Conversation / LET'S TALK
Lesson 07
Success and Failure
Advanced
Exercise 1
Expressions
Direction: Listen and repeat after your tutor
Bounce back
/baʊns bæk/
Meaning:
To recover quickly from failure or difficulty.
- After losing his job, he bounced back and started a successful business.
Setback
/ˈset.bæk/
Meaning:
A problem that delays or stops progress temporarily.
- Failing the exam was a setback, but she didn’t give up.
Breakthrough
/ˈbreɪk.θruː/
Meaning:
A significant and sudden improvement or discovery.
- The scientist made a breakthrough in cancer research.
Take something in stride
/teɪk ˈsʌm.θɪŋ ɪn straɪd/
Meaning:
To accept and deal with problems calmly and without stress.
- He took the criticism in stride and continued working hard.
Exercise 2
Mini Debate
❝Do people learn more from success or from failure?❞
Exercise 3
Article
Direction: Now, we're going to listen to a short audio titled ... Listen carefuly.
Success and Failure
1. What is one benefit of failure according to the article?
a) It guarantees success in the future
b) It shows you're not good at something
c) It helps you grow and learn
d) It should be avoided at all costs
2. What do resilient people do after failing?
a) They learn from it and keep trying
b) They blame others
c) They quit and change paths
d) They hide their failure
3. What is the article’s message about success?
a) Only famous people are truly successful
b) Success means never failing
c) Success includes learning from setbacks and achieving personal goals
d) You can’t succeed without a lot of money
Exercise 4
Let's Talk
Answer using the words and expressions you have learned in this lesson. Talk about yourself!
1. What does success mean to you personally?
2. Can you describe a time you failed at something and what you learned?
3. Who is someone you admire for their success, and what challenges did they overcome?
4. Do you think schools should teach students how to handle failure better?
5. How do you usually react when something doesn’t go as planned?
6. Do you think success always requires hard work, or is luck also important?
7. Why do people sometimes hide their failures from others?
8. Have you ever helped someone deal with a failure? What advice did you give them?
9. What’s the most important quality someone needs to succeed in life?
10. Do you think social media gives a false idea of what success looks like?
11. What do you think is more damaging — fear of failure or fear of success?
12. Can failure ever be a good thing in a relationship or career?
