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worksheet 2.172

Try not to look at the transcript while doing these exercises! Always read the
instructions and all the information in the tasks before listening. Listen as many
times as you like.

Life before the Internet: letter writing

1 Before listening: answer these questions.

a What are the differences between writing a letter and sending an
email? Think of as many things as possible.

writing writing
a letter an email

b Have you ever written a letter?

If yes, when was the last time and why?
If no, have you ever received one?

If possible, share your answers with other English language learners.

Letters are written by hand Really? I think you can

whereas emails are typed. type a letter too...

2 Before listening: now do the task on the extra worksheet Letter writing
from the 'extras' page. Do you agree with the answers?

3 Listen for general meaning: Jackie and Richard talk about the difference
between writing letters and modern day correspondence. Listen to the
whole podcast.

What is their overall opinion?

It's much better now than in the past.

Nothing beats a personal letter.
People keep letters but emails are deleted.

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4 Listen for detail: listen again and choose the correct answer.
a The last letter Richard wrote was a personal one. True or false?

b Which of these did he regularly send?

A lightweight envelope in which you inserted the letter.
A lightweight letter that became the envelope.
A lightweight letter which only needed a stamp.

c Nowadays people don't buy stamps for their letters. True or false?

d Jackie sent postcards to her parents...

only when she was on holiday.
when she moved to a new place.
when she was working and travelling.

e People no longer send postcards so they are difficult to find. True or

false?

f Jackie...
posts something to her father only once a year.
still sends her father postcards.
says her father can't use video calls.

g When Jackie lived in Africa...

she only wrote to people who were special to her.
she lost contact with all her friends.
she wrote to all her friends and family.

h Jackie now corresponds with...

only a few people even though it's easier.
lots of people as all her friends are really important.
people who are not really important to her.

i Richard...
never lost contact with his school friends.
corresponds with people he hasn't seen for decades.
doesn't like contacting people from the past.

j Jackie thinks that letter writing in the past took much more time
than being on social media. True or false?

5 After listening: speaking. What do you think?

Well, I think that...
It's a shame nobody writes letters anymore.
Emailing and social media are suitable for applying for jobs.
Love letters are much better written by hand.
Social media means I have lots of contacts who I don't really know.
Spelling and grammar are worse now because of emailing / social media.

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