I can't tell for certain, because the students listened to them through headphones and I only had a script. However, judging from the recordings that I have heard, I would sincerely doubt it. They were probably just actors reading the script with a few sound effects thrown in.
Regardless, they still couldn't get the answers when it was just me reading the script. I'm pretty sure what was stumping them was trying to tell the difference between the caller and the person being called and (God forbid) any third party mentioned. For example, one caller says, "I promised to give Ruth a ride to work, but I have to go to the doctor. Can you give her a ride?" The students could not tell the difference between the caller and Ruth. This is one of the lines I had to act out and repeat about three or four times, slowly, stressing the key words, only asking for one piece of information at a time. (Who needs the ride? Where does she need the ride to?)
Even simple lines, though, like "Please call back," gave them trouble. They couldn't tell which person was supposed to be doing the calling. That's a pretty important bit of information to know in a real life situation.
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Date: 2005-01-22 01:29 pm (UTC)Regardless, they still couldn't get the answers when it was just me reading the script. I'm pretty sure what was stumping them was trying to tell the difference between the caller and the person being called and (God forbid) any third party mentioned. For example, one caller says, "I promised to give Ruth a ride to work, but I have to go to the doctor. Can you give her a ride?" The students could not tell the difference between the caller and Ruth. This is one of the lines I had to act out and repeat about three or four times, slowly, stressing the key words, only asking for one piece of information at a time. (Who needs the ride? Where does she need the ride to?)
Even simple lines, though, like "Please call back," gave them trouble. They couldn't tell which person was supposed to be doing the calling. That's a pretty important bit of information to know in a real life situation.