Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 59 - Your attention occasionally wanders in class

Teacher: I really appreciated the way you wrote your paper. But next time be sure to run spell check on it so that it looks even more polished.

Student: Thank you, sir! I appreciate your feedback and I ’ll do my best to achieve full marks.

Teacher: Well; I insisted on seeing you in private to inform you that you’ve shown marked improvement this term and I’m clearly observing your natural talent in math. However, your attention occasionally wanders in class. Please take note of this point.

Student: It is a pity that sometimes my concentration wavers. As you always say ’there is always room for improvement’. But I find it hard to learn French vocabulary by heart.

Teacher: OK. I see that you’re a quick learnerbut don’t try to study them all at once. Just break them down into manageable chunks.

Student: One more thing. Sir! I’ve kept my word and stopped playing truant.

Teacher: Music to my ears.

Vocabulary;

run spell check: the act or process of using a spellchecker to identify possible misspellings.

polished: (adjective) refined, sophisticated, or elegant.

marked improvement: an obvious or noticeable positive change or difference in behavior or in a situation.

natural talent: an innate or inborn gift for a specific activity.

attention wanders: if someone's attention/mind, etc wanders, they start thinking about one subject when they should be thinking about a different subject

take note of: to give attention to something, especially because it is important.

concentration wavers: to lose strength, determination, or purpose, especially temporarily.

room for something: a possibility or hope that someone or something will improve.

learn something by heart: o learn something very thoroughly; to memorize something.

quick learner: someone who is able to learn a variety of things easily and quickly

playing truant: to stay away from school without leave or explanation.

music to one’s ears: something that’s very good to hear.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. You should .......... careful .......... what she tells you because she knows their strategy well.

2. Jane pretended to be sick because she was in trouble over ..........

3. She doesn't have a .......... but she makes up for it with hard work.

4. That must have been .........., Carlo, to hear how much they respect you.

5. It's always a good idea to .......... once you've finished writing.

6. You don't have to .......... these principles .........., we just want you to have a basic understanding of them.

7. Being a .........., he soon knew more than his instructors and began teaching classes himself.

8. I'm afraid my .......... began to .......... as lunch approached.

9. The survey demonstrated that was not the case and there is evidence that there's still .......... improvement.

10. There was a .......... in my health when I gave up smoking.

11. I decided to leave the show because I was bored and my .......... started to ..........

12. Peter very likely had acquired a more .......... style of writing and speaking than seems to be presented in the Gospels.

1. take /note of 2. playing truant 3. natural talent 4. music to your ears 5. run a spellcheck 6. learn/ by heart 7. quick learner 8. concentration/waver 9. room for 10. marked improvement 11. attention/wander 12. polished