ESL: Very Well Protocol | Week 8 - Day 48

6 April 2024

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Today’s Themes and Tasks

Music

Sports

Medicine

What effect has the ability to stream music had on the variety of music we listen to?

How do sports help young people grow and learn to work with others?

How can doctors help patients learn more about their health so they can make better choices?

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 effect has the ability to stream music had on the variety of music we listen to?

Streaming music has totally flipped the way we discover and listen to tunes. It's like having an endless music stash. Gone are the days of buying CDs or downloading tracks. Now, just a scroll away, you can hop across continents, diving into music you've never dreamed of. I stumbled into K-pop on a streaming app, and it felt like uncovering a hidden musical gem.

But, it's not all smooth sailing. With so much music out there, choosing what to play can be overwhelming. It's like being lost in the world's biggest music store. Sometimes, I find myself scrolling endlessly, stuck in decision paralysis.

Another thing is, while we're all jamming to global hits, smaller local artists might find it harder to get noticed. With everyone's attention on the big names, these up-and-comers can get lost in the shuffle. I've seen talented local bands struggle to make their mark in the streaming era, where the spotlight often shines brightest on international stars.

Streaming sites do try to help by suggesting new music based on what you like. That's how I got hooked on jazz, a leap I wouldn't have made on my own. It's this mix of discovery and surprise that keeps things interesting.

Despite the challenges, like choice overload and the struggle for smaller artists, streaming has transformed music into a global adventure. We're exploring new beats, rhythms, and melodies from around the world, expanding our musical horizons like never before. It's an amazing time to be a music fan, but let's not forget to support the underdogs too.

60 Second Task

How do sports help young people grow and learn to work with others?

Playing sports as a kid teaches you heaps, not just about the game, but life skills too. Teamwork is a big one. I played soccer, and quickly learned it's not about solo glory but working together. Like that time we were losing, and instead of taking a difficult shot myself, I passed to a teammate who scored. It taught me how team effort beats going it alone, a lesson that's helped me in school and even at home.

Dealing with setbacks is another key lesson. Missing a big basketball shot felt awful, but my team's support showed me mistakes are just chances to learn and grow. It’s a mindset that’s helped me tackle challenges head-on.

And healthy competition, like in track, taught me to compete with myself, not just others. Improving my times was incredibly rewarding, emphasizing personal growth over just winning.

Youth sports are about learning to work with others, handling failures, and self-improvement. These experiences shape you far beyond the playing field.

How can doctors help patients learn more about their health so they can make better choices?

Doctors can really boost our understanding of health by simplifying complex terms. Like, explaining "high cholesterol" instead of "hyperlipidemia" made me instantly grasp what changes I needed in my diet.

Visuals make a big difference, too. A sketch my doctor made of my knee issue clarified things way better than words could. It showed exactly why certain exercises would help, making the advice stick.

Encouraging questions is key. It changes the vibe when doctors ask if we have questions, making space for clarity. I had a doctor who did this, and it made me feel comfortable to ask anything, enhancing my understanding and involvement in my health care.

Basically, by demystifying medical jargon, utilizing visuals, and fostering dialogue, doctors empower us to make informed health decisions.

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. Dealing with setbacks is another key lesson.

2. It felt like uncovering a hidden musical gem.

3. Choosing what to listen to can be overwhelming.

4. Playing sports as a kid teaches you life skills too.

5. Streaming has transformed music into a global adventure.

6. Doctors can empower us to make informed health decisions.

7. The spotlight often shines brightest on international stars.

8. I had a doctor who made me feel comfortable to ask anything.

9. My team's support showed me mistakes are just chances to learn and grow.

10. Instead of taking a difficult shot myself, I passed to a teammate who scored.

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.

How can doctors help patients learn more about their health so they can make better choices?


Doctors really help when they break down health stuff into simple language. Medical terms can be like a p______, but when a doctor explained my "h___ cholesterol" instead of using a fancy t____, it clicked. I suddenly knew what I needed to fix in my diet. Using pictures or diagrams is super h______ too.

We remember what we see b_____ than what we hear. My doctor d___ my knee and showed where the i____ was. That drawing made more sense t___ any medical term, showing me exactly h__ to improve with exercises.

And, asking us, "Any questions?" is c______. It feels like doctors are often in a hurry, but when they invite q_________, it opens up a real conversation. I had a doctor who always did t____, making me feel comfortable to ask a________, which really upped my health game. In short, doctors can make a h___ difference by simplifying info, using visuals, a__ encouraging questions.

It's about making health k________ accessible, turning us from just patients i___ informed health decision-makers.

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