II. Listening and Speaking Learning Materials

A. Before Listening / Getting Ready

a. Topic Introduction

The teacher asks several questions about the use of plastic in everyday life:

• How often do you use plastic bags or bottles?
• Why do people use plastic?
• Do you think using too much plastic is a problem? Why?

Students give brief answers.

b. Key Vocabulary

Students learn the following vocabulary to help them understand the upcoming spoken Analytical Exposition Text. The teacher demonstrates the pronunciation, and the students repeat each word or phrase after the teacher. The teacher explains the meaning of each vocabulary item and provides a simple example sentence to illustrate its use.

c. Prediction

The following listening activity is entitled “Why Reducing Plastic Use is Important for the Environment”.

The teacher asks:
“What problems do you think the text will discuss?”

Students make brief predictions about the content of the text.

B. During Listening

a. First Listening – Main IdeaListen to the following audio carefully to find the main idea.

Please answer the following question.

What is the text mainly about?

A. The different types of plastic products that people use in their daily activities.
B. The harmful effects of plastic waste on animals, oceans, and natural habitats.
C. The effects of plastic waste on flooding, pollution, and public places.
D. The importance of reducing plastic use to protect the environment.
E. The simple ways people can reuse plastic products and manage the waste.

The teacher and students discuss the answer together.

b. Second Listening – Detailed Information

Listen again to the audio and pay attention to the detail information.

Choose the correct answer based on the information from the audio.

1. Why do people commonly use plastic products in their daily lives?

A. Because plastic products are strong, attractive, and easy to recycle.
B. Because plastic products are cheap, light, and practical to use.
C. Because plastic products are natural, reusable, and safe for the environment.
D. Because plastic products are durable, not expensive, and easy to produce.
E. Because plastic products are popular, colorful, and widely available.

2. What happens to much of the plastic used every day?

A. It is reused several times before being stored at home.
B. It is recycled immediately after being used for a short period.
C. It becomes waste after being used for a relatively short time.
D. It is collected and transported to different recycling centers.
E. It is changed into reusable products for everyday activities.

3. What can happen when people do not dispose of plastic waste properly?

A. Plastic waste can collect in streets, drains, rivers, and public places.
B. Plastic waste can disappear quickly from streets, rivers, and public places.
C. Plastic waste can become useful materials for people in public places.
D. Plastic waste can prevent pollution from spreading to rivers and oceans.
E. Plastic waste can improve the cleanliness of streets, drains, and rivers.

4. How can plastic waste cause flooding during heavy rain?

A. It makes rivers and drains carry less water into the ocean.
B. It blocks water channels and prevents water from flowing properly.
C. It increases the amount of rainfall that falls in urban areas.
D. It changes the direction of rivers and increases the water level.
E. It covers public places and prevents people from moving freely.

5. Why can plastic remain in the environment for a very long time?

A. Because people continue to produce plastic products every day.
B. Because plastic products are often used for many different purposes.
C. Because plastic waste is difficult to collect from rivers and oceans.
D. Because plastic does not break down easily in the environment.
E. Because plastic waste is usually transported to distant places.

6. How can plastic waste harm animals?

A. Animals can use plastic waste as food and become healthier.
B. Animals can use plastic bags and ropes to build their habitats.
C. Animals can swallow plastic or become trapped in plastic waste.
D. Animals can avoid plastic waste by moving to different habitats.
E. Animals can break plastic waste into smaller pieces for food.

7. Why are marine animals especially at risk from plastic waste?

A. Because they often live near areas with heavy rainfall and flooding.
B. Because a large amount of plastic waste enters the ocean.
C. Because they depend on plastic products for food and shelter.
D. Because plastic waste helps destroy their natural food sources.
E. Because they usually live in habitats that contain microplastics.

8. What are microplastics?

A. Large pieces of plastic that people use for storing food.
B. Reusable plastic products that are designed for long-term use.
C. Small pieces of plastic that form when larger plastic breaks down.
D. Natural particles that are found in soil, rivers, and oceans.
E. Plastic products that people separate before sending for recycling.

9. What can microplastics do after entering the environment?

A. They can enter soil, rivers, oceans, and even the food chain.
B. They can disappear quickly after entering rivers and oceans.
C. They can prevent plastic pollution from spreading to natural areas.
D. They can improve the quality of water and soil in polluted areas.
E. They can change into reusable materials through natural processes.

10. Which action does the text suggest to help reduce plastic waste?

A. Using more single-use plastic products when shopping for food.
B. Throwing plastic waste away immediately after using it once.
C. Replacing reusable products with cheaper single-use alternatives.
D. Keeping plastic waste at home until it completely disappears.
E. Choosing reusable products and separating plastic waste for recycling.

II. Listening-Speaking Learning Materials 2

Expressing Arguments and Opinions

Pay attention to the following Dialogue!

Reducing Plastic Use

Anna: What do you think about reducing plastic use?
Ben: I think people should reduce their use of plastic.
Anna: Why do you think so?
Ben: Because plastic waste can pollute rivers and oceans. It can also harm animals.
Anna: I agree with you. Another reason is that plastic takes a long time to break down.
Ben: That’s true. In my opinion, using reusable bags and bottles is a good way to reduce plastic waste.
Anna: I completely agree.

A. Introduction

Expressing Arguments and Opinions refers to expressions used to state an opinion about an issue and provide reasons or arguments to support that opinion.

In an Analytical Exposition Text, an opinion is usually supported by several logical and relevant arguments. In speaking activities, students can use these expressions to state what they think, explain why they think so, give additional reasons, provide examples, agree or disagree with others, and conclude their arguments.

For example:

In my opinion, people should reduce the use of plastic because plastic waste causes environmental pollution.

The sentence contains an opinion (people should reduce the use of plastic) and an argument/reason (plastic waste causes environmental pollution).

B. Asking for Opinions

These expressions are used to ask someone about their opinion on an issue.