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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

When people move far from their cultural roots, traditions can take on new forms, blending the old with the new. One key change is that traditions become a way to connect with home. For example, my friend from Mexico hosts a big Day of the Dead party every year. Back home, it's a family event, but here, she invites friends of all backgrounds. It's her way of keeping her culture alive and sharing it with others.

Traditions also adapt. When you're far from where you grew up, it's not always possible to find the exact ingredients or items needed for traditional ceremonies or recipes. So, you improvise. My family, originally from India, couldn't find the specific flowers used for Diwali decorations, so we started using colorful paper crafts instead. It's different, but it keeps the spirit of the tradition alive.

Lastly, being away from the cultural center can actually strengthen traditions. It sounds counterintuitive, but the effort to maintain them in a new place can make them more significant. Celebrating your culture becomes a statement of identity. For instance, wearing traditional clothes on special days feels more impactful here, where it's less common, turning a personal tradition into a public expression of pride.

In essence, moving away from cultural centers transforms traditions, making them more inclusive, adaptable, and often, more meaningful. They become not just a link to the past, but a bridge to the future, blending cultures and creating new traditions along the way.

60 Second Task

Everyday clothes are definitely shifting towards casual, and it's changing how we see each other and interact. In the workplace, for instance, the old suit-and-tie vibe is giving way to "business casual" or even just casual. I showed up in a blazer on my first day at a tech startup, only to find my boss in jeans and a hoodie. It made everything feel more relaxed and approachable, breaking down those formal barriers.

This casual trend reflects a bigger move towards valuing comfort and being yourself. It seems like society is becoming more okay with showing our true selves, without the need for a formal getup to prove we're serious. This shift encourages more genuine interactions and a sense of community because we're all just a bit more relaxed.

So, as we lean into more casual wear, our daily environments become more laid-back and inclusive, making it easier for everyone to just be themselves and connect on a real level.

Streaming has revolutionized how we access music, making the world's tunes just a tap away. I found myself diving into K-pop through a playlist, a discovery that felt like uncovering hidden treasure. But, there's a downside: the overwhelming choice can make deciding what to listen to a real challenge.

Moreover, while we're all jamming to global stars, local artists often struggle to get noticed. The spotlight on big names means new, local talent can get lost in the shuffle. Streaming does lead to unexpected discoveries, like when it introduced me to jazz, broadening my musical taste.

In essence, streaming offers incredible access to music worldwide but also presents challenges, such as choice overload and the overshadowing of local artists. It's important to balance our playlists with both global hits and hidden gems from emerging talents, keeping the music scene diverse and vibrant.

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. Facing failures also taught me resilience.

2. My family couldn't find these specific flowers.

3. Do you think keeping up traditions is important?

4. It's not always possible to find the exact ingredients.

5. Everyday clothes are definitely shifting towards casual.

6. Celebrating your culture becomes a statement of identity.

7. Society is becoming more okay with showing our true selves.

8. In the workplace, the old style is giving way to "business casual."

9. They become not just a link to the past, but a bridge to the future.

10. Being away from the cultural center can actually strengthen traditions.

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.

Everyday clothes are definitely shifting towards casual, and it's changing how we see each other and interact. In the workplace, for instance, the ol_ suit-and-tie vibe is giving way to "b_______ casual" or even just casual. I sh____ up in a blazer on my fi___ day at a tech startup, only t_ find my boss in jeans and a hoodie. It made everything feel more re_____ and approachable, breaking down those formal ba_______

This casual trend reflects a bigger mo__ towards valuing comfort and being yourself. I_ seems like society is becoming more ok__ with showing our true selves, without th_ need for a formal getup to pr___ we're serious. This shift encourages more ge_____ interactions and a sense of community be_____ we're all just a bit more re______

So, as we lean into more ca____ wear, our daily environments become more la_______ and inclusive, making it easier for ev______ to just be themselves and connect o_ a real level.

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