B1 Listening worksheet 4 (plus)

The Best Film Ever

1 Work in pairs. Discuss which of these is most important to you when you watch a film.
It is relevant to your world. There are plenty of funny scenes.
It has impressive special effects. It makes you think.
There are strong performances. There are believable characters.
It has a gripping plot. There’s a heartwarming ending.

2   Listen to a podcast of three people talking about their favourite film. Match each person’s
film (1–3) with one of the sentences (A–C).
1 Olivia’s favourite film A It’s a social drama about moving from childhood to adulthood.
2 Rory’s favourite film B It’s a very famous science-fiction film.
3 Amber’s favourite film  C It’s a drama with music, set in the UK in the recent past.

3   Read sentences 1–8. Then listen again and tick (✓) the correct name.

Tips
Read the sentences carefully and underline the most important words. The sentences
might not follow the same order as the recording.

Olivia Rory Amber

1 This person has picked a film from the 1970s.
2 Some of the characters in their film are not human.
3 They think that the first Star Wars film is still enjoyable for
young people today.
4 Their favourite film teaches people about the past and
maybe the present.
5 The film’s plot and characters remind this person of their
own life.
6 This person has seen and enjoyed all the films.
7 This person has seen them all but enjoyed only two of them.
8 This person has seen only two of the films.

4 What do you think? Discuss these questions in groups.

1 Do people of different age groups prefer different films?
2 Can you think of examples of a film that is interesting for one particular age group?
3 Have you seen the films in the podcast? Do you want to? Why / Why not?

5 Work in pairs. Choose a film that you have both seen and present it to the class.
Make notes on these points:
●● genre
●● plot
●● characters
●● actors

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B1 Listening worksheet 4 (plus)
Teacher’s notes
reason we’ve invited three listeners of
three different ages into the studio to tell
This worksheet pushes students
us about their best film ever. Here to talk
towards B2 by asking them to listen to a
to us are Amber, 16 years old …
conversation of 600 words – about 180
words longer than the maximum they will Amber: Hello.
encounter at B1. It introduces some B2 Presenter: Then we have Rory, 25 years old …
vocabulary, most of which is pre-taught. Rory: Hi.
Students will probably also encounter
some unknown words while listening. Presenter: 
And then we have big jump in age to
Olivia, who simply describes her age as
Students have to listen for gist, attitude ‘over 40’.
and opinions – skills needed in Parts 1 and
4 of the B2 First / B2 First for Schools exam. Olivia: Hello.
They then need to identify opinion and Presenter: 
Let’s start with you, Olivia. Tell us about
attitude in greater detail (B2 First / B2 First your favourite film ever.
for Schools Parts 2 and 3). Olivia: 
Well, as you’ve pointed out, I’m the
oldest here, so maybe it’s not a surprise
1 Exercise 1 that I’ve chosen the oldest film. However,
This doubles as a vocabulary check, so ask it’s a film young people know about
students to read through the list of ideas and too: it’s the very first Star Wars film. It
tell you what words they don’t understand. was just so exciting when it came out in
Explain the words or ask if someone in the 1977. It had everything: an exciting story,
class can explain them. Give the students a characters you cared about (even the
ones who weren’t actually people) and it
few minutes to discuss the ideas in pairs. Then
had what we considered back then really
ask a few pairs to report back to the class on
impressive special effects. Of course,
what they thought was most important.
it might all look a bit silly to you young
2 Exercise 2 people now …
  Tell students they will listen to a podcast Amber: No, it doesn’t! I saw the first Star Wars
in which three people of different ages talk film just last year and it was brilliant!
about their favourite films. Give them a Presenter: 
But Rory, I can see on your face that
moment to look at the sentences A to C and science fiction and special effects are
then play the podcast. Check the answers not your thing.
with the whole class. Rory: 
That’s right. I’m more a fan of films that
Answers make you think. About politics, society,
the world …
1 B
2 C Amber: But Star Wars…
3 A Rory: 
In my opinion, the best film ever made is
Billy Elliot.
05
Amber: Is that the film about the boy who wants
Presenter: 
Hello and thank you for downloading to be a ballet dancer?
our podcast. We asked listeners to tell us Rory: 
That’s the one. It’s the perfect mix of
what they would choose as the best film serious and entertaining. You learn all
ever made. There were a huge number of about a time in the UK’s recent history,
replies, and a lot of different films were which I would say is also relevant today,
mentioned. It made a big difference how and you get a heartwarming story about
old listeners were, of course, and for that a real hero who has the courage to

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B1 Listening worksheet 4 (plus)
Teacher’s notes
follow his dreams. It’s a gripping plot 3 Exercise 3
with believable characters, and there   Ask the students to read through the eight
are some really funny scenes, too. The
sentences and check any unknown vocabulary
film’s got something for everyone.
with you. Then play the audio again. Students
Olivia: 
I agree, actually. Have you seen it Amber? should tick the names as they listen. Check the
Amber: Yeah, I’ve seen it on TV but it wasn’t my answers with the whole class.
thing. OK … I see why other people like
Answers
it and the soundtrack is good … but, I
don’t know, it just didn’t say anything 1 Olivia 5 Amber
relevant to me about my world. 2 Olivia 6 Olivia
Rory: But Star Wars did?! 3 Amber 7 Amber
4 Rory 8 Rory
Presenter: 
So it’s time we moved on to your world,
Amber. Tell us about your absolute
favourite film. 4 Exercise 4
Ask the students to discuss the questions in
Amber: It’s a film called Lady Bird. I know a lot of
older people haven’t seen it …
groups of four. Let them talk to each other for
a while and then ask the groups to report back
Olivia: Oh, I have! and compare what they said.
Rory: 
No, I’ve heard of it, but I can’t imagine
liking it, really. Answers
Students’ own answers
Amber: Oh, well I just loved it because I found it
relevant to people my age. It has typical
older-teenage problems. You know, 5 Write the word genre on the board and give
you love your mother but you still fight science fiction as an example of a film genre.
with her, you fall in love with the wrong Then ask the group to brainstorm more,
person, other girls are more popular ... helping if necessary. They may mention
and you’re just a bit scared because you comedy, romantic comedy, fantasy, drama,
don’t know where life is going to take you horror, thrillers, westerns, musicals, action
as you become an adult. The lead actress films, etc.
is brilliant at showing us all the confused
emotions. It’s a very strong performance. 6 Exercise 5
Presenter: 
Yes, and even oldies like us do The students should work in pairs again. Each
remember those feelings! pair should think of a film they have seen, and
preferably liked, and make some notes under
Olivia: 
And some of us now have teenage
the four headings. They then present their
children feeling similar things. Lady Bird is
a really great film about normal but very
film to the class. You could make it a game by
strong emotions. Good choice, Amber! asking the students not to name the films. The
others could then guess which film is being
Presenter: I agree! Thanks to all of you.
described.

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