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THE BLUE TREE
Everyday English
CEFR B1
Intermediate
warm up
Answer the questions below.
| What is your best method to manage stress? Can you describe a situation when it helped you? |
TRANSCRIPT
When I feel stressed, I usually go for a long walk in the park. It helps me clear my head and calm down. Last month, I had a big presentation at work, and I was very nervous. I went for a walk the evening before, and it really helped me sleep better and feel more confident the next day.
| Do you think people are more or less stressed than in the past? |
TRANSCRIPT
I think people are more stressed now than in the past. Life is faster, and we are connected to work almost all the time through our phones. In the past, people could leave their work in the office. Now, many of us get emails and messages in the evening or at weekends, so it’s harder to relax and take a real break.
| What stresses you out the most? |
TRANSCRIPT
What stresses me out the most is having too much on my plate at the same time. When deadlines come close and everyone expects me to do things quickly, I start to feel under pressure. I try to manage my time well, but sometimes it’s just too much. That’s when I feel burnt out and need to slow down for a while.
part one
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the first part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
- What makes people stressed?
- What verbs does “stressed” collocate with?
- What should we remember about as regards the way we say “stressed”?
- What does it mean when somebody stresses you out?
LISTEN & REPEAT
Practice listening and speaking. Listen to the example below. Repeat them.
- I always eat when I’m feeling stressed.
- He was feeling very stressed and tired.
- She felt overly stressed and needed to calm down.
- Stressed out? Take a break and have some coffee.
part two
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the second part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
- What does it mean to be “burnt out“?
- What do you say when you are mentally tired and can’t focus?
- What does it mean when you have too much on your plate?
- When are you under pressure?
- Who is putting you under pressure? 🙂
- When do we use “to be under the pump“?
- What does “to burn the candle at both ends” mean?
LISTEN & REPEAT
Practice listening and speaking. Listen to the example below. Repeat them.
- I’m feeling burnt-out at work—I need a holiday.
- Many teachers are suffering from burnout.
- John is a bit absent-minded. He has a lot on his mind lately.
- The team performs well under pressure.
- The director is under increasing pressure to resign.
- At the end of the school year, I am under the pump to get good grades.
- I am burning the candle at both ends with this new project I am involved in.
part three
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the third part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
- When do we run ourselves into the ground?
- What is so interesting about this expression?
- How do you feel when you reach a breaking point?
- How can you remember the idiom come apart at the seams?
- What does it mean to “snap“?
- What is the strongest expression Emma teaches us in this video?
LISTEN & REPEAT
Practice listening and speaking. Listen to the example below. Repeat them.
- We lost the game despite my players running themselves into the ground.
- After months of lockdown many people were reaching their breaking point.
- With all the workload I have these days I’m close to coming apart at the seams.
- Something inside him snapped, and he hit her.
- My parents would always bite my head off just because I was the oldest one.
DISCUSSION
VENTING OVER LUNCH
Read (role-play) this dialogue.
Dialogue: Talking About Stress (Over Lunch)
Setting: Alita and Pete are having lunch together in the office kitchen.
Alita: Sighs I feel like I’m burning the candle at both ends lately. This week has been insane.
Pete: I hear you. You look like you’ve got a lot on your plate. What’s going on?
Alita: Oh, it’s everything at once. Reports, emails, meetings… I’m completely overloaded. And to top it off, my kids have exams, so home is not much calmer.
Pete: Wow. That would stress me out too. I’ve been under a lot of pressure as well. My manager keeps reminding me about deadlines. It’s like I’m under the pump all the time.
Alita: That’s the worst. It’s not even the amount of work—it’s the constant feeling that someone is watching and expecting more.
Pete: Exactly. And when I finally get home, I can’t relax. I keep thinking about what I didn’t finish. I’m afraid I’m heading for burnout.
Alita: That’s serious, Pete. You need to take a break before you crash. When I felt like that last year, I booked a weekend away. No laptop, no emails. Just nature and sleep.
Pete: Sounds like heaven. Maybe I should try that. Or at least take one day off and switch off completely.
Alita: Do it. Even one day can help you recharge. We need to learn to manage stress before it manages us.
Pete: True. Thanks, Alita. Talking about it already makes me feel a bit better.
Alita: Anytime. That’s what lunch breaks are for—refueling and venting!
OVER TO YOU
Discuss these questions. Find ways to use the language you were learning in this lesson.
 | Have you ever felt like you were burning the candle at both ends? What were you doing at the time? |
| What helps you when you feel completely stressed out at work or school? |
| Do you sometimes have too much on your plate? How do you deal with it? |
| Have you ever felt under pressure to do something quickly or perfectly? How did you manage it? |
| What do you usually do when you feel close to burnout? Do you take action or try to push through? |
MIND-MAP
Use the mind-map to revise and remember the expressions for stress from this lesson.
COMMENTS
What is your best way to let go of the stresses and strains of life?
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