Listening: Listening for Gist A1 - Lesson 2: Identifying if a Speaker is Happy/Sad (from tone in simple sentences)

Listening for Feelings (Happy or Sad)

CEFR Level A1

Lesson Goals

In this lesson, you will practice listening for a speaker's tone of voice to understand the gist of their feeling: are they happy or sad?

How to Listen for Tone of Voice

Welcome! Sometimes, how a person speaks is more important than the words they use. The sound of their voice, or their tone, tells you how they feel.

Think about the sound someone makes when they see a beautiful sunrise at Angkor Wat ("Wow!"). Now, think about the sound they make if they drop their ice cream ("Oh..."). The feeling is very different! That's tone.

Clues for Happy vs. Sad Tone

• A happy voice often sounds higher, a little faster, and the pitch goes up and down.
• A sad voice often sounds lower, slower, and is very flat (the pitch does not change much).

Same Words, Different Feeling

Listen to the audio player. You will hear the same sentence two times: "I am going to the market." Can you hear the difference between the happy tone and the sad tone?

Key Tip: Why is Tone Important?

Understanding tone is a very important skill, especially for work and travel. In a city like Siem Reap, you might talk to many tourists.

If a customer says, "Thank you," with a happy tone, you know they are pleased. If they say "Thank you" with a sad or flat tone, you know they might have a problem. Listening to the tone helps you understand the real situation, even if the words are polite.

Practice Activities: Happy or Sad?

Listen to the talks in the main audio. Decide if the speaker sounds happy or sad.

1. "I see my friend."

   Feeling? Happy or Sad

2. "Oh no. I lost my pen."

   Feeling? Happy or Sad

3. "Wow, a new bicycle!"

   Feeling? Happy or Sad

4. "It is raining again."

   Feeling? Happy or Sad

5. "We can go to the river today."

   Feeling? Happy or Sad

Show All Answers

Answers: 1. Happy, 2. Sad, 3. Happy, 4. Sad, 5. Happy

Vocabulary

• Tone of Voice (noun) [សំនៀង]

  The sound of a person's voice that shows their feeling.

• Happy (adjective) [សប្បាយចិត្ត]

  Feeling or showing pleasure; having a good feeling.

• Sad (adjective) [កើតទុក្ខ]

  Feeling or showing unhappiness; having a bad feeling.

Your Mission

Ready to practice your new skill? Complete these two tasks.

1. Practice Your Tone: Say the word "Hello" two times. First, say it with a big, happy smile (like you are greeting a good friend). Second, say it with a sad face (like you have bad news). Can you hear how your own voice changes?
2. Music Gist: Listen to an English song on the radio or YouTube. You don't need to understand the words. Just listen to the music and the singer's tone. Is it a happy song or a sad song? Why do you think so?