Listening Practice
Listen to the audio and answer the questions below.
More Than Just Looks
More Than Just Looks
We live in a world where appearance matters. Whether we like it or not, people form an opinion about others within the first few seconds of meeting. It is not fair, but it is human nature. The question is: how much should we really judge by what we see?
Think about what people notice first when they meet someone new. It is usually height, clothes, or a smile. For instance, a person who is well-dressed and has a clear sense of style will always catch everyone's attention. If that person also has a friendly face and a warm smile, it becomes much easier to start a conversation with them. These quick impressions are normal, but they are also very limited.
Stereotypes often lead to mistakes. When people see a man who is middle-aged and is getting grey hair, they might automatically think he is boring. If a woman is medium height and always wears her hair up, others might assume she is too serious. In reality, these people can be completely different from what their look suggests. One could be highly sociable and confident, while the other might be a bit shy.
Family connections can also be surprising. A young man might look exactly like a stranger, but in character, he takes after his father, being just as honest and reliable. Another person might look very young, but have the wisdom of someone much older because they are incredibly hard-working and patient.
Ultimately, it is okay to notice if someone is good-looking or attractive. But it is important not to stop there. Physical appearance tells us nothing about whether a person is generous or selfish. The most fascinating things about people are always the ones that cannot be seen at first glance.
Comprehension Questions
1. How quickly do people form an opinion when they meet someone?
2. What makes it easier to start a conversation with a stranger?
3. Why can stereotypes be a problem?
4. What example of a wrong stereotype is given in the text?
5. What does the text say about the young man who takes after his father?
6. What quality does the text mention about the person who looks young?
7. What does the author say physical appearance cannot tell us?
8. Where are the most fascinating things about people found?
Vocabulary
Learn appearance phrases, character adjectives and useful expressions for describing people.
Match the appearance phrases with the pictures and listen to the pronunciation
Match the character adjectives with their definitions
Match the useful phrases with their definitions
Practice
Complete the exercises to practise the new vocabulary.
Complete the sentences with the correct appearance phrase
1. My brother is 195 cm. .
2. My sister is only 150 cm. .
3. Anna is neither tall nor short. .
4. Lisa has an attractively thin figure. .
5. Tom has very little body fat. .
6. Mr. Clark weighs more than is healthy. .
7. My cousin has brown or dark-coloured skin. .
8. Her eyes are the colour of chocolate. .
9. His hair is black or dark brown. .
10. Her hair is long and brown. .
11. He has hair on his chin and cheeks. .
12. He has hair above his upper lip. .
13. She is very attractive. .
14. He is an attractive man. .
15. She looks nice and sweet. .
16. The witch looks unpleasant. .
17. He is no longer young but not yet old. .
18. My grandfather has lived for many years. .
19. My nephew is at an early stage of life. .
Complete the sentences with the correct character adjective
1. She never doubts herself and speaks clearly in public. She is very .
2. He doesn't talk much at parties and feels nervous around new people. He is quite .
3. Anna loves meeting new people and can chat for hours. She is very .
4. Tom always does his work on time and puts a lot of effort into it. He is .
5. He never helps around the house and avoids any kind of work. He is .
6. She never gets annoyed when waiting and explains things calmly. She is very .
7. He gets annoyed the moment something takes longer than expected. He is .
8. She shares everything she has and never thinks twice about helping. She is .
9. He only thinks about himself and never considers others. He is .
10. She always tells the truth, even when it is hard. She is completely .
11. You can always count on him to keep his promises. He is very .
12. He never changes his mind, even when he is clearly wrong. He is so .
Complete the sentences with the correct useful phrase
1. He has the same eyes and nose as his dad. .
2. She has a similar character to her mother. .
3. He is between 30 and 39 years old. .
4. She wears nice, stylish clothes every day. .
5. He knows exactly how to choose good clothes. .
6. She looks younger than she really is. .
7. His hair is starting to become grey. .
8. She is taller than most girls of the same age. .
9. He looks kind and easy to talk to. .
10. She usually has her hair in a bun or ponytail. .
11. He has no beard or moustache. .
12. She has a friendly, welcoming smile. .
Final Test
Check your knowledge of appearance phrases, character adjectives and useful expressions.