This is a guest post by Steve Krajewski from English Coach Online on the topic of national identity and gaining dual citizenship.
Steve writes texts based on his own life experiences and shares them with students. His texts are packed with phrases and collocations that are common in spoken English.
For this post, Steve decided to focus on a text called ‘A long time coming’. This text will enable students to discuss whether they’ve ever done a family tree, what they know about their ancestors and to what extent gaining dual citizenship would have an impact on their lives.
Skills practiced include listening for gist, guessing the meanings of words from context and scanning the text for details.
__________
Download the teacher’s notes and the student handout below:
As I have the right to obtain Polish citizenship by descent, I’ve been spending a great deal of time getting to grips with the Law on Polish citizenship and asking specialists for advice about which documents I need to submit for my application.
Obtaining Polish citizenship by descent is relatively straightforward. Considering the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and the future rights of British citizens who wish to travel, live and work in the EU, holding dual citizenship might be very useful down the line. My father will apply for a Polish passport as well.
A few weeks ago, I hired a genealogist to carry out research on my Polish ancestors. I’ve learned some revealing things about my grandfather, such as the fact that the Soviets deported him and his family to Arkhangelsk, Russia, in 1940. My researcher has also discovered the names, birthplaces and educational backgrounds of my grandfather’s siblings and parents.
Applying for Polish citizenship has made me wonder why so many people don’t take an interest in their roots and ancestors. I certainly feel a little guilty for not visiting the villages connected with my ancestors when I lived in Poland on and off between 2006 and 2013.
So – what do you think? Should families research their family history and start a family tree together?
WORDS AND PHRASES
– a long time coming – arriving or happening after a lot of time has passed
(here I refer to my regrets that it took such a long time to learn about my
relatives)
– citizenship – the position or status of being a citizen of a particular
country
– (by) descent – the origin or background of a person in terms of family or
nationality
– get to grips (with something) – to start to deal with a problem, situation, or job that you have to do
– submit – to give or offer something for a decision to be made by others
– straightforward – uncomplicated and easy to do or understand
– uncertainty – a situation in which something is not known for sure
– surrounding – related to; around; involved with
– rights – a moral or legal entitlement to have or do something
– dual citizenship – the status of a person who is a legal citizen of two or more countries
– down the line – in the future
– genealogist – a person who traces or studies lines of family descent
– carry out research (on something) – a careful study of a subject (e.g. medical/historical/scientific), especially in order to discover new facts or information about it
– revealing – showing something that was not previously known or seen
– educational background – your educational background refers to all of the education you have received
– take an interest (in something) – be concerned or curious
– roots – family origins, or the particular place you come from and the experiences you have had living there
– ancestor – a person related to you who lived a long time ago (usually
before grandparents)
– (feel) guilty – to feel intense regret for something
– on and off – only for part of a period of time; not in a regular or
continuous way
– family tree – a diagram showing the relationship between people in several generations of a family
This is a reading and vocabulary lesson plan for C2 students who are preparing to take the Cambridge C2 Proficiency exam. Students read a text about a boy, his grandad and football then look at expressions and collocations from the text. Download the handout and key below:
This is a guest post by my friend, colleague and co-host of the podcast 2Ts in a pod, Katy Wright. It’s designed to help students preparing for the B2 first exam get to grips with some of the phrasal verbs and fixed expressions they might encounter in the exam. Students read a text about Jim’s forgotten dream, then try to recreate the text using key words. Download the student handout below:
Jim couldn’t stand his job. All he did all day was sit at his desk and pretended to work while watching the heavy rain outside his window. He was meant to be selling insurance on the phone, but he wasn’t very good at it. In fact, he had sold very few contracts. This was because all he had ever wanted to do was be an actor in Hollywood. He had loved acting when he was a teenager, but instead of going to America he studied Business and he put off looking for fame. “I’ll look into that when I have finished Uni” he said to himself. This was his biggest regret in life. On his way into work that day, his 15-year-old car broke down. Standing in the rain trying to change the tire he made up his mind. He wasn’t going to carry on like this. He was going to make a big change…
Answer the questions in groups.
