Lesson 47: Bad Habits
13Jun
DIALOGUE
In this lesson, your tutor will help you go over this topic: bad habits. First, read the following dialogue out loud with your tutor, then switch roles and try again.
Devin and Emily are talking about bad habits.
Devin: Emily quit biting your nails!
Emily: I’m sorry, Kevin! It’s a bad habit of mine.
Kevin: Why are bad habits so annoying?
Emily: Bad habits bother people a lot.
Devin: Are people born with bad habits or do they acquire them?
Emily: I think people acquire them as they grow older.
Devin: I don’t like when people cut me off when I’m talking. What about you?
Emily: I’m the same, but I really hate when people spit on the street and throw rubbish on the ground.
Devin: How do people get rid of bad habits?
Emily: I think it’s like an addiction. They have to work hard to stop doing them.
VOCABULARY
Go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.
Vocabulary/ Expressions
biting your nails | (phrase) the act or habit of taking fingernails off with their teeth You need to stop biting your nails because it’s a bad habit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
habit | (n) something someone does daily or regularly; good or bad Smoking is a bad habit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
annoying | (-ing- adj) making you feel annoyed, bothered; bothersome It’s annoying when you eat with your mouth open! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
bother | (v) to annoy, worry, or cause problems for someone Don’t bother while I’m sleeping. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
acquire | (v) to get something; to gain He wants to acquire his MBA. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
cut me off | (phrasal v) to interrupt someone when they are talking Please don’t cut me off when I’m talking. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
spit | (v) to eject saliva from the mouth Please don’t spit in front of other people. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
rubbish | (n) things that are no longer useful and are thrown out or away; trash The rubbish needs to be put in the trash can. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
get rid of | (phrasal v) take action to be free of something Bad habits are hard to get rid of. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
addiction | (n) a strong and dangerous need to do something daily His addiction to drugs is killing him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
EXERCISE
Practice answering the following questions with your tutors. You can use the sample answers to come up with your own answer.
- What are some bad study habits?
- When students study late at night.
- A bad study habit is when a student doesn’t do their homework.
- Your answer:
- What are some good habits?
- A good habit is to brush your teeth after eating.
- In my opinion, paying your bills on time is a good habit.
- Your answer:
- What are some healthy eating habits?
- A healthy eating habit is not eating late at night.
- I think eating breakfast every day is a healthy habit.
- Your answer:
- What are people addicted to?
- Smoking is an addictive habit.
- From my point of view, people are addicted to chocolate.
- Your answer:
- Do you think snoring is a bad habit?
- Personally speaking, snoring is more of a medical problem.
- Snoring is a bad habit, but people can’t always control it.
- Your answer:
CONVERSATION
Use the following questions as a guideline to form an interesting conversation with your tutor. Feel free to diverge from these suggestions if anything interesting comes up.
- Tell me some of your bad habits.
- Do you think it’s easy or difficult to get rid of bad habits? Why or why not?
- What bad habits annoy you the most and why?
- What bad and good habits do your family members have?
- Do you think we are born with or acquire bad habits and why?
WRAP-UP
Go over any new expressions or vocabulary that you learned today.
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