Listening Dictation Classbook Workbook

lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Listening Dictation Classbook + Workbook
Tiếng anh (Trường Đại học Thủ đô Hà Nội)
Scan to open on Studocu
Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

Downloaded by Thành ??t Nguy?n (onepicehtth@gmail.com)
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
HANOI UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
DEPARTMENT
DICTATION LISTENING
SKILLS
FOR INTERNAL USE

lOMoARcPSD|22503562
PREFACE
“Listening Comprehension Through Dictation – Term 1” is specifically designed for the students at
basic level (in their first term) of the one year English program by the English for Specific Purposes
Department, Hanoi University. This course book aims to introduce a wide range of dictation materials,
which put more emphasis on promoting students’ capacity of listening and perceiving the accurate written
forms of oral sounds, words and simple sentences so that they can confidently dictate (write down exactly
what they hear) from speakers. By focusing learners’ attention on text transcription, it is expected to
encourage learners to further develop effective learning strategies (e.g. spelling, phonics skills,
vocabulary building, prediction and basic note-taking skills) as well as integrated language skills (e.g.
listening, dictating, speaking), apart from providing invaluable exposure to audio-recorded languages
from native English speakers. In doing so, it is hopefully to better facilitate learners’ more independent
and confident listening capability when they move on to higher levels of their English studies in the
following terms of the program.
“Listening Comprehension Through Dictation – Term 1” has 9 units. Each unit in the course book begins
with Lead-in activities, which is to give the students opportunities to activate their background
knowledge about the topic that will be covered in the listening. In this part, the students are typically
asked to talk about what they know about the topic either in groups or in pairs. By doing this, students
will be equipped with some essential ideas related to the topic before they listen so they can perform
better during their listening. The unit goes on with Helpful hint section where the focal points of relevant
dictation listening skills within the unit are highlighted to provide students with necessary ideas and
techniques to deal with the dictation and listening with more efficiency under specific contexts of the
given recordings. This part is followed by the main part of the lesson, Listening and Dictation, which
contains two dictation passages with a variety of dictation activities and exercises. For each dictation
passage, students do the first listening to get the overall comprehension or grasp the main ideas of the
whole text. Then the students listen to the recording the second time and dictate by filling in the given
missing gaps. The designed gaps mainly focus on important words or phrases or those with high tendency
of misuse or confusion regarding phonic, lexical or grammatical aspects of the language among students.
This is to help students become more aware of the accurate forms of language for more effective and
proper use in the reality. In addition, the post-dictation comprehension exercises prove to be beneficial
to check and more importantly consolidate what students have really learnt and understood from the
listening. The unit ends with Follow-up activities in which the students are required to review important
words, phrases or idioms from the lesson and fill in the ‘USEFUL LANGUAGES OF THE DAY’ table
for more effective and practical future use.

lOMoARcPSD|22503562
As listening proves to be very essential and indispensable for students during their language study, it is
not an easy task though. To be successful listeners at this level, students are expected to make full use of
not only class hours but also their self-study revision to constantly sharpen their listening skills by
reviewing and applying what they have already learnt into practice. It is crucially important to bear in
mind that patience and regular daily practice will be key success factors for a good and effective listener.
For these reasons, hopefully, the availability of the book will offer students whose wishes are to better
enhance their listening ability a series of good and effective listening practice exercises to gradually build
up their listening skills in a systematic and fundamental way as well as to increase their confidence when
exposing to different types of spoken English at higher levels in the coming terms.

lOMoARcPSD|22503562
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DICTATION LISTENING SKILLS
Week Part A: Class book Part B: Workbook

Topic Page Topic Page
1 Learning a foreign language 1 Immigration statistics 1
2 Vitamins – essence of life 7 Three little words 2
3 Family matters 14 Election Day in the U.S.A 3
4 Childhood 21 The Olympic Games 4
5 Television 27 Birthdays around the world 5
6 Happiness and dreams 33 Want to stay warm in winter – Think COLD 6
7 Superstitions 42 Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce 8
8 Environment 50 Words and stories: Number Two 9
9 Technology 60 Writing College Papers 11
10 Careers 70 Revision
11 Consolidation Pilot test

lOMoARcPSD|22503562
PART A
IN-CLASS DICTATION LISTENING
Unit Topic Page
1. Learning a foreign language 1
2. Television 7
3. Childhood 14
4. Environment 21
5. Vitamins – essence of health 27
6. Happiness and dreams 33
7. Superstitions 42
8. Family matters 50
9. Technology 60
10. Careers 70

lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 1 LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
This unit aims to help you:

• be aware of the importance of English dictation
• understand different ways to learn English
Discuss questions below on learning English as

a foreign language.
1. How important is English to you?
2. Is English an easy language to learn?
3. Which is the best way to learn English well?
Dictation Listening – An overview

In pairs, do the below quiz to test how much you know about
English Dictation Listening.
1. Rearrange the order of below statements to make the best definition
of dictation listening.
A. Learners hold pieces of information in their memory for a short time.
B. Learners dictate, i.e. write down exactly what they heard from
speakers.
C. Learners receive some spoken input in the forms of oral sounds,
words and sentences.
2. What is partial dictation? Put the statements in the correct order.

A. The passage is read in complete form.
B. A passage with some deletions is given to learners.
C. Learners are required to fill in the deleted parts as they hear the passage.
3. Which statement below is NOT true about the purposes of dictation?

A. Dictation helps learners develop phonics skills that facilitate pronunciation and spelling.
B. Dictation is an integrative activity that involves all the skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking.
C. It’s only the passive aural skills that are developed in dictations.
1
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
4. How important is dictation in learning English listening? More than an option can be chosen.
A. Dictation relates what is spoken to what is written, which provides fundamental drills in understanding
the connected speech in real-life situations and also helps to develop listening comprehension ability.
B. Dictation can help the students considerably overcome the grammatical and lexical problems mostly
alongside the problems of the other areas of the language.
C. The significance of dictation is the only focus of spelling practice.
DICTATION 1 – The White Lie
01. First listening: Listen to the recording and choose the best answer for each of the
following questions. Discuss your answers.
1. What does the advertisement say about learning a foreign language?
A. One can learn a foreign language well in six months.
B. One cannot get a refund if not making progress after a six-week course.
C. One can master excellent pronunciation right on the beginning day of the course.
2. What is the only language that is easy to learn?
A. English B. French C. One’s native language
3. How can people learn a foreign language well?
A. By working hard.
B. By living in the native country where the language is spoken.
C. With the help of books and dictionaries.
Second listening: Listen again and fill in the gaps. Write no more than THREE words for
each gap.
Have you ever noticed (1) _____________ which say “Learn a foreign language in (2)
_____________, or we pay your money back”? From the first day your pronunciation will be
excellent. Just send…” and so on? Of course, it never happens like that. The only language that is
easy to learn is the (3) ____________________. And think how much practice that gets. Before
the Second World War, people usually learn a foreign language in order to read the (4)
______________ of the country. Now speaking the foreign language is what most people want.
2
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Every year (5) _____________ of people start learning one. How do they do it?
Some people try (6) ___________, with books and (7) _______________; others go to (8)
__________________. If they use the language only two or three times a week, learning it will
take (9) ____________________, like language learning at school. A few people try to learn a
language (10) _________ by studying for six or more (11) _________ a day. It is clearly (12)
__________ to learn the language in the country where it is (13) ____________. However, most
people (14) __________________ this, and for many it is 15) ____________. They need the
language in order to do their work better, for example, (16) ____________ and doctors chiefly
need to be able to read books and reports in the (17) ____________ language. Whether the
language is learnt quickly or slowly, it is (18) ______________. Machines and good books are
(19) __________, but they cannot do the (20) ________________ for them.
Comprehension check: From the above dictation, answer below questions using your own
words.
1. What is the difference in the purpose of learning a foreign language in the past and now?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. List three different ways people may use to learn a foreign language.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Name different factors necessary for effective learning of a foreign language. Then choose the
most decisive factor of them all and explain why.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DICTATION 2 – Learning English
3
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. According to the recording, I enjoy all the following subjects except?

A. Maths B. Physics C. Chemistry
2. I wasn’t interested in …………?
A. reading B. listening C. memorizing grammatical rules
3. According to the recording, I don’t read………..?
A. textbooks B. novels C. magazines and newspapers
each gap.
most widely used

As we all know, English is the (1) _________________ language in the world. It’s important for
us to study English well. But how?
Maths
I like English as well as (2) ____________ Physics
and (3) _____________. At the beginning of my
grammatical rules
English study, I spent a lot of time in memorizing the (4) _____________________ of English. I
wasn’t interested in listening or speaking. Many times the (5) ____________
marks I got in English tests
Maths
were not as good as those in my (6) ___________ tests, so I decided to (7) _________
changed my way of
study.
From then on, I have begun to (8) ________________

pay attention to the listening. In my spare time, I often listen to
English tapes and watch some English programmes on TV, I try my best to (9)
draft the main ideas
_____________________.
Reading is an important step in learning English well. I read (10) textbooks

_____________, and other
__________, I often read English magazines and (12)
reading materials. When I am (11) free
newspapers
______________________. Although there are lots of new words, I often (13) ____________
go through
what I read (14) __________
without paying much attention to the new words or difficult (15)
______________.
sentences In this way, I’ve (16) ____________
improved my reading comprehension. How (17)
_______ I am! The more I read, the more I understand; the more I understand, the more I read.
glad
4
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Recently, I have also been trying to (18) _________. Though I often (19) ________________, I
am not discouraged. I’m (20) ______________
determined to study English well. I’m sure I will know it well
in the future.
Comprehension check: Basing on the recording, decide if the following statements are
True or False. Correct the False one.
1. I prefer English to physics and maths.
2. At the beginning, I spent a lot of time in reading textbooks.
3. I was not fond of writing and speaking.
4. As I didn’t get good marks in English tests, I changed my way of study.
5. When listening, I try my best to understand every single word that the speaker says.
6. While reading, if I find any new words, I stop to check their meanings for my better
comprehension.
7. I feel scared if I make mistakes when I am writing.
8. I always spare no efforts learning English well and I believe my English will be better sooner or
later.
Students REVIEW important words/phrases/idioms from what they have learnt in the lesson and
fill in the following table for more effective future use.
Words/phrases/ Equivalents/Meaning Putting into context
idioms
1. Mother tongue One’s first language My mother tongue is Vietnamese
2. be fond of + V-ing be interested in doing sth My daughter is fond of playing the

be keen on doing sth piano.
5
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
6
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 2 VITAMINS – ESSENCE OF HEALTH

• develop prediction skills
• get to know benefits of different vitamins towards human health
Discuss questions below with a partner. Share your ideas with the class.
1. How important are the vitamins A, B, C and D accordingly to our health?
2. What are possible dangers if we have low levels of these vitamins?
3. In what ways, do you think, we can get vitamin A, B, C and D?
Developing prediction skills