What is Jim’s big dream?
Why do you think Jim didn’t decide to become an actor after Uni?
What do you think makes him change his mind?
What big change do you think he is going to make?
What will happen at the end of the story?
What do you the expressions in yellow mean?
Can you translate them to Catalan/Spanish?
Do you have similar expression in Catalan/Spanish?
Try to remember the original expression used in the story. The words in brackets are to help you.
Jim hated (STAND) his job. All he did all say was sit at his desk and pretended to work while watching as it rained heavily (HEAVY) outside his window. He should have been (MEANT) selling insurance on the phone, but he wasn’t very good at it. In fact, he didn’t sell many (FEW) contracts. This was because all he had ever wanted to do was be an actor in Hollywood. He had loved acting when he was a teenager, but rather than go (OF) to America he studied Business and he postponed looking (PUT) for fame. “I’ll investigate (INTO) that when I have finished Uni” he said to himself. This was his biggest regret in life. On his way into work that day his 15-year-old car stopped working (DOWN). Standing in the rain trying to change the tire he made a decision (UP). He wasn’t going to continue like this any longer (ON). He was going to make a big change…
Write the original expressions here:
STAND…………………………………………………………………………
HEAVY…………………………………………………………………………
MEANT …………………………………………………………………………
FEW …………………………………………………………………………
OF …………………………………………………………………………
PUT …………………………………………………………………………
INTO …………………………………………………………………………
DOWN …………………………………………………………………………
UP …………………………………………………………………………
ON …………………………………………………………………………
Write the rest of the story. Use the questions to help you.
Middle:
What does he decide to do next?
How will he change his life?
What does he do to help him realize his dreams?
End:
Does he finally reach his goals?
How does he feel about his situation?
Does he ever think about his old life?
Read all of the paragraphs and vote on the you think is the best
In this lesson C2 students will develop their understanding of idiomatic expressions that often come up in the Cambridge C2 Proficiency exam. They will encounter the expressions in a text about a bank heist gone wrong. Download the student handout below:
Students start by discussing common tropes of heist movies. They then skim the text to find out what went wrong in this case. (they were set up, someone ratted them out the police)
Students then answer the detail questions:
How had they planned for the robbery? In great detail, taking note of intricacies while the narrator was working in the bank
What was the first problem they encountered? The getaway driver was late
How did the staff in the bank react? Only the bank manager put up any resistance
What are the pros and cons of the way Tony behaves? he’s unpredictable but intimidating
What happens to Tony and Barry? they are killed in the gunfight
Where is the narrator at the end of the story? in prison
Language Focus
Students now focus on the expressions in bold. They discuss their meaning with their partner and try to paraphrase them, they then make a note of how familiar the expressions are to them.
Students now flip the paper over and look at version 2 of the same text. Now the expressions have been replaced with simpler language. Using the key words, they must recall the expressions. They then flip over their paper to check their answers.
Set the key word transformations testing the expressions for homework.
Plan a heist
Put students in small groups and have them plan a bank heist using the prompts on pages 2 and 3, which are adapted from http://www.waze.net/oea/activities/24
Students then present their different plans to the class.
Text Version 1
The Heist
What heist/bank robbery films have you seen?
Do you enjoy this type of movie? Why? Why not?
How do people typically rob banks in films? What strategies do they use?
How can heists go wrong?
Read the text about a bank heist, what went wrong?
The plan had been simple. I had been instrumental in drawing it up, I’d worked in that branch for over 5 years and had taken note of all the little intricacies and predicted all the problems we might have to contend with down to the last detail; I was nothing if not meticulous. I had done everything in my power to make sure everything went like clockwork. In the lead-up to the big day some doubts had been preying on my mindto such an extent that I hadn’t got a wink of sleep, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.
