5. Аудирование: понимание основного содержания прослушанного: все задания

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked 5 people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about films and cinema. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. Don’t get me wrong! I love watching films on the big screen but the rest of the experience is pretty awful! Just imagine, you’re in the cinema, ready to see the film and someone next to you has a bag of popcorn or a bag of sweets, so they open it up, half-way through the film and to make things worse, they start chewing loudly! That drives me mad! Or even worse they talk on their cellphones through the entire movie and start kicking the back of my chair accidently or otherwise. 

Speaker B. There are different ways to choose a good film to watch. Personally, I always read the official reviews on the Internet. I believe the things that professional critics say about the plot, the acting and the shooting. If they say the film is worth seeing, I go and see it. Apart from that, I rely on my friends’ opinions, as our tastes in films are quite similar. They know what genres I like and which I don’t. In most cases these recommendations are more than enough for me. 

Speaker C. I am sure that it is one of the most celebrated films in the entire history of film-making, a great all-time classic! It has everything that makes it just fantastic: a talented director, a perfect cast, a great soundtrack, a touching story, you name it! The shooting and acting are superb! It’s not an epic, not a horror, but a drama that will suit most viewers’ tastes. It’s absolutely essential to watch it at least once. Personally, I watch it every time I feel sad or disappointed. It just lifts up my mood!

Speaker D. I’m a great cinema and film fan. However, there are some genres I never watch. Like, I don’t watch horror films, they seem to be all about the scare factor and in most cases, they do not have a good plot or story. You’ll never see me watching an action film either. They’re almost always the same. The good guys try to save the world. No special characters, nothing that makes me interested in the story, and I’m not interested in seeing fights and car races for hours and hours. 

Speaker E. I don’t like going to the cinema, I haven’t been there for almost ten years. I don’t do well, sitting and doing one thing for an hour and a half. I don’t feel safe, plus, I can’t make myself pay for a ticket and spend that much money on snacks only to sit in the dark and focus on one thing! When I’m in my room or in the kitchen, I can do other things while I’m watching a movie, like having a snack or making dinner. Then I can pause it any time I need, so it’s really convenient. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about birthday parties. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A

I’m sure that birthday is a special day for any of us. Some people may like spontaneous parties, but I believe we should do our best to organize a great party on this day. It’s necessary to think about everything beforehand – like making a list of guests and buying food and soft drinks and writing up a menu so that there is nothing there your guests are allergic to and thinking of entertainment or even small gifts for your guests.

Speaker B

In my opinion, when you invite guests to your birthday party, the most important thing to think about is definitely what will be on the table for your guests to eat. There must be a delicious birthday cake with cream, chocolate and maybe fruits and berries. It will impress your guests. There must be other dishes as well – maybe chicken or fish – and juices. Everything must be fresh and tasty – a catering service could definitely help you there.

Speaker C

As for me, I love surprise parties. They show you how much your friends and relatives care for you and love you. It’s especially good when your birthday is on a usual workday and you don’t actually plan anything in particular. Well, maybe a tasty cake from your parents. You enter the hall, and you see all your friends standing around, shouting “Happy Birthday!” The hall is decorated with balloons, and you didn’t have any idea about it.

Speaker D

If you ask me, I think a really good birthday party must leave a lasting impression on people. Nobody gets excited about a party with cakes and clowns for entertainment. You can call a special agency and ask them to organize something special for you – a quest party, a fancy-dress ball or any theme party which will be a real treat for your guests. Now there are book or film-themed parties to which guests can dress as characters from a book or film they like.

Speaker E

I don’t actually like inviting a lot of people to my birthday party and I try to avoid going to birthday parties if a lot of guests are expected. I think it’s good when all the guests know each other at a birthday party. A limited circle makes it more comfortable for people to communicate and take part in the entertainment programme you have for them. It’s not very pleasant to be at a party if you know nobody there and have nobody to talk to.

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give the short interview and share their opinions about life in big cities. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A

Of course, big cities can’t boast many parks or fresh and clean air, but life in a big city is certainly exciting. You can watch new blockbusters or attend theatre performances or concerts of the best musicians. Big cities have many museums, concert halls and whatnot. I also enjoy the hustle and bustle of a big city– people walking fast along the streets, cars moving and beeping, it’s really fun.

Speaker B

I live in a big city, but I wish I could move to the countryside. My parents have good jobs here, but they are also dreaming of going freelance and living in the country. You see, the air is very polluted in my city and the tap water is not drinkable either and it’s hard to find a place to go for a walk, which is certainly bad for health. We need to find a way out as long as we haven’t developed any illnesses yet, I think.

