Listening 2. Are you clumsy or absent-minded?

1. Do you know what clumsy and absent-minded mean?

If not, look at these dictionary definitions.

 

Clumsy:awkward in movement or manner. A clumsy person often has accidents because their actions are not controlled or careful enough.   Cambridge International Dictionary of English

absent-minded:likely to forget things, especially because you are thinking about something else.   Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

 

 

A clumsy person moves or handles things in a careless awkward way, often so that things are knocked over or broken.   Collins COBUILD English Dictionary

 

Work with a partner, and use a dictionary where necessary.

Which of these sentences describe the typical actions of a

clumsy person? Which describe an absent-minded person?

Be careful: some sentences refer to neither.

 

 

1. I've smashed three glasses this week.

2. He tripped over running for the bus.

3. I crept along the path.

4. He's mislaid his keys.

5. She spilt the coffee down her new dress.

6. He leapt over the gate.

7. I bumped into the table.

8. She bruised her leg on the desk.

9. He left the gas on.

10.He vanished behind the trees.

11.She didn't turn up for the meeting.

12.I scratched the side of the car.

13.She ripped her shirt.

14.I've left my book at home again.

 

2. Are you (or were you) clumsy or absent-minded? If so, what sort of things do/did you do? Discuss in small groups, using any vocabulary from Exercise 1.

3. Listen to the two people on the recording and complete the tapescripts. Then compare with a partner.

My problem is ……………………………………………………..., important things, such as my front door key or my credit cards - that sort of stuff. And it's really irritating because I know they're important but ……………………………………………… in the house - I don't have one place you see where I keep these things - and within hours, minutes even, I can't remember where they are. My wife ……………………………………………. looking for things I'd mislaid, but now she refuses to lift a finger to help me.

 

I remember as a teenager I ………………………………………… and my body was covered in bruises all the time where I ………………………………………………and falling over. And at home I ……………………………………………………………………………….and smashing glasses - my mother would never let me do the washing up or anything like that, and for a while it got so bad that she …………………………………………………of value so that I couldn't get my hands on it and break it.

 

4. What examples do the speakers give to prove that they are really absent-minded and clumsy? Discuss with a partner. Answer the questions with your partner.

1. What forms does the man use to describe his absent-minded habits?

2. Why do you think he uses these forms, and not the present simple (e.g. 'I mislay things'; 'I put them down')?

3. What forms does the woman use to describe the clumsy habits she used to have?

4. Both speakers include used to + verb and the woman uses would + verb. Are these two forms interchangeable in all the examples here?

 

5. Listen to the recording. Are the speakers clumsy or absent-minded? What examples do they give? Make notes, then compare with a partner.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII. READING AND WRITING

????????

Reading 1. ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS

Reading 2.

Reading 3.

Reading 4. Read the classified ads and:

a) Write a letter to the agency to make a personal appointment with the candidate.

b) Imagine you met her/him, get acquainted and try to know more about the person

c) Send your ad to the newspaper.

 

EDIT BRIGITTA FAHRENKROG

The International Partnership Agency in Europe

Matching The Right Partners is My Business.

Personal Individual Assistance is My Service.

Confidence Is My Highest Priority.

Head Office: Frankfurt

Paris Office

USA Office: New York

Personal Appointment Are Also Possible In:

ROME -VIENNA - LONDON - LOS ANGELES - SINGAPORE - HONG-KONG

 

Young American Beauty With Class ….

An admirable personality - Based in New York and Paris. Full of vitality and cheerful. She has long hair. A wonderful feminine appearance and a graceful model like figure. In her young 30's with a great temperament and a lot of charm. Very successful and WITH GREAT CHARISMA. A stunning beauty who loves culture and sports activities: she has a great passion for watersports - sailing. This enchanting woman is looking for the partner to share great aspects of life based on love and trust.

European Aristocrat ….

This admirable Italian gentleman (old aristocratic family) is based in the North of Italy and his wonderful island in the Mediterranean Sea, etc. He has an excellent European high school background. He has a very successful business life in South America - Europe and he is running his own INT'L enterprise. With great sense of responsibility. A strong charismatic man WITH LOTS OF CHARM. An elegant, masculine and dark-haired appearance. Active and dynamic. With a big heart. Generous and considerate. A man of a great temperament, tender and strong with good sense for tradition. His great interest is for fine arts, antiques, sports activities and he is very engaged in humanitarian projects. He wishes to offer the best of everything to the woman at his side.

A Fantastic Charming Spanish Lady ….

She is young, beautiful and classy with an easy, graceful, elegance and enchanting nature. A BRIGHT PERSONALITY, from an upper class traditional family. With an excellent educational background (MBA, degrees in INT'L law, several languages, piano) and a lot of interest: deep sea diving, horseback riding, music, writing, etc. A very cosmopolitan and sophisticated woman, smart, vivacious and with a great sense of humor. She feels at home everywhere with a right partner.

An outstanding, young lady with a first-class background:

She is 28/173, radiantly feminine, slender, dark type, long-haired, wonderfully spontaneous and capable of enthusiasm - from one of the wealthy European business families; based in Florida - own yacht, residence on the "Cote". She loves watersports (sailing), tennis, skiing, music and the fine arts, speaks four languages and is socially absolutely versatile, with particularly natural and lovable charm about her, self-assertive yet romantic, affectionate and softhearted (heiress to a fortune of millions).

Pretty woman -Company director, 45, 1.68 m, blond, black eyes, important position (abroad). Divorced, no children, likes travel, surprises, art and company. Free spirit, curious, adaptable. Seeks shared affections with man, 40-55 years old, having a good social-cultural level. Region of no importance. Contact: Madame DESAHY. 9 rue de Madrid, 75008 Paris, Tel + 33 (0) 4470 7676.

Notes:

1. vitality

2. feminine

3. Mediterranean Sea

4. charismatic - capacity t inspire devotion and enthusiasm

5. vivacious - high-spirited, gay

6. versatile - interested and clever in many different things