We’d stuck to the planto the letter. Aside from a rocky start, when the getaway driver had kept us waiting for the best part of an hour, everything had gone smoothly, almost too smoothly. The bank clerk had offered no resistance, the security guard had admitted defeat pretty quickly, clearly realising that facing off against armed robbers was above his pay grade. The manager made a bit of a fuss about handing over the combination to the vault but Tony soon made him see sense. A gun barrel pressed to your forehead can be very persuasive. I’m not 100% on board with how Tony conducts himself but you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs. He had risen to fame as useful muscle for a tight spot but he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box.
Barry got to work on the vault without interference and before long we were stuffing the duffle bags with wads of cold, hard cash, it was a beautiful sight, which did wonders for everyone’s confidence. Maybe that was it, we got too cocky, little did we know what lay in store for us outside. Tony was the first to catch sight of the blue lights, I was loath to start shooting but, as always, there was no stopping Tony, they didn’t call him the loose cannon for nothing. All of a sudden it was like a warzone, Tony didn’t stand a chance, neither did Barry. It’s nothing short of a miracle that I got out alive. It was obvious that the game was up, it must have been a set-up but who had ratted us out? I guess that’s something I’ll be pondering for the next 25 years. It ain’t so bad, running water, 3 square meals a day and a roof over my head. I guess I should spare a thought for those who were not so lucky.
How had they planned for the robbery?
What was the first problem they encountered?
How did the staff in the bank react?
What are the pros and cons of the way Tony behaves?
This is the lesson plan I designed for my DELTA vocabulary assignment. It is designed for B2 students. Students read online dating profiles and decide if the people are compatible and then learn compound adjectives and put them to use in a discussion. Download the students’ materials, powerpoint and lesson plans below:
9. Sts check which ones end in an extra syllable. Do first two as an example. Identify stressed syllable: First in second word. Fun and loving stressed.
10. Mumble drill first two. “Practice saying the first two to yourself quietly. Then say them to your partner.”
11. Controlled practice questions. In pairs, ask first question to your partner, they remember the compound. Example with strong pair (Aris and whoever)
12. New questions, new compounds. Do top up in OC:
· Opposite of dark-haired – light/fair-haired.
· Someone with dark skin – dark-skinned
· Someone with green eyes – green-eyed (jealous/envious)
Work with a partner, try to guess the compound. Do first one as an example. Ask to class. MAN-EATING CROCODILE
13. Practice: Discussion. What are your preferences for appearance? Do you like brown or blonde-haired men and women? “I like brown-eyed women because their eyes are very mysterious.”
14. Wrap-up/top-up. Look at boarded vocabulary. Work on pronunciation. Maybe do opposites etc: badly-paid, badly-educated. Dark/light-skinned etc.
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Procedure
Stage
Time
Focus
Procedure
Aim
Pre-reading
5 mins
pairs
Sts discuss the typical information people put on dating profiles.
To engage students top-down knowledge of relationships and online dating
Reading
10 mins
Pairs
OC
Sts read Jon and Sally’s dating profiles. Then decide if the two are compatible in pairs.
Feed back in open class, T encourages discussion.
To introduce compound adjectives in context. To develop students receptive understanding of compounds
To check sts understanding of the text
Language Focus: Meaning
2 mins
5 mins
Pairs
OC
Sts underline all the compound adjectives in the two texts.
Sts match compound adjectives to their definitions on handout.
Task check across class and using powerpoint to confirm
To check sts ability to identify compound adjectives.
To develop sts understanding of the meaning of the target language.
Language Focus: Form
5 mins
Pairs
OC
Sts group compound adjectives based on their form
Task check using powerpoint.
To develop sts understanding of the different compound adjective patterns.
Language Focus: Pronunciation
2 mins
5 mins
Pairs
pairs
Sts contrast the “-ed” compounds that end with /ɪd/ with those that end /d/ and the stress patterns in the different forms.
T highlights rules on powerpoint:
· ends in “t” or “d” –ed = /id/ extra syllable
· others –ed = /d/
· noun is stressed in noun + present participle compounds (fun-loving)
Sts use phonemic script from handout to mumble drill target language individually then practice in pairs. T monitors and corrects.
