1. Listen. Answer the questions.
a Why is Claire stressed out?
_______________________
b Why does Sam tell her a joke?
_______________________
c Is Claire less stressed now?
_______________________
d Do you think laughter is a good thing when you are stressed?
_______________________
e Claire did not find the joke funny. Did you?
_______________________
Answers
Sample answers:
a She is taking her exams / She has exams.
b To make her laugh / To help her relax / To help with her stress.
c No, she is still stressed / No, and she doesn’t think the joke is funny.
Audioscripts
SAM: Hey Claire. What’s up? You don’t look very happy.
CLAIRE: It’s all these exams! I’m really stressed out.
SAM: Then you need to laugh.
CLAIRE: Laugh? You’re joking.
SAM: No, I’m not. Laughter is good for you! And it’s good for stress – like before an exam.
CLAIRE: Oh yeah?
SAM: Yeah, I can show you. I’ve got a joke.
CLAIRE: Oh, not now Sam. I really have tons to do.
SAM: Listen, listen, listen. There’s this pilot flying happily along in his plane, right? When suddenly one of his engines catches fire. He looks out of the window and all he can see is the fire. Wow! Terrible. He shouts ‘mayday! mayday!’ into his radio, you know, to ask for help.
CLAIRE: Yeah, yeah, I know what ‘mayday’ means.
SAM: Right, so a voice on the radio goes ‘This is the control tower. Please state your height and your position.’ And the pilot goes ‘I’m about 1.70m and I’m sitting down.’ Well?
CLAIRE: Is that it? I don’t get it.
2. Listen. Complete Sam’s explanation.
SAM: The control tower wants his (a) ………………… and his (b) …………………, right? As in 30,000 (c) ………………… . But the pilot (d) ………………… height as in ‘How (e) ………………… are you?’ And the position as in ‘Are you (f) ………………… or standing?’
CLAIRE: Yeah. Duh! But it’s not funny.
SAM: OK, but I’ve got another one. Listen. There’s this (g) ………………… and she comes into (h) ………………… …
CLAIRE: Not (i) …………………, Sam. I’ve got (j) ………………… to do.
Answers
a height b position c feet d understood
e tall f sitting g teacher h class
i now j work
Audioscripts
SAM: The control tower wants his height and his position, right? As in 30,000 feet. But the pilot understood height as in ‘How tall are you?’ And the position as in ‘Are you sitting or standing?’ Geddit?
CLAIRE: Yeah, duh! But it’s not funny.
SAM: OK, but I’ve got another one. Listen. There’s this teacher and she comes into class…
CLAIRE: Not now, Sam. I’ve got work to do.
3. Listen and put these sentences in the correct order.
___ ‘Well,’ said the bear, ‘at two dollars a glass, I’m not surprised!’
___ Everyone watched as the bear drank.
___ The barman said to the bear, ‘We don’t get many bears in this bar.’
_1_ A bear walked into a bar one day.
___ When the glass was empty, the bear put it on the table.
___ The bear asked, ‘How much is the orange juice?’
___ The people hid under the tables. They were afraid.
___ ‘Two dollars.’ Replied the barman.
___ ‘Barman!’ said the bear, ‘I’d like a glass of orange juice.’
___ Then he got off his chair and walked out the door.
Answers
The order of the sentences is: 9, 4, 6, 1, 5, 7, 2, 8, 3, 10
Audioscripts
A bear walked into a bar one day. The people hid under the tables. They were afraid. ‘Barman!’ said the bear, ‘I’d like a glass of orange juice.’ Everyone watched as the bear drank. When the glass was empty, the bear put it on the table.
The barman said to the bear, ‘We don’t get many bears in this bar.’
The bear asked, ‘How much is the orange juice?’
‘Two dollars.’ Replied the barman.
‘Well,’ said the bear, ‘at two dollars a glass, I’m not surprised!’
Then he got off his chair and walked out the door.
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