Conversational Speaking 1
Imagine you are at work, and you want to ask your boss a question. How would you call for his/her attention?
Excuse me...
What is the difference between giving instructions and making suggestions?
Instructions: telling someone what to do/how to do something --> more direct/commanding
Suggestions: offering help to someone to solve a problem --> more polite/helpful
The physical parts of the computer are called ____________.
hardware
I want a computer that can make calls and fit in my pocket.
What kind of computer should I buy?
Smartphone
I have ___ apple.
a/an, the, (-) no article
I have an apple.
Imagine you are at the mall with your friends, and you want to ask your friend a question. How would you call for his/her attention?
Depends on group...
Examples:
Hey! Yo! What's up?
I want to take a photo on my phone, but I don't know how to do it.
Give an instruction on how to take a photo on a smartphone.
Hint: "First..."
Depends on group
Examples:
"First, open the camera application on your home screen."
"Open the camera app by pressing the screen with your finger."
My company works with important personal information from customers (medical records, bank accounts, personal data).
My company needs a strong ___________ _____________ department.
information security
I need a computer that is more powerful than a laptop, but less powerful than a mainframe or supercomputer. I don't need to travel with this computer. I will keep it in my office at home.
What kind of computer should I buy?
desktop computer
____ students in Grade 10 are smart, funny, and hard-working.
a/an, the, (-) no article
The students in Grade 10 are smart, funny, and hard-working.
Imagine that you are working in technical support, and someone calls asking for help with their computer.
"My computer won't turn on. What should I do?"
Give an instruction on how to start the computer.
Depends on group...
Examples:
"Start the computer by pressing the power button."
"Check the power supply connection."
Give an instruction for how to cook rice.
Depends on group
Examples:
"First, wash the rice in the sink."
"Take the rice out of the bag and put it in a bowl."
Which part of the computer is most similar to human memory? (Hint: it stores large amounts of data)
hard drive
Which part of the computer is most similar to the human face? (Hint: it shows information, images, etc.)
monitor
Does this sentence correctly use articles?
Sharks and crocodiles are some of the oldest animals on Earth.
Yes. We use "(-) no article" for "Sharks and crocodiles" because this is a generally true statement.
I want to be more fit and grow my muscles.
Give a suggestion for my goal.
Hint: "Maybe you could..."
Depends on group...
Examples:
"Maybe you could try going to the gym more?"
"You should try eating more protein."
I am unhappy with my skin because I have a lot of acne. I want help with skincare.
Give a suggestion for how I can improve my skincare.
Hint: "Maybe you should..."
Depends on group
Example:
"Maybe you should try washing your face more."
"Why don't you try a new product?"
Which computer part is most similar to human sweat? (Hint: it cools the other parts of the computer)
fan/heat sink
Which part of the computer is most similar to the human spine?
(Hint: it is the central communication unit; sends information to and from different parts)
motherboard
I have __ apple and __ banana. (not specific)
a/an, the, (-) no article
I have an apple and a banana.
These are not specific. We use a/an because we have 1 of each fruit.
Imagine you are trying to fix your computer, but you are having some problems.
Who should you call?
Think of a question to ask for help with your computer.
Technical Support
Examples of Questions:
"Can you help me fix my computer?"
A: Excuse me, Mr. Curry, I want to request a __________. Right now, I work in technical support, but I think my skills would be more valuable in quality assurance.
B: Ok, why do you think that?
A: I think I should work in quality assurance because ___________________________________________.
A: Excuse me, Mr. Curry, I want to request a transfer. Right now, I work in technical support, but I think my skills would be more valuable in quality assurance.
B: Ok, why do you think that?
A: I think I should work in quality assurance because... (depends on group)
My Job: dropping iPhones on the floor to see if they break. If there is a problem, we fix the design.
What department do I work in?
quality assurance
What does a scanner do? What does a printer do?
Scanner: changes a physical document into a digital copy on the computer
Printer: changes a digital copy on the computer into a physical document
I am watching __ interesting movie about ___ dragons. ____ story is cool and fun. I want ___ snack to eat while I watch it.
I am watching an interesting movie about dragons. The story is cool and fun. I want a snack to eat while I watch it.
an interesting movie = 1 movie, not specific
no article (-) dragons = generally true statement
The story = specific, only 1 movie has this story
a snack = 1 snack, not specific