SPRING SMALL TALK

“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘let’s party’

Discussion Questions

Discuss the following questions with your teacher and classmates.

1. What things come to mind when you hear, ‘spring’?

2. What do you like most about spring?

3. What do you like least about spring?

4. What will you miss about winter?

5. What do you like to do in the spring?

6. What foods are good in the spring?

7. Do you feel energized and motivated in the spring?

In Your Own Words

Write a sentence with each of the expressions below.

1. A spring in someone’s step

Meaning: describes the way someone walks when they are full of energy and happy

Example: We knew she got the promotion because she walked in with a spring in her step.

2. To spring to life

Meaning: To suddenly start moving and become very active or busy

Example: He always springs to life around this time. He needs coffee to get started.

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 1-10

 Watch the following YouTube Video
and answer the questions below:

https://youtu.be/UI33OLKd-rU

1 How’s the weather outside?

2 What’s right around the corner?

3 What’s Tom looking forward to?

4 What’s Jane looking forward to?

5 What does Tom agree with Jane about?

6 How does Jane feel about the winter?

7 How does Tom think people change during the winter? What isn’t Tom very good at?

8 What’s Jane planning to do this spring? What’s Jane planning to plant?

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 2-10

Speaking Activity

Use the illustrations to talk about and retell the conversation.

Word Bank

around the corner | can’t wait | turn out

version | except | mess | green thumb | air out

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 3-10

MATCHING

Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.

1 around the corner (phr) A not clean; dirty

2 can’t wait (idiom) B a particular form of something that is different from

others

3 turn out (phr.v) C natural talent for growing plants, trees, etc.

4 version (n) D to be very eager about something

5 except (conj) E develop or end in a particular way

6 mess (n) F not including

7 green thumb (n) G to freshen up a room by letting outside air inside

8 air out (phr.v) H coming very soon

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 4-10

MISSING WORDS

Watch the video again and complete the sentences.

Jane: It’s such a beautiful day out there! Finally, the warm weather is
…………………………………1

Tom: I know! I’m so happy. I can’t wait to take a walk in the park and smell nature again.

Jane: Yeah, me too. …………………………….2 the smell of flowers, trees, and fresh air.
I ………………………….3 open my windows and air out my house. I really want to do some
spring-cleaning.

Tom: You’re not kidding. Your place is ………………………….4!

Jane: Haha! I …………………………………….5 I never have any energy in the winter

though. I rarely feel like doing anything reading a book under my warm blanket.

Tom: Yes, I can understand that. I think everyone becomes a better ……………………..6 of
themselves in the spring. I think it’s a chance to stop any excuses you may have been
making all winter and start putting your plans into action.

Jane: Absolutely! This year I’m going to make a small garden.

Tom: Oh, that sounds great. What are you going to plant?

Jane: Hmm… I think tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and broccoli. Those are my favorites so I
will start with them.

Tom: I tried to plant some tomatoes and peppers before, but it didn’t ……………………….7
so well. None of the plants lived very long.
I’m afraid I really don’t have a ………………………….8 at all.

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 5-10

Discussion Questions

Discuss the following questions with your teacher and classmate.

1 What’s your favorite thing about the spring?

2 Do you like to plant flowers?

3 Have you ever planted vegetables? Which ones?

4 Do you like spring weather?

5 What are some popular spring activities in your country?

6 Do you like insects or do they creep you out?

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 6-10

 Transcripts

Jane: It’s such a beautiful day out there!

Finally, the warm weather is right around the corner.

Tom: I know! I’m so happy.

I can’t wait to take a walk in the park and smell nature again.

Jane: Yeah, me too. There is nothing like the smell of flowers, trees, and fresh air. I can’t
wait to open my windows and air out my house. I really want to do some spring cleaning.

Tom: You’re not kidding. Your place is a mess!

Jane: Haha! I can’t argue with you there. I never have any energy in the winter though. I
rarely feel like doing anything reading a book under my warm blanket.

Tom: Yes, I can understand that.

I think everyone becomes a better version of themselves in the spring.
I think it’s a chance to stop any excuses you may have been making all winter
and start putting your plans into action.

Jane: Absolutely! This year I’m going to make a small garden.

Tom: Oh, that sounds great.

What are you going to plant?

Jane: Hmm… I think tomatoes, lettuce, carrots and broccoli. Those are my favorites so I will
start with them.

Tom: I tried to plant some tomatoes and peppers before, but it didn’t turn out so well.
None of the plants lived very long.
I’m afraid I really don’t have a green thumb at all.

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 7-10

 Lesson

Let’s review some of the vocabulary and expressions from the conversation.

#1

Let’s look at the first expression.

The warm weather is right around the corner.

We use the expression, “right around the corner” when we are talking about an event that
isn’t far away. Another example, if your birthday is next month, we might say, “Your birthday
is right around the corner.”

#2

Let’s take a look at the next expression, “There’s nothing like…”

There is nothing like the smell of flowers, trees, and fresh air. We use this expression to
talk about things that we think are the best. So, anything that comes after the expression,
“there’s nothing like…” is something that we really like and are crazy about.

For example, there’s nothing like fresh coffee for breakfast.

#3

Let’s take a look at the next expression, “I can’t want to”

I can’t wait to open my windows.

We use this expression to talk about something that we are really excited about.

For example, “I can’t wait to Julie.”

#4

For the next one, we’ll look at a word and a phrase. “Mess” and “I can’t argue with you
there.”

Tom: Your place is a mess!

Jane: Haha! I can’t argue with you there.

First “mess” means “dirty, untidy, or unorganized” For example, “Your desk is a mess” or
“Why’s the kitchen such a mess?”

We use the expression, “I can’t argue with you there” when somebody says something that
we totally agree with.
For example, “He’s a great basketball player.” – “I can’t argue with you there.”

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 8-10

 #5

For the next one, we’ll look at the expression, “to become a better version of oneself”

I think everyone becomes a better version of themselves in the spring.

“To become a better version of yourself” means to be a better person.

To be more productive, kinder, more cheerful, etc.

#6

Let’s review one more…This time the phrasal verb “turn out”

I tried to plant some tomatoes and peppers before, but it didn’t turn out so well.

“Turn out” means the outcome or result of something.

“I used my mom’s recipe to make spaghetti sauce, but it didn’t turn out as well as hers.”

Or

“I baked a cake and it turned out perfect!”

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 9-10

 Answer Key

Listening
1. It’s a beautiful day.

2. spring

3. He’s looking forward to taking a walk in the park and the smell of nature.

4. The smell of flowers, trees, and fresh air, she can’t wait to open her windows, air out her
house and do some spring-cleaning.

5. He agrees that Jane needs to do some spring cleaning.

6. She never has any energy in the winter and rarely feels like doing anything except
reading a book under her warm blanket.

7. He thinks everyone becomes a better version of themselves in the spring.

He thinks it’s a chance to stop any excuses people make in the winter
and start putting plans into action.
He’s not good at planting things. He doesn’t have a green thumb.

8. She’s going to make a small garden. She’s going to plant tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and
broccoli.

Matching
1. H 2. D 3. E 4. B 5. F 6. A 7. C 8. G

Missing Words
1. right around the corner 2. There is nothing like 3. can’t wait to 4. a mess 5. can’t argue
with you there 6. version 7. turn out 8. green thumb

© www.pocketpassport.com Page | 10-10