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Listening: stories, directions and opinions
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Follow the story
- A story is a chain of past events. Catch the order: first, then, after that.
- Listen twice. Who picked him up?
- Transcript: Last summer, I missed the last train home. I didn't have enough money for a taxi, so I called my brother. He drove twenty kilometres to pick me up. I've never forgotten that.
Listen to clip 1. Who picked him up?
Difficulté 1/5 · 100 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
“I called my brother. He drove twenty kilometres to pick me up.”
Understanding directions
- Direction words: go straight on, turn left at, walk past, on your right, opposite.
- Transcript: Go straight on for about two hundred metres, then turn left at the bank. Walk past the supermarket, and the museum is on your right, opposite the park. You can't miss it.
True or false? The museum is opposite the supermarket.
Difficulté 1/5 · 100 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
The museum is opposite the park, and you walk past the supermarket first.
Marking your opinion
- English speakers signpost their opinions: in my opinion, however, on the whole.
- Transcript: In my opinion, working from home saves a lot of time. However, I miss talking to my colleagues face to face. On the whole, I prefer going to the office twice a week.
Sort the signpost phrases
Some phrases give an opinion, some contrast, some summarise.
Complete: “On the ___, I prefer going to the office twice a week.”
Difficulté 1/5 · 100 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
“On the whole” means “overall”.
Translate into English: 依我看,这本书很有意思。
Difficulté 3/5 · 200 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
In my opinion + statement.
Experiences with the present perfect
- Have you ever tried …? asks about any time in your life.
- Transcript: — Have you ever tried camping? — Yes, I went camping last year with some friends. It rained every day, but we still had a great time. — Really? I'd love to try it, but I'm not very good at sleeping in a tent. — You get used to it. The best part is waking up to the sound of birds.
Listen to clip 4. What was the weather like on the camping trip?
Difficulté 1/5 · 100 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
“It rained every day, but we still had a great time.”
True or false? The woman is good at sleeping in a tent.
Difficulté 1/5 · 100 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
She says “I'm not very good at sleeping in a tent.”
A longer answer
- When you describe a place, add details: what you did, what you ate, how it felt.
- Transcript: The most interesting place I've ever visited is Xi'an. The city wall is amazing — you can cycle all the way around it. I also tried the local noodles, which were delicious but very spicy.
Match each fact about Xi'an from clip 5.
Difficulté 2/5 · 140 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
Details make a description interesting: places, activities, food.
Common traps
- ❌ turn left to the bank → ✓ turn left at the bank — directions use at.
- ❌ I am used to go camping. → ✓ I get used to it — get used to means "become comfortable with".
- ❌ I have visited Xi'an last year. → ✓ I visited Xi'an last year — a finished time takes the past simple, not the present perfect.
Write two or three sentences about an interesting place you have visited. Add one detail (what you did or ate there).
Difficulté 3/5 · 200 pièces + un petit bonus lors de la première réussite aujourd'hui
Example: “The most interesting place I've visited is Hangzhou. I cycled around the lake.”
Your turn
- Give two directions from your home to a shop you know: go straight on, turn left at …
- Give your opinion with a signpost: In my opinion … However … On the whole …
- Answer with the present perfect: Have you ever tried camping / cycling / spicy food?
Keep the ear working
- Tomorrow, before you reopen this page: tell one short story about yesterday in four sentences, and give one opinion with however.
- Save useful words from Daily English and review them later.
- Next in this course: conditionals. This strand began one level down at A2 routines and arrangements.