| Level | Topic | Speakers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficult | Fishing | Man – Woman | 02:03 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
Is fishing a common recreational activity where you live? Why or why not? What special techniques or equipment do you need to catch fish and lots of them?
- Fishing is a peaceful and relaxing activity.
- People should only fish if they plan to eat what they catch.
- Fishing is an important tradition in many cultures.
- Children should learn how to fish from a young age.
- Overfishing is a serious problem that needs stronger laws.
- Fishing with friends is better than fishing alone.
- Using live bait is cruel and should be avoided.
- Everyone who fishes should be required to have a license.
- Fishing is more about spending time in nature than catching fish.
- Fish farming is a better option than fishing in the wild.
Idioms
“fish story” = a big lie
“He didn’t graduate from Harvard University. That’s just a big fish story.”
“fish out of water” = to be out of place in an uncomfortable situation – (See Idiom Lesson)
“My brother doesn’t dance at all, so he felt like a fish out of water at last night’s party.”
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:
- brag (verb): to talk about yourself or others in a way that shows too much pride
– My brother always brags about his soccer skills, but he really isn’t that good of a player. - drag (verb): to pull something heavy or difficult to move
– A huge fish tried to drag me into the water
– It took us a few minutes to drag the boat out of the water. - pole (noun): a long slender piece of bamboo, fiberglass, or other material that is used to catch fish
– My fishing pole broke when I tried to bring in the giant catfish. - cast (verb): to throw something like food into the water by hand or with a fishing pole
– My son couldn’t cast his fishing line very far, so I helped him most of the time yesterday. - bait (noun): food or other material used to attract fish or animals
– What kind of bait did you use to catch that fish? - snag (verb): to catch or get caught on something
– I tore my shirt when it got snagged on a tree branch. - huge (adjective): very large
– My brother owns a huge fishing boat that he uses to catch tuna and swordfish off the coast.
Post-Listening Exercise
Describe a time when you went fishing. Where did you go? What did you catch? What kind of bait did you use? Did you keep the fish or did you release them?
Online Investigation
Imagine that you want to go on a fishing vacation in the United States. Use the internet to find information on these questions:
- What is the name of the place you want to go?
- What is included in the fishing vacation (e.g., accommodations, fishing gear, transportation, etc.)
- How long is the fishing trip?
- What amount of experience do you need on this fishing trip (e.g., for beginners, intermediate, or advanced)?
- How much does the trip cost?