O R A L P R A C T I C E Lessons 1 - 25 - Shenker

OP 10 - AURAL COMPREHENSION - Bernice Beaton, the PR consultant for London Transport
Loosely based on the situation in Illustrated English, L.10 (195 words; about 1'15")
Bernice Beaton is a freelance PR CONSULTANT, that is, a PUBLIC RELATIONS consultant. She works with
the PR department - the public relations department - of London Transport. London Transport is the
company RESPONSIBLE for the buses and the Underground in London.
Every morning, Monday to Friday - and often on Saturday and Sunday, too - Bernice goes out into the
city of London. She STOPS people in the street, and asks them questions. Do they work in London?
Where do they live? How do they get to work? Do they take the bus? Do they take the Underground?
What do they think about the SERVICE? What do they think about the traffic? (They always say: It's terrible!)
Have they got any SUGGESTIONS - to make the service better?
In the afternoon, Bernice goes to her office, and writes a REPORT.
At the END OF THE DAY, Bernice is very tired. She's tired of asking questions, and she's tired of
London Transport. She doesn't like buses (red is not her favourite colour), and she can't stand the
Underground (she's a little CLAUSTROPHOBIC). She prefers to ride her bicycle to work in the morning,
and home in the evening. And if it's not a nice day, she takes a taxi!
- And now, some questions…
Is Bernice a PR consultant, or a FINANCIAL consultant?
What is "PR", exactly - what do these letters STAND FOR?
How do you say "public relations" in Italian? (pubbliche relazioni)
Bernice works freelance, and she's got a very important CLIENT. Who is her CLIENT?
Is London Transport responsible for TRANSLATIONS or TRANSPORTATION?
Does Bernice work every day?
Does she INTERVIEW people in their offices?
Do they ask her questions, or does she ask them questions?
What are some of these questions, do you remember?
(provide prompts as required; not necessary to reproduce every single question)
Work in London…? / Live…? / Get to work…? / Bus…? / Underground…? / SERVICE…? /
TRAFFIC…? / SUGGESTIONS…?
Does Bernice do this ALL DAY, or only in the morning?
What does she do in the afternoon?
Is she tired at the end of the day?
Does she take a bus to go home? / Why not?
What about the Underground? / Why not?
So, how does Bernice get home? / And if it's a cold, RAINY day?
Follow up with some similar questions to the student.
CLASS: Students can ask each other, with appropriate prompting.
80