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Transcript Episode 9: Speaking Coherently
Transcript Episode 9: Speaking Coherently
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Now lets listen to this woman responding to the question: What makes a person
famous?
I think there are different ways to see what makes a person famous. One is the
publicity and the marketing around a person, but I dont think thats a real, honest
way to be famous. I think if I have to choose Id rather be famous for being honest,
for being kind and for trying to help and solve conflicts or problems in the world,
instead of being on the cover of a magazine. So my characteristics for a, a famous
person, I will go for honesty and kindness.
She shows that she understands the question by incorporating it into her response at
the start. By repeating the question she is clarifying the topic.
I think there are different ways to see what makes a person famous.
The question is designed to see if you can identify. She identifies what she believes
makes a person famous - publicity and marketing. She uses the listing word 'one'
to make this clear and to logically link her first sentence with the next:
I think there are different ways to see what makes a person famous. One is the
publicity and the marketing around a person
Having identified what makes someone famous, she then shows that she doesnt
agree with this idea. The disagreement is expressed through the word 'but' and she
logically continues by saying why she disagrees:
One is the publicity and the marketing around a person, but I dont think thats a real,
honest way to be famous.
She develops and expands her ideas further by justifying her opinion. Advising
her listener by using the conditional if - if I have to choose - she then expresses
her preference by using a modal - Id rather:
I think if I have to choose Id rather be famous for being honest, for being kind and for
trying to help and solve conflicts or problems in the world
She contrasts her idea of what she believes a person should be famous for with the
idea she suggested originally. She links these two ideas appropriately using instead
of:
Id rather be famous for being honest, for being kind and for trying to help and solve
conflicts or problems in the world, instead of being on the cover of a magazine
She rounds off her answer by summarising concisely her idea of what makes a
person famous. She uses the conjunction - so to make this final statement:
So my characteristics for a, a famous person, I will go for honesty and kindness.
So she clarifies, identifies, disagrees, gives an opinion, advises, shows a
preference, contrasts ideas and summarises.
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In order to respond fully, appropriately and coherently, there are a number of skills
you need.
You should be able to quickly recognise what the question is asking.
A do you think question such as: Do you think there is too much violence in films
today? Needs a reply that gives your opinion.
A question such as: What makes a person famous? Requires you to identify.
Look at this question:
Why do children like eating fast food?
You may have an opinion about this, but before you give it, you might explain and
give reasons why children eat fast food.
Its very likely that you will be asked to compare things with a question such as:
What are the differences between urban and rural homes in your country?
Another thing the examiners are looking for is the ability to speculate or say what
might happen with a question such as: What kind of transport will people use in
the future?
Now lets look at part of a professional discussion, a television interview with an
expert on diet:
Do you think that some people put on weight more easily than others?
Oh, that's definitely the case. We do know that there are genetic differences in how
easy it is for people to put on weight. That's not necessarily related only to their
metabolism. It may also have to do with how much they are driven to eat. And so the
degree of appetite control is better in some people than others. And it's got nothing to
do with willpower - it's just the way people are wired.
She was asked for her opinion with the question: Do you think that some people put
on weight more easily than others?
Being an expert, she gives it quickly and decisively: Oh, that's definitely the case.
She means that she completely agrees with the idea that some people put on weight
more easily than others. She goes on to give the reasons why she believes that:
We do know that there are genetic differences in how easy it is for people to put on
weight.
Thats the first reason - some people put on more weight from the same amount of
food because theyre born that way - there are genetic differences. But theres
another reason. Listen to the way she develops this:
That's not necessarily related only to their metabolism. It may also have to do with
how much they are driven to eat.
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