Instructions
Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and follow the instructions to practise your speaking.
Preparation
Worksheets and downloads
Transcript
Gemma: What are we like?!
Sam: What do you mean, ‘what are we like’?
Gemma: I mean … look at us! We’re here, we’ve met for coffee and a ‘chat’ and we’re not even talking to each other.
Sam: Hang on … What did you say? Sorry, I didn’t catch that.
Gemma: ‘What did you say? Sorry, I didn’t catch that.’ Er … maybe that’s because you’re not listening to me!
Sam: Yeah, yeah, sorry. I was just sending a message. I was multitasking! I’m with you now.
Gemma: Yeah, but I don’t think you can send messages and talk to someone in real life at the same time! That’s my point. The real-life person should come first. Don’t you think?
Sam: Er … yeah, but sometimes you just need to send a quick message. I don’t think it’s rude. In fact, I think it’s rude to ignore messages, actually.
Gemma: Yeah, I suppose so. You’re right in some ways … but for me, the biggest disadvantage of having a mobile phone is that we’re constantly being distracted from what’s happening in the real world!
Sam: Yeah ... but in a good way. You can carry on what you’re doing, and you can keep up with your friends at the same time.
Gemma: Yeah, there are a lot of advantages … but when you’ve got one of your best mates sitting right in front of you, maybe it’s time to switch off?
Sam: You mean … actually switching off our phones right now?
Gemma: Shall we? What do you think?
Sam: Er, OK. It’ll give me something to post on Facebook later.
Gemma: Yeah, come on! Honestly, we haven’t had a good chat in real life for ages.
Sam: All right – you’re absolutely right.
Gemma: OK! Brilliant. On three then!
Gemma and Sam: One … two … three … off!
Sam: Wow! We did it.
Gemma: That didn’t hurt too much!
Sam: Not yet.
Gemma: I’ve got a plan! Let’s just leave them off until we finish our drinks.
Sam: Yeah, that might be a good idea.
Gemma: We’ve just got to focus on the advantages! It feels so weird knowing no one can contact me.
Sam: Yeah, it does … but I like this feeling of freedom. I’m going to keep mine off all day.
Gemma: Wow. Really? Now that is something to post on Facebook. ‘Sam survives a whole day without his phone!’
…
Gemma: What are we like?!
Sam: What do you mean, ‘what are we like’?
Gemma: I m___ … look a__ us! We’re here, we’ve met for a coffee and a ‘chat’ and we’re not even talking to e___ o____.
Sam: Hang on … What did you say? Sorry, I didn’t catch that.
Gemma: ‘What d__ y__ say? Sorry, I d____ c____ t___.’ Err … maybe that’s because you’re n__ listening t__ m__!
Sam: Yeah, yeah, OK, sorry. I was just sending a message. I was multitasking! I’m with you now.
Gemma: Yeah, but I don’t think you can send messages and talk to someone in real life at the s____ t____! T____ my point. The real-life person should come first. D____ you t____?
Sam: Err … yeah, but sometimes you need to send a quick message. I don’t think it’s rude. In fact, I think it’s rude to ignore messages, actually.
Gemma: Yeah, I suppose so. You’re r____ in some ways … but for me, the b______ disadvantage o__ having a mobile phone is that we’re constantly being distracted from w____ happening in the real world!
Sam: Yeah ... but in a good way. You can carry on what you’re doing, but you can keep up with all your friends at the same time.
Gemma: Yeah, there are a lot of a_________ … but when you’ve got one of your best mates sitting right i__ f____ o__ you, maybe it’s time to switch off?!
Sam: You mean … actually switching off our phones right now?
Gemma: Shall we? What d__ y__ t____?
Sam: Er, OK. It’ll give me something to post on Facebook later.
Gemma: Yeah, come o__! Honestly, we haven’t had a good chat i__ r___ l___ for ages.
Sam: All right – you’re absolutely right.
Gemma: O__! Brilliant. On three then!
Gemma and Sam: One … two … three …
Sam: Wow! We did it.
Gemma: That d____ hurt t__ m___!
Sam: Not yet.
Gemma: I__ g__ a plan! Let’s just leave them off until we finish our drinks.
Sam: Yeah, that might be a good idea.
Gemma: We’ve just got to focus o__ the advantages! It f____ s__ weird knowing no one can contact me.
Sam: Yeah it does … but I like this feeling of freedom. I’m going to keep mine off all day.
Gemma: Wow. Really? Now that is s________ to p___ on Facebook. ‘Sam survives a whole day without his phone!’
Discussion
How much do you use your phone when you're with your friends? What do you think are the pros and cons of mobile phones?
Comments
When I'm hangout with my friends I usually not use my phone but guess what!? My friends busy with their phone and ignore me, they prefer to make an instagram story and send messages on Whatsapp with other peoples to talk with me. The more features that contain in phone and social media, the more you get ignore by your friend while you hangout with them.
