Session 2: More Cue Cards

1The book I want to describe is a novel I read in college.

→ I read in college.→ describe is a novel I read in college.

2It tells the story of a young woman who leaves her village to become a doctor.

→ to become a doctor.→ who leaves her village to become a doctor.

3A friend recommended it to me, and I'm really glad she did.

→ really glad she did.→ to me, and I'm really glad she did.

4At first the pace felt quite slow, but it soon drew me in.

→ soon drew me in.→ quite slow, but it soon drew me in.

5What I loved most was how honest the characters were with each other.

→ were with each other.→ how honest the characters were with each other.

6There's one scene near the end that I still think about.

→ I still think about.→ near the end that I still think about.

7I read the last hundred pages in a single evening.

→ in a single evening.

8It's the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish it.

→ after you finish it.→ stays with you long after you finish it.

9The skill I'd like to talk about is learning to drive.

→ is learning to drive.→ like to talk about is learning to drive.

10I started lessons at twenty, which is fairly late where I come from.

→ where I come from.→ which is fairly late where I come from.

11My instructor stayed calm, even when I made silly mistakes.

→ I made silly mistakes.

12The hardest part for me was parking in tight spaces.

→ parking in tight spaces.

13I failed my first test, which was pretty embarrassing at the time.

→ embarrassing at the time.→ test, which was pretty embarrassing at the time.

14I practiced every weekend with my father until I felt confident.

→ until I felt confident.→ weekend with my father until I felt confident.

15Passing on the second attempt was an amazing feeling.

→ was an amazing feeling.

16It taught me that patience matters more than natural talent.

→ more than natural talent.

17I'd like to describe a train journey I took along the coast.

→ took along the coast.→ a train journey I took along the coast.

18The whole trip took about nine hours from start to finish.

→ from start to finish.→ took about nine hours from start to finish.

19I went with two friends from work over a long weekend.

→ over a long weekend.→ two friends from work over a long weekend.

20We spent most of the time just looking out the window.

→ looking out the window.→ of the time just looking out the window.

21The scenery changed from mountains to farmland and then to the sea.

→ then to the sea.→ mountains to farmland and then to the sea.

22Halfway there, the train stopped for an hour for no clear reason.

→ for no clear reason.→ stopped for an hour for no clear reason.

23Instead of getting annoyed, we played cards and shared our snacks.

→ and shared our snacks.→ annoyed, we played cards and shared our snacks.

24It reminded me that sometimes the journey matters more than the destination.

→ more than the destination.→ sometimes the journey matters more than the destination.

25I'd like to talk about a time I helped an elderly neighbor.

→ helped an elderly neighbor.→ about a time I helped an elderly neighbor.

26She had hurt her ankle and couldn't leave the house for weeks.

→ the house for weeks.→ ankle and couldn't leave the house for weeks.

27I offered to pick up her groceries every Saturday morning.

→ groceries every Saturday morning.

28It only took me about an hour each week.

→ an hour each week.

29She always insisted on making me a cup of tea afterward.

→ cup of tea afterward.→ on making me a cup of tea afterward.

30Over time, we started having long conversations about her life.

→ conversations about her life.

31Helping her made me feel much more connected to my neighborhood.

→ connected to my neighborhood.→ me feel much more connected to my neighborhood.

32It showed me that small acts of kindness can mean a great deal.

→ mean a great deal.→ acts of kindness can mean a great deal.

33The best piece of advice I've ever received came from my first manager.

→ from my first manager.→ I've ever received came from my first manager.

34She told me never to be afraid of asking questions.

→ afraid of asking questions.

35At the time, I was too shy to admit when I didn't understand something.

→ I didn't understand something.→ shy to admit when I didn't understand something.

36I was worried that people would think I wasn't smart enough.

→ I wasn't smart enough.→ that people would think I wasn't smart enough.

37Once I started asking, I learned much faster than before.

→ much faster than before.

38I've since passed the same advice on to younger colleagues.

→ on to younger colleagues.

39It sounds simple, but it changed the way I approach my work.

→ I approach my work.→ it changed the way I approach my work.

40I'm grateful she took the time to tell me that so early on.

→ that so early on.→ time to tell me that so early on.

41I'd like to talk about moving to a new city for work.

→ new city for work.→ about moving to a new city for work.

42It happened about three years ago, and quite suddenly.

→ ago, and quite suddenly.

43I had to leave behind my family and most of my friends.

→ most of my friends.→ behind my family and most of my friends.

44The first few months were lonelier than I had expected.

→ than I had expected.

45Gradually, I got used to the new routine and made new friends.

→ and made new friends.→ to the new routine and made new friends.

46I became far more independent than I had ever been before.

→ had ever been before.→ more independent than I had ever been before.

47If I'm honest, I sometimes still miss my old life.

→ miss my old life.

48Overall, I think it was the right decision, and I don't regret it.

→ I don't regret it.→ the right decision, and I don't regret it.