| Level: | Topic: | Speakers: | Length: |
| intermediate | saving water | man – woman | 01:04 |
[ In 1999, Randall created a listening activity on saving water, “Saving the Earth,” featuring his daughter, Aubrey, who also appears in this listening activity. She is an excellent voice talent for these activities. ]
Pre-Listening Exercise
What are three ways people waste water at home everyday? Do you do these things yourself? Explain.
Idioms
“blow someone out of the water” = destroy or defeat
“The basketball game wasn’t even close. I mean, they blew us out of the water and beat us by 60 points.”
“a fish out of water” = be out of place
“I went to the party with Sarah, but I felt like a fish out of water. I was at least 20 years older than most people there, and I had nothing in common with them.”
Listening Exercise
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
The man was in the shower for ____ minutes.
Marie: Listen. You were in the shower for more than half an hour. That is more than enough water for 10 people. I mean, don't you care about the planet? You used at least 60 gallons of water. That is a terrible waste.
The man wasted ____ gallons during his shower. (A gallon is about 3.7 liters.)
Marie: Listen. You were in the shower for more than half an hour. That is more than enough water for 10 people. I mean, don't you care about the planet? You used at least 60 gallons of water. That is a terrible waste.
His water bill was ____ last month.
Marie: Yes, yes. I timed you. Our water bill was astronomical last month. [ Really?], and you don't pay for any of it. It was a hundred and thirteen dollars ($113).
The man doesn't have a lot of money because ____.
Marie: Yes, yes. I timed you. Our water bill was astronomical last month. [ Really? ], and you don't pay for any of it. It was a hundred and thirteen dollars ($113). And it's going up. [ Really? ] I . . . I mean, I know you lost your job, but I am not made of money.
The woman suggests that her brother ____ to help them save money.
Marie: I mean, at least, maybe you could take one of your showers at the gym when you go in the morning. I . . . I don't know how you can afford gym membership when you can't pay rent.
Share your Results:
Vocabulary Practice
Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:
Post-Listening Exercise
To what degree do you waste water at home or at work? Give specific examples and discuss what you could do better to save water.
Online Investigation
Use the Internet to find answers to these questions:
- What is the source of the water that you use every day to bathe, cook, and clean (for example, snow runoff, ground water from aquifers, wells, and springs, lakes, rain water, rivers and streams)?
- How is water used in your area (for example, agriculture, in businesses / industry, in homes, for watering personal gardens, recreational facilities like pools and water parks)
- How is this water purified, if needed?
- What are the future water needs where you?
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