General Listening Quiz

How common is bullying at school or even at the workplace in your country? In what ways is cyberbullying a serious problem, and how is it different than bullying in the past?

1. Cyberbullying is just as harmful as face-to-face bullying.
2. Parents should monitor their children’s online activity more closely.
3. Schools should punish students for cyberbullying, even if it happens outside school.
4. People are more likely to say hurtful things online than in person.
5. Social media companies should do more to stop cyberbullying.
6. Blocking someone online is the best way to stop cyberbullying.
7. Cyberbullying is harder to escape than traditional bullying.
8. Some people don’t realize they are cyberbullying others.
9. Victims of cyberbullying should avoid the internet for a while.
10. Education is the most effective way to prevent cyberbullying.

“be or feel down” = be or feel sad
“James has been really down lately because he has few close friends at school.”

“pick a fight” = start a fight
“Some of the kids are always trying to pick a fight with our son for unknown reasons.”

Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:

• speak up (phrasal verb): speak without fear or hesitation
  – People need to speak up against bullying when they see it happen.
• bully (verb): treat someone badly in action or words
  – Why do you always bully Brandon? He hasn’t done anything to you.
• tease (verb): make fun of
  – Some of the kids in my class are always teasing my sister, and I can’t get them to stop.
• nasty (adjective): terrible
  – I can’t believe kids post such nasty messages on Facebook.
• principal (noun): manager or director of a school
  – The principal spoke to all of the kids at school about the problems of cyberbullying.
• anxious (adjective): nervous
  – Brittany feels very anxious about going to school these days.
• improve (verb): make better
  – If you want to improve the environment for kids at school, you have to speak out about the problems of bullying.

Have you (or someone you know) ever experienced bullying at school or in your neighborhood? If so, explain the situation, how you felt, and how things turned out for you. Have you bullied someone in any big or small way? Why did you do it? What led you to stop at some point (if you did stop)?

Use the internet to find information on these questions:

1. How is bullying in person different from cyberbullying (for example, you can cyberbullying someone else 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)?
2. What are the effects of cyberbullying on people?
3. What are the warning signs of cyberbullying?
4. What are ways in which people are cyberbullied on the internet?
5. What can people do to protect themselves from cyberbullying?
6. Are boys or girls more likely to bully other kids? Explain.
7. Are people who are bullied more likely to suffer from depression or die by suicide?