SCENARIO
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?
102
10.4
SITUATION
Professor Tamara Bright is a well-known psychologist. She is the
presenter of a weekly radio phone-in programme called
What's on your
mind
. She invites readers to phone or email her about their personal or
professional problems and offers practical advice to deal with them.
1
Work with a partner. Read the situation and discuss the questions.
1
Do you ever listen to radio phone-in programmes? Why?/Why not?
2
Professor Bright advises people of all ages. What problems do you
think each age group below might wish to discuss with her?
a
people under twenty
b
people aged twenty-forty
c
people aged forty+
3
Why are radio phone-ins and advice columns in magazines so popular?
4
Do you think phone-ins and advice columns help people to lead
happier lives?
5
What experience and personal qualities do you think Professor
Bright should have to do her job well?
2
10.3
Listen to Professor Bright talking to a caller. Read the three
summaries of the problem. Which one is the best summary? Give
reasons for your choice.
Summary A
Michelle’s husband has lost his job and they now have financial
problems. He doesn’t want to look for a new job and spends all his
free time gardening on their allotment.
Summary B
Michelle’s husband has lost his job and can’t find a new one. He has
given up looking for work and doesn’t know what to do with his life.
He has even lost interest in his main hobby.
Summary C
Michelle’s husband lost his job and is depressed. He has applied for
different jobs but he was not experienced enough to do the only job
he was offered. Now he doesn’t even have any interest in gardening,
which he used to love.
3
Work with a partner and discuss the
problem. What advice would you give
Michelle if you were Professor Bright?
4
10.4
Listen to the advice that
Professor Bright gives to Michelle. Which
of her ideas did you think of?
KEY LANGUAGE
GIVING AND REACTING TO ADVICE
5
a
Listen again to the second part of
the phone-in when Professor Bright
gives Michelle several pieces of advice
and she reacts to them. Complete the
sentences below.
1
OK, first of all, you
to
your husband and give him some
encouragement.
2
Yes, that
, I suppose.
3
Now, you
your local Job
Centre.
4
Well, I like the idea, but I don’t think
if I contacted them.
5
Well, it
to talk to them.
6
I don’t think so. What’s
that?
7
There’s
he’d agree to it.
8
Well, if
, I’d search online for
training courses for over 50's.
9
Also, it
your local library or
college.
10
That
a great idea to me.
11
Yes, which is why it's
prospective employers that he is
capable of taking on new ideas.
12
I’ve got one final bit of advice. You
going on a retraining course yourself if
you've got time.
