I. How can we express our feelings verbally in these situations?
a) When we are too much surprised.
I think it highly depends on the «type» of surprised. Some surprises are positive, and some are negative. With negative surprises I often curse, though, I do have trouble expressing positive surprise, so I usually go with «Neat» or something along those lines.
b) When we want to appreciate something or when we think highly of something?
I’m quite simple in this regard, if I like it I say I like it. Or I say the person who made it did a good job.
c) When we want to draw the attention of others.
If I want to casually get a friends or family members attention usually saying their name or giving a quick shoulder tap works.
d) When we want the speaker to repeat the last sentence we have misheard.
I often go with «huh?» or just don’t say anything at all in hopes of it not being important.
e) When we want to buy a ticket to Vienna, and the clerk asks “Do you want one way ticket or …”
«Two way, please.»
f) When our interlocutor has expressed his/her thankfulness to us.
«Thanks :>»
II. Can you usean appropriate proverb in these situations to make your speech more impressive?
- He often criticizes people when they are late, but he is sometimes late himself. You tell him that criticizing others on mistakes he himself commits is nothing short of hypocrisy.
2. She is invited to Iran to work as a software engineer, but she is worried about the rules for women in a Muslim country. So I tell her that I believe in Iran non-Muslim women aren’t obliged to these rules.
3. Nelly is always postponing doing important things. She says she will do it tomorrow. You tell her I ain’t much better Nelly, I ain’t much better.
4. You are organizing a ski trip with some friends, but everyone has different ideas and opinions about what they want to do and where they want to go. In the end it becomes impossible to agree and make plans. You say let’s maybe vote to see which activity is the most popular among the group. And maybe, we can fit a few others in after we’re done with the main event.
III. In 200-250 words, prepare your personal statement on the topic below:
I, truth be told, do not think there’s such a thing as a «Smartphone addiction». Social media however, to an extent, yes. I mainly use my phone to text my friends, listen to music or put videos to listen to while I do stuff, I even have one on as I’m writing this. I got off social media as I thought it ruined my attention span, and, did my attention span get better after a month of no social media? No, not really. But not seeing political stuff all the time is still a great change.
Though, unless you spend an absurd amount of time on your smartphone, I don’t think there’s a problem that needs fixing. Though aside from soulsucking short form content, I don’t even know what you would do on your phone for hours. Watching proper videos on a little screen is inconvenient at best, and mobile games are… less than stellar. And do you really plan to text for 8 hours a day.
Alternatively we can follow Ted Kaczynski’s plan, that also cures smartphone addiction I guess.
Լևոն Ենգիբարյան 