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This Writing Just Confuses Me<
An Audio Story

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Listening Comprehension

Aleksandr Shteynberg

I am writing in the same old place but in a different situation. Now I am writing around my family. They are watching T.V. and I am trying to write.

First, I can't concentrate because my mother is speaking with my younger brother. He is explaining to her what is going on in the movie. I keep moving my eyes to the TV because it is more interesting to watch the movie than to write about it. I don't like to write when it is noisy. I like to write when it is quiet and nobody is bothering me. Then I can follow my thoughts. Now I know what it means to write in a noisy place. It does not work for me.

Some people like to listen to music while they write. Some people like to write on the bus or subway where it is very noisy, but not me. I can't concentrate because there are too many different voices and different languages.

At home we speak in Russian because it is easy and so that my mother can understand. But I have to write in English and I am making mistakes. So I will stop writing because this writing just confuses me.
 

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Here is a vocabulary list to help you with your listening comprehension:

situation
(to)concentrate
(to be)going on
noisy
quiet
(to) bother
thought
different
too many
voice(s)
(to) make a mistake/(to) make mistake(s)
(to) confuse

Additional Activities:  Ideas for Further Thought or Writing

1. How do you imagine Alexandr typically does his writing assignments?
   
   

2. Is it easy or difficult for you to concentrate on your work when people around you are talking?

   
   

3. Do you like to listen to music when you study or write?  What type of music bothers you or relaxes you?
   

4. Can you read or write on a bus, subway, or in a moving car? Can you read when using earphones or an iPod to listen to music?

   
   

5. Do you think that people should try to study in a quiet place?

   
   

6. What should a person who lives in a large family do in order to be able to focus on his homework or studies?
   

7. Silence upsets many people who live in the city.  Why do you think that is?  How do you react and respond to a quiet environment?

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You will find additional listening, reading, and vocabulary activities for this lesson in our library.

We hope you've enjoyed today's audio story! 

So from the ESL Help Desk, thank you for listening to us this week.  And remember to email us your questions about English grammar by leaving us a comment on our blog.

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