* Prediction is a valuable stage in developing your listening ability. It is an activity you often carry out
before listening to a text, where you predict the necessary kinds of answers to help you get more focused
on what you are going to hear.
* Regarding the dictation tasks, the prediction can be under the form of certain suitable parts of speech
(nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc…) as well as the grammatical verb tenses required for each filling
gap.
** Practice: Look at the below statements and make possible predictions on the given gaps. Use ONE
word in each gap.
a. Vitamin D helps bones and muscles grow (1) __________ and healthy. Low levels of vitamin D can (2)
___________ problems such as rickets, a deformity mainly found in children.
7
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
→ (1) ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
→ (2) ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
b. The easiest way to get vitamin D is from (3) _____________. The sun’s UV rays reacts with skin cells
to produce Vitamin D.
→ (3) ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
c. Also, darker skinned people produce less vitamin D than (4) _________ skinned people.
→ (4) ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
DICTATION 1 – Vitamin D for ‘Does a lot’
1. Which one of the following isn’t true according to the passage?
A. Vitamin D enables strong bones and muscles.
B. Lighter skinned people produce less vitamin D than darker skinned people.
C. It might be poisonous if people take too much vitamin D.
2. Low levels of vitamin D may lead to the following diseases except …
A. osteoporosis
B. rickets
C. skin cancer
8
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
each gap.
Vitamin D helps bones and muscles grow (1) __________________. Low levels of vitamin D can (2)
____________ problems such as rickets, a deformity mainly found in children. Osteoporosis, the thinning
of (3) __________, is a common problem as people, especially women, get (4) ________.
But more and more research is suggesting that vitamin D might also help prevent many (5) __________.
The easiest way to get vitamin D is from (6) ___________. The sun's ultraviolet rays react with skin cells
to produce vitamin D. But many people worry about getting skin cancer and (7) _____________ from the
sun. As a result they cover their skin or wear sun block or (8) _______________ the sun.
Also, darker skinned people produce less vitamin D than (9) __________ skinned people. Production also
decreases in older people and those living in (10) ___________ areas that get less sunlight.
Not many foods naturally contain vitamin D. Foods high in this vitamin include (11) _____________ such
as salmon, tuna and mackerel, and fish liver oils.
Boston University researchers reported last year that farmed salmon had only about (12) __________ as
much vitamin D as (13) ________ salmon.
Small amounts of D are found in beef liver, cheese and egg (14) _________. And some people take dietary
supplements containing the vitamin. But most of the vitamin D in the American (15) ________ comes
from foods with D added, like milk.
9
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
In 1997, the United States Institute of Medicine (16) ______________ levels for how much vitamin D
healthy people need. It set the daily amount at two hundred international units (I.U.s) from (17)
___________ through age 50. It set the level at 400 I.U.s through age 70, and 600 for age 71 and older.
But some groups say these amounts are not high enough. They are hoping that the new research findings
will lead to new recommendations.
Research in the last several years has shown that low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of heart
attacks in men and (18) ____________ from some cancers. Other studies have shown that people with
rheumatic diseases often have low levels of vitamin D.
More doctors are now having their (19) ____________ tested for their vitamin D levels. But as research
continues, some experts worry that if people take too much vitamin D, it might act as a (20)
_____________. Also, skin doctors warn people to be careful with sun exposure because of the risk of skin
cancer.
And that’s the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver. I’m Steve Ember.
1. Osteoporosis is known as a common bone-related problem found mostly among men.
2. The best way to get vitamin D is from sunlight.
3. There is a high risk of skin cancer among people exposing too much to the sun.
4. The Southern people get less sunlight than the Northern ones.
5. Wild salmon contains a higher amount of vitamin D than farmed salmon.
6. Most of the vitamin D can be found in such foods as oily fish, milk and egg yolks.
7. People need less vitamin D as they get older.
8. A diet rich in vitamin D can help people prevent from rheumatic diseases.
DICTATION 2 – Vitamins A, B and C
1. Vitamin A comes mainly from …..
A. butter and cheese
B. bread and milk
C. fish and liver
10
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
2. If we are short of …….., we will probably lose our appetite.

A. Vitamin A B. Vitamin B C. Vitamin C
3. We need about ……. of Vitamin C per day, and ……. of Vitamin B for the same period of time.
A. 5 mg, 20 mg
B. 15 mg, 10 mg
C. 1 mg, 20 mg
each gap.
As is known to all, vitamins are (1) ____________ to our health. Listed in the table are three kinds
of vitamins. They are Vitamins A, B and C.
Vitamin A comes mainly from milk, butter, cheese, (2) _______ and _____________. It is very
important for healthy (3) ________________ as well as for (4) _________________ of the human
body. Lack of it may (5) ___________ skin troubles and bad (6) _____________. And our
resistance to disease may be (7) ______________ accordingly.
Vitamin B is chiefly contained in bread, meat, milk, (8) ________ and _________. It can play the
role of a catalyst in (9) ______________ of food. If we are (10) ______________ it, we will
probably lose our (11) _____________ and our growth will be slowed.
Vitamin C generally exists in (12) __________, potatoes and green vegetables. It is necessary for
the formation of teeth, (13) __________ and (14) ________________. Without enough of it, our
growth will also be (15) ____________.
The amount of different kinds of vitamins needed daily by humans (16) ___________
considerably. We need about (17) _______ of Vitamin C and (18) ________ of Vitamin B for the
(19) _____________ period of time.
It is true that we do not need too much vitamins, but it is also true that we cannot live (20)
______________ without them.
Comprehension check: Basing on the above recording, answer below questions. Discuss
with your partners.
P.S. Students are encouraged not to look back the passage and try to answer these questions
using their memory from what they have just listened.
11
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. Where does Vitamin A mainly come from? If being short of Vitamin A, what may happen?
→ _______________________________________________________________________
→ _______________________________________________________________________
2. Where can we get Vitamin B from? If there is a lack of Vitamin B, what may happen?
→ _______________________________________________________________________
→ _______________________________________________________________________
3. Where does Vitamin C generally exist? What can be caused if there is not enough of Vitamin C?
→ _______________________________________________________________________
→ _______________________________________________________________________
USEFUL LANGUAGES OF THE DAY
Words/phrases/idioms Equivalents/Meaning Putting into context
12
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
13
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 3 FAMILY MATTERS

• make full use of the contextual clues
• build up background knowledge about family-related issues and women roles
Discuss below questions with a partner. Share your ideas with the class.
1. Discuss the meaning of the terms ‘Baby Boomers’ and

‘Boomerang Kids’.
2. Is it customary for you to live near your parents after you leave
school or after you marry?
3. Which would you prefer, staying in the nest or having
your own place? Why?
Making full use of the context clues

* As for the confusing vocabulary/grammar items, you should pay due attention to the pronunications,
meanings and parts of speech to listen more effectively with the most accurate uses of the correct
vocabulary/grammar in context.
* For example, some students mixed up ‘whole’ and ‘hole’ in dictation.

- Mistake made: ‘He was tired for the hole day.’
- Correction: Teachers should ask students to
+ think about the (1) meanings of the two words (‘whole’ means ‘all or throughout the day’ while
‘hole’ means ‘a space or opening that goes through something’)
+ use (2) contextual clues and their knowledge about the (3) parts of speech to choose the correct
word (‘whole’ is an adjective while ‘hole’ is a noun)
→ students have to write ‘He was tired for the whole day’ instead.
** Practice: Complete below sentences by underlining the best option. Make full use of the context clues
and give explainations for your choice.
14
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. It is very hot. The sun/son is shining.

→ __________________________________________________________________________.
2. I use a pan/pen to fry an egg.
→ ___________________________________________________________________________.
3. There is a big sheep/ship in the sea.
→ __________________________________________________________________________.
4. If I want to go to the mall with my friends, my parents always give me money. They don’t tell me
no/know, really.
→ __________________________________________________________________________.
5. She likes her job very much. She works from nine/nice to five/fine.
→ ___________________________________________________________________________.
6. Forest fires may threaten people’s live/lives and property.
→ ___________________________________________________________________________.
DICTATION 1 – Staying in the nest
05. First listening: Listen to the recording and choose the best answer for each
of the following questions. Discuss your answers.
1. What is the main idea of the recording?
A. The start of grown-up kids’ life away from home.
B. The increasing trend among grown-up kids returning to their first nest.
C. The effects of socio-economic developments on the American youngsters.
2. According to the recording, what is NOT TRUE about the reasons attracting grown-up kids to return to
the first place?
A. Larger houses
B. Good relationships between parents and kids.
C. Instable financial situations.
Second listening: Listen again and fill in the gaps with correct words or
numbers. Write no more than THREE words for each gap.
15
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
The caps and gowns have been used and returned, yet many Baby Boomers are finding that the
commencement to their (1) ________________ kids’ life away from home has been put off indefinitely.
In a development that would have repulsed many boomers in the generation gap days of their own (2)
__________, returning to the nest – or (3) ________________________ it – is becoming increasingly
commonplace. A (4) _____________ economy and shrinking job market appear to have (5)
_____________ the trend and produced more of what American Demographics magazine calls
“boomerangers.”
This year, about 670,000 or 56 % of university graduates (6) ________ to live with their parents for some
period of time. (7) ________________ and other observers say that besides the financial reasons, boomers
themselves – those turning 37 to 55 this year – are encouraging the trend.
“The (8) ______________ thing about moving home has really been reversed,” says author Faith Popcorn.
“A lot of parents have a (9) ______________________ with their kids. I think baby boomer parents really
have gotten the idea that home is fun and (10) __________, and they never wanted their kids to leave in
their first place.
Financial security of the most (11) ______________ generation ever and their bigger houses have made
this once-unthinkable living arrangement much more appealing to (12) ______________. Ward Simpson
and his wife have two (13) ___________ and a daughter who keep going away and coming back, going
away and moving back. “Most parents (14) _____________ that their children never visit them but (15)
__________ never leave – and I have no problem with that.”
The moving back trend first emerged in the 1980s before flattening out in the 1990s. Now it is (16)
________________ again following the dot-com crash and with the first (17) ___________ of Baby
Boomers’ 71 million children reaching adulthood.
The trend may (18) ________ when boom times return, but it looks unlikely to go away. The U.S. Census
shows (19) _________________ Americans ages 18 to 34 live with their parents – a group now drawing
attention from marketers because it has lots of disposable income and is growing (20) ___________.
1. Boomerangers are those who decide to leave their parents after their graduation or marriage.
2. Baby boomer parents try to create an as formal atmosphere as possible for their children to live
in.
16
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
3. According to recent statistics, less than half of university graduates intend to stay in the nest
with their parents for some periods of time.
4. The moving back trend initially started in the 1990s.
5. From the listening, it can be concluded that Baby boomers refer to people born during the
postwar population explosion, and now they have become old parents with grown up kids.
DICTATION 2 – Roles of women
1. In Japan, what does a working woman usually have?
A. No real careers.
B. Many opportunities
C. Few promotions.
D. Positions with more responsibilities.
2. What may not be the reason why most American women work?
A. Because the living cost is very high.
B. Because the family can hardly live on only one income.
C. Because they feel they have enough energy to work outside the home.
D. Because they find they have to do so.
3. When did the modern women’s liberation movement start?
A. In 1962. B. In 1969. C. In 1916. D. In 1950.
4. What was one of the main goals of the modern women’s liberation movement mentioned in the
passage?
A. To provide more responsible positions.
B. To open up a new world for women.
C. To liberate women from their homes.
D. To eliminate sex discrimination.
Second listening: Listen and fill in the gaps with correct words or numbers . Write no
more than THREE words for each gap.
In Japan, most people still (1) ___________ that a woman’s place is in the home; and most women
willingly accept their traditional (2) ___________ as wives, (3) _____________ the business of making a
living to their husbands. For those who do want a (4) ____________ of their own, opportunities are limited
17
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
and working women usually have to settle for (5) ________________, fewer promotions, and less
responsible positions.
In America, on the other hand, most women, including wives and mothers, work most of their (6)
___________. But until recently, few have had (7) _________ careers. As in Japan most (8)
____________ are dominated by men and opportunities for women have been (9) _____________,
salaries low, (10) ____________ for advancement rare. American women work mainly because they have
to; in these days of inflation and (11) ______________ living, only one income per family is simply not
enough to (12) ___________. So American women actually have two jobs: one (13) _______________
position outside the home, and the other (14) ______________ in-the-home job such as wife, (15)
______________, cook and nurse.
One of the main goals of the modern women’s (16) _____________ movement, which started in the early
1960s, was to eliminate (17) ______________________ in the work force, and to (18) _______________
opportunities for women that were previously (19) _____________ for men. And though there is still a
long way to go, a lot of (20) _____________ has been made.
1. Most Japanese women are not very happy to be traditional wives and mothers.
2. Working women in Japan have to take more responsibilities in the jobs they do.
3. It is uncommon for a majority of American women to spend almost their whole lives working.
4. It can be implied from the listening that a dual income family allows both parents and children to enjoy
luxurious living conditions.
5. The nine-to-five jobs involve the normal work schedule within the home.
6. The equality between men and women in the workforce did not exist until the women’s liberation
movement took place.
7. Thanks to the movement, there were few chances for women to take up such positions which just used
to belong to men.
18
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
19
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 4 CHILDHOOD

