Intermediate Speaking Practice 2
Level: A2
Skill: Speaking
Topic: Daily Habits
What is dopamine?
Dopamine is a chemical in your brain. It makes you want things. It makes you feel excited before something happens.
Dopamine is strongest when you are waiting for something — not when you get it.
When activities have an end point, they finish, and after the dopamine people usually feel good – proud and satisfied.
When activities do not have an end point, they never finish, and the continuous feeling of dopamine does not leave people feeling good – they often feel unsatisfied, or empty.
All of the activities in this lesson use dopamine. But they don’t all feel the same after.
Finished activities → proud, content, satisfied.
Never-ending activities → empty, bored, unsatisfied.
The key in this puzzle, is that activities which end usually give you something to show for your hard work. They leave you feeling good about the activity you just did. This is because another chemical – seratonin – comes to wash away the dopamine and give you a different – positive – feeling.
When activities never end, they usually do not give you something to show. These activities are not hard-work. There is nothing important to show, to be proud of. The dopamine continues inside your body and you are left with a feeling similar to drinking a couple of cups of coffee, or being lazy for too long – not knowing what to do.
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exercise 7: change the habits
Say the pattern.
I want to spend less time …
I want to spend less time scrolling social media every day..
I want to spend less time checking my phone.
I want to spend less time shopping online every month.
I want to spend less time playing video games every week.
I want to spend less time watching videos every night.
I want to spend less time gambling.
Repeat until you feel comfortable.
I want to cut down on …
I want to cut down on scrolling social media during the week.
I want to cut down on checking my phone everyday.
I want to cut down on shopping online every month.
I want to cut down on playing video games to only two hours on the weekend.
I want to cut down on watching videos every night to only twenty minutes.
I want to cut down on gambling to only once a month.
Repeat until you feel comfortable.
I want to invest more time in …
I want to invest more time in cooking meals.
I want to invest more time in studying for tests.
I want to invest more time in exercising.
I want to invest more time in learning new skills.
I want to invest more time reading.
I want to invest more time in practicing English.
I want to invest more time in doing work tasks.
Repeat until you feel comfortable.
Now, make your own answers
Knowing what you know now,
how might you change your daily habits?
I want to spend less time …
I want to cut down on …
I want to invest more time in …
exercise 8: why change?
Say the sentences.
I want to change because I feel … after I …
I want to change because I feel empty after I scroll social media.
I want to change because I feel distracted after I check my phone.
I want to change because I feel guilty after I shop online.
I want to change because I feel exhausted after I play video games.
Repeat until you feel comfortable.
I want to change because I don’t feel … when I …
I want to change because I don’t feel satisfied when I scroll social media.
I want to change because I don’t feel focused when I check my phone.
I want to change because I don’t feel energised when I play video games.
I want to change because I don’t feel proud when I gamble.
Repeat until you feel comfortable.
Now, make your own answers.
I want to change because I feel … after I …
I want to change because I don’t feel … when I …
Repeat each answer three to five times for better fluency.
exercise 9: reflection (optional – A2+)
Why do you want to make these changes?
What do you think will happen if you do?
If I spend less time scrolling social media, I think I will feel relaxed.
If I spend less time checking my phone, I think I will feel focused.
If I spend less time shopping online, I think I will feel content.
If I spend less time playing video games, I think I will feel motivated and enthusiastic.
If I invest more time in exercising, I think I will feel energised.
If I invest more time in reading, I think I will feel focused.
If I invest more time in practicing English, I think I will feel proud.
If I invest more time in cooking meals, I think I will feel satisfied.
Repeat until you feel comfortable.
Now, make your own answers.
