English Lesson 35
Studying and friends
What you study and why, a friend you spend time with, and friendship across cultures.
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
Studies
Short answers. About 20 to 30 seconds each. Answer, give a reason, add one detail.
What subject are you studying?
I'm studying psychology at university. I'm in my second year. We learn about how people think, feel and behave. This term, my favourite course is child psychology.
- I'm in my second yearsay how far you are in your studies
- how people think, feel and behavedescribe the subject
- This term, …term = part of a university year
Why did you choose that subject?
I've always been interested in people and why they do things. My friends often come to me with their problems, and I enjoy helping them. So I thought psychology would be a good fit for me. In the future, I'd like to work as a school counsellor.
- I've always been interested in…a long interest
- come to me with their problemsask me for help
- a good fit for meright for me
- a school counsellora person who helps students with problems
Are there things you don't like about it?
Yes, there's a lot of statistics, and I'm not very good at maths. I find it quite boring. Also, some classes are only theory, and I'd like more practical work, like real case studies.
- statisticsmaths with numbers and data
- I find it quite boringfind + noun + adjective
- only theoryideas, not practice
- case studiesreal examples studied in detail
Do you work or study?
I'm a full-time student, but I also work part-time in a café at the weekends. It doesn't pay much, but it helps me pay for my books and transport. And I get to practise talking with many different people.
- a full-time studenta student who studies all week
- work part-timework only some hours
- It doesn't pay much, but…the money is low, but
- I get to…I have the chance to
Part 2 · Cue card
A friend you like to spend time with
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 friend with whom you like to spend your time.
You should say:
- when and how you met
- how often you see this friend
- what kind of personality your friend has
- and explain why you like spending time with this friend
Start
I'd like to talk about my friend Sam. He's from England, and we met in quite an unusual way.
How you met
We met online about three years ago, on a language exchange app. He wanted to learn Persian, and I wanted to practise English. We started with short messages, and then we had video calls every week.
How often you see him
Because he lives in London, I've only met him in person once, when he visited Iran last year. But we talk on video almost every Sunday, for about an hour.
His personality
He's very curious and open-minded. He loves learning about other cultures, and he asks a lot of questions. He's also very funny, and he's patient when I make mistakes in English.
Why you like spending time with him
I like spending time with him because I learn so much from him, not just English, but also how people think in another country. When he visited, I showed him around Isfahan, and he loved the food. Even though we live far apart, he feels like a close friend.
- in quite an unusual wayin a different, strange way
- a language exchange appan app where people teach each other languages
- in personface to face, not online
- open-mindedhappy to accept new ideas
- I showed him around…I took him to see places
- Even though we live far apart, …even though = although
Part 3 · Discussion
Friendship
Longer answers. About 30 to 45 seconds. Give your opinion, explain why, and give an example.
How much do people in your country value friendship?
They value it a lot. Friends are a big part of social life. People visit each other often, celebrate together and help each other with problems. There's an old saying in Persian that a good friend is better than a brother you never see.
- value it a lotthink it is very important
- a big part of social lifevery important in our time with others
- There's an old saying…introduce a traditional idea
It is often said that a good friend is like a family member. Do you agree?
Yes, I agree. A good friend supports you, cares about you and is there in difficult times, just like family. Sometimes, a friend understands you even better, because they're the same age and have similar experiences.
- Yes, I agree.a clear answer
- is there in difficult timeshelps when life is hard
- just like familythe same as family
- even bettermore than family
What are the differences between real-life friends and online friends?
With real-life friends, you can do things together, like go to the cinema or help each other move house. Online friends are usually connected by a hobby or interest. They can be good friends too, but it's harder to know them completely without meeting them.
- do things togetherdo activities together
- connected by a hobbyjoined by the same interest
- it's harder to know them completelyharder to fully understand them
Can people from different cultures become good friends? Why?
Of course they can. What makes a friendship strong is respect, trust and shared interests, not the same culture. Actually, friends from different cultures can teach each other a lot. The only problem might be the language, but people usually find a way.
- Of course they can.a strong yes
- What makes a friendship strong is…explain the key thing
- shared intereststhings both people like
- people usually find a waypeople solve the problem
Do women and men expect different things from a friend?
In general, I think women expect more emotional support. They like to talk about their feelings with friends. Men often connect through activities, like sports or games. But of course, this isn't true for everyone. Every person is different.
- In general, …usually, for most people
- emotional supporthelp with feelings
- connect through activitiesbecome close by doing things
- this isn't true for everyonethere are exceptions
Is it easier to make friends now than in the past?
In some ways, yes. Apps and social media make it easy to meet new people. But real friendships still take time and effort. In the past, people lived in the same neighbourhood for years, so friendships grew naturally. Now people move a lot, which makes it harder.
- In some ways, yes.a partly positive answer
- take time and effortneed time and work
- grew naturallydeveloped without effort
- people move a lotchange homes often
Audio: Microsoft neural voices. A British voice reads the examiner's questions, and an American voice reads the model answers.