COURSE 1

Loud and Clear

Introduction1 1. Look at the statements.

Face to face communication minimizes the risk of misunderstanding.
Consequently, the video phone will be a huge asset to society.

Mobile phones are a public nuisance and should be banned.

Do you agree with their views expressed?

2. Do you think we have become better communicators with all the high-the aids
we have today? Give reasons for your answer.
EXERCISE 1. How good a listener are you? Which of these could apply to you during a typical
conversation? Tick and then compare your results with another student.
Do you hear what I’m saying?
Day-dreaming about something completely unrelated. ___________
Losing interest in what another person is saying. ___________
Finishing off sentences for slow or boring speakers ___________
Misinterpreting, either deliberately or by accident ___________
Filtering the message – hearing what you want ___________
Butting in before you have heard all the facts ___________
Trying to change the subject prematurely ___________
Fidgeting and causing other distractions to the speaker ___________
EXERCISE 2. The following words are all to do with qualities a good listener may have. Can
you provide the related adjectives or nouns?
Noun alertness _______ restraint _______
Adjective _______ attentive _______ respectful

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Tricia Aspinall & Annette Capel, Advanced Masterclass CAE, Student’s Book, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 9-10
Complete the sentences about good listeners, choosing suitable nouns or adjectives from those above.
1. Janet was very ___________ in the meeting today – she picked up a lot of mistakes in the
accountant’s report!
2. Even if you find what he says boring, show him the ___________ he deserves.
3. I thought you were very ___________ just now – I would have told them to shut up and mind
their own business!
4. If you pay ___________, this won’t take long to explain.
5. John is a particularly v interviewer and gives the impression that he is very interested in what
people are saying.
6. She showed a lot of ___________ in staying calm during such a confrontation.

Speaking 1. Ask another student questions about the following topics:

 their current job or studies ● something they really hate doing
 their favourite free-time activity ● something unusual they would like to do
Make notes of the answers to your questions an then introduce that person to another
pair, referring to your notes if necessary. Aim to speak for about 30 seconds.
2. How could you improve the fluency of your introduction and avoid
repeating yourself? Look at these conversation linkers and use some of them in a revised
introduction.
Another very interesting side to X is his/ her …
In addition to …, X is also …
Moving on to another of X’s …
On the other hand, X believes…
Changing the subject a little, x is a …
One more thong needs to be said about X …
Finally, X’s ambition is to …
Last but not least, X…
Reading2 1. Read the whole of this text about mobile phones quickly, timing yourself as you
read. Find out who bought each phone and who pays the bill.

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Tricia Aspinall, Anette Capel, Advanced Masterclasss CAE Workbook, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 4-6

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These days it seems that every other teenager is walking down the street with a mobile phone glued to
their ear. Here, mothers and daughters say what a mobile means to them.
Barbara (47) ‘I sometimes worry that the mobile will get passed around and I’ll run up a huge bill
without even realizing it. That hasn’t happened yet – so many of Louisa’s friends have got their own
anyway. They’ve all got used to them now, but they were very much toys to begin with. Teenagers
seem to need constant communication and when the phone rings as they’re walking down the street,
they think it’s very glamorous.’
Daughter Louisa (17) ‘I was delighted when I got it but scared of taking it out in case it got pinched. I
always call Mum if I’m late, and I feel much more confident with it. Out of all my friends, only about
five haven’t got one. It’s handy – once a friend of mine had a serious medical problem and it meant we
could get help quickly.’
Josée ‘Vanessa’s dad Terence and I were worried of keeping rack of her when she was out with
friends. Her safety was a big concern, especially living in London. Although I never thought I would
say, I’ve come around to the idea of teenagers having them, as long as their use is strictly limited.
Vanessa is not allowed to take it to school and she pays her bills out of her savings. Calls are free at
weekend so she’s able to have a good gossip to her mates then.’
Daughter Vanessa (15)
‘My phone was an early 15th birthday present. It’s a real security blanket, especially if I’m out late. I
never take it to school although loads of girls do – the teachers get furious when they ring in class. My
parents were dead against it at first, but when they realised it wasn’t a status symbol, they agreed.’
2. Now read the text again and match these statements to the four people.
1. She can chat to her friends without it costing a fortune. __________________
2. I worry about not being in control of it. __________________
3. I feel safer having it with me at night. __________________
4. We didn’t want her to have one to begin with. __________________
5. Teenagers see having a mobile phone as a status symbol. __________________
6. We wanted to know where she was at any time. __________________
7. I worried about it being stolen at first. __________________
8. A mobile phone is useful in an emergency. __________________
3. The text is in informal spoken English. Find these words and phrases in the
text and then give more formal equivalents. An example is given.
0. run up __accumulate__
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 1. pinched __________________
2. handy __________________
3. gossip __________________
4. mates __________________
5. load of __________________
6. dead against __________________
4. Vanessa describes her mobile phone as a real security blanket, something that
gives her a feeling of safety. The word ‘blanket’ can be a noun, an adjective or a
verb. Say which part of speech it is in each of these examples and explain the
meaning.
1. A layer of mist blanketed the hills and it was impossible to find our way.
2. There was blanket coverage of the scandal in the press.
3. Freddy’s such a wet blanket – he wouldn’t even come for a drink with us last night.
4. Many airlines now enforce a blanket ban on smoking.
5. They encountered a blanket of silence and endless faces when they entered the room.

Vocabulary
While using this course, keep a separate notebook for vocabulary and try to look back at it regularly.
Write down the vocabulary you learn in ways that is meaningful to you.
Here are some ways for recording vocabulary.

1. Related parts of speech. Use a dictionary to complete these sets of related words. Remember
that the related forms may not be constructive entries.
NOUN ADJECTIVE VERB
evasion evasive evade
restraint ___________ ___________
___________ misinterpret
distraction ___________ ___________
___________ interrupt
strategy ___________
___________ jerk ___________
___________ ___________ evaluate

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2. Meaning clouds. Think about the meaning of the words below and put there related words into
each meaning cloud. Then chose a description that matches your choice.
outstanding unpleasant pitfall harsh distrust effective
explain distasteful justify suspicion efficient snag cynicism
nuisance convince
a. disadvantage or problem
b. describing qualities
c. doubt
d. describing something bad
e. give reasons for

outstanding
effective

efficient (b)
e

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 3. Collocation Look at dictionary examples to find some frequent collocates for words you have
learnt. For example, the adjective harsh is often used with the following nouns:
harsh weather
a harsh voice
a harsh judgement
harsh facts/ the harsh truth
Now write down some noun collocation foe each of these adjectives.
a. high-tech _____________________
b. monotonous _____________________
c. tailor made _____________________
d. far-reaching _____________________
e. direct _____________________
f. tactless _____________________

4. Extension This lesson looked at compound adjectives ending in –ing, foe example, hard-
hitting. Many compound adjectives end with –ed. Add any you know to this list.
big-headed _____________________ - headed
_____________________ - headed
open-minded _____________________ - minded
_____________________ - minded
stony-faced _____________________- faced
_____________________- faced
short-tempered _____________________- tempered
_____________________- tempered
light-hearted _____________________- hearted
_____________________- hearted
5. Register Remember to note down any usage restrictions when you list new vocabulary and
record informal and more formal equivalents together.
Suggest phrasal verbs which have a similar meaning to these verbs. An example is given.
0. wait ____hang on ____
1. avoid _____________________
2. defer _____________________
3. reprimand _____________________
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 4. increase _____________________
5. specify _____________________
Writing
Chose suitable words to complete this note to a friend.
excuses unconvincing let tactless guilty upset harsh
splendid pretend sorry

Dear Kate
I am so (1) _____________________ that I forgot to come to your wedding last week. I feel really
(2) _____________________ about it, particularly as you sent me such a (3)
_____________________ invitation. I can’t give any (4) _____________________for this (5)
_____________________ behaviour – even if I (6) _____________________ to you that I am busy
at work, I know you will find this (7) _____________________ as a reason.
The (8) _____________________ reality is that I’ve (9) _____________________ you down. I can
only tell you again how (10) _____________________ I feel and hope that you’ll forgive me.
Love Rachel

Reading 1. Look at these phrases. Discuss your interpretation of their meaning with
another student.
1. incomplete success 3. genuine imitation leather
2. real counterfeit diamonds 4. economically non-affluent people
How would you describe this type of language?
2. Read the article once, timing yourself as you read. Which people might use
doublespeak?

The World of Doublespeak3

Farmers o longer have cows, pigs, chickens, or other animals on their farms: according to U.S.
Department of Agriculture, farmers have grain-consuming animal units. Attentive observers of the
English language also learned recently that multibillion dollar stock market crash of 1987 was simply a
forth quarter equity retreat; that airplanes don’t crash, they just have uncontrolled contact with the
ground; and that President Reagan wasn’t really unconscious while he underwent minor surgery, he

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Tricia Aspinall & Annette Capel, Advanced Masterclass CAE, Student’s Book, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 13-14

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was just in a non-decision-making form. In other words, doublespeak continues to spread as the
official language of public communication.

Doublespeak is a blanket term for language which pretends to communicate but doesn’t, language that
makes the bad look good, the negative appear positive, the unpleasant attractive, or at least tolerable. It
is language which avoids, shifts, or denies responsibility, language which is at variance with its real
meaning.

We know that a toothbrush is still a toothbrush even if the advertisement on television call it a home
plague remove instrument, and even that nutritional avoidance therapy means a diet. But who would
guess that a volume-related production schedule adjustment means closing an entire factory in the
doublespeak of General Motors, or that energetic disassembly means an explosion in a nuclear power
plant in the doublespeak of the nuclear power industry?

The euphemism, an inoffensive or positive word or phrase designed to avoid a harsh, unpleasant, or
distasteful reality, can at times be doublespeak. But the euphemism can also be a tactful word or
phrase; for example “passed away” functions not just to protect the feelings of another person but also
to express our concern for another’s grief. A euphemism used mislead or deceive, however, becomes
doublespeak.

Jargon, the specialized language of a trade or profession, allows colleagues to communicate with each
other clearly, efficiently, and quickly. Indeed, it is a mark of membership to be able to use and
understand the group’s jargon. But it can also be doublespeak – pretentious, obscure, and esoteric
terminology used to make the simple appear complex, and not to express but impress. Lawyers and tax
accountants speak of an involuntary conversion of property when discussing the loss or destruction of
property through theft, accident, or condemnation. So, if your house burns down, or your car is stolen
or destroyed in an accident, you have, in legal jargon, suffered an involuntary conversion of your
property.

A final kind of doublespeak is simply inflated language. Car mechanics may be called automotive
internists, elevator operators members of the vertical transportation corps; grocery checkouts clerks
career associate scanning professionals. When a company initiates a career alternative enhacement

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program, it is really laying off 5000 workers; a negative patient care outcome means that the patient
died.

These last examples should make it clear that doublespeak is not the product of careless language or
sloppy thinking. Indeed, serious doublespeak is carefully designed and constructed to appear to
communicate but in fact to mislead. Such language is highly strategic, and it breeds suspicion,
cynicism, distrust and, ultimately, hostility. If we really believe that we understand doublespeak and
think that it communicates, we are in deep trouble.
(350 words)

3. The article mentions these different kinds of doublespeak:

the euphemism jargon inflated language
Can you define each term in your own words? Look back at the article to see if your definitions were
correct.
4. Some of the italic phrases in the article contain compound adjectives ending in
–ing. For example, grain-consuming animal units, non-decision-making form.
Compound adjectives such as these are formed with the present participle.
For example,
grain-consuming smooth-talking off-putting
Match each compound adjective in 1-8 to an adjective in a-h with a similar meaning.
1. hard-wearing a convenient
2. record-breaking b interminable
3. labour-saving c outstanding
4. hard-hitting d extensive
5. good-looking e durable
6. never-ending f attractive
7. mouth-watering g direct
8. far-reaching h appetizing