Audio: understanding conference calls

B1, B2, C1

This activity from the British Council site will be of interest for people who have difficulty understanding international conf-calls in English. You will hear a manager presenting his company's quarterly results, then part of a question and answer session with the other participants. Audio time  6 minutes 20 seconds. Activity time: 20 to 45 minutes.

Task: Go to the activity page and

1. Click on "Task". Read the two questions, then listen to the audio the first time. Click on the "Check answers" button at the bottom of the page to see if you were correct.
2. Click on "Task 2"  Listen again and match the questions to the subjects. Check your answers at the bottom.
3. Click on "Task 3" Check your answers again when you've finished.
4. Click on "Transcript" if you want to see the text of the audio. Listen again if necessary.

Go to the activity here.

 

Reading and video: DSK/legal vocabulary

B1, B2, C1, C2

You are going to read an article about the arrest of IMF President Dominique Strauss-Kahn for alleged sexual assault. You will then do an exercise to practise legal vocabulary. Finally, you will watch a short video where you will hear some of the vocabulary used. Activity time: 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Task:  1 Read the article.

2 Now complete these sentences using the words in italics.  The words in red also appear in the article.

guilty (x2)   claim     bail     settlement        dropped         remanded      charged      tried      appeal  released     convicted         arrested       sentence      

 

a  Your accuser (the plaintiff) files a _______ against you at the police station.

b  You (the defendant) are  _________ by the police.

c  You are taken to the police station and ________ with the crime.

d  If it's a very serious charge, maybe you will need to request _______ .  If this is refused

   or denied, or if you don't have the money, you are ________ in custody.

e  Many cases never get to court. Sometimes the charges are _________  because of

    insufficient evidence.  Sometimes a financial ________ is made out of court

f  If the case goes to court, you are usually __________ by a judge and jury (= the trial)
g  If you are found not __________ , you are ___________.

h  If you are found ________, you are _________ of the crime and may face a prison

    _________.  

i  Before serving your sentence, you have the right to __________ against the verdict

3  Now watch the news video. It's at the top of the page on the left.. How many of the words in 2 do you hear?

Read the article here.

Check your answers here.
Watch the video here.