Preparing for
Exam
Preparation & Practice Tests
Reading & Writing
Speaking & Listening
from 2015
Andrew Betsis
Sean Haughton
Lawrence Mamas
TRINITY ISE II
Preparation & Practice Tests
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The format of Trinity ISE II: Reading and Writing Module page 4
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 1 LONG READING page 6
Section 1: Questions 1-5 Matching Titles to Paragraphs page 7
Section 2: Questions 6-10 Selecting the True statements page 11
Section 3: Questions 11-15 Completing Sentences (Gap Fill) page 13
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 2 MULTI-TEXT READING page 14
Section 1: Questions 16-20 Multiple Matching (Information to Texts) page 15
Section 2: Questions 21-25 Selecting the True statements page 21
Section 3: Questions 26-30 Summary Notes page 23
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 3 READING INTO WRITING page 26
Descriptive Essay page 27 Discursive Essay page 34 Argumentative Essay page 37
page 41
page 43
Preparation for Trinity ISE II Task 4 EXTENDED WRITING page 44 Essay page 45 Article page 51 Report page 54 Review page 57 Letter and Email (Informal) page 60 Letter (Formal) page 62 Practice for Trinity ISE II READING AND WRITING MODULE page 65
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICE TEST 1 page 66
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICETEST 2 page 72
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICETEST 3 page 78
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICETEST 4 page 84
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICETEST 5 page 90
TRINITY ISE II Reading & Writing PRACTICETEST 6 page 96
Published by GLOBAL ELT LTD www.globalelt.co.uk
Copyright © GLOBAL ELT LTD, 2016
AndrewBetsis, Sean Haughton and Lawrence Mamas
Contributors: Maria Georgopoulou and Linda Maria Windsor
While Trinity College London seeks reasonably to ensure that an approved publication is accurate and suitable for exam preparation, Trinity cannot accept any liability for its content.
Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologise in advance for any unintentional omission. We will be happy to insert the appropriate acknowledgements in any subsequent editions.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the Publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
l Preparing for TRINITY ISE II (CEFR B2) Reading - Writing - Speaking - Listening - Student’s Book - ISBN:9781781643211
l Preparing for TRINITY ISE II (CEFR B2) Reading - Writing - Speaking - Listening - Overprinted Edition with answers - ISBN: 9781781643228
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ISE II Speaking & Listening Exam: Overview, Tips and Advice page 102
Trinity ISE II Listening
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Listening Part 1 Focus page 106
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Listening Part 2 Listening for gist page 108
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Listening Part 3 Listening for specific information page 110
Listening Task Cards page 113
Listening Audioscripts page 116
Listening Answer Key for the Listening Section page 118
Trinity ISE II Speaking
Step by step preparation for the 3 tasks of Trinity ISE II Speaking
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 1 Polite vs Rude page 120
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 2 Turn-taking page 122
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 3 Information Gaps page 124
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 4 Language
Preparation for Trinity ISE II - Speaking Part 5 Fluency
Task 1
Focus: Reading Task 1
This section will help you prepare for Reading Task 1 of the ISE II exam.
Main objective: To read a short article about Hogmanay and answer three sets of related questions.
• Set 1: Matching titles to paragraphs (Reading for gist)
• Set 2: Answering True, False or Not Given (Scanning and Careful Reading)
• Set 3: Sentence completion (Scanning and Careful Reading)
Skills: Reading for gist: This involves reading a text fairly quickly in order to understand the general topic. You don’t have to understand every single word to find out what the text is basically about. In Set 1, you will be required to select the correct title for each of the article’s five paragraphs. You will need to read each paragraph (1-5) for gist so as to understand its general topic.
Scanning: When you scan a text, you don’t read every single word carefully. This is because you are looking for specific information, so not all the details of the text are important. Instead, you move down through the lines of text quickly, trying to find the information you need. When scanning, it usually helps to look for key words or ideas.
Careful reading: Sometimes, when you find the information you need by scanning, you may have to read this information slowly and carefully to make sure you get the right answer.
You may not have time in the exam to read the entire article very slowly, but you will be able to read the relevant short sections carefully to help choose the right answers.
Theme: In Reading Task 1, there are a number of different broad themes the text can be about.