To highlight different forms of pronouncing “-ed” endings and stress patterns in compound adjectives.
To practice the pronunciation of compounds.
Vocabulary practice
10 mins
Pairs
OC
Sts ask and answer first set of questions on handout which elicit the target language. T monitors, reactively helping with pron.
T tops up:
· Opposite of dark-haired – light/fair-haired.
· Someone with dark skin – dark-skinned
· Someone with green eyes – green-eyed (jealous/envious)
Sts answer 2nd set of questions to attempt to identify new compound adjectives by applying the rules of form they have just learned.
To consolidate meaning of target language, practice pronunciation and increase chances of retention.
To encourage autonomous application of the rules of compounding.
Personalised practice
10 mins
Pairs
OC
Sts discuss their hair and eye colour preferences in pairs. Then decide on the 2 best and worst personality characteristics for a partner.
T monitors and boards emergent language.
Feed back to open class looking for agreement/disagreement and discussion.
To encourage creative use of the target language and make sts process it at a deeper cognitive level.
Wrap-up/topping-up
5 mins
pairs
T draws students’ attention to boarded emergent language and tidies up doubts and pronunciation errors.
To exploit learning opportunities with emergent language.
Materials
Read Jon and Sally’s dating profiles below. Do you think they are compatible? Why? Why not?
Jon, 26 years old, Edinburgh.
I’m a hard-working medical student from Aberdeen in Scotland. I go to the gym four times a week so I’m quite well-built. I do a lot of voluntary work and I’m training to be a doctor.
Turn-ons
I’m crazy about blonde-haired, blue-eyed women, I find them really attractive. I like women who are open-minded because I love travelling and trying new experiences.
Turn-offs
I really don’t like selfish people, with some people it’s all “me, me, me” and I can’t stand that. Another big turn-off for me is narrow-minded people, there are so many wonderful places to visit and people to meet in the world and I can’t wait to get started.
Sally, 25 years old, York.
I’m a fun-loving advertising executive from York in northern England. My job is well-paid but quite stressful so I like to have a good time at the weekends. I also like to do sport and help out at the local children’s hospital once a month.
Turn-ons
I’m into dark-haired mysterious men, but the most important thing for me is that they are kind-hearted, adventurous and have a good sense of humour. I read a lot and like having a good debate so I’m looking for someone who is well-educated.
Turn-offs
The biggest turn-off for me is big-headed guys, I can’t bear people who think they are better than others. I also don’t like bad-tempered people, I’m an optimist and I always try to see things in a positive way.
Read the texts and underline all the compound adjectives you can find.
Language focus
Match the compound adjective (1-12) to its definition (A-L)
1. I’m a hard-working medical student.
A. Someone who often gets angry.
2. I’m crazy about blonde-haired, blue-eyed women.
B. Someone who is strong and has muscles.
3. I’m a fun-loving PhD student.
C. Someone who works hard.
4. I’m looking for someone who is well-educated.
D. Someone who is nice and generous.
5. I don’t like big-headed people.
E. Someone who has blonde hair. Someone who has blue eyes.
6. My job is well-paid but stressful.
F. Someone who likes to socialise and have a good time.
7. I also don’t like bad-tempered people.
G. An arrogant person who thinks they are better than others.
8. I go to the gym four times a week so I’m quite well-built.
H. Someone with brown or black hair.
9. The most important thing for me is that they are kind-hearted.
I. Someone who is open to different opinions and activities.
10. I’m into dark-haired mysterious men.
J. An intolerant person who doesn’t listen to other people’s opinions.
11. I like women who are open-minded because I love travelling.
K. Something you earn a good salary for.
12. Another big turn-off for me is narrow-minded people.
L. An intelligent person with a good education.
Form
Put the different compound adjectives in the correct box:
A. Adjective + noun + -ed
1. Narrow-minded
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
4. _________________________
5. _________________________
6. _________________________
7. _________________________
8. _________________________
B. Adverb + past participle
1. Well-built
2. __________________________
3. __________________________
C. Adjective/noun + …ing
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
Pronunciation
Look at the phonemic script of the compound adjectives:
In which adjective is the “-ed” pronounced as an extra syllable?
