Pronunciation Listening

There is one pronunciation section in each unit. There is usually at least one major listening section in the
These sections have both receptive and productive aims: first two lessons of each unit, and other listening activities
● to help learners understand natural spoken English; occur frequently on pages such as Target activity, Across
● to build confidence by isolating and practising specific, cultures and Explore speaking.
manageable features of spoken English; A wide range of recordings, both authentic and scripted,
● to help learners speak more intelligibly. 8.2 is used, including monologues, topical conversations
Note that although native-speaker voices are used to model
Speculation between friends and colleagues, conversations in service
featuresGRAMMAR
of pronunciation,
Conditionals –
1
the primary goal of these sections
Look at sentences a–d in the table and answer the questions. situations, phone calls and interviews.
1 In each sentence, are the speakers describing things that really happened, or
is intelligibility and not (necessarily) achieving a past?
native- Authentic recordings are unscripted and feature
past and present
are they imagining them?
2 Look at the two parts of each sentence. Which parts are about the Which

like accent. both native and non-native speakers from a variety of

are about the present?
3 Complete the forms with these terms: infinitive, -ing form or past participle.

Pronunciation sections a If I’d address

if + had + ,
areas which we could’vewill
had kids.be useful
modal verb + have +
backgrounds. These provide exposure to a range of accents

5
married Juli,

and to features of real spoken English, such as vague

b If I hadn’t seen the head teacher, I wouldn’t have gone to China.

for all Upper Intermediate learners

c If I hadn’t seen the head teacher,
to work
modal verbon,
+ regardless
of their first language: ‘unmarked’
d If my company hadn’t decided to and
my life would be completely different.
contrastive
modal verb + be + stress, language and hesitation devices. 5.1 goals
move, I’d probably still be doing the same job.
weak forms, elision, intrusion, dividing speech into groups Scripted recordings are based on real-world recordings
describe and give opinions about images
choose something for a room
2 a Work alone. Use your own ideas to complete the sentences about the people.
of words, and the use Jeanetteof prominence. and corpus data to guarantee the inclusion of natural
Each pronunciationFernando
1 If she hadn’t looked in that newspaper, ...
2 She might not have gone to college if ...
section is based on a short extract
Images
expressions and features of English. They are often used to
contextualise functional
Picture storylanguage, such as expressions for
3 He’d probably have asked Juli to marry him if ...

drawn from a listening sequence. Learners are encouraged

4 If he’d asked her to marry him, ...
Tristan

to notice a language
Grammar reference6 Hefeature
probably wouldn’tand thenif ... practise it:
5 If he’d been away from school that day, ...
be married discussing solutions
LISTENING 1 a Look or
at thesignposting a talk.
page from an art gallery website. What can you guess about:
and practice, p137 1 the people in the painting?
b Compare your ideas.
Texts are exploited3 using a range of tasks designed to
2 the relationships between them?
what’s happening?
PRONUNCIATION 3 a 2.23 Listen to the groups of words in these sentences. Notice how in each

Prominent
words 1
group, the speaker chooses one word to have extra-strong stress. This word is
PROMINENT.
develop specific listening skills, build confidence and
1
2
// If I’d married JUli // we could’ve had KIDS //
// If I hadn’t seen the head TEAcher // I wouldn’t have gone to CHIna //
11.1 prepare learners for less-graded authentic texts. For
And when did you last see your father?
by William Frederick Yeames (1878)

example, this sequence includes:

5
3 // If I hadn’t seen the head TEAcher // my life would be completely DIFFerent // Click here for an introduction to this painting. Click on 1 – 6 in the painting for comments on the people.
Is that right?
4 // If my company hadn’t decided to MOVE // I’d probably still be doing the same
JOB //
VOCABULARY 1
YouThe
say prominent
‘people likeword
you’.isIsoften
it thethe last important
person word
you are that you in a group
bring of words.
to air?
● prediction (1a);
Interviewing
● listening for gist (1b, 2);
b Practise saying the sentences.
2 5.1 goals
So you love this aspect far more. Your eyes are lighting up!
describe
5 and give opinions about images
SPEAKING 4 a Choose a turning point in your life you’d like to talk about. It could involve, for 3
● listening for specific information (3);
3 choose something for a room
example:
What do you mean? How did you do that? You have a producer. 4Is that right? 1

Key pronunciation areas may be touched upon two or

someone important in your life a job or career decision moving to a different place
● an opportunity for learners to respond to the recording in
Images
6
1 a Look
buying
ator selling
the something
highlighted an idea
expressions you had
Antonia adviceshe
uses. Which does someone
use to: gave you
three times duringb aThinkthe up course
about said rather
these questions. Think of some than being
conditional sentences ‘one-offs’,
you could use.
2 4

a natural way (4).

