EF p 81. 10 Small Ways to Lead an Anti-Capitalist Life. Mediation. Cloze

Write an article for the school website featuring a list of practical ways to promote conscious consumption. To gather ideas, you have engaged your social media followers by asking them to share examples of everyday actions that reflect non-capitalist or anti-consumerist lifestyles. From the responses, you have selected the 10 most compelling or unique ideas to highlight in your article. Ensure the piece is informative, engaging, and encourages readers to adopt more mindful consumption habits.

This is the list you have compiled to write the article: 

10 Small Ways to Lead an Anti-capitalist Life

1 Freecycle as much as possible 

2 Leave stuff outside for your neighbours 

3 Make your own clothes 

4 Forget the gym

5 Make your own spreadable butter

6 Stop buying cleaning products 

7 Go online, then visit the library 

8 Get an allotment 

9 Don’t drive 

10 Use your TV remote 

Sample answer:

10 Easy Steps to Live a Life Against Capitalism

When I asked for ideas about non-capitalist living, I received a deluge (1)_________ responses. Many people said that even small actions gave them a (2)___________ of purpose and control.

1. Give Away Unwanted Items

(3)___________ of being lumbered (4)____________ things you (5)__________ longer need, you can pass them (6)__________ through platforms (7)__________ Freecycle or Freegle. Everything (8)__________ furniture to knick-knacks can find a new home this way.

2. Share with Your Community

In some areas, people leave unwanted books, clothes, and even food in shared spaces (9)___________ others can take them. Within hours, these items become useful (10)_________ someone (11)____________, reducing waste and encouraging generosity.

3. Create Your (12)________ Clothing

Some people prefer making their own clothes (13)_________ than buying from big shops. This (14)________, they avoid supporting child labour, toxic chemicals, and animal cruelty in the fashion industry.

4. Exercise Outdoors

For those (15)___________ used to pay for gym memberships, the experience often felt artificial, with air laced (16)___________ sweat and loud music creating a materialistic atmosphere. Now, they choose to jog in the park, avoiding mirrors and the need to pump (17)___________ your ego.

5. Make Your Own Butter Spread

A small (18)__________ useful contribution is mixing butter with oil (19)___________ make it easier to spread. This reduces waste, avoids plastic packaging, and cuts (20)________ on palm oil, (21)_________ contributes to deforestation.

6. Use Simple Cleaning Products

After a watershed moment, some people replace store-bought cleaning products (22)___________ simple mixtures of vinegar and water or bicarbonate of soda. These natural options are cheaper and better for the environment.

7. Borrow Books Instead of Buying

Instead of always buying books, many people first search online, read reviews, and (23)__________ borrow them from the library. This saves money, reduces waste, and supports local libraries.

8. Grow Your Own Food

Gardening provides fresh vegetables, improves health, and builds a sense of community. Some gardeners even share extra produce from their allotments (24)________  neighbours, making their areas more self-sufficient.

9. Reduce Car Use

Some people choose (25)___________ to own a car. They rely (26)__________ bicycles and public transport, avoiding petrol use, air pollution, and traffic problems.

10. Mute TV Adverts

A simple but clever habit is turning (27)_________ the sound during adverts to avoid consumer pressure. (28)_________ constant advertising, people can make (29)_______ thoughtful spending choices.

These small but meaningful actions challenge consumer culture and promote a more mindful way of living. (30)__________ ones would you like to try?

KEY

1. of

2. sense

3. Instead

4. with

5. no

6. on

pass something  on (to somebody) ​to give something to somebody else, especially after receiving it or using it yourself.

E.g.

 Pass the book on to me when you've finished with it. 

I passed your message on to my mother. 

Much of the discount is pocketed by retailers instead of being passed on to customers.

7. like

8. from

9. where

10. to/ for

11. else

12. Own

13. rather

14. way

15. who

16. with

17. up

18. but

19. to

20. down

21. which

22. with

23. then

24. with

25. not

26. on

27. off

28. Without

29. more

30.  Which

EF p 77. Being Busy. Mediation. Word Formation

TASK 1: 

You come across an infographic about people's addiction to being busy. You find it so interesting that you decide to write a blog entry about it.

Addiction to being busy

People struggle to juggle friends, family, work and fitness

Reasons for busyness:

Feeling anxious when missing an event.

To take your mind off your troubles.

To become successful.

Sample answer:

TEXT 1 

Are you (1)______________ (ADDICTION) to being busy? 

‘Let me check my diary and get back to you’, is a phrase we’ve all (2)_______________ (UTTERANCE). We are constantly on the go, trying to squeeze friends and family, work, and fitness into our (3)________________ (INCREASE) demanding lifestyles. And while we have all struggled with a jam-packed week at some stage, it’s possible some people have developed an actual addiction to ‘busyness’. 