Which syllable is stressed in the compound adjectives?
Blue-eyed – | bluːˈaɪd |
Well-educated – | welˈedʒʊkeɪtɪd |
Blonde-haired – | blɒndˈheəd |
Big-headed – | bɪɡˈhedɪd |
What’s different about the stress in this one?
Fun-loving |ˈfʌnˈlʌvɪŋ |
Practice
Take turns to ask these questions to your partner to test your memory.
What do you call someone with blue eyes?
What do you call someone with blonde hair?
What do you call someone who has dark hair?
What do you call someone who has a good education?
What do you call a job with a good salary?
What do you call an arrogant person?
What do you call a person who is often angry?
What do you call someone who is open to new experiences and opinions?
What do you call someone who isn’t open to new experiences and opinions?
What do you call someone with muscles?
What do you call a nice, generous person?
What do you call someone who isn’t lazy?
What do you call an active, sociable person?
Use the different forms of compounding to make more compound adjectives to answer the questions.
What do you call a crocodile that eats men?
What do you call someone who writes with their left hand?
What do you call a job with a bad salary?
What do you call a child that behaves well?
What do you call someone who looks good?
Discussion
Discuss these questions with your partner using the compound adjectives.
Appearance
Do you prefer a specific hair or eye colour for a man/woman?
Do you find muscles attractive?
Personality and lifestyle
Is it important that your partner has a good salary? Why/why not?
What are the two best personality characteristics for a partner? Why?
This is a lesson plan for C1+ students on the topic of bad habits based around a TED talk by Judson Brewer and an article from Yahoo Health. You can find the TED talk, students’ handout, reading text and teacher’s notes below:
What do you think these expressions mean? Do they exist in your language?
He’s been smoking since he was 15 years old and he just can’t kick the habit.
When my grandad retired he didn’t stop getting up at 6am and putting a suit on. Old habits die hard.
I could never go backpacking I’m too much of a creature of habit, I can’t stand changes to my routine.
I’ve always written my essays at the last minute and I normally get good marks. Why break the habit of a lifetime?
Kick the habit = give up/quit a bad habit
Old habits die hard = it’s difficult to stop a habit you’ve been doing for a long time
A creature of habit = someone who likes the security of a routine
Why break the habit of a lifetime? = something you say to a person you know isn’t going to change their habits.
Step 2: Brainstorm bad habits on the board
Step 3: Reading
Give out the reading handout, put students in groups of 3. Students read each section then discuss the meaning of the vocabulary in bold. Then they answer the discusssion questions. Then they move onto the next bad habit.
Step 4: TED Talk
Students watch the TED talk and answer the following questions:
What bad habits does he mention? Being unable to concentrate, phone/internet addiction, stress eating, smoking, distracting yourself from work.
What solution to these bad habits does he suggest? Using mindfulness to focus on the cravings we feel and see them as physical moments that pass.
After watching students discuss:
What do you think of the talk?
Do you have any of the bad habits he mentioned?
Do you think mindfulness would work for you?
Have you ever meditated? Would you consider it?
Step 5: Vocab Focus – Meaning from Context
Students try to guess the meaning of the expressions in bold from the context.
When I was first learning to meditate, the instruction was to simply pay attention to my breath, and when my mind wandered, to bring it back.
Why is it so hard to pay attention? Well, studies show that even when we’re really trying to pay attention to something — like maybe this talk — at some point, about half of us will drift off into a daydream, or have this urge to check our Twitter feed.
Instead of this hunger signal coming from our stomach, this emotional signal — feeling sad — triggers that urge to eat.
Maybe in our teenage years, we were a nerd at school, and we see those rebel kids outside smoking and we think, “Hey, I want to be cool.” So we start smoking. The Marlboro Man wasn’t a dork, and that was no accident.
