Divorce Lawyers - Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Level:	Topic:	Speakers:	Length:
difficult	divorce	man and woman	3:07

Pre-Listening Exercise

What are several reasons why some relationships end in divorce? When there is conflict, what are some ways in repairing and enhancing marital relationships? Are there times when a divorce lawyer may be needed to settle family disputes or breakups?

Speak Up, Take a Stand! Instructions for Getting the Conversation Started

These statements are designed to get everyone thinking, moving, and talking! The goal is to explore ideas, share opinions, and get ready for the next part of the lesson.

In a face-to-face classroom: Read each statement aloud. If you agree, move to one side of the room; if you disagree, move to the other. Talk with your group—why do you feel that way? Then, pair students with members of the other group and have students explain their reasons. Rotate partners for more practice.
In an online classroom: Use polls, emojis, or the chat box in your online platform to show your opinion. Then, join the conversation as a group or in breakout rooms. What do others think? Do you agree or disagree with them?
For independent learners: Read each statement and think about your opinion. Then say your answer out loud and explain your reason, as if you’re talking to a classmate. This helps you get ready to speak and join real conversations in English. Consider recording your ideas and self-assess your progress.

Staying in an unhappy marriage is worse than getting a divorce.
Children are always better off if their parents stay together.
It’s possible to remain good friends after a divorce.
Financial problems are one of the biggest causes of divorce.
Couples should go to therapy before deciding to separate.
Some people rush into marriage without knowing their partner well enough.
Divorce is more difficult for women than for men.
Divorce is more accepted today than in the past.
It’s better to be alone than in a difficult relationship.
Social media puts extra pressure on modern relationships.

Idioms

“divorce yourself from” = separate yourself completely from something
“Unless you divorce yourself from your work, you’ll never have time for your wife and family.”

“part ways” = separate or break up
“We decided to part ways instead of getting married. There were just too many differences between us.”

Listening Exercise

A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

Vocabulary Practice

Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:

Mixed-Up Sentence | Multiple-Choice Questions | Sentence and Vocabulary Matching

Post-Listening Exercise

Some people assume that love often diminishes over time in a relationship; however, what are at least three things that couples can do to maintain and enhance a loving relationship, whether you have been together for one week or fifty years?

Online Investigation

When problems surface in a relationship, it is often the tendency to talk about our problems with family and friends. However, in many cases, these people might not be the best people with whom to discuss problems because they lack the training to provide the right type of counseling. Therefore, what resources are available in your local community that offer marriage or relationship counseling? Are there any stereotypes or stigmas associated with getting outside help to help people in relationships? Use the Internet to research these questions.

See Listening Script

Back to Difficult Quizzes

General Listening Quiz