Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. abusive
    • ex. In the movie, Alex plays an abusive man, but in real life, he’s very sweet.
  2. upset
    • ex. When his trip was canceled because of the typhoon, Mike became upset.
  3. behavior
    • ex. My daughter received a golden pencil for her good behavior at school.
  4. refuse
    • ex. My son refused to eat his green peas at dinner, so I didn’t give him any dessert.
  5. rude
    • ex. Talking loudly on the train is rude.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Alnwick [AN-ik] Castle, which was used to film the first two Harry Potter movies, has announced that its security team will ask abusive visitors to leave. The 150-room castle recently reopened with new rules after it closed for several months due to Covid-19. Many visitors are upset about the new rules, and there have been multiple reports of abusive behavior towards staff.

According to the new rules, visitors to the castle must now make a reservation online before their visit. Social distancing is required, and all visitors must wear masks in the tower, where the castle museum is located. In addition, some areas of the castle are still closed to visitors. Castle staff said that visitors’ experiences this year will be different.

Many visitors are refusing to follow the new rules and have used rude language toward the castle’s staff. The castle’s management says that they understand visitors may be frustrated, but abusive behavior is unacceptable. They explained that the new rules are for the safety of both staff and visitors.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Rules

  • Do you agree with Alnwick Castle's new rules? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think tourist attractions like Alnwick Castle should ask for guests' opinions when creating new rules? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What should people do if they don't like the rules of a place (ex. write a letter to the management, not go there anymore)? Why? Discuss.

Being Rude

  • Do you think asking rude visitors to leave Alnwick Castle is enough, or should they be banned from the castle forever? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think it's natural to be rude to other people sometimes? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think it's okay to be rude to someone who is rude to you? Why or why not? Discuss.