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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

In many places, men often get paid more than women. This is a big problem called the gender pay gap. One reason for this gap is that people sometimes think men are better at certain jobs, especially in fields like technology and engineering. Also, women often take breaks from their careers for family reasons, which can slow down their career growth.

For example, in my previous job at a technology company, I noticed that my male colleagues often received higher salaries and more promotions, even though we did the same work. It was discouraging to see and made me feel less valued.

Another reason is that women sometimes don't negotiate their salaries as strongly as men. I remember when I first got a job offer, I accepted the initial salary without negotiating because I didn't want to seem demanding. Later, I learned that my male counterpart had negotiated a higher salary for the same role, which was a big eye-opener for me.

To fix this problem, companies should be more transparent about how much they pay their employees. This can help women know when they are being paid less and ask for what they deserve. Also, there should be more support for women in male-dominated fields, like mentorship programs and networking opportunities. And, it's important for women to learn negotiation skills so they can confidently ask for fair pay.

Everyone deserves to be paid fairly for their work, regardless of their gender. It's about equality and respect. By working together, we can close the gender pay gap.

60 Second Task

Diving into ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Romans, and Mayans reveals astonishing innovations, particularly in architecture and astronomy, that still influence modern society.

Consider the architectural prowess of the Egyptians. The precision and scale of the Pyramids of Giza, constructed millennia ago without contemporary technology, are a testament to their advanced engineering skills. My first encounter with the Great Pyramid left me in awe, reflecting on how these ancient methods laid the foundation for today’s architectural feats, from skyscrapers to complex bridges.

Similarly, the Mayans' astronomical achievements are noteworthy. Their elaborate calendar and celestial predictions, derived without modern telescopes, underscore their deep understanding of the cosmos. Visiting Chichen Itza, I was fascinated by how the Kukulkan Pyramid embodies the Mayan calendar, with its architecture designed to align with solar phenomena, illustrating the early application of astronomical observations.

These ancient societies exemplify the enduring legacy of human ingenuity, demonstrating how foundational knowledge in architecture and astronomy continues to shape contemporary advancements and inspire ongoing exploration and innovation.

Navigating freedom and responsibility is like walking a tightrope, balancing both to truly feel free. Freedom means making choices, but those choices come with consequences. For instance, choosing leisure over study feels great, but if your  grades drop, you've got to face that outcome. I’ve learned this lesson in school and it’s taught me that  freedom means owning your decisions.

Meanwhile, taking on responsibilities, like helping a colleague, actually boosts your sense of freedom by adding purpose to your life. It’s rewarding in a way that’s hard to describe.

In short, freedom and responsibility aren't opposites. They complement each other, leading to a richer life. Embracing both has taught me that real freedom involves understanding and accepting the responsibilities that come our way. It's a powerful insight that's changed how I view life.

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. Freedom means owning your decisions.

2. It’s rewarding in a way that’s hard to describe.

3. Everyone deserves to be paid fairly for their work.

4. In short, freedom and responsibility aren't opposites.

5. It's a powerful insight that's changed how I view life.

6. But if your grades drop, you've got to face that outcome.

7. These examples underscore the transformative power of music in cinema.

8. Taking on responsibilities can actually give you a deeper sense of freedom.

9. When I first got a job offer, I accepted the initial salary without negotiating.

10. Companies should be more transparent about how much they pay their employees.

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.

Diving into ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Romans, and Mayans reveals astonishing innovations, particularly in architecture and astronomy, that still influence modern society.

Consider the architectural prowess of the Egyptians. The precision and scale of the Py______ of Giza, constructed millennia ago without co__________ technology, are a testament to their ad______ engineering skills. My first encounter with th_ Great Pyramid left me in awe, re________ on how these ancient methods laid th_ foundation for today’s architectural feats, from sk_________ to complex bridges.

Similarly, the Mayans' astronomical achievements are no________. Their elaborate calendar and celestial predictions, de_____ without modern telescopes, underscore their deep un___________ of the cosmos. Visiting Chichen Itza, I_ was fascinated by how the Kukulkan Py_____ embodies the Mayan calendar, with its ar__________ designed to align with solar phenomena, il__________ the early application of astronomical observations.

These ancient societies exemplify the enduring le____ of human ingenuity, demonstrating how foundational kn_______ in architecture and astronomy continues to sh___ contemporary advancements and inspire ongoing exploration an_ innovation.

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