I usually don' t use my phone when I am with my friends, but I use it a lot to contact them when we are apart especially on snapchat.
I think the mobile phone is very useful to keep touch with friends and it helps you not to feel alone.
Furthermore, it is the main way to ask for help when you are in danger if you get a signal.
On the other hand, spending too much time in front of the phone's screen would do bad to your eyes and also make you feel bored.
Use your phone wisely!
To be honest, what might actually surprise some of you, I rarely use my mobile phone when I am with my friends. I totally disagree with Sam's opinion that using mobile phone is not rude. Naturally, there are some extraordinary situations when it is advisable to check out your phone and send a quick massage or pick up call, but generally we should focus on our conversation and person we are talking with.
The pros and cons of mobile phones.
Students, scholars, businessmen have been kicking (debating) about it for ages. That is exquisite topic adequatue to write immense research work. Although it is extremely tough to present the most important facts, briefly, I face the challenge.
Advantages are:
You can quickly inform someone about something (useful when something broke up or someone got hurt)
You can easily find out about anything, which in particular helps in school. Mobile phones really raise awareness.
Disadvantages are:
You are constantly being distracted from what’s happening in the real world
It's dangerous to use it while doing activities such as driving or crossing the street. (result of this we have seen after Pokémon was launched - mortal cases)
Thank you, all patient and persistent people who have just read it. Hope you enjoyed!
I wish I could be like you but my friends doesn't even let me talk when I am with them.
So just to make sure that I am there and I am also a human being which has some social importance I use my phone to wonder around the social (online one) world.
Yes, I totally agree with you.
I think you can use the mobile when you are with one person but not stay all moment using it.
I think you can use the tecnology in the rigth or wrong way, it's your choice ahre
I think it depends on each person if they use their phone too much or just the necessary. If they can't accept reality as it comes and they want to hide in social networks then they are in their right to...
I prefer using mobilephone as little as posiible. Absolutely agree with this video about pros and cons of mobilephones. Advantages of smartphones is that you can get much information from it. Disadvantages of smartphones is that it is very harmful for our health.
I prefer using mobilephone as little as posiible. Absolutely agree with this video about pros and cons of mobilephones. Advantages of smartphones is that you can get much information from it. Disadvantages of smartphones is that it is very harmful for our health.
If i Gemma,I don't sending a message.and i say "don't sending a message,When someone is talking.and to respect me."to sam.
Hi Jinhyuk. That sounds good. Are your friends like Sam, using their phones instead of talking face to face?
Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)
On the one hand, mobile phones help us to keep in touch with our friends and relatives who live far from us. We can easily make a phone call, send messages,...Moreover, we also can broaden knowledge because of easy access to the Internet.
On the other hand, mobile phones result in the lack of face-to- face communication, people who are always staring at the screen often have difficulty in interacting with others, they may feel confused to express their feelings as there is no support from emotion icons.
I think there are many the advantages and disadvantage of having a mobile phone, but very important is how we use it.
This video is focusing on an important issue! I have the feeling that we sometimes don't really talk with each other even if we sit together. I hope my friends could have seen this video. It would have made it easier to decide not to use our mobile phones while we are together.
Yeah, I agree with you. Sometimes, we don´t treasure things which is small and around us. At that time, chatting with our friends maybe very usual and we think it will last forever. But one day it will be valuable moment in our memory
Best wishes :)
Nowadays, mobile phones are everywhere. Undeniably, we use it in our everyday lives.
But there is a little detail.
And it is extremely important to understand this problem.
Phones damage our social life in real life.
While you speak with someone in internet , a human sits and sits . and the he or she realises that for you phone is more important than real life and goes away.
So it is increasingly important to be with real human and without web while you are in real life.
And I absolutely agree with this video about pros and cons of mobile phones.
For me it was a problem , but then it was fixed.
As conclusion, do only one thing at one time, and everything will be okay.
we all know that mobile phones have many advantages that help us to chat and contact with our friends. However, when we spend time chatting with someone in real life, we should turn off the phone. That will show them how important they are to us and of course it's a polite action :))
When I am with my friends I do use my phone a bit I mean that's what we do. We check our phones and show eachother stuff. There are way more pros than cons to having a mobile phone but some cons are that sometimes you're not as social as you would be without the phone and sometimes you get a little bit caught up in the online world instead of the real one. Pros on the other hand is that you can bond over stuff you've seen on the internet or talk to people far away.
of course there's more pros than cons, It goes without saying
Usually when im with friends I try to use my phone as little as I can.
Something that is good with mobile phones is that you can call someone wherever you are.
Something that is worse about mobile phones is that you can use is to much and make your neck and your eyes worse. /ilia