Showing posts with label Ready for C1 p 003. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ready for C1 p 003. Show all posts

Ready for C1 p 3. Challenges. Speaking Sample

1. What are the major housing challenges in your area?

2. What are some of the main challenges faced by parents today?

3. What are the most daunting challenges the world is currently facing?

To begin with, one of the major housing challenges in my area is (1)_____________ (DOUBT) the rising cost of living. Over the past few years, housing prices have (2)________________ (SKY), making it (3)_______________ (INCREASE) difficult for young people to achieve the impossible dream of owning their own home. Many families struggle to find (4)________________ (AFFORD) accommodation, and in some neighbourhoods, (5)____________________ (CROWD)has become a daunting challenge. It’s not only a financial issue — it also affects people’s well-being, as those living in cramped conditions often feel cut off and isolated from their communities. Local authorities have tried to rise to the challenge by building more social housing, but progress has been slow, and the problem remains a major concern.

Moving on to the challenges faced by parents, I’d say parenting today has become nothing less than a full-time test of (6)_______________ (ENDURE). Parents are constantly under pressure to balance work, family life, and their children’s education. Many of them feel that they’ve taken on an enormous challenge, especially when trying to fit in quality time with their kids while keeping up with (7)_______________ (DEMAND) jobs. Moreover, the rise of technology and social media has posed new challenges, as children are often influenced by negative role models online. In this sense, I truly admire parents who manage to pull it off — who succeed in raising confident, responsible young people despite all the distractions and pressures around them. It’s certainly one of life’s (8)______________ (CROWN) achievements.

Finally, when it comes to the daunting challenges the world is currently facing, the list seems (9)_________________ (END). From climate change and economic (10)________________ (EQUAL) to wars and political (11)_______________ (STABLE), it sometimes feels as though humanity is being tested on every front. One could argue that the environmental crisis is the most urgent, as it poses an enormous challenge to our survival and demands that we defy the odds through innovation and global cooperation. However, I believe that the lack of motivation among world leaders to take (12)________________ (MEAN) action is equally worrying. If we are to succeed, we need to harbour a collective ambition to make the planet a more sustainable and fair place for everyone. It will require courage, vision, and determination — but, as history shows, when people rise to the challenge, extraordinary things can happen.

All in all, whether we’re talking about housing, parenting, or global issues, challenges are what shape our character. As daunting as they may seem, they also give us the chance to grow, to take the plunge, and to turn difficulties into (13)_______________ (REMARK) achievements.


KEY 



1. undoubtedly





2. skyrocketed






3. increasingly





4. affordable





5. overcrowding 





6. endurance






7. demanding






8. crowning





9. endless






10. inequality





11. instability






12. meaningful





13. remarkable

Ready for C1 p 3. Ellen MacArthur - Motivation, Preparation & Communication. Extra Listening



Ellen MacArthur was born on 8 July 1976. She is best known as a solo long-distance yachtswoman. On 7 February 2005 she broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe, a feat which gained her international renown. Francis Joyon, the Frenchman who had held the record before MacArthur, recovered the record again in early 2008, besting MacArthur's record by nearly two weeks.
In second 43'' she says: "You see a sponsor's logo on the hull(casco). Without that sponsor, that event wouldn't happen."

Fill in the gaps
1. The challenges Ellen faces are not only the boat and having the boat on the _____________, but also communicating the challenge before and after, and her physical preparation.
2. For the success of such a project every small job can be absolutely critical i.e. a ___________, a single ____________.
3. In the product as a whole are involved  the ____________, the ____________ and a __________ .
4. When she crosses the Start line Ellen’s energy focused on crossing the ____________________.
5. Ellen has to concentrate on making sure she has___________, the best ___________, and the finish line.
6. On Christmas Day Ellen went through a ______________.
7. Ellen was finally able to open her Christmas presents on  __________________. 
8. During a race it is crucial to ____________ your energy.



KEY:
1. start line



2. lashing

lashing: a rope used to fasten something tightly to something else. E.g. The sail burst free of its lashings.



bolt: a piece of metal like a screw without a point which is used with a circle of metal (= a nut ) to fasten things together. Sp tornillo. E.g. nuts and bolts.



3. the boat, the sailor and a sponsor



4. finish line.



5. eaten



 boats







6.  storm



7. A week after Christmas. On New Year's day



8. Manage your energy. Putting the energy in the right area of the boat and at the right time. You have to maintain your energy.