16 Listening
Before You Listen
Complete these pre-listening activities to help you recognize how relationships and status affect how people talk about following rules.
Social Conventions Around Rules and Obligations 
Some people care a lot about whether rules are flexible or not. These people might feel strongly that rules are not flexible and should never be changed. Read the six rules below. Which rules or obligations sound inflexible or unchangeable? Which rules sound more flexible?
Place the number of each sentence below along the scale to show how flexible or inflexible you think the rule is.
- You had better not keep secrets from your significant other.
- You should bring a small present when you visit someone’s house.
- You can put that bottle in the recycling bin.
- You have to put that bottle in the recycling bin.
- You can’t use her cellphone unless you ask.
- You cannot use her cellphone unless you ask.
Vocabulary
In Chapter 1, there are some homographs, words that sound and are spelled the same although the meanings are different. In this chapter, some words also have multiple meanings. The pronunciation and spelling are the same, but the meanings may be slightly different or not at all the same.
The word DELICATE has several meanings. In each sentence below indicate the word that could be replaced by DELICATE
- Leela has a very refined sense of taste and smell.
- This dish requires a very careful balance between many spices.
- The flavour of saffron is so light that Leela almost didn’t notice it at first.
- The relationship between Claire and her new neighbours is very fragile; one misunderstanding could ruin it.
- Claire is involved in very careful conversations with her neighbour, Ivan, about the electric poles.
- When made correctly, Leela’s sauce is a very light yellow colour.
Predictions
In the next activity, you will hear Roshan and Leela talking about family rules and obligations and cultural rules.
Predict the answers to these questions before you listen.
- Roshan’s sister, Priya, doesn’t want to follow a family or cultural custom. What do you think their mother, Leela, will say to encourage Priya to follow the rule? Will Leela be direct or soft?
- Roshan will ask his mother to keep a secret from his father. Do you think Leela will agree to keep the secret? Why or why not?
- If Leela does not agree to keep Roshan’s secret, how will she tell Roshan? Will she be direct or soft?
- Roshan is considering borrowing money to replace his stolen tools and pay for his boss’s tires. Do you think he will ask his mother, father, sister, friend, or a bank to loan him money? Explain your reasons.
Listening 1
Listen in on a private conversation. Notice how family members talk about keeping or breaking rules.
After You Listen
Comprehension
Complete the activity below to check your listening comprehension.
Strategy: Recognizing Facts
Listen again.
Choose True (T) or False (F) for each statement.
- How do you know it is true or false?
Be ready to discuss evidence to support your answers.
| T | F | 1. Priya wants her mother, Leela, to break the law |
| T | F | 2. Leela wants Priya to follow some of their culture’s traditions and rules. |
| T | F | 3. Leela will send Priya some family recipes. |
| T | F | 4. Leela totally agrees with her parents about strictly following rules and traditions. |
| T | F | 5. Roshan is uncomfortable asking his mother to borrow money. |
| T | F | 6. Roshan wants his mother to keep a secret from his father. |
| T | F | 7. Leela is willing to keep a secret from her husband. |
| T | F | 8. Leela thinks it’s a good idea to borrow money from friends. |
Vocabulary
Strategy: Inferring Meaning from Context
Listen while reading short parts of the Listening 1 conversation.
Use the words of both speakers to choose the best meaning of the expressions in bold.
1. “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it, Mom?” means
a) the apples in the garden are ready for picking
b) your children are very similar to you
c) children should stay close to their parents
2. “I’m on the hook” means
a) I’m guilty
b) I’m responsible
c) I’m caught
3. “Insurance will cover my tools” means insurance will
a) protect all of Roshan’s tools
b) pay for any new tools Roshan buys to replace the stolen ones
c) send Roshan the amount he had paid for his tools
3. “Reimburse” means
a) pay for
b) repay
c) charge
Listening 2
Listen to another personal conversation. Notice how two acquaintances talk about social obligations.
After You Listen
Comprehension
Strategy: Recognizing Meaning from Direct and Indirect Clues
Complete the activity below to check your listening comprehension.
1. Choose the best answer. Why is Nick at the campground?
a) He wants Claire’s advice.
b) He’s looking for a place to stay the night.
c) He wants to drive Roshan home.
d) He wants to give something to Roshan.
2. Choose all that are true. What is frustrating Claire?
a) The campground has too many rules.
b) She’s having difficulty enforcing the campground rules.
c) Claire doesn’t want to follow her neighbours’ rules.
d) Campers are ignoring many of her rules.
