Sentences:
I got up early so that I was able to get a workout in before work.
I love sprinting. It’s a great exercise that burns a lot of calories.
We did a lot of laps last night in the pool, and I’m very tired today.
Be prepared to play very hard in the basketball tournament. It’s sink or swim.
He withered in the face of stiff competition.
That dress is a good look on you. You should wear it more often.
She has always liked clothes shopping; she’s something of a fashionista.
Cargo pockets have gone out of style.
In his tuxedo, he was dressed to kill.
I can’t go out this weekend. It’s crunch time on my project.
He wakes up early and goes to bed late. He’s been burning the candle at both ends.
Fortunately, the film’s production is on schedule.
After dinner, I spent some time journaling.
Idioms & Expressions:
get a workout in (a phrase that refers to finding time to get some exercise), burn some calories (an expression people use when discussing exercise, do some laps (verb, this means to swim back and forth in a pool or run around a track), sink or swim (an expression used to describe the harsh nature of competition), stiff competition (a phrase that describes competitors who are very hard to beat),
good look (noun, this refers to clothing or a hairstyle that looks good on a certain person), fashionista (noun, this refers to someone who always wears fashionable clothing), in style/out of style (phrases that state whether certain clothing is fashionable or not), fashion sense (noun, if you have good fashion sense, then you always dress very well), dressed to kill (an expression that means someone is dressed very well and looks great in their outfit), crunch time (a noun that refers to a busy period where someone doesn’t have much time left to complete something), burning the candle at both ends (an expression that means someone is working very hard and never taking time to relax), ahead of/behind/on schedule (phrases that refer to how well a project is progressing and whether it seems like it will be completed on time or not), journaling (journal can be used as both a noun and a verb. To journal means to write down your thoughts on what has been happening in your daily life).
Part I: Spontaneous Speaking
Sports
What sports or physical activities do you regularly do?
I like to go to the gym and lift weights. After I’m done with that, I practice boxing and then go running. Beyond, that I don’t really play sports.
Do you prefer watching or playing sports?
I prefer to watch sports. I like to watch the professional athletes, because they’re good at their sport at a level that I can’t really even comprehend. I don’t really enjoy playing sports because I’m not very good at them! I used to play tennis a lot, but I wasn’t good enough to play on a team. I also used to run cross-country, which I was decent at, but again, not good enough to really run for a serious team. I do like watching NFL football on TV, whenever I have the chance.
Do you think children should be encouraged to participate more in sports?
Absolutely, because sports teach children a lot about competition. Children should learn what it’s like to work hard at something when there’s no guarantee of success. The sooner children learn that life isn’t fair, the better. When I was a kid, I entered a drawing competition and I actually won first place out my whole class. This was actually bad thing in the long run, though, because I expected to be good at everything I attempted. It was jarring later on to learn that I wasn’t.
Clothes
Are clothes and clothing fashion important to you? Why/Why not?
I do like to dress up formally and wear suits, because they’re a good look on me. Also, wearing formal clothing is a classic look. If you go with more classic, timeless looks, then you don’t really have to follow modern fashion trends, which change all the time.
Do you think the clothes we wear say something about who we are?
Absolutely. In film and TV, costume designers create clothing for characters based on who the characters are. Your clothing can tell us a lot about your class and nationality.
Part II: Pair Interviews
Describe a time when you were very busy. You should say:
- when it was
- what you had to do during that time
- how you managed it
- and explain how you felt about being busy
This past week, I was finishing up the manuscript for a book I was writing. I had to finalize the draft of the book and take care of the formatting for the manuscript, as well. My deadline was Monday, and in order to get everything finished on time, I had to stay up all night on Sunday, and then all day on Monday, too.
I did a good job by writing most of the book in advance, but still, at the end of the process, I had a lot of work to do in “crunch time.” I didn’t exactly love being busy, but I like having a project to work on. Finishing it was a very proud, gratifying feeling.
Part III: Class Discussion
Time Management
Do you manage your time effectively?
I generally do – I make sure I take care of what I need to for work, and also get some exercise and some time for socializing as well.
Do you like making detailed plans?
Not really. I will make a general outline of what I need to do that day, and then get up whenever I need to in order to accomplish everything in a timely manner.
What are the advantages of making plans?
Plans help you get an idea of everything you need to do, so that you don’t forget anything, and that you budget in time for things that might require a little more effort.
Do you use any special tools, such as a computer, to help you draw up plans?
No, I do all my scheduling mentally. At this point in my life, I’m not really that busy – which is how I like it. I used to be much more busy, when I lived in America, but now things have relaxed a little bit.
Do you keep a diary?
I used to, but I don’t anymore. I realized that I never went back and re-read anything that I wrote down, so there really wasn’t a point to journaling. Sometimes it did help me organize my thoughts, but for the most part, I just wasn’t that motivated to write things down in a journal.
