SPE Speaking 1

Sparta Speaking
Day Up Close and Personal

1 “Know yourself better than anyone else and you shall never go off the road.” ~writer~
Getting Ready
Direction: Answer the following questions.
1. What do you love about yourself? Hate?

2. What are you good at?
Vocabulary Bank
Direction: Give the meanings of the following words by how they were used in the
sentence.
1. Resident-
 Irene is a resident of Korea, but she currently resides here in BECI.
2. Sibling-
 I am the only child. I don’t have any siblings.
3. Surname-
 Her name is Alexandra and her surname is Kim.
4. Natal day-
 My family usually celebrates my natal day by eating out. I also get gifts on that day.
5. Consist-
 His family consists of three members; his mother, father and him.
6. Civil status-
 Kim’s civil status is single.
7. Relatives-
 My family usually visits our relatives every Christmas.
8. Gender-
 I was male before the surgery.
9. Nationality-
 Hardy’s nationality is Filipino, while his student Ana is Chinese.
10. Occupation-
 My occupation is teaching.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Direction: Read the following passage.
Hello, my name is Alexandra and my surname is Kim. I am a resident of Korea, but now I am
residing in BECI academy for 2 months. My family consists of five members; my parents, two siblings
and me. I have four- year gap with my older and younger brothers. 21st of June, 1992 is my natal day.
For my civil status, I am single. I plan to settle down on my early 30s because I must find a greener
pasture before tying a knot and having children. That’s the reason why I am here in BECI and study
English.
Speak UP
Direction: Talk about the following TOPICS using the vocabularies learned within 30
seconds.
TOPIC 1
 When is your natal day?
 How do you celebrate it?
 What gift do you like to receive on your next natal day?
TOPIC 2
 How many members does your family consist of?
 How do spend time with your family?
 If you’re going to plan a week long holiday with your family, what will you do?
TOPIC 3
 What is your given name? Surname?
 Does it have any meaning?
 If you were to change your name, what would it be? Why?
TOPIC 4
 What is your occupation?
 Do you like your occupation? Why? Why not?
 What is your dream job?
TOPIC 5
 What is your nationality?
 If you were to change your nationality, what would it be? Why?
 What is the most privilege country?
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Sparta Speaking
Day Dreams and Aspiration

Getting Ready
1. How do you see yourself ten years from now?

2. What did you do to achieve your dream?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Aspire-
 We all aspire to be rich, but we don’t know how to achieve it.
2. Vision-
 My student has a vision to run his own company in the near future.
3. Diploma-
 I earned my Nursing diploma in 2010.
4. Niche-
 After trying so many jobs, I finally found a niche for myself in this company.
5. Take up-
 I took up Nursing in university.
6. Sophomore-
 She started to slack off when she’s in sophomore.
7. Alumni-
 I went to my high school alma mater to attend our first ever alumni homecoming.
8. Fraternities-
 Skull and Bones is a famous fraternity in Yale University wherein one of its members is
former POTU George W. Bush.
9. Strength
 Being multilingual is his strength.
10. Tuition-
 A lot of students want to study in Switzerland due to their free tuition.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
When I was young, I aspired to become a great teacher, so I decided to take up Education as
my major. However, my university entrance exam score was high enough to take nursing which gave me
confusion as to whether or not consider it as an option. After days of pondering, I decided to go for my
original plan because I knew that my parents don’t have enough money to pay my tuition. After four
years of pain- staking studies, I finally received my diploma. And as teaching is really my passion, I
found a niche in this company.
Speak UP
seconds.
1. What school is your elementary alma mater?
2. What are you taking up in university?
3. Why did you choose your major?
4. Did you earn any certificates? What are they?
5. What clubs are offered in your school? Which did you attend?
6. If you were asked to join a fraternity/ sorority, would you accept it? Why? Why not?
7. At what age is the best time to study a new language?
8. Which gives a better education, private or public school? Why?
9. Which has a better impact on students, single gender or co- gender education? Why?
10. Who is more liable if a student doesn’t improve; student or teacher? Why?
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Sparta Speaking
Day Authenticity and Personae

Getting Ready
1. What makes you upset? How do you handle it?

2. What is your ideal life? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Preference-
 What is beautiful for you might not be beautiful for me since we have different
preference.
2. Be good at-
 After studying culinary arts for one year, my friend is really good at cooking Italian
food.
3. Be interested in-
 I am not good at singing, but I am interested in it.
4. Full blooded-
 Both my mom and dad are from Korea which makes me a full- blooded Korean.
5. Complexion-
 A lot of people bully me due to my dark complexion.
6. Extrovert-
 Maria loves being with people. She is indeed an extrovert.
7. Introvert-
 Whoah! You are really an introvert because you enjoy being in solitude.
8. Ambivert-
 My boyfriend enjoys both hanging out with his friends and having his private space. He
is an ambivert.
9. Rational-
 Stop being silly and start being rational.
10. Delusional-
 He is delusional because he always acts as if he’s rich even if he’s actually broke.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
My sister considers me crazy and a total extrovert because I always love being in the spotlight.
Wherever we go, I always try to steal the show and make it mine. Contrary to me, my sister is
introvert. She is interested in reading classic novels alone in her room. Also, she’s good at
painting. As you can see, we are extreme opposites which make us argue a lot. But despite our
differences and irrational arguments, I know that she loves me as I love her.
Speak UP
seconds.
1. What are you good at?
2. If given the chance to master any skill, what would it be? Why?
3. What are the things that you’re interested in but not really good at it?
4. Are you happy with your complexion? Why? Why not?
5. Black is beautiful. Why? Why not?
6. Do you prefer being with people or having your private space? Why?
7. If given the chance to be well- known, would you accept it? Why? Why not?
8. Why do people want their own space?
9. Do you tend to stay rational at all times when facing any dilemma in your life? Why? Why not?
10. Do you know anyone who is delusional? Who is it? Why do you say so?
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Sparta Speaking
Day I and Beyond

