Speakout Advanced p 14. People Discussing Portraits. Listening

Listen to people discussing the portraits on pages 14 and 15 and fill in the gaps with a word or phrase.
Portrait A
The woman has got a kind of 1___________ to her face. She looks a bit 2__________,  thoughtful,  and 3___________.
In the way she’s sitting it seems like she’s trying to make a 4_____________ by ‘this is the sort of person I am. That I am relaxed  confident with myself’
She gives the 5______________ of being very 6______________ with herself.
It looks as if she’s listening to someone else talking that we can’t see off 7__________.
She could be a teacher, in 8_________ or something that’s not 9__________ the system because there’s something 10__________ about her. She could be a writer.
Just the way she’s holding herself is just very 11_____________, she could be a presenter, or a 12______________. No one would want to get into 13_______________ with her.


Portrait B
The man looks kind of intellectual, he looks quite 14____________ and he looks very 15____________. Maybe because of the glasses.
One would 16_______________a guess that he was a writer. It’s also the hand on the chair. It’s quite 17____________. He doesn’t look British. This could be his room, his study or a library. He’s dressed quite comfortably, very 18______________.  That might 19____________ it’s his home.
Personality 20___________he comes across as a kind person. There might be something 21__________ there. He knows something. There’s something 22_____________ in his eyes as if he’s got a secret and it doesn't seem like he is going to tell us.

Portrait C
This 23___________ looks like he’s in a world 24____________ like his thoughts have just 25_______________ somewhere far away.
It is difficult to 26______________where this is. They look like 27_________ in front of him. The colours in the background are reminiscent of  the colour of theatre seats. There is a 28_______, and also a  29___________ with the 30__________ there and a bag. It looks like a paper bag with his lunch in or something so maybe he’s trying to tell us that he’s got no 31______________. He is not 32_________. He’s brought his lunch in a 33_______________ bag.
The plug on the table is quite funny but also 34_______________. It’s quite amusing. As if he’s trying to 35_________________ about how ridiculous or absurd his life is or life in general is.
He could be an artist. But there’s something 36_______________ about where he’s sitting. Like he’s 37__________________ different worlds. So he could be creative; he could be a novelist or a 38_______________, or something like that. Somebody who 39___________ fiction and reality.

KEY

1. intensity



2. puzzled (unable to understand something or the reason for something. Confused. E.g. She had a puzzled look on her face. Scientists are puzzled as to why the whale had swum to the shore. He looked puzzled so I repeated the question.)




3. pensive /ˈpensɪv/ thinking deeply about something, especially because you are sad or worried. E.g.
a pensive mood. To look pensive. A pensive expression.



4. statement (make a statement: to express or reveal an opinion or characteristic in a very clear way, although often without words. E.g. The cleaning staff extended their strike mainly to make a statement about how determined they were. The way you dress makes a statement about you).



5.  impression



6. at ease (at (your) ease relaxed and confident and not nervous or embarrassed. E.g. I never feel completely at ease with him. She was at her ease straight away in the new job).



7. frame 



8.  academia /ˌækəˈdiːmiə/ the world of learning, teaching, research, etc. at universities, and the people involved in it. E.g. leading figures from academia and industry. He spent his working life in academia.



9.  within (inside)



10. rebellious



11.  confident



12. broadcaster: a person whose job is presenting or talking on television or radio programmes



13. an argument 



14. studious /ˈstjuːdiəs/ (spending a lot of time studying or reading. E.g. a studious young man)



15. thoughtful (1. quiet, because you are thinking. E.g. He looked thoughtful. They sat in thoughtful silence. 2. showing that you think about and care for other people. Considerate. E.g. It was very thoughtful of you to send the flowers.)



16. hazard (to make a suggestion or guess which you know may be wrong. E.g. hazard something Would you like to hazard a guess?)



17 posed 



18 casually 



19 suggest 



20 wise (concerning. E.g. Things aren't too good businesswise.)



21 guarded /ˈɡɑːdɪd/ (of a person or a remark they make) careful; not showing feelings or giving much information. Cautious. E.g. a guarded reply. You should be more guarded in what you say to reporters. They gave the news a guarded welcome (= did not show great enthusiasm about it).



22 knowing (showing that you know or understand about something that is supposed to be secret. E.g. a knowing smile. The man at reception gave her the key with a knowing look.)



23 chap



24 of his own



25 drifted off (drift: to move or go somewhere slowly. E.g. The crowd drifted away from the scene of the accident.)



26 make out (to manage to see somebody/something or read or hear something. Distinguish. E.g. I could just make out a figure in the darkness. I could hear voices but I couldn't make out what they were saying). 



27 props ( a small object used by actors during the performance of a play or in a film/movie. E.g. He is responsible for all the stage props and lighting). 



28 mug 



29 plug 



30 wire 



31 pretensions 



32 posh 



33 grocers’ (grocer: a person who owns, manages or works in a shop/store selling food and other things used in the home. 2 grocer's (plural grocers) a shop/store that sells these things).



34 incongruous /ɪnˈkɒŋɡruəs/ strange, and not suitable in a particular situation. Inappropriate. E.g. Such traditional methods seem incongruous in our technical age. The two of them made an incongruous couple.



35 make a point 



36 otherworldly (concerned with spiritual thoughts and imaginary ideas rather than with ordinary life. E.g. There was an other-worldly quality to her performance that night).



37 bridging



38  playwright



39 fuses (joins. E.g. Our different ideas fused into a plan.)
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.