What if instead of fighting our brains, or trying to force ourselves to pay attention,we instead tapped into this natural, reward-based learning process?
She moved from knowing in her head that smoking was bad for her to knowing it in her bones, and the spell of smoking was broken. She started to become disenchanted with her behavior.
When the prefrontal cortex goes offline, we fall back into our old habits, which is why this disenchantment is so important.
And this is what mindfulness is all about: Seeing really clearly what we get when we get caught up in our behaviors.
We start to notice that cravings are simply made up of body sensations — oh, there’s tightness, there’s tension, there’s restlessness.
These are bite-size pieces of experiences that we can manage from moment to moment rather than getting clobbered by this huge, scary craving that we choke on.
Mind wanders/drift off into a daydream = get distracted
Have/get an urge to do something = a strong desire/impulse
Trigger (v) = activate/set off/cause to function
Nerd = unpopular, studious person
Dork = unpopular, studious person, more pejorative than nerd
Tap into = manage to use something in a way that gives good results. Get access to a resource. Collocations: tap into an energy source, tap into creativity, tap into the water supply.
Know in your bones = feel something using intuition, synonyms: know in my guts, a gut-feeling.
Break a spell = end magic/enchantment
Disenchanted = two meanings. 1. Free from illusion/magic 2. Disappointed, demotivated, disillusioned.
Fall back into old habits = return to old habits after having changed
Get caught up in st = to become completely involved in something, normally bad connotation.
Craving = a consuming desire, normally physical related to addiction.
Restlessness = a state of discomfort, can’t stay still/relax. A restless night.
Bite-size pieces = small easy to manage pieces
Get clobbered = to be beaten/hit severly
Choke on st = not able to breath because of something in your throat
Step 6: Sentence Completion
Students put the expressions from the vocab focus into the following sentences:
He was always so restless at school, he couldn’t sit still for a second.
I’m a bit weird, whenever I go near the edge of a cliff or a tall building I get the sudden urge to jump off!
Don’t worry, everything is going to be alright, I don’t know how but I feel/know it in my bones.
I managed to stop biting my fingernails for 6 months but recently, because of all the stress at work, I have fallen back into old habits.
Most voters are completely disenchanted with politics in general and extremist politicians like Donald Trump are simply tapping into the anger and resentment.
When my Mum was pregnant she had strong cravings for avocado even though she normally hates them.
The earthquake triggered a huge tsunami that hit the coast at 10am.
When I was at school I always used to get into trouble for drifting off into a daydream during class.
3 hours into the film I got a bit bored and my mind wandered to what I was going to have for dinner.
A man suddenly started to choke on a prawn and a fellow diner had to give him the heimlich maneuver.
I was definitely a bit of a nerd at school but I certainly wasn’t a dork.
I got so caught up in the excitement of the party that I didn’t realise I had missed the last train home.
He caught the rugby ball, turned around and was immediately clobbered by a huge opposition player.
I broke the carrots up into bite-size pieces so that the children wouldn’t choke on
Step 7: Discussion
Students answer questions in pairs.
Were you restless at school? Did you use to drift off into a daydream?
Do you know the heimlich maneuver? Have you ever choked on anything?
Were you a nerd when you were at school?
Do you ever get so caught up in something that you lose all sense of time?
Do you ever get the urge to do something silly or outrageous in social situations?
Do you agree with sentence 5 above? What can we do to change the situation?
Students’ Handout
Expressions with habit
What do you think these expressions mean? Do they exist in your language?
He’s been smoking since he was 15 years old and he just can’t kick the habit.
When my grandad retired he didn’t stop getting up at 6am and putting a suit on. Old habits die hard.
I could never go backpacking I’m too much of a creature of habit, I can’t stand changes to my routine.
I’ve always written my essays at the last minute and I normally get good marks. Why break the habit of a lifetime?
TED Talk
What bad habits does he mention?
What solution to these bad habits does he suggest?
Discussion
What do you think of the talk?
