Spoken English Intermediate

12

Changes
Things are constantly changing all around us. We can either try to fight change or
welcome it with open arms. Do you like the idea of seeing things from a different
angle? If so, then it could be time for a change.

In class today you’re going to

1. Have a conversation about personal changes.

2. Listen to a story about someone who changes their physical appearance.

3. Deliver on extempore on how things have changed.

4. Discuss different views of change.

5. Practise answering questions about change in the workplace.

© The British Council, 2017

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
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 Spoken English Intermediate
Conversation Skills: Change Your Ways

Task 1: Time for a Change

Complete the sentences so they are true for you

1. I want to change the way I…

2. I want to change my…

3. I really wouldn’t like to change…

4. The most important change in my life so far has been…

5. The biggest change I’d like to make to my life would be to…

Task 2: How Much Do You Want To Change?

Share your changes with your partner. When you talk about changes you want to
make to your life try and use some of the expressions in the box below

Useful Language - Talking about Possible Changes

I’d really like to change…

I’ve always wanted to change…
If I could, I’d change…
I wish I could change… but I’m not sure I can
I think it would be great to change…

© The British Council, 2017

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
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 Spoken English Intermediate

Audio Task: Mr Smith’s New Nose

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/stories-poems/mr-smiths-new-
nosehttp://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/stories-poems/mr-smiths-new-nose

Task 1: Before You Listen

• Why is it becoming more common for people to change how they look?
• Which famous people do you think have had plastic surgery?
• Do you think people of all ages want to change their appearance?

Task 2: Listen Up

i) You’re going to listen to story set in the future about an old man who wants to
make changes to his body. Before you listen, tick the parts of his body that you
think he will want to change.

*his knees *his fingers *his nose *his hair *his knees

*his chin *his feet *his eyes *his hip * his chest

Now listen to check your predictions and compare your answers with your partner.

ii) You’re going to listen to the story again. Read through the questions with your
partner. Do you know any of the answers?

1. What type of noses are in fashion in the story?

2. Why does Mr Smith think of plastic surgery?
3. What does he like most about 22nd century genetic engineering
4. What type of hair does Mr Smith choose? Why?
5. What colour eyes did Mr Smith buy?
6. In which order did his body parts stopped working?
7. What happened to Mr Smith’s original body?
8. How much did it cost Mr Smith to buy his original body back?

Task 3: A Change of Look

Do you think more and more people will want to change the way they look in the
future? Is this a good or bad thing?

© The British Council, 2017

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
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 Spoken English Intermediate

Extempore: The Times They Are A Changing

You’re going to work in groups of three or four. You need a dice and each person
needs a counter and a coin. Throw the dice and move your counter according to
the number you have thrown. Read your topic and speak for as long as you can
about changes in this area. Have things changed for the better or the worse? If
you have nothing to say you can miss a turn. The winner of the game is the first
person to reach the last square but you have to throw the exact number to land
on this square so it may take some time

1.Shopping 2. Transport 3. Tourism 4. Fashion

Habits

5.Friendship 6. Entertainment 7.Communication 8. Hairstyles

9.Technology 10. Ask another 11. Eating Habits 12. Women

person to speak
on any of the
subjects
13. 14. Weddings 15.Climate 16.My Country
Relationships

17. Homes 18. My City 19. Lifestyle 20. Free choice.

Choose any of
the topics

Useful Language Box: Ways of Being Sure and Unsure

Being Sure
I’m quite sure this is true.
I’m fairly certain that
I have no doubt at all that …

Being Unsure
I’m really not sure
I’ve just got no idea
I really don’t have a clue
I really don’t know the first thing about …

© The British Council, 2017

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
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 Spoken English Intermediate

Group Discussion: Time for a Change

Many people say if we want things to progress we need change.

How do you feel about change?

Do you think change is important?

Task 1: Do you agree or disagree?

Read through the quotes below about change. Tick the ones you agree with (✓)

All good things must come to an end.

H H Riley, writer

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
Leo Tolstoy, writer

Things don’t change; we change.

Henry David Thoreau, writer, philosopher and historian

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi, leader

To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.

Winston Churchill writer and leader

Task 2: Share Your Views

In your groups discuss the quotes. Which one do you like the most? Why?

© The British Council, 2017

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
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 Spoken English Intermediate

Interviews: Change

When you start a new job, things are going to feel very different.
You’ll have new colleagues, new roles and a new boss and there
will be lots more changes.

Employers are going to want to make sure that you can deal with
change and that you don’t find change too stressful. They don’t
want to give a job to someone who fears change and just can’t
cope when there are changes at work.

Task 1: Preparation
Look at the questions below. Spend a few minutes making some notes.

1. How do you deal with change?

2. Describe a time when there were some changes in your place of work or
study. How did you manage?

3. How do you deal with people who can’t handle change?

Task 2: How well do you manage change?

Your teacher will give you a role and a question to ask.

© The British Council, 2017

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
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