• recognize correct pronunciation of –s endings
• learn about lives of children across the world
Decide whether you agree or disagree with statements below. Discuss with your partner
1. Childhood is a time for learning, not working.
2. It is good for teenagers to have part-time jobs.
3. Children should not expect to earn money for doing work in their own homes.
4. Children should receive a weekly allowance to be spent freely.
Recognizing the correct pronunciation of ‘-s’ endings

The final ‘-s’ of the third person of singular in the present simple and the plurals of nouns has become the
most common in real-life and academic English communication purposes. To ensure effective listening to
oral languages, it is crucially essential that you should fully aware of its accurate forms of pronouncing
this ‘-s’ ending sound.
* The pronunciation of the final ‘-s’ depends on the final consonant sound. There are three ways to
pronounce it in English: /iz/, /s/, /z/.
/iz/ /s / /z/
With /s, z, ʒ, ʃ, tʃ, dʒ/ Voiceless sounds Voiced sounds
ending sounds (/f/, /p/, /k/, /t/, /θ/) (rest of the sounds: /b, d, g, v, l,
r, m, n, ŋ/…)
20
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
buses, boxes, prizes, kisses, laughs, sleeps, crabs, words, bags, gloves, deals,
watches, dishes, changes walks, hats, myths dreams, fans, sings, wears, plays
Words that end in a vowel sound use the /z/ pronunciation for ‘-s’ final.
E.g. -- potatoes -- tomatoes -- toes – shoes
** Practice: Write the phonetic symbol for each –s final: /s/, /z/ or /iz/. The first one has been done for
you.
1 ages /iz/ 6 two-thirds
2 says 7 makes
3 faces 8 services
4 parents 9 depends
5 places 10 prevents
DICTATION 1 - Life of children in developed nations
1. According to the recording, what do Tracy’s parents do when she wants or needs something?
A. Her parents take her shopping.
B. Her parents ask her friends to go to the mall with her.
C. Her parents always give her money to buy things.
2. What may happen as a result of these American teenagers’ free spending habits?
A. They may realize their dreams to be a marketer.
B. They may spend more than they can afford.
C. They may become wiser consumers.
Second listening: Listen again and fill in the gaps with correct words or numbers. Write
no more than THREE words for each gap.
(1) ________________ Tracy has a stereo, TV, and VCR in her room. Her (2) _________ buy her the
latest CDs, and they give her a (3) ___________________ of $10.
21
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
“If I want something, or I need something, I just say 'Can you take me (4) _____________?'” says the
South Boston eight-grader. “If I go to the mall with my friends, my parents give me money. They don't tell
me (5) _______, really."
Tracy, however, says she's not (6) ___________. She does not have a cell phone, (7) ________________,
unlike many of her friends.
She is the new (8) ___________ of American teen spending, a member of a generation that has (10)
_____________ during an era of almost uninterrupted (9) ________________. Nearly (10) _________ of
American (11) ______________ carry cell phones. They eat out with (12) ______________ at least once a
week.
The average American teen spent more than (13) ______________ a week in 2001, according to the
marketing research firm Teenage Research Unlimited - up from $78 just four years earlier. About (14)
____________ of that is money they can spend however they wish; the rest is for specific items such as
(15) _____________.
That makes teenagers a marketer's dream. But (16) ____________ say their spending (17) ____________
developed during the late '90s (18) ___________ boom - will probably make them lifetime spendthrifts.
Some worry that the intense adolescent focus on consuming will (19) ________________ a future in
which an even greater number of Americans are living beyond their (20) ____________.
1. Tracy, who is at grade eight, gets allowances on a monthly basis.
2. Tracy’s parents satisfy all her needs without any conditions, which makes her spoiled.
3. Tracy is typical of an American teen generation growing up in the economic depression time.
4. Lots of Tracy’s friends do not possess a cell phone.
5. American teenagers spend the majority of their money on whatever they wish.
6. A habit of spending freely as they wish can probably make youngsters wiser consumers.
DICTATION 2 – Life of children in the Third World
22
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. Where were most working children found?

A. In Africa. B. In Asia C. In Latin America
2. In which working field did most children from the countryside get involved?
A. Engineering B. Domestic service C. Agriculture
3. In what ways can the child labor be a negative experience in the child’s growing up?
A. The child works at a suitable age.
B. The child works in hazardous conditions.
C. The child can both go to school and work.
Second listening: Listen and fill in the gaps with correct words or numbers. Write no
more than THREE words for each gap.
In contrast, there are many children in the world who are (1) ________________ in extreme and hazardous
(2) _______ of work, and who are being (3) _______ of their fundamental right to a childhood.
It is (4) ____________ that about 120 million children between the (5) __________ of 5 and 14 work at
least full-time. If children for whom work is a (6) _______________ activity are included, the figure (7)
____________ 250 million. Sixty-one percent of these were in (8) __________, 32% in Africa, and 7% in
Latin America. Most working children in (9) ________________ were found in agriculture; urban children
worked in trade and (10) _____________, with fewer in manufacturing, construction, and domestic
service.
(11) _______________ of child labor range from that of four-year-olds tied to rug looms to keep them
from running away, to seventeen-year-olds helping out on the family farm. In some (12) __________, a
child's work can be (13) ____________ to him or her and to the family; working and earning can be a (14)
_____________ experience in a child's growing up. This (15) ________________ largely on the age of the
child, the conditions in which the child (16) __________, and whether work (17) __________ the child
from going to school. In addition, more than (18) _____________ children, some as young as 10, are child
(19) _____________ and are waging war in 40 different (20) _____________ around the world.
Comprehension check: From the above dictation, answer below questions using your own
words.
1. In what working conditions do many children in the Third World have to engage?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
2. Are they protected by their basic child rights?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. How old are children getting involved into the wars?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 5 TELEVISION

• recognize correct pronunciation of –ed endings
• learn how television influences our life
Discuss questions below with a partner. Share your ideas with

the class.
1. Do you agree that television can be an addiction?
2. Did your parents regulate how much television you watched?
3. In what ways, do you think, TV has enriched our lives?
4. In your opinion, what are the disadvantages of watching TV?
Recognizing the correct pronunciation of ‘-ed’ endings

Being aware of how ‘-ed’ endings are pronounced can help you listen better under spoken contexts. Below
are the general rules for the pronunciation of the final ‘-ed’.
* The pronunciation of words ending in ‘-ed’ depends on the final consonant sound. There are three ways
to pronounce the final ‘-ed’ in English: /id/, /t/, /d/.
/id/ /t/ /d/
With /t/ and /d/ Voiceless sounds Voiced sounds
ending sounds (/f/, /p/, /k/, /s/, /tʃ/, /ʃ/) (rest of the sounds: /b/, /l/, /m/…)
wanted helped, looked, laughed, called, cleaned, offered,
needed washed, watched, kissed, damaged, loved, used, amazed,
danced, fixed rubbed, claimed
Words that end in a vowel sound use the /d/ pronunciation for ‘-ed’.
E.g. -- followed -- enjoyed -- played -- tried -- continued
** Practice: Write the phonetic symbol for each –ed verb ending: /d/, /t/ or /id/. The first one has been
done for you.
1 added /id/ 6 married
2 helped 7 permitted
25
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
3 closed 8 required
4 called 9 continued
5 listed 10 stopped
DICTATION 1 – Couch Potato
1. A couch potato refers to ……….
A. a piece of furniture that people sit on while watching TV.
B. someone who spends less than two hours watching TV.
C. a heavy viewer who spends a lot of time sitting or lying down to watch TV.
2. A mouse potato is used to describe ………
A. the device to move the pointer or cursor on a computer screen.
B. someone who spends much time using computers.
C. the mouse who enjoys potatoes a lot.
3. What may happen if people suffer from ‘cabin fever’?
A. People with cabin fever feel relaxed and happy.
B. These people may spend less time staying outdoors.
C. Cabin fever makes people feel bored and tired.
each gap.
Now, the VOA Special English program, Words and Their Stories.
Some (1) ____________ words describe how a person spends his or her time. For example, someone who
likes to spend a lot of time sitting or (2) ________________ while watching television is sometimes (3)
_________ a couch potato. A couch is a (4) ___________________ that people sit on while watching
television.
26
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Robert Armstrong, an artist from California, (5) ___________ the term couch potato in 1976. Several
years later, he (6) __________ the term as a trademark with the United States government. Mister
Armstrong also (7) __________ write a funny book about life as a full-time television watcher. It is called
the "(8) ___________ Couch Potato Handbook."
Couch potatoes enjoy watching television just as (9) _______________ enjoy working on computers. A
computer mouse is the (10) __________ that moves the pointer, or cursor, on a computer screen. The (11)
______________ of mouse potato became popular in nineteen-ninety-three. American writer Alice Kahn
is said to have (12) __________ the term to describe young people who spend a lot of time using
computers.
Too much time inside the house using a computer or watching television can (13) ________ someone to
get cabin fever. A cabin is a simple house usually built (14) _______________ from the city. People go to
a cabin to relax and enjoy (15) ___________ time.
Cabin fever is not really a (16) ____________________. However, people can experience (17)
____________ and restlessness if they spend too much time inside their homes. This is especially true
during the winter when it is too (18) _________________ to do things outside. Often children get cabin
fever if they cannot go outside to play. So do their parents. This happens when there is so much snow that
schools and even (19) ___________ and stores are (20) ___________.
This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith
Lapidus.
1. The term ‘couch potato’ was listed as a trademark in 1976.
2. A mouse potato prefers watching TV to working on computers.
3. A cabin is often built quite close to the city with luxurious furniture.
4. Children can easily get cabin fever when they spend lots of time playing outdoors.
DICTATION 2 – The education of TV children
27
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. Where do TV children in Hollywood have their lessons?

