Speaking (Transport, Decisions)

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Idioms & Expressions:

gridlock (a noun that refers to traffic congestion)

Traffic today was total gridlock. I was sitting there for an hour.

 

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.

 

hedge your bets (verb phrase that means that to have a backup plan in case your first action does not work)

The team owner hedged his bets by signing a backup goalkeeper.

 

on the fence (prepositional phrase that means someone is currently indecisive about something)

Many voters were on the fence about who to vote for right up until Election Day.

 

waffle/flounder (verbs that mean to go back and forth between your choices)

I spent a while waffling between the motorbikes before picking one I liked.

 

second guess (verb that means to think critically of a decision after you’ve made it)

He second guessed his university selection for a few months.

 

catch-22 (a noun that is another way to say “dilemma”)

I’m facing a catch-22 and I need some advice.

 

Part I: Group Discussion

  1. What is the most popular means of transport in your country?

Driving is the most popular way to get around in America. In most places, it’s essential that you own a car because public transportation isn’t good enough to get you anywhere.

  1. Is driving to work popular in your country?

Almost everyone drives to work in America (except if they live in a major city). We don’t have very good public transportation, and the country is too big to build train and bus lines to connect everything.

  1. Do you think people will drive more in the future?

I don’t think so, because cities will become too overcrowded for cars. Public transportation will have to improve if we want to make cities flow better.

  1. Would you ride a bike to work?

Not really, unless it was really close or I lived in a really cold place. If you ride a bike you just get sweaty and show up at work dirty.

  1. Do you prefer public transportation or private transportation?

I prefer public because it’s cheaper. Private transportation means owning a car and paying for all the insurance and registration costs that go with it.

Part II: Individual Presentations

Describe a moment when you had to make a decision to go against your manager at work. Please say:

What your decision was about
Why you had to make the decision
How you felt after that

I don’t think people usually do this, because they like money and if they disagree with their boss then they can get fired. I was once working in a restaurant and my boss yelled at me about not cleaning up something properly. He was right, but I felt disrespected and so I told him I was quitting the job that day. He then told me that it was wrong of me to quit on such short notice, but I told him that I was still going to leave. I left and felt much happier after leaving that workplace. The pay was not that good and the kitchen was an unpleasant environment to work in.

Part III: Class Discussion

  1. Do you think our politicians should be more careful when they make decisions?

Absolutely, but I believe most politicians are corrupt and don’t have the people’s best interests in mind. So therefore they have no real reason to be more careful when they make decisions.

  1. How do their decisions affect people in general?

Political decisions affect almost every part of our lives. They can decide to go to war, raise taxes, or outlaw certain activities. We are at the mercy of our governments, and we have to hope they don’t decide to make decisions that hurt us.

  1. Do you think about the consequences when you make decisions?

Of course. I think about decisions that will affect my health, finances, and my future possibilities. Planning for tomorrow is just as important as doing a good job today or enjoying yourself in the moment.