Listening Comprehension -- I'll Take the Blue Packet

Artifical sweetners have come a long way but they still leave an aftertaste.

So, it seems, do artificial listening exercises.

Male voice (with a cheerleader's forced enthusiasm): I have a job as a summer intern.

Female voice: Really? (her voice rising at the end of the sentence as though she's just been told the guys with the sweepstake winnings are standing at her door) That sounds exciting! (at this point you're wondering if a lot more is going on than just a simple conversation on the street)

Male voice: But I'm sad I won't be working on my tan. (And now, you're convinced he's suicidal)

Ok, maybe it's not that bad but believe me these dialogues run dangerously close to putting someone in a diabetic coma. They gush with hyperbole. Some might guess they are being performed by soap opera rejects.

Still, it's a tool. And an interesting one at that. For instance, we would-be trainers were told yesterday that sometimes new language learners don't realize there are two male voices in dialogue as opposed to one long monologue. They can't hear the differences we native speakers can.

So . . . play, pause, play again. Just be prepared to get the sweet taste out of your mouth.