Unit 10: The Family

Basic Tactics for Listening, 3rd Edition » Unit 10: The Family

Word List

aunt
cage
countryside
cousin
grandmother
grandparents
great-grandfather
just
library
nephew
niece
older
oldest
only child
parrots
software
twins
uncle
wild
youngest
be really into (something)
bird watching
boss (someone) around
free time
in the middle
look like (somebody)
looks young for (60)
on the right/left

Vocabulary Worksheet

‣ Choose the correct word for the blank in each sentence.

My _____ Julie is my mom's sister.
- a. aunt
- b. niece
- c. cousin
- d. nephew
Norman's _____ is still alive. He's 103!
- a. nephew
- b. great-grandfather
- c. son
- d. aunt
Anna and Rita are _____. They look exactly alike.
- a. cousins
- b. only children
- c. twins
- d. grandparents
I only have one _____ - my aunt Mary's daughter.
- a. cousin
- b. uncle
- c. niece
- d. nephew
Chris' _____ Jim is his dad's brother.
- a. great-grandfather
- b. nephew
- c. grandparent
- d. uncle
Nancy is the _____. She's 17 and her brother is 21.
- a. only child
- b. twin
- c. youngest
- d. nephew
Timothy is an _____, but he's always wanted a brother or a sister.
- a. twin
- b. cousin
- c. only child
- d. oldest
As the _____ child in the family, Tina helps watch her little brothers and sisters.
- a. youngest
- b. twin
- c. niece
- d. oldest
Your parents' parents are your _____
- a. great-grandfathers
- b. uncles
- c. nephews
- d. grandparents
My sister just had a baby girl, so now I have a _____.
- a. cousin
- b. aunt
- c. niece
- d. nephew

Answer Key

Write the correct word.

My mother's sister is my .
My father's brother is my _____.
My parents' parents are my _____.
My uncle's son or daughter is my _____.
My brother or sister's son is my _____.
My brother or sister's daughter is my _____.
My husband or wife's mother is my _____.
My grandmother or grandfather's father is my _____.

a. uncle
b. great-grandfather
c. cousin
d. aunt
e. grandparents
f. niece
g. nephew
h. mother-in-law

Listening 1

‣ People are talking about their families. Listen and number the pictures.

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

Listening 2

‣ Task 1

People are talking about their families. How many brothers and sisters does each person have? Listen and write the numbers.

	Older brothers	Younger brothers	Older sisters	Younger sisters
1. Natalie	⁽¹⁾	⁽²⁾	⁽¹⁾	⁽²⁾
2. Abby	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____
3. Ben	⁽⁵⁾_____	⁽⁶⁾_____	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____
4. Rosie	⁽⁷⁾_____	⁽⁸⁾_____	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____
5. Tim	⁽⁹⁾_____	⁽¹⁰⁾_____	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____

‣ Task 2

Listen again. What does each person say about family? Circle the correct answer.

Natalie would like to have _____.
- a. brothers
- b. sisters
- c. cousins
Abby's brother is a _____.
- a. teacher
- b. student
- c. professor
Ben's sister _____ bosses him around.
- a. never
- b. sometimes
- c. always
Rosie's friend would like to come from a _____ family.
- a. small
- b. big
- c. medium-sized
Tim is _____ child.
- a. an only
- b. a lonely
- c. one

Listening 3

‣ Task 1

People are talking about themselves and their families. Which family member is the speaker most similar to? Listen and check (x) the correct answer.

	Father	Mother	Sister	Brother
1. Wen-ping	⁽¹⁾	⁽²⁾	⁽³⁾	⁽⁴⁾
2. Michael	⁽⁵⁾_____	⁽⁶⁾_____	⁽⁷⁾_____	⁽⁸⁾_____
3. Justin	⁽⁹⁾_____	⁽¹⁰⁾_____	⁽¹¹⁾_____	⁽¹²⁾_____
4. Hannah	⁽¹³⁾_____	⁽¹⁴⁾_____	⁽¹⁵⁾_____	⁽¹⁶⁾_____
5. Robert	⁽¹⁷⁾_____	⁽¹⁸⁾_____	⁽¹⁹⁾_____	⁽²⁰⁾_____
6. Elizabeth	⁽²¹⁾_____	⁽²²⁾_____	⁽²³⁾_____	⁽²⁴⁾_____

‣ Task 2

Listen again. How is each family member different from the speaker? Write the correct letter.

Wen-ping's brother .
Michael's brother _____.
Justin's sister _____.
Hannah's father _____.
Robert's sister _____.
Elizabeth's father _____.

a. likes sports
b. likes reading and music
c. is taller than the father
d. prefers to play cards
e. hates flying
f. isn't interested in music

✺ Pronunciation

Reduction of do, does, and are

‣ Pronunciation Help
How we spell it	How we say it
Do you	Doya
Who do you	Whodaya
What does he	Whaduzzee
What are	Whadder

‣ Task 1

Listen and repeat.

1. Do you have any brothers?
2. What does he do?
3. Who do you look like?
4. What are their names?

‣ Task 2

Read the questions to a partner. Be sure to reduce do, does, and are.

✺ Dictation

‣ Task 1

Listen to the conversation. Write the missing words.

A: ⁽¹⁾_____ ⁽²⁾_____ have a big family, Eva?
B: Kind of. I have a younger brother and an older sister.
A: Really? ⁽³⁾_____ old are they?
B: Let's see... my brother is eighteen and my sister is twenty-five.
A: Oh. ⁽⁴⁾_____ ⁽⁵⁾_____ your sister do?
B: She's a chef.
A: A chef? What a cool job! How do ⁽⁶⁾_____ ⁽⁷⁾_____ her food?
B: I haven't tried it, actually. She lives in California.

‣ Task 2

Practice the conversation with a partner. Be sure to reduce do, does, and are.

✺ Conversation

Work in pairs. Ask and answer questions about your families.

Answer Key

Favorite Books

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