Getting Ready
1. What makes you unique? Why?

2. Which is better, being common or being extraordinary? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
Words used to describe one’s self in an interview...
1. Be a people person-
 He loves the company of others as he is a people person.
2. Be a quick learner-
 Wow! She’s able to learn the dance routine within 15 minutes. She’s a quick learner.
3. Be punctual-
 The teacher is never late because she always tries to be punctual.
4. Be a team player-
 I am really a team player so my boss asked me to become a leader of the English club.
5. Be versatile-
 Whatever job you give her, she can because she’s versatile enough to do it well.
6. Problem- solving skill-

 Eden lacks problem- solving skill so his boss removed him from the planning team.
7. Cautious-
 My students are cautious enough not to make mistakes to avoid punishments.
8. Modest-
 Though he’s rich and famous, he lives a modest life.
9. Take pride in-

 Amanda takes pride in everything she does. Therefore, she never considers losing as
an option.
10. Dedicated worker-

 A lot of employees are dedicated workers as they stayed in the company for more than
ten years.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Since I worked in this company for over a decade, I learned a lot of skills that enhanced my
competency as an employee. First, I learned how to be versatile enough to do whatever task is
assigned to me. When I came here for the first time, I wasn’t familiar with the in and out of my job. But,
I became a dedicated worker and strived hard to learn everything I could. I am not really a quick
learner, so I had to put extra time and effort to get what I want. As I retrospect, I can see how far I’ve
been which makes me really happy.
Speak UP
Direction: Using the learned vocabularies, answer the following questions.
1. Where do you see yourself in five years?
2. What is the best adjective to describe you?
3. What is the biggest problem you’ve had? How did you handle it?
4. Do you take pride in everything you do? Why? Why not?
5. What personality is needed to become successful?
6. What is your greatest professional strength?
7. What is your weakness?
8. At what time did you exercise leadership?
9. If you were a boss, how would you lead?
10. Do you take risks? Why? Why not?
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Sparta Speaking
Day Wider Horizon

5 “Traveling is an antidote for ignorance.” ~Trevor Noah~
Getting Ready
1. Do you like traveling? Why? Why not?

2. If you were given the chance to travel around the world, where would you go? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Slumber-
 I slumber for 9 hours because I was so tired.
2. Dash-
 There were mad dogs scouring the area, so Ben dashed.
3. Cost an arm and a leg-

 The new iPhone series cost an arm and a leg, so I need to work harder if I want to
have one.
4. Spectacular-
 The tourists can’t get enough of the spectacular landscape.
5. Bizarre-
 She doesn’t act normally, so they consider her bizarre.
6. Grimace-
 I thought you were mad at me because you grimaced when you met me at the lobby.
7. Smirk-
 Alice smirked when she heard him saying that he’s handsome.
8. Stumble onto-
 I was spring cleaning when I stumbled onto an old photo of me and my high school
crush.
9. Vanish-
 The audience was dumb- founded when the magician vanished into thin air.
10. Hammock-
 The stunning lady in red bikini is lying down on a hammock while listening to music
under a palm shade.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Traveling not only makes us happy, but also gives us new experiences which we can learn from.
Given this point, I want to visit unfamiliar places and stumble onto bizarre things unknown to me. I
want to try many things. For example, I always imagine myself slumbering in a five star hotel in Las
Vegas or lying down on a hammock while watching the famous sunset of Hawaii with a glass of
cocktail on my hand. I also want to see the spectacular view of the dancing Aurora Borealis in Iceland
or dash on the rolling hills of Ireland. My friends always smirk whenever I tell them my dream
because it costs an arm and a leg. But, I don’t care. Dreaming is better than nothing.
Speak UP
1. How long do you usually slumber?
2. Have you ever tried going to a slumber party? Do you want to throw one? Why? Why not?
3. What are the things that cost an arm and a leg in your country?
4. Do you want to buy them? Why? Why not?
5. What are the bizarre things that you’ve ever experienced or seen?
6. What is the most spectacular tourist destination you’ve visited or you want to visit? Why?
7. What will you do if a person smirks at you?
8. Have you stumbled onto something? What did you do?
9. What would you do if you have the ability to vanish whenever you want?
10. If you could travel with one of your batch mates or class mates, who would it be? Where would
you go? Why?
10 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Fun or Funny

6 “Contentment is the key to happiness.” ~writer~
Getting Ready
1. Talk about the time when you feel down and weary.
2. When were you in seventh heaven? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Feel like a fish out of water-

