Lily asks
Which piece of technology could you not live without, and why?
How to build your answer
Rank it: four moves, about a minute.
- 1Your number oneStart with the winner.
- 2The othersTwo more, a few words on each.
- 3Why it winsWhat puts number one on top.
- 4A near missOne that didn't make it.
Lily's answer, three ways
The same story, from easy to advanced. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Easy
Lily's voice note
My phone, sadly. I use it for everything: messages, maps, music, my bus fare, even paying for my coffee. If I leave it at home, I feel a bit lost all day. Last month I forgot it, and I couldn't even pay for the bus, so I had to walk to work in the rain. Forty minutes, and I was soaked! It's a bit sad, really, how much I need it. Sometimes I wish I didn't. But I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
Phrases to borrow
feel lost
/ˈfiːl ˈlɒst/
feel confused or not sure what to do
I felt a bit lost on my first day at work.
I wish I didn't
you want something to be different now
I need coffee every morning, but I wish I didn't.
pretend otherwise
/prɪˈtend ˈʌðəwaɪz/
act as if something isn't true when it is
I love reality TV, I won't pretend otherwise.
Natural
Lily's voice note
My phone, I'm afraid. I use it for everything: messages, maps, music, my bus fare, even paying for my coffee. It's how I keep in touch with my friends, and I couldn't find my way anywhere without the maps. Honestly, it's an absolute lifesaver. Last month I forgot it at home, and I couldn't even pay for the bus. I had to walk to work in the rain. Forty minutes! I was soaked. It's a bit sad how much I need it, but it's true.
Phrases to borrow
keep in touch with someone
/kiːp ɪn ˈtʌtʃ wɪð ˈsʌmwʌn/
keep talking to someone you don't see often
I keep in touch with my school friends online.
find your way
/faɪnd jɔː ˈweɪ/
manage to get to a place
Can you find your way to the station?
a lifesaver
/ə ˈlaɪfˌseɪvə/
something or someone that helps you a lot
Thanks for the lift, you're a lifesaver!
Advanced
Lily's voice note
My phone, sadly. It does everything: messages, maps, music, my bus fare, even my morning coffee. It's how I stay organised, too. Last month I left it at home and only realised at the bus stop. No phone, no bus fare. So I walked forty minutes to work in the pouring rain and turned up like a drowned rat. All day I felt completely out of the loop. It's a bit sad, really. I'd love to say I could do without it, but I'd be lying.
Phrases to borrow
stay organised
/steɪ ˈɔːɡənaɪzd/
keep your plans and things in order
I use a planner to stay organised.
look like a drowned rat
/lʊk laɪk ə ˈdraʊnd ræt/
extremely wet, usually from rain
I forgot my umbrella and arrived like a drowned rat.
out of the loop
/ˈaʊt əv ðə luːp/
not knowing what is happening because you don't get the news
I was on holiday, so I'm a bit out of the loop.
do without something
/duː wɪˈðaʊt ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
manage without having something
I could happily do without the noise from next door.
Your turn: answer Lily
Which piece of technology could you not live without, and why?
Answer out loud, in your own words. Try one phrase you just borrowed.
Everyday technology
keep in touch with someone
keep talking to someone you don't see often
“I keep in touch with my school friends online.”
heytardy