Language Portfolio (year 11) – Listening 3

AGRUPAMENTO DE ESCOLAS DE CARVALHOS

Language Portfolio

My Dossier (year 11) Listening - 3

Our Society

Man is a social being and often finds ways of doing things that are common to more than one person. Unfortunately sometimes a regular practice turns into a habit and then might develop into an addiction (psychological or physical enslavement).

A. Vocabulary Game

There are many types of addictions. Discover the words, which refer to some sort of dependence, in the conundrums below. The definitions will help you.

OCLICHOCHO COOLIALCH OHROCKILAW SCHOOLAIPH

Definitions: 1. a person who is unable to stop working - Workaholic_______

2. a person who is addicted to alcohol - _Alcoholic____________

3. a person who loves chocolates - _____Chocoholic_____________

4. a person who is unable to control spending and buying - __Shopaholic________________

B. Reading – “aholic”

Some hobbies may turn into an obsession, although I have never found a word for being addicted to reading besides bookworm. Below is a text that describes a certain type of addiction; read it and identify (underline) words that transmit a negative idea about this habit.

Without a doubt, we live in a very “spend-happy” society. As a whole, many people are living above their means and some are drowning in debt. The problem is that many people (no matter their level of income) view shopping as a hobby. Some of these people take weekend-long shopping excursions, spend money they do not have, and often regret their purchases the next day. The people above described can be considered compulsive shoppers, or shopaholics. True shopaholics shop out of compulsion. They will make purchases long after they are over their heads in debt. They shop when they are feeling emotionally distressed, and use spending as a coping mechanism. They do not shop because they merely enjoy it, or because they are purchasing things that they have a need for. They buy things because they feel they HAVE to. Shopaholics are out of control; these people lack self-control.

http://www.essortment.com/all/shopaholic_rxfm.htm (adapted)

C. Listening – spree

On the other hand, couch potatoes are addicted to watching TV. Watch 2 short videos so that you may answer the questions below.

1 - Confessions of a Shopaholic 2 – “Don’t Blame Me”

a) Tick (√) the words you associate to the video you watched.

a) Match the expressions used in the video to their meaning.

workaholic spending spree x expression definition

shopaholic x modelling “materialistic” paying, disbursing,

wasting

money gourmet food “keeping up with the Joneses”

excessive acquisition of things

credit card x designer clothes x “spending”

trying to match the lifestyle of one's neighbours

obsession x consumerism x

b) text type* - __Film Trailer________________ b) text type* - ___Music Video Clip_________

*b) Write the following text types under the most adequate title: music video clip; film trailer c) Being a shopaholic is the common topic in the two videos. However the approach is different. How is the message different? A- The girl is made to feel guilty for her debts B- Society is blamed for incentivating consumerism