1. Talk about how
times are changing using the photos above.
2. Do you know any
politicians who have changed sides?
3. What do you
think about people who change their tune depending on who they are
talking to?
4. Has the pace of
social change accelerated in the twentieth century? What changes
occurred more rapidly at the end of the century than they did at the beginning?
5. What dramatic
changes has IT brought us?
6. What far-reaching
changes have we recently witnessed in the world’s opinion towards the
environment?
7. What would make
you move within the same city or town? And to a different one or to a
different country?
8. What changes in
your personal habits should you undergo?
9. In your
opinion, what is the reason why some people have difficulties in adjusting
to being a parent? Is it harder on men or women?
10. On the third
Sunday in October clocks have to be turned backwards. Do clock changes
affect you adversely or positively? In what ways does changing clock
hours affect you?
11. Tell your
partner about a time when you had to modify your views about something?
What made you modify them?
12. Do you work
in shifts? If so, do you like working in shifts? If not, would you like to?
What about the night shift?
Monologue
Student A
1. Compare the
time we live in with fifty years ago. In what ways have the following changed? mass
media, transports, housework, the roles of men and women, work, food, raising
children, education, medicine, culture, politics, technology, travel, clothes
and fashion, entertainment, welfare, leisure, religion, housing conditions.
2. What are the
top 10 inventions that have changed our lives for the better? Can
you think of any that have changed our lives for the worse?
3. Do all
inventions have both advantages and disadvantages? What does this fact depend
on? How has electricity changed the way we live? The greatest invention ever is
said to be the wheel. What impact did the wheel have on the way people lived? Controlling
fire for the purposes of providing heat and light was one of mankind’s first
great achievements. What were the consequences of such control?
Student B
1. Talk about:
something you try to vary in your life, a time when you had to modify
your behaviour or language; the problems someone might encounter when converting
to a different religion.
2. Tell us about how
easily you adapt to change; how easily people in general adapt to
change; something which has changed significantly in the town you
live in in recent years; any changes you would like to make to your lifestyle.
3. What would make
you change to a new type of work?
Vocabulary
Pictures
rocking chair: a chair with two curved pieces of wood under it that
make it move backwards and forwards.
Barefoot: not wearing anything on your feet:
e.g. poor children going barefoot in the street.
We
can see a middle-aged man with receding hair / a receding hairline.
double-decker: a bus with two floors, one on top of the other
billboard: a large board on the outside of a building or at the side of the road,
used for putting advertisements on.
A man is climbing up a ladder
a bus conductor: a person whose job is to collect money
from passengers on a bus or check their tickets.
ironing board: /aɪənɪŋ/ a long narrow board covered with cloth, and
usually with folding legs, that you iron clothes on
iron:
/aɪən/ a tool with a flat metal base that can be heated and used to make
clothes smooth.
do the ironing.
Salt cellar: a small container for salt, usually with one hole in
the top, which is used at the table. (Sp. Salero)
Sugar bowl: container for sugar
She is wearing a dressing gown (Sp. bata).
Bucket: an open container with a handle, used for carrying or holding
liquids, sand, etc.
A rolling pin
is a cylindrical food preparation utensil
/juˈtensəl/ used to shape and flatten dough
/dəʊ/
A tea towel is a small towel used for
drying cups, plates, knives, etc. after they have been washed
Boiler: a container in which water is heated to provide hot water and heating
in a building
Pot:
a deep round container used for cooking things in.
Dishcloth: a cloth for washing dishes (Sp. bayeta).
Mop:
a tool for washing floors that has a long handle
Meat mincer: /ˈmɪnsə/ a machine for cutting food, especially
meat, into very small pieces.
Coffee grinder: /ˈɡraɪndə/ a machine or tool for grinding a solid
substance into a powder.(Grind ground ground: Sp. moler)
cutlery: knives, forks and spoons, used for eating and serving food.
crockery: plates, cups, dishes, etc
appliance: a machine that is designed to do a particular thing in the home, such
as preparing food, heating or cleaning: e.g. electrical / household
appliances. They sell a wide range of domestic
appliances—washing machines, dishwashers
and so on.
Housework: the work involved in taking care of a home and family,
for example cleaning and cooking: e.g. to
do the housework.
