PART 1
Health
Is it important to you to eat healthy food? [Why? / Why not?]
I believe that most people would agree that it’s better if you have a healthy and balanced diet consisting of all the major food groups. Personally, I prefer to eat healthy food becauseI feel better for it; it’s more nutritious and the long-term health benefit are considerable.
Sometimes, I eat food that isn’t so healthy, and sometimes I don’t really enjoy it, or the next day I feel bad. I prefer simple, but healthy food, although sometimes I indulge in treats, but mainly I eat a healthy diet.
If you catch a cold, what do you do to feel better? [Why?]
A lot will depend on how bad it is; if it’s not too bad I’ll struggle through and try not to let it get me down. I’ll make a conscious effort to eat well and sleep sufficiently and avoid doing anything which isn’t absolutely necessary so that my body can focus on recovering.If it’s a really bad cold, I might take something, like a hot lemon drink or some medication to combat the symptoms, but I don’t really like doing so. I prefer to let my body deal with naturally.
However, if I have a lot of work to do, or an important meeting, something like that, I’ll usually try to make sure that I take whatever is necessary to make me feel good for the day, so that I can concentrate, and then make sure to rest well at the end of the day.
Do you pay attention to public information about health? [Why? / Why not?]
Yes, in general, I can’t remember when the last time was that I saw something like that, but if there is a warning or advice about a particular health problem, then I’ll usually try to bear it in mind.In general, I’m very healthy, I eat well, and do exercise regularly, so there’s not much in terms of bad habits or changes that I could make. And I also visit my doctor regularly for various check-ups.
What could you do to have a healthier lifestyle?
Honestly, not much. Like I said, I eat healthy and balanced meals, exercise, and don’t have any bad habits like drinking lots of coffee or alcohol.My lifestyle is already a healthy one. I’m fit and active and generally avoid things which are bad for your health, so I can’t really think of anything in particular that I could do, or change, to be even healthier at the moment.
Part 2
Describe an occasion when you had to wait a long time for someone or something to arrive
About a year ago, my friend and I had a plan to meet up in Spain, and then go onto London for a vacation. We were arriving from different places, because I had been studying in California, and she had been working in Amsterdam for a year.
So, the plan was to meet up in Spain and then fly together across to London. Unfortunately, I arrived in Madrid as scheduled but there was a problem with her flight, which was delayed until the next day, so she arrived later than scheduled.
I didn’t know anyone in Spain, and hadn’t planned to spend the night there, but I ended up having to find a hotel for the night until my friend’s plane arrived. If I had only had to wait for a few hours it wouldn’t have been a problem, but for some reason she couldn’t get an alternative flight until later the next day which meant that she wouldn’t arrive until the middle of the afternoon, and I wasn’t prepared to wait that long in the airport.
Thankfully, I found a hotel near the airport after a quick search online, and jumped in a taxi and went to spend the night there. It was good to relax, have a shower, change my clothes and have a decent meal, because I had been on a long 11-hour transatlantic flight most of the day. I was really glad to get out away from airports and planes and into a comfortable room.
I actually didn’t mid waiting for my friend at all, we had plenty of time to change the flights to London, and it was actually a chance for me to unwind and relax before meeting up with her when she arrived at Madrid airport later that day.
Anyway, these things happen, it wasn’t her fault, and in fact one of my connecting flights had been late in the USA, so I could understand her predicament.
When we did finally meet up, it was great and I felt a lot less tired than I had the day before, so maybe the long wait was beneficial for me – it gave me a chance to recover from the jet lag and traveling of the previous day.
You should say:and explain how you felt about waiting a long time.
- who or what you were waiting for
- how long you had to wait
- why you had to wait a long time
About a year ago, my friend and I had a plan to meet up in Spain, and then go onto London for a vacation. We were arriving from different places, because I had been studying in California, and she had been working in Amsterdam for a year.
So, the plan was to meet up in Spain and then fly together across to London. Unfortunately, I arrived in Madrid as scheduled but there was a problem with her flight, which was delayed until the next day, so she arrived later than scheduled.
