Making a Positive Change - Unit 1

B2 First · Multiple Matching · Ready for B2 First 4th Edition Workbook, Macmillan Education Limited

You are going to read an article in which four people were asked how they'd change their lifestyle and why. For questions 1–10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Luke

I've wanted to make improvements to my life for as long as I can remember. But it's easier said than done, isn't it? It's just getting rid of bad habits that I have come to accept in my life as normal. I guess I tend to work long hours. This is a direct result of running my own real estate agency. Usually, with people who have regular jobs, when it's the weekend or evening, it signals a time to put your feet up and switch off. With me, this is a rare occurrence. I'm not exactly tied to my phone, but it's my responsibility if something goes wrong. I can't ignore it because there's no one else to solve the problem and sometimes it can't wait until Monday morning. My wife wants us to take a year out and just see the world. We're lucky that we have the finances to do it, but I can't make up my mind at the moment – I need to soon or she'll run out of patience!

Sophia

To be honest, I really don't have a great deal to complain about when it comes to the way I live my life. This isn't to say I don't spend countless hours trying to improve it, though. I'm always trying something different. I used to stick to the same thing and was very much a creature of habit. I wasn't very daring at all. These days, I'm far more adventurous. From time to time, I'll get bored with going for a jog, so I'll do a course in skiing or scuba diving or anything random like that. Then I'll get bored of it or simply won't have the cash and I'll get my running kit on again. I always seem to come back to that because it's just a case of putting on some trainers. I suppose the main thing is that it's good to stay active, especially as you get older. Luckily, my boyfriend feels the same way as me in this regard, so we encourage each other.

Elizabeth

I guess the single most useful thing for me would be to start again and completely change direction in terms of my chosen work path. But that's not going to happen any time soon, so in a close second place, I'd have to say turning my light off at a decent time would be a fantastic idea. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? But, for some reason, it isn't. I usually go upstairs and start reading. If I get into something good, this means going to sleep late. If I could wake up late, it would be OK, but I can't. I just get into a vicious circle this way, and I'm sure I'm not alone. So, I have to rely on my alarm and set off early the next morning. I must say, though, that my bike ride is a great start to the day. I absolutely love it, especially when I see all the traffic jams and stressed out drivers on the way. I wouldn't want to change this. I didn't use to do it and I can honestly say I even enjoy it in the pouring rain. That surprises a lot of people.

Daniel

I often have moments to think about how I can change my life. The thing is there's a difference between thinking about it and actually doing it. I'm proud that I've actually managed to do so because there was a point when I thought I couldn't. I used to work in London and had to commute in from the suburbs every day. My day would start at around 6, and I wouldn't be back home, relaxing on my sofa, until around 12 hours later. Then when we had kids, I decided to give up my high-powered job and instead took on something much more manageable. This was stressful for me at the time, especially when we were renovating our new home, but I have no regrets. It's a simple lifestyle, but I guess that's the whole point. Shorter working hours mean I get to catch up on stuff during the week that I'd have usually had to find time for at weekends and this is great.

Making a Positive Change

Four people were asked how they'd change their lifestyle and why.

running out of money forces them to give something up

their partner is keen for them to have a lifestyle change

they'd like to be able to take more time off to relax

more sleep at night would have a beneficial effect on their life

they've become more eager to try new sports

they undertook a building project as part of a lifestyle change

they get great pleasure from their journey to work

a change in career led to a positive outcome

they are motivated to do physical exercise by their partner

their previous job used to be very demanding

Which person states

Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.

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