These include:
• Society and living standards
• Personal values and ideals
• The world of work
• Natural environmental concerns
• Public figures past and present
• Education
• National customs
• Village and city life
• National and local produce and products
• Early memories
• Pollution and recycling
In the article we will be looking at, the theme is National customs. When you practise, read as many different texts as you can related to all the above themes.
Section 1: Matching Titles to Paragraphs
Pre-reading
Write down as many ideas as you can think of for your answers to these questions. Then, if possible, discuss your notes with a partner.
1. What big national celebrations are there in your country?
2. What celebrations from other countries or cultures do you know about?
3. What’s your favourite celebration and why?
4. What do people do during this celebration?
5. What are the benefits of having things to celebrate?
Exercise 1
This is NOT an exam task, but it will help you practise reading for gist. Think about how texts are structured and how the different ideas/topics are usually linked together in a logical order. When you have finished this task, you should find the actual exam task which follows easier. Why? Because Exercise 1 will help you get a general understanding of what each paragraph is about. Read the following text about Hogmanay, a Scottish New Year’s celebration. The paragraphs are not in the correct order. Put the paragraphs in order from 1-5. Write the correct paragraph number on the answer line.
Reading for gist
Happy New Year!
5
Paragraph
Perhaps the biggest and most famous of these is the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebration, now a three-day event. In 1996-97, 400,000 people attended, making it the biggest single New Year’s celebration in the world that year. In recent years, the attendance figures for the celebration have dropped somewhat, but only because a limit has been imposed on how many people can go for safety reasons. The street party is still one of the largest New Year’s events across the globe and features well-known bands performing in front of the beautiful Edinburgh Castle. It’s quite the celebration and has been voted one of the top 25 travel experiences on the planet by the Discovery Channel – the only festival to feature on the list.
Paragraph
3
Apart from singing this popular Robert Burns lyric, other traditional customs of Hogmanay include redding and first-footing. The former involves cleaning the home before the New Year. It is particularly important to make sure that fires are cleared of ashes and the leaves of the juniper tree are also sometimes burned in a custom that is traditionally thought to keep away evil spirits. The latter refers to the tradition of the first visitor into the home after midnight on New Year’s takinga gift for the homeowners with them. This visitor or first-footer is thought to bring luck to the household. The traditional gift was coal (or alternatively salt) but, nowadays, drinks and food are more typical, as the arrival of the first-footer often signals the start of a great party.
Test 1
Task 1 – Long Reading
As part of your studies you are going to read about the Congo Pygmies, an African tribal group. Read the following text and answer the 15 questions on the next page.
Little people with big problems
Paragraph 1
No one knows exactly how many of them there are, but estimates suggest that between one quarter and half a million pygmies live in central Africa, in and around the Congo rainforest. Together the various groups of Congo Pygmies make up the largest population of traditional hunter-gatherers left on Earth. They survive off the wild products, the animals and plants, as nature puts in the environment around them. Or, at least, they used to before we interfered. Now the pygmy people are being forced out of the rainforest by both the Bantu and the men from the West.
Paragraph 2
The term ‘pygmy’ was originally used by the Ancient Greeks to describe a group of small people they believed lived in Ethiopia. Many hundreds of years later, when European explorers arrived in Central Africa, they used this same term to label the small forest people they found living there. These jungle people were not only very short in height (typically under five feet tall) but also very small in build. In contrast, the other native Africans, the Bantu, were similar in both build and height to the Europeans themselves.
Paragraph 3
It is not known exactly why the pygmies developed such small body frames. One theory suggests it was due to the lack of natural light in the rainforests. This meant the forest people did not get enough calcium for proper bone growth so they developed smaller skeletons. Another theory claims the pygmies are small because they have naturally adapted to forest life over hundreds of years. It is, after all, easier to travel through thick jungle if you are short and thin. One thing that’s not small, however, is the pygmy love of music. In fact, this is enormous. Music is a huge part of daily life and not just for entertainment purposes; there are songs for specific events and for activities, such as hunting, too.
Paragraph 4
The Baka Pygmies of Cameroon, one of the largest pygmy groups, have little to sing about these days, though. They, like most of their people, are under attack. Deforestation is one big issue. For this, both the Bantu and the Europeans are to blame. Thousands of pygmies have been forced from their homes, only to see the forests and their way of life destroyed. And then there is war. The pygmies are often caught in the middle of fights between rival Bantu groups.
