PH1 Grade 9 Listening Section 1

Summary

The speaker enjoys various creative outlets as a means of emotional expression and stress relief, including drawing, painting, and engraving. They are passionate about their studies in fine arts, photography, and sociology, and their free time often mirrors their academic pursuits. They also engage in reading, sports, and creative writing. A recent highlight was attending a music festival in Cambridge, which introduced them to live band performances. The speaker dislikes spending time on video games and finds shopping in crowded places like Oxford Street overwhelming.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The speaker enjoys various forms of art as a hobby, including drawing, painting, and engraving, using these as a means of emotional expression and stress relief.
• 📚 They are studying illustration, fine arts, and photography, along with sociology, showing a passion for their academic pursuits that align with their free-time activities.
• 💡 The speaker finds creative writing as another outlet for their artistic inclinations, suggesting a multifaceted approach to creativity.
• 🌿 They appreciate spending time in nature, mentioning lying on the beach or grass, which could be a form of relaxation or inspiration.
• 📖 Reading is a significant part of their free time, with a wide range of interests from comic books to fiction novels, aiming to broaden their knowledge.
• 🏊‍♂️ The speaker engages in physical activities like swimming and tennis to reduce stress and maintain health, highlighting the importance of a balanced lifestyle.
• 🎉 A recent visit to the Strawberry Fair in Cambridge was a memorable experience, especially the live music, which was a new and enjoyable discovery.
• 🎼 The speaker has a love for music and finds listening to a variety of genres enjoyable, with the live performance at the fair being a notable highlight.
• 🖥️ They express a dislike for spending time playing video games, citing potential harm to their eyesight and a preference for more productive activities.
• 🛍️ Shopping, particularly at crowded places like Oxford Street, is considered an unpleasant experience, but sometimes it's a social obligation with friends.
• 👫 The speaker values spending time with friends, even when it involves activities they don't particularly enjoy, showing a willingness to compromise for social bonding.

Q & A

What does the speaker enjoy doing in their free time?

The speaker enjoys drawing, painting, engraving, and doing artsy crafts as a way to express emotions and cope with stress.

What is the speaker studying currently, and what will they study next year at university?

The speaker is currently taking fine arts and photography, along with sociology, and will be studying illustration at university next year.

How does the speaker view their free time activities in relation to their class time activities?

The speaker sees their free time activities as an extension of their class time activities, doing similar things like drawing, painting, and arts and crafts.

Does the speaker also engage in creative writing?

Yes, the speaker does creative writing on the side as part of their free time activities.

What does the speaker like to do to relax besides artistic activities?

The speaker likes to lie on the beach or on the grass, and sometimes paints in their room as a way to relax.

What is the speaker's opinion on reading books?

The speaker believes that reading a variety of books, from comic books to novels, helps to improve and widen their knowledge.

What sports does the speaker mention doing to reduce stress after studying?

The speaker mentions swimming and playing tennis with friends as ways to reduce stress.

What was the speaker's experience at the Strawberry Fair in Cambridge?

The speaker found the Strawberry Fair to be very lovely and enjoyed it immensely, noting it was their first time at such a festival and their first time seeing a live band performance.

What is the speaker's stance on playing video games?

The speaker does not like spending time playing video games, as they believe it can harm their eyesight and waste time that could be used for other activities.

What does the speaker consider the most awful thing to do and why?

The speaker considers shopping at Oxford Street and Oxford Circus in London to be the most awful thing due to the crowds and noise, although they sometimes have no choice.

How does the speaker's social life intersect with their dislike for certain activities?

The speaker's social life sometimes requires them to participate in activities they dislike, such as shopping on Oxford Street with friends, especially girls who enjoy it.