 I attended my friend’s birthday party, but no one talked to me. So, I felt like a fish out
of water.
2. Feel like a million dollars-

 They feel like a million dollars on their wedding day.
3. Diverse-
 It’s fun to meet diverse people because you not only gain friends, but also learn from
them.
4. Panoramic-
 I was lucky enough to see the panoramic view of Baguio city from the summit of
Mickey Mountain.
5. Hilarious-
 The gag show is really hilarious. I can’t stop laughing my ass out.
6. Navigate-
 Scientists develop cutting edge technologies to navigate the universe.
7. Comfy-
 My bed is comfy that I don’t want to get out of it.
8. Petrified-
 Ana was petrified when she saw her boyfriend making out with another girl.
9. Eerie-
 No one wants to pass through that eerie street at night because some people say that a
ghost appear to unsuspecting passersby.
10. Give chill to one’s spine/ bone-

 I was alone in my house when there was a sudden black out. Then, a dog howled in the
middle of it. That really gave chill to my bones.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Each of us has our own perception of fun. Hence, we obtain it in different ways. For example, my
friends enjoy navigating what lies beyond the horizon. Seizing the panoramic landscapes and
experiencing diverse cultures makes them feel like a million dollars. In contrast to me, my idea of
fun is having my own time in my bedroom, watching horror movies while lying on my comfy bed. This
may seem hilarious to others but who cares. I love the thrill of it. Being petrified when you hear the
eerie sound or watch the main character escape from the villain; all of those gives chill to my
spine. Sometimes, I even have a hard time catching my sleep, but I won’t stop watching horror film for
they are fun for me.
Speak UP
1. Talk about the time you felt like a fish out of water.
2. Talk about the time you felt like a million dollars.
3. What is your perception of fun?
4. What are the things you consider funny? Why?
5. Do you watch horror movies? Why? Why not?
6. What are the things that give chill to your spine? Why?
7. Who is the super villain of your life? Why?
8. Diversity creates individuality; diversity destroys unity. Why?
9. If you were given the privilege to navigate the universe, where would you go? Why?
10. If you have the ability to petrify things, what will you do? Why?
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Sparta Speaking
Day Seize the Moment

7 “Picture paints a thousand words.” ~anonymous~
Getting Ready
1. Have you ever let go of an opportunity? Why?

2. What are your regrets in life? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Hit the road-

 My friends hit the road again tonight. I don’t know where they’re going this time.
2. Hit the book-

 Students should hit their book hard if they want to raise their English level.
3. Hit the wave-

 Irene and her friends went to San Juan beach to hit the waves last Sunday.
4. Escalate-
 Eden needs to escalate his scores to get into his desired university.
5. Abate
 My boss seldom takes a vacation, but he did this time to abate the level of his stress.
6. Incontestable-
 His argument is incontestable, so everyone can’t answer to it.
7. Can’t see the logic of-

 I complained about the rule regarding my job because I can’t see the logic of it.
8. In pursuit of-
 My friend sacrificed his love for his girlfriend in pursuit of his career.
9. Luxury-
 We stayed in a luxury hotel which provided us every convenience we have dreamed of.
10. Opportunity knocks-

 When opportunity knocks, you should take it; you might regret it if you don’t.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Opportunities come and go. When an opportunity knocks, we must seize it. And learning
new things is a form of incontestable chance for me as we must constantly escalate our knowledge
and skill to fit in this ever changing society. That’s why I can’t see the logic when I see students
hitting the waves or the road to have the time of their lives. Well, there’s nothing wrong about
relaxation, but I believe that there’s always a perfect time for it. We came here to study for our future
jobs or further pursuit of our education. Hence, why should we waste our time on something that we
can do after? Time is a luxury that we don’t have. Therefore, if you’re trying to abate your chances of a
having a better life, that’s your choice and I hope that you won’t regret it.
Speak UP
1. When is the best time to hit the book?
2. Have you ever tried hitting the wave? Why? Why not?
3. If you were to hit the road tonight, who would you go with? Where would you go? Why?
4. What is the best way to escalate our knowledge on something?
5. What would you do if your interest to learn is abated?
6. Time is luxury we don’t have. Why? Why not?
7. Give one thing that has incontestable importance in your life. Why?
8. What are the laws that seem illogical to you? Why?
9. If you were to pursue any career, what would it be? Why?
10. If you were given the chance to fix on thing in the past, what would it be? Why?
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Sparta Speaking
Day In their Shoes

Getting Ready
1. Name at least three less fortunate countries in the world. Why?