A. Wherever they are working
B. In school.
C. At home.
2. Which is NOT the reason why most of their teachers like this special job?
A. TV children are usually good pupils.
B. It is easy to teach them.
C. Their lessons are held in many interesting places.
3. What is the topic of the passage?
A. TV children’s life.
B. Child Actors.
C. Educating TV children.
Second listening: Listen again and fill in the gaps.
Many children (1) __________ in TV shows. They work several hours every day, so they cannot
go to a (2) ____________ school. How do they get an education?
In Hollywood, where many TV shows are made, about (3) _________ teachers give lessons for the
children in the shows. They teach (4) ______________ their pupils are working.
The teacher’s job is very important. She is (5) ____________ for making sure that the child works
only the (6) ___________ hours each week; she is responsible for making sure that the child learns
the (7) _________________. She makes sure, too, that the child gets enough (8)
_________________, along with his education.
Child actors are (9) ___________ to attend classes (10) _______________ each week. California
law says that they must be taught from (11) __________ to the middle of (12) ___________. If
they do not get (13) ______________ in school they are not permitted to (14) ___________
working in TV shows.
TV children are usually (15) __________________, and most of their teachers like this special
kind of work. Their (16) _______________ are held in many interesting (17) ___________.
Sometimes the classroom is the Mississippi River (18) ___________. Sometimes it is the inside of
a (19) ___________. Often the pupils become famous (20) ___________.
28
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Comprehension check: Basing on the above recording, make questions for below given
answers.
1. ________________________________________________________________________?
→ No, they don’t as they have to work several hours every day.
2. ________________________________________________________________________?
→ About forty.
3. ________________________________________________________________________?
→ The teacher is responsible for making sure that the child learns the required subjects, works at permitted
time and gets enough rest and play.
4. ________________________________________________________________________?
→ About nine months, from September to the middle of June.
5. ________________________________________________________________________?
→ They are not allowed to continue working in TV shows.
29
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 6 HAPPINESS AND DREAMS

• highlight vocabulary problem parts
• learn about secrets for true happiness and interesting facts about dreams
HAPPINESS
1. In your own opinion, what is happiness?

2. Where can people find the happiness?
3. In what ways, do you think, people can
lead a happy life?
DREAMS
1. In your opinion, what is a dream? Do you know

why people dream?
2. It is believed that people dream every night. Do
you agree or disagree?
3. In what ways, do you think, dreaming is good or
bad?
30
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Highlighting vocabulary problem parts

* Identifying affixes to root words
A root word is the basic form of a word. It stands on its own as a word and has a meaning. New words can
be formed from root words by adding prefixes and suffixes. Proper attention paid to word formation may
help you master better spellings and remember words more easily.
Prefixes Affixes
Definition Groups of letters (e.g. ‘un’, ‘re’, ‘mis’) groups of letters (e.g. ‘ed’, ‘ing’, ‘ful’)
which can be added to the beginning of a which can be added to the end of a root
root word to change its meaning. word to change its part of speech.
Examples • un (not) – unclear, unhappy, unkind • ed – interested, fun-filled, bored
• im (not) – impatient, impossible • ing- exciting, distinguishing, amazing
• mis (wrong) – misunderstand, misuse • ful – helpful, successful, beautiful
• il (not) – illogical, illegal • cian – magician, musician, technician
• re (again) – reuse, replay, redo • ure – pleasure, adventure, expenditure
• inter (between, among) – interactive, • ness – happiness, sadness, sleeplessness

international
• ment – improvement, commitment
• ir (not) – irresponsible, irrational
• age – marriage, damage, image
** Silent letters
- Silent letters are letters that you can't hear when you say the words, but the letters are there when you
write the words. There are no fixed rules and you need to learn the words with silent letters from your
experience and make extra effort to remember the words.
- List of common silent letters in English
Silent ‘b’ Climb, lamb, comb, doubt, plumber, debt, bomb …
Silent ‘d’ Wednesday, handsome, handkerchief …
Silent ‘g’ foreigner, design, sign …
Silent ‘h’ wh- question words, honest, hour, while, ghost, rhythm …
Silent ‘k’ knife, knee, knock, know, knight …
Silent ‘t’ watch, castle, listen, match, often, Christmas …
31
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Silent ‘u’ guitar, guard, building, tongue, biscuit …

Silent ‘w’ write, wrestling, wrist …
*** Practice:
A. Underline the silent letters in the following sentences.
1. He can play the guitar very well.
2. The knight heard a knock on the door.
3. We wrote a paper about life in winter.
4. She often listens to music while she’s free.
5. We read the signs along the road to the castle.
B. Write a prefix or suffix to complete the sentences

1. _____understanding may lead to the breakdown in any relationships.
2. I had to ___play the recording several times to finish this exercise.
3. Mary had to ____tie her shoes so she could take them off.
4. The firefighter was fear____ as he ran into the burning house to save the family.
5. Getting married means you have to make more commit______.
6. For many people happiness is a joy____ or fun-fill___ life.
7. It is ___responsible to burden young children with too much homework.
8. The boy was ___honest when he told the teacher he finished his work.
9. She has overcome numerous pain___ experiences to become such a success____ magic_____
nowadays.
10. It is ___legal to get drunk while driving.
32
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
DICTATION 1 – Where is Happiness from?
1. According to the author, what is the reason for a bachelor to resist marriage?
A. He believes that dating will be more satisfying.
B. He is reluctant to take on family responsibilities.
C. He finds more fun in dating than in marriage.
2. In the author’s opinion, what is raising children like?
A. A moral duty.
B. A thankless job.
C. A source of inevitable pain.
3. We learn from the last paragraph that envy sometimes stems from ……. .
A. Misunderstanding
B. Hatred
C. Prejudice
4. In order to understand what true happiness is, one must …….
A. have as much fun as possible during one’s lifetime
B. make every effort to liberate oneself from pain
C. be able to distinguish happiness from fun
5. What does the author want to tell us?
A. One must know how to attain happiness.
B. Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.
C. It is important to make commitments.
each gap.
The way people hold to the belief that a (1) ______________, pain-free life equals happiness actually
reduces their (2) ___________ of ever attaining real happiness. If (3) _________________ are equal to
33
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
happiness, then pain must be equal to (4) ______________. But, in fact, the opposite is true: more often
than not, things that lead to happiness (5) _____________ some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the (6) ___________ of true happiness. They fear
the pain inevitably brought by such things as (7) ____________, raising children, professional
achievement, religious commitment, (8) ___________________.
Ask a bachelor why he (9) ____________ marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less
satisfying. If he is (10) _____________ he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For
commitment is in fact quite (11) ____________. The single life is filled with fun, (12)
________________, and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most (13)
_____________ features.
Couples with (14) ____________ children are lucky to get a (15) _______________ sleep or a three-day
vacation. I don’t know any parents who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But
couples who decide not to have children never know the (16) __________ of watching a child grow up or
of playing with a (17) ______________.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has (18) ________________ with fun is one of the most
(19) _____________ realizations. It liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are
always having so much fun (20) _______________ may not be happy at all.
1. Happiness means fun and pleasure.

2. Many people tend to avoid such things as dating,
marriage and raising children as they think these may result
in pain.
3. Marriage life is typically filled with more fun,
excitement and adventure than the single life.
4. Happy people are not always having so much fun
actually.
5. Raising children has never been an easy task.
DICTATION 2 – Dreams
34
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. According to the passage, the studies of human sleep show …..

A. few people do not dream at night.
B. some people may dream all the time during sleep.
C. everyone dreams several times each night.
2. If a person is cold, he may dream that he is out in a snowstorm. This shows dreams ……….
A. influence your daily life.
B. have something to do with the reality.
C. have nothing to do with the reality.
3. According to the studies, you may dream of a fire-engine when ….. .
A. your alarm clock is ringing.
B. you feel hungry.
C. you are ill.
4. Why is dreaming important to us?
A. Because we can relax and enjoy a care-free life in our dreams.
B. Because we can have a good rest.
C. Because we can make discoveries in our dreams.
A dream is made up of a series of (1) ______________ that form during sleep. The people and
actions in these pictures seem (2) ____________ to the person who is dreaming.
When a person is (3) __________, he has little or no control over his mind. Then ideas and
feelings (4) ____________ to form the mind picture known as dreams.
Dream may be (5) _______________ by different things that are (6) _____________ during sleep.
If a person is cold, he may dream that he is out in a (7) ______________. Worries or (8)
___________ may also influence the (9) ___________ of a dream.
Some people think that they (10) ____________ dream, and other people are (11) _____________
that they do not dream at all. (12) __________ of human sleep have shown, (13) _____________,
that everyone dreams every night. If a person thinks he does not dream, it is because he does not
remember dreaming when he (14) ______________. Usually, a person may dream three to seven
times for a total of one to two (15) ________ of dreaming every night.
35
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Not only (16) ________ everyone dream, but it seems that we all need to dream. One (17)
____________ is that dreaming gives us a chance to escape from (18) ______________ of our real
world. In dreams we can see our (19) __________ come true. We can be rich, (20)
_________________________.
Comprehension check: Basing on the above recording, answer below questions.

1. What happens to a person’s mind when he is asleep?
→ ________________________________________________.
2. If a person feels angry or worried, how may his dream be like?
→ _________________________________________________.
3. Why do some people think they do not dream?
→ ________________________________________________.
4. How often may a person dream every night?
→ ________________________________________________.
5. Why do we all need to dream?
→ ________________________________________________.
36
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
37
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 7 SUPERSTITIONS

• understand the sounds linking rules
• learn about the differences of superstitions across countries
1. In your opinion, what is a ‘superstition’?
2. Are you the kind of person who is superstitious?
3. What kind of superstitions have you ever practiced? Why?
4. Share some superstitions from your own culture.
5. Here are some common superstitions. Match the two columns for a complete superstition.
1. If you break a mirror, a. It will bring bad luck.

2. If your cheeks suddenly feel on fire, b. or you will have bad luck while you are living there.
3. Never open up an umbrella in your house. c. as one will die
4. Never have thirteen people around a dinner table d. it will bring you seven years’ bad luck
5. If you are moving to a new house, calculate a lucky e. someone is talking about you.
day for the move
38
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Understanding the sounds linking rules
One of the reasons non-native speakers have problems understanding and pronouncing English is because
of linking. Linking occurs when a word end in a consonant and the following word starts with a vowel.
The consonant sound is linked with the vowel when it is pronounced.
Linking has become a natural and essential part of spoken English to ensure smooth and fluent speech
flows.
* For example: “That’s enough.”
In this phrase, the ‘s’ in ‘that’s’ is linked to the ‘e’ in ‘enough’ and sounds like ‘thats senough’.
** COMMON linking phrases in English. Let’s have a try!
1. It is 6. out of 11. six o’clock 16. sources of energy