Speaker C

On the one hand, big city life is interesting, but on the other hand, big cities are very noisy. You can hear loud sounds from cars moving along the streets, even at night, and you can easily get irritated because of it. The fast lifestyle many of you live when you’re always in a hurry also makes you feel annoyed and tired. You get nervous and worried, which is certainly not very good for you. Being in a bad mood all the time because of the noise leads to anxiety and stress.

Speaker D

I do understand that life in a big city has a lot of minuses, like bad ecology or a lot of stress, but to be perfectly frank, I wouldn’t like to live anywhere else. I don’t think that the countryside can offer many employment opportunities. There are few workplaces there and the salaries are much lower than in big cities. I think that’s why many people prefer to stay in a big city rather than move to the country.

Speaker E

Of course, big cities offer better schools and jobs and more chances to attend concerts and theatre plays, but I still find life in a big city uninteresting and monotonous. It’s the same all the year round. The colours around don’t change; it’s the same routine every morning and every evening. You go on the same buses, all people in the street look grey, dull and busy. Being busy doesn’t mean life’s exciting. I’d actually prefer to have more fun.

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about coffee. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. If you ask me, well, I can’t imagine my morning without a cup of strong coffee. It gives me the strength to get up. And even the smell of fresh coffee can improve my mood significantly. It gives me the drive for the entire day. I know some people consider drinking coffee unhealthy but, in my opinion, one cup will do me no harm, I believe. On the contrary, after a cup of good coffee I feel I have enough power to change the world for the better.  

Speaker B. I love coffee. When I shop for food, I always go to a small coffee stall in the supermarket and smell all the kinds of coffee that one can find there. There’s coffee with chocolate, coffee with different fruits, coffee with anything. There’s also green coffee and exotic expensive kinds of coffee as well. I would like to try all kinds of coffee, which they sell there, because they have coffee for any weather or occasion. 

Speaker C.  Coffee is incredibly tasty and may be a good source of energy in the morning, but I don’t drink it. I’ve read that coffee makes your blood pressure high and can give you a strong headache. It can also cause problems with your stomach and some other illnesses as well. So, a cup of coffee in the morning is certainly tempting but, still, no, thank you. I avoid drinking coffee because I take care of my health, besides coffee is very expensive. 

Speaker D. I don’t know why many people think coffee is unhealthy. Well, anything can be unhealthy if you eat or drink too much of it. Even fruits and vegetables can do you harm. However, doctors say that drinking coffee is actually good for you as it improves your mood and stimulates your body. They also believe that a cup of coffee a day helps prevent heart problems. That’s a good reason to drink coffee in reasonable quantities.

Speaker E. I love coffee. Of course, I understand that drinking coffee has both pluses and minuses and can influence our body in different ways. Still, I think one cup of coffee in the morning is a must. But it must be really good coffee, which is certainly not cheap. High-quality coffee costs a fortune and must be bought in special shops, not in supermarkets. Various coffee flavours are nice, but flavours add to the cost of coffee itself as well. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about school uniforms. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A

My parents often say it’s good to have school uniforms but I don’t agree with them. I think school uniforms make us all look the same. They often come in dull colours like dark blue or dark green which are not exactly the colours which teenagers like to wear or find attractive. Modern teenagers need a chance to express themselves, wearing the clothes they really like, not those monotonous colours and styles all the time. 

Speaker B

In my opinion, school uniforms might be a nice thing. They don’t look boring but it would be nice if they made it from different materials. I don’t know why but the material for school uniforms is just horrible. In some weather you feel too hot in it. In some times you feel too cold. Uniforms also wrinkle easily, which makes pupils feel bad. Skirts are also not the best idea for girls. I think trousers are more practical and make girls feel confident. 

Speaker C

I think it’s a really good idea that students look the same in their school uniforms. Some people may find it boring. Let me look at the issue from a different standpoint. I don’t have to think what to put on in the morning, I worry if I look cool enough comparing with my classmates. Before our school introduced the uniform it used to take me ages to pick an outfit in the morning. It’s actually very convenient though uniforms are not always attractive. 

Speaker D

My parents think that buying a school uniform is a sheer waste of money. Well, it may look nice and be practical but let’s face it. It costs money. If not for the school uniform, I’ll be wearing jeans with shirts or T-shirts to school, these items of clothes have to be bought anyway, unlike uniform. Uniform isn’t cheap.  And as kids grow really fast, you need to spend extra money every year. It would be better without school uniforms. 

