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Take it Down a Notch
Take it Down a Notch English, baby! Video Lesson

Learn English with this relaxation English lesson

Date: Oct 08 2013

Themes: Health, Soap Opera

Grammar: Present Perfect Tense

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Have you ever felt so stressed out that your stomach starts to hurt? Or maybe stress affects your sleeping. Or gives you a headache. Or makes you start to act meanly to the people you love. When you get that stressed out, it’s definitely time to take it down a notch.

A “notch” is a hole or a cut in the surface of a material. For example, the holes on your belt are called notches. You can think of taking it down a notch as loosening your belt a little bit. When you take it down a notch, you’re loosening your whole self, and letting yourself truly relax.

Lily was under a lot of stress at the office before she ran away. Find out whether she learned to take it down a notch in this English lesson.

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Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Lily

Lily

Therapist

Lily:  Rolling Hill Farms has been so great for me. I feel so relaxed.

Therapist:  Have you been going to meditation class?

Lily:  Yeah. I go every morning after yoga. It’s really great for me to try and forget about all the stuff that’s been bothering me lately.

Therapist:  Do you want to talk about it?

Lily:  Things were going really intensely at work. I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that I could handle all the things and to make sure that everyone liked me, but I went too far. I realized I need to take it down a notch.

Therapist:  Say more.

Lily:  I don’t need to try so hard. People are going to like me or not, and I just have to learn to live with that.

Therapist:  But how are you going to take it down a notch? What strategies have you learned to really deal with your stress?

Lily:  Well, breathing is super important. I just need to learn to slow down and take a breath. Also, yoga has been awesome. I’m thinking about taking a class during my lunch break.

Therapist:  Good. What else?

Lily:  Writing in my journal has been really important to me. I feel like I can really organize my thoughts when I write them down.

Therapist:  Good work, Lily. But I wonder: you’re writing down your thoughts in your journal, but what if you communicated some of those thoughts to your former office-mates and let them know how you’re feeling?

Lily:  Really? I kind of assumed that I couldn’t go back.

Therapist:  You know, sometimes you have to give people a little more credit. I bet when they find out about the good work you’ve been doing, they’ll understand.

Lily:  OK. I do like that idea. In fact, I think I want to write to everyone, and just tell them that things are going so much better, and that they should just let me come back.

Therapist:  Good, Lily. Good work. Why don’t you work on that and meditate on that a little bit more right now, and I’ll see you at dinner.

Lily:  I will. This is going to go so great. Everything’s going to be fine. I can feel it. I really have taken it down a notch.

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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So where has Lily been? It turns out that she is away at a place called Rolling Hill Farms. It seems like a relaxing environment where she can meditate, do yoga, and speak to a therapist.

The therapist helps Lily to think about why she was stressed out at work. Lily realizes that she was trying too hard. She is glad that she’s learned some methods for taking it down a notch.

The therapist thinks that it might be a good idea for Lily to write to her co-workers and explain what happened. Lily isn’t sure if that’s a good idea, but the therapist convinces her to try it.

Do you believe that Lily has actually figured out how to relax? What are some things you do to take it down a notch?

 

Comments

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kimnga

kimnga

Viet Nam

I think since Lily is so enthusiastic at work that she might make some of her colleagues misunderstand her. However, meditation, yoga , writing journals and good advice from the therapist can help her relax and find out the best way to make her co-workers understand her.

07:25 AM Aug 27 2014 |

Nadya_Hope

Nadya_Hope

Russian Federation

I think Lily really figured out how to relax. She can overcome stress, learned some methods for taking it down a notch and realized that she was trying too hard. it’s a good job.


to take it down a notch I listen to mantry and read affirmations.

11:39 AM Nov 11 2013 |

sayran_g

sayran_g

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

wow. it’s really interesting. thank u

08:09 AM Oct 13 2013 |

DanielBorges

Portugal

I think Lily have figured out how to take it down a knock, definitely. Writing about her feelings and  doing meditation exercises are good methods to relax. Also the therapist helps her to understand the fact that give credit to others to understand her it’s also important.In order to relax I’m used to make sport, go out for walking, or have some social activities, like spend some time with family or friends.

09:37 PM Oct 08 2013 |

csmota14Super Member!

Brazil

I try to relax doing thing that I really like.

07:11 PM Oct 08 2013 |

1 person likes this

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

Finally, we hear form Lily, but I think that it’s a good idea to take some stress down a notch, maybe you can work all day long and get some stress, but the way of getting it out of you should be difficult, there you can meditate just to forget and let your mind clear

07:11 PM Oct 08 2013 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

In the past people generally used to live without  the preassure  that  we are living   today.  Progress    brought about a great  change in our societies    in terms of  material things ,   but associated  with it  the necessity  to have to work more  to keep a family  and make ends meet .This is why we can see so many people stressed out ,going to therapy and taking sleeping pills. I agree that to release  tension, yoga, meditation and  exercise  are  key  to live a more healthy life . What  am I doing to take it down a notch ?  meditation and  learning english .  

06:16 PM Oct 08 2013 |

jef_maiko

jef_maiko

Brazil

I think so, but Lily should do a phisical exercise as well. My preference to take it down a notch is going to the beach and surf, It really makes me fell so much better. I get renewed again, I do that always I can…...And another thing I reallyb recommend is hang out with friends…..

04:18 PM Oct 08 2013 |

mitya09

Russian Federation

Lily have taken it down a notch, because she changed range of tasks. She can give credit herself by meditation as well writing journal, where she writes clearly her thoughts.


I think the visit of Rolling Hill Farms will help Lily to find more interesting activity than her bother work lately.


I try to change occupancy to acquire new skills Also good sleep and food are guarantee of success to take it down a notch.

03:59 PM Oct 08 2013 |

Odyssee

Odyssee

China

generally speaking , when i feel stressed out , i will go shopping . buy somethings  that i like very much but hesitate to buy cos of high price usually . then i will get very happy . hahaha .


another method to take it down a notch is travel . go to a strange city alone , then u could meet few friends . though we dont know eachother before , but  cos there’re kind of similar hobbies . we can get along very well with each other . it’s really really an amazing experience .


also there’re many other methods to relax such as sports  ......

06:00 AM Oct 08 2013 |

cherrytemost

China

Stress is a strange thing for different people. For me, if i have stress, i will find the reason and to solve it. So it will not affect my life, i will still have good sleeping and big stomach, haha…......


But for my husband, it is a terrible thing. It will really affect his life, he will feel sad, then have many strange thoughts, these thoughts will affect his work, and even more, he will have bad sleeping and temper to me. I understand him and also will persuade him. But I think the best way for him is to have more confidence and then can make the stress  become to power.

02:34 AM Oct 08 2013 |

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