Paragraph 5
Struggling pygmies are forced to move into built-up areas. Here, in the larger villages and towns of Cameroon, they can only find the lowest-paid jobs. They live in poverty and are often the victims of unfair treatment by the locals. To make matters worse, the pygmies have been exposed to new diseases here too, causing the population further harm. And they have little access to medical assistance, which makes the situation even more serious. It is not just the Baka Pygmies that are in crisis either. Pygmies across Africa are facing these same issues. Their jungle home is being destroyed at an alarming rate and so is their culture and way of life.
Questions 1-5 (one mark per question)
The text on the previous page has five paragraphs (1-5). Choose the best title for each paragraph from A-F below and write the letter (A-F) on the lines below. There is one title you don’t need.
1. Paragraph 1
2. Paragraph 2
3. Paragraph 3
4. Paragraph 4
5. Paragraph 5
Questions
A Suggestions for how the pygmy people developed and an important part of their culture
B How the pygmy people got their name and what they look like
C Important parts of pygmy culture and their different animal-hunting methods
D How the pygmy people are struggling to adapt to the threats they face
E Where in Africa the pygmy people live and their traditional way of life
F Serious threats facing one specific group of pygmies in Africa
6-10 (one mark per question)
Choose the five statements from A-H below that are TRUE according to the information given in the text on the previous page. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).
A The Bantu people of Africa are much shorter than Europeans.
C/E/F/G/H
C/E/F/G/H
C/E/F/G/H
C/E/F/G/H
C/E/F/G/H
B The Baka Pygmies are different to other pygmy groups because they do not sing or like music.
C Pygmies in urban areas typically have low incomes and do not get proper healthcare.
D Fighting between different groups of pygmies has harmed their way of life.
E Pygmies are typically shorter and thinner than Bantu people.
F There is not an accurate figure for the number of pygmies living in Africa.
G The cutting down of forests where pygmies live is the fault of both local Africans and Europeans.
H One theory for why pygmies are short suggests it may be because there is not much sunshine in the forests where they live.
Questions 11-15 (one mark per question)
Complete sentences 11-15 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum three words). Write the word, phrase or number on the lines below.
11. Some ……………………………………………….....…… put the figure of Congo Pygmies that live in central Africa as high as one quarter and half a million.
European explorers
12. ……………………………………………….....…… gave the pygmies their name when they first visited Africa.
13. A lack of calcium may have caused pygmies to develop …….....……………………………………………… .
14. Destruction of forests is a .....……………………………………………… for the Baka Pygmies.
smaller skeletons estimates big issue
(new) diseases
15. Pygmies in built-up areas have suffered from …………………………………………….....……… they never had before, damaging their health and population numbers.
ISE II Speaking & Listening Exam Overview
A fresh approach that’s a little different…
This exam has a different format from other exams that you may be familiar with. For that reason, it’s very important to know the format in advance and prepare. Trinity ISE II is student-centred and the aim is to allow you to give the best account of yourself that you can in a natural communicative environment. Put simply, it gives you the opportunity to show that you can use English in conversation, just as you might at college or at work.
How is it different?
ISE II Speaking & Listening is one single exam, all done face-to-face with the examiner.
What about the details?
ISE II Speaking & Listening is a B2-level exam. It lasts 20 minutes and includes four different tasks.
Let’s have a look:
1. Topic task
Task
You prepare a topic for discussion in advance. In the exam, you will discuss your topic with the examiner. You will have to take some control over the discussion, showing what you can do in English, and responding to the examiner's questions.
2. Collaborative task
The examiner plays a role. They tell you something general about their imaginary situation or dilemma. You have to ask the examiner questions to find out more about the situation or dilemma, exchange information and opinions, and give them your opinion/recommendation/advice, using language functions of the level.
3. Conversation task
You will have a discussion about a subject area chosen by the examiner from the list of subject areas for the Conversation phase. You will need to respond to the examiner's questions/ideas and express your own ideas/ask them questions.
4. Independent Listening task
You listen to the examiner’s spoken instructions. Then, you listen to a recording twice. The first time you listen, you must report back to the examiner on the general topic. The second time you listen, the examiner encourages you to take notes on some points, which you must then report back to them in one minute.