2. This is 7. live in 12. as much as 17. my brother and I
3. There is 8. wake up 13. half an hour 18. She’s a good girl.
4. such as 9. grows up 14. the role of 19. millions of years ago
5. for example 10. because of 15. take care of 20. like all of us
*** Practice: Practice linking the following sentences correctly. The linked letters are in bold and
underlined. The first one has be done as an example.
P.S. The first sentence will be with proper enunciation, and the second with linked enunciation (= the act
of saying words clearly).
With proper enunciation (= the act of With linked enunciation

saying words clearly)
0. Sit on an orange couch. Sit ton nan norange couch.
1. Bring an apple and a book.
2. Now is a time for all of us to pack it in
3. Lemons and oranges are not available in
Autumn
4. A car is only as good as its'engine.
5. Television is a good form of entertainment.
39
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
DICTATION 1 – Are you superstitious?
13. First listening: Listen to the recording and choose the best answer for each of
the following questions. Discuss your answers.
1. Which of the following is NOT true about the superstition?
A. It encourages people to believe in their better future.
B. It might stem from a religious belief.
C. It is an unreasonable belief.
2. Which one of the below superstitions is believed to bring misfortune?
A. carry a luck charm.
B. walk under a ladder.
C. keep a rabbit’s foot.
3. Why do people knock on wood after mentioning good fortune?
A. To stop your soul escaping.
B. To prevent any evil entering.
C. So that evil spirits that hear you won’t ruin it
each gap.
40
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Are You Superstitious?
A superstition is an illogical belief that some action will (1) __________ something else that is (2)
______________ to the action. Many people believe, for example, that breaking a mirror will (3)
_____________ seven years of bad luck. When one speaks of good fortune, (4) ________________ is
said to ensure its continuation. (5) ___________________, rabbits’ feet, and other amulets provide (6)
____________ to keep the possessor safe.
Many superstitions began in (7) ___________ belief. The cat has been worshipped by several cultures,
including the (8) ____________ Egyptian. The fear that a black cat crossing (9) _____________ will bring
misfortune may come from the old (10) ____________ in its power.
Many athletes have (11) ____________ superstitious rituals. They often make a connection between a
victory and some (12) ___________________ or jewelry. When questioned about this, most will reply that
they don’t want to (13) _______________.
Belief in certain superstitions tends to (14) _____________ families. Most people who throw spilled (15)
___________ over their shoulders saw their parents doing the same thing when they were young. They
may, or may not, know that the (16) ______________ reason was to keep the devil from getting (17)
__________________.
One danger of superstition is that it (18) ______________ people to believe that their future is (19)
_____________________. However, most of us who knock on wood, carry a lucky charm when we fly,
and never walk (20) ____________________ say that our behavior is due to habit or sentiment.
1. It is believed that people may feel insecure when they carry lucky charms.
2. If a black cat crosses your path, it will bring you good luck.
3. Some athletes believe in their own superstitions to win their games.
4. Certain superstitions tend to be passed from generations to generations.
5. People throw salt over their shoulders to stop their souls escaping.
41
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
DICTATION 2 – Chinese calendar
A. The animals representing the twelve years of the calendar.
B. The calendar offers people best choices for their jobs.
C. The Chinese calendar and its practical uses.
2. In what two areas was the ancient calendar used?
A. Birth and marriage.
B. Marriage and profession.
C. Profession and death.
Second listening: Listen again and fill in the gaps. Write no more than FOUR words for
each gap.
A calendar is a (1) ______________ that is

used to (2) _________________ days,
months, and years. The ancient calendars of
China were sometimes (3)
_______________ 12-year cycles. Each year
in the 12-year-cycle had the name of an
animal.
There were (4) _____________ that were used to name the 12 years of the cycle. These animals
are the (5) ___________________ rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and
boar. Following that order, you can (6) ______________ the animal for any year.
(7) ____________________ these animals had some significance or meaning for people. There
were (8) _______________ of using the Chinese calendar.
One area of its use was in selecting a (9) _______________. For example, a woman who was born
in the year of the rooster was perfectly (10) _______________ a man who was born in the year of
the (11) ___________, but would not be suitable for a man who was born in the year of the
monkey. People often (12) _____________ the charts before selecting a marriage partner.
42
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Another (13) _______________ for the calendar was in selecting (14) ______________. For
example, a person born in the year of the (15) ____________ might be good for the (16)
____________ profession, but not for the (17) ________ profession. A person born in (18)
_________________ the rooster might be suitable for a profession as a cook, but not for a
profession as a (19) __________.
According to some accounts, people often consulted the calendar when making (20) ___________
like these.
Comprehension check: Basing on the recording, choose the best answer A, B, C or D for
each question below.
1. How was the ancient calendar of China divided?

A. It was divided into fifty-two weeks each year.
B. It was divided into twelve months each year.
C. It was divided into twelve years.
2. What kind of man is most suitable for a woman born in the year of the rooster?
A. A man born in the year of the sheep.
B. A man born in the year of the monkey.
C. A man born in the year of the dragon.
3. What kind of person is most suitable for being a doctor?
A. A person born in the year of the rooster.
B. A person born in the year of the rabbit.
C. A person born in the year of the dragon.
4. What is the profession suitable for a person born in the year of rooster?
A. Tailor.
B. Cook.
C. Teacher.
43
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
44
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 8 ENVIRONMENT

• identify main ideas and supporting details
• learn about current environmental issues
* Discuss questions below with a partner. Share your ideas with the class.
1. List as many environmental problems in your country as possible.
Which do you think is the worst and why?
2. Noise pollution is considered as one of the most serious problems facing people in big cities.
- To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Discuss different ways to protect people against noise pollution.
3. What are major threats to forests in Vietnam?
What, do you think, should be done to preserve our forests?
45
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
** In pairs, do the below quiz to test how much you know about Rainforest.
1. Rainforests cover what percentage of the Earth’s total surface?
A. Less than one percent
B. 2 percent
C. 10 percent
D. 45 percent
2. Rainforests provide which of the following products?
A. Chewing gum
B. Medicines
C. Coffee
D. All of the above
3. Which of the following geographical areas does not have Rainforest?
A. Africa
B. Central America
C. North America
D. Southern Asia
4. What are major threats to rainforest ecosystems?
A. Illegal logging
B. Volcanoes
C. Fire
D. Desertification
5. Rainforests play a significant role in maintaining which of the following?
A. Weather patterns
B. The Earth's limited supply of drinking and fresh water
C. More species of plants and animals than any other ecosystem on Earth
D. All of the above
46
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Identifying main ideas and supporting details

To be an effective listener, you are encouraged to be able to identify or distinguish main ideas and
supporting details of a text through the understanding of the text organization and the use of connectives as
signals for coming new ideas.
* Text organization:
- The text can be logically organized under the approaches of problems and solutions, causes and effects,
or points listing, etc…
- The main points in a text are usually followed by the supporting details.
* Connective devices:
- Listing and order: first, second, lastly, finally…
- Adding information: in addition, furthermore, moreover, also, as well as…
- Giving examples: for instance, for example, such as, namely…
- Results and consequences: as a result, therefore, consequently, so, for this reason…
- Highlighting and stressing: particularly, especially, clearly, obviously…
- Concessions and contrasts: however, although, though, despite, still, on the other hand, by contrast, yet…
- Reasons and causes: because, due to, since, as…
- Concluding linkers: in conclusion, to sum up, to conclude…
15. ** Practice: Listen to the recording twice and note down what makes Mr Chan a good teacher and
give supporting details. Complete below table.
47
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
DICTATION 1 – Forest Service
following questions.

A. The establishment of a forest conservation organization in the US.
B. Damaging consequences of the US forests and wild lands.
C. Major threats defined by the Forest Service to forests and wild lands in America.
2. How many main threats to the US forests are mentioned in the recording?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 5
Second listening: Listen again and fill in the gaps. Write no more than FOUR words for
each gap.
The Forest Service is responsible for the forests on (1) ________________ in the United States. It
supervises almost 78 million hectares of forests, grasslands, rivers and lakes. It is an (2) ___________ of
the Department of Agriculture. Forest Service (4) ______________ say there are four major threats to
forests and wild lands in America.
The first is the threat of (4) _______________. This year, forest fires have burned more than three million
hectares of land. That is almost two times as much as the ten-year average. Fires are a natural part of (5)
_____________, but they can also threaten lives and property. Fuel is (6) _________ plant material and
48
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
small plants that grow under tall trees. As much as 49 metric tons of fuel can build up on every hectare of
forest (7) __________. The Forest Service estimates that up to (8) __________ of the forests it supervises
have dangerous level of fuel. Sometimes foresters set (9) _______________ to remove the fuel. Other
times the fuel must be (10) ___________ by hand.
Another threat to forests is from (11) ______________. These are non-native plants and animals that push
out native kinds. They can cause a lot of (12) _______________. Some invaders are insects like the Asian
longhorn beetle. Some are (13) __________ like white pine blister rust. Others are plants like the fast-
growing kudzu vine. The Forest Service has hundreds of experts who try to develop ways to deal with
invasive species.
The agency says another threat to the health of wild lands is the (14) __________________. It says over
one hectare of forest or grassland is lost to development every minute. Development also leads to the
division of large (15) _______________ into smaller ones. Many animals need wide open spaces. Also,
building near wild lands increases the (16) _______ to homes from forest fires.
The fourth threat to public lands is what the Forest Service calls (17) _______________. People can hunt,
fish and camp in many national forests. But careless use of (18) _____________ and other actions can be
destructive. On (19) _____________, the Forest Service released a new rule on the use of motor vehicles
on public lands. The rule requires each national forest to identify roads and paths that are open to motor
vehicles. Vehicles will be (20) ____________ from other areas. The ban, however, will not affect
snowmobiles.
Comprehension check: Basing on the recording, choose the best answer A, B, C,

or D for each question.
1. All of these are under the supervision of Forest Service, EXCEPT
A. rivers
B. grasslands
C. agriculture
D. lakes
2. Which of the following is true about forest fires?
A. They burn down more than 3 hectares of land every
year.
B. They are one of the threats to wild lands in America
C. They are an unnatural part of forest growth.
D. They threaten everybody’s life
49
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
3. According to the recording, fuel .......

A. comes from dead and tiny plants
B. grows under tall trees.
C. can’t be removed when there is a fire.
D. is always cleared by hand.
4. All are true about invasive species, EXCEPT
A. they are non native plants and animals.
B. they damage the economy
C. they all come from Asia
D. they grow at the loss of native plants and animals.
5. The loss of open space
A. is needed by many animals.
B. is controlled by hundreds of experts from Forest Service
C. makes it easier for houses near wild lands to catch fire.
D. can bring about wild lands for the animals.
6. The rule on the use of motor vehicles on public lands
A. was released on November 7th
B. requires national forests to open roads for motor vehicles.
C. bans all vehicles from going into the forest.
D. has an exception for snowmobiles.
DICTATION 2 – Noise pollution
50
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. What is the passage mainly about?

A. How to control noise pollution.
B. An introduction of noise pollution.
C. The difference between noise pollution and other pollution.
D. Whether mental diseases are related to noise pollution.
2. Which one of the following isn’t true according to the passage?

A. Nowadays noise is labeled as a kind of pollution.
B. We are becoming more and more upset because of the noise pollution.
C. It is high time to take measures to control noise pollution
D. People don’t pay much attention to noise pollution.
In the past, noise was (1) ___________ associated with pollution, but recently it is found that
many (2) ___________________ are closely related to noise. (3) ____________, it is also labeled
as a kind of pollution nowadays.
That there is too much noise afflicting our daily life is a manifest. (4) _____________ in big cities
it is almost a (5) __________ to enjoy a short period of (6) _____________, tranquil leisure time
except (7) _____________ or in the (8) ___________ of night. Whistling (9) _____________,
bustling crowds of people, (10) __________ loud speakers of various stores and lots of others (11)
______________ nerve-racking noise. Noise diverts our attention, (12) __________ our sleep and
destroys our ears. (13) _____________, we are becoming more and more fidgety and (14)
__________ because of the noise pollution.
It is high time that (15) ___________________ was given to noise pollution. Moreover, measures
should be taken to protect people against noise and (16) _____________ us a quiet environment. It
is an arduous task, (17) ________ it can be (18) _______________ if only we try not to be (19)
_______________ and think twice before any hasty and irrational (20) ______________ are made.
Comprehension check: Basing on the above recording, answer below questions.

1. At what time of the day can people in big cities enjoy tranquil leisure moments?
_________________________________________________________________.
51
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
2. By which is the terrible noise produced?

