Unit 17: Fears

Developing Tactics for Listening, 3rd Edition » Unit 17: Fears

Word List

bats
biology
brake
button
coat
cockroaches
confidence
creepy
downstairs
drown
engineer
freeways
frightened
garden
heights
hose
insect
jellyfish
lab
land (n.)
mice
nearly
nervous
poisonous
realize
scream
seaweed
shark
snakes
spiders
traffic
waves
Are you afraid of anything?
be afraid of
be terrified of (something)
don't mind (something)
get on (a plane, a bus, etc.)
get stuck
knock (someone) over
roller coasters
scuba diving
step on (something)
swim laps
take care of (oneself)

Vocabulary Worksheet

‣ Use the words in the box to complete the crossword.

a. brake
b. confidence
c. creepy
d. drown
e. engineer
f. nearly
g. nervous
h. realize
i. seaweed
j. scream

ACROSS	DOWN
2. the feeling that you can do something well _____	1. almost _____
5. to become aware of something _____	3. person who uses science to solve practical problems _____
7. worred, anxious _____	4. plants that grow in the ocean _____
9. causing a feeling of unease _____	6. to die by swallowing water _____
	8. make a loud, high noise with your voice _____
	9. a jacket _____

Answer Key

Are you afraid of any of the things below? Check (x) your answers and compare them with a partner.

	Yes	No
heights	⁽¹⁾ _____	⁽²⁾_____
riding roller coasters	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____
spiders	⁽⁵⁾_____	⁽⁶⁾_____
snakes	⁽⁷⁾_____	⁽⁸⁾_____
mice	⁽⁹⁾_____	⁽¹⁰⁾_____
bats	⁽¹¹⁾_____	⁽¹²⁾_____
small spaces	⁽¹³⁾_____	⁽¹⁴⁾_____
scuba diving	⁽¹⁵⁾_____	⁽¹⁶⁾_____
flying on airplanes	⁽¹⁷⁾_____	⁽¹⁸⁾_____
driving on freeways	⁽¹⁹⁾_____	⁽²⁰⁾_____
cockroaches	⁽²¹⁾_____	⁽²²⁾_____
other: ___	⁽²³⁾_____	⁽²⁴⁾_____

Listening 1

Listening 1 ‣ What is happening in these pictures? Listen and number the pictures.

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

Listening 2

‣ Task 1

Look at the picture. What is she doing?

People are describing fears. Has each speaker's fear decreased over the years? Listen and check (x) the correct answer.

- yes
- no
- yes
- no
- yes
- no
- yes
- no
- yes
- no
- yes
- no

‣ Task 2

Listen again. Circle the correct statement.

- a. She loved going to the zoo when she was a kid.
- b. She was given a kitten for her birthday.
- a. A snake tried to bite her while she was hiking.
- b. A snake bit her at the zoo.
- a. His friend hated spiders.
- b. He studied spiders in college.
- a. He learned how to swim.
- b. He went to the beach often when he was a kid.
- a. His friend was in a car accident.
- b. He was in a car accident.
- a. She learned to fly a plane.
- b. An airplane engineer explained how planes stay in the air.

Listening 3

‣ Task 1

People are talking about their fears. Is each statement true or false? Listen and check (x) the correct answer.

	True	False
1.
a. He has never had bad experiences in elevators.	⁽¹⁾ _____	⁽²⁾
b. He doesn't like the feeling of not being able to get out.	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____
2.
a. She is afraid of waves.	⁽⁵⁾_____	⁽⁶⁾_____
b. She likes pools because there are lots of people around.	⁽⁷⁾_____	⁽⁸⁾_____
3.
a. She is afraid of cats.	⁽⁹⁾_____	⁽¹⁰⁾_____
b. She has been chased by birds.	⁽¹¹⁾_____	⁽¹²⁾_____
4.
a. He doesn't mind looking out of windows on high floors.	⁽¹³⁾_____	⁽¹⁴⁾_____
b. He doesn't like flying.	⁽¹⁵⁾_____	⁽¹⁶⁾_____

‣ Task 2

Listen again. What problem does the fear cause for each person? Circle the correct answer.

- a. He can never use elevators.
- b. He hates using stairs.
- c. He has to use the elevator with someone else.
- a. She can't swim in a pool.
- b. She can't swim inthe ocean.
- c. She can't be in crowds.
- a. She can't visit her friend with a bird.
- b. She can't visit her friend with a cat.
- c. She can't visit the beach with her friends.
- a. He can't work in a tall building.
- b. He never travels.
- c. He can't do some fun things with his kids.

✺ Pronunciation

Sentence stress

Pronunciation Help

Tap your desk as you say the sentences. It will help you hear which words and syllables are stressed.

‣ Task 1

Listen and repeat.

1. Ónce, I sát next to an áirplane enginéer.
2. Whén I was a kíd, I got stúck in an élevator.
3. Áfter we were in the áir for a whíle, I félt a lot bétter.
4. Thén when I wént to cosllege, I leárned about spíders.

‣ Task 2

Read the sentences to a partner. Be sure to stress the correct words and syllables.

✺ Dictation

‣ Task 1

Listen to the conversation. Write the missing words.

A: Are you afraid of anything?
B: Yes. I'm afraid of elevators. Once, when I was a kid, I got stuck in ⁽¹⁾_____ ⁽²⁾_____.
A: So what do you do when you have to take an elevator?
B: I try to ⁽³⁾_____ ⁽⁴⁾_____ ⁽⁵⁾_____! How about you?
A: I was afraid of insects when I was a kid/
B: How did you stop being ⁽⁶⁾_____ ⁽⁷⁾_____ insects?
A: When I was in college, I studied insects in a ⁽⁸⁾_____ ⁽⁹⁾_____. Now, I'm not afraid at all. In fact, I think ⁽¹⁰⁾_____ ⁽¹¹⁾_____ ⁽¹²⁾_____!

‣ Task 2

Practice the conversation with a partner. Be sure to stress the correct words and syllables.

✺ Conversation

Work in pairs. Think of something that you were afraid of when you were a child. Ask and answer questions about what you were afraid of. Tell your partner if you're still afraid of it now.

Answer Key

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