4minutes
4minutes
2minutes
8minutes
Total time: (This includes about 2 minutes extra examiner administration time.) 20 minutes
ISE rating scale
All tasks in each ISE level are linked to a particular CEFR level. The rating scales are based on CEFR level descriptors.
Tips and Advice
General DOs and DON’Ts
f Don’t be passive. In the three speaking tasks of this exam, you are expected to play an active role.That means you should be prepared to ask the examiner questions and invite their thoughts and responses to what you say.
f Don’t give long rehearsed monologues. You will not score highly if you look and sound very unnaturaland say things that are simply learned by heart. Make an effort to be spontaneous (react on the spot).This may seem difficult at first, but that is where practice comes in. Practise spoken conversation at every opportunity.
f Try to speak clearly and fluently. Avoid long, unnatural pauses, if possible. Don’t wait for the right word to come into your head; say whatever you’re trying to say in another way instead.
f Be polite at all times. Practise the art of turn-taking and of disagreeing politely. Avoid rudeness, extreme language and sarcasm at all costs.
f Always try to explain/develop/exemplify the points you make. For example, it’s not enough to say: I don’t think people could survive today without mobile phones. You have to explain yourself: I don’t think people could survive today without mobile phones. After all, we rely on them to communicate, for entertainment and even to do business on the move. They’re with us constantly.
f Take notes in the Listening Task (Independent Listening) when given the opportunity to by the examiner.
f Bring a mind-map card, or a very basic plan for a topic you have prepared to the exam. You will use this in Speaking Task 1, the Topic Task. You should prepare and practise for this task in advance, but don't forget that your Topic should not be memorised. There should be a natural discussion of your Topic with the examiner.
Speaking Task 1: Topic task
This task is unique in that you prepare your Topic in advance. Choose any topic that interests you but don't forget that it must not be on one of the subject areas from the Conversation phase. Prepare well and practise discussing your topic as often as you can. Bring a mind map, or a very basic planwith your topic notes to the exam and show it to the examiner.
f Do not be upset or concerned if the examiner interrupts you on several occasions during your discussion of your chosen topic. It is very likely that you will have a lot to say and could go on talking for a considerable time because you have prepared. The examiner wants to ask you specific questions and encourage a spontaneous conversation; that is why he/she is likely to interrupt you. It doesn’t mean you have done anything wrong.
f Do the Speaking section of this book to help you prepare.
Speaking Task 2: Collaborative task
In this task, the examiner will read you a prompt: a description of a situation/problem/dilemma. You need to find out more information about the situation/problem/dilemma. It is very important that YOU take the lead in this section and be prepared to ask the examiner questions to find out more details so that you can offer good opinions, comments or advice.
f Do lead this task and ask the examiner plenty of questions. Listen carefully to the responses so you can build a better picture of the situation/problem/dilemma.
f The Information Gaps lesson in particular will be helpful in preparing for this task.
Here are a selection of sample prompts:
• [Problem] I'm doing quite well at work, but I'd like to do even better and I'm not sure how.
• [Opinion] I think work experience counts for more than qualifications, so, when I’m hiring staff, I don’t even look at the qualifications section of their CV.
• [Opinion] None of the young people I hire seem to know what to do when they first join my company. This is a problem for the company.
• [Problem] I am always busy with work and family commitments. I don’t have time to relax.
• [Dilemma] My oldest child says he wants to leave school. He’s legally old enough to do that and there’s nothing I can do to stop him.
• [Dilemma] I’ve been invited to go on holiday with my best friend’s family to Barbados. It would be an amazing experience but I’d miss an important business meeting.
Part 1
Part 1 - Focus Listening
What do you already know?
The subject of this lesson is country and city life
Let’s get thinking about what we already know about the subject of this lesson.
Look at the pictures. Then read the questions and make some short notes for your answers. Finally, discuss your answers with a partner or in groups.
Concentrate!
‘Pretend
you are the only person in the room.’
The Independent Listening Task is very different to the ones you may be familiar with from other exams and to how students normally practise Listening questions. Because of this, there are somethings you have to prepare yourself for.
First of all, it’s not paper-based and you are not in an exam hall with other students.
