Review Lab

Review Lab 02

B1+

Lesson 31

Travel & SocialLab

Review Lab · roleplays & invitations

60 min · Review Lab Review

Your level · You are here

A0/A1Beginner
A1/A2Elementary
A2/B1Pre-Intermediate
B1/B1+Intermediate
B2Upper-Intermediate
C1Advanced
C2Proficiency

Teacher Notes

Review Lab

A friendly check-in — not a test.

Practise the language from the last few lessons through short tasks and longer speaking turns. Aim to speak naturally, not perfectly — replay anything, skip nothing.

Speaking practice

Skills challenges

Real conversation

Get Talking · Section 1

5 min

Start the conversation — no pressure

reflection

Quick check-in

Which lesson from 19–22 do you use most in real life: culture shock talk, travel English, invitations, or texting register?

discussion

Recent example

Have you sent a text or voice note in English recently? How did it go?

activity

Confidence scan

Which still feels shaky: describing culture shock, asking for help while travelling, making plans, or informal texting language?

Grammar review · Section 2

8–10 min

Mixed review — social English across situations

Open in Grammar Bank

Quick rule

Match your language to the channel: face-to-face and voice notes = fuller sentences; texting = short and informal.

How it works

This lab mixes the language from Lessons 19–22 rather than teaching something new.
(1) Talk about culture shock with comparative structures — 'It's much quieter than I expected' / 'People here tend to be more direct.' (2) Handle travel situations with polite requests — 'Could you tell me how to get to…?' / 'I was wondering if you could help.' (3) Make and respond to invitations naturally — 'Are you free on Saturday?' / 'I'd love to, but I've already got plans.' (4) Adjust register for texting versus voice notes — texting is short and uses abbreviations; voice notes sound more like spoken English, with fillers and softer phrasing.
The skill is switching register and structure depending on the situation.

When to use

Comparing cultures or places → comparatives and 'tend to'.
Asking a stranger for help → indirect polite questions.
Inviting or responding → soft acceptance/refusal phrases.
Texting quickly → abbreviations and short forms.

Compare

Voice note / spoken	Text message
Hey, sorry I can't make it on Saturday, I've got something on already, is Sunday any good for you?	Can't do Sat, sorry! Sun?
I was wondering if you could possibly help me find the platform.	Where's the platform? 😅

In action

It's a lot more relaxed here than I expected, to be honest.

Excuse me, could you tell me the quickest way to the station?

Are you around this weekend? Fancy grabbing lunch?

Sorry, can't make it Sat, working late! Sun instead?

Memory tip

Shorter channel, shorter grammar. Texting drops words; voice notes keep them.

Natural English

In real invitations, native speakers almost never say a flat 'no' — they soften with a reason and an alternative: 'Can't do Saturday, but Sunday works!'

Challenge 1.Best comparative for culture shock:

Challenge 2.Most polite request to a stranger:

Challenge 3.Best soft refusal of an invitation:

Challenge 4.Most natural for a quick text:

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

Quick check 1.Which channel usually uses the fullest sentences?

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

Vocabulary review · Section 3

5–7 min

Bring back your words

Open in Vocabulary Bank

Culture shock

the disorientation of experiencing an unfamiliar culture

In context

"I had real culture shock in my first week abroad."

Now try it yourself

Describe something that gave you mild culture shock.

Get the hang of

to learn how to do something after practice

In context

"I've finally got the hang of the local buses."

Now try it yourself

Say something you've got the hang of recently.

Fancy (doing something)

informal way of asking if someone wants to do something

In context

"Fancy a coffee later?"

Now try it yourself

Ask a partner if they fancy doing something.

Take a rain check

to postpone an invitation politely

In context

"Can I take a rain check on tonight?"

Now try it yourself

Use this phrase to politely decline something.

Send a voice note

to record and send a spoken message

In context

"I'll just send you a voice note instead of typing it all."

Now try it yourself

Say when you last sent a voice note.

Keep it short

to communicate briefly, especially in texting

In context

"I always keep it short when I'm texting on the go."

Now try it yourself

Rewrite a long sentence to keep it short, as if texting.

Make it yours

Use the new words

Pick at least three words from above and use each one in a sentence about your real life. Say each one aloud before you write.

Quick exchange

Ask your teacher (or a partner) a question that uses one of today's words. They reply using a different word.

Ranking

Rank today's words from most to least useful for you this week. Defend your top choice.

Opinion

Finish: "Honestly, I'd say…" using one of today's words.

Your three personal sentences

Tip: aim to reuse at least two of these words later in the Speaking and Writing tasks.

Matching

Match each phrase to its meaning.

Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

Pronunciation · Section 4

3–4 min

Softening stress on invitations and refusals

Invitations sound more natural with a gentle rise: 'FANcy a COFfee?↗'. Refusals need falling-then-rising intonation to sound apologetic rather than cold: 'CAN'T toNIGHT,↘ sorry — how about toMORrow?↗' Flat, level intonation on a refusal can sound abrupt even if the words are polite.