Speaker E

Some of my classmates think that school uniforms prevent them from wearing what they want and they look bad in them. But I think school uniforms are so nice looking. It looks great when all the girls and boys in the class wear the same colours. Besides, the colours selected for school uniforms are always elegant and attractive and suit most youngsters. School uniforms are stylish and many students of good schools are happy and proud to wear their uniforms. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give a short interview and share their opinions about being an only child. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A

My friends often say that I’m lucky to be the only child in the family because I get all the attention of my parents. Well, I can see their point but I’ve always wanted to have a sister or a brother because it’s not always interesting to play alone and to have some company for games would be really nice. It’s so much fun having more children in the family when they can play with each other, and be good friends, and enjoy each other’s company. 

Speaker B

When I was a child, I could have any toy I wanted because I had no brothers or sisters, so my parents didn’t have to save money. I was a centre of attention for my parents and I loved it. It’s still the same. I don’t think it’s boring to be an only child. In fact, it’s a great experience and gives to a child a sense of self-confidence and good self-esteem. I love the fact that I’m the most important person for my parents and it’ll always be like that. 

Speaker C

I think being an only child teaches you a lot of things about life. First of all, you have nobody to play with, so you learn very quickly how to spend your free time alone without feeling bored. Besides, you have to do a lot of things on your own or learn things yourself by trial and error. Often it means you spend much time reading and drawing, which is very good for self-development. Secondly, you build your character this way. 

Speaker D

In my opinion, being an only child is not the best thing which can happen to you. Most of my friends have brothers and sisters but I’m the only child. And I find it hard to share things with anybody, or make friends, or start a conversation. I can’t say I feel bored without brothers or sisters but I do feel I lack some communication skills. There are many other disadvantages about being an only child as well. It’s not enjoyable at all. 

Speaker E

I’m the only child in the family and I find it really hard not because I have nobody to play with but because my parents expect too much. I have to do my best to study well, and my marks, and my behaviour must be perfect. My parents worry too much about me and it’s not bad maybe but it’s certainly not easy to be what your parents want you to be. It’s hard to live like that and always be perfect. My friends feel more comfortable with siblings. 

Presenter: Good afternoon! Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about their schools. Now we would like to present their opinions to you. 

Speaker A. My high school in Germany is not big at all. Actually, only about a thousand people. The good thing is that we are all very united. You see, in a German high school, there are students from ten years old to twenty years old and sometimes there can be bullying. Fortunately, that is not our case. We get along well. The older students are very kind and help the younger ones. I believe we are lucky to study in such a family environment.

Speaker B. My high school is in the very centre of our town and children from different cultural backgrounds go there. Half of the students are Spanish, but also there are many people from Asian countries, especially China and Korea. We also have students from Latin America and Russia. I really enjoy being part of that diverse community. Our cultures and backgrounds are different, but we are learning to respect each other and I truly believe it’s a great experience!

Speaker C. My high school has a very good reputation in our town and it deserves it. All my classmates are very motivated and focused on studying. It’s difficult to learn in this environment because you have to keep up with your classmates – nobody wants to look like a loser. It’s also exciting, it feels like a race. But we do help each other. We’ve got special classes where students of the same year help each other with the most difficult matters.

Speaker D. I live in the centre of the city. Fortunately, my school is nearby and I spend lots of time there. I mean I go there not only to learn, but also to do sports and other recreational activities. The school is really well-equipped. We have two gyms: one for games like football and volleyball, the other for gymnastics and acrobatics. There’s also a swimming pool. It’s not large, but it’s fine anyway. And there’s an open-air sports ground, which I particularly enjoy.

Speaker E.  I’ve changed school recently and though I still have many friends in my former school, I like my new one very much. It’s located in an old three-storey building. The first thing that impressed me was that the school looks very traditional from the outside and very modern inside. The classrooms are light and spacious, the corridors and lobbies are large and arranged in a high-tech style. There’s even a winter garden on the upper floor of the building.

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us the short interview and share their opinions about spending time outdoors. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A 

As for me, I think it’s absolutely necessary to spend as much time outdoors as possible. My parents spend the biggest part of the day at their offices and I spend half a day at school, too. So, whenever we have a chance to breathe some fresh air, we do it. It could be a short picnic or a long hike. It doesn’t really matter where we go. We feel refreshed and full of energy after a picnic at one of the local parks. I think everybody needs it. 

Speaker B

When I can’t go for a walk in the evening, I start getting a headache and I find it difficult to fall asleep. It’s important for me to feel good, so I try to spend my weekends outdoors. We may go hiking with my parents or just have a picnic with my classmates where we play active games, which is also quite useful for staying fit. I feel best after a long walk. I have no headaches and feel as I had a good, proper training session in the gym.

