How Do You Actually Study?
Upper Intermediate (B2)
Campus life
American Accent
61s
A student newspaper writer asks a classmate how he really studies, what he does when a big deadline is coming, and whether he prefers working alone or in a group.
Vocabulary Highlights
- spot /spɑt/
- To notice or see something, especially when it is hard to see.
- "Can you spot the difference between these two pictures?" — notice something
- "There's a coffee spot on your shirt." — small mark
- "This is my favorite spot to read in the park." — particular place
Dialogue Transcript
Speaker 1:
Hey, Tyler, thanks for doing this. I'm writing a piece for the school paper about how students actually study.
Speaker 2:
Sure, happy to help, though I'm not sure I'm the best example.
Speaker 1:
That's kind of the point. So, what does a normal study session look like for you?
Speaker 2:
Honestly, I used to just reread my notes for hours, but I've realized nothing really sticks that way.
Speaker 1:
So what do you do now?
Speaker 2:
I close my notes and try to explain the main ideas out loud, like I'm teaching someone.
Speaker 1:
Interesting. And when a big deadline is coming up, do you change anything?
Speaker 2:
Definitely. I spread the work out over a week or two, instead of leaving it all until the night before.
Speaker 1:
Do you prefer studying alone or with other people?
Speaker 2:
It depends. For reading and writing, I need total quiet, so I go to the library by myself.
Speaker 1:
And for everything else?
Speaker 2:
For problem sets, a small group is great, because someone always spots the mistake you missed.
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