1. Why do so many people live in cities? What advantages do cities have over rural areas?
2. Now think about the disadvantages of living in a big city. What are they?
3. Would you prefer to live in a large country house or in a nice city flat? Give reasons for your answer.
4. Cities usually have a lot of traffic problems. What are the transport options for people living in cities, apart from their cars? List as many as you can think of.
5. What are the problems associated with the different transport options you listed in the last question? How can these forms of transport be improved?
6. Do you think people living in cities have a similar lifestyle to people living in rural areas? Explain your answer with examples.
You will do the listening task just with the examiner, who will tell you what to do and play the recording for you. Don’t worry about this at all, and most importantly, don’t let it distract you from the task. Don’t worry about what the examiner is doing while you are listeningand don’t be tempted to look at them to find out. This is only likely to make you more distracted. Try to forget about the examiner altogether and focus on a point in the room while you listen. For example,stare at the play button on the recording device, or look at the tip of your pen. Then listen carefully to the recording and think about nothing else.
You can practise this at home with some of the example questions from this book. Ask a friend or family member to sit down at a desk with you (it only takes a few minutes of their time). Then play the recording twice. The first time listen for gist (explained later) and the second time listen for specific information (also explained later). Stare at something specific to help you concentrate and avoid looking at your friend / family member or what they are doing. To improve your powers of concentration, ask the other person to fidget (make a lot of small movements that could be distracting) and try to ignore them. Don’t worry, though, the examiner won’t be trying to distract you in the actual exam!
Practise this kind of listening as much as you can so you get comfortable with it. The aim is to blank out or ignore everything else and focus entirely on the recording. Another useful way to improve your focus is to deliberately put yourself in distracting situations while you listen. For example, using headphones so as not to interfere with anyone else, go into a room full of family or friends. They will probably be moving around quite a lot and talking. The headphones will block out their noise (so the situation is like the exam, where you will also have a quiet room) but their movements will be distracting and you may lose concentration while listening to the recording. The more you practise listening in this kind of situation, the more your concentration and focus will improve.
We are going to do a few simple listening exercises now that challenge your ability to concentrate and focus on what you hear.
These exercises may seem a little silly or even funny (which is good!) but there is a point to them, as well, so please take them seriously. They challenge your ability to focus on listening no matter what distractions there are around you.
Exercise 1
A. For this exercise, you need groups of three, Student 1, Student 2 and Student 3. Each student has a different task. Student 1, read the Task Card 1 on page 113 of the book and follow the instructions when the other two students are ready. Student 2, read the Task Card 1 on page 114 of the book and do the same. Student 3, your Task Card 1 is on page 115 of the book. When all three students are ready, start the exercise.
B. Now it’s time to swap roles. Student 1, read Task Card 2 on page 113. Student 2, read Task Card 2 on page 114 and Student 3, read Task Card 2 on page 115. Get ready for your new roles, then start the exercise.
C. Now repeat for Task Card 3.
Exercise 2 - Track 1
So, how was Exercise 1? Easy or hard to concentrate?
We’re going to try one more exercise now. It’s about a survey on the best places to live in the UK. This time, watch the video, or listen to the recording. Listen carefully to the speaker and answer the questions below.
Complete each sentence with a word, phrase or number you hear on the recording (maximum 3 words).
1. Inverness came __________________ in the survey of best places in the UK to live.
2. Inverness is located in the __________________ .
3. Internet and __________ are not very dependable there.
Practise at home
4. People who live there use their _____________ a lot due to poorer transport links.
5. The weather makes Inverness not very suitable for _______________ .
6. Inverness’s job market is ___________________ and there are fewer jobs there than in big cities.
7. Inverness is safe and the _____________ is low there.
(quite) specialised cost of living (realistic) goal
8. Home-owning is a ________________ that’s possible for most people.
9. The city’s location promotes healthy living and Inverness has good facilities and ________________ .
10. ____________________ connections to other cities are excellent and there is an international airport.
Here are some more Listenings you can practise at home. Pick a distracting place, put your headphones on and try to answer the questions.
Track 2 Track 3
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions. Complete each sentence with a word, phrase or number you hear (maximum 3 words). Play the recording as many times as necessary for you to complete all the answers.
THE PROBLEM
There is a housing crisis in London.
Examples of the problem:
-only (1.) ___________ homes for sale in London this week were affordable for first-time buyers
-the average age of first-time buyers will soon rise to (2.)
