Understand Native English Speakers When They are Laughing

You may find it difficult to understand native speakers when they are laughing. Sometimes when we start laughing we cannot stop – we say that we ‘have got the giggles’ and usually this is happens to children. But adults go through it too. When we laugh we can find it difficult to pronounce even simple words. I thought it might be a challenge for you to try and make out what the weather reporter is saying in this clip from the BBC. Read the notes on maintaining composure when broadcasting on live TV then try the short gap fill exercise below. Beneath that you will find the full transcript to the weather report.

Keeping It Together On Camera

When you work on television sometimes you hear or see something that distracts you just before you go out live. Whether you’ve just heard some shocking news or a joke, you need to keep it together. This means you need to maintain your composure. You’re on camera and you need to show professionalism. Imagine you are going through a terrible storm and you need to find out how long this awful weather is going to last. You turn on the weather report only to find that the reporter can’t keep a straight face (not react to something funny) when talking about this difficult time for you. You are experiencing gale force winds (strong winds) and a gust of wind takes the roof off your house. This is surely a serious matter and you need news readers to reflect the level of seriousness!

Gap Fill Exercise

Simon: Now, let’s have a look at the weather. Er, Louise, are you alright?
Louise: Sorry…can we…
Simon: I think we’ve lost her…Tell you what, come back to me on __________ three…Now, let’s get a weather update. Here is Louise Lear.
Louise: Thank you Simon. Good evening everybody. I’ll try and _________ it _________ because it’s not a ________ matter with the weather in Scotland today. Its been …sorry …it’s been pretty wet and windy with the strongest of the ________ of wind across Scotland and Northern Ireland. In fact, we’ve seen ________ force ________ into wales and across central and eastern…parts of England…

Full Transcript

Simon: Now, let’s have a look at the weather. Er, Louise, are you alright?
Louise: Sorry…can we…
Simon: I think we’ve lost her…Tell you what, come back to me on camera three…Now, let’s get a weather update. Here is Louise Lear.
Louise: Thank you Simon. Good evening everybody. I’ll try and keep it together because it’s not a laughing matter with the weather in Scotland today. Its been …sorry …it’s been pretty wet and windy with the strongest of the gusts of wind across Scotland and Northern Ireland. In fact, we’ve seen gale force gusts into wales and across central and eastern…parts of England…