Speaker C

I wish I could spend more time outdoors because I know it’s good for me but I find it hard to find any time for it in my packed schedule. I have many classes at school and a lot of homework in the evening. Plus, I have dancing classes twice a week. So, I’m just too busy to go for a walk. It’s practically impossible for me to do it regularly. I wish I had more free time, so that I could improve my health and my mood while walking. 

Speaker D

I love spending time outdoors as I think it’s one of the most exciting things to do. I love walking with my mum, watching beautiful trees and flowers. The colours of nature are incredibly beautiful. They are red, orange and golden in autumn and all kinds of green, pink, blue and white in summer. I also enjoy playing games with my friends outdoors. We can go skateboarding or roller-skating in a local park. It’s so much fun, believe me. 

Speaker E

I know many people say that they enjoy spending time outdoors, watching nature changing its colours. They find it necessary or useful. But as for me, I just find it so uninteresting. It’s such a waste of time and so monotonous. The park is almost the same all the year round. There’s nothing exciting there to see. I’d rather read a book at home instead of walking monotonously along the same routes, the same parks with the same people. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked 5 people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about homemade food and cooking at home. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. I’ve always enjoyed homemade dishes and I want my family to eat tasty and healthy food. To me, cooking is an art and I always follow the same rules when I cook. First, I turn on my favourite music. Then I prepare all the ingredients I need to make the dish and display them on the table. After that, I start cooking and I hate being interrupted by telephone calls. When the dish is ready, I always decorate it with pieces of vegetables or dried fruit — depending on the dish.

Speaker B. I love cooking with mum. We talk and laugh a lot together. We’re spending quality time together: catch up on each other’s lives, share stories and create lasting memories. Trying out new recipes and experimenting with different flavours can be an exciting adventure. Cooking family recipes, passed down from generations, helps preserve cultural traditions and create a sense of belonging. It allows younger family members to connect with their heritage and appreciate their roots.  

Speaker C. I don’t like hamburgers, hot dogs or chips much. And I strongly believe that soups, salads, chops and vegetables are always much better at home than in a café or a cafeteria. When you cook for yourself, you can be sure that the ingredients you use are fresh. Another good thing is that you can add as much salt, pepper or sugar as you want, to your taste, not to the taste of other people. Besides, it’s just cheaper and always much tastier. Personally, I just love it!

Speaker D. Fast food is unhealthy, we all know that. It contains lots of fats, sugar and too many calories. But there is sugar in lots of other foods we eat every day. And in most cases, we don’t realize how much sugar these dishes have. Take fruit yogurt, for example, even a fat free one. You may be shocked at the amount of sugar it has. So, cooking proper dishes at home is always the best choice. Besides, you don’t feel hungry after a good meal.

Speaker E.  I don’t like cooking at home as it takes too much time and effort. With the right restaurant, everyone with their eating restrictions can choose from the many options a menu has to offer. At home, it is hard to please everyone with food, and in a restaurant, the pressure is taken off you and you can enjoy each other’s company instead. Besides, I believe eating out gives a welcome change to female members of any family because cooking every day can be hard and boring. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about visiting museums. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. When I have free time, I don’t like staying at home. I enjoy visiting different interesting places and learning new things about history, art, science, or whatever. And I love going on excursions to museums. First of all, I can easily buy a ticket online and avoid the queues. Besides, many museums today offer interactive exhibitions, which are really amazing. I know that some of them offer 3D tours to their visitors. They really bring the past to life. 

Speaker B. I’m not an art lover. And I prefer riding bikes or trekking to museums and excursions.  However, last Saturday we had a very nice trip to a nearby town. I was amazed by its beauty and history. I had no idea there were so many historical places there. We went there by bus and, on the way, the guide told us some facts and amazing legends about the town. Then we visited the local history museum. I really didn’t imagine that I would like it so much.

Speaker C. When our teacher announces an excursion to a museum, I try to escape it at all costs. I don’t like museums. Probably because my mum is a tour guide. When I was little, I spent too much time in museums. Mum took me there every time she had an excursion. I was too little for fine art or historical artifacts. I wanted to play or ride a bike, but not to admire the exhibits. So now I find museums and excursions monotonous and uninteresting.

Speaker D. I think people should visit museums to gain knowledge in a particular sphere. You usually remember the things you see better than when you just read about them. For example, visiting the Egyptian Museum with its wonderful statues and pictures of pyramids, you can learn a lot of interesting facts about the country’s ancient culture. This will definitely broaden your knowledge. When you visit a museum, you can gather the information you are interested in. 

