100 Small Talk Questions and Answers - Real English Conversation

1,790,807 views ・ 2023-03-09

English with Lucy


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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- Hello lovely students
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and welcome back to English with Lucy.
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So many of my students
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want to improve their conversation skills,
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but sometimes it can be really hard
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to think of the right question to say,
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and it's even harder to think of a good response
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to keep conversation going.
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If you want to keep a conversation going,
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it's really important that you ask open-ended questions.
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This is a key part of small talk.
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I really want to help you practise.
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So today I have got 100 open-ended small talk questions.
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Open-ended questions are questions that people cannot reply
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yes or no to.
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They have to say more than that.
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I am going to be asked these 100 questions
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and I am going to give you genuine answers
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so you can learn from me.
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And to help you even further,
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I have created an e-book for this lesson
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that you can download for free.
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It contains all 100 questions.
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It contains the full transcript of my answers
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with key vocabulary and a quiz.
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It is the ultimate small talk conversation e-book.
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If you would like to download
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my free small talk conversation e-book,
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all you've got to do is click on the link
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in the description box.
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You enter your name and your email address,
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you sign up to my mailing list,
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and the e-book will arrive directly in your email inbox.
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After that, you will automatically receive
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all of my free PDFs and lessons
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along with my news updates and offers.
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Right, let's get started with the small talk questions.
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I'm already nervous.
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- [Will] First topic, general small talk questions.
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Question one, how was your day today?
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- It's been pretty busy,
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but I've had a good day.
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Thanks.
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- [Will] Two, what did you do last weekend?
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- Last weekend I visited my family in Bedfordshire
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and we celebrated my brother's birthday.
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- [Will] Three, what hobbies or interests
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do you have outside of work?
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- I really like running, and I've just bought a treadmill,
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so I'm enjoying using that.
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- [Will] Four, have you watched any interesting movies
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or TV shows recently?
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- I've really been enjoying watching "The White Lotus."
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It's quite relaxing
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because it's set in a holiday destination.
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- [Will] Five, what type of music
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do you enjoy listening to?
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- I honestly don't listen to a lot of music,
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but I do really like Taylor Swift.
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She always makes me smile.
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- [Will] Six, do you have any pets
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and what's unique about them?
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- Ooh, good question.
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I have a dog and a cat.
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And what's unique about them is they have Spanish names
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because I love Spain.
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Diego, the dog, and Alfonso, the cat.
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- [Will] Seven, what's your favourite thing
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about the current season?
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- Ooh, we're coming into spring,
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and I love seeing all of the bulbs that I've planted
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in my garden start to peek up and show their petals.
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- [Will] Eight, what's the most recent book you've read
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that you've enjoyed?
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- "L'amica geniale," "My Brilliant Friend"
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by Elena Ferrante, an Italian author.
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I read it in English,
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but my goal is to read it in Italian.
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- [Will] Nine, what's your favourite type of cuisine
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to eat, and why?
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- Ooh, that's hard.
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I love so many different types of cuisine.
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I love Lebanese food.
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Anything that involves fresh fruits and vegetables.
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- [Will] 10, do you prefer living in a city
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or a rural area, and why?
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- I absolutely prefer to live in a rural area
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because I find nature so relaxing,
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although I do miss the conveniences of living in a city.
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- [Will] Second topic,
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work and career small talk questions.
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Question 11, what do you do for work
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and what's one thing you enjoy about it?
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- I run an education company.
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So when I'm not on YouTube,
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I'm making my English courses,
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my online English courses.
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And my favourite part of the job is receiving feedback
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from my students who have taken the courses.
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- [Will] 12, how did you get started
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in your line of work?
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- It all started with this YouTube channel here in 2019,
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and then slowly it grew into something a little bit bigger.
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- [Will] 13, what project are you currently working on?
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- We are currently working on a huge project,
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which is our C1 level course, our advanced English course.
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It's going to be amazing.
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It's going to come out in May.
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So if you're watching this in the future,
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check the description box.
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I will leave a link.
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And if you are interested,
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I have left the waiting list so you'll be the first to know.
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- [Will] 14, what do you think
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the future of your industry looks like?
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- I think it has a lot more
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artificial intelligence involved.
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- [Will] 15, what's one thing you've learned recently
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that's helped you in your job?
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- I have learned to listen carefully to criticism,
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but to not take it all to heart.