Many busy people suffer from FOMO, which stands for ‘fear of missing out’, and is (4)______________ (DEFINITION) as anxiety, often caused by social media, that an exciting or interesting event is happening somewhere which they are not part of. Others pack their schedules in order to avoid dealing with other things in their lives. ‘When our mind isn’t occupied with a task, we are left with our thoughts and our emotions,’ says psychologist Jaimie Bloch. ‘This makes many people feel (5)______________ (COMFORT) and anxious. For example, those who have recently left relationships might use (6)________________ (EXCESS) activity as a way to keep their minds off the (7)_____________ (BREAK). Others may have a fear of being (8)_________________ (PRODUCE), so busyness feels like a way to achieve success. When these people aren’t busy, it’s a form of (9)_____________ (FAIL).’ Ms Bloch also says that in a society obsessed with (10)______________ (PRODUCE) and achievement, being busy can be a way to elevate your social status. ‘Being busy creates a sense of importance and value. The idea of relaxing, not doing anything, is linked to emotions such as (11)______________ (GUILTY) and shame.’

KEY

1. addicted

2. uttered

3. increasingly

4. defined

5. uncomfortable

6. excessive

7. break-up

8. unproductive

9. failure

10. productivity

11. guilt/ guiltiness

TASK 2: 

You come across an infographic about the effects of being busy on our health. You find it so interesting that you decide to write a blog entry about it.

Being busy and our health

Helps us live longer lives and sleep better

Keeps us physically and mentally stronger

Keeps us socially active

Prevents mental illness 

Don't retire early!

Do volunteer work!

Sample answer:

TEXT 2

What keeps you (1)____________ (HEALTH) is being busy, busy, busy! 

We all dream of leading a life of leisure. Often that dream just keeps (2)_____________ (RECESSION) from our grasp. Pension ages are going up, and smartphones and social media mean we’re never really ‘switched off’. But now, emerging (3)___________ (MEDICINE) research suggests that staying busy helps us to live longer, keeps us strong, and could even keep dementia at bay. 

(4)______________ (RECENT), American researchers revealed that we sleep better when we have lots of reasons to jump out of bed in the morning. (5)____________ (NEUROLOGY) in Chicago reported that people who are (6)_____________ (BUSY) purposeful − in particular, having a packed agenda of future plans − are less troubled by insomnia. And psychologists at the University of Texas reported that the busier people are, the stronger their mental powers, (7)___________ (REGARD) of age or education. 

It appears that keeping busy as we age is (8)____________ (PARTICULAR) beneficial – even if it means working beyond retirement age. Italian neuroscientists have warned that people aged over 50 who retire early are more likely to lose muscle (9)______________ (STRONG) and become ill. Last year, another report found that people who retired later were (10)_______________ (SIGNIFY) less likely to develop cognitive difficulties like loss of memory. Voluntary work has a similar effect. Professor Yannick Griep, a psychologist at Canada’s University of Calgary, says that seniors who volunteer are more  mentally, (11)__________ (PHYSICAL), and socially active, which helps to ward off dementia.

KEY

1. healthy

2. receding

3. medical

4. Recently

5. neurologists

6. busily

7. regardless

8. particularly

9. strength

10. significantly

11. physically

EF C1.1 p 32. Tips to become an expert language learner. Written Mediation

You are an advanced English learner at the C1 level at the EOI. Your friend John has decided to take up Spanish classes this year. He has never learnt a foreign language before and he has been placed in the A1 Spanish class. He has asked you for some advice on how to learn vocabulary. Send him an email giving him some tips based on the infographic below. (150 words)

Tips to become an expert language learner

1. Select and record

 

 

2. Contextualise and personalise

 

3. Review

 

4. Use  

 

Sample answer: 

Hi John!

I am so glad you decided to start learning Spanish. And of course I would love to give you some helpful (1)__________.

First of all, select the most useful words in Spanish. And then write them down in a notebook (2)__________ that you can access them later.

Secondly, try to learn new vocabulary in context. (3)___________, what I advise is that you look at some examples where the word is (4)_____________ used and then try to create your own.

Thirdly, you need to revisit newly learnt words (5)_________ time intervals. That (6)___________, it becomes less and (7)________ easy to forget them.

Finally, to effectively memorise new words, you've got to use them in interaction (8)__________ others. In other (9)__________, you need to make (10)____________ you effectively incorporate them (11)_________ your conversation.

So, there you (12)___________ it John. The basic principles which I have followed to learn English.

Good luck!

