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Pages: 12 Questions: 2 ©Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other than the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
PLACE LABEL HERE
Tasmanian Certificate of Education
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Senior Secondary
Subject Code: ESL315109
External Assessment
2013
Reading and Responding
Time: Approximately 45 minutes
On the basis of your performance in this examination, the examiners will provide a result on the following criterion taken from the course statement: Criterion 3 Demonstrate understanding of written texts.
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English As A Second Language – Reading and Responding
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English As A Second Language – Reading and Responding
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CANDIDATE INSTRUCTIONS You MUST ensure that you have addressed the externally assessed criterion on this examination paper. You must answer BOTH questions. Answer all questions in ENGLISH (in your own words). All answers must be written in the spaces provided on the examination paper. You may answer in note form.
English As A Second Language – Reading and Responding
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Question 1 Read the passage below and answer, in ENGLISH, the questions that follow it.
Dreams of Travel They say all our dreams begin in youth. Mine certainly did. My most vivid early memories are of travelling with my parents in India along dusty roads winding for days and nights round the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. My father was an Army doctor and we were always on the move. We never put down roots for long. Except for a few years at boarding school, travelling was a way of life. Travelling for adventure has also been immensely appealing to me. When I was about nine I persuaded my younger sister to run away with me to Dover Castle taking a few basic provisions and to stay there for three nights. It was much more frightening than I had imagined and, luckily for us, we were discovered within twenty-four hours and suitably punished. This set-back in no way discouraged me. I have been a passionate traveller all my life. The excitement of visiting an unknown country, meeting people of other cultures and religions, experiencing strange vegetation and new smells and foreign food has as strong a hold over me now as it ever had. The thrill of sailing in distant waters — not quite knowing what the weather has in store — is to feel at one with nature and to forget time, to lose count of the days, to live completely in the present. Of course, when I look back I forget the fears and occasional hardships and sickness and remember only the joys. My travels have seldom been alone — they were nearly always shared with parents, friends, husband, children or a group of strangers. It is enjoyable to share the experiences of new and strange sights but no doubt it can lessen the intensity of the lone traveller. Books about solitary wanderers, therefore, have always fascinated me and left me full of admiration, curiosity and even jealousy. Why was I never brave enough? What is it that makes people subject themselves to the loneliness of exploring unmapped territories, sailing across stormy oceans or climbing snowbound mountains? It might seem that the enormous explosion of tourism has left few challenges for today’s generation of travellers but this is not so. The challenges are even greater and people continue to test their limits of physical endurance. The need to escape the consumerism of modern life with all its demands and the desire to explore remote regions is greater than ever. Those who have consciously chosen to live at least some of their lives without the accepted comforts of modern life have found that, by breaking free, their lives have become richer. They have not just been escaping from a humdrum existence, but reaching for a kind of freedom. The word ‘travel’ comes from ‘travail’ with its meaning of hurt and hard work. Maybe by risking hardship, sickness, boredom and even death, and then by surviving, we give true meaning to life.
(Source: Adapted from the preface to Passionate Quests by Sonia Melchett.)
Question 1 continues opposite.
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Question 1 (continued) (a) Why did the author’s dreams of travel begin in her youth? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (b) ‘We never put down roots for long.’ What is meant by this? Do you think this is an
effective expression? Why or why not? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (c) What did the author do when she was about nine years old? What does this reveal about
her? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (d) What does the author mean when she says that the excitement of travelling has ‘as
strong a hold over me now as it ever had’? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (e) Why does the author think ‘sailing in distant waters’ is exciting? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
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Question 1 (continued) (f) The author writes that when she reflects on her travels she remembers ‘only the joys’.
What does this suggest about the author? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
(g) According to the author, what is the difference between travelling with others and the
experience of travelling alone? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
(h) Why does the author feel jealous of solitary travellers? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (i) In your own words explain what is meant in this passage by: (3 marks) (i) ‘the explosion of tourism’ .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... (ii) ‘to test their limits of physical endurance’ .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... (iii) ‘remote regions’ .................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................