2. What can you do to help them?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Sympathy-
 When he saw a child begging along the busy street of a cosmopolitan city, sympathy
struck his heart.
2. Empathy-
 The minister felt empathy towards the fire victims for he experienced being homeless.
3. Lend a hand-
 If someone’s in need, lend him a hand.
4. Disclose-
 The secret plan was disclosed to the public which left them in total shock.
5. Be in someone’s shoes-
 For you to be able to understand a person, put yourself in his shoes.
6. Bequeath-
 The devastation bequeathed by the hurricane was unimaginable.
7. Verge of something-
 They say that humanity is at the verge of extinction due to the inexorable effects of
global warming.
8. Cynical-
 My student was cynical about the existence of God.
9. Promulgate-
 The students’ clever plan is promulgated within the campus.
10. Refugees-
 More and more people are becoming war refugees due to the unending conflict in the
Middle East.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
We seem to be at the verge of skepticism as lending someone a hand is becoming a rare

sight these days. Everyone becomes cynical about those people in the “third world countries” thinking
that they are just too lazy to earn a living, or they are living a wasteful life. And because of this, we
slowly mold a sense of prejudice towards them. As a matter of fact, mass media discloses that so many
countries in the world are having a hard time accepting refugees. No one wants to live a wretched life
that poverty and filthy governments bequeaths. We can never understand them unless we put
ourselves into their shoes.
Speak UP
1. Are you sympathetic? Why? Why not?
2. You can only understand someone if you put yourself into his shoes. Why? Why not?
3. Have you ever lent your hand to a stranger? Why? Why not?
4. What are the things that you want someone to disclose? (Government, parents, ect.)
5. Give the things that poverty bequeaths.
6. Humanity is at the verge of extinction. What can we do about it?
7. Give one thing that has incontestable importance in your life. Why?
8. What are the things that you’re cynical about?
9. What are the things that should be promulgated instead? Why?
10. What is our opinion about refugees?
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Sparta Speaking
Day Choices
Getting Ready
1. Have you ever let go of an opportunity? Why?

2. What are your regrets in life? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Be considered adj.-
 Tony is considered the most handsome within the walls of their academy.
2. Option-
 They gave us too many options to choose from which made us confused.
3. Greener pasture-
 A lot of people are studying English to be able to work in a greener pasture.
4. Get axed-
 The employee got axed because of his lack of diligence.
5. Learn the ropes-

 I have to learn the ropes about teaching.
6. Risk-
 Not many people take the risk in their lives due to their fear of failing.
7. Passion-
 Passion is a very important factor in our professional life as without it, we will find
ourselves drowning in emptiness thus making us unhappy in our career.
8. Professional path-
 Before you turn 30, you must be sure of the professional path you’ll take not to waste
time and money.
9. Keep-
 He keeps his girlfriend happy by giving lavish gifts and throwing huge party for her.
10. Make-
 I make my mom worried every time I go home late.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Choosing the right career has always been tough for everyone. Not only that we don’t want to
waste our time and effort, but also we don’t want to risk our hard earned money. Moreover, there are a
lot of things to consider when picking our professional path. And one of them is our passion. A
research shows that most people who got axed from their jobs tend not to like what they are doing.
Also, it took them time to learn the ropes with similar reason. Of course to be in a greener pasture
is considered everyone’s dream. However, money isn’t always everything.
Speak UP
1. What is the most important thing to consider in choosing a professional path? Why?
2. What did you risk to pursue your career? Are you satisfied with the result? Why? Why not?
3. Are you willing to sacrifice your love life for a greener pasture? Why? Why not?
4. Why do people get axed from their job? Do you know any unfair situation? Embarrassing?
5. Do you consider the 3D’s when in between of jobs? Why? Why not?
6. What do string do you want to add to your bow? Why?
7. What do you consider plum jobs?
8. How are millennials changing the work force? Why?
9. Are you aware of bitcoin? How will it change our future jobs?
10. In your opinion, what should be done to abate glass ceiling in every work place?
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Sparta Speaking
Day Unknown World

10 “Go somewhere unfamiliar; realize how insignificant you are.” ~anonymous~
Getting Ready
1. Have you ever got lost? What did you do?

2. If you were to explore any ancient civilization, what would it be? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Given the fact that-

 Given the fact that English is necessity these days, you must study it.
2. Thrill-
 Extreme sports give me thrill.
3. Insignificant-
 Some people treat people different from them insignificantly.
4. Conform to-
 People were expected to conform to Euthanasia, but they strongly negated it.
5. Glance at-
 The fortune teller glances at her crystal ball trying to foresee the future.
6. Lead to-
 The teacher intervened at the students’ discussion as it may lead to a heated argument.
7. Agree on-
 Whatever he says, you must never agree on him because he is a skilled trickster.
8. Undeniable-
 Eden has undeniable charm that makes women swoon over just by the sight of him.
9. Broaden-
 To broaden your understanding, you should open your mind from different point of
views.
10. Marvel at-

 The audience marvels at the show- stopping performance of their beloved rock band.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Going somewhere unfamiliar is risky and scary for some. But for me, exploring unknown places
gives me a thrill. Given the fact that you are a stranger to that place, some people might treat you
insignificantly. You may find that some of their norm doesn’t conform to yours which may lead to
petty arguments. Some people even glance at you with scorn on their faces due to the way you look or
the way you move. Despite all the negativities, it is undeniable that by doing so, you’ll broaden your
horizon and understanding about the world. You’d learn that there’s more beyond borders. Hence, I
strongly believe that traveling and experiencing new things are the keys to break the chain of ignorance
that binds us.
Speak UP
1. Traveling and experiencing new things are the keys to break the chain of ignorance that binds
us. Do you agree? Why? Why not?
2. Have you ever tried to be treated insignificantly? What did you do?
3. What are the things that give you thrill?
4. What will you do if people around you don’t conform to your ideas?
5. What we learn from schools is only 30 % of the total knowledge. Why? Why not?
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Sparta Speaking
Day Unknown Society

Getting Ready
1. Do you know any secret society?

