Unit 16: Phone Messages

Expanding Tactics for Listening, 3rd Edition » Unit 16: Phone Messages

Word List

absent
angry
apologetic
aplogy
appointment
congratulations
damage
excited
from (a company)
haircut
invitation
join (someone)
late
pleased
promotion
remind
reminder
repairs
request
scared
shampoo
suggestion
unfortunately
worried
any longer
at home
at the bank
at the mall
don't bother (doing something)
hard drive
in a meeting
in class
make it (attend)
on vacation
pass along (a message)
stepped out
tired up

Vocabulary Worksheet

‣ Part 1: Read the definitions and unscramble the words below.

a. appointment
b. congratulations
c. remind
d. suggestion
e. request
f. absent
g. damage
h. tired up
i. pleased
j. scared

to help someone remember something
nimerd _____
to break or cause harm to something
magade _____
an agreed-on date to meet with someone
noptampient _____
an idea that is recommended
gistugenso _____
to be busy doing something
udit pe _____
an expression of happiness for someone else's good fortune
rastioncuglotan _____
not there
nsaetb _____
satisfied with something
saplede _____
to ask for something
sterque _____
afraid
dercas _____

‣ Part 2: Complete the sentences. Use the words from Part 1.

a. appointment
b. congratulations
c. remind
d. suggestion
e. request
f. absent
g. damage
h. tired up
i. pleased
j. scared

Did the accident _____ your car?
I am _____ of flying, so I usually take the train.
Mike was very _____ with the goo grade he got on the test.
She offered her _____ to John when she heard about his raise.
At the meeting, I made a _____ about how to improve sales.
I was running late for my _____ with the doctor.
Jason was so _____ with schoolwork that he didn't have time to eat.
Ann was _____ from school because she had a cold.
She promised to _____ me to take out the garbage if I forgot.
I had to _____ another application, since I spilled coffee on the first.

Answer Key

Match the callers on the left with the messages on the right

What's your name?
Tony and Sue called _____
A classmate called _____
The dentist's office called _____

a. to ask about yesterday's homework.
b. to say the estimate for repairs is $475.
c. to invite you to a party on Saturday.
d. to remind you of your appointment.

Listening 1

Listening 1 ‣ People are leaving voicemail messages. Why are they calling? Listen and circle the correct answer.

- a. to say congratulations
- b. to make a suggestion
- a to give an invitation
- b. to make an apology
- a. to make an offer
- b. to give a reminder
- a. to make a request
- b. to make an apology
- a. to give a reminder
- b. to make a suggestion
- a. to give an invitation
- b. to say congratulations

Listening 2

‣ Task 1

People are leaving voicemail messages. Listen and number the pictures.

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

‣ Task 2

Listen again. How does each caller sound? Circle the correct answer.

Olivia sounds _____.
- a. pleased
- b. angry
- c. apologetic
Nathan sounds _____.
- a. scared
- b. apologetic
- c. excited
Anne sounds _____.
- a. apologetic
- b. excited
- c. pleased
Brandon King sounds _____.
- a. angry
- b. bored
- c. apologetic
Emily sounds _____.
- a. excited
- b. angry
- c. worried
Mrs. Parker sounds _____.
- a. apologetic
- b. scared
- c. angry

Listening 3

‣ Task 1

People are leaving voicemail messages. Are these details correct or incorrect? Listen and check the correct answer.

	Correct	Incorrect
1.
caller: Julie	⁽¹⁾	⁽²⁾
phone number: 834-6627	⁽³⁾_____	⁽⁴⁾_____
message: Please change your appointment to 10:30.	⁽⁵⁾_____	⁽⁶⁾_____
2.
caller: Brian from the bank	⁽⁷⁾_____	⁽⁸⁾_____
phone number: 447-7316	⁽⁹⁾_____	⁽¹⁰⁾_____
message: The shoes you ordered will be in next week.	⁽¹¹⁾_____	⁽¹²⁾_____
3.
caller: Jeff Lee	⁽¹³⁾_____	⁽¹⁴⁾_____
phone number: 627-6002	⁽¹⁵⁾_____	⁽¹⁶⁾_____
message: He will be late to Spanish class tonight.	⁽¹⁷⁾_____	⁽¹⁸⁾_____
4.
caller: Jessica Brown from Kim's Salon	⁽¹⁹⁾_____	⁽²⁰⁾_____
phone number: 867-5539	⁽²¹⁾_____	⁽²²⁾_____
message: You can come in on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. for a haircut.	⁽²³⁾_____	⁽²⁴⁾_____

‣ Task 2

Listen again. Where is the person each caller asks for? Circle the correct answer.

- a. at lunch
- b. in a meeting
- c. on vacation
- a. in a meeting
- b. at home
- c. at lunch
- a. in class
- b. at lunch
- c. at home
- a. on vacation
- b. at the mall
- c. at the bank

✺ Pronunciation

Reduction of going to and want to

Pronunciation Help
How we spell it	How we say it
going to	gonna
want to	wanna

‣ Task 1

Listen and repeat.

1. I'm not going to wait any longer.
2. We're going to go to the mall.
3. I'm not going to be able to make it to class tonight.
4. Do you want to come over?
5. Let me know when you want to come in?
6. I don't want to bother him.

‣ Task 2

Read the sentences to a partner. Be sure to reduce going to and want to.

✺ Dictation

‣ Task 1

Listen to the conversation. Write the missing words.

A: Hi, Michelle. This is Sam. ⁽¹⁾_____ ⁽²⁾_____ ⁽³⁾_____ with Ben?
B: Hi, Sam. No, I'm sorry. He's not home right now.
A: Do you know when he'll be back?
B: He's ⁽⁴⁾_____ ⁽⁵⁾_____ ⁽⁶⁾_____ our for several hours. Do you want to leave a message?
A: Yeah, thanks. I'm supposed to meet Ben at Cafe Joan for lunch at noon tomorrow. But I have a doctor's appointment, so ⁽⁷⁾_____ ⁽⁸⁾_____ ⁽⁹⁾_____ be a few minutes late.
B: Do you know what time you're going to be there?
A: I'll try to get there as soon as I can. I ⁽¹⁰⁾_____ ⁽¹¹⁾_____ ⁽¹²⁾_____ by 12:30.

‣ Task 2

Practice the conversation with a partner. Be sure to reduce going to and want to.

✺ Conversation

Work in pairs. Imagine you're calling a friend's house and they aren't home. Leave a message for them.

Answer Key

Favorite Books

Basic Tactics for Listening, 3rd Edition

Tactics for Listening Third Edition is an activity-rich listening course with proven success in building skills in listening and conversation. Now with Tactics for Testing, it provides plenty of practice in testing and exam techniques. The result is confident listeners - and exam success.

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