Speaker E. I enjoy visiting different museums, but the problem is that there are no museums or galleries in our little town. I’m not the only person living in a remote place. I suggest we arrange a global internet-based museum. All the existing museums would make virtual expositions and everyone would have access to whatever museum they wanted and could order virtual excursions for themselves. There would be no need to travel far.

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about sport. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. I’m not athletic at all though I used to go swimming. Now I just do it for fun and for exercise, and it seems boring to me as a spectator. However, if there’s a football match on, here I am in front of the screen afraid to miss a minute of it. I don’t play it but it doesn’t really matter. I do my best not to miss a single match. Quite often, my friends and I go to the stadium to support Liverpool, my all-time favourite team. We always wear our red scarves and sing the team songs.

Speaker B. Swimming has been something that I have done all my life. And also, a bit of water polo and diving. All these are really good sports! However, now I’d like to do something more exciting that I haven’t done before. And surfing is at the top of my list. It’s quite challenging, I know. I’ll need to learn a lot and it’s not going to be easy like anything you do for the first time, but I’m ready to have a goal. If you want to do something very much, I think you should try it. 

Speaker C. I’ve been playing football and volleyball since high school. I used to be very shy and reserved but these games helped to greatly improve my social skills. The thing is when playing together, you have to interact and get along with other members of the group. Everybody wants to win, so all members have to cooperate with one another to achieve the common goal of winning. That is something that you cannot learn from an individual sport. 

Speaker D. I first tried diving only a year ago, but now I’m really into it. It’s amazing to experience the underwater world, so different from ours and truly wonderful. Diving looks simple, however, it’s not as easy and safe as it looks. The sudden loss of oxygen is probably the biggest threat. It’s also dangerous to rise quickly to the surface or just dive in an unfamiliar place. However, with proper precautions diving can open up a whole new world far from the stresses of daily life. 

Speaker E.  I reckon all athletes are real-life superheroes. We look at these supercool people and admire the types of things they can do with their bodies that ordinary people can’t. They look great. They can do amazing things, and you want to look sort of the same and follow their example. Many athletes show incredible determination in their everyday lives. This serves as inspiration to young people or at least they can motivate you to finally join a gym and never miss workouts. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about ecological problems. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. In my school grounds littering has become a real problem: papers, wrappers, cans and all sorts of rubbish were everywhere. Our head-teacher has reacted by stopping afterschool activities for all students. I don’t think that it’s right. I feel that students who have nothing to do with a problem should not suffer. Why should I be responsible for someone else’s actions? Only those who leave rubbish on school grounds should be punished. Not every single student.  

Speaker B. It’s a fact that in my school most students don’t know that littering on school grounds is harming the planet. I feel the school should explain to them that littering is very bad for the environment. There could be some reports and programs on the school radio station as well as articles on the school students’ blog. If the students know what rubbish does to the planet, I’m sure they’ll stop littering, they’ll know how harmful it is for nature.    

Speaker C. It all started last week. Our teacher explained to us: it’s a new program to promote a healthy environment. It’s called ‘Litter-free lunches’. The idea is to develop a different attitude to lunch boxes. We should all start using reusable containers, such as plastic food containers and water bottles instead of paper cups. It is an effort to reduce the amount of littering in our school. We are wondering if it will work. It’s also new or unusual to us. We’ll have to get used to it.

Speaker D. People all over the world understand how much harm litter does the planet. However, in my town things are very different. The citizens don’t even notice that they are littering. Everywhere I walk there is trash on the side of the road. In the streets there are cardboard boxes, used caps and plastic bags. I feel very sad that nobody is trying to do anything about it. I believe young people should join together and do something to save our town as everyone is in charge of our planet’s future. I am sure we are able to do it.    

Speaker E. People who litter streets, parks and playgrounds demonstrate their disrespect for other people. I believe they should be punished for that. And the punishment should be serious. For example, if someone throws plastic cups or biscuits wrappers or whatever on the ground, they should pay a fine for it. Alternatively, they should be made to do some cleaning. I’m sure that when this is done, the situation will improve. 

Presenter: Good afternoon! Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about reading. Now we would like to present their opinions to you. 

Speaker A. I like reading, especially historical novels. That’s why I know more than most of my classmates. Our teacher often asks me to give presentations to the whole class. I know it takes a long time to read a novel but it’s definitely worth it. It helps me to broaden my outlook and it’s easier for me to do my homework or perform better if we have a test at school. I think I get more information from novels than they give us in student books.

Speaker B. I wish I could read more as I know it can help me with my school education but I just can’t make myself do it. Many people find it interesting to read but not me. When I close a book, I forget all about it. So, it is not interesting for me to come back to it. I don’t enjoy the process of reading, that’s a fact. I wonder what I can do about it. My friends love reading and don’t understand me. So, I’ll probably have to do something about it. 

