can be misunderstood, because the reader can't hear your tone of voice.

  • The main disadvantage is that…give the biggest problem
  • spamemails nobody wants, often adverts
  • misunderstoodunderstood in the wrong way
  • tone of voicethe way something is said, e.g. friendly or angry

Part 2 · Cue card

A piece of equipment in 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 a piece of equipment in your home, such as a computer, a television or a fridge.

You should say:

  • what it is
  • what you do with it
  • how long you have had it
  • and explain why it is important to you
Ready 1:00

Start

I'd like to talk about our washing machine. It's not exciting, but it's probably the most useful machine in our home.

What it is

It's a white, front-loading washing machine. It's quite big, so it can wash a lot of clothes at once. It has different programmes, for cotton, wool and delicate clothes.

What you do with it

We use it to wash our clothes, towels and bed sheets. In my family, we use it almost every day. My mother uses it in the morning, and I usually do my own laundry at the weekend.

How long you have had it

We've had it for about six years. It's never had a serious problem. Once, the door wouldn't open, but a technician fixed it in ten minutes.

Why it is important

It's important because it saves us so much time and effort. My grandmother told me that she used to wash everything by hand, and it took her a whole day every week. Now, we just press a button. It gives us more free time for other things.

  • it's probably the most useful machine…a strong opening
  • at onceat the same time
  • delicate clothesclothes that are easy to damage
  • do my own laundrywash my own clothes
  • it saves us so much time and effortit helps us a lot
  • by handwithout a machine

Part 3 · Discussion

Technology in our lives

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

Do you think technology will bring more benefits to people in the future?

Yes, I think so. Technology will probably help doctors find diseases earlier and help farmers grow more food. It will also make many daily tasks easier. But we need to be careful about problems, like losing jobs and losing privacy.

  • bring more benefitsgive more good things
  • find diseases earlierdiscover illness sooner
  • daily tasksthings we do every day
  • losing privacylosing your private life

Is it important to use technology sensibly? Why?

Yes, it's very important. If we use technology without thinking, it can harm our health and our relationships. For example, using phones late at night is bad for sleep. Using technology sensibly means knowing when to put it away.

  • sensiblyin a wise, careful way
  • without thinkingnot carefully
  • bad for sleepmakes sleep worse
  • put it awaystop using it and put it somewhere

Do you think people rely too much on technology today?

Yes, I think many people do. Some people can't find their way without GPS, or do simple maths without a calculator. When the internet goes down, many people don't know what to do. I think we should keep some basic skills, just in case.

  • rely too much onneed it too much
  • find their wayknow where to go
  • the internet goes downthe internet stops working
  • just in casefor a possible problem in the future

Has technology improved standards of education in schools?

In many ways, yes. Teachers can show videos and animations, which make difficult topics easier to understand. Students can also find extra information online. But technology alone is not enough. A good teacher is still the most important part of a good education.

  • In many ways, yes.a partly positive answer
  • easier to understandsimpler
  • technology alone is not enoughwe need more than technology
  • the most important partthe main part

How has the technology people use in daily life changed in the last 20 years?

The biggest change is the smartphone. Twenty years ago, phones were only for calls and short messages. Now we use them for banking, shopping, maps and entertainment. Also, homes have smarter machines, like robot vacuum cleaners and smart TVs.

  • The biggest change is…give the main point
  • only for calls and short messagesdescribe the past
  • robot vacuum cleanerssmall machines that clean floors by themselves

Are these kinds of devices used in most homes in your hometown?

Smartphones and TVs are in almost every home. Washing machines and fridges are also very common. But newer things, like robot vacuum cleaners or smart speakers, are still not very common. Only some younger families with more money have them.

  • are in almost every homenearly everyone has them
  • very commonseen very often
  • are still not very commonnot many people have them yet

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