Hi, I'm Georgiana, your English teacher.
Thanks for joining me for a new episode of the Speak English Now podcast.
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Before we start, visit my website, speakenglishpodcast.com and subscribe to my free mini course.
Okay, let's start.
In this episode, let's take a look at the most common New Year's resolutions.
Then you will practice your English fluency with a mini-story.
By the way, you can find my podcast everywhere on the Internet.
If you need to read the transcript, I recommend you to listen to the podcast on my website –
Well, first of all, Happy New Year!
How time flies!
A new year has just begun.
It's curious how the passage of time is perceived according to age.
Young people don't think much about it.
Middle-aged people think about the things they still want to achieve and realize that they have less and less time.
Older people, on the other hand, remember the old days.
Don't worry, I won't get too philosophical in this lesson.
I'll go ahead and talk about New Year's resolutions.
As you know, when a new year comes, we all feel like doing a lot of things.
Also, we feel a bit guilty for having celebrated a little too much at Christmas.
Therefore, in this episode, we will take a look at the most popular New Year's resolutions and practice new vocabulary.
And what's a resolution?
A resolution is a firm decision to do something.
My New Year's resolution is to use high, proven techniques based on the natural learning of a second language to help my students to speak English automatically.
One of the most popular new resolutions is losing weight or going on a diet.
This resolution is a classic.
After all meals and alcoholic beverages, we decide to lose weight.
Usually this decision is made after a very generous meal.
We are on a full stomach and solemnly decide that we are going to lose weight and that we're going on a diet.
Going to the gym is another classic.
It's funny how many people are paying for the gym fee every month but never go.
Sounds familiar?
Then now it's the perfect excuse to start exercising.
A friend of mine told me in October that he wasn't going to the gym, but that he would certainly start going in January.
If you ever go to the gym at the beginning of the year, you'll see a lot of people working out.
Everyone with a lot of determination.
The problem is that in February, there are half as many people exercising.
Sometimes the New Year's resolution for exercising includes an ambitious goal, such as running a marathon.
The important thing is to finish the race, so don't obsess about timing.
For some time, I was aiming to run a marathon.
About four years ago I ran a half marathon and I noticed that running a marathon was a reasonable goal.
Then I changed my mind because the training I needed was too intense for my knees.
Now I'm taking it slower and alternating between different sports.
Let's continue with another resolution.
Quit smoking.
Quitting smoking is a hard thing to do.
Many people try to quit smoking and start a healthier life at the beginning of a new year.
Luckily, I'm not a smoker, but I always wish them all the best.
So we have the health trio, dieting, going to the gym and quitting smoking.
Many try, very few succeed.
It's always a great idea to read.
You can learn many things.
I know people who haven't read an entire book since high school.
I also know others who read a lot.
A good New Year's resolution is to read more.
I suppose to be successful, you need to start a book you like.
And why not?
It's probably a good idea to learn a new language.
I particularly like this resolution.
As you already know, it's extremely important to have the right materials and use the right techniques.
Just going to a language school isn't enough.
I firmly believe that if you're an adult, you can learn by yourself from home.
Since we are very busy, we don't have much time.
We need a system that fits our lifestyle. not the other way around.
And with a little consistency, you can get amazing results.
And of course, it's also a great time to start saving money.
During the Christmas holidays, it's very common to spend more money than usual, perhaps too much.
With the festive spirit, it's normal to spend and spend and shortly after, at the beginning of the new year, to want to save money.
And it's also a great idea to travel.
It's also a classic.
I remember two years ago that I traveled to five different countries.
However, the following year, I got tired and I didn't travel anywhere.
Maybe too much of something can be tiring.
Traveling is a good goal, but first, you have to meet the previous goal. to save some money.
I read once that a very high percentage of New Year's resolutions are not met in the first three weeks of January.
Those same resolutions are reformulated a year later, after the Christmas holidays in January.
It's a kind of déjà vu.
My experience in these cases tells me that it's better to focus on objectives per quarter, not per year, so we can be much more realistic because we know we only have three months to accomplish them.
Writing objectives is also important.
There is a technique that consists of writing your goals on a piece of paper and putting them in the bathroom mirror or on the fridge.
Like this, you can see them every day.
It's also important to be precise about your goals and purposes.
This year, I'd like to read more books, exercise more than last year, and to travel more.
How about you?
Let me know what your New Year's resolutions are.
And now, I'm gonna tell a story, but with questions.
I use this technique in my courses.
It's very effective.
That's how it works.
I say a phrase with information.
Next, I ask some questions about that information.
After each question, there's a pause.
It's your turn to answer.
After each pause...
I give a correct answer.
That's how I build the story.
In this mini story, you are Sam and you have to answer in the first person.
It's very easy.
You can listen more than once if you need to or pause.
Let's get started.
Sam wants to lose 40 pounds this year.
Sam Do you want to lose 41 pounds this year?
No, I don't want to lose that many pounds.
That's a lot.
I just want to lose 40 pounds.
Do you want to lose those pounds next year?
No, I don't want to lose those pounds next year, but this year.
How many pounds do you want to lose?
40.
I want to lose 40 pounds.
When do you want to lose them?
This year.
I want to lose them this year.
Sam smokes 74 cigarettes every day and wants to quit.
Sam, do you smoke?
Yes, I smoke.
I smoke 74 cigarettes every day and I want to quit.
Do you want a cigarette?
No thanks.
Do you smoke every day or once in a while?
Every day.
I don't smoke once in a while.
I smoke every day.
Do you want to quit smoking?
Yes, I want to quit.
I smoke 74 cigarettes every day and I want to quit.
Sam also wants to learn 7 new languages this year.
Do you want to learn new languages or new recipes?
New languages I don't want to learn new recipes.
I don't like cooking.
Do you want to learn more than one language?
Yes, I want to learn more than one language.
I want to learn seven new languages.
Who wants to learn so many languages in one year?
Me.
I want to learn all those languages in one year.
Lastly, Sam aims to visit every country in the world.
Do you aim to visit some countries in the world?
No, I'm not aiming to visit just a few, but all of them.
All European countries?
No, I told you not only from Europe.
What's your aim, Sam?
I want to visit all the countries in the world this year.
Sam thinks that if he doesn't have enough time this year to meet his goals, next year he will.
Sam!
Do you think if you don't get your goals this year, you'll have time next year?
Exactly.
I think if I don't have enough time this year to meet my goals, I'll have time next year.
What if you don't have enough time this year?
Will you have enough time next year?
Yes, if I don't have enough time this year, I will have time next year.
Do you want to meet your goals this year?
Yes, I do want to meet them.
But if I can't, I'll have more time next year.
That's all right.
All right.
This is the end of this mini-story.
Sam is very ambitious.
He wants to do a lot of things this new year.
But if he doesn't have enough time, he'll do them next year.
Sounds familiar?
I hope you enjoyed this story.
This technique can help you improve your English fluency.
With the questions and answers, you will automate your speech Because you'll translate less and less in your mind.
If you like these types of lessons, check out my English courses at coursesspeakenglishpodcastcom.
You have hours of mini stories with professional audio and text.
Honestly, I think it's the best way to get excellent spoken English.
Alright, this episode ends right here.
See you next week.
Bye-bye.
