Idioms & Expressions:
cram (verb that means to study for something immediately before a test on the material)
I can’t go out tonight. I have to cram for my exam on Friday.
burn the midnight oil (verb phrase; to stay up late working on something)
I have an exam tomorrow morning so I’m going to be burning the midnight oil tonight.
call the shots (this expression is used to refer to someone who is in control of something)
He calls the shots, so we’ll have to ask him for approval.
role model (noun used to describe a person who is looked up to and who other people seek to imitate/emulate)
Who is your role model and why?
lead by example (phrase that means a leader should model the behavior he/she wants her followers to display)
He didn’t say much, but he led by example.
look up to (a phrase that means to admire someone and follow their example)
I used to look up to her and try to imitate her.
yes men (noun; followers who a leader surrounds themselves with who always agree with the leader)
His yes men told him the new product would be a great idea, and it ended up bankrupting the company.
Part I: Group Discussion
- What is your major?
In college, I studied screenwriting. It made my time in school really east. I just had to read and write scripts.
- Why you choose to study that?
Because I liked movies, and I also wanted to have an easier major than the ones my friends picked (they all studied business or something else more prudent).
- What is the most interesting part about your study / work?
I liked my major because I could watch movies and write essays about them. Now, I work for a YouTube company, and I help them write and produce short videos. That is much more interesting than most other jobs I’ve had.
- What subjects have you studied?
Well – I’ve studied everything that everyone else has. But I went to a Bible college, and there I had to take a lot of courses about Scriptures.
- Which one of them is your favorite?
I have always liked studying history. Actually, I wish I had studied that instead of screenwriting.
Part II: Individual Presentations
Describe a leader that you admire (in a field such as politics, business, etc). Please say:
Who the leader is?
What does he/she do?
How did you learn about him/her?
What are the reasons you like him/her?
I think Bell Belichick is a really interesting leader. He’s the coach of my favorite American football team, the New England Patriots. He’s been coaching the game for over 40 years, and he has won the Super Bowl (the championship game) seven times – which is more than any other coach. He has been described as a master tactician, and used unique and clever plays to help his team score. I love watching his team play because they’re always well-prepared, play well, and usually win the game – which is fun to watch as a fan.
Part III: Class Discussion
- What quality do you think a good leader should have?
A leader should be confident, be able to think logically and clearly, and be able to issue directions clearly.
- How can children show leadership at school?
They can volunteer to assist the teacher with certain duties and can assume responsibility when they are taking part in group projects.
- Are some people natural leaders and other people natural followers? Why?
Absolutely. I think the best leaders are born naturally. It’s some kind of biological or evolutionary thing that makes people good leaders.
- Why do some people think it’s a bad thing to always follow other people?
Because it keeps people from listening to what their conscience tells them. It’s ok to be a follower, but if you ignore what you think is right, then you can be persuaded to follow a deceitful leader.
- If you were a leader, what would you choose to improve?
I wouldn’t want to be a leader. But if I were a politician, I would probably make some radical changes to our political system to make corruption less common.