_________________________________________________________________.
3. What possible dangers does the noise cause?
_________________________________________________________________.
4. According to the recording, what should be done to secure people a quiet environment?
_________________________________________________________________.
52
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 9 TECHNOLOGY

• develop basic note-taking skills
• learn how science and technology change the world
1. List as many aspects in our life as possible that the technology has had influences on.
2. In your opinion, what are some of the greatest technological achievements? Why?
3. Do you think modern technology reduces or increases stress? Why?
4. How will science and technology change the world in the next 50 years?
Developing basic note-taking skills

1. Key words vs. function words
* To develop your basic note-taking skills, first you are expected to be aware of the main differences
between key words and function words as highlighted in the below table.
53
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Key/content words Function/structure words

Definition words that carry important messages less important words without which
including the time, places, people may not affect much our
involved and things that happened. understanding of the message.
Word forms nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs articles, pronouns, auxiliary verbs,
conjunctions, prepositions,
** Practice: Read the below text and underline the key words.
Dear Lan,
How are you? I am going to visit Nha Trang with my parents at Christmas! We will stay for
four days.
On the first day, we are going to sunbathe on the beach. At night, we are going to watch the
beautiful lights along the beach and enjoy delicious sea foods. Over the next few days, we can
visit the Vinpearl island and the Aquarium together.
We will be in Nha Trang on 23 December. The plane leaves Ha Noi at a quarter past eight in
the morning and arrives at around elven o’clock.
See you soon.
Lisa
2. Application of basic strategies to improve note-taking skills

* One of the strategies can be used to help you develop your note-taking skills is providing given headings
so that you would know what to focus on while listening. The headings provided could help you jot down
the key points.
Practice: Look back the above text and complete the below table.
Using headings to organize ideas
1. Where and when will Lisa visit?
2. How long?
3. Things to do during the trip?
4. Her plane’s departure time?
5. Her plane’s arrival time?
** Another way to help you note down information and ideas systematically is the use of tables and other
graphic organizers (like mind maps) with the support of given guided notes to maximize your
comprehension ability. You are encouraged to make use of any types which interest you more. However,
at the basic level, a table with guided headings and notes may be preferred. Here is an example.
54
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Table form with the topic, main ideas and A mind map to show the topic, main ideas
supporting details and examples
A shopping list for Christmas party
Things to buy
Food fish balls, (1) chicken wings, (2)

sausages
Drink cola, (3) fruit juice, water
Others (4) forks, paper cups, (5) paper

plates
3. Using short forms, abbreviations, numbers and symbols to take notes
* For effective note taking, you are strongly advised to master the ability to use short forms, numbers and
proper symbols instead of full words to keep up with the rapid flows of speech under the spoken context.
** Below is the list of commonly used short forms / abbreviations. Have a try to complete the table by
filling in the gaps.
Full forms Short forms
A. Unit of measurements centimeter/metre/kilometre (1) ________
Kilogram/milligram/gram (2) _________
feet (3) _________
two minutes and thirty seconds (4) __________
hours/percent (5) __________
B. Dates and time seven o’clock in the morning (6) __________
Monday, January the fifth (7) __________
C. Places Seventh floor (8) __________
Street/Road/Building/Room (9) __________
D. Subjects Chinese/English/Mathematics (10) __________
E. Other common with vs. without (11) __________
abbreviations increase/decrease (12) __________
information/information technology (13) __________
difficult/expensive (14) __________
sandwich (15) __________
55
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
DICTATION 1 – Online education
1. Which areas aren’t the first online bachelor programs of the NYU (New York University)
offered?
A. Information systems management.
B. Natural sciences.
C. Leadership and management.
2. The NYU’s online classes involve some following features, except …
A. Students can easily interact with their teachers and peers.
B. Students can take live lectures by signing in the classes at different time.
C. Students can develop team projects together.
3. Which is not true about the cost of the NYU’s online program?
A. It can cost up to US$15,000 per year.
B. The cost depends on the number of classes students take.
C. There are financial aids for international students.
Second listening: Listen again and complete the guided notes. Write no more than FOUR
words for each gap.
56
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Online education/ Online learning
Definition - classes taken by computer (1) ____________

- also known as (2) ___________________
NYU model - online classes started in (3) _______________

- about (4) _____________ students involved from the US and (5)
_____________
- Bacherlor (BA) degree programs in three areas:
+ (6) ___________ and management
+ (7) ________________ management

+ (8) ________________________
NYU online classes - highly (9) ____________________

- students (10) ____________ at the same time to attend (11) ___________
lectures
- students can ask questions and do projects in a (12) _______
- classes are delivered by specialized (13) ___________ in online teaching
two (14) __________ SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)

tests TOEFL (Test of English as a foreign language)
NYU course fee - up to (15) ________________ per year

- foreign students receive no (16) __________________
- visit (17) _______________ for more details.
Special notes - be careful of programs offering a degree in return for (18)

___________________
- also known as diploma mills which are (19) _____________ in the US
- make sure the program you enter is (20) ______________ in your country.
57
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
1. Students can earn a degree from home by taking online classes.
2. Another phrase referring to online learning is distant education.
3. There have been over 10,000 students across the United States attending online classes of the
New York University.
4. International students are expected to pass an admission test to be eligible to the NYU’s
program.
5. Some students from other schools’ online programs are able to spend little or no work earning a
degree.
6. Educational experts advise students to ensure that the online programs they enter are reliable and
certified in their countries.
DICTATION 2 – Technology influencing the world
1. Which one of the below technology-related predictions are not mentioned in the passage?
A. Artificial intelligence
B. Internet search engines
C. Refuse collection
2. In the field of education, young people may not be expected to use technologies for …
A. socializing.
B. competing.
C. working and learning.
3. What are industrial nations anticipated to do to better deal with their waste?
A. They ask developing countries to accept their refuse.
B. They create protests in developing countries.
C. They build up better recycling technologies.
each gap.
58
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.
An organization called the World Future Society publishes a (1) _________________ about
how technology, the economy and society are (2) ___________ the world. Tim Mack heads the
World Future Society. He says (3) ___________ is one area of growth.
TIM MACK: “I was surprised by the enormous growth in medical technology.”
Mr. Mack says the fields of nanotechnology, (4) _________________ and information
technology are working together to create new ways to help (5) __________. These include
better ways to provide medicine and identify disease without (6) __________________.
Mr. Mack also says developments in artificial (7) __________ could lead to a future where (8)
_____________ patients could be cared for by a voice-activated robot.
The World Future Society also publishes The Futurist magazine. Every year it (9)
______________ developments in technology and other areas to predict the future. The
magazine released the top ten predictions from the Outlook 2011 report.
Several of the predictions (10) ______________ technology. The report said Internet (11)
_________________ will soon include both text and spoken results. It said television broadcasts
and other recordings could be (12) _______________ using programs developed by the
Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis.
Outlook 2011 also examined (13) ________________. It said industrial nations will send much
more waste to developing countries. This will cause (14) _____________ in those countries. In
about fifteen years, developing countries will (15) __________ accepting foreign waste. This
will force industrial nations to develop better (16) _______________ programs and recycling
technologies.
The report also had a prediction about education. It said young people use technologies for (17)
_____________ as well as working and learning. So they solve problems more as teams instead
of (18) _____________. In this way, social networking is supporting different kinds of learning
outside the classroom.
The World Future Society also predicts that robots will be able to carry out (19)
_____________ commands from human beings. Scientists have shown that individuals can type
by using their brains without (20) _________________ computer keyboards. In the near future,
experts say brain e-mailing and “tweeting” will become more common.
59
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
And that’s the VOA Special English Technology Report. You can find scripts and audio of our
programs at voaspecialenglish.com. We are also on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at VOA
learning English. I’m Steve Ember.
1. The medical technology offers patients better treatments through numerous complex operations.
2. The Futurist magazine releases various predictions on technological developments and other
fields on an annual basis.
3. Foreign waste is expected to be on the increase in developing nations over the coming decade.
4. Technological advances in education encourage more out-of-class learning opportunities among
young people.
5. Brain-emailing allows people to type without touching computer keyboards but just using their
brains.
60
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
61
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 10 CAREERS
• develop basic note-taking skills
• learn about different aspects of job searching
1. Which job do you love best? What are you trying to do in order to find a job that you really
like?
2. What, do you think, you should do to pass an interview successfully?
3. Can you list possible questions that may be asked in a job interview?
DICTATION 1 – Using social media to search for a job
20. Dictation Listening: Listen and fill in the gaps. Write no more than THREE words
for each gap.
This is the VOA Special English (1) _____________ Report.
The job market is more (2) _______________ than ever for millions of workers around the world.
In America, one reason right now is the slow recovery in job growth after the (3) ______________.
But other reasons involve (4) __________ in the needs of the American and global economies. In big
developing economies like India and China, high (5) ___________________ mean workers often move
from job to job.
These days, many (6) _______________ go online to connect with employers. Job candidates want to
show they have a lot to offer. But in many cases they simply apply for a job title and list their work
62
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
experience. Instead, they should describe the (7) _____________________ they could bring to an
organization.
That is the advice of Steve Langerud, (8) ___________ of professional opportunities at DePauw
University in Indiana. He advises students on (9) ____________________ and often talks about
workplace (10) __________ in the media.
He says social media sites are valuable when they show the abilities of job candidates and not just their
(11) ______________ and experience.
STEVE LANGERUD: "This really is a talent economy, and we're stuck with most job seekers
presenting themselves in a job title mode. And I don't think it matches very well."
Steve Langerud says employers, too, should change their search methods. They should think harder
about the skills they really need to help their organization (12) _________________.
STEVE LANGERUD: "Because at the end of the day, it's still about getting the right people in the right
(13) _________ at the right time and then keeping them."
Ben Kirshner is the founder and (14) __________________ of a media marketing company based in
New York called Elite SEM. SEM is (15) ________________ marketing. His company's job is to help
businesses improve their websites and search engine results.
Ben Kirshner says when his company is searching for candidates for new positions, it first looks (16)
______________. It considers existing employees. After that, he says, (17) ______________ can be
valuable for finding new people.
BEN KIRSHNER: "Twenty-five percent of our new hires come from social media. Seventy five
percent typically come from (18) _________________."
In other words, three out of four people are found based on recommendations from others.
Elite SEM uses sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to learn about job candidates. LinkedIn is a
networking site for (19) ________________, so users might be more careful about what they say.
Mr. Kirshner says a site like Facebook can also provide a lot of information -- good or bad -- about a
person. So pay attention to what you put on the Internet and what others (20) _____________ about you.
Comprehension check:
Basing on what you have just heard from the above listening, write a short summary of the main
ideas of the text (with about 5-10 sentences).
63
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
DICTATION 2 – Interview
21. First listening: Listen to the recording and complete the guided notes for below
questions. Discuss your answers.
1. Why has interview become an important means in hiring suitable employees?

→ It helps companies/institutions to _____________ among lots of candidates.
2. According to the text, what are the three advantages of interview that the employers may benefit
from?
→ (1) the employer may find out ________________________________.
→ (2) the interviewer may _____________________________________.
→ (3) the boss may offer ______________________________________.
64
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
3. How can a person successfully pass the interview?