I didn’t know anyone in Spain, and hadn’t planned to spend the night there, but I ended up having to find a hotel for the night until my friend’s plane arrived. If I had only had to wait for a few hours it wouldn’t have been a problem, but for some reason she couldn’t get an alternative flight until later the next day which meant that she wouldn’t arrive until the middle of the afternoon, and I wasn’t prepared to wait that long in the airport.
Thankfully, I found a hotel near the airport after a quick search online, and jumped in a taxi and went to spend the night there. It was good to relax, have a shower, change my clothes and have a decent meal, because I had been on a long 11-hour transatlantic flight most of the day. I was really glad to get out away from airports and planes and into a comfortable room.
I actually didn’t mid waiting for my friend at all, we had plenty of time to change the flights to London, and it was actually a chance for me to unwind and relax before meeting up with her when she arrived at Madrid airport later that day.
Anyway, these things happen, it wasn’t her fault, and in fact one of my connecting flights had been late in the USA, so I could understand her predicament.
When we did finally meet up, it was great and I felt a lot less tired than I had the day before, so maybe the long wait was beneficial for me – it gave me a chance to recover from the jet lag and traveling of the previous day.
PART 3
Arriving early
Then there are certain other situations such as arriving at the airport for an international flight, when you are required to arrive earlier than the departure time of the flight to allow time for everyone to check in and board without any problems.
It’s always better to arrive early than late when you’re meeting others or when others are depending on your arrival, such as when you’re traveling. Being late just causes problems for everyone involved.
Obviously, if it’s a really important appointment, such as a job interview or something like that, then you’re expected to arrive before the time designated, to help keep the process moving along smoothly. It also helps make a good first impression if you’re punctual, it shows that you’re serious about getting the job, and can manage your time.
It depends on the exact situation as to how important it is to arrive early. The more important the event, or situation, typically the more important it is to arrive at the right time, or early, to avoid any potential problems.
But at the end of the day, people used to use diaries and paper-based planners, and maps, to organize their days, and arrive at places on time.
The most important thing is to plan your time, know where you’re going and how long it will take you to arrive there. That can all be done without technology – but technology just makes it easier.
However, even with all the apps and technology available today, if you can’t wake up on time, or organize your time well, you’ll still arrive late sometimes – what’s important is your basic time management skills.
Being patient
Teachers are generally very patient because the learning process, especially for children, can be complex, and they need to show a lot of patience and support if children are having difficulties.
Scientists might have to work for a long time before they can obtain any positive results in their research or experiments, and sometimes they may need to wait patiently for years before seeing any conclusive results.
As for people who work with other people, there are lots of jobs which require patience, and some more than others. For example, psychologists, might spend a lot of time patiently listening to people before being able to make any positive progress with their patients. And customer service representatives that have to deal with hundreds of people every day need a lot of patience, because usually when people have a problem, or a complaint, they aren’t patient and want a solution immediately.
In such situations, it’s important that people dealing with other people can be extremely patient to help resolve a situation or problem without any acrimony or making the situation worse because they themselves become impatient.
Other times, it’s simply better to do things as quickly as possible, as long as they can be done well, and safely, and still obtain the best results.
The most important factor which determines how patient you can be is probably time – if you have a lot of time to do something, you can probably afford to be patient, but if you’re under pressure to get something done, then you probably won’t be able to be as patient as you might like under ideal circumstances, and might have to just get the task, or whatever, done in a satisfactory manner.
My parents’ generation had a more organized life, in the sense that work and private life were quite separate, you went to work, and then went home and it was rare that the two interacted.
But now, for many people, work is integrated into other aspects of life, so, for example, you can be with your family and be doing something like shopping for groceries, while at the same time you’re dealing with a client on your mobile, or sending an email, or reserving a flight or hotel, or something like that.
Older people had more time to do almost everything, people today, especially younger people, are pushed to do more and more each day, all the time, and are therefore generally more impatient about getting things done. We expect everything to be done, or be available instantaneously, thanks to technology.
Arriving early
In what kinds of situations should people always arrive early?
