Listening B1
The Mood Detector
Lesson Goals
- Identify how a speaker feels (Attitude).
- Understand "Tone of Voice" (Pitch, Speed, Volume).
- Distinguish between Interested, Bored, and Annoyed.
It is not just what people say, but how they say it. A simple phrase like "That's great" can mean three different things depending on the Tone.
1. The Three Main Tones
Listen carefully to the pitch (high/low) and speed of the voice.
🤩
Interested / Excited
High pitch. Fast speed. Voice goes UP at the end.
😴
Bored / Uninterested
Low pitch. Slow speed. Flat voice (Monotone).
😠
Annoyed / Angry
Loud stress on words. Short, sharp sentences. Sighing.
Strategy: Listen for the "Sigh"
Often, sounds that are not words tell you the most.
- "Ugh..." or a heavy breath out (Sigh) = Annoyed or Tired.
- "Hmm..." (Long sound) = Thinking or Doubtful.
- "Wow!" (High pitch) = Surprised or Impressed.
Practice Activity: Guess the Mood
Listen to the audio. The speaker will say the phrase "Really? You did that?" in 3 different ways. Match the clip to the emotion.
- Clip 1: (Interested / Bored / Annoyed)
- Clip 2: (Interested / Bored / Annoyed)
- Clip 3: (Interested / Bored / Annoyed)
Vocabulary List
- Attitude (noun) /ˈætɪtjuːd/ [អាកប្បកិរិយា] - The way someone feels or thinks about something.
- Tone (noun) /toʊn/ [ទឹកដមសំឡេង] - The musical quality of the voice that shows emotion.
- Enthusiastic (adj) /ɪnˌθjuːziˈæstɪk/ [ដែលសាទរ/រំភើប] - Showing strong excitement and interest.
Your Mission 🎙️
Record yourself saying "I am waiting for the bus." in three ways:
- Happy: (The bus is finally here!)
- Bored: (You have waited 1 hour...)
- Angry: (The bus driver drove past you!)