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- [Will] 16, what's the best professional advice
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you've ever received?
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- Well, it's not the most impressive,
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amazing, mind-blowing piece of advice ever,
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but when my YouTube channel was starting to take off,
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I was starting to make a little bit of income,
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I asked my dad if I should do it
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or if I should continue with my planned career path.
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And he said, "Give it a go."
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"Do it for two years."
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"If it doesn't work, you'll only be 23."
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"All you've lost is a little bit of time."
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It ended up being the best piece of advice
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I've ever followed.
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- [Will] 17, what do you think sets
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successful people apart in your field?
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- I think they are excited about what they do
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and what they create.
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- [Will] 18, what's one challenge you've faced at work
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and how did you overcome it?
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- One thing I found really difficult
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is managing a team of people.
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That's not ever something I thought I was going to be doing.
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And I've been trying to overcome it.
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I'm still learning.
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Recently, I have opened my calendar
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so that at the beginning of every month,
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everyone who works for me can check in for a 20-minute chat.
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We start this next week,
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so I hope that we'll help me be more in touch
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with my employees.
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- [Will] 19, do you have any career goals
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you're working towards?
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- I would say more of a lifestyle goal.
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I would like to not have to work all the time
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whilst my children are young.
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I am not expecting children at the moment,
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but I would like to have them in the future.
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- [Will] 20, have you ever had
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an interesting work experience or job?
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- I worked in a juice bar for a number of years
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and I learned a lot about fruit.
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And I love fruits.
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That was great for me.
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- [Will] Third topic, travel small talk questions.
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Question 21, have you travelled anywhere recently
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and where did you go?
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- Most recently, we visited Thailand,
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and we went to Phuket and Koh Yao Noi, and it was beautiful.
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- [Will] 22, what's your favourite place
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you've ever visited and why?
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- That would have to be Seville.
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I totally fell in love with the city
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and its culture and its people.
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- [Will] 23, where would you like to go
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on your next trip?
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- We really would like to go to Vietnam.
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I am desperate to try pho, I think it's called.
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The bone broth soup and with noodles, pho,
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and I just really am desperate to see that country.
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- [Will] 24, do you prefer relaxing vacations
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or adventure trips and why?
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- I like to have a good balance.
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I do need to get the relaxation out of my system.
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I need to read a book,
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I need to lie in the shade,
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I need to swim,
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but I go a bit stale if I stay relaxing for too long.
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I need to do things and see things.
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- [Will] 25, what's one unique
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or exotic food you've tried while travelling?
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- Most recently, mangosteen.
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That fruit blew my mind.
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It was so delicious.
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I wish I could eat it everyday.
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- [Will] 26, what's the craziest
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or most memorable thing you've done on vacation?
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- I would say climbing to the top of Lion's Head
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in Cape Town at sunrise.
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That was absolutely beautiful.
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- [Will] 27, what's your favourite way to travel?
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- In style.
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- [Will] 28, do you prefer travelling alone
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or with others?
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- Always with my husband.
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Well, my husband was a farmer and now he works with me.
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And before, I used to travel a lot alone
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and I used to think,
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"Damn it, he would love to see this."
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I always used to feel so sad that he couldn't come with me.
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So now it's such a pleasure to travel together.
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- [Will] 29, have you ever had
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a negative travel experience and how did you handle it?
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- Yes, I once turned up at a supposedly five star hotel
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that was nothing like the photos,
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and I very calmly explained
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that I was going to move to another hotel
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and I'd like a refund.
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And luckily, they did comply.
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- [Will] 30, what's one cultural experience
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you've had while travelling that you'll never forget?
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- La Feria de Abril in Sevilla,
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the feria in Seville.
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It's just this incredible party
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with striped marquees everywhere.
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Everyone wears flamingo dresses.
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(gasps) I can't wait to go back.
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- [Will] Fourth topic, hobbies and interests
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small talk questions.
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Question 31, what's one hobby or interest
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you are passionate about?
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- Exercise.
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It just makes me feel so good.
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- [Will] 32, what's the most recent hobby
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or interest you've taken up?
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- I would say learning Italian with my tutor Aliche,
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who is amazing.
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I found her on Languator,
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which is a platform that I'm a part of.
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You can find your own tutor
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for the language you are learning.
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There's a link down below.
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- [Will] 33, do you have any hidden talents
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that people might not know about?