2. Explain what you know about them.
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Speculate about-
 Police officers speculated about the real motive of the serial killer.
2. Unveil-
 The singer unveils her private life to her fans.
3. Shroud-
 Irene wants to uncover the enigma shrouding the sudden death of her mother.
4. Chaos-
 My room was left in chaos after the formidable cyclone passed.
5. Point at-
 I want to point at the degraded lands as a cause of major landslide and flood downtown.
6. Minorities-
 A lot of minorities are treated less all over the world.
7. Nerve- wracking-
 Watching the magician buried alive was nerve- wracking for me.
8. Bring up-
 The student’s misconduct was brought up at the meeting to decide for an appropriate
punishment.
9. Fabricate-
 They fabricated a malicious story about his mother to provoke him do a crime.
10. Catastrophic-
 The catastrophic earthquake left the citizens homeless.
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Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
There so many speculations about the existence of some secret societies, but thanks to the
advancement of our cyber technology, the mysteries shrouding this issue are slowly unveiled to the
unsuspecting humanity. Have you ever wondered how wars break out? Well, our history books answers
those questions. Do they? Nerve- wracking, newly- found evidence shows the real power of these
secret societies and how they fabricate catastrophic events to brainwash people by the tactic they
call “Hegelian Dialectic” wherein the government will create chaos to his people, controls the
problem by blaming an enemy or unwanted minorities, and solves it by a direct attack, which
means war, to the blamed.
Speak UP
1. Do you absolutely believe in history? Why? Why not?
2. Talk about a nerve- wracking experience you had.
3. What is your opinion about the “Hegelian Dialectic”? Does it make any sense? Why? Why not?
4. How are minorities treated insignificantly? What should be done to stop this acts?
5. Ignorance brings chaos, yet ignorance is bliss. Why?
22 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Unknown Future

Getting Ready
1. If you’re given the chance to see your future, would you do it? Why? Why not?
2. If you were to meet an important person in the future, who would it be? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Comment on-
 The news anchor commented on the drug war done by the president.
2. Participate in-
 The students participated in the school singing competition.
3. Specialize in-
 Three of my friends are doctors, but one of them specializes in orthopedic.
4. Divine intervention-
 The town folks are talking about the miraculous event as a divine intervention.
5. Despite sth.-
 Despite the heavy rain, we continued playing soccer on an open field.
6. Infer from-
 The judges infer their verdict from the performances showed to them.
7. Cognitive distortion-
 Teaching false information is a form of cognitive distortion.
8. Rely on-
 The singer relies on his drug to be able to perform with great enthusiasm on stage.
9. Probable cause-
 Don’t judge someone without a probable cause.
10. Since-
 I have to hit my book hard since I need to pass my university entrance exam.
23 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
I just want to comment on the issue about fortune telling. Despite the skepticism on fortune
telling, the popularity of these medium has never faded since then. They are even promoted by famous
personalities. Thus, more and more souls are participating in this activity. However, according to The
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles, fortune telling is a cognitive distortion. This means that
fortune tellers who claim to have specialized in glancing at one’s future often says things without
any probable cause. They predict with their own perception and not by any supernatural ability or
divine intervention. But, of course it’s up to the person whether to believe in fortune telling or not.
Speak UP
1. Do you believe in fortune telling being caused by divine intervention? Why? Why not?
2. Why do people keep participating in fortune telling despite skeptics?
3. What are the banes of fortune telling to us?
4. Is astrology related to fortune telling? Why? Why not?
5. What will happen if everyone has the ability to see their future?
24 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Unknown Truth

Getting Ready
1. Have you ever lied to someone?

2. If yes, what was it? Why? Why not?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Cover one’s track-

 Ishan covers his own tracks properly afraid of being caught by his wife.
2. Deceive-
 The cellphone dealer deceived me by saying that the phone was brand new which in
fact wasn’t.
3. Hold one’s tongue-

 Peter wants to negate his friends’ opinion, but he held his tongue to avoid an
argument.
4. Beget-
 Lie begets lie, so stop lying.
5. Black lies -
 He wants something from me so he told me black lies.
6. White lies-
 He doesn’t want to hurt my feelings, so he told me white lies.
7. Burst one’s bubbles-

 My friend always dream of marrying a Hollywood actor. Therefore, I burst her
bubbles by saying that she’s not pretty and rich enough to marry him.
8. Affiliative deception -
 We opt to use affiliative deception not to hurt someone’s feelings.
9. Justify-
 You have to justify your accusations before even spreading it.
10. Since then-

 Her boyfriend cheated on her not once but twice before they broke up. Since then, she
has a hard time trusting men around her.
25 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
A lie begets lie. In everyday life, people sometimes tell “black lies” or “white lies” whether to
cover one’s tracks or to please others. Whatever the reason of deception maybe, the deceiver tells
untrue information to mislead the deceived. Since then, people try to justify that white lies are
harmless and reasonable because the deceiver lies to please by using affiliative deception. For
example, you tell that your friend’s dress looks good on him though it doesn’t really matches your style
since you don’t want to burst his bubbles and hurt his feelings.
Speak UP
1. When can we say that a white lie is justifiable? Why?
2. Who often say white lies? Black lies? Why?
3. Truth or white lie if...
a. You found out that your suicidal sister’s boyfriend is cheating on her.
b. Your parents are expecting you to graduate, but you flunk your exams.
c. Your boyfriend/ girlfriend is expecting wedding bells in the future, but you don’t love
him/ her anymore.
26 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day New Knowledge

14 “Learn without ceasing.” ~anonymous~
Getting Ready
1. If you were to study another language, what would it be? Why?

