5A Speaking Evaluating ideas

□ I can evaluate ideas when talking about stress.

1 Life is said to be getting more and more stressful for people. How far would you agree? Say why. Think about the different age groups in the box.

adolescents children middle-aged people parents retired and elderly young adults

2 Read the web article and discuss your answers to the final two questions in the text.

3 6.8 Listen to a student doing a street survey about stressbusting activities and answer the questions.

1 Which activities do the people mention?

2 What reasons do they give for and against doing these activities?

3 Which person do you think you are most similar to? Say why.

4 6.8 Study the Speaking box. Then listen again and complete the phrases in the

Speaking box with one word in each gap.

Decide if the phrases are positive (P) or negative (N). Which phrases can be used for more formal evaluation?

SPEAKING | Evaluating ideas

There's a lot to be 1 ___ for …

That’s all very well, but what if …

It sounds a pretty half-baked theory to me.

It has a lot 2 ___ for it.

I don’t think they’ve thought this through.

I think this idea has legs.

It doesn't go 3 ___ enough.

It sounds good 4 ___ theory.

It’s a perfectly reasonable idea, but …

I take issue with some of the claims, namely …

5 6.9 PRONUNCIATION When we have reservations about something, we use falling intonation on the last word(s) of the first clause and then pause slightly before continuing.

Listen and repeat the sentences.

1 It sounds good in theory, but in practice I can’t see it working.

2 The idea has a lot going for it, but there are too many negatives for me.

3 It’s a perfectly reasonable idea, but I don’t think anyone will accept it.

4 It sounds a pretty half-baked theory to me, but I imagine a lot of people will go for it.

6 In pairs, think of stress-busting ideas. Then work with another pair and discuss them, using the phrases from the Speaking box.

7 REFLECT | Society Do you think there are occasions when talking about stress helps suff erers, or is it always better to do activities to distract yourself from it? Say why.

STRESS-BUSTERS

So, it’s official! According to a recent survey of people of all ages and from various backgrounds, a whopping 85 percent admitted to experiencing stress on a regular basis.

It’s clear that everyone gets stressed by any number of things – minor or major. The survey indicated that only the most optimistic of us will remain unaffected by the stress caused by things such as travelling, using technology, working, money, friendships, studying, etc.

We want your comments. Have you got any pointers on how to prevent your inner self from raging? Any stress-busters you’d suggest that can help distract us from feeling stressed out?