Overview

Watch the video podcast. Whose opinions do you agree with most?

1 Read and complete Andreas introduction with the missing words. Then watch the video
podcast [0:00 to 0:27] and check your answers.
Im a really 1 open person. I dont keep secrets 2 ________ my friends or family. I suppose I have things I 3 ________ tell everyone, things Im a 4 ________ embarrassed 5 ________ , but thats true 6 ________ most people. Are you good 7 ________ keeping secrets?

2 Are you good at keeping secrets? Watch the video podcast [0:27 to 1:44] and match one of
the headings below with the correct person. Theres one heading you dont need to use.

1 Depends on the person with the secret - C 2 I am very dependable 3 I know how to keep a secret! 4 Ive been in some predicaments because of gossiping 5 Its a two-way street with me 6 Its professional influence 7 My background is to blame 8 Nobody tells me a secret 9 Only if its important

3 Is it ever a good thing to keep a secret from someone? Watch the podcast [1:44 to 3:14] and complete the sentences below with the missing information.
Eva: You must tell a secret if its _______________________ on another person. John: There are times when you have to be too _______________________ . Thomas: Im a(n) _______________ and _______________ person. Edwin: Its up _______________ to decide whether to keep or tell a secret. Lee: You shouldnt tell secrets if it _______________________ . Meg: You must keep a secret to _______________________ a promise. Roz: Divulging a secret may lead to the other persons _______________________ .

4 Do they have a secret talent that their friends or family dont know about? Watch the video podcast [3:15 to 4:38] and note down the peoples secret in one word or short phrase.
Keiko: Thomas: Eva: Edwin: Lee: Roz: John:

The way we speak 5 Look at the people in Exercise 2 and watch the video podcast [0:27 to 1:44] again. Notice
how the people respond to Andreas question. Complete each extract with TWO words.
Eva: I think Im very 1________ ________ keeping secrets, yes. Keiko: Id like 2________ ________ so. Tomas: Id say it 3________ ________ the secret. Edwin: Yeah, I 4________ ________ . Lee: No. 5________ ________ . Roz: Ive got 6________ ________ Im not very good at keeping secrets. John: Yes, I think Im 7________ ________ at keeping secrets Meg: Uh, 8________ ________ they are.

Personalisation 6 Answer the questions in the podcast about you.

Are you good at keeping secrets? Is it ever a good thing to keep a secret from someone? Have you ever got into trouble because you did? Do you have a secret talent that your friends or family dont know about?

A = Andrea

E = Eva

K = Keiko L = Lee

To = Tomas R = Roz J =John

Ed = Edwin M = Meg

A:

Im a really open person. I dont keep secrets from my friends or family. I suppose I have things I wouldnt tell everyone, things Im a bit embarrassed about, but thats true for most people. Are you good at keeping secrets? I think Im very good at keeping secrets, yes. Id like to think so. Um, people come to confide in me and I do the same, so I think its a mutual thing. Id say it depends on the secret. Erm, sometimes and, yeah, it depends whos telling me the secret. Yeah, I believe so. I think sometimes its, its according to how important the secret is and what it covers. But, um, Ive kept some secrets in my life, trust me! No. Im terrible. I, somehow, and I dont know if its a Canadian thing, but theres nothing that seems really private to me. I just kind of blurt out everything. Ive got to admit Im not very good at keeping secrets. If its a close friend and its something I know that erm, they dont want to get out then I will, I will be quite good. But, I am a bit of a gossip and I do like to spread news. Erm, Im quite an open person with my own secrets so with other peoples I kind of follow the same pattern. Its not very good. Its got me in trouble a few times. Yes, I think Im pretty good at keeping secrets. Erm, I work in television so theres quite a few secrets one has to keep professionally. Uh, depends what they are. If its important, I guess so. If its gossip, not so much. Is it ever a good thing to keep a secret from someone? It depends on what the secret is. I think some tiny secrets are better kept secret but if its really having an impact on another person, I dont think you should keep it away from the people. I think its absolutely essential sometimes to keep secrets from people. Erm, I wouldnt like to overdo it, I wouldnt like to be too secretive but occasionally, yes, you need to. Im the kind of person who, if I think its better for the other person not to know, then I will keep the secret, although er, a lot of people will say thats being dishonest. But er, I, I think deep down Im quite an honest person, I always try and be pragmatic, and sometimes to be pragmatic you have to keep secrets. Its according to how much that person matters to you. If its to their benefit for you to keep it or to tell, you know what I mean? Sometimes you have to make that decision as a person: whats important. Oh, yes, absolutely. Yes, some things you shouldnt tell people because, you know, it hurts their feelings. If youve promised someone else that youll keep a secret, then definitely. I think it is, because um, in the past theres been times when Ive revealed too much because I thought that keeping secrets wasnt a good idea but that can lead to hurt feelings, so I do think that sometimes its necessary to, because if the person doesnt know, it doesnt necessarily hurt them. So, keeping a secret can be good. Do you have a secret talent that your friends or family dont know about? Not many people know that, er, I used to play rugby. I was in the national Malaysian womens team, so ... But I dont play any more. I should do, but no. So, yeah, theres a secret. Well, I dont know if its a talent but er, its definitely secret and its something that I usually bring out at parties and so on. It, it scares people, but its the 90 degree thumb. [demonstrates] And it goes all the way back, from there right to the back. Sorry to freak people out, but ... Thats my secret talent. I like to write stories but I dont tell a lot of people about that because I think theyre not good enough to be told about, so I just keep them for myself, and maybe some close friends but, thats it. I used to like to cook. But in, like, the environment I grew up in you could never go to cookery classes in a mixed school. But as Ive got older, you know what I mean, I do like to cook. Well, I like to think I can actually sing, but all my friends and family think I cant and Im not sure why that is! I dont think so. I, Im quite an open person so if I discovered a secret talent, I think people would know, so Sadly, when you get to my age, very few of your talents remain secret. Youve tried most of them and tried to expose as many as youve got.

E: K: To: Ed: L: R:

J: M: A: E: J: To:

Ed: L: M: R:

A: K: To:

E: Ed: L: R: J: