Jobless in America

Tuoitrenews

Updated : Wed, December 28, 2011,3:59 PM (GMT+0700)

PRE-VIEWING – PREDICTING:

You are going to watch a video about a jobless man in America who has a young daughter. What do you think their life is like? Note down some ideas about the following:

• Where will they live?

• What will they do?

• How do they feel?

Now watch the video and compare your ideas with the video. How would you cope if you were in their situation?

WHILE – LISTENING:

EXAM STRATEGY:

Some common exams of listening require candidates to complete gaps in notes. We will look at an exam strategy to help you do this.

COMPLETING NOTES:

Look at the following notes. What words are missing?

Before you listen, predict the information you need:

• What part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) is it?

• Look at the words around the gap. What kind of word(s) fit?

• Can you think of some possibilities (use your common sense and general knowledge)?

Example: First gap

Step 1: Part of speech: “to go to____” – the preposition and the position in the sentence tells us that this is a noun.

Step 2: Kind of word: It’s used with ‘go to’ tells us that it is a place. Prentiss is taking his daughter there: so it is a place children go to.

Step 3: Possibilities: So (using our common sense and general knowledge) it could be school or class, or possibly somewhere like a swimming pool or park. Possibly a relative’s house such as grandmother’s house.

Now follow the steps for the remaining gaps.

Now listen to the video again and listen for the words you need. Complete the gaps in the notes with a word or phrase.

1. One morning in November, Prentiss is helping his daughter to prepare to go to ___________.

2. _____% of Americans are jobless.

3. Prentiss used to live in _____________________.

4. His daughter doesn’t _______ to her friends much.

5. Although she is __________, Princess and her father walk to school.

6. Hesed House is successful in finding __________ for people.

7. If Prentiss Bailey is successful in the job interview, he can move out of Hesed House in ___________ time.

8. More than _______ poor people are living in Hesed House.

POST-LISTENING:

Discussion:

SPEAKING:

SUMMARISING AND DISCUSSING IDEAS:

Find a study friend to discuss the video clip with.

First, summarise Prentiss’ story in your own words. Discuss how Prentiss and his daughter feel about their situation. How do you feel about their attitude? How would you cope in a similar situation?

Next, discuss the following issues.

• Many young Vietnamese switch jobs or quit their jobs easily. Do you think this is positive? What are the benefits and disadvantages of staying in one job for a long time?

• The government should provide housing for homeless people. Do you agree or disagree?

• What is the best way to help jobless people?

WRITING A REACTION PIECE:

Write a paragraph giving your reaction to the video:

• Briefly summarise the content of the video;

• Say how you feel about Prentiss and Princess, their situation, and how they are dealing with it;

• Suggest how society can help people in their situation.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT:

The verb ‘to get’ is very common in spoken English and is used with a variety of different meanings. Go to the interactive tapescript to practice collocations with ‘get’.

Glossary:

Pay attention to how the word is combined with other words in context. Do not learn the meaning of the word without sentences. Vietnamese should be the last resort after you have tried all the learning strategies.

• Bunk bed (n): one of two beds that are fixed together, one above the other (Giường tầng)

• Sink (n): a piece of furniture in a kitchen or bathroom that you fill with water to wash dishes, your hands etc (Bồn rửa mặt)

• Basement (n): the rooms in a building that are below the level of the ground (Tầng hầm)

• Trek (n): a long walk (Đoạn đường cuốc bộ)

• Resilient (adj): strong enough to get better quickly after problems, illness, damage (Kiên cường)

• Join the ranks of the unemployed: to become one of the jobless people in society (Gia nhập đội quân/ hội thất nghiệp)

• Homeless shelter / shelter for the homeless: a building, usually owned by a charity, that provides accommodation for people without a home (Mái ấm tình thương)

• Be /feel under the weather: to feel slightly ill (Cảm thấy sụt sịt (muốn đổ bệnh))

• Put a face to something: to recognize the true nature or character of something (Nhận ra chân tướng, nhận biết được sự thật của điều gì đó)

• Business is booming: the business is increasing successfully (here its use is ironic, as the ‘business’ of Hesed House is homeless people!) (Công việc kinh doanh/làm ăn phát đạt (trong bài này, thành ngữ này mang ý nghĩa châm biếm, vì “công việc kinh doanh” được đề cập ở đây là nhà tình thương Hesed House)

• Be/get laid off: to lose your job (Bị mất việc)

• Manufacturing facility: factory (Xí nghiệp, nhà máy)

• Job opening: (job) opportunity or vacancy (Cơ hội việc làm)

• Move forward: to make progress (Tiến lên, tiến về phía trước)

• At the bottom: at the lowest (worst) point (Ở dưới đáy (nghĩa bóng), ở tận cùng sự cùng cực))

• Snapshot: something that gives you a quick idea of what the situation is like (Ví dụ điển hình)

Answers:

Completing notes

1. One morning in November, Prentiss is helping his daughter to prepare to go to school.

2. 9% of Americans are jobless.

3. Prentiss used to live in an apartment.

4. His daughter doesn’t talk to her friends much.