2. At what age should we study another language?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Competent-
 The applicant is not competent due to lack of experience, so she was not hired.
2. Inevitable-
 Insect bites are inevitable if you spend a night in a rainforest.
3. Law of the jungle-

 Most governments are ruled by the law of the jungle, so their citizens are having a
hard life.
4. Hostile-
 We encountered a hostile weather as we ascend to the summit of Mt. Everest.
5. Daylight robbery-
 “100 peso for a glass of cheap beer? That’s daylight robbery!”
6. Advancement-
 We can’t stop the advancement of desertification, can we?
7. Battlefield-
 Countless soldiers died in battlefield during WWI and WWII.
8. Live beyond means-

 The cost of living in New York is higher than his daily wages, so he ended up living
beyond his means.
9. Govern by-
 The school is governed by strict rules.
10. Keep up-

 My friend exercises and eats healthy food to keep up with his hyperactive children who
always play with him after work.
27 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
Nowadays, our world becomes tougher and more terrifying wherein everything turns
into inevitable battlefields for survival. Businesses are governed by the law of the jungle,
daylight robbery is everywhere, and more and more people are living beyond means. So,
how can we become globally competent to keep up in this ever changing world? I for one
would say broaden your horizon through learning languages. It seems implausible, but as they
say knowledge is power. Effective communication is the key to become competent enough to
thrive in this hostile world.
Speak UP
1. How can a language help us survive in this world?
2. What are the banes of learning a language?
3. What language should we learn to call ourselves smart? Why?
4. Introducing 2 or three languages on a baby can lead to confusion thus speech delay? Why? Why
not?
5. How do emoticons affect our learning?
28 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day New Horizon

15 “Work with pleasure if you can.” ~anonymous~
Getting Ready
1. What are the plum jobs? Would you like to have that kind of job? Why? Why not?
2. What do you consider when job hunting?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Cultivate-
 We should cultivate our minds by reading good books.
2. Since + time-
 He has been here in the office since 9am.
3. Emerge-
 Several facts started to emerge from my investigation.
4. Proportion of-
 The proportion of female graduates has increased in recent years.
5. Over-
 The government plans to roll out a series of tax cuts over the next few years.
6. Motivate-
 The profit-sharing plan is designed to motivate the staff to work hard.
7. Retain-
 If you want to retain youthful vigor, you have to take regular exercise.
8. Engage in-
 The government refused to engage in direct dialogue with the terrorists.
9. Adjustment in-
 The company made an adjustment in my salary.
10. Milennials-
 In some cases, the members of the millennial generation have been done with their
degrees for a few years and/or are already semi-established in their careers.
29 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
The millennial generation is the largest age group to emerge since the baby boom
generation, and as this group grows significantly as a proportion of workforce over the next
20 years, employers will need to make major adjustments in their engagement models.
Motivating, engaging, and retaining people will never cease as managerial priorities, but
employers will have carefully consider what strategies they will use to cultivate and retain
valuable millennial employees now and into the future.
Speak UP
1. What is a conventional workforce? Do you want this kind of norm? Why? Why not?
2. How are millennials changing the traditional workforce?
3. What are the possible jobs in the future?
4. What should employers do to keep up with millennial workforce? Why?
5. Is work with pleasure possible? Why? Why not? Describe your ideal job.
30 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Plum Jobs

Getting Ready
1. What are the plum jobs that you know?

2. Do you consider the 3 D’s in the middle of jobs? Why? Why not?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Reliant on-
 We are reliant on technologies these days that we go nuts without them.
2. Field of-
 The field of science is constantly evolving through time.
3. Ethical hacker-
 Ethical hackers are paid by the car company to test their security systems.
4. Vulnerable-
 The premature baby is vulnerable to diseases.
5. Dead wood-
 The company is firing dead woods to cut down expenses.
6. Glass ceiling-
 I know that I can’t break the glass ceiling in this company. So, even if I work hard, I
never get the promotion that I deserve because I am a woman!
7. Grease someone’s palm-

 Melanie got the job despite her lack of expertise. She greased the manager’s palm
surely.
8. Plum job-
 Mark is so lucky because he is paid about $100, 000 to take care of a private island. That
is definitely a plum job!
9. Thrill-
 He loves the thrill from extreme sports, so he joins them whenever he has the chance.
10. Hack-
 The students were kicked out from their academy because they hacked the school’s
database.
31 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
You might be thinking, “People get actually get paid to hack?” Well, yes, they do. As technology
grows and society becomes increasingly reliant on it, the field of ethical hacking is growing
significantly. Ethical hackers are hired to test computer and computer network systems in order to
identify security vulnerabilities. Although ethical hacking positions could be seen weird or odd jobs,
many people love the thrill that comes from staying a step ahead computer criminals. And positions
exist in all kinds of settings, from government departments and banks to vehicles manufacturers and
home security companies.
Speak UP
Direction: Answer the following questions using the learned vocabularies.
1. What field do you want to be an expert on? Why?
2. What jobs do you consider thrilling? Dull? Why?
3. Who often receives grease on their palms? Why?
4. Do some companies in your country practice glass ceiling? Explain.
5. How can we reduce or break the glass ceiling in our society? Elaborate.
32 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Beauty Standards

17 “People are pressured conforming to the standards set by their environment.” ~anonymous~
Getting Ready
1. What do you think is the best part of your body? Why?

