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Listen to an Academic Talk Test #010
Listen to an Academic Talk
1. What is the speaker's main topic?
A) The challenges of learning a new language
B) How languages change over time
C) The practice of alternating between languages
D) The rules of formal academic English
2. The speaker gives an example of a student who speaks differently to a professor and to her friends. What does this example illustrate?
A) The difficulty of mastering academic language
B) Switching between different styles of one language
C) A person's confusion about which language to use
D) The influence of friendship on language learning
3. What does the speaker imply about people who code-switch?
A) They often have difficulty expressing themselves.
B) They are using language in a socially skillful way.
C) They are likely to forget one of their languages.
D) They are trying to hide their true identity.
4. Why does the speaker mention someone who speaks both Spanish and English?
A) To show that code-switching can happen between languages
B) To argue that Spanish is easier to learn than English
C) To describe the process of language acquisition
D) To give an example of a common language error
Guest Speaker: I'm here to talk about a common linguistic behavior called code-switching. This occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, within a single conversation. It's important to understand that this isn't a sign of confusion or not knowing a language well. In fact, it's a very systematic and socially meaningful practice.
For instance, a student might use formal, academic English when speaking to a professor, but then immediately switch to a much more informal slang with her friends just moments later. This is a form of code-switching between different registers.
We also see it with bilinguals. Someone who speaks both Spanish and English might mix the two within the same sentence when talking to a friend who is also bilingual. This is often done to build a sense of shared identity. So, code-switching demonstrates a speaker's sophisticated awareness of social context.
For instance, a student might use formal, academic English when speaking to a professor, but then immediately switch to a much more informal slang with her friends just moments later. This is a form of code-switching between different registers.
We also see it with bilinguals. Someone who speaks both Spanish and English might mix the two within the same sentence when talking to a friend who is also bilingual. This is often done to build a sense of shared identity. So, code-switching demonstrates a speaker's sophisticated awareness of social context.
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