●Task Helping buy an electronic dictionary
Skills building 1: listening for what is most important
Suppose you are listening to the announcement about a gather-together, what information is most important?
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time, place, activity arrangement, attendance &other details |
So, when listening, we need to be able to select and note down specific information, which is the words and phrases that the speaker uses to let us know what is most important. You are expected to learn some expression that can be used to show the importance.
Read the guidelines in Skills building 1 on Page 10. Focus on the expressions the speaker might use to show that something is important.
Step 1: taking notes of requirements
1. Pair work:
Have a discussion with your partner:
If you want to buy an electronic dictionary for study, what should you pay special attention to? Would you talk to your parents or your friends and ask them for advice?
2. An uncle wants to buy an electronic dictionary for his son. Let’s listen to the uncle. List the requirements and then put a cross beside the item that is not very important.
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Tapescript
Uncle: You know, Xiaowen is really interested in his English course, and he’s asked me to buy him a new dictionary. He wants an electronic one. He says electronic dictionaries are more convenient because they are so small and light. Actually, I don’t think the size and weight matter so much as long as it’s not too expensive. I think these new ones cost quite a lot, and I really don’t want to spend more than 700yuan. I think he might like one that looks very smart and modern-you know what young people are like, but I don’t think that is important. What I really want him to have is a dictionary that will translate English words into Chinese, as well as translate Chinese words into English. Some people say that it’s better to have a dictionary that is only in English, but I think it is too early for that. Maybe later, if Xiaowen goes on to study English at university, that will be good for him, but now I think he needs a two-way dictionary. This way, he can look up words in both languages.
The other thing that I want him to have is an electronic dictionary that provides English pronunciation, because as you know, the spelling of an English word doesn’t always tell you how the word should be pronounced. An electronic dictionary with that function will make sure he pronounces the words properly. Xiaowen says that some electronic dictionaries have a lot of extra functions such as games and calendars, but I think those will just make the dictionary more expensive. I would prefer him to have something quite basic to use just for studies, so that he doesn’t want to play with it all the time. | |
