Problem-Solving
Casey notices their roommate has been using their food and supplies without asking and it begins to annoy him. What could Casey do?
Casey could respectfully communicate how he is feeling to his roommate and ask him to stop.
Luis goes to an interview for a college scholarship. He arrives late and does not bring the papers they asked for. During the interview, he looks at his phone often.
What can you infer Luis's chances are of getting the internship?
Luis probaby won't get the scholarship.
Maya had two very different lives. During the week, she lived in a busy city and worked as an architect, designing tall buildings and rushing to meet deadlines. But on weekends, she went to a quiet lake where she stayed in a small cabin and enjoyed the peaceful nature. At first, she thought she had to choose one life or the other. Then one day, while sitting by the lake and working on a design, she got an idea. She mixed the calm shapes of nature with her modern building style. Her new design turned out better than ever. That’s when Maya realized she didn’t have to choose—she could enjoy both her busy city job and her peaceful time at the lake. She had found the best of both worlds.
Idiom: the best of both worlds
Meaning: An ideal situation where someone enjoys two opportunities.
Lee’s internet connection is unstable while trying to submit an online assignment close to the deadline. What should Lee do?
Move to a different location or connect to his hotspot.
Ethan gets many emails from his college about paying his tuition. He keeps saying he will do it later. One day, he cannot sign into his school account. Why do you think Ethan lost access to his account?
He did not pay his tuition.
When Jessie didn’t get the job she really wanted, she felt disappointed and thought all her hard work had gone to waste. However, a few days later, another company she had applied to contacted her with a better offer, including higher pay and a more positive work environment. At that moment, Jessie realized that losing the first opportunity was actually a blessing in disguise, because it led her to something even better than she had originally hoped for.
Idiom: a blessing in disguise
Meaning: a good thing that seemed bad at first.
Taylor’s car will not start on the morning of a required in-person lab class. What is the solution?
Chloe’s professor offers extra credit work. Chloe already has a low grade, but she decides not to do the extra assignment. What can you infer about Chloe's attitude towards her grade?
Chloe does not care if she receives a bad grade or she does not want to put in the effort.
Alex and Sam had been planning a small business together, but they couldn’t agree on where to open their shop. Alex wanted a busy downtown spot, while Sam thought a quieter neighborhood would be better. After talking through the pros and cons, Alex said, “I’m okay with either choice—the ball is in your court.” Sam realized it was now his turn to decide, so he chose the downtown location, and the two partners moved forward with their plan.
Idiom: the ball is in your court
Meaning: you are responsible for what happens next
Drew realizes the night before a major assignment is due that they misunderstood the instructions weeks ago. Fixing it properly would require starting over, but there is not enough time to fully redo it. What could Drew do to fix this?
Drew could ask his professor for an extension.
Kevin has a big exam coming up. He did not study much. The night before, a classmate offers to share answers during the test. Kevin feels nervous but agrees. During the exam, he keeps looking at his classmate’s paper. What is Kevin doing and what is a possible outcome?
Kevin is cheating on the test and he could get in trouble for academic dishonesty.
On the first day at his new school, Liam felt nervous because he didn’t know anyone in his class. When the teacher assigned a group activity, he was paired with two classmates, but at first no one spoke. The silence made Liam uncomfortable. Finally, one student smiled and said, “I’ll break the ice—what’s your favorite hobby?” Liam relaxed and shared that he liked playing soccer, and soon everyone was talking. By the end, they were laughing, and Liam realized that breaking the ice can help people feel comfortable.
Idiom: break the ice
Meaning: to say or do something to make people feel less shy and start talking.
Bella arrives to class and finds out the room has changed. She feels stressed and confused.
What could she do?
She could check her email or Canvas announcements to see if the professor sent out an announcement regarding the location of the new room. She could also reach out to a classmate to see if they have any information.
Samantha tells her friends she is “doing fine” in her classes. However, she has started spending long hours in the library and has stopped joining social events. She also checks her grades often and sighs when looking at them. What can you infer is actually going on?
Samantha is not actually doing fine in her classes or she is not satisfied with her grades.
Maddie stood in front of her class, ready to give her presentation, but suddenly her mind went blank. “The capital of France is… um…” she said, frowning. She knew the answer but couldn’t say it. “It’s on the tip of my tongue,” she said nervously. After taking a deep breath, she finally remembered. “Paris!” she said with a smile, and her class clapped.
Idiom: tip of my tongue
Meaning: you know something, but you cannot remember it right at that moment.