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Listening Practice

The document consists of listening practice exercises focused on fashion and communication. It includes dialogues discussing the importance of clothing choices, their impact on perceptions, and the role of language in travel experiences. The exercises encourage learners to fill in blanks and engage with the material to enhance their listening skills.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
6 views2 pages

Listening Practice

The document consists of listening practice exercises focused on fashion and communication. It includes dialogues discussing the importance of clothing choices, their impact on perceptions, and the role of language in travel experiences. The exercises encourage learners to fill in blanks and engage with the material to enhance their listening skills.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

OXFORD LISTENING PRACTICE:

Task 1: Listen and fill in blanks:


1 Man Hello, everyone. Today, our fashion (1)___________ Emma’s going to talk to
us about the importance of what we wear.
Woman Hello, David. Yes. There’s more to what we wear than you might think.
Man I’ve never really thought much about it. What does our dress sense say about us?
Woman Quite a lot! For example, when I (2)__________, I generally wear something
that makes me feel (3)_____________. I want to dress in a way that other people will
(4)________________.

And of course, I dress in clothes that are right for the (5)_________, to make sure that
I’m neither too hot nor too cold. At home, however, I prefer to wear something
(6)_____________ so I can relax.
Man OK. But does fashion really (7)_____________ an important message to other
people?
Woman Well, would you wear shorts and a T-shirt to a job (8)_____________?
Man No. I’d wear something smart, like a business suit.
Woman Why?
Man To make a good (9)___________________.

Woman Right! And don’t you form an opinion of others because of what they
(10)_________? Imagine you come into your doctor’s (11)____________ and he’s
wearing an old tracksuit or something similar. What would your impression be?
Man Well, I’d probably think, ‘He’s not very (12)___________________!’
Woman Exactly! Now imagine a different doctor. She’s dressed in a nice suit.
Man Then I’m more likely to trust her.

Woman Yes. Clothing has (13)__________. We use what we wear to communicate


with others. We can use it to build a wall between ourselves and other people, or to
make ourselves seem (14)________ and more outgoing. Clothes can deliver a
(15)____________ about our jobs, too.
Man Like with (16)______________. It’s easy to identify some types of worker – for
example, police officers or (17)_____________ – because of their uniforms. That’s
useful if you need help.

Woman Yes. Of course, some uniforms are important for (18)_________ on the job –
they’re not just for fashion. Clothes can protect the people wearing them.
Man That’s a good point.
Woman We also (19)__________ ourselves with what we wear. For example, I have a
friend who loves to wear bright colours. She’s really (20)_________________, which
is obvious when you
see her. Another friend wears darker clothes, and doesn’t stand out as much.
Man But isn’t fashion a little strange sometimes? I recently went to an
(21)__________ of expensive clothing by top designers, and they were really
(22)_______________. I know designers want to create something new and
(23)_________________, but it wouldn’t be possible to wear some of the clothes that
were shown there, not every day.
Woman I think you’re missing the point. (24)____________ at this level is not really
supposed to be (25)____________. It’s more about creating beautiful things. The
model is like a piece of paper, and the clothes are like a painting.
Man Oh, OK, I think I understand. I guess no matter who we are, clothes play an
important role in how we (26)___________ to each other! Thanks, Emma.

Task 2:
Speaker A When I went on my first trip (27)____________, I realized body
(28)____________ is valuable but not enough. I had to point at everything and make
hand (29)___________! Then on my second trip, I learned a couple of set phrases in
advance. That proved quite (30)_____________, and I’d recommend that to everyone
before going abroad. There were times, of course, when I got (31)__________ replies.
Once I wanted a (32)________ and I asked for some in very simple German. Then the
waiter said something, and I nodded and ended up with another sandwich! That was a
(33)_________________.

Speaker B Do people have to be in the language of the country they’re travelling to?
Well, if you ask me, that would be (34)_____________ for one thing, and secondly,
there’s always a (35)__________ language that we can all use: English. I’ve never
come across a person in the (36)____________ industry that’s not great at it. I read
somewhere that about (37)_________ billion people speak English in the world today.
I’d really like to find out which countries have the highest percentage of English
(38)_____________. That would be very interesting to know!