→ (dress) (1) ________________________________________________.
→ (behaviors) (2) _____________________________________________.
→ (response) (3) ______________________________________________.
each gap.
Interview has become one of the (1) __________ means in hiring new workers. For instance, it is (2)
____________________ for a large company to have interviewed an (3) ______________ before
deciding whether to accept him or not. This is also true of many factories and (4)
__________________. Through interviews, those (5) ____________ have selected the (6)
________________ among the numerous applicants.
Interview, as a (7) _________ of selecting candidates, has a number of (8) ____________ over any
other means. For one thing, through (9) ________________ with the candidates, the employer
may find out whether he is (10) _______________________________. Besides, the interviewer
may further discover what (11) _____________ the young man has so that he may be given a
position that (12) ___________ him well.
How to pass an interview successfully is certainly a (13) ____________ for every young man who
is looking for a good job. First, he should (14) ________________ and present an (15)
________________. Besides, in the course of the interview, he must show (16)
_______________. Finally, he must (17) _____________ to the interviewer’s questions quickly
and give (18) _____________ answers to show that he is (19) _____________ for the job. By
following these steps, that applicant will stand a good (20) __________________.
65
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
66
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
REFERENCES
Davis, P. and Rinvolucri, M. (2002). Dictation: New Methods, New Possibilities. Cambridge University
Press.
DeFilippo, J. & Sadow, C. (2003). Dictations for Discussion. Pro Lingua Associates Publishers.
Digby, C. and Myers, J. (1993). Making sense of Spelling and Pronunciation. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice
Hall International (UK) Limited.
Education Bureau. (2011). Using dictation to develop pupils’ listening and writing skills. The Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region.
Kuo, Y. (2010). Using partial dictation of an English teaching radio program to enhance EFL learners
listening comprehension. Asian EFL Journal, 47, 1-26.
Murugesan, V. (2007). Listening Practice through Dictation series 1-4. Compass Publishing
Nunan. (1991). Language Teaching Methodology. Prentice Hall International (UK) Ltd.
Rahimi, M. (2008). Using dictation to improve language proficiency. The Asian EFL Journal, Vol. 10, Issue
1.
Rost, M. (1990). Listening in language learning. London: Longman.
The Windy. (2011). Luyện kỹ năng Nghe và viết chính tả Tiếng Anh. Nhà xuất bản Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội.
Voice of America, Selected extracts from VOA Special English (2011-2014), retrieved from
http://www.voaspecialenglish.com, http://learningenglish.voanews.com, www.manythings.org,
http://voaspecialenglish.blogspot.com/
White, G. (1998). Listening. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Useful Web Links for English Listening Learning
1. http://www.dictationsonline.com/ (very good website for practicing listening and dictation)
2. http://www.learnenglish.de/dictationpage.html (interesting site with lots of English Dictation Tests)
3. www.soundsofenglish.org (really good site for pronunciation practice → better facilitate your listening).
67
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
Part B
AT-HOME DICTATION LISTENING
Unit Topic Page
69
1. Immigration statistics
70
2. Three little words
72
3. Election Day in the U.S.A
73
4. The Olympic Games
74
5. Birthdays around the world
76
6. Want to stay warm in winter – Think COLD
78
7. Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce
79
8. Words and stories: Number Two
81
9. Writing College Papers
10. Revision
68
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 1: Immigration Statistics
I. Introduction
Recent Census Bureau reports indicate that immigration to the United States has reached new peaks.
One in five Americans was either born in a foreign country or has a parent who was born overseas. With
the present population at 280,000,000 you can calculate the number of foreign-born living in the U.S.
Discuss with your class the main reasons people immigrate to another country.
II. Discussion - Discuss these questions with a partner. Share your ideas with the class.
1. What groups of immigrants can be found in your country?
2. What kind of work can they find?
3. Can they become citizens? How long does it take to become one?
4. Do they eventually return home? Why or why not?
III. Dictation - Write the correct words or numbers in the blank spaces
1. Since the founding of the U.S., more than (1) from every (2)
_ have settled here.
2. (3) an average of more than (4) immigrants, legal
and (5) , settled in the U.S. each year.
3. Legal immigration fluctuates between (6) and 900,000 each year, and the INS
estimates that 420,000 illegal (7) settle here each year.
4. (8) more than 26 million immigrants have settled here, representing about (9)
of all people (10) .
5. The largest number of legal immigrants to come in the (11) and (12) came
from (13) , Cambodia, Laos, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Haiti.
6. Of the immigrant groups, there are (14) Latinos, now the (15)
minority, (16) African-Americans.
7. In California, home to over (17) Asia-Americans, (18) of
all Californians are working for (19) businesses or paying rent to an Asian (20)
.
69
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 2: Three little words
I. Introduction
From the time we are very small until we are adults, our parents give us advice. Sometimes,
although negative, it is in positive imperative form: “Come home before midnight.” Sometimes,
although negative, it is in the form of a question: “Isn’t that skirt too short?” Sometimes it is
in direct negative imperative form: “Don’t put that dirty thing in your mouth.” The humorist and
columnist, Erma Bombeck, wrote a funny column called “Three Little Words.” The dictation that
follows is excerpted from it.
1. What advice do your parents give you now?
2. What advice did they give you when you were younger?
3. If you are a parent, what advice do you give your children?
4. Can you think of who might have said the following, or where you might have seen the
following signs?
a. Don’t step on the grass

b. Don’t play your stereo loudly after midnight.
c. No books on your desks during the exam
d. No children allowed.
e. Stop fooling around.
When you think about it, we’ve all (1) using a minimum of three exclamatory
sentences: (2) ! ! and ! Used unsparingly, they can take a parent through (3)
_________ years of living. No (4) until you’ve done your homework. No (5)
_________ until you’ve (6) your plate. No (7) because you’re
not going. No way. No (8) , no movie. No time for your mother? No more (9)
________ with your brother. No! And that’s the last time I say it.
Just when you think there are no more ways to say “No,” along comes “Don’t.” Don’t screw up.
Don’t forget your (10) . Don’t do as I do, do (11) . Don’t
forget to say thank you. Don’t you hear (12) ? Don’t make me say it again.
70
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
For sheer (13) , there is nothing like “Stop!” Stop humming. Stop
(14) . Stop dating that creep. Stop acting like you’re a (15)
__________. Stop trying to be something you’re not. Stop being so (16) .
They are all (17) . We couldn’t have (18) without them.

But wouldn’t it be (19) if No! Don’t! and Stop! were the only things they learned from
us… and those three little words (20) .
71
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 3: Election Day in the USA
I. Introduction
How much do you know about presidential elections in the U.S.?
1. In what month are presidential elections held?
A. January B. September C. November
2. How often are presidents elected?
A. For two years B. For four years C. For five years
3. How long can presidents serve?
A. two years B. four years C. eight years
II. Discussion: Discuss these questions with a partner. Share your ideas with the class.
1. Are there any/many women political leaders in your country? Why/ Why not?
2. What are some different ways leaders are chosen in Vietnam compared with those in U.S.A.?
3. Are you interested in politics? Why/ Why not?
In the United States, presidential (1) are held every (2) years. They are
always held on (3) after the first Monday in the month of (4) .
In most states, Election Day is not a holiday from (5) . The President and the
Vice-President are (6) for four years. Only (7) citizens of the United
States are (8) to be President. Presidents are (9) to be at least (10)
years old.
There are two (11) political parties, the Democratic Party and the (12)
Party. The vice presidential candidates are (13) by the presidential
candidates. Both people are nominated by their (14) parties at a national convention (15)
before Election Day.
On Election Day, (16) of Americans go to the polls to (17) . Polls are
(18) in schools, churches, and public buildings. Polls are (19) from early in the
morning until 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening. Most polls use a voting (20) . People always
vote by (21) ballot.
Today, all United States citizens (22) can vote if they want to. In presidential
elections, about (23) of Americans vote. On election night the votes are tabulated by (24)
, and the winner is usually (25) by midnight.
72
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 4: The Olympic Games
I. Introduction
Every two years, the Winter or the Summer Olympic Games are offered, and they are watched
enthusiastically by over 3 billion people around the world. Athletes from many different countries
compete in the games. Can you name some famous Olympians from your country? Here is a brief
history of the Ancient and Modern Games.
II. Discussion – Share your opinions about these sports. Do you enjoy them? Participate?
Swimming Skiing Bicycling Wrestling Weight lifting

Baseball Horseback riding Bowling Tennis Martial arts
Jogging Basketball Rowing Soccer Sailing
boxing Table tennis Hunting golf Volleyball
III. Dictation - Write the correct words or numbers in the blank spaces.
The Ancient Games
Ancient Greece gave birth to the Olympics more than (1) ago in 776 B.C. The
Games ended in 394 A.D. During those 1000 years, the Ancient Games were festivals to (2)
the many gods that Greeks (3) . Olympia, the town where the most
(4) god, Zeus, was worshiped, (5) the first Olympics. The first Olympic
Games (6) no more than one foot race, but as the Games became more
popular, other events were (7) , such as horse racing, (8) , chariot racing, and
(9) .
Young men of (10) dominated t h e early Games, but later, as other sports festivals
became more and more popular and offered big cash (11) to winners, men of all (12)
of society could make sports a (13) . The Olympic Games never
offered cash prizes; it was the (14) that meant everything to young men ages
(15) .
The Modern Games
The Olympics were (1) in 1896 and were held every (2) years. The Modern
Games were later (3) into the Winter and (4) Games. Now the Winter and
Summer Games (5) every two ( 6) . Fewer countries and sports are
represented at the Winter Games because fewer (7) come from countries with high
mountains and snow fields. The Summer Games attract (8) from over 200
countries and include many more types of sports, such as (9) . Many
Olympic athletes today think of the Olympics as more than just (10) the gold, silver, or
bronze (11) . They (12) that doing your personal best brings (13)
and understanding for all athletes playing the same game for (14) and (15) .
73
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 5: Birthdays around the World
Introduction
The tradition of birthday parties started in Europe a long time ago. It was feared that evil spirits were
particularly attracted to people on their birthdays. To protect them from harm, friends and family would
come to stay with the birthday person and bring good thoughts and wishes. Giving gifts brought even
more good cheer to ward off the evil spirits. In this unit, we will discuss different ways birthdays are
celebrated throughout the world today.
Discussion - Discuss these questions with a partner. Share your ideas with the class.
Talk about a typical graduation party in your country.
1. Are there parties for high school and college graduates?
2. Where are the parties held?
3. Do people give gifts? What is a typical gift?
Dictation - Write the correct words or numbers in the blank spaces
Germany. Germans take birthdays (1) , sometimes receiving a (2)
vacation from work. Flowers and wine are (3) .
Japan. The birthday child wears (4) new clothes to (5) the occasion.
Certain birth days are more important than others. For example, usually only the birthdays
of (6)
and (7) rate gifts.
United States. A cake is made, and (8) are (9) , based on how old
the person is. After everyone sings the "happy birthday" song, the person makes a wish and (10)
the candles. If they blow them all out with one blow, their birthday wish will (11) .
Denmark. A flag is flown outside a window to (12) that someone who lives in
that house
(13) a birthday. (14) are placed around the (15)
while they are sleeping so they will see them immediately upon (16) .
England. When you reach 80, 90, or 100 (17) , you receive a telegram from
the (18) . (In the U.S., when you (19) , you receive a
letter from the (20)
.
China. Age (21) is considered becoming an (22) , and there is
usually quite a celebration. Birthdays are (23) for adults who have reached
at least 60 years of age. Lo mein noodles are often (24) .
Mexico. The pinata, usually made out of paper mache’ and in the (25) of an animal,
is filled with goodies and hung from the (26) . Children (27) hitting
74
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
the pinata so candy and small toys (28) for everyone to share. Also, when a daughter
is 15, the birthday is celebrated with a special mass in her (29) . A party is then given
to (30) __________ her to everyone as a young woman. The father dances a (31) _________ with her.
Ireland. The birthday child is (32) upside down and "(33) " on
the floor for good luck. The number of bumps (34) _is the age of the child plus
one for (35) _.
75
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 6: Want to stay warm in the winter? Think COLD
I. Introduction
In winter many people suffer from frostbite and hypothermia. The following report provides you with
four steps to take to avoid them.
1. Has your skin ever been exposed to extreme cold for too long in winter? If yes, how do you
feel? And, what do you do to protect your skin?
2. What would you do if your body’s temperature were suddenly lowered? How to keep yourselves
warm in winter?
Winter in many places means (1) , sledding and snowball fights. But unless
someone is prepared, (2) can also mean frostbite and hypothermia. Today we talk
about how to stay (3) .
Frostbite is damage that happens when skin is exposed to (4) for too long. It
happens mainly on the hands, (5) .
People with minor cases of frostbite that affect only the skin may not suffer any (6)
. But if deeper tissue is affected, a person is likely to feel (7) every
time the area gets cold.
If blood vessels are damaged, people can suffer an (8) , gangrene. Sometimes,
doctors have to remove frostbitten areas like (9) .
Hypothermia happens when the body cannot produce as much (10) as it releases. The
condition comes on (11) . Signs include uncontrollable shaking, unusually (12)
and difficulty thinking clearly. If not (13) , hypothermia can be
(14) .
The best way to avoid cold-related (15) is to be prepared for the outdoors. Here is a
simple way to remember four basic steps to stay warm. Think of COLD -- C.O.L.D.
76
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
The C stands for (16) . Wear a hat and scarf to keep heat from (17)
through the head, neck and ears. And wear mittens instead of (18) . Gloves may not keep
hands as warm because they (19) the fingers.
The O stands for Overexertion. Avoid activities that will make you (20) . Wet
clothes and cold weather are a (21) .
L is for Layers. Wearing (22) , lightweight clothes, one layer on top of another, is
better than a single (23) layer of clothing. Also, make sure outerwear is made of (24)
and tightly knit material.
Can you guess what the D in COLD stands for? D is for (25) . In other words, stay as
dry as possible. (26) the places where snow can enter, like the tops of boots,
the (27) and the wrist areas of mittens.
And a couple of other things to keep in mind, one for children and the other for adults. Eating snow
might be fun but it (28) the body's temperature. And drinking (29) might
make a person feel warm, but what it really does is (30) the body’s ability to hold heat.
And that’s the VOA Special English Report, written by Caty Weaver. For more health news, along with
transcripts and MP3s of our reports, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I’m Faith Lapidus.
77
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 7: Hold the Pickles, Hold the Lettuce

