Rewrite this sentence changing the words: bad, people, or angry into more sophisticated words. Make the situation vivid enough that someone can picture it. The sentence should have min. 15 words.
A. Why people forget important information B. Why people delay doing things C. Why people need more free time D. Why some people work faster than others
🔎 Wide-Angle Lens
Read once for the big picture. Don’t worry about understanding every word.
Why We Put Things Off
You have an important report to finish. You know the deadline is approaching, and you have promised yourself that today you will finally make some progress. You sit down at your desk, open the document—and suddenly remember that you should check your email. Twenty minutes later, you are watching a video that has absolutely nothing to do with your report.
Sound familiar?
We often think of procrastination as poor time management or laziness. However, researchers who study procrastination suggest that the problem may have more to do with managing our emotions than managing our time.
Some tasks make us feel uncomfortable. They may be boring, difficult, confusing, or so important that we are afraid of doing them badly. Avoiding the task provides temporary relief from those unpleasant feelings. Checking social media or making another cup of coffee feels better than staring at a difficult spreadsheet. The problem, of course, has not disappeared. We have simply postponed both the task and the discomfort associated with it.
This can create a cycle. The longer we delay, the more stressful the task becomes. As the deadline gets closer, we may feel guilty about the time we have wasted. That additional stress makes the task even less appealing, so we become even more tempted to avoid it.
One way to break the cycle is to make the first step extremely small. Instead of telling yourself to finish the report, you might decide to open the document and write one paragraph. A smaller task feels less threatening, which makes it easier to begin. And beginning matters. Once we start, continuing is often easier than we expected.
This doesn’t mean that motivation is useless. But waiting until you feel like doing something can be risky. Sometimes action has to come first. Motivation may follow.
🗺️ The Big Picture
Which statement best summarizes the text?
A. Procrastination happens mainly because people don’t organize their schedules properly. B. Difficult tasks should be divided equally across several days. C. Procrastination is often connected with avoiding uncomfortable feelings, and taking a small first step can help. D. People procrastinate because modern technology provides too many distractions.
📢 Reveal the Wide-Angle View
✅ C
The text explains that procrastination is often connected with avoiding unpleasant emotions rather than simply poor time management. It also suggests making the first step very small.
🔬 Zoom In
Read the text again and examine its details.
1. According to the text, why might someone avoid an important task?
A. They don’t understand the deadline. B. The task creates uncomfortable feelings. C. They believe the task is unnecessary. D. They need more information before beginning.
📢 Reveal the Detail
✅ B — Tasks that are boring, difficult, confusing, or important can create uncomfortable emotions that we want to avoid.
2. Why can procrastination become a cycle?
A. Delaying the task creates additional stress, which can make us want to avoid it even more. B. People eventually forget why the task was important. C. Deadlines usually become less important over time. D. Taking breaks makes difficult tasks seem longer.
📢 Reveal the Detail
✅ A
3. What solution does the writer suggest?
A. Wait until you feel motivated. B. Remove every possible distraction. C. Make the first step very small and manageable. D. Work only when the deadline is close.
📢 Reveal the detail
✅ C
🧭 Context Clues
Don’t reach for the dictionary yet. Use the surrounding words as evidence.
1. relief
Avoiding the task provides temporary relief from those unpleasant feelings.
What does relief most likely mean here?
A. a feeling of comfort when something unpleasant is reduced B. a sudden increase in pressure C. an excuse for avoiding responsibility D. an unexpected problem
📢 Reveal the clue
✅ A
2. appealing
That additional stress makes the task even less appealing.
What does appealing mean here?
A. urgent B. complicated C. attractive or pleasant D. familiar
📢Reveal the clue
✅ C
3. threatening
A smaller task feels less threatening, which makes it easier to begin.
What does threatening suggest in this sentence?
A. likely to cause physical harm B. intimidating or difficult to face C. completely unnecessary D. impossible to understand
📢Reveal the clue
✅ B
🕵️ Between the Lines
The answer isn’t stated directly. What can you infer?
The writer says:
“Sometimes action has to come first. Motivation may follow.”
What is the writer suggesting?
A. Motivation isn’t important at all. B. We should always force ourselves to work. C. Starting a task can sometimes create the motivation to continue. D. Motivated people don’t procrastinate.
📢Reveal the answer
✅ C
The writer is suggesting that we don’t necessarily need to feel motivated before beginning. Taking action may help create momentum and make continuing easier.
They may look harmless—but look closer. These two words do very different jobs.
Examine the samples. What do you notice?
A. I thought the meeting started at 10:00, but it actually starts at 11:00.
B. We’re currently looking for someone to lead the project.
C. She looks very serious, but she’s actually quite funny.
D. The laboratory is currently closed for renovations.
Which word refers to now / at the present time? Which word introduces the real or surprising truth?
🫣 Reveal the Analysis
currently → now; at the present time actually → in fact; really; contrary to what someone thought or expected
🔎 Increase the Magnification
ACTUALLY
Use actually when you want to correct an assumption, introduce the real situation, or say something that may be surprising.
I assumed he was American, but he’s actually Canadian.
The exam wasn’t difficult. Actually, it was surprisingly easy.
CURRENTLY
Use currently to talk about something happening or being true at the present time.
I’m currently working on a new project.
The museum is currently closed.
🧫 Side-by-Side Analysis
Same sentence structure. One small word changes the message.
She is actually working in London. = The truth is that she works in London—perhaps contrary to what you thought.
She is currently working in London. = She is working in London at the moment.
🇵🇱❤️ False-Friend Alert
⚠️ Polish aktualnie does not mean English actually.
aktualnie → currently / at present
actually → właściwie / tak naprawdę / w rzeczywistości
❌ I’m actually working from home. if you mean Aktualnie pracuję z domu.
