Unit 4: Listening Task #2
Smoking in Taiwan
| In this listening activity, we interview two former smokers. Listen to the dialogs and write down when they began smoking, and how and why they quit in the blank spaces on your listening sheets. |
|
- Dialog A - A: Sure. I started in my final year of high school. I had a lot of stress and was studying hard for the college entrance exams. Smoking helped me reduce the stress - or so I thought. . . Q: Could you explain? You don't sound actually confident. A: Well, in some ways, smoking actually increased my stress. I was nervous about getting caught. And as I increased to a pack a day, I noticed my basketball performance fell. Q: So why did you quit? A: Several reasons. I was worried about my health. My lungs are already dirty enough just from living in Taipei. Why should I make my lungs even more dirty. Also, I wanted to save money. Instead of wasting money on cigarettes, I want to save up to buy a nice car. Q: How long ago did you quit? A: Just three months. Q: Was it hard to quit? A: Yes. This is the third time I have tried to quit. The first time I lasted less than three days. The second time I last just over one week. Hopefully, this will be permanent. Q: Good luck! A: Thanks. I may need it.
- Dialog B - B: Sure. To be honest, I wanted to loose weight. When I was a freshman here I thought I was overweight. I tried dieting, but it didn't work. So a year ago I started smoking. When I got the urge to snack, I smoked instead. Six months after I started smoking, I was at a pack a day. Q: Did smoking help you loose weight? B: I lost 6 kg. in a period of three months, but I didn't feel healthy. And my teeth became yellow from tobacco smoke, so I didn't look as good either. Q: So why did you quit? B: Hmmm. You want to know the truth? Q: Yes, of course. B: Well, my boyfriend is a non-smoker. He didn't like to kiss me when I was smoking. He said my breath stank. I quit smoking for my boyfriend. Now he doesn't complain about my breath. Q: Did you find it hard to quit? B: The first few days were tough. But my boyfriend and family have been supportive. Also, I hang out less with people who are smokers. It is still hard for me to be around smokers. Q: And how long have you gone without smoking? B: 4 months now. I feel better. I still worry sometimes about my weight. However, exercises helps. Also, knowing I am loved makes me feel less need to eat even when I'm not actually hungry. I used to be a compulsive eater. Q: Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. B: Sure thing. |
- return to main listening tasks -
- Practical English 4 -
UNIT 1 * UNIT 2 * UNIT 3 * UNIT 4 * UNIT 5 * UNIT 6 * UNIT 7 * UNIT 8
copyright (c) 1999 by Ming Chuan University
Ver. 1.6 - Updated 26 Oct. 1999
www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Field/1087/mcu/PE4-8lis2.htm