BIG REVISION

Glimmers & Toxic Positivity

100

Fill the gap: 
"After a long, stressful day, I like to ___ by reading or taking a slow walk."

✅ unwind

200

Paraphrase the highlighted part:
"She kept telling me I was imagining things and remembering it all wrong, until I started doubting myself."

 ✅ was gaslighting me / undermining my sense of reality

300

Finish the sentence frame with your own example and our target vocabulary:
"A small glimmer I noticed recently was ___, and I tried to ___ ."

✅ savor, be (fully) present

400

Answer the question: 
"What's the difference between toxic positivity and genuine optimism? Give one phrase a toxically positive person might say."

✅ minimizing and dismissing one's emotions;
"Just stay positive!" - they often mean well, but push down emotions

500

Tell us about a time you (or someone you know) felt the pressure to always seem happy. 
Use at least 3: mean well · push away emotions · vent · shut down feelings · feel ignored

✅ feel the pressure to always seem happy, push away emotions, vent, shut down feelings, feel ignored

Failure, Setbacks & Lemons

100

Guess the phrase by emoji 

🍋 ➡️ 🍹

 ✅ When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

200

Fill the gap: 
"I really wanted to ask for the promotion, but at the last minute I ___ and said nothing."

✅ chickened out / got cold feet

300

Paraphrase the highlighted part:
"It took him a while, but he recovered well after losing his job."

 ✅ bounced back (from the setback)

400

Finish the sentence frame with your own example and our target vocabulary: 
"I once hit rock bottom when ___. Looking back, it was a real wake-up call because ___."

✅ hit rock bottom, a wake-up call

500

Make a question to ask another team about learning from mistakes. It must contain phrases a stepping stone and own your mistakes." (Then that team answers.)

✅ use ... as a stepping stone to, own your mistakes (+ also possible: learn the hard way / have the guts)

Example: "Can you tell us about a time you had to own a mistake at work or school, and how you turned it into a stepping stone to something better?"

Movies & Music

100

Guess the phrase by emoji

 🔔 🤔

 ✅ (that) rings a bell

200

Fill the gaps with our target vocabulary: 
"That song has been stuck in my head all day — it's such an ___. So ___ I can't stop humming it."

✅ earworm; catchy

300

Paraphrase the highlighted part "The film kept us on the edge of our seats the entire time — none of us could look away."

✅ gripping / suspenseful / captivating

400

Finish the sentence frame with your own example and our target vocabulary: 
"A film I'd call overrated is ___ because ___. But one I found genuinely thought-provoking is ___."

✅ overrated, thought-provoking (bonus genres/adjectives: predictable, visually stunning, slow-paced)

500

Explain these three music idioms and use each in a sentence: face the music · play it by ear · change your tune

• face the music = accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions. "He broke the vase and had to face the music when his mum got home."

• play it by ear = decide as you go, without a fixed plan. "We haven't booked anything for the weekend — let's just play it by ear."

• change your tune = suddenly change your opinion or attitude, usually to the opposite. "She said she hated the city, but she changed her tune once she got the job offer."

Hobbies & Guilty Pleasures

100

Guess the phrase by emoji

📺 🍿 🌙 (all night)

 ✅ binge-watch a TV show / watch in one sitting

200

Fill the gap

"For me, photography is an ___ for creativity and personal expression."

✅ outlet

300

Finish the sentence frame with your own example and our target vocabulary: 
"Don't judge me, but my guilty pleasure is ___. There's something oddly satisfying about ___."

 ✅ guilty pleasure, there's something oddly satisfying about... (bonus: sleeping in / calling in sick / order takeout)

400

Paraphrase the highlighted part
"She's naturally talented at and really good at baking — it just comes easily to her."

✅ has a knack for

500

Answer the question: How do hobbies benefit our wellbeing?
 
Use at least 3: foster creativity · keep the mind sharp · step away from daily pressures · combat feelings of stress · think outside the box.

 ✅ foster creativity, keep the mind sharp, step away from daily pressures, helps combat feelings of, think outside the box

Pet Peeves & Gossip

100

Guess by emoji

🐱 👜 💨

✅ let the cat out of the bag

200

Fill the gap:

 "A ___ told me you're getting engaged — is it true?"

✅ A little birdie told me

300

Paraphrase the highlighted part:

"People who chew loudly annoy me more than almost anything."

✅ get my goat / drive me up the wall / get on my nerves / push my buttons / make my blood boil / make me wanna tear my hair out 

Loud chewing noises feel like nails on a chalkboard.

400

Finish the sentence frame with your own example and our target vocabulary: 

"Something that really makes my ___ ___ is ___ — it feels like ___."

✅ make my blood boil, nails on a chalkboard

500

Make a question for the opposing team, using two of these phrases: talk behind someone's back · mind your own business · it's a double-edged sword · keep your nose out of it. 

(Then they answer.)

Possible questions: "Is gossip always a bad thing, or is it a double-edged sword? And when someone starts to talk behind a friend's back, do you join in or tell them to keep their nose out of it?" 

Possible answer: "I think gossip is a double-edged sword. It helps people bond and share information, but it can also hurt someone if you talk behind their back. Personally, if a friend starts gossiping about someone I care about, I usually change the subject or tell them to mind their own business."