Activities

Reading comprehension

The objective of this activity is to practise the comprehension of a written text and to express ideas in your own words.

Read the following text and then answer the questions below in your own words.

Cultural differences between Andalusia and the UK

There are many cultural differences between Spain and England and the service industry is just one of them. The English expect the service to be fast, no matter what service it is! Waiting for the bill for five minutes in England can leave people a little agitated. In Spain, asking for the bill and then wait the person you asked walk past without making eye contact can be quite common. Also in England you expect to be served when you enter a shop. Also when being served, the British expect to have the full attention of the provider. Being served while the shopkeeper is talking loudly on the telephone is considered by the British to be rather rude, especially when they shout ‘sí’ (yes) at you, by way of a prompt for you to place your order. The Spanish language may be seen to be rude when translating it back into English, but this relates more to the cultural differences and way of looking at life. Part of Andalusian life is to be forward and say what you mean and what you want. Rather than ask ‘politely’, in Spanish you order what you want without apology. For example ‘dame una cerveza’ (give me a beer), or ‘dame la cuenta’ (give me the bill) is perfectly correct and normal. When answering the phone, the Spanish say ‘dígame’ (tell me) or simply ‘sí’.

by Rachel Burns, Liverpool student, adapted from www.andalucia.com

Comprehension questions:

  1. Where can you find cultural differences between Spain and England, according to the text?
  2. What’s the difference between England and Spain when paying for a service?
  3. What is considered rude by the English in a shop?
  4. What impression does the Spanish language make to an English person?
  5. How do you order things in Spain?

Suggested answers:

  1. According to the text, we can find differences in many places, as in the service industry, for example.
  2. In England, you expect the service to be fast. In Spain, it is common to wait a longer time.
  3. It is considered rude to be served while the shopkeeper is talking on the phone.
  4. An English person probably finds the Spanish language rude.
  5. You do not ask for things ‘politely’, but you order what you want without apology.

Speaking: explaining the customs of your country

The objective of this activity is to practise the speaking skills by explaining your customs to a foreign person.

A British friend is coming to live in your country for a time. He/She asks you to tell him/her about the customs of your country so he/she can adapt more quickly.

Record your voice. You can start your speech like this:

Well, the first thing that you should remember is…

Note: there’s no correct answer to this question. To check your pronunciation, type your answers in the text editor in the 'Text-to-speech’ website and then listen to the pronunciation. Practise as much as you want by repeating the words that you hear.

Listening comprehension

The objective of this activity is to listen to a text and understand the necessary information to answer the comprehension questions.

Download and listen to the following text. Then answer the comprehension questions below.

Culture ( 832.1 KB )

Comprehension questions:

  1. Why does the speaker think that other cultures are more interesting?
  2. What does the speaker learn when he travels?
  3. What did the speaker learn in the USA?
  4. Why is understanding other cultures so important?
  5. Why does the speaker think that nowadays people are learning about other cultures?

Suggested answers:

  1. He doesn’t know why.
  2. He learns wonderful, strange, amazing and interesting thins about other cultures.
  3. He learned that Americans and Brits are very different people.
  4. It’s so important because it helps us all to get along.
  5. He thinks so because the world is becoming smaller.

Transcription

I’m really interested in the culture of other countries. I don’t know why, but I always think other cultures are more interesting than my own culture. Every time I travel, I learn wonderful, strange, amazing and interesting things about other cultures. One of the biggest surprises I had was when I went to the USA as a child. I’m English so I thought Americans had the same culture as me. When I went to America I understood Americans and Brits are very different people. Understanding the culture of other people is very important. It helps us all to get along. If everyone really tried to learn about other cultures, the world would be a more peaceful place. The world is becoming smaller, so I think this is happening.

Making suggestions

The objective of this activity is to practise the different forms to make suggestions and to choose the appropriate suggestions in a specific context.

Imagine that a friend tells you that he/she wants to learn English well. Make 6 suggestions telling him/her what he/she could do to reach that objective (use different ways of making suggestions).

I’d like to learn English really well. What could I do?

Suggested answers (the expressions used to make suggestions are in italics):

  1. You could buy a good dictionary.
  2. Why don’t you go the watch films in English?
  3. How about speaking in English as much as possible?
  4. What about doing lots of grammar exercises?
  5. I suggest that you take some English classes in a language school.
  6. I suggest taking a private teacher.

