islcollective worksheets intermediate b1 adults high school listening adjectives to describe personality and character d 127251745356ca0c3e8bb080 00071198

You are going to hear a discussion about hair colour. Listen and answer the questions.
1.- Lucy Kent wrote a book about …
a. the latest hair colour fashions.
b. how hair colour affects us.
c. redheads.

to perceive: to notice
to tease: to annoy
passion

-

2.- When Lucy was at school, …
a. the other kids used to tease her.
b. the teachers never knew her name.
c. she asked people to call her "Red".
3.- Later, she discovered that most redheads …
a. didn't like school.
b. felt different.
c. liked to be noticed.
4.- Which statement is NOT true?
a. Lucy doesn't get angry a lot.
b. people expect Lucy to be angry.
c. Lucy hated being a redhead.
5.- The stereotypes about red/haired people …
a. began in ancient Egypt.
b. began in 16th century Europe.
c. are a modern phenomenon.
6.- According to Lucy, most people think that
blondes...
a. have got exciting lives.

b. are popular actresses.
c. dye their hair.

-

to fear: to panic
craze: fashion,

7.- Dyed blonde hair is popular with …
a. Japanese people.
b. Afro-Americans.
c. both a and b.
8.- According to Lucy's research …
a. there's no difference being blonde or brownhaired.
b. brown-haired women are better job candidates.
c. blonde women are seen as being less
independent.
9.- In the study, Lucy says that …
a. brown-haired women got a higher salary.
b. Blonde women always got the job.
c. Blonde and brown-haired women did equally
well.
10.- Lucy thinks that hair colour stereotypes…
a. are really true.
b. aren't true, but affect how people see us.
c. don't affect us at all.

Complete the following sentences with information from the listening:
1.

People

consider

that

red

heads

are

____________________________ ,

____________________________ and full of _____________________________ .
2. The colour red has been associated with ________________________________ .
3. Many European red-haired women have been killed because they thought they were
____________________________.


4. Some people often think that blonde women are ______________________________ ,

_________________________ and

_______________________

compared

with brown-

haired women.

You are going to hear a discussion about hair colour. Listen and answer the questions.
1.- Lucy Kent wrote a book about …
a. the latest hair colour fashions.
b. how hair colour affects us.
c. redheads.

-

2.- When Lucy was at school, …
a. the other kids used to tease her.
b. the teachers never knew her name.
c. she asked people to call her "Red".
3.- Later, she discovered that most redheads …
a. didn't like school.
b. felt different.
c. liked to be noticed.
4.- Which statement is NOT true?
a. Lucy doesn't get angry a lot.
b. people expect Lucy to be angry.
c. Lucy hated being a redhead.
5.- The stereotypes about red/haired people …
a. began in ancient Egypt.
b. began in 16th century Europe.
c. are a modern phenomenon.
6.- According to Lucy, most people think that
blondes...
a. have got exciting lives.
b. are popular actresses.

c. dye their hair.

to perceive: to notice
to tease: to annoy
passion

-

to fear: to panic
craze: fashion,

7.- Dyed blonde hair is popular with …
a. Japanese people.
b. Afro-Americans.
c. both a and b.
8.- According to Lucy's research …
a. there's no difference being blonde or brownhaired.
b. brown-haired women are better job candidates.
c. blonde women are seen as being less
independent.
9.- In the study, Lucy says that …
a. brown-haired women got a higher salary.
b. Blonde women always got the job.
c. Blonde and brown-haired women did equally
well.
10.- Lucy thinks that hair colour stereotypes…
a. are really true.
b. aren't true, but affect how people see us.
c. don't affect us at all.

Complete the following sentences with information from the listening:
1.

People

consider

that

red

heads

are

____________________________ ,

____________________________
and full of ___________________ .
2. The colour red has been associated with ____________ .
3. Many European red-haired women have been killed because they thought they were


________________.
4. Some people often think that blonde women are ________________________________ ,

______________________ and ___________________ compared with brown-haired women.

Audio File Link: />Interviewer:
Lucy:

Interviewer:
Lucia:

Interviewer:
Lucia:
Interviewer:
Lucia:

Interviewer:
Lucy:

Interviewer:
Lucia:

Interviewer:
Lucia:

Interviewer:
Lucia:

Interviewer:
Lucy:

Interviewer:
Lucia:

Good morning, everyone! This is Mark Grant, and you’re listening to Fashion Line. Our guest
today is Lucy Kent, the author of Your Hair, Yourself. Lucy, it’s a pleasure to have you here.
Thanks, Mark. I’m happy to be here.
Lucy, you’ve just written a book about how hair colour affects the way we perceive one another.

Tell us, how did you get interested in that topic?
Well, as you can see, I’ve got bright red hair. When I was growing up, I used to hate my hair.
The other kids at school would always tease me and call me names like “carrot-top” and “red”. I
always felt different from everyone else. People always noticed me, including all the teachers,
who knew who I was even from the first day of school.
I’m sure feeling different from everyone wasn’t easy for you.
No, it wasn’t, but later on, when I was doing research for my book, I discovered that feeling
different from others was a common feeling that many redheads experiences at school.
So, do you still hate being a redhead?
So, not any more. I now realise that being a redhead is what makes me special. People have a lot
of positive associations with redheads. When people meet me, they expect me to be intelligent,
creative, and full of energy.
Are you saying that because of your red hair, people expect you to have those personality
characteristics?
Yes, of course. A lot of people even expect me to get angry easily because of my red hair, but
when they get to know me, they see that it isn’t the case. Actually, it takes a lot to get me
really angry.
Lucy, have there always been stereotypes about red-haired people, or is this a modern
phenomenon?
Actually, the phenomenon is quite old. It started in ancient Egypt where the colour red was
associated to evil. Red-haired men were often sacrificed or buried alive. And in Europe during
16th and 17th centuries, many people feared and hated redheads. During this time, many women
in Europe were killed because people thought they were witches. It’s no coincidence that most
of those women had red hair.
Well, it’s a good thing you weren’t alive then! Now, in your book, you also discuss some of the
stereotypes about blondes, particularly women. Can you tell us a bit about that?
Sure. People automatically assume that blondes are popular and have got exciting lives. Perhaps
part of this stereotype is because many models and actresses are blonde, or they dye their
hair blonde. In fact, the majority of the hair colouring sold worldwide is some form of blonde.
So, it seems that everyone wants to be blonde.

Right – and not just women. These days, it’s a common sight to see trendy teenage boys with
dyed blonde hair. What’s even more surprising is that this craze for blonde hair can be found in
people from ethnic groups that don’t naturally have blonde hair. Afro-Americans – like Dennis
Rodman, the basketball player, or the singer Beyoncé Knowles – have become blondes. And in
Japan, blonde hair is the hottest new look.
But in your book, you also mention that there are negative aspects to being blonde.
There certainly are, especially for women. People often think that blonde women are stupid,
dependent, and helpless compared with brown-haired women. In one study, people looked at
photos of a female job candidate with blonde hair, while other people looked at exactly the
same person but with brown hair. Perhaps it’s not so surprising that a higher salary was
recommended for the women with brown hair every time.
So, Lucy, after all your research, what’s your personal option about these stereotypes? Do you
think that they are really true?
Well, the fact that people can change their hair colour so easily is proof that hair colour


Interviewer:
Lucia:

stereotypes are simply not true. Still, for better or worse, hair colour does affect the way
people, especially women, are perceived.
Very interesting. That’s all we have time for now. Thanks, Lucy, for joining us today.
Thank you.