Speaker C. Reading is important but it’s hard to find a gap in my schedule to read a book for pleasure. I’m always too busy having classes at school, going to the swimming pool, playing football with my friends, doing homework and so on. I have piles of books which I want to read but I don’t have the time to do it because you need at least an hour in the evening for a good book. It’s so hard to squeeze that much time in my packed schedule. 

Speaker D. Reading is not simply my hobby. It’s my passion. I don’t know what can be more exciting than buying a new book or getting one in a library and enjoying the events that take place there. It’s simply breathtaking. I know books aren’t cheap but they are worth the money because nothing can give you more fun and pleasure than a good book. You can read about exciting adventures and mysterious events set in unforgettable places. 

Speaker E. I don’t know why so many people love reading. To begin with, books are rather expensive to buy and libraries don’t always have the books you may want to read. What they have is outdated books, which nobody wants to read anymore. Some people may find it interesting to read, but in my opinion it’s such a waste of time. Most books don’t have anything educational or practical. You forget one as soon as you finish it. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about jeans. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. I love wearing jeans so much! I wear them every single day. What I like most about jeans is that you can wear them almost anywhere and with almost anything. Moreover, they’re easy to wash. And you can put them in the washing machine and don’t even need to iron them. You get neither hot nor cold in them. They suit any occasion. In fact, I don’t know a better item of clothing. Jeans are just a universal item of clothing. 

Speaker B. I think too many people these days wear jeans just everywhere, thinking it’s the most practical garment. Still, there’re a lot of occasions where jeans are just not good. Like going to school or to the cinema. Besides, if everybody wears jeans, it means that everybody looks the same, and it’s just not interesting. I honestly think it’s just so dull if you put on jeans when you can actually think of something more beautiful. 

Speaker C. As far as I know, jeans were originally meant for working people and were considered simple clothes because they’re easy to wash and very durable. That is why I don’t understand why now people think you can wear them anywhere. Jeans are certainly good if you go to the countryside but they’re inappropriate at the theatre or at school, anywhere where there’s a strict dress code. So, you cannot just wear them on any occasion after all. 

Speaker D. I have ten pairs of jeans and my parents laugh at me because I can wear them almost anywhere. They think that all jeans look the same but they couldn’t be more wrong. Jeans come in any colour nowadays and they come in different styles too. There are skinny and baggy jeans, jeans with embroidery and even beautiful beads, blue, white, grey, and black jeans. I can go on and on. The list of jeans styles is really endless. 

Speaker E. I wear jeans sometimes, not to school, of course. As I consider it bad style for some reason. Still, even if they allowed that, I wouldn’t wear jeans to school or too often in general because I’ve read that jeans can damage our blood circulation and become a reason for some illnesses. It is especially true for tight jeans, which are considered high fashion now. I think it’s a sufficient reason to avoid wearing jeans every day. Once a week is enough. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about photography and taking photos. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. A new photo exhibition starts at our school on Monday and will last till the end of the month. It’s called ‘Life on Campus’, which means that any photos that show our school life are welcome. And I encourage my students to take part in it. I think it’s a great opportunity for them to remember and share some funny and memorable moments of their school life. They are welcome to display portraits, classroom scenes, pictures from our off-campus trips and out of class activities and what not. 

Speaker B. If you’re not a professional photographer, I don’t think you should go for an expensive camera. I know there are several brands you can buy cheap and they will take very good pictures. Don’t look for lots of functions. For beginners, most of those features are not important. The main thing is, it should be easy to use, maybe have a nice design and be rather light to carry. I guess these things are important for a beginner photographer. Have a look and decide what is best for you. 

Speaker C. Well, I’m not a professional photographer, but I love taking pictures. Actually, I don’t like interior scenes, I prefer nature and especially the streets. Practicing street photography has helped me change my perspective. I think I’ve become more observant. I walk a lot and walk to places I have never been to. I can see beauty in many things I never noticed before. You can sense a story in everything you find out. This is what I like about it.

Speaker D. It’s not easy to become a good photographer. The quickest way to get some basic knowledge is to take a short course for young photographers. This will give you a good idea of how to use your camera. What could be better than listening to photography experts? You’ll learn more in an hour than from reading any special books. The next step will be to go out with a camera and take pictures, just as many pictures as possible. At least, that’s the way I did it.

Speaker E. Moments happen all the time and they can happen fast. As I see it, photography freezes these moments so we can take the time to enjoy them. Being a photographer, I have the ability to show myself and share my ideas through images. When someone looks at one of my photos, they are able to see something exactly the way I saw it. Photography can convey ideas in a very artistic, visual and creative way. My way.

