Unit 10: I decided to...
– Giving reasons
– Expressing approval
Part 1
Vocabulary
Look at the article about keeping a clean home environment. Choose the correct word in each pair to complete the article.
Is clutter / declutter in your home affecting your life? Some researchers have found that a messy home can cause people to tidy up / procrastinate on their tasks and can make them feel tired all the time. Tidy up / Procrastinating your stacks of papers and magazines and organizing / sticking to your life may feel like an enormous job, but you can neat / declutter your home a little bit at a time. Don’t do it all at once, and don’t do it stick to it / at the last minute before weekend houseguests are due to arrive. Instead, take 15 minutes at the end of each workday to clean up a small area of your home. Make this activity a daily habit and stick to it / procrastinate. Say goodbye to clutter for good!
Answer
- clutter
- procrastinate
- Tidy up
- organizing
- declutter
- at the last minute
- stick to it
Do you think clutter can affect a person’s life? Explain.
Part 2
Conversation
Listen and answer 2 questions.
1. What did Leo do?
2. Why did he do it?
Woman: Michele
Man: Leo
Transcript
Michele: Hey, Leo. Your desk is so neat now.
Leo: Well, I decided to get organized and tidy up my work station because I can never find anything.
Michele: That’s great! And is that a calendar on your computer screen?
Leo: Yes, it is. I’m always procrastinating and doing things at the last minute, so I decided to make a schedule for myself and stick to it.
Michele: I’m impressed. And how is it all working out for you? Are you getting more done?
Leo: Not really. I’m actually behind in my work because I’ve spent the last two days getting organized. And I think my desk is too neat now!
Example answer
- Leo cleaned up his work station and got organized.
- He got organized because he could never find anything and he was always doing things at the last minute.
Practice the conversation with teacher
Find the best places to add the sentences below to the conversation and practice it again.
I can’t find anything.
What happened?
I’ve never seen you use a calendar before.
It will also help me be on time for meetings.
Michele: Hey, Leo. Your desk is so neat now. ________
Leo: Well, I decided to get organized and tidy up my work station because I can never find anything.
Michele: That’s great! And is that a calendar on your computer screen? ________
Leo: Yes, it is. I’m always procrastinating and doing things at the last minute, so I decided to make a schedule for myself and stick to it. ________
Michele: I’m impressed. And how is it all working out for you? Are you getting more done?
Leo: Not really. I’m actually behind in my work because I’ve spent the last two days getting organized. And I think my desk is too neat now! ________
Answers
Michele: Hey, Leo. Your desk is so neat now. (2) What happened?
Leo: Well, I decided to get organized and tidy up my work station because I can never find anything.
Michele: That’s great! And is that a calendar on your computer screen? (3) I've never seen you use a calendar before.
Leo: Yes, it is. I’m always procrastinating and doing things at the last minute, so I decided to make a schedule for myself and stick to it. (4) It will also help me be on time for meetings.
Michele: I’m impressed. And how is it all working out for you? Are you getting more done?
Leo: Not really. I’m actually behind in my work because I’ve spent the last two days getting organized. And I think my desk is too neat now! (1) I can't find anything.
Part 3
Language Booster
Notice the ways we give reasons and express approval.
Giving reasons
I decided to (get organized) because (I can never find anything.)
I’m always…, so I decided to…
Since I …, I decided to…
Expressing approval
Good for you!
That’s great
I’m impressed
Tell about one thing you’d like to change about yourself and why.
Example
Since I can never remember important appointments, I decided to organize my calendar.
Part 4
Listening
Sandra is organizing her room. Number the topics in the order that you hear them.
Answer
__2__ try on clothes
__5__ get rid of some clothes and books
__1__ neaten up closet
__4__ make room on bookshelf
__3__ organize desk
| Topics | Reasons for the changes |
| _____ try on clothes | |
| _____ get rid of some clothes and books | |
| _____ neaten up closet | |
| _____ make room on bookshelf | |
| _____ organize desk |
Listen again.
Write the reasons for each change in the chart above.
Transcript
Tina: Hey, Sandra. Wow, your room is even messier than usual! What’s going on in here?
Sandra: Hi, Tina. I know, it’s a huge mess! Since it always takes me forever to decide what to wear in the morning, I decided to tidy up my closet. I thought it might make it easier to find things.
Tina: That’s great! But it doesn’t look like you’ve gotten very far. There are clothes all over the room! What happened?
Sandra: Well, as I was organizing, I started finding clothes that I’d forgotten I had. Some were brand new and still had tags on them! So since I didn’t remember what the clothes looked like, I decided to try them all on.
Tina: I guess that makes sense. But why is the rest of your room such a mess?
Sandra: Well, once I started cleaning my closet, I wanted to clean my whole room. I decided to organize my desk because I can never find anything in there.
Tina: Good for you! But there are papers everywhere now. What are you going to do?
Sandra: I guess I have to get some file folders and file everything.
Tina: That’s a good idea. But what about your bookshelf? How come all of your books are on the floor?
Sandra: I bought some new books yesterday, so I decided to try to make room on my bookshelf for them. But I think I just have too many books.
Tina: I think you might have too much of everything.
Sandra: Yeah, I think you’re right. Since I have such a small room, I should get rid of the clothes I never wear and the books I’ve already read. Do you want to help me organize?
Tina: No, thanks. I think I have a class right now.
Answer
__2__ try on clothes
forgot what clothes she had and what they looked like
__5__ get rid of some clothes and books
she has too much of everything/her room is too small to hold everything she has
__1__ neaten up closet
make it easier to find clothes so she can decide what to wear more quickly
__4__ make room on bookshelf
bought new books and needed to make room for them
__3__ organize desk
can never find anything in the desk
Part 5
Speak with confidence
Tell some ways that you can organize your life better and the problems that this organization might help with.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Discuss these questions below
What is one change you would like to make in your daily routine? Why?
Is there a habit you want to start or stop? What is it?
How would you like to improve your study habits?
What change would you make to your bedroom or study space?
Is there a skill you want to learn? Why?
How do you think making these changes will improve your life?