Talk about Future Global Challenges – Free ESL Lesson
Improve your speaking and listening skills in English with our helpful FREE printable worksheet on the topic of Future Global Challenges.
Work with a partner or small group. Print the PDF onto card, then cut out the discussion words cards and lay them face down. Mix them up, then take a card and describe the term for the others to guess.
Discuss the different future global challenges that the world faces. Which do you fear the most / least? What solutions do you propose?
Talk About Breakfast – with Brian Mattison + Robbie
Do you prefer a quick breakfast or a leisurely breakfast?
Hello again. I’m here with my robot chum P2342 and we’re going to discuss the most important topic of breakfast with… YOU! Please join us for this FREE online speaking and listening class. It’s sure to be good practice! Why not challenge yourself to speak for a minimum of 30 seconds for each answer using the timer below:
Here are a few more tips:
Click on the first play button below.
Say your answer out loud, then click the next one when you are ready. Try to give as full an answer as possible.
Replay the questions as many times as you need to.
Get a teacher or friend to listen to your ‘conversation’ and give you feedback.
Try to listen and answer all of the questions, before reading the transcript.
Practice as often as you like – wherever you are!
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Dialogue 1:
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Dialogue 2:
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Dialogue 3:
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Dialogue 4:
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Dialogue 5:
Full Transcript #7 – Talk About Breakfast:
Dialogue 1:
Brian: Hello there! It’s me, Brian Mattison here. Today, I’m joined by my robot chum P2342.
P2342:Good morning.
Brian:Er, you have committed your first error there, P2342. I’m sorry, but we don’t know whether it will be morning, noon, or night for our keen learners of English around the planet.
P2342:Good morning, good night.
Brian:OK? Well – . There’s no answer to that, is there? Anyway. Welcome all! P2342 was created by the good folks at the arts and crafts department at the university where I work, which will remain unnamed. They say that robots are going to take over all our jobs, but we’ll see. Er, he’s – or she’s? I’m not sure – .
P2342:I am male, I believe.
Brian: Er, OK, fine. Er, he’s a kind of a, a virtual AI, er, lifeform. I’m going to let him ask you some of the questions in this lesson, er, on the topic, this time, of Breakfast.
P2342:1. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Dialogue 2:
Brian:Straight in there. That’s the spirit. Er, could you try to use a little bit more sentence stress and intonation? It’s a little bit robotic.
P2342:That does not compute, Brian.
Brian:OK, er, well, OK. You know, just do your best, Robbie. Can I call you Robbie for short?
P2342: No, I would rather you did not.
Brian:Mmm, a little bit rude, Robbie. But OK. Er, question two.
P2342: 2. What time do you usually have breakfast?
Dialogue 3:
Brian:No, no, no, no, NO, Robbie! You see, it’s too flat – it’s too wooden.
P2342:I am not made from wood.
Brian: Robbie – what I mean is, you know, what’s your name? It’s like a PIN number. Listen, P2342. It’s more like this: “What time do you usually have breakfast?” You see? We need to put stress on the content words – on the stressed syllables.
P2342:I will try to do better, Mr. Brian.
Brian:Without sentence stress and intonation it’s jolly difficult to understand the meaning of the sentence, because we get that from the sequence of stressed vowel sounds.
P2342: I see. May I continue, Brian?
Brian: Oh – . Ok then, old bean. Off you go.
P2342: 3. What is your favourite breakfast cereal?
Dialogue 4:
Brian:No, you’re still doing it wrong, Robbie. Wilfully or not, I don’t know. Look – I need to take over this. You’re cordially dismissed.
P2342:I feel deep remorse, Brian. I apologise for my poor diction.
Brian:Well, it’s not really your fault, P2342 – or Robbie. It’s nothing a little system reconfiguration won’t fix.
P2342:[Beeping]
Brian:I’ll show you how it’s done.
Brian:
4. What does the word ‘breakfast’ mean?
5. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
6. Where do you usually eat breakfast? Do you ever eat breakfast ‘on the go’?
7. Do you prefer a quick breakfast or a leisurely breakfast?
8. What is the most you would pay for breakfast in a restaurant?
9. Can you describe a full English breakfast? Have you ever tried it? Do you like it?
10. Has anybody ever made you breakfast in bed? How did you feel about it?
11. Do you know how to make traditional porridge?
12. Could you manage without breakfast each morning?
13. Peanut butter, honey, jam, or Marmite on toast? Why?
14. Some people call breakfast the most important meal of the day. Do you agree? Why? / Why not?
15. What do you think I like to eat for breakfast?
Dialogue 5:
Brian:You see, Robbie?
P2342: Yes, I see, Brian. You are much better than me. You are an expert. I will ask my father to reprogram me – re- reprogram me – reprogram – .
Brian:Yes – if you could. You know – . It just goes to show really that here’s one robot who won’t be taking over my job any time soon! [Laughs]
P2342:[Robot crying]
Brian: Oh, I’m sorry. Are you crying, Robbie? [Aside] Er, I didn’t know that robots could feel emotion like a human being. Er. Oh dear. There’s steam coming out of his gaskets. Er – . Oh dear. It doesn’t look very good.
[Robot dies]
Brian:Oh well. Back to the drawing board for the, for Dave and the arts and crafts department. I think they did a good job, I’m sure you’ll agree, but – teething trouble, and so on. Prototypes and – things. So. I hope you enjoyed this, er, lesson. If you did, maybe you’ll want to review some of my previous online classes. Just search for ‘Brian Mattison’; you should find them all there at your fingertips. So, thanks for listening, and bye for now. I’m off to eat my breakfast, actually. So, croissants, and, er, jam. Er, goodbye.
Do you agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Why?