Question 1 continues opposite.
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Question 1 (continued) (j) (i) What is the author suggesting by linking the word ‘travel’ with ‘travail’? (2 marks) .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... (ii) What view is the author expressing in the last sentence? Do you agree with her?
Why or why not? (2 marks) .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................
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Question 2 Read the passage below and answer, in ENGLISH, the questions that follow it.
What if the Internet broke?
At 5.30 am on November 22, 2012, Greg Walsh got his first inkling that the internet had stopped working. He tried to check his email and send instructions to his farm managers but his internet was down. He soon discovered his mobile phone connection was also down, and his home phone. It took a much older form of communication — radio — to learn that fire had damaged a local Telstra exchange. Walsh got in his car and started to drive into town. ‘I got halfway and realised I was almost out of petrol,’ Walsh says. ‘I pulled in to the nearest service station and found that I needed cash to buy petrol.’ When he finally made it to town he found the ATMs there weren’t working either. So Walsh joined the long queue outside a bank where tellers were handing $100 to people who could prove their identity. He heard that travellers were turning up to hotels only to find the staff had no records of their online bookings. Online retailers could not take orders. Banks and merchants could not process electronic transactions and online banking was unavailable. It took Telstra close to three weeks to get the district fully back online. For businesses, that meant their websites and email had disappeared, along with the online services they relied on. Many could no longer conduct business, and for three weeks they disappeared into a digital black hole. With business and society now dependent on it, there is growing concern about whether the internet can survive attacks or other catastrophes. According to Rob Forsyth, director of online security company Sophos, problems would quickly arise should anyone damage the five undersea cables that carry much of our international internet traffic. ‘Australia does have satellite connections in addition to the undersea cables but satellites can be slow and expensive to move large amounts of data,’ Forsyth says. Dr Robert Pepper has dedicated his working life to understanding the impact of the internet on society. ‘Go through all of the things the internet gives us — texting, email, search, or mapping with GPS — without the internet we could not be doing these things. We expect it to be there — our lives are built around it.’ If the internet went down, some changes would be relatively minor such as the loss of online shopping. But Pepper says the same network that delivers bargains to shoppers also delivers life-saving information to medical professionals. In Greg Walsh’s town, however, the internet breakdown wasn’t all bad — at least initially. A lot of people felt a sense of nostalgia for times past. That’s provided you were old enough to remember life before the web. For many of the younger generations the loss of Facebook, Twitter and online gaming meant the world effectively ended. Could the global economy survive losing the internet? A study released in August 2011 found that 3.6 per cent of Australia’s gross domestic product of $50 billion was a direct contribution from the internet, while 190 000 people were employed in internet-related occupations.
(Source: Adapted from: The Age, 28 March 2013 by Brad Howarth.)
Question 2 continues opposite.
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Question 2 (continued) (a) What four effects did the fire at the local Telstra exchange have on Greg Walsh? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (b) Why does the author mention that Greg Walsh found out the cause of the fire by radio? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (c) How did the bank cope with the crisis? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (d) How were businesses in the local community affected by the lack of internet access? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (e) According to Rob Forsyth, why is using undersea cables important for Australia’s
internet? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
Question 2 continues over the page.
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Question 2 (continued) (f) (i) How do we know Dr Robert Pepper is an expert about how society has been
changed by the internet? (1 mark) .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... (ii) What does Dr Pepper seem to suggest would be one of the major consequences if
the internet stopped working? Do you think that this would be the most serious consequence? Why? (2 marks)
.................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... (g) Describe different people’s reactions to the loss of the internet in Greg Walsh’s town? (3 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
(h) How does the last paragraph answer the question of the title? (3 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
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This question paper and any materials associated with this examination (including answer booklets, cover sheets, rough note paper, or information sheets) remain the property of the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
Pages: 8 Questions: 1 ©Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other than the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
PLACE LABEL HERE
Tasmanian Certificate of Education
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Senior Secondary
Subject Code: ESL315109
External Assessment
2013
Writing in English
Time: Approximately 45 minutes
On the basis of your performance in this examination, the examiners will provide a result on the following criterion taken from the course statement: Criterion 4 Communicate in writing.
