| Level | Topic | Speakers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very Difficult | Senior Citizens | Man | 02:48 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
What are the greatest issues facing senior citizens in the future in your country?
- Seniors are happier living near family than in assisted living communities.
- Assisted living homes offer better care than family members can provide.
- People should start planning for senior care in their 40s or 50s.
- Living alone in old age is dangerous.
- Seniors who stay socially active live longer and healthier lives.
- Technology is making life easier for many older adults.
- Exercise is just as important for seniors as it is for young people.
- Many seniors feel more independent in assisted living than living with family.
- Growing old in your own home is the best option for everyone.
- Senior citizens are often forgotten or ignored by society.
Idioms
“touch and go” = critical situation where something bad might happen
“It was touch and go for a few days after the accident, but I think my grandfather is going to be okay.”
“hand to mouth” = with barely enough money to live and buy food
“Some seniors live hand to mouth every month because they lack a steady source of income.”
Listening Exercise
Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)
Vocabulary and Sample Sentences
Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:
-
numerous (adjective): many
– There were numerous articles in the paper on that problem. -
preface (verb): to introduce or begin
– The manager prefaced his presentation with the minutes from the last meeting. -
prospect (noun): the anticipation that something might happen
– His prospects aren’t very good for getting a job because he lacks the needed skills. -
traumatic (adjective): very upsetting or difficult
– Because of air pollution, we have seen some very traumatic changes in the environment.. -
limb (noun): a part of the body, like an arm or leg
– Many artificial limbs have been prepared for. -
severed (off) (verb): cut off completely
– The two businesses severed negotiations after they couldn’t agree on any of the important issues. -
lexicon (noun): vocabulary
– Expanding your lexicon in this technical field will help you a great deal. -
to be elated (verb): very happy or excited
– They were elated to hear the good news. -
discard (verb): to throw away, to dispose of
– The fish in this river are dying because local industries have been reckless in discarding their waste materials.
Post-Listening Exercise
One of the growing concerns around the world is the aging population of seniors and how to care for them in the future. At the same time, many seniors want control over their own futures and want to live comfortably during their golden years. Now, there are a growing number of assisted living centers for seniors in some areas of the world. However, do most people rather live with family in their latter years or take care of themselves in a senior citizen center? How does your culture view the care of the elderly?