This week, you will use the speech shadowing process to talk about a leisure activity you did when you were young. Here is the cue card used in today’s training:
Describe a leisure activity that you did when you were young.
You should say:
-what it was
-where you did it
-who you did it with
-and explain how you felt about this activity
Part 1 and 2: These sections are temporarily unavailable.
Part 3: Complete the full exercise below.
Part 4: Refer to the below transcript of this week’s exercise and note any challenging language you came across.
Part 5: Submit your own speech samples to your Whatsapp instructor.
Describe a leisure activity that you did when you were young.
You should say:
-what it was
-where you did it
-who you did it with
-and explain how you felt about this activity
When I was young, I was an avid reader. I would usually read in my bedroom, which was my favourite spot to escape into a different world. My parents were very supportive of my reading habit and they would often take me to the library or bookstore to pick out new books. I would also borrow books from my friends at school and exchange recommendations with them.
Reading was a solitary activity for me, but it allowed me to explore different perspectives and ideas. It was a way for me to travel to different places and experience different cultures, all from the comfort of my own home. It was also a way for me to learn new things and broaden my horizons.
I felt a sense of excitement and anticipation whenever I started a new book. I would become completely engrossed in the story and would lose track of time. Reading was a way for me to escape from reality and enter a different world, even if it was just for a little while.
Overall, reading was a leisure activity that brought me immense pleasure and satisfaction when I was young. It allowed me to explore new ideas and perspectives, and it helped me to develop my imagination and creativity. Even now, as an adult, I still love to read and I credit my childhood reading habit for fostering a lifelong love of learning.
I think the garden is what makes it so inviting. It is lush and green, with beautiful flowers planted.
Do you keep things from your childhood?
I have more mementos than I should! I have stuffed animals, certain pieces of artwork and even some sports jerseys. I simply canāt bear to part with them! Letās talk about lifestyle.
Do you think people should spend their free time at home or outside?
Given the amount of time most of us spend indoors for work I believe we should spend leisure time outside. Of course, someone who works outside would probably better appreciate time inside, perhaps reading, cooking or relaxing. It really depends on what a personās lifestyle is but in our free time we should do what we miss at work.
Has technology changed the way people spend their leisure time?
Most certainly it has. You no longer need to leave your home to spend time with friends; you just do a video call with them. Even the way we meet people has changed. Most of my current circle of friends are people that I met online. Letās talk about books.
What type of books do you read?
Well, I make every effort to read books written in English. I tend to prefer historical fiction books. I used to try to read classics but I find that language has changed so much in the past two hundred years or so that when I read something from that era, itās like reading a different language! So, now I prefer more contemporary fiction.
Do you think you read more when you were younger compared to now?
I was a total bookworm when I was younger. My parents had to scold me to put the books away to go to bed. I think after my university studies, when the purpose of reading was necessity and not pleasure, I reduced the amount I read for leisure.
Have you ever watched a movie and then read the book it is based on?
Not that I am aware of. I usually do the opposite. I like a book, the movie is released and then I compare my take on the story to the directorās. I usually prefer mine!
How well can you speak about sports? In this speech shadowing lesson, you will train to talk about this topic: a sport you like, live sports and sport audiences.
Step 1:Ā Tune in to this weekās podcast episode (audio and video version available below).
Part 1 Questions
May I see your ID? Where are you from? What is the name of your hometown? What are some important features of your hometown? Can you describe your home? What kind of sports do you like? Do you watch live sports? Do you think sport audiences today have changed compared to the past?
š§āšTarget language:
localised(adjective) -specific to a particular place
āIn the past, sporting audiences were very localised.ā
Step 2:Ā Listen to the sample a few times to get more familiar with the language.
Step 4:Ā Below is Mondayās speech exercise. Post yourself saying this excerpt to your Whatsapp group. Exercises for Tuesday to Friday will be posted in the group by your instructor. (If you have not yet been added to a group, click here to sign up – select ‘Join a Whatsapp group’.)
Post yourself saying this into your Whatsapp group!š£ļøš²
“Well, like many cities in China, Suzhou is very old and has several ancient landmarks, such as the Humble Administrator Garden, which I believe is about a thousand years old now. We also have a district that is made up entirely of a network of canals. The area is understandably sometimes referred to as the āVenice of the Eastā. We also have a growing business district lined with skyscrapers, so I think a central feature of Suzhou is its blend of historical sites and contemporary architecture.”
Step 5:Ā Itās very important that you note any new language items or pronunciation points from this weekās lesson in your journal to help you chronicle your improvement.š
Transcript
May I see your ID?
Here you are.
Where are you from?
I am from a city in China. Itās about an hourās drive outside of Shanghai.
What is the name of your hometown?
Itās called Suzhou. There is actually more than one Suzhou in China. Mine is the one in Jiangsu province.
What are some important features of your hometown?
Well, like many cities in China, Suzhou is very old and has several ancient landmarks, such as the Humble Administrator Garden, which I believe is about a thousand years old now. We also have a district that is made up entirely of a network of canals. The area is understandably sometimes referred to as the āVenice of the Eastā. We also have a growing business district lined with skyscrapers, so I think a central feature of Suzhou is its blend of historical sites and contemporary architecture.
Can you describe your home?
I live in a simple one-bedroom apartment that has a large window in the living room with a view of the sunset. I really like the colour green, so I think most of the furniture has at least a little green in it. I also have several houseplants which help keep my apartment feeling fresh. Letās talk about sports.
What kind of sports do you like?
Iām actually not a big sports person. Once in a while, Iāll play football with my friends in the park or hit a birdie back and forth with a badminton racket, but thatās about it. I do a lot of walking either on my own or with a friend, so if that counts I would say thatās my favourite sport.
Do you watch live sports?
I do but only when a really exciting sporting event is happening. For example, when the World Cup is on, I watch many of the matches live. I occasionally catch a Formula 1 race live too, but I donāt watch it enough to know much about the teams or drivers. I went to several basketball matches in Shanghai when I was a teenager, and I think these are the only live sporting events Iāve seen in person.
Do you think sport audiences today have changed compared to the past?
Yes, in many ways they have. In the past, sporting audiences were very localised. What I mean is you watched and discussed a sporting event with your friends or family, whereas now people watch sports streamed live online and discuss whatās happening with international viewers from around the world. I recently saw a sports commentator that was streaming his comments live while interacting with viewers from around the world. This is a clear difference compared to the past. However, I would say the audienceās spirit and passion for the game hasnāt changed, and I donāt think it ever will.