 

KEY

 

1. advice/tips 

 

 

 

2. so

 

 

 

3. Therefore

 

 

 

4. being

 

 

 

5. at

 

 

 

6. way

 

 

7. less

 

 

 

8. with

 

 

9. words

 

 

10. sure

 

 

11. into/ in

 

 

 

12. have

 

Open World p 35: Essay about the impacts of tourism. Written mediation task. Cloze

 

Read the instructions for the task. With the information given, produce a text using your own words. (approximately 200 words)

Task description
 

You have had a class discussion on the impacts of tourism. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay for your class based on two texts that you have recently read and to analyse the positive and negative impacts of tourism. Include your own opinions on this subject.

Write your essay

1) TEXT 1

Modern Tourism 

Global tourism has experienced continued growth and deepening diversification in the latter decades of the twentieth century. It has made it possible for us to travel the world and broaden our horizons, diminishing our attachment to cultural stereotypes. And this cultural value is not the only aspect to be considered. The more people travel around the world, the greater the economic benefits to host countries. Destinations around the world which might otherwise have stagnated financially can flourish as tourists explore attractions and natural landscapes which are often the key reason for the initial interest in the area.

2) TEXT 2

Impacts of Tourism

It appears that people travelling around the world are oblivious to the detrimental effects of mass tourism. This can be clearly seen in the case of industry leaders undercutting small local businesses in popular tourist destinations. Governments around the world appear to neglect this issue and actively promote mass tourism for financial reasons.

And as tourism numbers grow, so does environmental degradation due to air travel emissions and land pollution. Only serious action from local authorities is likely to resolve economic and environmental issues arising from the tourism industry.

 

undercut somebody/something to sell goods or services at a lower price than your competitors.

E.g.

to undercut somebody’s prices     

We were able to undercut our European rivals by 5% 

Impacts of Modern Tourism

Travel and tourism have had massive impacts (1)_________ the world. Not only (2)__________ they have lasting effects on the traveller but also on local people in the host countries (3)__________ are visited. (4)__________, careful consideration should be given to this issue focusing both (5)________ the benefits and drawbacks of modern tourism. 

On one hand, it should be pointed out that the worldwide boom (6)_________ travel in recent decades has had positive impacts in two main areas. Firstly, it has had cultural value by broadening our (7)_________ and reducing our preconceptions about people from other places. (8)__________, few people would disagree that it has greatly improved the economic conditions in many places that are tourist destinations. In my view, we should not forget the additional benefits in (9)_________ of overseas investment and development of infrastructure also.
On the other hand, we should raise the (10)__________ that tourists often do not appreciate the negative repercussions of their decision to travel. Besides, this is also a problem that is conveniently ignored by the authorities of many countries in (11)_________ to stimulate the local economy. Things (12)__________ as they are, large services providers often flood the market as a result of this at the (13)__________ of smaller businesses.
Opponents of tourism also argue that pollution and damage (14)___________ the natural world rises hand-in-hand with the surge (15)_________ the numbers of tourists visiting an area.

Clearly, there are different views on the impacts of tourism. By and (16)_____________, tourism has grown massively in recent years. To a (17)_________ extent this has had positive effects on tourist destinations. (18)___________, in my opinion, the growth of tourism has serious negative impacts also. In (19)__________, both travellers and governments must be responsible to limit any harm (20)________ everyone’s benefit.

 

KEY

 

1. upon/on

 

 

 

2. do 

 

 

 

3. that/which 

 

 

 

4. Thus/Therefore/ So 

 

 

 

5. on 

 

 

 

6. in 

 

 

 

7. minds 

 

 

 

8. Furthermore/Moreover/Additionally 

 

 

 

9. terms

in terms of:

in relation to. Sp. en terminos de/ desde el punto de vista.

E.g.

Femininity is still defined in terms of beauty.  

It’s a mistake to think of Florida only in terms of its tourist attractions.  

 

 

 

10. issue 

 

 

 

11. order 

 

 

 

12. being

"Things being as they are" usually means "Because things are not different from what they are". Sp. así las cosas.  

 

 

 

13. expense

at the expense of somebody/something 

if something is done at the expense of someone or something else, it is only achieved by doing something that could harm the other person or thing. En detrimento de, a costa de. 

E.g.

the growth in short breaks, at the expense of longer package holidays  

 

 

 

14. to 

hand in hand, hand-in-hand adv    together. Sp.   codo con codo E.g.    

Poverty and social unrest usually go hand in hand. Sp. La pobreza y la inestabilidad social van siempre codo con codo.

 

 

 

15. in 

 

 

 

16. large

by and large      ​

used when you are saying something that is generally, but not completely, true.

E.g.         

By and large, I enjoyed my time at school.

 

 

 

17. certain  

 

 

 

18. However/ Nevertheless/ Nonetheless 

 

 

 

19. conclusion 

 

 

 

20. for

If you say that someone is doing something for the benefit of a particular person, you mean that they are doing it for that person. 

E.g. 

You need people working for the benefit of the community. 

He doesn't have to go through this elaborate display for my benefit!