A moment that changed me: I was heading for disaster on the Greek version of Strictly. Then instinct kicked in

This is a list of key vocabulary and expressions from the article in order of how useful they are. The student must choose 6 items from the list to study in the lesson.

Suddenly
Definition: Quickly and unexpectedly.
Example: Suddenly, the lights went out.
To suffer
Definition: To experience pain, difficulty, or something unpleasant.
Example: She suffered from severe headaches.
To regret (doing something)
Definition: To feel sorry about something you did or wish you had not done it.
Example: I regret leaving my old job.
To struggle
Definition: To have difficulty doing something or dealing with something.
Example: He struggled to understand the instructions.
Eventually
Definition: In the end, after some time.
Example: Eventually, she found a new job.
To take part (in something)
Definition: To participate in an activity or event.
Example: She took part in the competition.
To sign up (for something)
Definition: To register or agree to participate in something.
Example: I signed up for a photography course.
A bruise
Definition: A dark mark on the skin caused by an injury.
Example: I have a bruise on my arm.
Anxiety
Definition: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear.
Example: He felt a lot of anxiety before the interview.
Compliment
Definition: A kind or positive remark about someone or something.
Example: She gave me a compliment about my dress.
To hire (someone/something)
Definition: To pay someone to work for you or to use something for a period of time.
Example: We hired a photographer for the wedding.
To head (somewhere)
Definition: To go or travel in a particular direction or place.
Example: I'm heading home now.
Hardly
Definition: Almost not; only just.
Example: I could hardly hear her.
Rehearsal
Definition: A practice of a performance before it happens.
Example: We have a rehearsal tomorrow evening.
To abandon (someone/something)
Definition: To leave someone or something completely, especially when they need help.
Example: They abandoned the car by the side of the road.
To kick in
Definition: To start to have an effect.
Example: The medicine started to kick in after about twenty minutes.
Beyond anything I could have imagined
Definition: This uses could + have + past participle to talk about something that was possible to imagine in the past, often emphasising that something was far greater or more extreme than you had imagined.
Example: The experience was beyond anything I could have imagined.
If for a second I had allowed myself to think: “What comes next?” all would have been lost.
Definition: This is the third conditional: if + had + past participle, would + have + past participle. It describes an unreal or hypothetical situation in the past and its imagined result.
Example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.
To float
Definition: To stay or move on the surface of a liquid or in the air without sinking.
Example: The leaves were floating on the water.
To get my hair done
Definition: To have someone cut, style, colour, or otherwise arrange your hair.
Example: I'm going to the salon to get my hair done.
Break a leg
Definition: An expression used to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.
Example: You're going on stage now—break a leg!
A counterpart
Definition: A person or thing that has a similar role or function to another person or thing.
Example: The British minister met with his American counterpart.
To be in over your head
Definition: To be involved in a situation that is too difficult for you to manage.
Example: I realised I was in over my head.
To weep
Definition: To cry, especially quietly or because of strong emotion.
Example: She began to weep when she heard the news.
To shunt (someone/something)
Definition: To move or send someone or something somewhere, often in an unwanted or less important direction.
Example: The patient was shunted from one department to another.

15 conversation-provoking questions related to the article.

1.       Who is Victoria and what was the challenge she accepted?

2.       How did she feel during her preparation?

3.       How did her final performance go?

4.       Do you have similar tv shows in your native country?

5.       Would you like to appear on a tv show?

6.       What is something that you are so good at, that you can do it based on instinct?

7.       Is it important in life to put yourself in uncomfortable situations that make you nervous – like this dance competition?

8.       When was a time when you had to prepare for something you felt nervous about?

9.       Do you like dancing, and when do you dance?

10.     What is a culturally important tv show in your native country?

11.     When was a time in your native country when everyone was watching the tv at the same time?

12.     What tv shows did you watch as a kid?

13.     Do you watch tv with your family now?

14.     When was a time you felt out of your depth?

15.     Have you ever been to Greece?