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- I can play the violin, and I'm also really flexible.
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- [Will] 34, what's one thing you've learned recently
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that relates to your hobby or interest?
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(Lucy speaking in foreign language)
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- I've learned to speak Italian a little bit.
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- [Will] 35, have you ever taken a class
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or workshop related to your hobby or interest?
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- Ooh, well, a workshop I took recently
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was a jewellery making workshop
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where I learned to make a silver bangle,
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and that was great fun.
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- [Will] 36, what's the most adventurous
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or daring thing you've done
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related to your hobby or interest?
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- Well, to do with language learning,
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I think going to Spain at the age of 16, 17
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and spending a week there.
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Immersing myself in the language was quite daring.
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I spent ages saving up for the language course myself
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and it was fantastic
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and the start of my language teaching career basically.
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- [Will] 37, what's one thing you like to learn
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or accomplish related to your hobby or interest?
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- Well, if we're going to talk about language learning,
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I always like to learn how to make people laugh
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in the language I'm learning.
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That gives me a lot of satisfaction.
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- [Will] 38, do you prefer indoor
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or outdoor activities, and why?
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- Well, it's hard to say.
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If the weather's good, outdoor 100%.
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But I'm English, I live in England,
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so I've just bought a treadmill to run indoors.
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- [Will] 39, what's one activity or interest
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you'd like to try in the future?
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- What do I wanna do?
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I don't know.
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- Golf? - No.
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(Will laughing)
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Oh, I don't know why, but I really want to try archery.
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- [Will] 40,
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what's the most interesting thing you've learned
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unrelated to work or school?
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- How to run a business.
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It is such an amazing experience,
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and I learned absolutely nothing about it at school.
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- [Will] Fifth topic,
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food and drink small talk questions.
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Question 41, what's your favourite type of food, and why?
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- Fruit, because it's so refreshing,
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it tastes amazing, and it makes me feel good.
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12:40
- [Will] 42, do you enjoy cooking
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12:43
and what's your favourite dish to prepare?
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2820
12:46
- I love cooking,
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12:47
and my go-to dish is actually normally a risotto.
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4710
12:52
I can whip up a good risotto
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2109
12:54
with very few ingredients in my fridge.
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12:57
- [Will] 43, what's one unique
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13:00
or exotic food you've tried and enjoyed?
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13:02
- Well, in Thailand we actually went on a cookery course
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13:06
and we learned to make pad thai
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13:09
and mango sticky rice and green Thai curry,
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13:12
and that was amazing.
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13:14
- [Will] 44, do you have any dietary restrictions
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13:17
and how do you manage them?
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13:19
- I don't.
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930
13:20
I'm very, very lucky to have no dietary restrictions,
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13:23
so I don't need to manage them.
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13:26
- [Will] 45, what's your favourite restaurant or cafe
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13:28
and what do you like about it?
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13:30
- I love a good local pub.
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13:34
We've got some great ones around us.
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13:36
And for me, the best part is on a sunny day,
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13:39
an unexpectedly sunny day in England,
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2820
13:42
sitting outside in a pub garden.
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13:46
- [Will] 46, what's one dish or cuisine
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13:48
you've been wanting to try but haven't yet?
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2892
13:51
- Vietnamese food.
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13:53
I need to try pho.
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13:54
- [Will] 47, what's your favourite type of alcohol
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2850
13:57
or non-alcoholic beverage?
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1800
13:59
- I really like wine and gin for alcohol.
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2226
14:01
Non-alcoholic, I love fresh fruit juice.
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4344
14:06
Fresh fruit and vegetable juice.
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1950
14:08
- [Will] 48, do you prefer sweet
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2010
14:10
or savoury foods, and why?
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1673
14:11
- Definitely savoury.
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1927
14:13
Sometimes sweet foods can be overpowering.
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2730
14:16
And also, because we eat them at the end of the meal,
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2250
14:18
I often don't have room.
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1680
14:20
I'm not very good at managing my appetite.
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14:23
- [Will] 49, what's one food or drink you've tried
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2850
14:26
that you didn't like?
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1500
14:27
- For me, it's anything that is really, really spicy.
338
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3780
14:31
I can handle spice but not obnoxious levels of spies.
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4500
14:35
Not the level that hurts your tongue.