2. What makes a person beautiful?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. For a while-
 For a while, students complained about the new policy. They finally stopped when
things were explained to them.
2. Ideal-
 My ideal boyfriend is tall with chiseled body and handsome.
3. Hour glass-
 Long time ago, people check their time using an hour glass.
4. Vertically challenged-
 My friend was not accepted in the basketball team despite of his skills. Only because he is
vertically challenged.
5. Shut someone out-

 I was so sad when Jimmy shut me out with unknown reason. One day, he just stopped
talking to me.
6. Lose one’s grip on something-

 Don’t lose your grip on your senses even if you’re under a difficult situation.
7. Outlook-
 We have a positive outlook about the new project as it has good feedbacks from our
superiors.
8. Emergence-
 Due to the emergence of cellphones, people are having lesser time talking in person.
9. Platform-
 They use their platform to advocate gender equality.
10. Guilty pleasure-

 Reading gossip magazines is a guilty pleasure for many women.
33 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
With the emergence of photo- based social media platforms, such as Snapchat and
Instagram, women may feel pressured to meet social beauty standards now more than ever. Beauty
standards changes through time. For a while, the ideal woman was a tall blonde with long legs,
skinny, tan, and natural but pretty with perfect white teeth. Nowadays, everyone wants Kim K body
having a perfect hour glass shape. Whatever the standard is, it is deeply affecting our outlook on
beauty, as well as the way we see ourselves. Sometimes, we lose our grip on the things that make us
unique.
Speak UP
1. How does beauty standard change in your country?
2. Do you follow such standards? Why? Why not?
3. If you’re given a platform to advocate a beauty standard, what would it be? Why?
4. How do these standards affect our work place?
5. How do these beauty standards lead us to depression? How can we prevent it from happening?
34 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Power of Cosmetics

Getting Ready
1. Why do people put on make-up?

2. If you could change one part of your body, what would it be? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Utilize-
 You have to utilize whatever money you have left because your parents won’t give you.
2. Pleasure women-
 A lot of men spend so much money for pleasure women though they have partners.
3. Intimidate-
 She intimidates her opponent by speaking in thunderous voice.
4. A face that would stop a clock-

 Oh my gosh! Have you seen Mark lately? I didn’t recognize him coz’ he has a face that
would stop a clock. I still can’t imagine why so many girls like him with the face like
that.
5. Associated with-
 The man’s murder is associated with his job as a police officer.
6. Ritual-
 We perform different rituals during funerals.
7. Argue-
 Amanda argued with her teacher because of her wrong schedule.
8. Ache for-
 He aches for a new iphone phone, so he works hard to save money for it.
9. Jealous of-
 A lot of women are jealous of VS angels’ fame and fortune.
10. Pigment-
 Long time ago, people use red pigments to paint their bodies.
35 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
The history of cosmetics spans at least 7, 000 years and is present in almost every society on
earth. Cosmetic body art is argued to have been the earliest form as a ritual in human culture. The
evidence for this comes in the form of utilized red mineral pigments (red ochre) including crayons
associated with the emergence of Homo Sapiens in Africa. Back in the days, make- up was used by
warriors to intimidate or deceive their opponents. But in later years, it is used to enhance facial
features such as the eyes and lips or to make one’s face more attractive especially if she has a face that
would stop a clock. In Europe, lead- based powders were used to make their skin white as they ache
for younger appearance. In contrast, women who uses colorful make up such as blush or eye shadows
were considered pleasure women.
Speak UP
1. What are the common cosmetics used in your country? Do you use them? Why? Why not?
2. Is applying make- up a form of deception in a way? Why? Why not?
3. Will you choose artificial over natural beauty just in case? Why? Why not?
4. How does make- up develop confidence?
5. How does make- up steal our identity? Elaborate.
36 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Diet Fad

19 “Beauty comes from within.” ~writer~
Getting Ready
1. What do you usually eat for breakfast?

