FUNCTIONS:

Agreeing

Disagreeing

Hesitating

Introducing your opinion

Asking for opinions

Expressing preferences

Asking for clarification

Expressing likelihood

Speculating, guessing

Advice and recommendations

Describing a picture

Agreeing

I think you’re right

I would go along with the idea

I completely agree with you

That makes perfect sense

You have a point there

Absolutely, that’s spot on!

I couldn’t agree more

Disagreeing

That’s not how I see it

I couldn’t agree less

You must be kidding

That’s a ridiculous idea, don’t you think?

With all due respect, I must disagree

I’m afraid I can’t see it that way

No way, that’s nonsense!

Hesitating

I’m in two minds about it

I have some reservations regarding that

I’m not entirely convinced

There’s something that gives me pause

While I’m not entirely opposed, I do have some doubts

Introducing your opinion

To my mind

I reckon

In my opinion

As I see it

It seems to me

I would argue

From my point of view

Asking for opinions

Don’t you think …?

What’s your attitude to …?

What’s your opinion of …?

Are you in favour of …?

What’s your position as regards …?

You don’t support …, do you?

Expressing preferences

I prefer…

I would rather…

My preference would be…

I tend to favour…

If I had to choose, I would…

I lean towards…

I am inclined to…

I’m a big fan of…

I really enjoy…

I’m into…

I absolutely love…

I’m crazy about…

I’m fond of…

It’s right up my alley

It’s my thing

I can’t get enough of…

It appeals to me

It’s growing on me

I wouldn’t miss it for the world

I’m not a big fan of…

I don’t really enjoy…

I’m not into…

I can’t stand…

I’m not fond of…

It’s not my cup of tea

It doesn’t do anything for me

I’m sick of…

It gets on my nerves

It puts me off

I’d rather not…

It leaves me cold…

Asking for clarification

Could you please elaborate on that?

Would you mind explaining that further?

I’m not quite sure I understand. Could you clarify?

Could you provide more details?

Can you expand on that point?

Expressing likelihood

“It’s a foregone conclusion that…”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that…”

“I am almost certain that…”

“It’s highly likely that…”

“Chances are that…”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if…”

“It’s possible that…”

“There’s a chance that…”

“It’s unlikely that…”

“I doubt that…”

Speculating, guessing

“It seems to me that…”

“My gut feeling is that…”

“From what I gather…”

“If I were to guess…”

“It would appear that…”

“I reckon that…”

“I suspect that…”

“In all likelihood…”

“There’s a distinct possibility that…”

“It’s plausible that…”

Advice and recommendations

“You might want to consider…”

“Perhaps you could try…”

“If I were you, I would…”

“One thing you could do is…”

“Have you thought of…”

“May I suggest…”

“It might be beneficial to…”

“Consider this approach…”

“Why not give this a go…”

“If it were up to me, I’d…”

Describing a picture

“In the foreground…”

“In the background…”

“In the center of the image…”

“On the left side of the picture…”

“On the right side of the picture…”

“At the top of the picture…”

“At the bottom of the picture…”

“The picture depicts…”

“The image illustrates…”

“The photograph shows…”

“One can see…”

“Notice how…”

“This scene captures…”

“This photograph highlights…”

DICTIONARY

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An ER doctor on triaging your “crazy busy” life by Darria Long
Learn more words

THE BLUE TREE

Entertainment

CEF B1

CEFR B2

Upper
Intermediate

Practise speaking by describing this image

warm up

Answer the questions. Listen to the sample answers. 

What are some common signs or indicators that suggest you may be experiencing burnout from a hectic lifestyle?
TRANSCRIPT

For me, common signs of burnout are feeling constantly exhausted, struggling to stay productive, and noticing that I’m emotionally detached from things I usually enjoy. It often feels like I can’t fully disconnect from work, even during my downtime, which makes it tough to recharge. I’ve tried different time management methods, but staying consistent can be challenging when things get hectic. I’m still looking for practical ways to handle stress better and find a healthier balance.