I suppose things like appointments and meetings are the most obvious; whether it’s a doctor’s appointment or whatever, or a business meeting, where other people have organized their time according to a schedule – you should respect the time of others and arrive early, or at least on time.Then there are certain other situations such as arriving at the airport for an international flight, when you are required to arrive earlier than the departure time of the flight to allow time for everyone to check in and board without any problems.
It’s always better to arrive early than late when you’re meeting others or when others are depending on your arrival, such as when you’re traveling. Being late just causes problems for everyone involved.
In your country, how important it is to arrive early?
We’re typically punctual, it’s not always necessary to arrive really early for every meeting or appointment, but people expect you to be there at the time that was arranged, or at least within a few minutes of the time. Any later and people typically begin to get frustrated or lose their patience.Obviously, if it’s a really important appointment, such as a job interview or something like that, then you’re expected to arrive before the time designated, to help keep the process moving along smoothly. It also helps make a good first impression if you’re punctual, it shows that you’re serious about getting the job, and can manage your time.
It depends on the exact situation as to how important it is to arrive early. The more important the event, or situation, typically the more important it is to arrive at the right time, or early, to avoid any potential problems.
How can modern technology help people to arrive early?
I’m not sure exactly, but I guess you could say that time management apps and GPS maps might help someone organize their time and find their way to a certain place easier than before.But at the end of the day, people used to use diaries and paper-based planners, and maps, to organize their days, and arrive at places on time.
The most important thing is to plan your time, know where you’re going and how long it will take you to arrive there. That can all be done without technology – but technology just makes it easier.
However, even with all the apps and technology available today, if you can’t wake up on time, or organize your time well, you’ll still arrive late sometimes – what’s important is your basic time management skills.
Being patient
What kinds of jobs require the most patience?
The ones that spring to mind are teachers, scientists, and people who have to work with other people, be it as therapists or simply in customer service, or dealing with the public.Teachers are generally very patient because the learning process, especially for children, can be complex, and they need to show a lot of patience and support if children are having difficulties.
Scientists might have to work for a long time before they can obtain any positive results in their research or experiments, and sometimes they may need to wait patiently for years before seeing any conclusive results.
As for people who work with other people, there are lots of jobs which require patience, and some more than others. For example, psychologists, might spend a lot of time patiently listening to people before being able to make any positive progress with their patients. And customer service representatives that have to deal with hundreds of people every day need a lot of patience, because usually when people have a problem, or a complaint, they aren’t patient and want a solution immediately.
In such situations, it’s important that people dealing with other people can be extremely patient to help resolve a situation or problem without any acrimony or making the situation worse because they themselves become impatient.
Is it always better to be patient in work (or when studying)?
No, not always – sometimes it’s better to push things along. Obviously, a lot depends on the particular situation. Patience is important if whatever it is you’re doing shouldn’t be rushed, for example, a very complex operation or process which needs a lot of concentration.Other times, it’s simply better to do things as quickly as possible, as long as they can be done well, and safely, and still obtain the best results.
The most important factor which determines how patient you can be is probably time – if you have a lot of time to do something, you can probably afford to be patient, but if you’re under pressure to get something done, then you probably won’t be able to be as patient as you might like under ideal circumstances, and might have to just get the task, or whatever, done in a satisfactory manner.
Do you agree or disagree that older people are more patient? Why do you think that is the case?
In general, I would say yes, they are. I believe it’s because nowadays, we’ve become accustomed to having so much of our life, and information, at our fingertips, literally, on mobile, and the general pace of life is faster today.My parents’ generation had a more organized life, in the sense that work and private life were quite separate, you went to work, and then went home and it was rare that the two interacted.
But now, for many people, work is integrated into other aspects of life, so, for example, you can be with your family and be doing something like shopping for groceries, while at the same time you’re dealing with a client on your mobile, or sending an email, or reserving a flight or hotel, or something like that.
Older people had more time to do almost everything, people today, especially younger people, are pushed to do more and more each day, all the time, and are therefore generally more impatient about getting things done. We expect everything to be done, or be available instantaneously, thanks to technology.