Making and responding to invitations

The goal of this activity is to practise the different ways of making and responding to invitations and focus on the necessary syntactical structures.

a) Complete the following sentences by making appropriate invitations in the situation described below:

You have just finished a long meeting with your colleagues. You invite them to do different things.

  1. I would like to invite you to…
  2. Would you like…
  3. Would you like to…
  4. What about…
  5. Why don’t we….
  6. You are invited to…

b) Now you must accept three invitations and reject the other three in an appropriate way.

Suggested answers:

a)

  1. … have a coffee with me.
  2. … anything to eat?
  3. … go to the station with me?
  4. … sharing my car to go home?
  5. … have dinner together?
  6. … attend my daughter’s wedding on 23rd April.

b)

  1. Thank you very much. I would like that very much.
  2. Thanks. That would be great.
  3. Yes, I’d like that. Thanks.
  4. No, thanks anyway. I’ve got my motorbike.
  5. Thank you but I can’t. I’m having dinner with my parents tonight.
  6. Thank you for your invitation but I am afraid I cannot attend because I will be away on that date.

Expressing ability

The objective of this activity is to practise the use of the modal verb can to express ability in the present and in the past.

a) Write 3 things that you can do and 3 things that you can’t do now.

b) Write 3 things that you could do when you were a child and 3 things that you couldn’t do.

a) Suggested answers:

  1. I can speak English quite well.
  2. I can drive a car.
  3. I can swim.
  4. I can’t play the violin.
  5. I can’t stay at home everyday.
  6. I can’t ski.

b) Suggested answers:

  1. I could watch television all the time.
  2. I could sleep until late at weekends.
  3. I could read.
  4. I couldn’t go to bed late.
  5. I couldn’t go out with my friends.
  6. I couldn’t speak English.

Expressing obligation

The objective of this unit is to practise the use of the modal verbs must and should to express obligation.

Remember that the modal verb must is used to express a strong obligation, usually, but not always, established by the law. On the other hand, the modal verb should is used to express a moral obligation, that is, an action which is not prohibited, but it is advisable to do.

a) Say 3 things that you must and 3 things that you mustn’t do

b) Say 3 things that you should do and 3 things that you shouldn’t do to learn English.

a) Suggested answers:

  1. I must drive on the right.
  2. I must go to work to earn a salary.
  3. I must study hard to pass the exams.
  4. I mustn’t smoke in restaurants.
  5. I mustn’t light a fire in the woods in summer.
  6. I mustn’t sleep at work.

Remember: the verb must suggests a strong obligation, often imposed by the law.

b) Suggested answers:

  1. I should use a dictionary to look up unknown words.
  2. I should practise speaking with a native speaker.
  3. I should do the grammar activities.
  4. I shouldn’t use automatic translators all the time.
  5. I shouldn’t watch films dubbed into Spanish.
  6. I shouldn’t study only one hour a week.

Remember: the verb should indicates a moral obligation, that is, what you think it is or it isn’t right to do.

Expressing possibility

The objective of this activity is to practise the use of the modal verbs may or might to express possibility.

Say 3 things that may happen and 3 things that may not happen if the following situation comes true, as in the example.

Remember: may and might both express possibility, but with might, the possibility is seen as more remote.

If the economic crisis continues for a long time, …

Example: …we may have lots of problems.

Suggested answers:

  1. … I may lose my job.
  2. … I might sell my house.
  3. … the government may lose the next election.
  4. … we might not go on holiday in summer.
  5. … I may not have money.
  6. … I may not go to the gym anymore.

Making requests

The main goal of this activity is to practise different ways of making requests by using the appropriate words in a specific situation.

Make an appropriate request for each of these situations. Use the ideas in brackets. Start your request as indicated:

  1. It’s very hot in the room. (the window) - Can you…
  2. It’s very dark. (the lights) - Will you…
  3. You are very thirsty. (a glass of water) - Could you…
  4. You’re cold. (the heating) - Do you mind…
  5. The music is very loud and you can’t concentrate. (the volume) - Can you…
  6. You need money to go back home. (5 euros) - Would you mind…

Sugested answers:

  1. … open the window?
  2. … turn on the lights (please)?
  3. … bring me a glass of water (please)?
  4. … turning on the heating (please)?
  5. … turn down the volume (please)?
  6. … lending me 5 euros (please) ?

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