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English As A Second Language – Writing in English
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English As A Second Language – Writing in English
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CANDIDATE INSTRUCTIONS You MUST ensure that you have addressed the externally assessed criterion on this examination paper. You must answer Question 3, the only question in this section. Write approximately 250 words in ENGLISH. The answer must be written in the space provided on the examination paper.
English As A Second Language – Writing in English
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Question 3 Choose ONE of the following topics. At the beginning of each question you are given (in bold) the required response format for that question. (a) Narrative
‘It’s not fair!’ I thought. Use this sentence to begin your narrative.
OR (b) Descriptive
Describe the worst, or the best, travel experience you have had. OR (c) Reflective What are the qualities of a good son or a good daughter in your culture?
How have these qualities changed since your parents or grandparents were young? OR (d) Comparative
Some students prefer to learn by themselves, others prefer to learn with a fellow student or students.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of both methods? OR (e) Discussion
Nowadays the media pay too much attention to the private lives of famous people. Discuss.
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Question Number: (Please indicate which question you have answered in the box above) ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................
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This question paper and any materials associated with this examination (including answer booklets, cover sheets, rough note paper, or information sheets) remain the property of the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
Pages: 12 Questions: 3 ©Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other than the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
PLACE LABEL HERE
Tasmanian Certificate of Education
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Senior Secondary
Subject Code: ESL315109
External Assessment
2013
Texts
Time: Approximately 45 minutes
On the basis of your performance in this examination, the examiners will provide a result on the following criterion taken from the course statement: Criterion 6 Demonstrate an appreciation of texts, including literary texts.
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English As A Second Language –Texts
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English As A Second Language –Texts
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CANDIDATE INSTRUCTIONS You MUST ensure that you have addressed the externally assessed criterion on this examination paper. You must answer the questions on any TWO of the texts. ALL answers must be in English. All answers must be written in the spaces provided on the examination paper. You may answer in note form.
English As A Second Language –Texts
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Question 4 Examine the advertisement below and then answer the questions that follow it.
Question 4 continues opposite.
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Question 4 (continued) (a) Who is the intended audience for this movie poster? Give reasons to support your
answer. (3 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (b) What do you think might happen in this movie? Explain your answer with reference to
the poster. (4 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (c) In your opinion, would this text achieve its purpose of persuading people to view this
movie? Why or why not? (5 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
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Question 5 Examine the advertisement below and then answer the questions that follow it.
Question 5 continues opposite.
With the introduction of the all-new Honda CR-V made with legendary Honda reliability from only $29 990; you can look forward to making memories to last a lifetime, again and again. So go on, book a test-drive at your nearest Honda dealership by visiting www.honda.com.au today.
CR-V
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Question 5 (continued) (a) At whom is this text aimed? Give reasons to support your answer. (3 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (b) Why do you think the small earlier photo of the family has been included in this text? (4 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (c) What techniques of persuasion have been used in this text? Are they effective? Why or
why not? (5 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
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Question 6 Examine the poster below and then answer the questions that follow it.
Question 6 continues opposite.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live or what you earn. You have the power to make a big difference. All you have to do is to
switch off what you don't need. To find out more, visit www.hydro.com.au
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Question 6 (continued) (a) What is the purpose of this text? At whom is it directed? (4 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (b) Comment on the picture used and the visual appeal of the text. (4 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (c) Discuss the effectiveness of the written text. (4 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
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This question paper and any materials associated with this examination (including answer booklets, cover sheets, rough note paper, or information sheets) remain the property of the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
Pages: 8 Questions: 2 ©Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other than the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
PLACE LABEL HERE
Tasmanian Certificate of Education
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Senior Secondary
Subject Code: ESL315109
External Assessment
2013
Listening and Responding
Time: Approximately 45 minutes
On the basis of your performance in this examination, the examiners will provide a result on the following criterion taken from the course statement: Criterion 1 Demonstrate understanding of spoken texts.
