Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

7. Question:

Psychologists say that a spoken conversation is _____ than a written one.

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

8. Question:

Older people prefer the _____.

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

9. Question:

Most people like making contact _____.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of can, could, or be able to.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Complete the sentences with have to, don’t have to, must, mustn’t, should, or shouldn’t.

Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Failure: the first step towards success Many people who have found success started out by failing.
Below are four of the most famous.

A  Some people consider this man to be the greatest scientist that has ever lived. However, his early life was nothing special. He was very small as a child and he was a very poor student. When he was twelve, his mother took him out of  school so that he could learn how to run the family farm. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very good at that either, so in the end he was sent back to school. After eventually passing his exams, he went to Cambridge University where he became a brilliant scholar. Later, he developed his law of gravity.

B  This man is one of the most famous inventors of all time, which is incredible when you think he only went to school for three months. After his teacher lost patience with him, his mother taught him from home and he learnt many important lessons from reading books. His working life started as badly as his schooling had, and he was fired from his first two jobs. However, this gave him more time to experiment – by the end of his life he had invented over a thousand devices. His most famous invention was a certain type of light bulb.

C Ask anyone to name the most famous film director in Hollywood and many of them will say this man’s name. However, his career in cinema started badly, as he was rejected three times from film school. He eventually started his studies at a different school, but he dropped out to become a director before he had finished. Since then he has won the Oscar for Best Director twice and three of his films have broken box office records. He went back to school in 2002 to finish his studies and earn his BA degree.

D  Although he is one of the most successful businessmen and computer programmers of all time, this man didn’t actually finish university. He was very bright at school and went to Harvard University, but he spent most of his time using the university’s computers for his own projects and didn’t do much studying. After dropping out, he decided to start his own company with a friend. This company failed, but he persisted and won a contract with IBM which eventually resulted in his company becoming one of the most powerful and recognized brands in the world today.

Choose the correct word.

1. It was so ________when my mobile rang during the play.

Choose the correct word.

2. That’s possibly the most ________ film I’ve ever seen. Nothing happened.

Choose the correct word.

3. I was very ________ when the door suddenly opened on its own.

Choose the correct word.

4. It rained every day on my holiday. I couldn’t do anything and was so _______.

Choose the correct word.

5. Why is travelling so ________ when most of the time you’re just sitting down?

Choose the correct word.

6. I find most horror films too ________ so I keep my eyes closed half the time.

Choose the correct word.

7. I’m not surprised Ian’s ________! He’s just lost his job, and his dog’s just died.

Choose the correct word.

8. She was so ________ when she called him by the wrong name!

Choose the correct word.

9. We’re incredibly _______. We’ve spent all day sightseeing in London.

Choose the correct word.

10. I find it ________ that most people don’t really care about climate change.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Complete the word in the sentences.

Cross out the silent consonant in the words.

1. foreign

Cross out the silent consonant in the words.

2. listen

Cross out the silent consonant in the words.

3. doubt

Cross out the silent consonant in the words.

4. island

Cross out the silent consonant in the words.

5. whole

Choose the stressed syllable.

1. Ja|pa|nese

Choose the stressed syllable.

2. di|sa|ppoin|ted

Choose the stressed syllable.

3. em|ba|rra|ssing

Choose the stressed syllable.

4. fru|stra|ting

Choose the stressed syllable.

5. dis|ho|nest

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

1. Question:

We are making _____ landline calls these days.

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

2. Question:

We phone less because we have _____.

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

3. Question:

The writer says we use our smartphones for _____.

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

4. Question:

When we’re _____ we don’t like talking on the phone.

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

5. Question:

We like to _____ before we reply to something.

Read the article and Choose the correct answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

6. Question:

Some people who receive a phone call prefer to reply by _____.

Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

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The end of the phone call?

Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number.

The amount of time we spend talking on our mobile phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.

The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch films, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!

Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open-plan offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.

On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and ‘colder’ because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation.

It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, phoning friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.

Listen to the conversation about playing a musical instrument. Who said the following? Write I (Ian) or K (Kate) or N (Neither).

Listen to five conversations. Choose the correct answer.