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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

What we wear seriously affects both how we see ourselves and how others perceive us. First off, clothes can be a major confidence booster. When you're dressed in something you feel good in, it's like you can take on the world. I remember wearing a suit for the first time for a job interview. Looking in the mirror, I suddenly felt more capable and ready to face any question. 

On the flip side, our outfits also send signals to others about who we are or who we want to be. It's kind of like a silent introduction before you even say a word. For example, wearing a band T-shirt can instantly connect you with fellow fans or spark conversations about music. I've made a few friends just because someone commented on my vintage band tee.

Moreover, clothes can reflect our cultural background or personal values, acting as a visual statement of our identity. At cultural festivals, wearing traditional attire not only makes me feel closer to my roots but also shows others a piece of my heritage.

In essence, what we wear can boost our self-esteem, communicate our interests or background to others, and influence how we're treated. It's more than just fabric; it's a form of self-expression and a tool for shaping our social interactions.

60 Second Task

Keeping old buildings is crucial because they connect us to our past and add character to our cities. Take this old market in my town; it's been around for centuries, and just walking through it feels like you're stepping back in time. It's awesome.

But updating these places is a real challenge. They need modern stuff like Wi-Fi and air conditioning to stay useful, but you've got to do it without messing up their old-timey feel. When our library needed internet, it was a big project to hide all those cables without changing the historic vibe.

And space? That's a huge deal. Cities are growing fast, and sometimes old buildings are knocked down to make room for new ones. It's heartbreaking to see beautiful old places torn down for something like a parking lot.

So, preserving old buildings is about keeping our history alive and making sure our cities have personality. We need to be clever about mixing the old with the new, so we don't lose these cool, historical spots while our cities expand.

Moving away from cultural centers, traditions evolve but remain a crucial part of our identity. My Mexican friend hosts a Dia de los Muertos party in her new community, blending her heritage with new influences. This shows how traditions adapt and thrive, even far from their origins.

Similarly, my Indian family replaces traditional Diwali flowers with paper crafts, creatively keeping our customs alive despite distance. These changes underscore the flexibility and resilience of traditions, strengthening our cultural identity in new places.

Traditions, therefore, don't necessarily weaken with distance; they can  become more inclusive and meaningful, reflecting our adaptability and the merging of cultures. This evolution enriches our collective cultural experience, proving traditions are dynamic, not static.

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. Updating these places is a real challenge.

2. Clothes can be a major confidence booster.

3. Traditions don't necessarily weaken with distance.

4. What we wear seriously affects how we see ourselves.

5. When our library needed internet, it was a big project.

6. Traditions evolve but remain a crucial part of our identity.

7. Clothes can reflect our cultural background or personal values.

8. Sometimes old buildings are knocked down to make room for new ones.

9. These changes underscore the flexibility and resilience of traditions.

10. Our outfits also send signals to others about who we are or who we want to be.

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.

Keeping old buildings is crucial because they connect us to our past and add character to our cities. Take this old market in my to___; it's been around for centuries, and ju__ walking through it feels like you're st______ back in time. It's awesome.

But updating these places is a re__ challenge. They need modern stuff like Wi___ and air conditioning to stay useful, bu_ you've got to do it without me_____ up their old-timey feel. When our li_____ needed internet, it was a big pr_____ to hide all those cables without ch______ the historic vibe.

And space? That's a huge deal. Cities are gr_____ fast, and sometimes old buildings are kn_____ down to make room for new on__. It's heartbreaking to see beautiful old pl____ torn down for something like a pa_____ lot.

So, preserving old buildings is about ke_____ our history alive and making sure ou_ cities have personality. We need to b_ clever about mixing the old with th_ new, so we don't lose these co___ historical spots while our cities expand.

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