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English As A Second Language – Listening and Responding
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English As A Second Language – Listening and Responding
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CANDIDATE INSTRUCTIONS You MUST ensure that you have addressed the externally assessed criterion on this examination paper. You will hear TWO spoken texts. Each text will be played THREE times. There will be a short break between the first and second playing, with a longer break after the third and final playing. All answers must be written in the spaces provided on the examination paper. You must answer ALL questions in ENGLISH. You may start writing your answers from the moment the first reading begins.
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SPOKEN TEXT 1 Listen to the first spoken text and answer, in ENGLISH, the following questions.
You may answer in note form.
Question 7 (a) Why has John chosen Susan to interview on the topic of ‘Dealing with difficult people’? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (b) Name three kinds of people Susan defines as ‘difficult’ people. (3 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (c) According to Susan, why might an ordinary person become ‘difficult’? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (d) Susan says that it is not a good idea in the long term to challenge difficult people.
Why does she think this? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (e) What two examples does Susan use to show that someone’s quality of life is being
affected by a difficult person? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
Spoken Text 1 continues opposite.
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SPOKEN TEXT 1 (continued) (f) Is ‘dealing with difficult people’ a popular topic on the internet? How do you know? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (g) (i) What two suggestions does Susan give about communicating effectively with
difficult people? (2 marks) .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... (ii) What four other suggestions does she make about interacting with difficult
people? (4 marks) .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................... (h) In your own words, what is Susan’s last piece of advice? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
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SPOKEN TEXT 2 Listen to the second spoken text and answer, in ENGLISH the following questions. You may answer in note form. Question 8 (a) Approximately how many Bengal tigers still live in the wilds of South Asia? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. (b) How many animals were freed from the private zoo in America? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. (c) Why is the author so unhappy about the decision to free the Bengal tigers? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (d) Why does the author compare the number of Bengal tigers in the incident in America
with a similar calculation about the human population? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (e) Why is it so easy for many people in the United States to have wild animals as pets? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (f) How has the internet helped people to buy a wild animal? (1 mark) ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
Spoken Text 2 continues opposite.
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SPOKEN TEXT 2 (continued) (g) Name three things you would need to keep a wild adult tiger as a pet. (3 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (h) Tick the statements that are correct. According to the text some people estimate that: (2 marks) (i) There are fewer tigers in the wild than in private ownership in America. (ii) There are more tigers in the wild than in private ownership in America. (iii) It is easier to buy a dangerous dog in America than to buy a lion. (iv) There is one national law in the United States which stops people from
keeping wild animals privately. (i) What three reasons are given to persuade the reader that people should not be allowed
to keep wild animals as pets? (3 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. (j) Taking the text as a whole, do you think the author agrees with those who believe it is a
personal right to have a wild animal as a pet? Why or why not? (2 marks) ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
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This question paper and any materials associated with this examination (including answer booklets, cover sheets, rough note paper, or information sheets) remain the property of the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
Pages: 4 ©Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other than the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority.
Tasmanian Certificate of Education
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Senior Secondary
Subject Code: ESL315109
External Assessment
2013
Listening and Responding
Transcript
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English As A Second Language – Transcripts
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Spoken Text 1 John: Today I am talking to Susan Heathfield, an employment expert. Susan specialises in creating
relaxed and happy workplaces. She is also a professional speaker, trainer, and writer. Hello Susan.