pick something earlier? c summarise or interpret?
b1 ask fordid
more detail? What were you doingdat the check that something’s true?
thereby building learners’ familiarity and confidence.
When it happen? time?
b Match more expressions
2 Was it your choice or did it just
with a–d. happen?
3 What happened afterwards? How has it affected your life now? Picture story
Interest is maintained 5 How by do you slightly
feel about it now? increasing the level of
5 6
4 WhatYou ifmentioned
somethingthat being had
different a sports producer was ‘repetitive’. In what sense?
happened?
LISTENING 1 a Look at the page from an art gallery website. What can you guess about:

challenge on eachYouc Talk

occasion.
seemabout
to beyour
7 turning
saying
For
points
that it’s
example,
bestinnotgroups. Have
to plan
the
any of you
too much. Havehad
activity
similar
I got8
that experiences?
right? 1
2
the people in the painting?
the relationships between them?
3 what’s happening?
above from Unit 8 asks learners simply to notice and
Basically, the 9
producer isn’t very involved in the interview. Am I right? repeat
10

groups of words You

and prominence,
11
said something about being offeredwhile the
a job on pirate radio. activity 12
Tell me more about below,
that.
65
And when did youquestions
last see
b
your father?
in 1a.
2.1 Listen to the audio guide introduction to the painting. Find answers to the

from Unit 11, asks learners toofmake their

prepareown choices
by William Frederick Yeames (1878)
2 to this painting.
Listen to the
2.2 audio guide
– 6 incommentary about the people in the painting. In
2 a Work alone. Choose one these topics and to tell a partner about it. Click here for an introduction Click on 1 the painting for
what order do you hear about the people 1–6?
comments on the people.

about dividing expressions

• your feelings aboutinto word groups • how youand
• why you’d make a good radio presenter • why you should get a pay rise
the media in your country assigning
learned English 3 a 2.2 Listen again. What does the commentary suggest about:

prominence:
• how to reduce crime where you live • how to have a good time in your home town 1 the appearance of the little boy?
b In pairs, have conversations about your chosen topics. Listen carefully to what your 2 the fact that the little girl is crying?
partner says and choose expressions from 1 to develop the conversation. 3 the soldiers outside the door? 5
43 the expression on the questioner’s face?
1
PRONUNCIATION 3 a 3.14 Listen to these sentences. Practise saying them. 5 the soldier standing next to the little girl?
Prominent 6 the jewel box and open chest?
// What do you MEAN? // How did you DO that? // 6
words 2 // You have a proDUcer. // Is that RIGHT? // b Compare your answers, then read the script on p147 to check.
2 4
Remember how:
4 What aspects of the painting do you like or dislike? Having listened to the
1 you speak in groups of words to help people understand you.
commentary, do you feel differently about the painting? Talk together.
2 in each group, you choose a key word to have prominence (extra-strong stress).
b In pairs, look at the sentences in 1b and practise saying them. Decide: 38
1
2
how to divide them into groups of words.
which word in each group should be prominent.
c Compare your ideas with another pair.
Reading
SPEAKING 4 a On a piece of paper, write down a topic you’d like to be interviewed about and three Units usually have at least one major reading section in the
the individual sounds they
questions you’d like to be asked about it.
Learners can alsob practise
Exchange papers with a partner. Add to your partner’s paper: first two lessons. bSmaller reading
Listen to the textsto theare
audio guide introduction
2.1
used
painting. in some
Find answers to the
questions in 1a.
have problems with, using
1 a question the
to open phonemic chart on the
the interview.
2 one other question you’d like to ask. Target activities 2 andListen canto thebe audio found in Across
guide commentary
2.2 about the peoplecultures
in the painting. In and

Self-study DVD-ROM.
5 Inpartner.
Interview your addition,
Use expressionsonfrom 1the e-Portfolio
to develop the interview and get Explore writing3 apages.
what order do you hear about the people 1–6?

Listen again. What does the commentary suggest about:

further details. 2.2

word list, learners

6
can check their pronunciation of words
Change pairs. Tell your new partner what you learned about the person you A wide range of text types
2 the fact is crying? both printed and
isgirlused,
1 the appearance of the little boy?
that the little
and expressions against British and American English
interviewed. Do you think you got the best out of the person you interviewed? How?

electronic: newspaper,
3 the soldiers outside the door?
magazine
4 the expression and
on the questioner’s face?online articles,

recordings. 5 the soldier standing next to the little girl?

web postings, brochures, interviews and personal

6 the jewel box and open chest?
87
b Compare your answers, then read the script on p147 to check.

correspondence.4 What aspects of the painting do you like or dislike? Having listened to the
commentary, do you feel differently about the painting? Talk together.

Reading
38 texts:
● are drawn from sources around the world in order to

appeal to as many learners as possible;

● are authentic, or based on authentic texts, ensuring that

learners are exposed to natural language and preparing

them for the experience of reading outside the classroom;
● recycle known language in order to build learners’

confidence in reading;
● are slightly above learners’ productive language level, so

that learners have opportunities to notice new language;

● provide a context for vocabulary and grammar which is

to be taught.
12 Introduction