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about hobbies. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. When I was a small child, I loved collecting stamps. It was quite a typical hobby for a boy of my age, I guess. Now, I love taking photos of the places that I visit on my holidays. I also love sports like skateboarding and football. Maybe in the future, I’ll take up something else and will enjoy another hobby. My parents say that it’s okay to try several things in your life. And I agree with them. Anyway, nothing lasts forever, does it?

Speaker B. A couple of years ago, I took part in a competition which was run by my school and designed a website for it. I won and got a check as a prize and thought I could go on doing it. Now I design web pages for my friends and small businesses in the local area. And it’s much more than my pocket money could ever be. I don’t want to connect my future profession with web design. It is just an additional source of income for me now.

Speaker C. I do believe people actually waste too much time and money on their hobbies. Most hobbies don’t help you to develop any essential skills. Some people like doing crosswords or puzzles, or draw, or collect things, but I don’t see how it can help them with their future education or career. It’s much better to spend time studying or helping parents, I think. There are many useful things we can spend our time on.

Speaker D. I’ve been fond of drawing my entire life. My parents thought it would change as I grew older, but they were wrong. I still attend art classes after school. I don’t sell my pictures yet. I may give them as a present for somebody’s birthday, or as a souvenir to remember me without asking any money for them. Still, I hope my future job will be connected with drawing and painting. I may teach it to kids, or become a designer. Why not?

Speaker E. When my parents gave me my first computer, I was hooked and spent days and nights playing computer RPG games and surfing the net. It’s no wonder that my school results were gradually becoming worse and worse. Finally, I failed a lot of tests in the middle of the term, which was something I hadn’t expected. Then my parents explained to me that it was unacceptable and took the computer away. I had to improve my academic results to get it back.

Presenter: Good afternoon! Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about learning foreign languages. Now we would like to present their opinions to you. 

Speaker A. I have to say that I find learning languages really difficult but nevertheless I want to speak at least two or three foreign languages: French, Spanish and maybe Chinese. It’s necessary in today’s world when people travel a lot and communicate across countries.  It’s also very good for successful business if you’re able to work with foreign partners and know their language and culture and can establish good contact with them. 

Speaker B. In my opinion, it’s so exciting to learn a foreign language. It’s so much fun to use all those techniques to memorize new words and I just love comparing the words and structures of my native language with the foreign ones. I know many people find it so hard or even boring and monotonous but I don’t understand them. I really enjoy learning foreign languages. It’s the best way to spend your free time and I always feel enthusiastic after a language class.

Speaker C. I don’t know why so many people are interested in learning a foreign language. I think it’s the most monotonous task in the world. It’s all about learning new words, making up unrealistic dialogues and reading texts. It’s just a nightmare. It’s the worst way to spend your time, in my opinion. I can actually find more exciting things to do. I’ll only learn a foreign language if I need it for my future job, which I hope won’t ever happen to me. 

Speaker D. I believe that it is not very difficult to learn a foreign language. As far as I know, some students are able to communicate reasonably in a new language only a few weeks after they start to learn it. They can explain what they need in some certain standard situations fairly well. They make mistakes of course. Still, I think minor pronunciation or grammar mistakes are not so important as long as you can express your thoughts and be understood by other speakers.

Speaker E. If you ask me, well, I think learning a foreign language is very hard. I can’t say that it is boring as I feel quite happy learning new words and reading texts in a foreign language. I don’t think it takes a long time either. I mean the time investment is definitely worth it. It’s just not very easy to make yourself work on a regular basis. And you have to read a lot and be clever and have a good memory and make notes. It’s really hard. 

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about studying a foreign language abroad. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. I learn Italian as a foreign language and last summer I went to Italy as an exchange student. I stayed with the host family, not in a student’s hostel and that was a great mistake! The people I stayed with were an elderly couple without children. They wanted me to spend all my free time with them and kept asking lots of questions. They didn’t want to accept the fact that I needed time to do my homework and to be on my own. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to stay with a host family. 

Speaker B. I spent last summer abroad as an exchange student in Germany. It was a great experience. I think I returned home an absolutely different person. I learned so much! I was staying with a host family and my hosts never treated me as a child but as a responsible person and I had to become responsible. I got used to coming home on time and not later than I have promised. I think I’ve become more independent and confident in myself and the choices I make.

Speaker C. When I was getting ready for my trip abroad, the most important question for my parents was where I would stay. I wanted to choose a student’s hostel but my parents were against it and I went to a host family. It was the right choice. My hosts were a lovely couple with two kids. Signora Clara cooked fantastic pastas and pizzas! I have never tasted anything like it! And I loved her desserts, too! She used to say that it’s important to taste the country whose language you’re learning. 