Chore: a task that you do regularly: e.g.
doing the
household / domestic chore.
I do the washing (= wash the clothes) in
our house.
Do the washing-up: the act of washing plates, glasses, pans,
etc. after a meal: e.g. If you cook,
I’ll do the washing-up
There is a globe on a stand so that it can be turned
The books are piled up
I can see gently falling snowflakes that are drifting slowly toward the parasol.
A man wearing swimming trunks is shivering on a sunbed.
The woman is wearing a bobble hat, a scarf and gloves
There is a fence in the background.
Dustcart (Br E) garbage truck (Am E): a vehicle for collecting rubbish / garbage from outside houses, etc
Can: a metal container for food and drink.
Dustman: (also informal: binman; formal: refuse collector; NAmE: garbage man): a person whose job is to remove waste from outside houses, etc
In the old days the radio was called the wireless. You can say for example: I heard it on the wireless.
The whole family gathered round the Radio
In the past people used to listen to the radio. Nowadays we usually watch TV.
They had to tune the radio dial whereas we switch TV channels.
There is a globe on a stand so that it can be turned
The books are piled up
I can see gently falling snowflakes that are drifting slowly toward the parasol.
A man wearing swimming trunks is shivering on a sunbed.
The woman is wearing a bobble hat, a scarf and gloves
There is a fence in the background.
Dustcart (Br E) garbage truck (Am E): a vehicle for collecting rubbish / garbage from outside houses, etc
Can: a metal container for food and drink.
Dustman: (also informal: binman; formal: refuse collector; NAmE: garbage man): a person whose job is to remove waste from outside houses, etc
In the old days the radio was called the wireless. You can say for example: I heard it on the wireless.
The whole family gathered round the Radio
In the past people used to listen to the radio. Nowadays we usually watch TV.
They had to tune the radio dial whereas we switch TV channels.
Questions:
3. Change your tune: (informal) to express a different opinion or behave in a different way when your situation changes. E.g. Wait until it happens to him—he'll soon change his tune.
4. A change in government of course meant economic and social changes.
5. New technologies brought about a sweeping change in the second half of the twentieth century. It was a time of radical change caused by the many changes happening in technology with new advancements, discoveries, and inventions.
6. Far-reaching: likely to have a lot of influence or many effects. Sp. De gran alcance. Trascendental. E.g. far-reaching consequences/ implications. Far-reaching changes/reforms.
People’s attitudes towards global warming have changed substantially
7. Travelling and living in different countries has been one of the highlights of my life so far, at times an overwhelming experience and a great eye-opener.
8. To bring about a successful life change you need to take action. To quit smoking, lose weight, or make other important lifestyle changes, you'll need to stop bad habits by finding good alternatives. It can be extremely difficult because the bad habits have been reinforced over lengthy periods, often many years.
9. New parents can suddenly feel overwhelmed by how their life has changed. As much as they thought about how their life was going to change, no one can really prepare them for it. I think new dads tend to get back into their routines much faster than new mums.
10. I find it difficult to adjust to clock change in the winter. I would prefer to do sports and other outdoor leisure activities during daylight hours.
11. In many cases, we need to first change our behaviour before we can change our beliefs. I have to start with acting differently and it's the process of engaging in new behaviours that helps me start to develop new attitudes.
12. Working in shifts has a number of advantages as well as disadvantages. Advantages, in my opinion, far outnumber the disadvantages….
However, people who work in shifts tend to neglect socializing due to the constant schedule changes.
3. Change your tune: (informal) to express a different opinion or behave in a different way when your situation changes. E.g. Wait until it happens to him—he'll soon change his tune.
4. A change in government of course meant economic and social changes.
5. New technologies brought about a sweeping change in the second half of the twentieth century. It was a time of radical change caused by the many changes happening in technology with new advancements, discoveries, and inventions.
6. Far-reaching: likely to have a lot of influence or many effects. Sp. De gran alcance. Trascendental. E.g. far-reaching consequences/ implications. Far-reaching changes/reforms.
People’s attitudes towards global warming have changed substantially
7. Travelling and living in different countries has been one of the highlights of my life so far, at times an overwhelming experience and a great eye-opener.