340
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2700
14:38
- [Will] 50, have you ever tried cooking a new dish,
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2466
14:41
and how did it turn out?
342
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1944
14:43
- I tried cooking pierogi, I think they're called.
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14:47
Potato dumplings that you often find
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2160
14:49
in Ukrainian and Polish cuisines.
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2438
14:52
And they went okay.
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2770
14:54
I found them delicious,
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1842
14:56
but when I showed my polish friend,
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1650
14:58
she said I'd done them wrong.
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2280
15:00
- [Will] Sixth topic,
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1170
15:01
family and relationships small talk questions.
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3180
15:04
Question 51, do you have any siblings
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2790
15:07
and what's your relationship with them like?
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2850
15:10
- I do.
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833
15:11
I have a younger brother called George.
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1627
15:13
He's four and a half years younger than me,
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2310
15:15
and we have a fantastic relationship.
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2460
15:17
I consider him a good friend.
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1410
15:19
- [Will] 52, what's your family like
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1742
15:20
and what do you enjoy most about spending time with them?
360
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2756
15:23
- My family is small.
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1652
15:25
My mom, my dad, my brother, my husband and me.
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3690
15:29
And what I love about spending time with them
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2700
15:31
is that we just do not stop laughing.
364
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3420
15:35
- [Will] 53, do you have any nieces or nephews
365
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2940
15:38
and what do you enjoy doing with them?
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2730
15:40
- Ah.
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833
15:42
- [Will] Such a hard question.
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1680
15:44
- I have got a niece or nephew
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3750
15:48
that is due to be born in April,
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3150
15:51
so I'm hopefully gonna be an aunt.
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2204
15:53
I'm so excited.
372
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1486
15:55
Haven't met them yet,
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1410
15:56
but if they are watching this in the future,
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2550
15:58
I'm so excited to meet you.
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1860
16:00
- [Will] 54, are you in a relationship or married
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2507
16:03
and how did you meet your partner?
377
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3043
16:06
- Yes, I am married to my husband, Will,
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2490
16:08
who is doing a very good job
379
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1440
16:10
of reading out these questions to me.
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2130
16:12
- [Will] Hi, everyone.
381
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1182
16:13
- And we met at Young Farmers' Clubs,
382
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4698
16:18
which is a very British rural teenager social club,
383
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5000
16:24
which is just as cool as it sounds.
384
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1626
16:25
But if you get a husband out of it,
385
985656
2004
16:27
it's totally worth going to.
386
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1634
16:29
- [Will] 55, do you have any children
387
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2626
16:31
and what do you enjoy most about being a parent?
388
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2174
16:34
- I don't have any children
389
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2053
16:36
so I can't really answer that question,
390
996147
2086
16:38
but I hope to have them at some point one day.
391
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4337
16:42
- [Will] 56, what's one challenge you faced
392
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2580
16:45
in a past relationship and how did you overcome it?
393
1005150
3090
16:48
- Being unsuitable for each other and leaving.
394
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4053
16:54
- [Will] 57, what's one piece of relationship advice
395
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2803
16:56
you'd give to someone in a new relationship?
396
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2837
16:59
- Infatuation is very different to long lasting love,
397
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3510
17:03
but you can enjoy both stages with each other
398
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2670
17:05
in different ways.
399
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1200
17:07
- [Will] 58, have you ever been on a memorable
400
1027080
2460
17:09
or interesting date and what happened?
401
1029540
2700
17:12
- Once I went on a date with a guy
402
1032240
1530
17:13
and he asked me what I wanted to drink and I said,
403
1033770
2921
17:16
"Please, can I have a gin and tonic?"
404
1036691
1819
17:18
And the barman said, "normal or slimline?"
405
1038510
2760
17:21
And the guy looked me up and down and said, "slimline."
406
1041270
2750
17:25
And it wasn't a joke.
407
1045140
1323
17:27
He was weird.
408
1047750
1410
17:29
- [Will] 59, do you have a best friend
409
1049160
2160
17:31
and what's one thing you love about them?
410
1051320
2172
17:33
- I have two best friends and I love them in different ways.
411
1053492
4338
17:37
I've got my friend, Ellie.
412
1057830
1320
17:39
I have loads of history with her.
413
1059150
2280
17:41
We've known each other since we were born basically.
414
1061430
3060
17:44
And my friend Felicity is someone I see sporadically.