Do you have any of the bad habits he mentioned?
Do you think mindfulness would work for you?
Have you ever meditated? Would you consider it?
Vocabulary Focus
Read the sentences from the transcript and discuss the words/expressions in bold with your partner.
When I was first learning to meditate, the instruction was to simply pay attention to my breath, and when my mind wandered, to bring it back.
Why is it so hard to pay attention? Well, studies show that even when we’re really trying to pay attention to something — like maybe this talk — at some point, about half of us will drift off into a daydream, or have this urge to check our Twitter feed.
Instead of this hunger signal coming from our stomach, this emotional signal — feeling sad — triggers that urge to eat.
Maybe in our teenage years, we were a nerd at school, and we see those rebel kids outside smoking and we think, “Hey, I want to be cool.” So we start smoking. The Marlboro Man wasn’t a dork, and that was no accident.
What if instead of fighting our brains, or trying to force ourselves to pay attention,we instead tapped into this natural, reward-based learning process?
She moved from knowing in her head that smoking was bad for her to knowing it in her bones, and the spell of smoking was broken. She started to become disenchanted with her behavior.
When the prefrontal cortex goes offline, we fall back into our old habits, which is why this disenchantment is so important.
And this is what mindfulness is all about: Seeing really clearly what we get when we get caught up in our behaviors.
We start to notice that cravings are simply made up of body sensations — oh, there’s tightness, there’s tension, there’s restlessness.
These are bite-size pieces of experiences that we can manage from moment to moment rather than getting clobbered by this huge, scary craving that we choke on.
Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences with the expressions above.
He was always so ______________ at school, he couldn’t sit still for a second.
I’m a bit weird, whenever I go near the edge of a cliff or a tall building I get the sudden __________ jump off!
Don’t worry, everything is going to be alright, I don’t know how but I ______________________.
I managed to stop biting my fingernails for 6 months but recently, because of all the stress at work, I have __________________________________.
Most voters are completely __________________________ politics in general and extremist politicians like Donald Trump are simply ____________________________ the anger and resentment.
When my Mum was pregnant she had strong _____________ for avocado even though she normally hates them.
The earthquake _______________ a huge tsunami that hit the coast at 10am.
When I was at school I always used to get into trouble for _______________________________ during class.
3 hours into the film I got a bit bored and my ____________________________ to what I was going to have for dinner.
A man suddenly started to ________________ a prawn and a fellow diner had to give him the heimlich maneuver.
I was definitely a bit of a _____________ at school but I certainly wasn’t a ____________.
I _________________________________ in the excitement of the party that I didn’t realise I had missed the last train home.
He caught the rugby ball, turned around and was immediately ___________________ by a huge opposition player.
I broke the carrots up into __________________ so that the children wouldn’t ___________ them.
Discussion
Were you restless at school? Did you use to drift off into a daydream?
Do you know the heimlich maneuver? Have you ever choked on anything?
Were you a nerd when you were at school?
Do you ever get so caught up in something that you lose all sense of time?
Do you ever get the urge to do something silly or outrageous in social situations?
Do you agree with sentence 5 above? What can we do to change the situation?
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Common Bad Habits
Everyone has habits that they would probably be better off without. You may not have any major vices but minor ones add up and deserve attention too. “The small stuff really matters in our lives,” says Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion. “Life is full of the little things.”
In reality, you’re probably not eating poorly or shirking on sleep just once a month, but, more likely, multiple times a week. If you need some help identifying changes you might aim to make, here are some of the most common bad habits and two universal fixes from Goldstein about how we can change for the better.
Stress-Eating
We’re a country of high-stress and high-calorie foods, so it should be no surprise that emotional eating is a common issue. There are many reasons people turn to food when they experience negative emotions, like stress, sadness, and boredom. First of all, food can serve as a distraction from unpleasant goings-on. Research has also suggested that foods that are high in fat and sugar may actually (temporarily) quiet parts of the brain that create and process negative emotions.
Do you stress eat? If so what?
