Listening questions - pros and cons of technology - Foundation
New technologies will often have both advantages and disadvantages. Here are some helpful adjectives that might be used:
| adictivo/a | addictive |
| caro/a | expensive |
| complicado/a | complicated |
| conveniente | convenient |
| fácil de usar | easy to use |
| esencial | essential |
| importante | important |
| inalámbrico/a | wireless |
| interactivo/a | interactive |
| inútil | useless |
| necesario/a | necessary |
| práctico/a | practical |
| útil | useful |
| adictivo/a |
| addictive |
| caro/a |
| expensive |
| complicado/a |
| complicated |
| conveniente |
| convenient |
| fácil de usar |
| easy to use |
| esencial |
| essential |
| importante |
| important |
| inalámbrico/a |
| wireless |
| interactivo/a |
| interactive |
| inútil |
| useless |
| necesario/a |
| necessary |
| práctico/a |
| practical |
| útil |
| useful |
Radio forum about mobile phones
Listen to the following clips from a radio programme where students from Tenerife are talking about the pros and cons of mobile phones.
For each speaker, choose the correct statement.
| A | They are too expensive |
| B | Some people are addicted |
| C | They are not very practical |
| D | They are useful for emails |
| E | You can stay in touch easily |
| F | You can download music |
| A |
| They are too expensive |
| B |
| Some people are addicted |
| C |
| They are not very practical |
| D |
| They are useful for emails |
| E |
| You can stay in touch easily |
| F |
| You can download music |
In this question, there are six statements but only four people to match to a statement - two of the statements are there to distract from the correct answers.
Question
Mika
E - Mika says that mobile phones are practical, but statement C is there as a distractor because what he goes on to say is that he can communicate easily with his friends.
Transcript:
Sara: ¿Qué piensas de los móviles, Mika?
Mika: Mi móvil es práctico porque puedo comunicarme con mis amigos fácilmente.
Translation:
Sara: What do you think of mobile phones, Mika?
Mika: My mobile is practical because I can communicate easily with my friends.
Question
Luna
A - This is the only possible option as Luna mentions mobiles costing a lot of money.
Transcript:
Mika: ¿Qué dices tú, Luna?
Luna: Creo que los móviles cuestan mucho dinero. Son demasiado caros para la mayoría de los jóvenes.
Translation:
Mika: What do you say, Luna?
Luna: I think mobile phones cost a lot of money. They are too expensive for the majority of young people.
Question
Dino
F - Dino doesn't use the word for music, he says he downloads songs. Don't be tricked by statement D -- he says that he never sends emails.
Transcript:
Luna: ¿Qué opinas, Dino?
Dino: Para mí, lo más útil es poder descargar mis canciones favoritas. Nunca mando correos electrónicos.
Translation:
Luna: What is your opinion, Dino?
Dino: For me, the most useful thing is being able to download my favourite songs. I never send emails.
Question
Sara
B - This is the only possible option as Sara talks about mobile phones being addictive for some people.
Transcript:
Dino: ¿Y tú, Sara?
Sara: Pienso que los teléfonos móviles pueden ser adictivos para algunas personas. Personalmente paso muchísimo tiempo en línea.
Translation:
Dino: And you, Sara?
Sara: I think that mobile phones can be addictive for some people. Personally, I spend a lot of time online.
