Listening 1 — Changing Traditions (book review)

Before You Listen

Listen to the audio track first

Listen to the audio in your Listening and Speaking book.

Unlock 3 – Unit 4 - Listening 1

Track: 4.2 — book review with Dr Kevin Lee on anthropology, culture, and how technology changes traditions and holidays.

Discussion Questions

Discuss with a partner or group. Use the listening for ideas.

📚 Anthropology & Dr Lee

•What is anthropology in a general sense, and what is Dr Lee’s speciality?
•How did his childhood and family background influence his interest in the subject?

🌍 Culture & change

•What does he say about local customs — and about similarities between people?
•Do traditions always disappear, according to the interview? What usually happens instead?

💻 Technology & daily life

•How did families spend evenings in the past, compared with now?
•Does Dr Lee think technology has ruined human interaction? What does he say?

🎉 Holidays & food

•How have greetings and messages for special events changed?
•What examples are given about India, the United States (Thanksgiving), and cookery books?
•Which tradition from your own family has changed because of technology or modern life?

Multiple Choice Quiz

Choose the best answer based on the listening.

1. Dr Lee says his speciality within anthropology is ______.

Cultural anthropology Only medical anthropology Sports anthropology Animal anthropology

2. What is the title of Dr Lee’s best-selling book discussed in the interview?

Changing Traditions in the Modern World Traffic in Ancient Cities Learning English in Korea Cooking Without Technology

3. In a general sense, anthropology is described as the study of ______.

Humanity Only ancient bones Weather patterns Traffic management

4. As a child, Dr Lee lived in which three countries (among the options)?

Japan, Thailand and Egypt Canada, Brazil and France Korea, the United States and Mexico Australia, Spain and Italy only

5. According to Dr Lee, his mother is and his father is .

American / Korean Korean / American Both Korean Both Egyptian

6. Dr Lee’s book is mainly about ______.

The effect of modern technology on traditions around the world How to become a professor Why people should stop using email Building traditional kitchens

7. In the past, families often spent evenings ______.

Playing board games or listening to the radio Only watching television all night Writing books about anthropology Driving delivery drones

8. Dr Lee’s personal opinion about changes brought by technology is that ______.

He thinks these changes are fine — we still interact with people, though not always face-to-face All technology should be banned Nobody should use the internet Families must never celebrate holidays

9. In India, Dr Lee says families sometimes ______ for weddings or special occasions.

Hire catering companies to provide food Cancel all traditions completely Ban all restaurants Only eat food from supermarkets at home without guests

10. At Thanksgiving in the United States, many families now ______.

Go to restaurants because they don’t want to spend the holiday working in the kitchen Stop eating any special meal Only celebrate in India Cook for exactly one week with no help

Quiz Results

Fill in the Blanks

Use words from the list (order shuffled on purpose).

Cultural • humanity • multicultural • technology • internet
recipes • weddings • Thanksgiving • adapt • anthropology

1. Dr Lee’s speciality is ______ anthropology.

2. In a general sense, anthropology is the study of ______.

3. He grew up in a ______ home and lived in several countries as a child.

4. His book is about the effect of modern ______ on traditions around the world.

5. Today, people spend more time interacting with others over the ______.

6. You can find any ______ you want on the internet — many people don’t need cookery books any more.

7. There are many types of anthropology, such as Linguistic anthropology and Social ______.

8. In India, families hire catering companies to provide food for ______ or special occasions.

9. In the United States, at ______, many families go to restaurants for a special meal.

10. Customs and traditions change and ______ to the modern world.

Results

True or False

Based on the listening only.

1. Dr Lee believes there are often more similarities than differences between people, despite some cultural differences.

True False

2. Dr Lee says that all traditions eventually die out and never adapt.

True False

3. In the past, people sent paper cards to celebrate important events; now more people may use social networking sites, text or email.

True False

4. Dr Lee thinks everyone should stop using the internet and only play board games in the evening.

True False

5. The host remembers her grandmother spending days preparing food using a cookery book from her own grandmother.

True False

Before You Listen

Discussion Questions

📚 Anthropology & Dr Lee

🌍 Culture & change

💻 Technology & daily life

🎉 Holidays & food

Multiple Choice Quiz

1. Dr Lee says his speciality within anthropology is ______.

2. What is the title of Dr Lee’s best-selling book discussed in the interview?

3. In a general sense, anthropology is described as the study of ______.

4. As a child, Dr Lee lived in which three countries (among the options)?

5. According to Dr Lee, his mother is ______ and his father is ______.

6. Dr Lee’s book is mainly about ______.

7. In the past, families often spent evenings ______.

8. Dr Lee’s personal opinion about changes brought by technology is that ______.

9. In India, Dr Lee says families sometimes ______ for weddings or special occasions.

10. At Thanksgiving in the United States, many families now ______.

Quiz Results

Fill in the Blanks

Results

True or False

1. Dr Lee believes there are often more similarities than differences between people, despite some cultural differences.

2. Dr Lee says that all traditions eventually die out and never adapt.

3. In the past, people sent paper cards to celebrate important events; now more people may use social networking sites, text or email.

4. Dr Lee thinks everyone should stop using the internet and only play board games in the evening.

5. The host remembers her grandmother spending days preparing food using a cookery book from her own grandmother.

Results

5. According to Dr Lee, his mother is and his father is .