This week, we will examine a band 9 response to this Part 2 cue card:
| Describe a time when you had to wake up early. You should say -what time you woke up -why you woke up at this time -what you did after waking up and explain how you felt about getting up at this time |
Step 1: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode (audio and video version available below).
| 🧑🎓Target language: grogginess (noun) -feeling confused due to tiredness “However, my anticipation of the interview quickly overshadowed any grogginess I felt.” |
Step 2: Listen to the sample a few times to get more familiar with the language.
Step 3: Engage this week’s full speech shadowing lesson. (If you do not yet have access, click here to sign up for full lessons.)
Step 4: Below is Monday’s speech exercise. Post yourself saying this excerpt to your Whatsapp group. Exercises for Tuesday to Friday will be posted in the group by your instructor. (If you have not yet been added to a group, click here to sign up – select ‘Join a Whatsapp group’.)
| Post yourself saying this into your Whatsapp group!🗣️📲 “I’m going to talk about a time when I had to wake up early for an important job interview I had last year. I set my alarm for 5:00 AM, which is significantly earlier than my usual wake-up time.” |
Step 5: It’s very important that you note any new language items or pronunciation points from this week’s lesson in your journal to help you chronicle your improvement.📝
Transcript
| Describe a time when you had to wake up early. You should say -what time you woke up -why you woke up at this time -what you did after waking up and explain how you felt about getting up at this time |
I’m going to talk about a time when I had to wake up early for an important job interview I had last year. I set my alarm for 5:00 AM, which is significantly earlier than my usual wake-up time.
The reason I had to wake up so early was that the interview was scheduled for 8:30 AM in a different city. It was about a two-hour drive from my home. I wanted to make sure I had ample time to get ready, review my notes, and account for any potential traffic delays.
After getting out of bed, I immediately started my morning routine. I took a quick shower to help wake myself up fully and then prepared a light breakfast. As I ate, I started to review my resume and the company’s profile one last time to ensure I was well-prepared for any questions they might throw my way. Around 6:00 AM, I left my house and began the drive to the interview location.
Regarding how I felt about waking up at this unusually early hour, I would say it was a mix of excitement and a bit of nervousness. Initially, the early wake-up call was a bit of a shock to my system, as I am not typically a morning person. However, my anticipation of the interview quickly overshadowed any grogginess I felt. By the time I was on the road, the crisp morning air and the peaceful drive helped me to feel more awake and focused. I arrived to the interview with time to spare, and this gave me a sense of accomplishment for having managed my time so effectively.
Although waking up at 5:00 AM was challenging, it was necessary for the important occasion and led to a successful interview.
Thank you.