Vocabulary
What does consensus mean? Give a synonym.
Consensus = general agreement. Synonym: agreement/unity
Complete: If she ___ (pursue) her dream earlier, she would be successful now.
If she had pursued her dream earlier, she would be successful now.
What does get down to business mean? Use it in a workplace example.
Get down to business = start working seriously. (Let’s get down to business and finish the report.)
He supposed to finish the report yesterday.
He was supposed to finish the report yesterday.
Do you prefer meetings where people cut to the chase or where there is time for discussion? Why?
Keep up the good work!
Define controversial standpoint (give your own example).
Controversial standpoint = an opinion that causes disagreement (e.g. His standpoint on banning cars in cities is controversial.)
Transform: I didn’t study, so I failed the exam. → (Third conditional).
If I had studied, I would have passed the exam.
Idiom: a blessing in disguise. Give an example with career or study.
A blessing in disguise = something that seems bad at first but turns out good. (Losing that job was a blessing in disguise — it pushed me to pursue a better career.)
She must to be contagious, she sneezes all the time.
She must be contagious, she sneezes all the time.
Do you think many people live beyond their means nowadays? What are the consequences?
You’re on the right track!
Use implement in a sentence about saving nature.
Implement = put into action. (We should implement stricter rules to reduce our carbon footprint.)
Choose correct: By the time we arrived at the airport for our ___ (layover/connecting flight), she ___ (wait) for two hours.
By the time we arrived at the airport for our connecting flight, she had been waiting for two hours.
Explain: the straw that broke the camel’s back. Make a sentence with accuse of.
The straw that broke the camel’s back = the final problem that makes a situation unbearable. (Being accused of lying was the straw that broke the camel’s back in their relationship.)
I wish I can allocate more money to charity.
I wish I could allocate more money to charity.
Imagine your company must implement changes. How would you reach a consensus with your colleagues?
Great job — keep going!
Explain the phrase: to embrace new technologies (connect with business).
To embrace new technologies = accept and use eagerly. (Many businesses embrace AI to improve efficiency.)
Make a sentence with wish + past simple using the idea: “living beyond your means.”
I wish I didn’t live beyond my means.
What does the tip of the iceberg mean? Connect with pollution or nature.
The tip of the iceberg = a small, visible part of a much bigger problem. (Plastic waste is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to pollution.)
If I would have studied medicine, I prescribe people now.
If I had studied medicine, I would be prescribing people now.
Some say climate change is only the tip of the iceberg. Do you agree? How should countries allocate resources?
That’s excellent!
What does it mean “to cost a fortune”? Give a sentence connected with family life.
To cost a fortune = be very expensive. (Raising children can cost a fortune nowadays.)
Create a sentence with future continuous about someone allocating money.
By this time tomorrow, the government will be allocating more funds to renewable energy projects.
Explain the idiom: cut to the chase. Use it in a meeting context.
Cut to the chase = skip unnecessary details and go to the main point. (Let’s cut to the chase — we don’t have enough budget to implement this plan.)
They had their house paint yesterday.
They had their house painted yesterday.
Do you think being reserved or outgoing affects family relationships? Give examples.
Don’t stop now, you’re doing really well!