Exercise 1
How to deal with life’s little problems
You don’t have any money, you never finish anything you start, your house is dirty, you can’t find a good job and your whole life is terrible. Well, maybe it isn’t that bad! If you’d like to improve things, we can help. Here are our top ways to deal with some of life’s little problems.
1 My home is a mess.
Learn to enjoy cleaning and tidying. People who enjoy this usually have clean homes. Turn on the TV or listen to music while you clean. Start by cleaning every day, but only for fifteen minutes. When the 15 minutes are finished, you should stop. Don’t worry if things aren’t perfectly clean. Do a little bit of cleaning every day and in a week your place will look great.
2 I’m addicted to my mobile.
It’s important to give yourself rules. When you go out with friends, decide how many times you will look at your phone – maybe only two or three times in an evening. Ask your friends about how they feel. If they have the same problem as you, put all of your phones together, in a pile and out of the way. That way, no one can look at their phone and you can all enjoy each other’s company.
3 I can’t concentrate on my work.
The machine we use so much for work – our computer – is the same machine we often use to have fun. So control how you use your computer. If your problem is that you check your email every five minutes, you can get programs that stop the Internet from working for a period of time you choose. Use this time to focus on your work. But you shouldn’t work for hours without a break. Work for 25 minutes, and then have a five-minute rest. Rewards are really important, too. Have a biscuit or get some fresh air every hour or so.
4 I don’t sleep well.
First think about your body. Exercising regularly will help you to fall asleep more easily. You should try to drink less coffee and smoke less, too. These bad habits keep you awake. Don’t use devices with bright screens, for example, your mobile phone, before you go to sleep. They make your brain think that it is daytime, instead of night. Read a book and drink a cup of warm milk or herbal tea in the evening. Then you’ll feel ready for sleep.
A. Read the advice. What is the advice about these things?
1 • music
• 15 minutes
2 • rules
• a pile
3 • breaks
• rewards
4 • screens
• milk
Answer
1 music: listen to music while you clean;
15 minutes: clean for 15 minutes only every day
2 rules: give yourself rules for using your phone;
a pile: put your phones together in a pile, out of the way
3 breaks: don’t work for long periods without a break;
rewards: give yourself rewards when you’re working
4 screens: don’t use bright screens before you go to sleep;
milk: drink warm milk before going to bed to help you sleep
Exercise 2
SHARKS SAVED MY LIFE
I started scuba diving because I was interested in sharks. I learnt how to dive in England, but English waters were very disappointing. So I decided to try the Red Sea in Egypt.
The diving there was much more interesting. I saw so many beautiful fish, including sharks. After a few days, my instructor suggested a trip to the Shaab Shagra reef to swim with the sharks there.
We went out in an old fishing boat and I asked him, ‘How deep is the water?’ ‘Not deep. 30 metres,’ he said. I thought, ‘Good, I can do that but I can’t go below 30 metres.’ I didn’t have any experience of deep diving, and I knew that below 30 metres people often feel strange.
Some people suddenly feel very happy. Other people get confused, and they don’t know which way is up or down.
I jumped in and followed my instructor. When we got down to the reef I looked at my diving watch to see how deep we were. I was shocked to see we were at 40 metres! I was scared and I was breathing very quickly. I thought to myself, ‘Don’t use all your air. Breathe slowly.’ But I was really frightened and I couldn’t slow my breathing down.
I was really worried about my air. How much did I need? Did I have enough? I remember looking up at the light. I felt terrified, and I just wanted to go back up to the surface fast. But I knew that if you go up too fast you can get ‘the bends’ and die in terrible pain. I was thinking, ‘Don’t go up. You’ll die.’ But my heart was saying, ‘Go up! Go up!’ I looked for my instructor. But I couldn’t get his attention.
A. Read Sharks saved my life. Which sentence is true about Caroline’s experience in Egypt?
1 She went scuba diving to deal with her fear of sharks.
2 She was afraid, because she went scuba diving in very deep water.
3 She got lost when she was scuba diving.
B. Read the article again and answer the questions.
1 Why did Caroline go to Egypt?
2 Why did she ask the instructor how deep the water was?
3 How did she feel when they got to the reef? Why?
4 Why didn’t Caroline to go back up to the surface of the water fast?
Answer
A
2
B
1 to go scuba diving
2 because she didn’t have any experience of diving below 30 m
3 She was scared because it was very deep.
4 because she didn’t want to get ‘the bends’
Exercise 3
Sevim Monday 12.21pm
Dear Eliza
I think my reading and listening are alright for my level, but I’m worried about my speaking. I don’t feel very relaxed when I speak English and I want to improve. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you
Sevim
Eliza Monday 14.08pm
Hi Sevim,
Thanks for your message and I’m glad that you wrote to me for ideas.
I remember when I was learning Turkish, I felt embarrassed about speaking. I could remember lots of words and I knew grammar rules, but speaking was difficult. I now feel a lot more relaxed about speaking, so here are some ideas that I’ve taken from my own experience.