I. Introduction
The McDonald’s Corporation has become a powerful symbol of America’s service economy, the sector
now responsible for 90% of the country’s new jobs. In 1968, McDonald’s operated about 1,000
restaurants. By the year 2000 it had about 23,000 restaurants worldwide and opens roughly 2,000 new
ones each year.
3. Why do you think fast food restaurants are so popular? Can you list 5 reasons?
4. What do critics of fast food restaurants say about them? Can you list 5 criticisms?
5. Which is your favorite fast food restaurant and what is your favorite meal?
What is perhaps most (1) about America's fast food business is just how (2)
it has become: what began in the 1940s as a (3) of hot dog
and hamburger stands in Southern California has (4) like kudzu across the land to
become a (5) industry. According to Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food
Nation, Americans now spend more on fast food than they spend on (6) ,
personal computers, computer software, or new cars, or on (7) , books, videos, and (8)
combined.
Mr. Schlosser writes that on any given day in the United States about (9) of
the adult population visits a fast food restaurant, and that the (10) _ American now
(11) approximately three hamburgers and four (12) of French fries
every week. "An estimated one of every eight workers in the United States has at some time been (13)
by McDonald's," he adds, and the company (14) more people than
any other American organization, public or (15) .
As fast food franchises from McDonald's, to Pizza Hut to Kentucky Fried Chicken (16)
, this dynamic has assumed international (17) . In Brazil, Mr.
Schlosser reports, McDonald's has become the nation's largest private employer. (18)
at McDonald's Hamburger University in Oak Park, Illinois, are now taught in (19)
, and a Chinese anthropologist notes that all the children in a (20)
school in Beijing recognized an (21) of Ronald McDonald. For the
Chinese, the anthropologist noted, McDonald's represents" American and the (22)
of modernization."
78
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 8: Expressions with numbers
I. Introduction
Numbers can be tricky. On the one hand, they are simply numbers. On the other hand, they have
meanings when they are combined for idiomatic expressions.
II. Dictation - Write the correct words or numbers in the blank spaces
Now, the VOA Special English program ‘Words and Their Stories’.
Last week, I told about the number one. Today, I will tell about expressions using other numbers.
Some problems are difficult to solve. But there are a lot of number expressions that can help. For
example, if we put (1) , we might come up with the right answer. We
know that (2) . It is always better to work with another person to
solve a problem.
Sometimes there are (3) . Some problems have only one solution.
You cannot be of (4) _ over this.
But with any luck, we could solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. We could have our
answers (5) .
Sometimes we can (6) . That is, we can complete two goals with
only one effort or action. But we must remember that (7) . If
someone does something bad to you, you should not do the same to him.
If you are going out with your girlfriend, or boyfriend, you do not want another friend to go along
on your date. You can just say to your friend: two’s company, (8) .
When I was a young child in school, I had to learn the three R’s. These important skills are (9)
, and . These three words do not all start with the
letter “R.” But they have the sound of “R.” My teachers used to (10)
when I did well in math. They gave praise and approval for a job (11) .
Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their schoolwork. They were (12)
. In fact, they did not care if they finished high school. They saw little
difference between the two choices. (13) , half a dozen the other – that
79
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
was their position. But they were really happy when they (14) their studies and
graduated from high school. They were in (15) . They were on cloud
nine.
(16) , students who do well in school find good jobs. Some work in
an office doing the same things every day at (17) jobs. You do not
have to dress to the nines, or wear your (18) , for this kind of work.
Last year, one of my friends applied for a better job at her office. I did not think she would get it. I
thought she had a hundred to one shot at the job. Other people at her office thought her chances were
(19) . One r ea so n was that she had been caught catching (20)
at the office. She slept at her desk for short periods during the day. But her
supervisor appointed her to the new job at the (21) -- at the very last minute. I
guess her (22) .
This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss.
I’m Faith Lapidus.
80
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
UNIT 9: Writing College Papers
I. Introduction
Academic writing in America means getting to the point quickly, stating ideas clearly and supporting
them with evidence.
1. What steps are required to write a college paper?
2. What are possible problems for international students when they are assigned an academic
writing task?
3. How may cultural differences affect someone’s writing style?
III. Dictation
This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
Today in our Foreign Student (1) we discuss writing college papers. Writing a
(2)
_, research paper or essay for a is a kind of academic writing.
(3)
Academic writing among (4) is a way to create new knowledge.
A professor (5) students to write a paper. The students (6) an

issue, (7) what is already known, think about what they have learned and come to some
(8) .
This means that each student-writer must (9) information and also (10)
. The student might support an idea, question it or even (11) it.
Or the writer could show how the subject may be understood better or in a different way than it has
been. And the student must support the position with (12) .
(13) may interfere when international students try to write this way.
Writing teachers say students in many countries have learned to write (14)
about something without ever stating the main idea. American college students are expected to (15)
their main idea at the (16) of the paper.
In other cultures, paragraphs may be organized to (17) the main idea, which is
revealed at the end. But in the United States, the main idea of each paragraph should be in the (18)
. Another difference is about (19) . Other cultures may use
81
lOMoARcPSD|22503562
lots of (20) words. But American English values (21)

.
Teachers at the writing center at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana work with students to
improve their writing. (22) Lars Soderlund says non-native English speakers
generally have some (23) English grammar.
He says their sentences may be too long. Or they (24) use articles such as "a",
"an" and "the." He also says non-native speakers generally use too much (25)
and give too many details before getting to the main idea.
The (26) of the writing center, Tammi Conard-Salvo, says international

students should look (27) for materials that explain the kind of writing they will be
(28) to do. They should ask their professors for help. They should should ask their
professors for help. Most (29) have a writing centre where they can get free (30) _______
help with their work.
Links to writing center materials can be found on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.
And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Jim Tedder.
82

Listening Dictation Classbook Workbook

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Listening Dictation Classbook Workbook

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

lOMoARcPSD|22503562

Listening Dictation Classbook + Workbook

Tiếng anh (Trường Đại học Thủ đô Hà Nội)

Scan to open on Studocu

Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

FOR INTERNAL USE

Downloaded by Thành ??t Nguy?n (onepicehtth@gmail.com)

Downloaded by Thành ??t Nguy?n (onepicehtth@gmail.com)

Downloaded by Thành ??t Nguy?n (onepicehtth@gmail.com)

DICTATION LISTENING SKILLS

Week Part A: Class book Part B: Workbook

Downloaded by Thành ??t Nguy?n (onepicehtth@gmail.com)

IN-CLASS DICTATION LISTENING

Unit Topic Page

1. Learning a foreign language 1

5. Vitamins – essence of health 27

6. Happiness and dreams 33

Downloaded by Thành ??t Nguy?n (onepicehtth@gmail.com)

UNIT 1 LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

This unit aims to help you:

Discuss questions below on learning English as

Dictation Listening – An overview

2. What is partial dictation? Put the statements in the correct order.

3. Which statement below is NOT true about the purposes of dictation?

DICTATION 1 – The White Lie

DICTATION 2 – Learning English

1. According to the recording, I enjoy all the following subjects except?

most widely used

From then on, I have begun to (8) ________________

Reading is an important step in learning English well. I read (10) textbooks

Words/phrases/ Equivalents/Meaning Putting into context

1. Mother tongue One’s first language My mother tongue is Vietnamese

2. be fond of + V-ing be interested in doing sth My daughter is fond of playing the

UNIT 2 VITAMINS – ESSENCE OF HEALTH

Developing prediction skills

DICTATION 1 – Vitamin D for ‘Does a lot’

DICTATION 2 – Vitamins A, B and C

2. If we are short of …….., we will probably lose our appetite.

USEFUL LANGUAGES OF THE DAY

Words/phrases/idioms Equivalents/Meaning Putting into context

UNIT 3 FAMILY MATTERS

This unit aims to help you:

1. Discuss the meaning of the terms ‘Baby Boomers’ and

Making full use of the context clues

* For example, some students mixed up ‘whole’ and ‘hole’ in dictation.

1. It is very hot. The sun/son is shining.

DICTATION 1 – Staying in the nest

DICTATION 2 – Roles of women

USEFUL LANGUAGES OF THE DAY

Words/phrases/idioms Equivalents/Meaning Putting into context

This unit aims to help you:

Recognizing the correct pronunciation of ‘-s’ endings

DICTATION 1 - Life of children in developed nations

DICTATION 2 – Life of children in the Third World

1. Where were most working children found?

2. Are they protected by their basic child rights?

USEFUL LANGUAGES OF THE DAY

Words/phrases/idioms Equivalents/Meaning Putting into context

This unit aims to help you:

Discuss questions below with a partner. Share your ideas with

Recognizing the correct pronunciation of ‘-ed’ endings

DICTATION 1 – Couch Potato

DICTATION 2 – The education of TV children

1. Where do TV children in Hollywood have their lessons?