In your opinion, what are the key challenges in balancing work, personal life, and self-care in today’s fast-paced world?
TRANSCRIPT

You know, for me, the biggest challenge is managing my time between work, relationships, and self-care. As a single guy focused on my career, I often find myself neglecting my social life without even realizing it. Plus, after long days at work, I usually don’t have the energy left to properly take care of myself. I’d really like to find a healthier balance so I’m not just surviving but actually enjoying all parts of my life.

Have you tried any time management techniques or strategies in the past? If so, how effective were they in helping you regain control over your busy schedule?
TRANSCRIPT

I’ve tried a few time-management techniques, especially ideas from Covey’s 7 Habits. Things like prioritizing tasks and focusing on what’s really important have helped me get better organized. But honestly, making these habits stick has been tricky, especially during busy periods at work. I sometimes slip back into old habits. Still, I see clear benefits whenever I apply these techniques, so I’m determined to keep trying.

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.

  • ⌚ 0:20 Would you have risen your hand to the question: “Have you ever used the phrase “Crazy Busy””?
  • ⌚ 0:34 Does Darria use this word in the ER?
  • ⌚ 1:11 How does the Crazy Mode diminish our capability of handling the ‘busy’?
  • ⌚ 1:37 What does the research show about our ability to react to a stressful situation?
  • ⌚ 1:48 What does Darria contrast the “Crazy Mode’ with?
  • ⌚ 2:19 What does being in the “Ready Mode” mean in general?

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.

  • ⌚ 2:35 What is the first step to go from Crazy Mode to Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 2:50 What does it mean to triage? 
  • ⌚ 2:58 What does the work of Dr. Robert Sapolsky show?
  • ⌚ 3:15 What are the colours of triage? What do they mean?
  • ⌚ 3:34 What is part of the problem with Crazy Mode?
  • ⌚ 4:11 How does noise make triaging more difficult?

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.

  • ⌚ 5:19 How does Darria approach the green tasks?
  • ⌚ 5:34 What does the black colour mean in triage?
  • ⌚ 5:51 What are black tasks in our lives?
  • ⌚ 6:12 What is the next step in moving from Crazy Mode to Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 6:28 What does science tell us about the relationship between a number of choices and our decisions?
  • ⌚ 6:40 What is the second step about?
  • ⌚ 7:39 How does planning, autonomating, collocating, and decreasing temptations help with designing?

part four

KEY LANGUAGE

Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.

VIDEO

Watch the fourth part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.

  • ⌚ 8:09 What is the third step of getting from Crazy Mode to Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 8:44 What matters when we get scared?
  • ⌚ 8:59 How can being scared derail us?
  • ⌚ 9:18 How does Darria get our of her head?
  • ⌚ 9:42 What effect does compassion have on tunnel vision and negative internal monologue?

part five

KEY LANGUAGE

Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.

VIDEO

Watch the fifth part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.

  • ⌚ 11:04 How did the other patients react when Darria helped deliver a baby?
  • ⌚ 11:13 What happens when you go from Crazy Mode into Ready Mode?
  • ⌚ 11:29 What does Darria encourage us to do?
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DISCUSSION

Answer the questions below. Try to throw some newly learned words and phrases.

BulletHave you ever been in “crazy busy mode”? How did it affect you at work or at home?
BulletCan you think of a time when prioritizing tasks better would have helped you?
BulletHow do you manage daily decisions, and where could you simplify things?
BulletWhen could focusing on others instead of yourself help you make better choices?
BulletHow could you use “ready mode” in your life to face busy times with more confidence?

POLL

Cast your vote in the poll below. How does your answer compare with the other respondents?

Which part of Darria Long's advice on how to get into a Ready Mode do you find the most practical?

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lesson glossary

COMMENTS

Have you got your own strategies for dealing with Crazy Mode?

Share your views and experience here.

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