3. Choose the best answer. What reason does Nick give for feeling nervous?
a) He’s getting married soon.
b) He’s late for dinner at Daniel’s parents’ house.
c) He’s meeting Daniel’s family for the first time.
d) Daniel’s parents don’t like him.
4. Choose all that are true. What are some reasons Claire asks permission to give Nick advice?
a) She’s his mother.
b) They are discussing Nick’s personal matters.
c) Nick doesn’t ask for Claire’s advice.
d) Nick and Claire just met and don’t know each other well.
5. Choose all that are true. What social rules does Claire talk about with Nick?
a) Bringing a gift when you visit someone’s house
b) Doing the dishes
c) Talking about religion and politics
d) Throwing bottles into recycling bins.
6. Choose all that are true. Why is Claire enforcing the campground rules?
a) These rules are provincial and federal laws for all parks.
b) She volunteered to follow these rules.
c) She is concerned about safety after Roshan saw a bear.
d) The police told her to.
Vocabulary
Strategy: Recognizing Cognates, or Word Families
For more information on Word Families, refer to page 29 in Chapter 1.
Choose the best answers
1. The thought of seeing a bear or wild animals in the woods causes some people _______________.
a) anxious
b) anxiety
c) unanxious
2. If you see a bear, stay calm. If you become too ________________, the bear might attack you.
a) anxious
b) anxiety
c) unanxious
3. At the campground, your pets and children must always be ________________ by an adult.
a) attended
b) attention
c) unattended
4. __________________ food at the campground might attract wild animals.
a) Attended
b) Attention
c) Unattended
5. Officer Dana Mills is on the police force. She works in law _________________________.
a) enforce
b) enforcement
c) unenforceable
6. Campground owners like Claire try to _________________ important rules.
a) enforce
b) enforcement
c) unenforceable
Discussion
NOTICE the kinds of rules Leela and Claire mention in their conversations.
Which are family rules, which are social rules, which are cultural rules, and which are more official, written rules?
COMPARE how Leela and Claire talk about social rules with Roshan and Nick.
How do they adjust their language to be more direct or soft?
Why do you think Leela and Claire adjust how they speak about rules?
FIND rules Leela or Claire mention that are similar to or different from rules in your family or culture. Are there any rules that are not clear or make you feel uncomfortable?
Are there any rules that are more familiar?
Are there any rules that surprised you?
Share some reasons why you think or feel this way.
TALK about how you feel about Claire enforcing campground rules or about campers ignoring rules. Claire reminds campers of every rule they must follow. Campers don’t follow all the rules.
What is your perception of Claire and the campers?
Why do you feel this way?
TALK about how you feel about Leela’s family rules.
Leela reminds her son that healthy relationships have rules.
What might be a consequence if Leela keeps secrets from her husband?
IDENTIFY ways that Leela and Claire talk about rules.
Does each woman speak more directly or more softly?
Place the circle for Leela 
and the circle for Claire 
along the scale to match the way each one speaks.
Listening Progress Check
Test your understanding of official and social obligations by listening to a set of short audio recordings and a conversation.
Answer the questions below while you listen. Listen as many times as you need to.
Part A
You will hear three statements. Choose the sentence below that most closely restates the meaning of each obligation.
1.
a) You must pick up a form at this station.
b) You must submit the report in the county where the crime happened.
c) You don’t have to pick up a form.
2.
a) The police must contact you to ask you for more information.
b) The police have to send you information about your report.
c) The police are not obligated to contact you if they don’t need more information.
3.
a) You don’t have to write your nickname.
b) You must write only your nickname.
c) You must not make any changes or mistakes when you write your name.
Part B
Listen to a conversation between Gilles and Claire in Claire’s office. Choose all answers that are true.
1. What “rules” did Claire break?
a) She answered Gilles’ phone without his permission.
b) She made a decision that was not hers to make.
c) She banned Del Jacobs from coming to the festival.
d) She let Del Jacobs register for free.
2. Del Jacobs is “banned” from performing at music festivals. This kind of rule means that
a) the police or a judge decided Del can’t perform at festivals
b) festival organizers decided that Del can’t perform at festivals
c) Gilles decided that Del can’t perform at the folk festival
d) Maskwa residents decided Del shouldn’t perform at festivals
3. What kind of rules did Claire break?
a) Government
b) Family
c) Campground
d) Social
4. What are the consequences of Claire’s rule breaking?
a) Gilles is angry and feels disrespected.
b) Del Jacobs is angry and feels disrespected.
c) The police will give Claire a fine.
d) The festival will be cancelled.
