Lily asks
What skill would you like to develop over the next few years?
How to build your answer
Opinion: four moves, about a minute.
- 1Your viewAnswer straight away. “Honestly, I think…”
- 2One reasonYour main reason, not five.
- 3An exampleFrom your own life.
- 4The other sideShow you see it. “That said…”
Lily's answer, three ways
The same story, from easy to advanced. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Easy
Lily's voice note
Staying calm when things get busy, I think. At work, I'm fine on a normal day, but when there's a deadline and someone changes the plan at the last minute, I get really stressed. My face goes bright red and I start talking too fast. I'd love to be one of those people who just takes a breath and sorts it out. I think it'd help at home too, not just at work. So that's the goal, really. I'm working on it, slowly but surely.
Phrases to borrow
at the last minute
/ət ðə ˈlɑːst ˈmɪnɪt/
very late, just before something happens
They cancelled the trip at the last minute.
take a breath
/ˈteɪk ə ˈbreθ/
pause and calm down before you act
Before you reply to that email, take a breath.
work on something
/ˈwɜːk ɒn ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
try to improve something over time
I'm working on my pronunciation this year.
Natural
Lily's voice note
I'd love to get better at staying calm when things get busy. On a normal day at work I'm fine. But when there's a deadline and someone changes the plan at the last minute, I get really stressed. My face goes bright red, I talk too fast, and I try to rush through it all at once. I'd love to be one of those people who just takes a breath and sorts it out. I get bogged down in little details instead. It'd help at home too. I think it'd really pay off.
Phrases to borrow
rush through something
/ˈrʌʃ ˈθruː ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
do something too fast, without care
Don't rush through your homework, take your time.
get bogged down in something
/ˈɡet ˈbɒɡd ˈdaʊn ɪn ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
get stuck in details so you can't make progress
Let's not get bogged down in small details.
pay off
/peɪ ˈɒf/
bring good results after effort
All that practice really paid off in the exam.
Advanced
Lily's voice note
Staying calm under pressure, definitely. Most days at work I'm fine, but when there's a deadline and someone changes the plan at the last minute, I get in a flap. My face goes bright red and I start talking at a hundred miles an hour. I really admire people who keep their cool, take a breath and see the bigger picture. They work out what matters and let the rest go. I think it'd help at home too, not just at work. I'm working on it, slowly but surely.
Phrases to borrow
get in a flap
/ˈɡet ɪn ə ˈflæp/
become nervous, stressed and a bit confused
Don't get in a flap, we've got plenty of time.
/kiːp jɔː ˈkuːl/
stay calm when things are difficult
She kept her cool even when the customer started shouting.
see the bigger picture
/ˈsiː ðə ˈbɪɡə ˈpɪktʃə/
understand the whole situation, not just small details
Good managers can see the bigger picture.
let something go
/ˈlet ˈsʌmθɪŋ ˈɡəʊ/
stop worrying about something
It's not worth arguing, just let it go.
Your turn: answer Lily
What skill would you like to develop over the next few years?
Answer out loud, in your own words. Try one phrase you just borrowed.
Dreams & goals
rush through something
do something too fast, without care
“Don't rush through your homework, take your time.”
heytardy