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Today’s Themes and Tasks

Workout of the Day

Complete the Workout of the day. Click on the images to be linked to the videos hosted on YouTube.

1. Fluency Waterfall

2. Waterfall Model

3. Vocabulary Connections

4. EI. 10

Waterfall Model Transcripts

Review these transcripts to see other ways of responding to the Waterfall tasks and to look for grammar patterns and vocabulary that may be useful for you in your response. The example responses are C1+ in their level. How do your responses compare? What can you do to improve your responses during the next Fluency Waterfall?

90 Second Task

A country's geographical size can really shape how it gets along with other nations. Let's dive into a couple of key points here.

First up, big countries like Russia or the USA have a lot of land and resources. This means they can be pretty self-sufficient and have a strong position when trading with others. They've got the space to grow their own food, mine minerals, and even produce energy. For instance, the USA is a huge player in the global oil market, thanks to its vast lands and technological capabilities. This gives it a big say in international discussions about energy and trade.

On the flip side, smaller countries, think places like Singapore or Luxembourg, might not have as many resources. But, they often turn this into an advantage by focusing on services like banking or tech. Singapore, despite its small size, is a giant in global finance and shipping because it's made the most of its strategic location and invested in becoming a hub for these industries.

Lastly, geographical size also influences security concerns. Larger countries have more borders to protect, which can lead to more complex defense strategies and international relationships. For example, Russia has to manage relations with many neighbors, influencing its foreign policy.

So, whether a country is big or small, its size plays a crucial role in shaping its interactions on the world stage, from economics to security.

60 Second Task

Being famous isn't all glamour; it has its downsides, like losing privacy and facing constant pressure to be perfect. Imagine not being able to do anything without cameras following you. Jennifer Lawrence once shared how photographers would wait outside her house, making even a simple trip to the store a public spectacle. Every slip-up, like her tripping at an event, becomes headline news worldwide.

Then there's the pressure to maintain a flawless image. Celebrities are expected to always look and behave impeccably, which is hardly realistic. Selena Gomez has been vocal about the mental health challenges this expectation brings, even taking breaks from social media to cope. Her honesty highlights the intense strain celebrities face, reminding us that they, too, need a break from being under the microscope.

Fame, therefore, isn't just about the perks; it comes with challenges that beg the question of whether the spotlight is worth the sacrifice. This insight into their lives offers a more balanced view, revealing the human side of celebrities we often overlook. It underscores the importance of empathy and understanding towards those in the public eye.

Bringing different cultures together really sparks creativity and innovation. Imagine a tech startup formed by folks from four corners of the globe. Their mixed perspectives cooked up an app idea that was totally out of the box. It’s like mixing ingredients from around the world to create a new dish that blows everyone’s mind.

And think about music or art—when artists blend traditions from their cultures with others, they end up creating something you’ve never seen or heard before. I remember this band that mixed African beats with electronic tunes, and it was a hit.

Having all these cultures in one spot encourages everyone to think differently, pushing boundaries and leading to some pretty cool breakthroughs.

EI - 10

Compare your recording to the transcript below. What did you miss? What did you mess up? Don’t be afraid to do the task again. 

1. Let's dive into a couple of key points here.

2. Big countries have a lot of land and resources.

3. Her honesty highlights the intense strain celebrities face.

4. She once shared how photographers would wait outside her house.

5. On the flip side, smaller countries might not have as many resources.

6. Having larger borders can lead to complex international relationships.

7. It’s like mixing ingredients from around the world to create a new dish.

8. Singapore, despite its small size, is a giant in global finance and shipping.

9. Having all these cultures in one spot encourages everyone to think differently.

10. A country's geographical size can really shape how it gets along with other nations.

Vocabulary Connections

Here’s the vocabulary for today. This vocabulary is connected to the new topic and task introduced in the Waterfall today (90 second task). What words would help you better express your thoughts tomorrow? Which words could you substitute for more precise expression.

Cloze Exercise

Read the response out loud trying to remain fluent while filling in the gaps.

Being famous isn't all glamour; it has its downsides, like losing privacy and facing constant pressure to be perfect. Imagine not being able to do an______ without cameras following you. Jennifer Lawrence on__ shared how photographers would wait outside he_ house, making even a simple trip t_ the store a public spectacle. Every sl______, like her tripping at an event, be_____ headline news worldwide.

Then there's the pressure to maintain a_ flawless image. Celebrities are expected to al____ look and behave impeccably, which is ha____ realistic. Selena Gomez has been vocal ab___ the mental health challenges this expectation br_____, even taking breaks from social media t_ cope. Her honesty highlights the intense st____ celebrities face, reminding us that they, to__, need a break from being under th_ microscope.

Fame, therefore, isn't just about th_ perks; it comes with challenges that be_ the question of whether the spotlight i_ worth the sacrifice. This insight into th___ lives offers a more balanced view, re_______ the human side of celebrities we of___ overlook. It underscores the importance of em_____ and understanding towards those in the pu____ eye.

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