✅ I’m currently working from home.
🧪 Diagnostic Test
Choose ACTUALLY or CURRENTLY.
I thought the restaurant was expensive, but it’s ______ quite affordable.
We’re ______ developing a new version of the software.
He told me he was from Warsaw, but he’s ______ from Kraków.
The position is ______ unavailable, but that may change next month.
I expected the book to be boring. ______, I couldn’t put it down.
🫣 Reveal the Diagnosis
1. actually — contrasts with the original expectation 2. currently — happening now 3. actually — corrects previous information 4. currently — true at the present time 5. Actually — introduces a surprising contrast
Idioms don’t always mean what the words say. Look for the clues and crack the code.
🕵️ Case Study #1
When Maya joined the company, she really hit the ground running. Within her first week, she had already reorganized the filing system and contacted several new clients.
What does hit the ground running mean?
A. Have problems immediately B. Start something with energy and effectiveness C. Work without taking breaks D. Make a serious mistake
🔓 Crack the Code
✅ B — Start something with energy and effectiveness.
hit the ground running = to begin a new activity or job energetically and successfully
🕵️ Case Study #2
We’ve done everything we can to prepare the proposal. Now the ball is in their court.
Meaning?
A. They must make the next decision or take action B. They have won the competition C. We need to start again D. Nobody knows what to do
🔓 Crack the Code
✅ A — They must make the next decision or take action.
the ball is in your court = it is now your responsibility to make a decision or take the next step
🕵️ Case Study #3
Getting promoted to department manager was a challenge, but Elena quickly rose to the occasion.
Can you explain?
A. celebrated her success B. accepted a higher salary C. performed well in a difficult situation D. became more ambitious
🔓 Crack the Code
✅ C — Perform well in a difficult situation.
rise to the occasion = to respond successfully to a difficult situation or challenge
🕵️ Case Study #4
The project looked impossible at first, but everyone went the extra mile to finish it before the deadline.
This would be…
A. worked somewhere else B. made more effort than was expected C. took longer than necessary D. changed the original plan
🔓 Crack the Code
✅ B — Make more effort than is expected.
go the extra mile = to make a special effort or do more than is normally expected
Our customer service team always goes the extra mile to help clients.
🕵️ Case Study #5
We had tried all the usual ways of attracting new customers, but nothing was working. During the meeting, Sophie suggested a completely different approach that nobody had considered before. Her manager smiled and said, “Now you’re thinking outside the box.”
What does think outside the box mean?
A. Ignore the rules completely B. Work independently from other people C. Approach a problem in a creative or unconventional way D. Make a decision without enough information
🔓 Crack the Code
✅ C — Approach a problem in a creative or unconventional way.
think outside the box = to think creatively and consider ideas or solutions that are different from the usual ones
We need to think outside the box if we want to solve this problem without increasing the budget.
🔬 Code Spot Check
hit the ground running → start energetically and effectively
the ball is in your court → it’s your responsibility to act next
rise to the occasion → respond successfully to a difficult situation
go the extra mile → make more effort than is expected
think outside the box → approach a problem in a creative and unconventional way
🧩 Coding Master Challenge
You’ve cracked the codes. Now it’s your turn to code the message.
Rewrite each idea using one of the idioms you’ve investigated.
Choose from the list below:
hit the ground running · think outside the box · the ball is in your court · rise to the occasion go the extra mile
1. Our new director started her job with lots of energy and immediately began making improvements.
Code it: Our new director ___________________________.
📢 Reveal the code
✅ Our new director hit the ground running.
2. We’ve made our offer. Now they have to decide what happens next.
Code it: We’ve made our offer. Now ____________.
📢 Reveal the code
✅ We’ve made our offer. Now the ball is in their court.
3. Nina performed extremely well even though the situation was difficult and she had very little time to prepare.
Code it: Despite the difficult circumstances, Nina ________.
📢 Reveal the code
✅ Despite the difficult circumstances, Nina rose to the occasion.
4. Daniel did much more than anyone expected to help his colleague finish the project.
Code it: Daniel _____ to help his colleague finish the project.
📢 Reveal the code
✅ Daniel went the extra mile to help his colleague finish the project.
5. The usual solutions weren’t working, so the team needed to approach the problem creatively.
Code it: The usual solutions weren’t working, so the team needed to ___________.
📢 Reveal the code
✅ The usual solutions weren’t working, so the team needed to think outside the box.
at first → initially at least → as a minimum / anyway at risk → in danger at fault → responsible for something going wrong at ease → relaxed and comfortable at present → now, currently at random → without a particular plan or pattern at short notice → with very little warning
🔬 Magnetic Phrases in Action
At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted the job.
The changes could put several jobs at risk.
Nobody was entirely at fault.
She immediately made everyone feel at ease.
We don’t have any vacancies at present.
Participants were selected at random.
⚡Opposing Poles
❌ in present ✅ at present
❌ in risk ✅ at risk
❌ on random ✅ at random
🧲 Attraction Test
Use one of the phrases in the following sentences:
at first · at risk · at ease · at random · at present · at fault · at short notice
1. I felt nervous during the first few minutes of the interview, but the interviewer quickly made me feel __________.
📢 Reveal the result
at ease
2. The researchers didn’t choose participants based on age or occupation; they selected them __________.
📢 Reveal the Result
at random
3. __________, I thought the assignment would be easy, but it turned out to be much more complicated than I expected.
📢 Reveal the Result
at first
4. Without additional funding, several community programs could be __________.
📢 Reveal the Result
at risk
5. Thanks for agreeing to cover my shift __________. I know I didn’t give you much time to rearrange your plans.
📢Reveal the Result
at short notice
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