Unit 1B

1B: Are you finding it difficult?

By UMMU ZAINAB AL-ABIDAH BINTI ZAINAL ABIDIN UMMU ZAINAB AL-ABIDAH BINTI ZAINAL ABIDIN

​What are the people in the photos doing?

Have you ever done anything similar?

Word Cloud

Name one activity you’ve challenged yourself to try in the past.

Poll

Do you think doing something for 30 days gives you a better chance of succeeding?

• Yes

• No

• Maybe?

Multiple Choice

Listen to a podcast about the 30-day challenge. Tick (/) the main point that Alison makes.

• The 30-day challenge is the only way to give up bad habits.

• It's too difficult for the brain to adapt to new habits.

• If you try something new for 30 days, you're more likely to keep to it afterwards.

Alison made some notes at the seminar. Complete her notes with one or two words in each gap. Listen again and check.

Seminar notes

• It takes the brain 30 days to adapt to a new 1. ______

• 30 days isn’t a 2. ______ time, so it’s fun to do something new.

• Also a chance to try something 3. ______ – not just giving up bad habits.

• Two ways to do it:

  • Do something that doesn’t get in the way of your 4. ______

  • Take time out to do something you’ve always 5. ______ do

• You need to make an 6. ______!

[answers] Alison made some notes at the seminar. Complete her notes with one or two words in each gap. Listen again and check.

Seminar notes

• It takes the brain 30 days to adapt to a new 1. ______

• 30 days isn’t a 2. ______ time, so it’s fun to do something new.

• Also a chance to try something 3. ______ – not just giving up bad habits.

• Two ways to do it:

  • Do something that doesn’t get in the way of your 4. ______

  • Take time out to do something you’ve always 5. ______ do

• You need to make an 6. ______!

Complete the sentences with the following phrases:
give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out

1. Often if we try something new, we _____ after about a week or two because our brain hasn’t adapted.

2. So if you _____ do something new for a month, you’ll probably _____ it.

3. Maybe you wouldn’t want to _____ for your whole life, but it might be fun to do it just for 30 days.

4. If you’re successful it’s great, but if it doesn’t _____, it doesn’t matter too much.

5. It’s not just about giving up bad habits. The idea is really that you _____ something new.

6. You can be motivated and _____ something you’ve always wanted to do.

7. You must _____ to complete your goal.

8. Don’t _____ of the challenge! Keep going and you will succeed.

[answers] Complete the sentences with the following phrases:
give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out[

1. Often if we try something new, we () after about a week or two because our brain hasn’t adapted.

2. So if you () do something new for a month, you’ll probably () it.

3. Maybe you wouldn’t want to () for your whole life, but it might be fun to do it just for 30 days.

4. If you’re successful it’s great, but if it doesn’t (), it doesn’t matter too much.

5. It’s not just about giving up bad habits. The idea is really that you () something new.

6. You can be motivated and () something you’ve always wanted to do.

7. You must () to complete your goal.

8. Don’t () of the challenge! Keep going and you will succeed.

Match the words and phrases with the meanings:
give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out

1. succeed ______, ______

2. stop trying ______, ______

3. not stop trying ______, ______

4. try hard ______

5. try to see if it works ______, ______

[answers] Match the words and phrases with the meanings:
give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out

1. succeed: (), ()

2. stop trying: (), ()

3. not stop trying: (), ()

4. try hard: ()

5. try to see if it works: (), ()

1. He tried giving up coffee for 30 days. It wasn’t easy, but he ...

2. You’ve woken up at 5:30 every morning for three weeks now. You only have one week to go, so ...

3. 30-day challenges sound fun. I want to do something different, so I think I’ll ...

Complete the sentences below about 30-day challenges. Use the following words and phrases and your own ideas. There is more than one possible answer.

give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out

1. He tried giving up coffee for 30 days. It wasn’t easy, but he ...

2. You’ve woken up at 5:30 every morning for three weeks now. You only have one week to go, so ...

3. 30-day challenges sound fun. I want to do something different, so I think I’ll ...

[answers] Complete the sentences below about 30-day challenges. Use the following words and phrases and your own ideas. There is more than one possible answer.

give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out

Describe a time when you:

• found something difficult but didn’t give up

• made a real effort to succeed

• had a go at something unusual

• managed to do something that worked out successfully

• tried to do something that didn’t work out

Choose one of the situations below. Try to use the words and phrases you have learnt in this unit.

give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out

​Complete the interviews with the missing questions:

a. And who do you practise with? Or are you just studying alone?
b. Didn’t you ever think of going vegan before?
c. And how do you feel? Are you finding it difficult?
d. And do you think you’ll keep going after the 30 days?
e. What have you drawn pictures of so far?

Open Ended

Choose one of the situations below. Try to use the words and phrases you have learnt in this unit.

give up / have a go at / keep it up / keep to / make an effort / manage to /drop out / try out / work out

Describe a time when you:

• found something difficult but didn’t give up

• made a real effort to succeed

• had a go at something unusual

• managed to do something that worked out successfully

• tried to do something that didn’t work out