415
1064490
4740
17:49
But when we get together,
416
1069230
1110
17:50
it's like no time has passed at all.
417
1070340
2190
17:52
- [Will] 60, what's one memorable family holiday
418
1072530
2558
17:55
or trip you've taken together?
419
1075088
2092
17:57
- So growing up,
420
1077180
1410
17:58
my grandparents had a little apartment
421
1078590
3017
18:01
in the south of Portugal.
422
1081607
2263
18:03
They used to hibernate there in the winter and play golf.
423
1083870
3060
18:06
And we went there every summer as a family.
424
1086930
2970
18:09
And I hadn't been back there for seven years,
425
1089900
2970
18:12
and I went back last year with my husband and my parents,
426
1092870
5000
18:17
and it was amazing to be in my childhood holiday location
427
1097970
5000
18:23
and to have my husband.
428
1103070
1860
18:24
I felt like a child and an adult all at once.
429
1104930
3870
18:28
It was a crazy, crazy experience.
430
1108800
2160
18:30
- [Will] Seventh topic, current events small talk questions.
431
1110960
3810
18:34
Question 61, have you been following
432
1114770
2460
18:37
any interesting news stories lately,
433
1117230
1903
18:39
and what are your thoughts on them?
434
1119133
2177
18:41
- One big news story in the UK recently
435
1121310
2283
18:43
was about a woman that went missing called Nicola Bulley,
436
1123593
4167
18:47
and I found that really, really scary
437
1127760
4057
18:51
and fascinating to watch at the same time.
438
1131817
2963
18:54
- [Will] 62, what's your opinion
439
1134780
1950
18:56
on the current political climate or social issues?
440
1136730
3240
18:59
- Oh, well that's a big question.
441
1139970
2850
19:02
Dire.
442
1142820
1500
19:04
- [Will] 63, have you tried any new technology
443
1144320
2415
19:06
or gadgets recently and what's your review of them?
444
1146735
3141
19:09
- I have been playing around with ChatGPT,
445
1149876
3129
19:13
and it has been scary and useful all at the same time.
446
1153005
5000
19:19
- [Will] 64, what's one recent scientific discovery
447
1159260
3120
19:22
or breakthrough that caught your attention?
448
1162380
2670
19:25
- Definitely the development of artificial intelligence.
449
1165050
3660
19:28
I feel that we are at a turning point.
450
1168710
2550
19:31
- [Will] 65, have you been following any sports news,
451
1171260
2776
19:34
and what teams or athletes do you support?
452
1174036
3224
19:37
- Not really.
453
1177260
833
19:38
I mean, the Six Nations is going on
454
1178093
1977
19:40
and my husband talks a lot about it,
455
1180070
2001
19:42
but I can't say that sport really interests me too much.
456
1182071
3529
19:45
- [Will] 66, what's your opinion
457
1185600
1671
19:47
on the latest celebrity gossip or news?
458
1187271
3099
19:50
- I used to follow a lot of celebrity gossip and news.
459
1190370
3270
19:53
I just don't find it as interesting anymore.
460
1193640
3000
19:56
But I do really like seeing beautiful dresses
461
1196640
3390
20:00
on the red carpet.
462
1200030
1200
20:01
- [Will] 67, what's your take
463
1201230
1710
20:02
on the current state of the economy or job market?
464
1202940
2666
20:05
- I'm really worried about the economy at the moment.
465
1205606
3004
20:08
We have huge inflation.
466
1208610
1800
20:10
Food is really expensive.
467
1210410
1680
20:12
Fuel is really expensive.
468
1212090
1590
20:13
It costs a lot to heat your home.
469
1213680
1560
20:15
In the job market, I've heard rumours that people are taking
470
1215240
3030
20:18
a little bit more control
471
1218270
1530
20:19
and not accepting as low pay,
472
1219800
1403
20:21
and I'm really for that.
473
1221203
2137
20:23
- [Will] 68, have you discovered any interesting books,
474
1223340
2525
20:25
podcasts, or other media lately
475
1225865
3055
20:28
and what did you like about them?
476
1228920
1800
20:30
- There are two podcasts that I've been enjoying recently,
477
1230720
2820
20:33
and they are by two British newspapers
478
1233540
3055
20:36
that are leaning to the left and the right,
479
1236595
3575
20:40
so I get both sides of the same story really.
480
1240170
2658
20:42
One is Stories of our times by The Sunday Times.
