LISTEN with understanding
→ After listening to the recording, sum up what you heard in a few sentences. You can use the questions to help you summarize. Read the transcript if needed.

Preparing for a Deadline

Sum up what was said by answering the following questions. The final summary should be in sentence form.

  1. What important event was coming up?

  2. What did the manager ask the team to do?

  3. How did the team handle the situation?

IDIOM USE

Crunch time – We use this idiom when there is a short, intense period of work before a deadline.

Ways we use it:

  1. Work: finishing a project on time.

  2. School: studying before exams.

  3. Sports: playing hard near the end of a game.

Examples:

  • “It’s crunch time — the project is due tomorrow.”

  • “Students know finals week is always crunch time.”

  • “The team scored quickly during crunch time.”

PHRASAL VERB USE

Carry out – We use this phrasal verb when completing or performing a task.

Ways we use it:

  1. Doing research or experiments.

  2. Completing a plan or project.

  3. Performing orders or instructions.

Examples in different tenses:

  • Present: “They always carry out their work carefully.”

  • Past: “The scientists carried out an important study.”

  • Continuous: “We are carrying out the plan now.”

  • Future: “The company will carry out changes soon.”

TRANSCRIPT

“Our team has a major report due on Friday. Everyone is busy because it’s crunch time, the final hours before the deadline. The manager asked us to focus only on the most important tasks so we could carry out the plan efficiently. We divided responsibilities, checked progress, and stayed late to finish. It was stressful, but teamwork helped us make real progress.”