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Listening: discussions, arguments and media
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Follow both sides
- A discussion has two sides. Listen for the position words: I'm not convinced, fair enough, I'd say.
- Listen twice. What does the man think about online learning?
- Transcript: — Don't you think online learning will eventually replace classrooms? — I'm not convinced. It's true that online courses are more flexible, but that doesn't mean they're better for everyone. Young children, for example, need the structure of a real classroom. — Fair enough, but you have to admit the technology is improving fast. — It is. I'd say the future is probably a mix of the two.
Listen to clip 1. What is the man's position on online learning?
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He ends with “the future is probably a mix of the two”.
Translate into English: 在线课程确实灵活,但并不适合每个人。
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It's true that …, but … — concede, then contrast.
Building an argument
- Arguments are built with linkers: although, not only, moreover, nevertheless.
- Transcript: Although cities offer more job opportunities, living in the countryside has clear advantages. Not only is the air cleaner, but the pace of life is also slower. Moreover, housing is far more affordable. Nevertheless, countryside life is not for everyone: without a car, getting around can be genuinely difficult.
Sort the argument linkers
Concede, add or contrast — linkers show which move the speaker is making.
Complete: “Not only is the air cleaner, ___ the pace of life is also slower.”
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“Not only … but (also) …” adds a second point.
Listening to the news
- News reports use the passive and reported facts: has announced, are demanding, has promised.
- Transcript: A local factory has announced it will cut two hundred jobs over the next year. The company blames rising costs and falling orders. Union representatives say they were not consulted and are demanding talks. The mayor has promised to support affected workers with retraining programmes.
True or false? The union was consulted before the announcement.
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Union representatives say they were NOT consulted and are demanding talks.
Listen to clip 3. How many jobs will the factory cut?
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“Cut two hundred jobs over the next year.”
Listening to an interview
- In an interview, catch the finding, not every example: what surprised you most?
- Transcript: — Your new book looks at why people quit social media. What surprised you most during your research? — Probably that most people didn't leave because of privacy concerns. The main reason was time. They felt their evenings were disappearing. — And have any of them gone back? — About half. Usually with stricter rules for themselves.
Listen to clip 4. What was the main reason people quit social media?
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“The main reason was time. They felt their evenings were disappearing.”
Academic listening
- A lecture follows a cause → effect line. Listen for the reason words: because, which, within.
- Transcript: Today we'll look at why the dodo became extinct. For centuries, the dodo lived on the island of Mauritius with no natural predators. When sailors arrived in the sixteenth century, they brought rats, pigs and monkeys, which ate the dodo's eggs. Within a hundred years, the bird was gone. The dodo is a reminder that ecosystems are more fragile than they look.
Match each part of the dodo story from clip 5.
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Cause → effect: new animals ate the eggs, and the dodo disappeared.
Common traps
- ❌ Although cities offer more jobs, but the countryside is quieter. → ✓ drop but — although and but never work together.
- ❌ The price raised last year. → ✓ The price rose — rise goes up by itself; raise needs an object.
- ❌ I'm agree with you. → ✓ I agree — agreement is a verb, not an adjective.
Write two or three sentences giving your view on working from home. Use one linker (although / moreover / nevertheless).
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Example: “Although it saves time, working from home can feel lonely. Moreover, I focus better in an office.”
Your turn
- Give your view on online learning with one concession: It's true that …, but …
- Argue one side with two linkers: not only …, moreover …
- Retell the dodo's story in three sentences: what lived there, what arrived, what happened.
Keep the ear working
- Tomorrow, before you reopen this page: summarise one news story you heard today in two sentences, using one passive verb.
- Save useful words from Daily English and review them later.
- Next in this course: contrast linkers. This strand began two levels down at A2 routines and arrangements — or head to the IELTS track for exam-level listening.