481
1242828
3642
20:46
The other is Today in Focus by The Guardian.
482
1246470
2580
20:49
And it's really interesting to hear them both cover
483
1249050
2490
20:51
the same story but in slightly different ways.
484
1251540
2970
20:54
- [Will] 69, what's your opinion on climate change
485
1254510
3150
20:57
and what actions do you think we can take to combat it?
486
1257660
3420
21:01
- I feel frustrated by climate change
487
1261080
2640
21:03
because there are these huge corporations
488
1263720
3270
21:06
making so much of a negative impact
489
1266990
2526
21:09
that sometimes as one human I feel quite insignificant.
490
1269516
4601
21:14
But I'm really, really making an effort
491
1274117
3073
21:17
to take more control over what I can do
492
1277190
3450
21:20
to improve climate change.
493
1280640
2280
21:22
- [Will] 70, have you been following
494
1282920
1680
21:24
any recent cultural trends or movements,
495
1284600
2110
21:26
and what's your take on them?
496
1286710
2480
21:29
- I have been interested in the Anti-Work
497
1289190
2907
21:32
or Anti-Work Movement.
498
1292097
2202
21:34
I like using Reddit,
499
1294299
1761
21:36
and I've seen some things on that Reddit sub-forum
500
1296060
2319
21:38
and I find them really interesting
501
1298379
2631
21:41
that people are suddenly sticking it to the man.
502
1301010
3900
21:44
- [Will] Eighth topic, personal small talk questions.
503
1304910
3630
21:48
Question 71, where did you grow up, and what was it like?
504
1308540
4140
21:52
- I grew up in a tiny village in Bedfordshire,
505
1312680
4230
21:56
and it was a very happy childhood.
506
1316910
2351
21:59
Very rural, in the countryside,
507
1319261
2225
22:01
lots of playing in the garden.
508
1321486
2174
22:03
- [Will] 72, what's one childhood memory
509
1323660
2370
22:06
that stands out to you, and why?
510
1326030
2220
22:08
- I remember waking up,
511
1328250
1590
22:09
it must have been my seventh birthday I think,
512
1329840
3990
22:13
and my parents had put a trampoline in the garden.
513
1333830
5000
22:19
And I kid you not,
514
1339350
1620
22:20
I spent every waking hour on that trampoline.
515
1340970
3150
22:24
I absolutely loved it.
516
1344120
2310
22:26
- [Will] 73, what was your relationship like
517
1346430
2730
22:29
with your sibling when you were both growing up?
518
1349160
2550
22:31
- Well, it was funny
519
1351710
1110
22:32
because I was five years older than George.
520
1352820
2490
22:35
That's a big gap when one is two and one is six
521
1355310
3300
22:38
or when one is 10 and one is 14.
522
1358610
2220
22:40
So we weren't so close as children.
523
1360830
2670
22:43
It's only now we are adults that we are really close.
524
1363500
2850
22:46
- [Will] 74, what's the best thing
525
1366350
1920
22:48
that's ever happened to you and how did it make you feel?
526
1368270
3123
22:52
- Getting married.
527
1372530
1020
22:53
I just felt high on life.
528
1373550
3540
22:57
I was so unbelievably happy.
529
1377090
2250
22:59
I got to marry the man of my dreams
530
1379340
2580
23:01
and be surrounded by everyone I loved.
531
1381920
3600
23:05
And it was just after COVID,
532
1385520
2370
23:07
so it was the first time I'd seen so many people
533
1387890
2106
23:09
in over two years.
534
1389996
1734
23:11
- [Will] 75, what's one challenge
535
1391730
2070
23:13
or obstacle you faced in your life
536
1393800
2100
23:15
and how did you overcome it?
537
1395900
1500
23:17
- I was really ill as a teenager.
538
1397400
1950
23:19
From the age of 14 to 16,
539
1399350
1249
23:20
I had glandular fever
540
1400599
1901
23:22
and then a weird post-viral chronic fatigue thing,
541
1402500
4256
23:26
and it wiped me out,
542
1406756
1714
23:28
and it was a rubbish time and I was very depressed.
543
1408470
3870
23:32
It's such a blur that I don't even know how I overcame it.
544
1412340
3960
23:36
I just know that I had a lot of support from my family.