How do you relieve stress?
Sitting Around
Surveys have found that people, on average, spend more than six hours a day sitting. Many people sit while commuting, at work, and while unwinding at the end of the day. It may feel like your body is happier taking a seat, but spending so much time off your feet has serious health effects including increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cognitive decline (like dementia), cancer, bone loss, and even a weakened immune system.
How much of the day do you spend sitting down?
What do you think of the idea of a standing office? Or a standing school?
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Days can feel far too short, especially when you want to catch up with friends at a late dinner or binge-watch your favorite show. Late nights in moderation are okay but getting too little sleep — less than seven hours — on a regular basis can make you more prone to long-term diseases, like hypertension and diabetes, and even short-term illness. Being tired can also affect how you function during the daytime, making you less productive and more prone to errors and accidents.
How much sleep do you need to function well?
How much do you usually get?
Are you more productive in the mornings or the evenings?
Over-Grooming
Picking at your nose and mouth and biting your nails are already social faux pas. They can also be bad for your health. As you should already know, our hands are usually teeming with nasty germs. Putting your fingers in your nose or mouth — even to fish unwanted spinach out of your teeth — is a good way to give those germs easy access to your body. Nail biting, in particular, can also raise your risk of getting skin infections on your fingers and spreading warts to other parts of your hand. In some cases, excessive grooming behaviors are considered a mental disorder related to obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Do you bite your fingernails?
Can you think of any other social faux pas’s? What topics are faux pas when your first meet someone?
Smoking
This may feel like beating a dead horse but more than 42 million people in the U.S. still smoke cigarettes. Although this number continues to drop, it’s good for people to remember why this habit is such a serious one. Smoking is known to cause several types of cancer — including cancers of the lung, mouth, stomach, and pancreas — and increases a person’s risk of heart disease. It’s also harmful to people who are inhaling second-hand smoke. Plus, smoking is expensive. Even a “cheap” $5 pack every day adds up to $1,825.00 each year.
Do you smoke?
Have you ever smoked? If so how did you quit?
What’s the best way to quit smoking? Hypnosis? Acupuncture? Patches? Gum?
Skipping Breakfast
There are mixed findings about whether or not skipping breakfast can help people lose weight. Generally, experts support eating a healthy morning meal because it fuels your body and mind for the beginning of the day. Research has shown that people who eat breakfast perform better in school and at work. If that’s not enough incentive, a recent study from Harvard found that men who regularly skipped breakfast were 27 percent more likely to experience a heart attack or death from coronary heart disease.
Do you have breakfast?
Find out who has the healthiest breakfast in your group.
What’s your favourite meal of the day?
Overspending
Another common bad habit is overspending, usually in the form of compulsive shopping. Credit is partially to blame because it is easy to obtain and use, helping people forgo responsibility and knowledge about their finances. Overspending is also an easy trap to fall into because buying things makes people feel good in many different ways. It can give us a sense of control and add some excitement to a dull day. Being able to spend money can also make us feel better about ourselves.
Do you often overspend?
Are you a compulsive shopper? If so what do you normally buy?
Listening to Loud Music
Hearing is something that often goes with age but there are still steps people can take to give theirs its best possible chance. Very loud, short-term sounds and sounds that may not seem so loud (but occur over a long period of time) can both contribute to noise-induced hearing loss. This affects about 15 percent of Americans, ages 20 to 69 according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Some loud sounds may be unavoidable but exposure anything above 85 decibels (equal to the sound of heavy city traffic) should be minimized. If you have to raise your voice to speak with someone two to three feet away, the sound level is likely over 85 decibels.
Do you listen to loud music? If so how often?
Have you got god hearing?
Phone Addiction
No, your phone isn’t exactly the most threatening addiction. That doesn’t mean it’s something to ignore. Thanks to the advent of push notifications, many of us are now trained to grab our phone the second it flashes — or when we only think it has. This behavior takes our attention away from other things that we should probably value more, like the work in front of us or talking with friends and family.
