English Lesson 74
Weekends and skills
Your weekends, someone who does something very well, and skills and salaries.
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
Weekends
Short answers. About 20 to 30 seconds each. Answer, give a reason, add one detail.
How do you usually spend your weekends?
On Thursday evenings, I usually meet friends. On Fridays, I sleep late, have a big breakfast with my family and then relax. Sometimes we go to the mountains or visit relatives. I try not to work at all at the weekend.
- sleep latewake up later than usual
- have a big breakfasteat a lot in the morning
- I try not to work at allI avoid work completely
Which is your favourite part of the weekend? Why?
My favourite part is Friday morning. There's no alarm, no traffic and no emails. I can have breakfast slowly, read a book and drink tea. It's the most relaxing time of my week.
- My favourite part is…give your favourite
- There's no alarmno clock to wake me
- the most relaxing time of my weekthe calmest time
Do you think your weekends are long enough? Why?
No, not really. In my country, many people only have one full day off, Friday. It's not enough to rest and do everything, like shopping and seeing family. I'd love a two-day weekend.
- one full day offone complete free day
- It's not enough to…too little time for
- a two-day weekendtwo free days
How important is it to have free time at the weekend?
It's very important. If we work all the time, we get tired and stressed, and our work gets worse. Free time helps us recharge. It also gives us time for family, friends and hobbies, which make life meaningful.
- our work gets worsewe work less well
- rechargeget our energy back
- make life meaningfulgive life value
Part 2 · Cue card
Someone you know who does something well
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 someone you know who does something well.
You should say:
- who this person is
- how you know this person
- what he or she does well
- and explain why you think this person is so good at it
Start
I'd like to talk about my friend Arash. He's an amazing guitar player.
Who he is
Arash is twenty-eight, and he works as a sound engineer in a recording studio. Music is his whole life.
How you know him
We were in the same class at university. I met him at a student party, where he was playing the guitar, and everyone was listening to him.
What he does well
He plays the guitar beautifully. He can play many styles, from classical Spanish music to rock and Persian traditional songs. He also writes his own songs, and some of them are really beautiful.
Why he is so good
I think he's so good because he practises every single day, even when he's tired. He started when he was only eight, so he has twenty years of practice. He's also very patient. He listens carefully and repeats difficult parts many times until they're perfect. And most importantly, he truly loves music.
- an amazing guitar playera very good guitarist
- Music is his whole lifemusic is everything to him
- He plays the guitar beautifullyhe plays very well
- he practises every single dayevery day without missing one
- until they're perfectuntil there are no mistakes
- most importantly, …the most important point
Part 3 · Discussion
Skills and salaries
Longer answers. About 30 to 45 seconds. Give your opinion, explain why, and give an example.
What skills do people most want to have today? Why?
Technology skills, like programming and data analysis, are very popular, because they lead to good jobs. Language skills, especially English, are also important. And many people want soft skills, like communication and leadership.
- data analysisstudying information to find patterns
- lead to good jobshelp you get good jobs
- soft skillspeople skills, like communication
Which skills should children learn at school, and which at home?
At school, children should learn reading, maths, science, and also how to work in a team. At home, they should learn manners, cooking, cleaning and how to manage money. Parents are the best teachers for values, like honesty.
- how to work in a teamteamwork
- mannerspolite behaviour
- values, like honestyimportant beliefs
Which skills will be important in the future? Why?
I think creativity and problem-solving will be very important, because computers will do many routine tasks. People will also need to keep learning all their lives, because jobs will change quickly. And skills like empathy will matter, because machines can't do them well.
- problem-solvingfinding answers to problems
- routine tasksjobs that are the same every time
- keep learning all their livesnever stop learning
- empathyunderstanding how others feel
Which jobs have the highest salaries in your country? Why?
Doctors, especially specialists, earn a lot. Jobs in the oil and gas industry also pay well. And recently, software developers can earn good money, especially if they work for foreign companies. These jobs need special skills, and there aren't many people who can do them.
- earn a lotget a lot of money
- pay wellgive good salaries
- special skillsunusual abilities
Are there other jobs you think should have higher salaries? Why?
Yes, I think teachers and nurses should earn much more. They do very important and difficult work. Teachers shape the future of the country, and nurses look after us when we're sick. But their salaries are low, so many leave their jobs.
- should earn much moreshould get more money
- shape the futuredecide how the future will be
- many leave their jobsmany quit
Would it be better if everyone got the same salary? Why?
I don't think so. If everyone earned the same, people wouldn't have a reason to study for many years or work harder. Some jobs are more difficult and need more training. But I do think the difference between the highest and lowest salaries should be smaller.
- I don't think so.a clear no
- wouldn't have a reason to…no motivation to
- need more trainingneed more learning
- the difference … should be smallera balanced idea
Audio: Microsoft neural voices. A British voice reads the examiner's questions, and an American voice reads the model answers.