50
FAMILY MATTERS
SCENARIO
6.3
SITUATION
Speak Out
is a television talk show. Robert Hughes
is the presenter, and the audience takes part in the
discussions. This week, the topic of the show is
problems and responsibilities in families.
1
a
Discuss these statements with your partner. Do
you agree or disagree?
1
All children should help with the housework.
2
Working men do not need to share the housework.
3
Children shouldn’t watch many hours of TV a day.
4
Parents should let teenagers choose when to come
home at night.
1
b
6.5
Listen to an extract from the show. Which of
the above issues do they discuss?
2
a
Look at the different points made on the show.
Listen again and put them in order (1–8).
a
Children shouldn’t prioritise house responsibilities
over homework.
b
Children should realise how a family unit works.
c
People in the household who go out to work
shouldn’t have to do housework as well.
d
The housework isn’t only the mother’s responsibility.
e
TV is an everyday thing and children should know
about it.
f
Parents should not let children watch TV at all.
g
Only let children watch a couple of hours of TV a
day.
h
TV is bad for children.
2
b
What do you think of the different arguments and
points above?
KEY LANGUAGE
EXPRESSING OPINIONS
3
a
6.6
Listen and complete these sentences.
1
, I think everyone in the family has a
responsibility...
2
Well, I understand her
, but children have a
responsibility to their homework as well.
3
Well, that’s a good
, but I still think everyone
needs to be taught that...
4
I agree
Sara.
5
Well,
I think is that they shouldn’t watch
any TV.
6
Well, personally, I
disagree.
7
I think it’s
if they know that TV is a normal
thing.
8
Well, that’s an interesting
, but TV is different
to phones.
3
b
Match the sentences above with these functions.
a
giving an opinion
b
accepting an opinion and then disagreeing
PRONUNCIATION
4
a
6.7
Word linking
Listen and repeat this phrase.
What happens between words that end in a consonant
and those that begin with a vowel?
Well, that’s a good point, but …
4
b
6.8
Which words do we link in these phrases?
Listen and check.
1
Well, what I think is that …
2
Well, that’s an interesting idea, but …
3
Well, I understand her opinion,
but …