545
1416300
2610
23:38
- [Will] 76, do you have any personal goals
546
1418910
2580
23:41
or aspirations that you're working towards?
547
1421490
2046
23:43
- Oh, a big goal is to have a happy family
548
1423536
3684
23:47
with a couple of children.
549
1427220
1500
23:48
- [Will] 77, what's one thing you're proud of
550
1428720
2370
23:51
or accomplished recently outside of work?
551
1431090
2181
23:53
- I've made some pretty big charity donations this year
552
1433271
3579
23:56
that I am personally very proud of, I think.
553
1436850
2880
23:59
- [Will] 78, who's one person that's influenced
554
1439730
2723
24:02
or inspired you and how have they impacted your life?
555
1442453
3700
24:07
- My dad because he's so supportive,
556
1447350
2250
24:09
so kind, so encouraging,
557
1449600
1618
24:11
and that's how I hope to be.
558
1451218
3152
24:14
- [Will] 79, what's one thing you've done
559
1454370
2130
24:16
for someone else recently and how did it make you feel?
560
1456500
2761
24:19
- I helped someone very close with me
561
1459261
2856
24:22
achieve something they've wanted to do for a long time,
562
1462117
2433
24:24
and it made me feel really good.
563
1464550
1932
24:26
And that's all I can say.
564
1466482
1628
24:28
- [Will] 80, what's one thing you've learned in life
565
1468110
2430
24:30
that's helped you grow or become a better person?
566
1470540
2120
24:32
- Not everyone is going to like you, and that is okay.
567
1472660
4870
24:37
- [Will] Ninth topic, technology small talk questions.
568
1477530
4110
24:41
Question 81, what's one technology or gadget
569
1481640
3510
24:45
you can't live without, and why?
570
1485150
2460
24:47
- Oh, it has to be my phone.
571
1487610
1410
24:49
So much of what I do is done on my phone.
572
1489020
3000
24:52
- [Will] 82, have you tried any new apps,
573
1492020
2227
24:54
software, or devices recently
574
1494247
2003
24:56
and what's your review of them?
575
1496250
2370
24:58
- I've started wearing an Apple Watch,
576
1498620
2850
25:01
and I've found it really good,
577
1501470
1378
25:02
although the battery life is terrible.
578
1502848
2822
25:05
- [Will] 83, do you prefer Apple
579
1505670
1700
25:07
or Android products, and why?
580
1507370
2067
25:09
- I prefer Apple products.
581
1509437
2362
25:11
I think they are really user-friendly, and unfortunately,
582
1511799
4821
25:16
I love the way they all connect with each other.
583
1516620
2070
25:18
- [Will] 84, have you ever built or customised
584
1518690
2580
25:21
a computer or device and how did it turn out?
585
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- No, I've never done that.
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I would be interested in learning though.
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- [Will] 85, what's one recent technological advancement
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or development that you find interesting?
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- AI, definitely artificial intelligence.
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I feel like we're on the cusp of something amazing.
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25:40
This is the worst it's ever going to be.
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25:42
It's only going to get better,
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and I feel you have to keep up or get left behind.
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- [Will] 86, have you tried virtual reality
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25:50
or augmented reality, and what's your experience like?
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- I have, very briefly at an event,
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and I thought it was amazing.
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I'd love to explore it more.
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26:00
- [Will] 87, what's one useful app or tool you use regularly
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and how does it help you?
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26:06
- I use an app to track my menstrual cycle,
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26:09
and it helps me understand
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why I'm feeling rubbish some days.
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26:14
- [Will] 88, do you think technology has more positive
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26:17
or negative effects on our lives, and why?
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26:20
- I would say in the grand scheme of things, positive.
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26:22
There are lots of negative parts,
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but definitely for medical advancements, positive.
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26:28
- [Will] 89, what's one technological issue
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26:30
or challenge that you wish could be solved?
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3202
26:34
- My internet connection, please.
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26:36
I can't believe it's 2023,
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and in rural parts of the UK,
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26:39
you still can't get solid, reliable internet.
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26:44
- [Will] 90, do you have any tips or recommendations
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for staying safe and secure online?
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- Don't trust anyone.
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There are so many scammers.
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26:54
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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26:57
- [Will] 10th topic, lifestyle small talk questions.
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27:01
Question 91, what's your typical daily routine
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27:04
and how do you make the most of your time?
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2067
27:06
- We normally wake up at around 6:30.
