5-minute listening exercise: How to tell your parents about a love interest you met online
- Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio linked below; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page
- In this week’s podcast, Kerry shares some first-hand tips on telling her parents about her online-to-offline boyfriend
Even though online dating is becoming more common, people still feel nervous telling parents about thisClick here for the audio file (the script has been adapted from Tribune News Service).
Play a Kahoot! game about this story as a class or with your friends by clicking on the link here.
Or play on your own below to test your understanding:
Questions
1. What is Modern Love?
A. a dating app
B. a talk show
C. a relationship guidebook
D. a documentary
2. When you “fill someone in” on something, you …
A. tell them details about what’s happened.
B. ask them for advice on something that is bothering you.
C. give them a call to make sure they are all right.
D. avoid answering their question about an event.
3. Why was Kerry worried about her parents asking how she and Dave met?
A. Dave did not want her to tell the truth.
B. Her parents thought she was not ready for a new relationship.
C. She did not think her parents would be happy that they met online.
D. She did not feel like it was the right time for them to know.
4. What does Siti mean when she says “I mean, these days, who doesn’t know at least one person who met their match online”?
A. She also met her partner online.
B. Online dating is still a taboo in many places.
C. Online dating is becoming more common.
D. She approves of online dating.
5. Which word below can replace “fibbed”?
A. lied
B. told
C. boasted
D. clarified
6. When did Kerry “break the news” to her parents?
A. the day they met Dave
B. a week before they met Dave
C. hours before they met Dave
D. information not given
7. How did Kerry reassure her parents about her online dating experience?
A. by telling them she was careful about whom she spoke to
B. by only meeting someone in real life after getting to know them better
C. by meeting her dates in public places
D. all of the above
8. How long were Dave and Kerry messaging and talking on the phone before they decided to meet up in real life?
A. one week
B. two days
C. three months
D. three decades
9. If you are “sceptical” about something, you …
A. doubt it is true.
B. persuade someone that it is real.
C. try and understand how it happened.
D. do a test to find out if it works.
10. Which of the following best describes the blind dates that Kerry went on?
A. They were normal.
B. They exceeded her expectations.
C. They ended up better than she thought they would.
D. They did not turn out well.
11. Why did Kerry tell her father about Dave’s job?
A. so they could share their favourite recipes
B. so they could talk about their similar experiences at work
C. so that her dad would not ask Dave embarrassing questions
D. all of the above
12. What does Dave enjoy doing in his free time?
A. sailing
B. gardening
C. baking
D. reading
13. What do the “nuggets of information” at the end of the podcast refer to?
A. Dave’s hobby and job
B. how Kerry and Dave met
C. Kerry’s relationship with her parents
D. how Kerry feels about Dave meeting her parents
14. When you give someone a “heads-up”, you …
A. make sure they do exactly what you have asked them to.
B. tell them to keep something secret and not tell anyone else.
C. watch them carefully to make sure they do not misbehave.
D. warn them that something is going to happen, so they can prepare for it.
15. Which word best describes how the meeting went?
A. grim
B. pleasant
C. dreadful
D. comforting
Answers
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. C
5. A
6. B
7. D
8. C
9. A
10. D
11. B
12. C
13. A
14. D
15. B