-60% of first-time buyers use their (3.) __________ for a house deposit
Cause of the problem:
-first-time buyers have to compete with wealthy (4.) ______________ from the UK and abroad
THE SOLUTION
Control (5.) _________________ :
-at the moment landlords can increase as much as they want after the (6.) _________________
-needs to change
Build (7.) _________________ :
-only allow (8.) ________________ to purchase them
-if there’s no competition from the wealthy, prices will be (9.)
Go on the internet and find out as much as you can about a serious problem in a city/town/village near where you live and ways to help solve it. Make some notes, then write out a full speech on the subject (about 400 words).
B. Listen to the recording and answer the questions. Complete each sentence with a word, phrase or number you hear (maximum 3 words). Play the recording as many times as necessary for you to complete all the answers.
THE PROBLEM
There is a large divide between the north and the south of England in terms of wealth and opportunities.
Examples of the problem:
-average salaries in Northern England are up to (1.) _______________ less than down south
£ 10-15 thousand
-too few (2.) _______________ are being created -as a result, (3.) _______________ is at 10% in the north compared to just 5% in (4.)
-young people are forced to move to London, causing a (5.)
THE SOLUTION
Spend money on improving the (6.) ____________ of the north:
-for example, build a high-speed rail system between the north and (7.) _______________ -improve local transport systems too -improve the (8.) ________________ for 4G mobile phones
Give (9.) _________________ more power and control over decisions: -allow it to make its own (10.) _______________ and increase investment
In your next class, make pairs. Read your speech to your partner. Ask them to listen and then summarise the problem and solution in their own words. Then swap roles. You listen and report back on your partner’s speech.
Speaking
Part 1 - Polite vs Rude
First, look at the images. Then, make short notes to answer the questions. Finally, discuss your answers in pairs.
Always be polite to the examiner
It’s very important to speak politely throughout the exam, even when you disagree with or want to interrupt the examiner.
Exercise 1 - Track 19
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
1. Are the speakers being rude or polite? _________
2. How do you know? Is the tone of the conversation calm or aggressive?
3. What about the language they use? Is it moderate or extreme?
1. What behaviour do you find rude? Think of as many examples as you can and list them in order, starting with the worst behaviour. Explain your choice of worst behaviour.
2. How do you feel/react when someone is rude to you? Describe a time when you experienced rudeness.
3. Have you ever been very rude to someone? If so, describe what happened? Did you regret your rudeness later?
4. Is it important to be respectful of our elders? Why? / Why not?
5. Are the teachers in your school respected by students, or do students behave rudely?
4. When a compliment is given, is it sincere (honest and real) or sarcastic?
rude aggressive extreme sarcastic
B. Obviously both speakers were very rude. That was an example of how not to speak. But we can learn from it. Remember to avoid these things:
Don’t be sarcastic!
Don’t be aggressive!
Don’t use extreme or bad language!
In fact, with a little bit of work, we could turn our two speakers into angels! Listen to them again. (Track 20) Compare the transcript of the original recording below with what you hear this time. Write the phrases that replace the words in italics in the space below.
Male: I think the rudest behaviour is when a person starts having a really loud conversation on their phone in publ… Female: (1) Hold on a minute. That’s absolute and complete nonsense. Gossiping about a person is far ruder and it hurts their feelings. (2) I’m right, aren’t I? Admit it.
Male: (3) You’re dead wrong, actually. That’s a stupid answer. What’s the big deal about gossiping? The person may never find out you’re talking about them, so how can they even know if it’s rude or not? (4) Well, what do you have to say to that, huh?
Female: (5) OK, but so what? It doesn’t matter if the person doesn’t know; you still shouldn’t do it and it’s really bad behaviour. Besides, people usually find out about gossip, so they almost always DO get hurt. (6) You see? Ha. Now who’s right?
Male: (7) Oh, well done you. You’re so smart! Talking loudly on a train or bus affects all the people around you, though. So, even if both actions are rude, my example’s way worse. (8) I’m right, you see. Ha! (1)
Um, can I just say something? I’m not sure I agree. Don’t you think so?
I’m afraid I couldn’t disagree more.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Um, I take your point, but... You agree with me, don’t you?
Yeah, I see where you’re coming from.
Surely you’d agree.