Speaker D. I thought I could speak Spanish pretty well before I went to Spain as a student. In the classroom everything was more or less fine but I couldn’t understand people on the streets. They were speaking very fast and pronounced words indistinctly, so I had to ask the same question several times before I was able to catch the answer. The locals also used words that they only use in that particular region. I haven’t seen them in my textbook. 

Speaker E. It was my parents’ idea to send me to France for the language course. I’d never left home for so long and I thought I would feel homesick and lonely but it was nothing like that. There was actually no time. From morning to 2 p.m. we had classes and then we went on excursions or trips or had other activities. Every other day we had contests or concerts and in the evenings, there was time for partying and having fun. It was great and I never felt bored!

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about their families. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.

Speaker A. Our family is not large, but we spend lots of time together. Unlike most families, we don’t only get together in the evenings and at weekends, but we see each other a lot during the daytime in our family bakery. It’s a family business. It was set up by my grandfather and now my parents run it. My granddad is still in charge of all the accounting matters. I help in the bakery shop and my brother delivers fresh bread and buns to our regular customers.

Speaker B. I have three siblings, which makes four kids in the family all in all. That means plenty of housework, especially for Mum. She usually does most of the shopping, and we try to help her with the cleaning, at least with keeping our rooms clean. As the oldest sister, I also try to look after the younger ones. Dad always washes the dishes and often helps Mum with cooking, which is his hobby, by the way. Doing things together really helps us have more time for each other.

Speaker C. I have ten siblings and dozens of cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, you name it. We now all live in different places and even countries. However, we have no problem keeping in touch. We regularly call each other, text, send email and photos. So, we can keep up with life events. I even send cards and letters in the old-fashioned way. We also try to get together as often as possible – usually for big family events where the majority of us will show up.

Speaker D. My sister and I are twins, and people think we should be inseparable because they believe we are very much alike. Well, partially, that’s true. We spend a lot of time together. We do look very much alike, but we are very different in character. She is very calm and relaxed, while I am bubbly and very emotional. She is very ladylike and wears nice dresses. And my all-time favourites are jeans and sneakers. Despite this, we get along really well and never quarrel.

Speaker E. I enjoy it greatly when our family gets together. It doesn’t happen very often, unfortunately, because we live in different cities and everyone is always so busy. But there is a day when we put off all our other plans and come to our grandparents’ house for a special party. We all look forward to this day. We exchange news, discuss our plans, chat and enjoy the most delicious cake our grandmother makes for this day. It’s huge and everyone takes a piece of it.

Presenter: Good afternoon. Today we have asked five people to give us a short interview and share their opinions about school uniforms. Now we would like to present their opinions to you.  

Speaker A. In my country, most children wear uniforms at school. Uniforms are so common that students don’t think much about them. You just wear it and that is it. An average uniform includes jackets, blouses and dresses, shirts and skirts, trousers and maybe shorts. There are also jumpers and polo shirts. The colours, patterns and logos on blazers and ties can be different, but most other things are pretty similar. I think we are all just used to wearing uniforms. 

Speaker B. Wherever I go, I want to look nice and appropriate. Usually it takes me a lot of time and effort to decide what to wear and to choose clothes that go with each other. Luckily, I don’t have this problem every morning: my school has a uniform. And I don’t waste time choosing what to put on. I know exactly what I’m wearing before I get out of the door. School is not a fashion show. We need to concentrate on learning, not on what we’re wearing.

Speaker C. I know many people say uniforms make us all look alike. But I believe you can always find a way to express and show your individuality. My school has a uniform but I can choose and mix uniform items every day. And every day I won’t look the same. I can also wear my hair in different styles or wear different glasses. Besides, I can express myself by other means such as academic success or being a good friend or an interesting person to talk to.

Speaker D. Now, let me tell you that school uniforms can be ideal if they meet certain requirements. First, they shouldn’t be expensive but should be comfortable to wear. Besides, a school uniform should consist of a number of items so that you can mix and match them every day. Then, it should not be identified with any particular school. So if you change school, you don’t have to buy a new wardrobe. And most importantly, it should be something that you can wear outside school.

Speaker E.  At school we have strict rules about the uniform. It means you can’t change anything in it. We can only wear the uniform in the school colours and with a school logo. I can’t even wear shoes of a different colour. And we actually have a number of uniforms. I wear one every day, then there’s a special uniform for PE classes, and another one for special occasions and events. That means lots of clothes and regulations to wear them, which is sometimes really difficult!