Susan: Hello and thank you for having me here today to talk on your radio program. John: Today’s topic is ‘Dealing with difficult people in the workplace’ and I’d like to start by
asking you Susan, what sort of people are we talking about here? Susan: Well John, difficult people include those who are negative, who oppose your ideas, who
constantly disagree with you or simply annoy you for no obvious reason. John: Well, that covers a wide range of people! Susan: Yes, growing up we often tell ourselves that all our problems with other people will go away
when we start a new job, move to a new town or find a new interest. For a lucky few, this is the case, but for most of us, working with people who upset us, in a small or major way, is just part of life. There is little we can do to stop this happening.
John: Why do you think some people are difficult to get along with? Susan: Most people are basically kind and don’t intend to hurt others. Sometimes when faced with a
difficult situation, some people try to make themselves feel better by upsetting others, even if they don’t mean to.
John: What should we do when we have to interact with a difficult person? Susan: When working with a difficult person, naturally some people argue back in order to defend
their views. Whilst scoring a few points may make people feel better in the short term, such interactions can bring feelings of guilt or regret in the end.
John: Yes, I know what you mean…. Susan: If you feel anger towards a difficult person building to such a level that it begins to affect
your quality of life, it’s time to change something. For example, you might be thinking about that person when you’re relaxing or spending time with your family and friends, or your thoughts about that person might prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
John: Do you have any suggestions on how we can deal successfully with a difficult person? Susan: (laughs) yeah there are literally hundreds of thousands of websites dealing with this very
problem, in my experience the best way to deal with difficult people is to be calm and try not to take things personally. You will often find that the person reacts to you in the same way that they react to everyone. Make sure you communicate effectively with difficult people. Listen carefully and make sure you understand the person’s point of view. Likewise, make sure the other person understands you. Many times an argument will develop because of communication breakdowns.
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Try to build a relationship with the difficult person. Treat them respectfully at all times. Don’t forget to express your thanks when appropriate. Even if someone has a difficult personality, that person can still help you learn a skill or solve a problem.
John: Before you leave, do you have a final piece of advice for our listeners? Susan: Well, if all else fails, refer the problem to someone higher up or as a last resort, you might
consider changing your place of employment. John: Thank you very much Susan for your insights into how we can better deal with difficult
people. Susan: Thank you for having me.
English As A Second Language – Transcripts
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Spoken Text 2 There are fewer than 2 500 Bengal tigers left in the wilds of South Asia. It was particularly tragic therefore when an American made the crazy decision to let loose 18 Bengal tigers — along with dozens of other wild animals. He hadn’t just kept tigers; altogether forty-eight wild animals, including lions and bears, were set free from this private zoo. Nearly all the animals including the Bengal tigers were eventually put down by police. If the same number of humans had been killed in proportion to their world population, the death toll would have been more than 50 million people. What’s even more surprising is how easy it was for this man to buy and to keep his tigers in the first place. Many places in the United States have no restrictions on the ownership of wild animals — ‘it’s easier to buy a lion or a tiger than it is a dangerous dog’, says an expert in animal law at George Washington University. Indeed, there are very few laws about the private ownership of wild animals and, perhaps as a result, there’s a growing market for them. Websites like the Animal Finder’s Guide connect sellers with buyers. Prices vary but you can pay up to $3000 for a single animal. Adult tigers need a large cage or enclosure and some 7 kilograms of meat a day, plus a trained vet willing to look after the tiger’s health. Some people estimate that there are significantly more captive tigers owned privately in the United States than there are left in the wild. Poisonous snakes and adult bears are also popular animals to keep as pets — and they can pose dangers as well. Too many owners treat their animals badly, or get rid of them when they get too big. Animal escapes happen, sometimes with terrible results. Many people worry not only that privately owned wild animals are not looked after well but also that they are a threat to humans if they escape. In the United States there are different state laws about private ownership of wild animals and efforts to have one national law banning the keeping of wild animals as pets are unlikely to succeed. Some Americans simply believe that it’s a personal right — that anyone who wants to should be able to own a wild animal.