انگلیسی درس ۳۶

Hometown and status symbols

شهر شما، چیزی که دارید و برایتان مهم است، و دارایی‌هایی که جایگاه اجتماعی را نشان می‌دهند.

چطور تمرین کنیم
  1. یک جواب را دو بار گوش بدهید. هم‌زمان متن را بخوانید.
  2. همراه صدا بگویید. سرعت را روی ⁦0.75×⁩ بگذارید. دوباره پخش کنید و هم‌زمان با صدا حرف بزنید.
  3. حالت تمرین را روشن کنید. جواب‌ها پنهان می‌شوند. هر سؤال را بخوانید و بلند جواب بدهید.
  4. جواب را مال خودتان کنید. همان عبارت‌ها را به کار ببرید، اما درباره‌ی شهر، کار و زندگی خودتان حرف بزنید.
  5. با یک هم‌تمرینی تمرین کنید. یک نفر سؤال‌ها را می‌خواند. نفر دیگر بدون نگاه کردن جواب می‌دهد.
سرعت

Part 1 · Interview

Your hometown

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

Let's talk about your hometown. What kind of place is it?

It's a port city on the Persian Gulf, called Bushehr. It's hot and humid most of the year, but the sea makes it beautiful. Life is quite relaxed there, and people love spending their evenings by the water.

  • a port citya city with a harbour for ships
  • hot and humidhumid = wet air
  • by the waternext to the sea

What's the most interesting part of your hometown?

The old part of the city is the most interesting. It has narrow alleys and traditional houses with wooden balconies. Some of the houses are more than two hundred years old. Walking there feels like going back in time.

  • narrow alleyssmall, thin streets
  • wooden balconiesbalconies made of wood
  • feels like going back in timelike visiting the past

What kind of jobs do people in your hometown do?

Many people work at the port or in fishing. There are also jobs in the oil and gas industry, because there are big companies near the city. Some people work in shops and small businesses, and some are teachers or government workers.

  • work at the portwork where ships come
  • the oil and gas industrybusinesses that produce oil and gas
  • government workerspeople who work for the state

Would you say it's a good place to live?

Yes, in many ways. It's peaceful, the food is great, especially the seafood, and people are friendly. The negative side is the weather. In summer, it's so hot and humid that you can't stay outside in the afternoon.

  • Yes, in many ways.a mostly positive answer
  • The negative side is…the bad part is
  • so hot and humid that…so + adjective + that = shows the result

Part 2 · Cue card

Something you own which is 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 something you own which is important to you.

You should say:

  • what it is
  • what you can do with it
  • how you use it
  • and explain why it is important to you
Ready 1:00

Start

I'd like to talk about my smartphone. I know it sounds ordinary, but it's the thing I use the most every day.

What it is

It's a mid-range Android phone. I bought it about two years ago. It isn't the newest model, but it has a good camera and a big screen.

What you can do with it

I can do almost everything with it. I can call and message people, take photos, check my bank account, pay bills and order food. I can also use it as a map when I'm in a new place.

How you use it

In the morning, it wakes me up with an alarm. On the bus, I listen to podcasts or read the news. At work, I use it to talk to clients. And in the evening, I video-call my family, who live in another city.

Why it is important

It's important because it keeps me connected with my family. My parents live far away, so seeing their faces every evening means a lot to me. It also holds all my photos and memories from the last few years. If I lost it, I'd feel lost too.

  • I know it sounds ordinary, but…admit it is a normal thing
  • a mid-range … phonenot cheap, not expensive
  • I can do almost everything with ita strong general idea
  • it wakes me up with an alarmit makes me get up
  • it keeps me connected with…helps me stay in contact
  • If I lost it, I'd feel lost tooa play on words: lost = not able to find; feel lost = feel confused

Part 3 · Discussion

Possessions and status

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

Which do you use more often, your phone or your laptop?

I use my phone more often, because it's always with me. I use it for quick things, like messages and maps. But for work and long tasks, like writing reports, I use my laptop, because it's easier with a big screen and a keyboard.

  • because it's always with megive the main reason
  • for quick thingsfor short tasks
  • for work and long tasksfor bigger jobs

In your country, what kind of possessions give people status?

Cars are the biggest status symbol. A new foreign car shows that someone is rich. Big houses in expensive areas also give status. Among young people, the newest iPhone and designer clothes are a sign of status.

  • status symbola thing that shows you are rich or important
  • shows that someone is richtells others about money
  • designer clothesclothes from famous fashion brands
  • a sign of statussomething that shows your position

What do you think of the idea that you need a car or certain clothes to show your status?

I don't like this way of thinking. A person's value should come from their character and what they do, not from what they own. When people care too much about status, they spend money they don't have, and they're never satisfied.

  • I don't like this way of thinkinga clear opinion
  • A person's value should come from…what makes someone important
  • spend money they don't haveborrow or go into debt
  • never satisfiednever happy with what they have

Will cars and designer clothes still be status symbols in the future?

Probably, but maybe less. Young people today care more about experiences, like travelling, than about owning things. Also, with car-sharing apps, fewer people need their own car. But I think people will always find something to show status.

  • Probably, but maybe less.a soft prediction
  • care more about experiencesthink experiences are more important
  • car-sharing appsapps to use a car for a short time
  • people will always find somethingthis habit won't disappear

Why do people spend so much money on brand-name cars and clothes? Would you do the same?

Some people buy brands because the quality is really better. But many people buy them to look successful and to be accepted by others. Personally, I wouldn't spend a lot on brands. I prefer good quality at a fair price, and I'd rather save money for travelling.

  • to look successfulto seem rich and important
  • to be accepted by othersto be part of a group
  • at a fair pricenot too expensive
  • I'd rather…I would prefer to

How are the things young people want to own different from what older people want?

Young people usually want technology, like the latest phones, gaming consoles and headphones. They also like fashionable clothes. Older people usually want things that last, like a house, a good car or furniture. They think more about security and less about fashion.

  • the latest phonesthe newest phones
  • gaming consolesmachines for video games, like PlayStation
  • things that lastthings that stay good for a long time
  • securitybeing safe for the future

صدا: صداهای هوش مصنوعی مایکروسافت. سؤال‌های ممتحن را یک صدای بریتانیایی می‌خواند و جواب‌های نمونه را یک صدای آمریکایی.