Before you listen
Talk about it first.
- Would you rather work four longer days or five shorter ones? Why?
- Who might lose out if a city office closes one extra day a week?
Listen for these words
You will hear
- wrapped up
- Finished or completed.
- headline numbers
- The main, most noticeable figures in a report.
- arguably
- Used to say something can reasonably be claimed, though others may disagree.
- paid the price
- Suffered a cost or disadvantage because of a decision.
- an argument against rushing
- A reason not to decide too quickly.
C1 Advanced · Radio · About 1.5 minute
Listen
Listen once for the main idea. Then answer, and listen again for the details. Don’t read the transcript yet.
Step 1 · Main idea
What is it about?
Listen once, all the way through. Then choose the best answer.
01What is Teresa’s overall position on the four-day week?
Step 2 · Details
Listen again for the details
Read the questions first, then play the recording again. Pause when you need to.
01Which of these results does Teresa report?
02Why does Teresa see the voluntary design as a weakness?
03Who does Teresa say paid the price for the Friday closures?
04What does Teresa recommend?
Show the transcript
Our city has just wrapped up a six-month trial of a four-day work week for about two hundred city employees. The results were released on Monday, and, perhaps predictably, both sides say the findings support them.
The headline numbers are genuinely impressive. Sick days fell by nearly a third, fewer people quit, and most staff reported feeling less exhausted. Supporters say the case is closed.
I’m not so sure. For one thing, the trial was voluntary, so the departments that signed up were arguably the ones most likely to make it work. For another, several offices simply closed on Fridays, and residents who needed a permit or a parking pass that day paid the price. And six months is hardly long enough to tell whether the enthusiasm will last.
None of this is an argument against the idea. It is, however, an argument against rushing. A full year, with every department included and public offices kept open five days a week, would tell us far more than a hopeful first look. I’m Teresa Alvarez, and that’s my view.
Now play the recording and read along. Then try saying it with the speaker, at the same speed.
Speak
Your turn
Give a one-minute opinion on a new policy in your city or workplace. Acknowledge one strength, raise two concerns, and end with a clear recommendation.