General Listening Quiz

What things can parents do to strengthen the relationship with their children? Some people go hiking or do outdoor activities; other people watch movies or go to amusement parks. Discuss your ideas. 

1. 1. Hiking in the mountains is better than hiking near the beach.
   2. Hiking alone is more enjoyable than hiking with a group.
   3. Modern hiking gear is not really necessary for most hikes.
   4. National parks should limit the number of hikers each day.
   5. Hiking is more about enjoying nature than about exercise.
   6. Technology (like phones and GPS) makes hiking safer, but also less adventurous.
   7. Camping overnight makes a hiking trip better than a day hike.
   8. It is more important to protect hiking trails than to make them easier to use.
   9. Some people say hiking is boring compared to other outdoor sports.
   10. Hiking should be free for everyone, with no entrance or park fees.

“get ahead” = become successful in your business or career
“Often, people give up time with their families to get ahead in life.”

“control/hold the purse strings” = control the money in a family
“My wife is much better at managing our finances, so she controls the purse strings.”

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

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

• make something of oneself (idiom): become successful in a career or other activity
  – My dad never thought I would make something of myself because I didn’t graduate from a prestigious university, but I proved him wrong.
• get ahead (phrasal verb): become successful in the business world
  – If you want to get ahead in life, you have to set clear goals.
• realize (verb): understand the importance of something
  – Many young married couples don’t realize how challenging raising children can be until they have children of their own.
• recall (verb): remember something from the past
  – I can’t recall a time when my parents argued in front of me and my brothers.
• focus on (verb): pay careful and direct attention to a particular person or thing
  – When people focus too much on their careers, they sometimes neglect their family’s needs.
• distraction (noun): something that takes your attention away from another activity
  – Watching too much TV can be a big distraction from building a good relationship with children.
• off the top of your head (idiom): think of something immediately without preparation
  – I felt really embarrassed when I couldn’t remember her name off the top of my head.

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

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

Are there outdoor activities like hiking, biking, or camping that you enjoy doing with your family? What things can families do together to strengthen the family relationship? Discuss these topics with a partner and see if your families do similar activities.

Use the internet to find five places where families can spend time together in your area or in a city or country where you want to visit. Answer these questions:

1. What are the names of these places?
2. What activities can you do there?
3. How much does it cost to visit these places?