First of all, don’t worry about making mistakes. Other people will still understand you and they probably won’t notice your mistakes. Secondly, remember that the only way to learn to speak a second language is by speaking. Use every chance you get to speak. For example, it’s a good idea to use only English in class and not speak to other students in Turkish. You should also try practising new vocabulary and grammar we learn in class by repeating it at home.
Next, you should think about extra speaking practice outside the classroom. You can join a conversation group, such as the chat groups in the study centre. They are free to join. Finally, you can also practise speaking online. For instance, there are lots of websites where you can find speaking partners from all around the world.
I hope this helps you and please feel free to talk to me after class next week.
Best wishes,
Eliza
A. Eliza teaches English. She has a wiki for her class where students can write and ask for advice. Read Sevim’s message. What does Sevim want help with?
B. Read Eliza’s reply. How many suggestions does Eliza make?
C. Read the text again. Are sentences 1—5 true (T) or false (F)? Correct the false sentences.
1 Eliza always felt relaxed about speaking Turkish.
2 Eliza thinks language learners should try not to make mistakes.
3 Eliza says Sevim should use English with the students in her class.
4 Sevim can pay extra to go to a chat group at the study centre.
5 Eliza thinks you can practise speaking on the Internet.
Answer
A
speaking (English)
B
5
1 don’t worry about making mistakes;
2 remember that the only way to learn to speak a second language is by speaking;
3 try practising new vocabulary and grammar we learn in class by repeating it at home;
4 think about extra speaking practice outside the classroom;
5 practise speaking online
C
1 F Eliza felt embarrassed about speaking Turkish.
2 F Eliza thinks language learners shouldn’t worry about making mistakes.
3 T
4 F The chat groups at the study centre are free to join.
5 T
Exercise 4
Ask Sue
Every week, our experts answer your problems. This week, Sue Taylor, our writer and management expert, answers a question about a problem at work.
Dear Sue
I need to ask you for some help.
I’m a hairdresser and I work in a very fashionable salon. I’m very good at dealing with the customers and I like to talk to them when I cut their hair. They pay a lot of money for their haircuts, and I think it’s important to spend time with them and make sure they’re happy. But my manager, a man called Toni, gets really annoyed with me and keeps telling me to work faster. He sometimes talks to me in front of the customers, which makes me really embarrassed. He looks at me all the time when I talk to them and now I find it really difficult to concentrate on what I’m doing.
I’m really confused. I’m a really good hairdresser, none of the customers are ever disappointed with my work and I get on well with all my colleagues. I’m frightened of losing my job if I say anything.
Can you help me?
Petra
Dear Petra
You’re right. When customers spend a lot of money on a haircut, they should enjoy the experience, feel relaxed and get excellent service. I’m surprised Toni doesn’t understand this. How many of your customers would come back if you spent less than 15 minutes with them?
I think you should ask your customers for help. Ask them to speak to or write an email to your manager telling him what they like about the service you give them. I think your manager will soon change his mind.
Good luck!
Sue
A. Read the magazine article and underline the correct people to match the adjectives.
1 annoyed Petra / manager / Sue
2 embarrassed Petra / customers / Sue
3 confused manager / Sue / Petra
4 frightened Petra / manager / customers
5 not disappointed customers / Petra / Sue
6 surprised Petra / customers / Sue
B. Read the magazine article again. Tick (✓) the correct answers.
1 What is Petra’s problem?
a She doesn’t like spending time with customers.
b Her manager thinks she works too slowly. ✓
c She gets confused by what the customers say to her.
2 Who is Toni?
a One of Petra’s customers.
b Petra’s manager.
c Another hairdresser.
3 When does Petra get embarrassed?
a When her manager gets angry with her in front of customers.
b When the customers talk to her.
c When her manager looks at her.
4 What surprises Sue?
a That Toni talks to Petra in front of customers.
b That Toni doesn’t understand the customers.
c That Toni doesn’t understand what good customer service is.
5 What does Sue suggest?
a She suggests that Petra tells her manager how she feels.
b She suggests that Petra doesn’t think about it.
c She suggests that Petra’s customers speak to Toni.
C. Read the magazine article again. Match 1–5 with a–e to make sentences.
1 Petra thinks that a customer who
2 Toni thinks that Petra
3 Petra can’t concentrate when Toni
4 Petra is confused because she
5 Sue thinks that Toni
a keeps looking at her.
b shouldn’t spend so much time talking to customers.
c spends a lot of money should get good service.
d thinks she is very good at her job.
e will change his mind after the customers speak to him.
D. Write an email to Petra giving her some advice about her problem. Remember to include:
• some advice
• some instructions
• a similar situation from your own life
Answer
A
2 Petra 3 Petra 4 Petra 5 customers 6 Sue
B
2 b 3 a 4 c 5 c
C
1 c 2 b 3 a 4 d 5 e
