Lesson 1

Listening

1. Complete the conversation with the words and phrases from the Focus on Vocabulary box. Then listen and check.

Eman: I try hard to finish my homework on time, but I can never get it all done. After just a few minutes my productivity levels start to 1 decline and I start looking at my phone.
Amany: It sounds like you need to 2 raise your 3 productivity so you can get more homework done.
Eman: So I need to become more 4 productive?
Amany: Yes, exactly. You need to do good work, but get it done faster by increasing your 5 eficiency. First, 6 assess when and where you find it easiest to work. You could try to 7 vary the time and place where you work and see what happens at different times and in different places.
Eman: That’s a good idea. I’ll try doing that and hopefully I’ll soon be making more 8 progress with my homework.

2. Listen to an expert on productivity talking about how to be productive and answer the questions.

1. What two things do you achieve when you’re productive?

You get all your work done in the time you have, and you do good work (in that time).

2. Can everyone raise their productivity levels in the same way? Why?

No, not everyone can raise their productivity levels in the same way because different things help different people to become more productive.

3. What two things can you change about the way you work to become more productive?

The two things you can change about the way you work to become more productive are: ind out where you can study eficiently, and at what time of day you can study most eficiently.

4. Which two things make everyone less productive than they could be?

Stress and feeling worried make everyone less productive than they could be.

3. Listen to the expert again. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)? Correct the false statements.

1. The expert tells people there isn’t one thing that will help everyone to become more productive. T

2. The expert believes that everyone is more productive if they leave their home and go and work somewhere else, like a cafe. F, Leaving the home to work or study might help some people, but it may make it harder for other people to concentrate.

3. The expert says that the time of day when people can work efficiently varies for different people. T

4. The expert believes you should still try to do some work even if you’re feeling stressed or worried. F, If you are feeling stressed or worried, try to relax instead by doing exercise or writing your worries down.

Language

4. Read the sentences (a–c) from the audio and answer the questions (1–3).

1 Which verb could you use instead of ‘get … done’ in the sentences above? finish

2 Which word do you use in front of the structure ‘get … done’ to talk about the future? You use the word ‘will ,

3 Which word in the structure ‘get … done’ do you change when you talk about the past and what do you change it to? You change the word ‘get’. You change ‘get’ to
‘got’