Listening Task 6
Linda's job is concerned with social service. She meets all kinds of people in her work—mainly people who have difficulties of one sort or another and need help. The story is about one of these unfortunate people, although his suffering is not caused by any of the problems she usually meets.
We were conducting (a survey)
In connection with (this survey)
tended to be elderly
an air of faded gentility
(the rest of the house was) shut up
he never stopped grumbling
about how the area had gone down
and so on and so forth
he'd got a real chip on his shoulder
he was rather frail
not spectacularly rich
(his father) had supported his mother
it fell to him (to support his sisters)
the business began to flourish
he acquired new premises
(his sister) emigrated
he cut himself off (from his friends)
he still battled on
he was forced to give up
to be somebody of note
In connection with (this survey)
tended to be elderly
an air of faded gentility
(the rest of the house was) shut up
he never stopped grumbling
about how the area had gone down
and so on and so forth
he'd got a real chip on his shoulder
he was rather frail
not spectacularly rich
(his father) had supported his mother
it fell to him (to support his sisters)
the business began to flourish
he acquired new premises
(his sister) emigrated
he cut himself off (from his friends)
he still battled on
he was forced to give up
to be somebody of note