Listening: B1

Work–life balance
Listen to a radio interview about maintaining a good work–life balance to practise and
improve your listening skills.

Before listening
Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation task
Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).

Vocabulary Definition
1. …… work–life balance a. a successful book
2. …… overtime b. giving the right amount of time to work and to the rest of
3. …… a best-selling book your life
4. …… an advantage c. an idea
5. …… a concept d. working more than your normal work hours
6. …… to fade e. the ability to work from different places
7. …… freedom f. a positive thing about something
8. …… mobility g. to become less clear or visible
h. being free to do what you want

Tasks

Task 1
Circle the best answer.

1. How popular is Chris Svensson’s book?

a. Not very popular
b. Very popular
c. It’s new. People don’t know it yet.

2. What is the work–life balance like in traditional workplaces?

a. Work lives and private lives are clearly divided.
b. People work too much overtime and so they have no private life.
c. People are free to manage the balance themselves.

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

3. How often do people do overtime?
a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. They don’t.

4. In traditional workplaces, do people work at weekends or when on holiday?

a. Yes, it’s normal.
b. No, never.
c. Usually, they don’t.

5. How has technology helped people work with more flexibility?

a. They can send and receive emails from their phones from home.
b. Their working hours can be easily tracked.
c. Robots can do their work for them.

6. Traditional divisions between work and life are fading. What does this mean for employees?
a. Everyone has to do overtime, all the time.
b. People have to work while they’re on holiday.
c. They can be flexible to work when and where it suits them.
Task 2
Write the ideas in the correct group.

Possible to work weekends or Hobbies and sports only in

Flexible working hours
while on holiday the evening or at weekends

Hobbies and sports can be

No working at weekends or
Fixed working hours done at other times, also
on holiday
during the day

Traditional workplaces Modern workplaces

Discussion
How do you manage your work–life balance?

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

 Reading: B1
Digital habits across generations
Read an article about how people at different ages use computers and smartphones to
practise and improve your reading skills.

Before reading
Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.

Preparation task
Match the definitions (1–8) with the vocabulary (a–h).

Vocabulary Definitions
1. …… to miss out on a. websites and apps like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
2. …… addiction b. in a funny or strange way because it’s unexpected
3. …… constantly c. different from
4. …… to be cut off from d. to not get the benefits of
5. …… unlike e. needing something too much or in an unhealthy way
6. …… social media f. people who are the first to buy or use new technology
7. …… ironically g. all the time without a break
8. …… early adopters h. to have no access to

Reading text: Digital habits across generations

Today’s grandparents are joining their grandchildren on social media, but the different
generations’ online habits couldn’t be more different. In the UK the over-55s are joining
Facebook in increasing numbers, meaning that they will soon be the site’s second biggest
user group, with 3.5 million users aged 55–64 and 2.9 million over-65s.
Sheila, aged 59, says, ‘I joined to see what my grandchildren are doing, as my daughter posts
videos and photos of them. It’s a much better way to see what they’re doing than waiting for
letters and photos in the post. That’s how we did it when I was a child, but I think I’m lucky I
get to see so much more of their lives than my grandparents did.’
Ironically, Sheila’s grandchildren are less likely to use Facebook themselves. Children under
17 in the UK are leaving the site – only 2.2 million users are under 17 – but they’re not going
far from their smartphones. Chloe, aged 15, even sleeps with her phone. ‘It’s my alarm clock
so I have to,’ she says. ‘I look at it before I go to sleep and as soon as I wake up.’
Unlike her grandmother’s generation, Chloe’s age group is spending so much time on their
phones at home that they are missing out on spending time with their friends in real life.
Sheila, on the other hand, has made contact with old friends from school she hasn’t heard

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

from in forty years. ‘We use Facebook to arrange to meet all over the country,’ she says. ‘It’s
changed my social life completely.’
Teenagers might have their parents to thank for their smartphone and social media addiction
as their parents were the early adopters of the smartphone. Peter, 38 and father of two
teenagers, reports that he used to be on his phone or laptop constantly. ‘I was always
connected and I felt like I was always working,’ he says. ‘How could I tell my kids to get off
their phones if I was always in front of a screen myself?’ So, in the evenings and at weekends,
he takes his SIM card out of his smartphone and puts it into an old-style mobile phone that can
only make calls and send text messages. ‘I’m not completely cut off from the world in case of
emergencies, but the important thing is I’m setting a better example to my kids and spending
more quality time with them.’
Is it only a matter of time until the generation above and below Peter catches up with the new
trend for a less digital life?