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3093
27:09
I nearly always have porridge for breakfast,
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27:13
lunch between midday and one,
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2610
27:15
and dinner between six and eight.
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27:18
That's a bit random.
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27:19
And I make the most of my time
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27:22
by trying to get as much done in the morning as possible.
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3752
27:25
- [Will] 92, do you prefer to stay in or go out,
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3838
27:29
and what do you enjoy doing during your free time?
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2801
27:32
- Oh, I like a balance of both.
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27:34
I end up getting really stale if I stay in too much.
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27:37
I love going out of the weekends
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27:39
and staying in during the week.
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27:40
- [Will] 93, what's one activity or hobby
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2707
27:43
you find most relaxing or stress relieving?
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2444
27:45
- I don't know if it's a hobby, it's an activity,
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2926
27:48
but taking a bath, and especially a bath with a view.
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5000
27:54
I have a bath near a window,
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27:56
and sometimes there are sheep in the field,
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1740
27:58
and it's just lovely.
643
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1357
27:59
- [Will] 94, do you have any daily rituals or habits
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28:02
that you swear by?
645
1682241
2079
28:04
- I have a coffee in bed every morning, and I love that.
646
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4950
28:09
I love that little 20-minute period of waking up,
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4144
28:13
having a coffee.
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28:14
I know lots of people say
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28:15
you shouldn't have it first thing in the morning,
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28:17
but it works for me, and it makes me feel good.
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28:19
- [Will] 95, what do you typically have for lunch?
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4197
28:23
- I normally have soup in the winter
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3071
28:26
or a salad in the summer.
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2353
28:29
- [Will] 96, what's one way
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2136
28:31
you like to stay active or healthy,
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1880
28:33
and how has it benefited you?
657
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2710
28:36
- Well, we love walking our dog,
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1980
28:38
so we walk in for at least an hour every day.
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2548
28:40
I also have a stationary bike and a treadmill,
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3211
28:43
which is great for winter
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28:45
because I don't have to go outside when it's cold.
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2773
28:48
- [Will] 97, do you have any guilty pleasures
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2910
28:51
and what do you enjoy about them?
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2310
28:53
- I love a glass of wine.
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1710
28:55
I love a Lindor Truffle every now and again.
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3600
28:58
- [Will] 98, what's one way you like to spend a lazy day
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2534
29:01
or relax after a long week?
668
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2622
29:03
- I love collapsing on the sofa with my husband,
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3814
29:07
my dog, and my cat, and watching a predictable movie.
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1747620
5000
29:13
- [Will] 99, what's one activity or practise you do
671
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3174
29:16
to de-stress or unwind?
672
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2826
29:19
- I like to listen to audiobooks,
673
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1599
29:21
so I might put one on whilst I'm in the bath.
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2931
29:24
- [Will] 100, what's one thing that brings you joy
675
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3000
29:27
or fulfilment in life and why?
676
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1927
29:28
- There is so many things.
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29:31
Teaching is one of them.
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2975
29:34
My husband is another.
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1650
29:36
My family.
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1200
29:37
Yeah, that's an impossible question to end on.
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3510
29:40
Did you see how even when it was a closed question,
682
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2370
29:43
we'd add something onto the end to make it open?
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2692
29:45
I couldn't just say yes or no.
684
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29:48
If you really want to improve your English,
685
1788930
2010
29:50
download the e-book that goes with this lesson.
686
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3060
29:54
The link is in the description box.
687
1794000
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29:56
Don't forget to connect with me on all of my social media.
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29:59
I've got my Instagram, my Facebook,
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1799430
2580
30:02
and my website where I have my free pronunciation tool
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30:04
where you can click on phonemes
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1953
30:06
and hear me pronounce those phonemes
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30:08
and the words that contain those phonemes.
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1980
30:10
You can also check out all of my courses.
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30:12
I've got lots of different challenges
695
1812780
2010
30:14
and also my B1 course, my B2 course,
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30:17
and my C1 course is coming out very soon in May.
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2910
30:20
I will see you soon for another lesson, mwah!
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2483
About this website

This site will introduce you to YouTube videos that are useful for learning English. You will see English lessons taught by top-notch teachers from around the world. Double-click on the English subtitles displayed on each video page to play the video from there. The subtitles scroll in sync with the video playback. If you have any comments or requests, please contact us using this contact form.

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