Speaker C I think that people have a (39)_______________ ability to communicate


without having to use language necessarily. There are other means, such as the
(40)_________ and (41)___________ expressions. Whenever I find myself in a
different country, I always end up getting on great with the (42)_________ despite not
being able to speak their language. I remember once a man told me a
(43)___________ of a really huge fish he caught. He was talking for about
(44)_________ minutes and I understood everything, though I didn’t catch a single
word of what he said. We actually became very close friends and we
(45)____________ each other every year. We still can’t speak each other’s language
though!

Speaker D My main college course was (46)_________ languages – Arabic and


(47)_________, to start with – and I think I’m at an advantage when travelling to
other countries. I can speak (48)___________ languages quite well and I find that
most other languages are easy for me to pick up after a couple of days in that country.
It’s just a game for me in a sort of way, though I usually make sure I’ve got a simple
‘teach-yourself’ (49)___________ with me, too, just to get a general idea of how the
(50)_______________ works and to study some basic vocabulary. I found a really
good (51)____________ one at half price the other day. It’s at Robinson’s
(52)___________ in case anyone’s interested.

Common questions

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Clothes provide functional benefits by protecting the wearer in environments where safety is a concern, such as through specialized uniforms for police officers, construction workers, or medical staff. These clothes are designed to be practical and protect individuals while they perform their duties, beyond just fashion purposes .

The document emphasizes cultural adaptation through clothing as essential for both social acceptance and comfort. It can signal understanding and respect for cultural norms, which is important when integrating into different social environments. Clothing that suits the cultural context allows for better interactions by aligning with local customs and expectations, thus facilitating smoother social integration .

The document highlights the challenge of language barriers manifested in situations like ordering food abroad. Simple misunderstandings can arise when the traveler is unfamiliar with the language, as exemplified by ordering an unintended item. Although pointing and gesturing partially bridge the gap, lack of language proficiency can lead to miscommunication and requiring additional effort to convey basic needs .

Learning local languages helps in effectively communicating when traveling abroad, as body language alone may not suffice. Knowing a few set phrases can facilitate interactions and reduce miscommunications, such as ordering food correctly . It also demonstrates respect for the local culture and can lead to more authentic experiences with locals, enhancing travel experiences .

Fashion acts as a communication tool, allowing us to express our identity and how we wish to be perceived by others. It can establish boundaries or openness, as well as suggest professionalism or casualness depending on the context . Clothing choices can convey messages about our personalities and our roles, such as the professional impression we aim to create during a job interview or the functionality of uniforms for safety .

English's status as a global language is seen as an advantage because it serves as a common tongue that facilitates communication when travelers do not know the local language. Many in the travel industry possess proficiency in English, making it possible to communicate effectively even without local language skills. This universality of English reduces the necessity of learning every local language before traveling .

Inappropriate clothing choices in a professional setting can lead to negative judgments from others, affecting one's perceived professionalism and competence. For example, wearing casual attire like shorts and a T-shirt to a job interview might convey a lack of seriousness or respect for the role, potentially impacting the success of the interview .

Clothing choices play a significant role in social dynamics by influencing first impressions and assumptions about personality traits and social status. Clothes can be a communication tool to express individuality or conformity, introversion or extroversion, and even professional roles through uniforms. They help in shaping others' perceptions of us in social and professional contexts .

Language learning acts as a gateway to deeper cultural engagement and richer travel experiences. It facilitates direct communication with locals, reduces misunderstandings, and shows cultural respect. This can lead to forming closer relationships with residents, as language aids in navigating unfamiliar environments and enhances the overall experience and appreciation of the cultural nuances .

The document contrasts practical fashion, which focuses on functionality and daily wearability, with high fashion, which is more about artistic expression and creating beautiful objects. High fashion is likened to an art form where the model serves as a canvas. These creations are not necessarily meant for everyday use but are rather pieces designed to inspire and push creative boundaries .

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