AUDIO SCRIPTS
154
L:
Yes, and, in particular, robots.
P:
Robots?
L:
Yes. Older people need things to
make life easier. In the future, they
might have a robot that cleans the
house, they may have a robot that
drives the car, they might have a
robot that does the gardening.
P:
You say ‘might’ and ‘may’, rather
than ‘will’. Why’s that?
L:
Well, we can’t be definite about
this because it all depends on the
technology. At the moment, robots
are very basic.
P:
Yes, I think there’s a robot vacuum
cleaner and that’s about it. Oh,
and robot pets.
L:
Exactly, so the technology needs to
improve. Perhaps it will, perhaps it
won’t. But older people will
definitely want robots.
P:
Well, that’s all very interesting.
Now, where are those coffees?
Perhaps I need a coffee robot!
Bob, how’s that coffee-making
going?
B:
Oh. Hi, sorry. I think the
machine’s broken. I’ll go to the
café. OK? Just got to clean up this
mess the machine’s made.
P:
OK. Sorry about that. Now, where
were we? Oh yes, technology.
I guess the internet will be
important.
L:
Of course, in several different
ways.
P:
Any specific examples?
L:
Well, for a start …
LESSON 6.2 RECORDING 6.4
S = Sam, E = Ellie
S:
You know, Ellie, I’m thinking
about getting my own place.
E:
What? You want to leave home?
S:
Yeah, I think it’ll be good for me.
I’ll be more independent.
E:
That’s true, but what’ll you do if
your parents don’t like the idea?
S:
Oh, I think they’ll be pleased to
see me go. If not, I’ll persuade
them.
E:
Really? I don’t think your mum
will be happy.
S:
Oh, she’ll be OK about it. You
wait and see.
E:
I hope you’re right. But … what’ll
you do if you lose your job? You
won’t have any money to pay your
bills.
S:
Well, if that happens, I’ll get
some help from Mum and Dad
until I get a new job.
E:
Well, that’s not so easy these days.
You seem very confident. Sam,
I don’t think this is a good idea,
you know. What’ll you do if you
feel lonely?
S:
Really, Ellie. I’m not thinking of
going very far away. I’ll still have
my family and friends just around
the corner.
LESSON 6.3 RECORDING 6.5
M = Mohammad, S = Sara, H = Huda,
I = Isa, H = Hassan, A = Amina
M:
OK, so that’s the expert’s view
– let’s see what you, the public,
think. Now, what’s your name?
S:
Sara.
M:
OK, Sara, are you a mother?
S:
Yes, I am. I’ve got two young
girls.
M:
Great, so what do you think?
S:
Personally, I think everyone in the
family has a responsibility to help
with the housework. It’s not only
the mother’s job.
M:
What do you mean, exactly?
S:
Well, you know, kids should have
jobs to do, too. Everyone should
take responsibility for a task, and
make sure it is done.
M:
OK, so does anyone disagree? Yes,
you – what’s your opinion?
H:
Well, I understand her opinion,
but children have a responsibility
to their home work as well. They
have to study when they come
home from school. It’s not fair to
ask them to help with the
housework as well. The same goes
for working men, or in fact, any
grown-up children in the house
who go out to work.
M:
Indeed. What do you say to that,
Sara?
S:
Well, that’s a good point, but
I still think everyone needs to be
taught that a family works as a
unit. If children never learn to
share tasks, they won’t grow up
knowing how to run their own
homes one day, and I think that’s
wrong, I really do.
M:
OK. Does anyone else have
anything to say on this?
I:
Er, I do, Mohammad.
M:
Yes?
I:
I agree with Sara. I know loads of
mothers who work just because
they like to have a job, not
because they need to. And that’s a
real pity, because they’re missing
out on the best time in their
children’s lives. You can work any
time, but your children are only
young once.
M:
OK, well, while we’re on the
subject of children, let’s look at
another question. Basically, should
we limit the amount of TV young
kids watch? Are they watching too
much TV these days? What’s your
name and what’s your opinion?
H:
Hi, I’m Hassan and I’m a dad.
M:
OK then, Hassan, what’s your
view?
H:
Well, what I think is that they
shouldn’t watch any TV.
M:
What, none at all?
H:
None at all. I never watched TV
when I was a kid, and I don’t think
my kids need to watch it now,
especially when they’re young.
M:
Right, well, I’m sure many people
will disagree with you. Let’s see.
Um, yes, madam, yes, you in the
red dress.
A:
Well, personally, I completely
disagree. TV is part of the modern
world, like computers and phones.
We can’t hide TV from our kids.
I think it’s better if they know that
TV is a normal thing, as normal as
having dinner or whatever.
M:
Henry?
H:
Well, that’s an interesting idea, but
TV is different from phones and
having dinner. The kids just sit
there, like vegetables. It’s not good
for them, not good at all.
A:
But why not just control how
much they watch? You know, have
a maximum of two hours a day or
something.
H:
Well, I know we won’t agree, but
the best control is to sell your TV.
If you do that, they’ll do
something else.
S:
That’s just silly.
H:
You’re the one that’s silly.
M:
OK, OK, calm down everyone.
Let’s take a break now, and after
the ads we’ll look at the role of the
father in the family.
LESSON 7.1 RECORDING 7.1
R = Researcher, I = Iris Battle
R:
Well, first of all, thank you for
meeting me.
I:
Not at all. I hope I can help.
R:
Well, as you know, we’re doing
some research for a documentary
series about forensic science – we
want to call it ‘Crime-scene
scientists – the reality’. We think
we should show the truth about
your work, because we think the
TV dramas don’t give a true
picture of what happens in a
crime lab.
I:
Yes, that’s a good point. There are
many differences between those