• FANcy a COFfee LAter?↗
• CAN'T toNIGHT,↘ SORry — toMORrow?↗
• Could you TELL me how to GET to the STAtion?↗
• I've FInally got the HANG of it.

Reading challenge · Section 5

8–10 min

What four lessons leave behind

By the end of Lessons 19 to 22, your English should be quietly adjusting itself depending on who you're speaking to and how. Talking about culture shock, you should reach naturally for comparatives — 'it's far more formal here than back home' — because comparing is how humans actually process unfamiliar places, not by listing facts in isolation.

When you need help while travelling, your English should soften automatically. 'Where's the toilet?' works, but 'Excuse me, could you tell me where the toilet is?' works better with a stranger, because politeness in English usually comes from making a request sound less direct, not from extra vocabulary.

Invitations reveal a similar pattern. English speakers rarely refuse flatly. A refusal almost always comes wrapped in an apology, a reason and an alternative: 'I can't tonight, I've already got something on — but I'm free Thursday if that works?' Learners who say a bare 'no' aren't being rude on purpose, but it can land that way.

Finally, texting and voice notes are really two different registers of the same language. A text drops words and uses abbreviations because speed matters more than completeness; a voice note keeps full sentences because it's spoken, and spoken English tolerates fillers and hesitation that written text doesn't. Choosing the right register for the channel is its own small skill.

Challenge 1.According to the text, why do we use comparatives when discussing culture shock?

Challenge 2.What does the text say usually makes a request sound more polite to a stranger?

Challenge 3.Why does the text say a bare 'no' can 'land that way' (as rude) even without rude intent?

Challenge 4.What does the text imply about texts and voice notes?

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

True / False

Decide if each statement is True or False

Q1.The text says English speakers usually refuse invitations flatly with just 'no'.

Q2.The text says texting and voice notes are two different registers.

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

Listening challenge · Section 6

8–10 min

Messages between two friends abroad

Listening audio

Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.

Show transcript

Sofia:Hey, how's the first week going? Big culture shock?

Leah:A bit! It's way more formal here than I expected, especially at work. People tend to use surnames a lot.

Sofia:Ha, makes sense. Have you got the hang of the trains yet?

Leah:Almost. I had to ask someone yesterday — I said, 'Excuse me, could you tell me which platform for the city centre?' and they were really helpful.

Sofia:Nice. Anyway, fancy a video call this weekend? I miss catching up properly.

Leah:I'd love to, but Saturday's tricky, I've already got plans with some new colleagues. Sunday evening though?

Sofia:Perfect, I'll send you a voice note with the details later instead of typing it all out.

Leah:Sounds good! Quick one though — can't chat now, running to catch the bus. Talk Sun!

Challenge 1.What does Leah say surprised her about work culture?

Challenge 2.What did Leah ask a stranger about?

Challenge 3.Why does Leah decline Sofia's Saturday invitation the way she does?

Challenge 4.What can be inferred from Leah's final message ('can't chat now, running to catch the bus')?

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

Tick what you hear

Tick the phrases you hear in use.

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

Skills challenge · Section 7

5 min

Speaking — Cambridge B1 Preliminary Part 3 (roleplay / negotiating a situation)

Task

In pairs, roleplay: one person invites the other somewhere, the other must politely decline, give a reason, and suggest an alternative — all in under 40 seconds.

Strategy

Roleplay tasks reward natural social softening. Never end a refusal on the word 'no' — end on the alternative you're offering. This keeps the conversation moving forward instead of stopping.

Example

A: Fancy coming to the gig on Friday? B: I'd love to, but I've already got something on that evening — I'm actually free Saturday if that works for you instead?

Practice · Section 8

8–10 min

Quick-fire practice

Challenge 1.It's a lot ___ formal here than I expected.

Challenge 2.Excuse me, ___ you tell me the way to the station?

Challenge 3.I'd love to, ___ I've already got plans.

Challenge 4.I'll send you a ___ note instead of typing it all.

Answer all items, then check — or reveal the answers if you're stuck.

Writing challenge · Section 9

5 min

Show what you can do

Your task

Write 90 words about a real or imagined experience of culture shock while travelling. Include one comparative, one polite request, and one invitation with a soft refusal.

Your answer

Your work saves automatically

0 words

Show model answer

When I first arrived, everything felt a lot slower-paced than I was used to. Shops close much earlier than back home, so I once had to ask someone, 'Excuse me, could you tell me if anywhere's still open?' A neighbour invited me for dinner that week, and although I'd love to have gone, I already had plans that evening — we rescheduled for the following Sunday instead. Looking back, adjusting to the pace was the hardest part, but I've mostly got the hang of it now.

Speaking · Section 10

10–15 min

Talk it out

Open in Useful Expressions

In pairs, roleplay a text/voice-note exchange: one person invites the other somewhere this weekend using informal texting language; the other declines politely and proposes an alternative, then switches to a fuller 'voice note style' explanation.

Useful phrases