2. How important is breakfast in our diet? Why?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. Dress to kill-
 It’s his first date so he dresses to kill.
2. Amidst-
 Amidst the crowd, I spotted a beautiful lady in a stunning red dress.
3. In the long run-

 Invest in things that benefit you more in the long run.
4. Slim-
 The model is credited for maintaining her slim figure despite her crazy schedule.
5. One meal diet-

 She fainted because she has one meal diet. In fact, she only eats at lunch.
6. Think over-
 Before you give your decision, please think my proposal over.
7. Liquid diet-
 Adriana Lima, who’s a famous VS angel, admitted to undergoing liquid diet for 9 days
in order to maintain her waistline of 24.
8. Keen on-
 I am keen on checking the grammar mistakes of my students. I don’t want to miss any
mistakes.
9. Fad-
 Women often follow the fad.
10. Competitive-
 You must study English in order to fit in this competitive world.
37 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
As they want to fit in this competitive society, women should not only be beautiful and sexy,
but also smart. This is the new definition of beauty. As a result, a lot of women try different diet fads to
keep their slim figure amidst their busy schedule. Some even have crazy diet plans such as liquid
diets, one meal diet and so on resulting to serious health problems and sometimes if not prevented
can cause death. Well, there’s nothing wrong about going on a diet, but we must consider what our body
needs to stay healthy and not just keen on our physical appearance. What’s the point of being beautiful
outside if you suffer within? We must think over which can benefit us more in the long run.
Speak UP
1. What do you usually consider when purchasing food? (nutrients, cost, ect.)
2. What diet plan can you recommend to women who want to stay fit amidst their busy schedule?
3. If you won a beauty pageant, what will be your advice to people who wants to become beautiful?
4. When do you dress to kill? Why?
5. What are the crazy diets in your country? Do you follow them? Why? Why not?
38 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Day Confidence
20 “Confidence comes forth after you love yourself.” ~anonymous~
Getting Ready
1. Are you afraid of speaking out in front of a crowd? Why? Why not?
2. What do you do when you are having cold feet?
Vocabulary Bank
sentence.
1. In a nutshell-
 Break up with your boyfriend coz’ he is not good for you. He’s a two- timer. I met him
with his other girl, yet he didn’t even felt sorry about it. In a nutshell, he is a trash!
2. Self- esteem-
 My student has low self- esteem enabling him not to speak out in the class.
3. Conceited-
 That lady is so conceited! She always thinks that she’s the smartest and the most
beautiful woman around.
4. Evaluate-
 The academy has monthly exams to evaluate students’ English skills.
5. Derail-
 The teenager’s bright future was derailed by the bad influences of his peers.
6. Come up with-
 After a moment of brain storming, we finally came up with a brilliant idea to solve the
current problem.
7. Perspective-
 From my perspective, women should stop idolizing models and start loving their own
body.
8. Embrace-
 She embraces her new look despite heavy criticisms.
9. Compare to-
 He is often compared to his father.
10. Self- doubt-

 He keeps comparing himself to other people that results to self- doubt.
39 | P a g e
Sparta Speaking
Read it UP
What makes a person confident? We can come up with different answers for this question as
we differ in perspective. In my case, knowing your true value as a person makes us confident. I have
two reasons to explain my point of view. First, how can you show your real abilities to others if you
yourself are having self- doubt? A person must embrace his own weaknesses and develop them
making them his strengths. Second, you must stop comparing yourself to the people around you.
Stop evaluating yourself because what happens is when you don’t meet the standards, you get
depressed thus derailing you to your real destination. In a nutshell, confidence comes after you
learn how to appreciate and love yourself, either good or bad.
Speak UP
1. How can you build confidence?
2. What are your weaknesses? What do you do about it?
3. Have you ever had self- doubt? How did you deal with it?
4. Who do you consider conceited? Why?
5. In your perspective, how can self- evaluating derail us from our dreams?
40 | P a g e

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Sparta Speaking

Day Up Close and Personal

1. What do you love about yourself? Hate?

Day Dreams and Aspiration

1. How do you see yourself ten years from now?

1. What school is your elementary alma mater?

2. What are you taking up in university?

3. Why did you choose your major?

4. Did you earn any certificates? What are they?

7. At what age is the best time to study a new language?

8. Which gives a better education, private or public school? Why?

Day Authenticity and Personae

1. What makes you upset? How do you handle it?

1. What are you good at?

4. Are you happy with your complexion? Why? Why not?

5. Black is beautiful. Why? Why not?

8. Why do people want their own space?

Day I and Beyond

1. What makes you unique? Why?

Words used to describe one’s self in an interview...

6. Problem- solving skill-

9. Take pride in-

10. Dedicated worker-

1. Where do you see yourself in five years?

2. What is the best adjective to describe you?

4. Do you take pride in everything you do? Why? Why not?

5. What personality is needed to become successful?

6. What is your greatest professional strength?

7. What is your weakness?

8. At what time did you exercise leadership?

9. If you were a boss, how would you lead?

10. Do you take risks? Why? Why not?

Day Wider Horizon

1. Do you like traveling? Why? Why not?

3. Cost an arm and a leg-

1. How long do you usually slumber?

4. Do you want to buy them? Why? Why not?

7. What will you do if a person smirks at you?

8. Have you stumbled onto something? What did you do?

you go? Why?

Day Fun or Funny

1. Feel like a fish out of water-

2. Feel like a million dollars-

10. Give chill to one’s spine/ bone-

2. Talk about the time you felt like a million dollars.

3. What is your perception of fun?

4. What are the things you consider funny? Why?

5. Do you watch horror movies? Why? Why not?

7. Who is the super villain of your life? Why?

8. Diversity creates individuality; diversity destroys unity. Why?

Day Seize the Moment

1. Have you ever let go of an opportunity? Why?

1. Hit the road-

2. Hit the book-

3. Hit the wave-

7. Can’t see the logic of-

10. Opportunity knocks-

1. When is the best time to hit the book?