Listening: Listening for Inference, Attitude, & Opinion B1 - Lesson 3: Distinguishing Simple Facts from Opinions in Short Talks

Listening: Fact vs. Opinion

CEFR Level B1

Lesson Goals

In this lesson, you will practice the critical listening skill of distinguishing between facts and opinions in short talks.

Clues to Identify Facts and Opinions

A fact is a piece of information that can be proven to be true. An opinion is a belief or feeling that cannot be proven. When you listen, pay attention to the language the speaker uses for clues.

Language of Facts (Objective)

Facts are often presented with:

• Numbers, dates, or statistics
• Historical or scientific information
• Neutral, unbiased language

Language of Opinions (Subjective)

Opinions are often introduced with:

• Judgment words (e.g., beautiful, boring, delicious)
• Signal phrases (e.g., I think, I believe, In my opinion)
• Words of advice (e.g., should, must, best)

Key Tip: Listen for Bias

Sometimes, a speaker will mix facts and opinions together to persuade you. This is called bias. They might use a fact to support their opinion.

For example: "Angkor Wat was built in the 12th century, so it's clear that ancient architecture is the most impressive."

The first part is a fact, but the second part is an opinion. A good listener can separate them.

Practice Activities

Listen to the talks in the audio player. For each one, answer the question below.

1. Talk 1: Describing a Place
   "Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia. It was built in the 12th century. In my opinion, it is the most beautiful temple in the world. I think everyone should visit it at sunrise, because the view is absolutely breathtaking."

   Which statement from the talk is an OPINION?

   • A) Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia.
   • B) It was built in the 12th century.
   • C) It is the most beautiful temple in the world.
   Show Answer

   Answer: C). The phrase "most beautiful" is a personal feeling and cannot be proven. The other two statements are historical facts.

2. Talk 2: Describing Food
   "Fish Amok is a traditional Cambodian dish. It is made with fresh fish, coconut milk, and a special spice paste called kroeung. Many restaurants in Siem Reap serve it. I believe it is the most delicious food in Cambodia, and you should definitely try it."

   Which statement from the talk is a FACT?

   • A) It is the most delicious food in Cambodia.
   • B) You should definitely try it.
   • C) It is made with fish and coconut milk.
   Show Answer

   Answer: C). This statement lists the ingredients, which is a provable fact. The other two statements are the speaker's personal opinion and advice.

Vocabulary

• Fact (noun) [ការពិត]

  A piece of information that is known to be true and can be proven.

• Opinion (noun) [មតិ]

  A belief or feeling about something that cannot be proven right or wrong.

• To Distinguish (verb) [បែងចែក]

  To recognize or understand the difference between two or more things.

Your Mission

Time to use your critical listening skills. Complete these two tasks.

1. Analyze a Review: Find a review online (in English) of a hotel in Siem Reap, a movie, or a product. Copy one sentence that is a fact (e.g., "The hotel has 50 rooms.") and one sentence that is an opinion (e.g., "I think the breakfast was excellent.").
2. State a Fact and an Opinion: Choose a topic you know well (e.g., your favorite sport, your city). Write two sentences about it. Make the first sentence a clear fact and the second sentence a clear opinion.