Idioms & Expressions:
a way with words (an expression that refers to a person who is very skilled at writing or who is a persuasive speaker)
I like reading his articles. He really has a way with words.
chicken scratch (noun; this is very bad handwriting)
I can’t read his notes. His chicken scratch is illegible.
obsolete (an adjective used to describe something old or out of date)
cutting edge (an adjective that describes technology that is the newest or the latest)
The iPhone 7 is obsolete now that the cutting-edge iPhone X is out.
state-of-the-art / second-to-none (another adjective that means something is very advanced and modern)
The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.
have it down to a science (an expression that means someone has found the most efficient way to do something)
I have my morning commute down to a science – I can get from my home to the office in 20 minutes.
lightyears ahead (to have achieved significantly more progress than your competitors)
Apple used to be lightyears ahead of Samsung in the smartphone market.
it stands to reason that ______ (an expression used to explain cause and effect)
It stands to reason that many children are so tired because they have so much homework to do.
Part I: Group Discussion
- Do you write many letters or emails?
I write a lot of emails – mostly for work. When it comes to personal emails, I usually send those to my sister. She’s my pen pal.
- Who do you usually write to?
Just my sister. She lives in America and so I don’t see her often. So email is a great way for us to stay in touch.
- Do you prefer to write letters by hand or to use a computer?
I have bad handwriting, so I just write by computer. I would write letters more often but people can’t read what I write.
- What are the differences between emails and letters?
Letters have a more personal touch. It takes time to write a letter and mail it. So it means more.
- How do you feel when you receive a letter or email?
It depends on who it’s from. When it’s just a work email I don’t get excited. But sometimes I get one from a friend, and that’s nice, since we’re keeping in touch.
Part II: Individual Presentations
Describe a science subject that you studied and liked. Please say:
What is it?
Why did you choose it?
How can you use it in life?
When I was a senior in high school, I took physics. I really enjoyed it because we did a lot of real-life experiments. For example, we had to build a ramp which we rolled a marble off of, and we had to use formulas to predict where it would land. I liked that physics was a hands-on subject, rather than being abstract, like chemistry or biology. However, I have never used it again in my life since then! This is why I don’t like a lot of school subjects, because they are useless in real life.
Part III: Pair Interviews
- Self-driving cars are inevitable and will be on the streets within the next 10 years. What is your opinion on this? Will this be a good or bad thing?
- What is your New Year’s resolution for 2018?
