Topic Three (1.3): What should I give?

Objectives for this topic

  • to listen to and understand information and opinions in a radio interview;
  • to ask for and give ideas and opinions.

Introduction

  • In this topic you will practise expressing ideas and opinions, making suggestions and giving information.

Working through your coursebook

Please work through the following sections in your coursebook, completing all listed exercises:

  • Page 24, Exercise 1 – Look at the four pictures. Do you know what they are? Listen to two people talking on a radio programme. What are they talking about? Can you match what they are talking about to the pictures? Which country do they mention? You can listen to the recording more than once if you need to.

LISTEN – Track 05

  • Page 24, Exercise 2 – In the recording the interviewer asks questions. Read the questions in Exercises 2a to h. Look up any words you don’t understand. Now listen again to the radio programme. How do Razia and Sandeep answer the questions? Write down the answers to each question. Remember you can pause the recording if you need to.
  • Read the ‘Remember’ box on page 25 – using should and shouldn’t to ask for and give advice.
  • Page 25, Exercise 3 – Read the section ‘Useful phrases for expressing yourself’. Now, let’s have some fun! You are going to do a radio interview. Ask the questions in Exercise 2, page 24 and then answer them with your own answers. This will give you practice asking questions with the correct pronunciation and intonation – listen again to how the interviewer in the radio programme pronounces the questions to help you. If you have a friend or family member who can speak English, you could complete this exercise with them. If not, try to ask and answer the questions yourself. Remember to use the words and phrases in the ‘Useful phrases for expressing yourself’ box.

Review

  • Write a list of advice that you have learnt from the radio programme about giving gifts.

 Support activity for this topic

  • The interviewer and Sandeep use the word present, which means the same as gift. In British English, the use of present is much more common than gift; gift is used on more formal occasions and in American English. This is just one example of the differences between British and American English. The spelling of words can also be different.
  • For more examples of the differences, read this very interesting article below:

READ – The differences between American English and British English vocabulary (ThoughtCo.) Links to an external site.

Extension activity for this topic

  • When do you give and receive gifts?
  • What sort of presents do people give for birthdays, anniversaries and weddings in your country?

Grammar

  • Read the ‘Remember’ box on page 25. Should is a modal verb and is usually used to ask for or give advice. For example:

We should leave now so we don’t arrive late.

You shouldn’t be rude to the teacher.

  • Other English modal verbs are must, shall, will, would, can, could, may and might.
  • Modal verbs are used along with a main verb to show possibility, ability, permission or necessity. For example, in the sentence ‘you must go’, must is the modal verb that shows that it is necessary for you to leave.
  • To learn more about modal verbs and their different meanings, read and complete the exercises on the following website:

PRACTISE – Modal verbs (British Council) Links to an external site.

Check your answers

  • If you would like to check your answers to the exercises in this topic, please consult this document Download here. The section with the answers is highlighted in yellow.
  • If you would like to access the audioscript(s) for this topic, please click Download here.