8. To bring about a successful life change you need to take action. To quit smoking, lose weight, or make other important lifestyle changes, you'll need to stop bad habits by finding good alternatives. It can be extremely difficult because the bad habits have been reinforced over lengthy periods, often many years.
9. New parents can suddenly feel overwhelmed by how their life has changed. As much as they thought about how their life was going to change, no one can really prepare them for it. I think new dads tend to get back into their routines much faster than new mums.
10. I find it difficult to adjust to clock change in the winter. I would prefer to do sports and other outdoor leisure activities during daylight hours.
11. In many cases, we need to first change our behaviour before we can change our beliefs. I have to start with acting differently and it's the process of engaging in new behaviours that helps me start to develop new attitudes.
12. Working in shifts has a number of advantages as well as disadvantages. Advantages, in my opinion, far outnumber the disadvantages….
However, people who work in shifts tend to neglect socializing due to the constant schedule changes.
Monologue:
A
1. Our generation
has witnessed a
significant change.
One of the most significant changes in the last 50 years or so has been globalization. It is transforming our world.
2. Since the invention of the internet our lifestyles have changed significantly
The invention of the atomic bomb brought about a dramatic change and not precisely for the better.
Mobile phones have completely transformed our social habits.
One of the most significant changes in the last 50 years or so has been globalization. It is transforming our world.
2. Since the invention of the internet our lifestyles have changed significantly
The invention of the atomic bomb brought about a dramatic change and not precisely for the better.
Mobile phones have completely transformed our social habits.
3. Electricity brought far-reaching prosperity.
However, the old
paradigm can't be sustained.
The invention of the wheel really transformed the world. It immediately led to a sweeping change (having an important effect on a large part of sth)
When people learned to control fire, certain routines changed drastically. For instance they varied their diets.
The invention of the wheel really transformed the world. It immediately led to a sweeping change (having an important effect on a large part of sth)
When people learned to control fire, certain routines changed drastically. For instance they varied their diets.
B
1. I would like to
vary my daily routine in order to have a less boring life.
I gave up just about everything to pursue my career.
I was quite happy about the whole thing until I had the worry about whether or not I had rushed into it too soon.
2. I wish I had put a bit more effort into adapting to that significant change.
We are faced with the need to adjust to change. Younger generations in particular adjust effortlessly. They are used to life at a high-speed. Some people adapt easily in a shorter period of time. Sometimes older generations struggle to cope with change.
I gave up just about everything to pursue my career.
I was quite happy about the whole thing until I had the worry about whether or not I had rushed into it too soon.
2. I wish I had put a bit more effort into adapting to that significant change.
We are faced with the need to adjust to change. Younger generations in particular adjust effortlessly. They are used to life at a high-speed. Some people adapt easily in a shorter period of time. Sometimes older generations struggle to cope with change.
3. I ended up
being on the dole and with all that time on my hands I did a
teaching degree. It was tough. Now I am about to get my first teaching position
and that’s an achievement that gives me immense satisfaction
I had always wanted to become an actor, ever since I graduated from high school. My degree always got in the way of my plans, though. But as soon as I finished, there didn’t seem to be any reason to put it off, even though I was coming up to my thirtieth birthday. Once I got my family’s backing, there was no stopping me, really. I just threw myself into my lifelong ambition. I had to really.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the fact that I was given the chance to fulfil my ambition. For that I will always be thankful.
I had always wanted to become an actor, ever since I graduated from high school. My degree always got in the way of my plans, though. But as soon as I finished, there didn’t seem to be any reason to put it off, even though I was coming up to my thirtieth birthday. Once I got my family’s backing, there was no stopping me, really. I just threw myself into my lifelong ambition. I had to really.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the fact that I was given the chance to fulfil my ambition. For that I will always be thankful.
Inevitably
though, it got to the
point where the routine just got too much. I wasn’t developing
professionally and nothing about the job pushed me to better myself.
So when I was offered a new job, I jumped at the chance. It was a
challenge of course but I refused to be daunted.
At first I found it all very thrilling
It was such a drastic and far-reaching change that it altered radically my lifestyle.
At first I found it all very thrilling
It was such a drastic and far-reaching change that it altered radically my lifestyle.