ESL: Very Well Protocol | Week 13 - Day 76

9 May 2024

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Today’s Themes and Tasks

Literature

Social Justice

Health & Wellness

What is the purpose of stories about future societies that seem scary or too perfect?

What does it mean to be an ally? How can we support people who experience injustice?

How is the way we get our food from around the world changing our health?

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

What is the purpose of stories about future societies that seem scary or too perfect?

So, when we dive into stories about future societies that are either super scary or way too perfect, what's the deal? These kinds of stories, you know, like dystopias or utopias, they're not just about imagining cool or frightening future worlds. They've got a deeper purpose.

First off, the scary ones, dystopias, they're like big red flags. They show us what could go really wrong if we don't change our ways. Think about it like a warning sign on a road; it tells you there's danger ahead so you can avoid it. Books like "The Hunger Games" make us think about power, who has it, and what they do with it. They get us asking, "Hey, what can we do now to make sure our future doesn't end up like that?"

Then, there are those stories about perfect worlds, utopias, but there's always a catch, right? They make us question what 'perfect' really means. Often, they show that to make everything perfect for some people, others have to give up a lot. It's like saying, "Be careful what you wish for."

Both types of stories get us thinking about our society, our values, and how we treat each other. They're not just about the future; they're about us, here and now, reflecting on how we can make our world better. Pretty cool, huh?

60 Second Task

What does it mean to be an ally? How can we support people who experience injustice?

Being an ally involves standing with those facing injustice.. Two key aspects of being an ally are listening and taking action.

Listening is foundational. It means genuinely hearing the struggles of those experiencing injustice, without centering the conversation on ourselves. A personal turning point was when I actively listened to a friend's encounter with racial discrimination, realizing the significance of just being present and acknowledging their experiences.

Action complements listening. Engaging in small but meaningful gestures can make a difference. Joining a campus equality group, we organize awareness events about social issues, demonstrating solidarity and drawing attention to injustices.

To support those facing injustice, it's about showing up for them through empathetic listening and proactive involvement. An ally commits to understanding, supporting, and advocating for equity, showing that we're in this fight together.

How is the way we get our food from around the world changing our health?

The global food market enriches our diet with benefits and challenges. Having fruits from any season and exploring exotic dishes is convenient, but such foods often undergo processing to endure long journeys. Ever bit into a fruit that looked fresh but lacked flavor? It likely traveled thousands of miles.

Access to international cuisines introduces us to diverse flavors, yet it's easy to unknowingly consume extra sugar, salt, and fats. A foreign snack, initially appealing for its taste, later surprised me with its high sugar content.

This variety, while appealing, encourages us to think critically about our food choices. Finding a balance between savoring global delicacies and keeping a healthy diet becomes essential.

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. Think about it like a warning sign on a road.

2. What's the deal with stories about future societies?

3. International cuisines introduces us to diverse flavors.

4. Being an ally involves standing with those facing injustice.

5. A foreign snack later surprised me with its high sugar content.

6. Engaging in small but meaningful gestures can make a difference.

7. These kinds of stories are not just about imagining cool worlds.

8. They show us what could go really wrong if we don't change our ways.

9. I actively listened to a friend's encounter with racial discrimination.

10. This variety should encourage us to think critically about our food choices.

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.

What does it mean to be an ally? How can we support people who experience injustice?

Being an ally involves standing with those facing injustice. Two key aspects of being an al__ are listening and taking action.

Listening is foundational. It means genuinely he_____ the struggles of those experiencing injustice, wi_____ centering the conversation on ourselves. A pe______ turning point was when I actively li______ to a friend's encounter with racial di_____________, realizing the significance of just being pr_____ and acknowledging their experiences.

Action complements listening. Engaging in small bu_ meaningful gestures can make a difference. Jo_____ a campus equality group, we organize aw_______ events about social issues, demonstrating solidarity an_ drawing attention to injustices.

To support those facing injustice, it's ab___ showing up for them through empathetic li_______ and proactive involvement. An ally commits t_ understanding, supporting, and advocating for equity, sh_____ that we're in this fight together.

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