Tasks

Task 1
Are the sentences true or false?

Answer
1. More people aged 55 or more use Facebook than people aged 65 or True False
more.
2. Grandparents typically use Facebook less than their grandchildren. True False
3. Sheila feels grateful to social media. True False
4. Peter found his own smartphone use affected how he felt about how True False
much his children used their phones.
5. Peter has changed how much he uses his phone during the working day. True False
6. Peter feels that the changes make him a better parent. True False

Task 2
Write the phrases in the correct group.

are returning to older like to keep their phones near

are less keen on Facebook
technology them

use social media to find old were the first generation to feel lucky to have the internet
friends get smartphones in their lives

Teens Grandparents Parents

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

Discussion
Who uses their phone the most among your family or friends?
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Michael Jackson

You know/knew you, you make me feel Don't you knew now is the perfect time?
so good inside We can dim the lights, just to make it right
I always want/wanted a girl just like you In the day, hit the loving spot
Such a P.Y.T., Pretty Young Thing, ooh I'll give you all that I've get

Where did you come/came from, lady? Pretty young things, repeat after me
And, ooh, won't you take me there/here Sing, "na-na-na" (Na-na-na)
Right away, will/won’t you, baby? "Na-na-na-na" (Na-na-na-na)
Tenderoni, you've got to be/did Sing, "na-na-na" (Na-na-na)
Spark my nature, sugar come/fly with me "Na-na-na-na" (Na-na-na-na)
I will take you there, take you there
Don't you knew now is the perfect time?
We can made it right, hit the city lights Hoo-ooh! (P.Y.T.)
Then tonight, ease the loving gain Oh, baby (T.L.C)
Let you take you to the max Oh, baby
Hold on, ooh-ooh
I want to love me (P.Y.T.)
Ugly young thing You know, I think you're really nice
You need no loving (T.L.C.) (P.Y.T.)
Tender love or care You and I could've just put together
And I'll take you here, girl, ooh-oh (T.L.C)
You're such a P.Y.T. to me, pretty young
Nothing could/ can stop this burning thing
desire to be with you Oh, baby, oh, baby, hold on (P.Y.T.)
Get/got to get to you, baby Oh, baby (T.L.C)
Won’t/will you come, it's emergency
Cool my fire yearning You can be, oh
Honey, come set me free/there I just wanna love you, you know, it's
I'd give you all
 B1 IF-Clauses – Conditional 1 IF008

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb given.

1. If he goes to Dan's birthday party, he _________________ a present (BUY).

2. If I _________________ the bus, I will be late at the office. (MISS)

3. I must go to the doctor if my knee still _________________ tomorrow. (HURT)

4. If the team practice a lot, they _________________ the game. (WIN)

5. Mum will make us a sandwich if we _________________ hungry. (BE)

6. If I _________________ you some money will you give it back to me? (LEND)

7. If you don't stop smoking, you _________________ ill. (GET)

8. We _________________ very surprised if he shows up on Tuesday. (BE)

9. We won't catch the bus if we _________________. (NOT HURRY)

10. If the teacher corrects the tests, she _________________ them back to us on Monday. (GIVE)

11. You won't get better if you _________________ (NOT PRACTICE)

12. If you _________________ out which restaurant will you go to? (EAT)

13. If Jim _________________ up late, he won't be relaxed for the match tomorrow. (STAY)

14. She _________________ him if she loves him enough. (MARRY)

15. I _________________ you any instructions unless you listen carefully. (NOT GIVE)

16. If we _________________ to take a trip this summer, we'll probably go to Spain. (DECIDE)

17. You won't be able to go to university if you _________________ the entrance exam. (NOT
PASS)

18. We _________________ tennis tomorrow if it rains. (NOT PLAY)

19. Dad will find a job if he _________________ hard enough. (TRY)

20. If Greta _________________ enough money, she will buy a new dress. (HAVE)

21. We _________________ a taxi if it rains too much. (TAKE)

22. If your car breaks down, what _________________? (YOU DO)

23. If we _________________ to the supermarket, we could have dinner at home. (GO)

24. If you _________________ any money you shouldn't go shopping all the time. (NOT HAVE)

25. If you look carefully you _________________ your lost wallet. (FIND)

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