Speaking Dec 14

Describe a new activity that you tried for the first time and felt excited about -P24

Actually, the new activity that really excited me recently was indoor rock climbing. I tried it for the first time last semester, right after a really stressful period of lab work in my physics department. One of my classmates found a climbing gym not far from our campus, and a small group of us went there on a Saturday afternoon.

At the beginning, I was a bit anxious, because, you know, I usually spend most of my time sitting in front of a computer, analysing data or running simulations. Climbing looked quite demanding physically, and I was worried I wouldn’t be strong enough. But once I put on the harness and started my first route, I felt surprisingly focused and calm. It was almost like solving a three-dimensional puzzle, where every move involved planning, balance and risk assessment.

What really made me excited was the combination of physical challenge and instant feedback. Each time I managed to reach the top, I had a strong sense of achievement, and my friends were cheering from below. At the end of the day, I realised it was not just entertainment; it was a very effective way to build resilience, self-discipline and trust in my partners, which, I suppose, are qualities that also matter a lot in scientific research.

Actually, the new activity that really excited me recently was indoor rock climbing. /ˈæk.tʃu.ə.li ðiː njuː ækˈtɪv.ə.ti ðæt ˈrɪə.li ɪkˈsaɪ.tɪd miː ˈriː.sənt.li wɒz ˈɪn.dɔː rɒk ˈklaɪ.mɪŋ/

I tried it for the first time last semester, right after a really stressful period of lab work in my physics department. /aɪ traɪd ɪt fɔː ðiː fɜːst taɪm lɑːst sɪˈmes.tər raɪt ˈɑːf.tər eɪ ˈrɪə.li ˈstres.fəl ˈpɪə.ri.əd ɒv læb wɜːk ɪn maɪ ˈfɪz.ɪks dɪˈpɑːt.mənt/

One of my classmates found a climbing gym not far from our campus, and a small group of us went there on a Saturday afternoon. /wʌn ɒv maɪ ˈklɑːs.meɪts faʊnd eɪ ˈklaɪ.mɪŋ dʒɪm nɒt fɑː frɒm aʊə ˈkæm.pəs ænd eɪ smɔːl ɡruːp ɒv ʌs went ðeə ɒn eɪ ˈsæt.ə.deɪ ˌɑːf.təˈnuːn/

At the beginning, I was a bit anxious, because, you know, I usually spend most of my time sitting in front of a computer, analysing data or running simulations. /æt ðiː bɪˈɡɪn.ɪŋ aɪ wɒz eɪ bɪt ˈæŋk.ʃəs bɪˈkɒz juː nəʊ aɪ ˈjuː.ʒu.ə.li spend məʊst ɒv maɪ taɪm ˈsɪt.ɪŋ ɪn frʌnt ɒv eɪ kəmˈpjuː.tər ˈæn.ə.laɪ.zɪŋ ˈdeɪ.tə ɔː ˈrʌn.ɪŋ ˌsɪm.jəˈleɪ.ʃənz/

Climbing looked quite demanding physically, and I was worried I wouldn’t be strong enough. /ˈklaɪ.mɪŋ lʊkt kwaɪt dɪˈmɑːn.dɪŋ ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl.i ænd aɪ wɒz ˈwʌr.id aɪ ˈwʊd.ənt biː strɒŋ ɪˈnʌf/

But once I put on the harness and started my first route, I felt surprisingly focused and calm. /bʌt wʌns aɪ pʊt ɒn ðiː ˈhɑː.nəs ænd ˈstɑː.tɪd maɪ fɜːst ruːt aɪ felt səˈpraɪ.zɪŋ.li ˈfəʊ.kəst ænd kɑːm/

It was almost like solving a three-dimensional puzzle, where every move involved planning, balance and risk assessment. /ɪt wɒz ˈɔːl.məʊst laɪk ˈsɒlv.ɪŋ eɪ θriː daɪˈmen.ʃən.əl ˈpʌz.əl weə ˈev.ri muːv ɪnˈvɒlvd ˈplæn.ɪŋ ˈbæl.əns ænd rɪsk əˈses.mənt/

What really made me excited was the combination of physical challenge and instant feedback. /wɒt ˈrɪə.li meɪd miː ɪkˈsaɪ.tɪd wɒz ðiː ˌkɒm.bɪˈneɪ.ʃən ɒv ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl ˈtʃæl.ɪndʒ ænd ˈɪn.stənt ˈfiːd.bæk/

Each time I managed to reach the top, I had a strong sense of achievement, and my friends were cheering from below. /iːtʃ taɪm aɪ ˈmæn.ɪdʒd tuː riːtʃ ðiː tɒp aɪ hæd eɪ strɒŋ sens ɒv əˈtʃiːv.mənt ænd maɪ frendz wɜː ˈtʃɪə.rɪŋ frɒm bɪˈləʊ/

At the end of the day, I realised it was not just entertainment; it was a very effective way to build resilience, self-discipline and trust in my partners, which, I suppose, are qualities that also matter a lot in scientific research. /æt ðiː end ɒv ðiː deɪ aɪ ˈrɪə.laɪzd ɪt wɒz nɒt dʒʌst ˌen.təˈteɪn.mənt ɪt wɒz eɪ ˈver.i ɪˈfek.tɪv weɪ tuː bɪld rɪˈzɪl.jəns self ˈdɪs.ə.plɪn ænd trʌst ɪn maɪ ˈpɑːt.nəz wɪtʃ aɪ səˈpəʊz ɑː ˈkwɒl.ə.tiz ðæt ˈɔːl.səʊ ˈmæt.ə eɪ lɒt ɪn ˌsaɪ.ənˈtɪf.ɪk rɪˈsɜːtʃ/

Part3

What common activities could make people relax?

Well, I think the most common relaxing activities are still quite simple things, like light exercise and spending time in nature. After a long day of lectures and lab work, many of my classmates go for a jog around the campus lake or play badminton in the sports centre. Physical activity helps people release tension and, in a way, counteracts our very sedentary lifestyle.

On top of that, being surrounded by trees or water gives people a sense of psychological distance from their worries. Even a short walk in a nearby park can clear your mind, lower your stress level and help you regain mental clarity, which is why these activities are such an accessible form of relaxation for ordinary people.

Well, I think the most common relaxing activities are still quite simple things, like light exercise and spending time in nature. /wel aɪ θɪŋk ðiː məʊst ˈkɒm.ən rɪˈlæk.sɪŋ ækˈtɪv.ɪ.tiz ɑː stɪl kwaɪt ˈsɪm.pəl θɪŋz laɪk laɪt ˈek.sə.saɪz ænd ˈspen.dɪŋ taɪm ɪn ˈneɪ.tʃə/

After a long day of lectures and lab work, many of my classmates go for a jog around the campus lake or play badminton in the sports centre. /ˈɑːf.tər eɪ lɒŋ deɪ ɒv ˈlek.tʃəz ænd læb wɜːk ˈmen.i ɒv maɪ ˈklɑːs.meɪts ɡəʊ fɔː eɪ dʒɒɡ əˈraʊnd ðiː ˈkæm.pəs leɪk ɔː pleɪ ˈbæd.mɪn.tən ɪn ðiː spɔːts ˈsen.tər/

Physical activity helps people release tension and, in a way, counteracts our very sedentary lifestyle. /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl ækˈtɪv.ə.ti helps ˈpiː.pəl rɪˈliːs ˈten.ʃən ænd ɪn eɪ weɪ ˌkaʊn.tərˈækts aʊə ˈver.i ˈsed.ən.tər.i ˈlaɪf.staɪl/

On top of that, being surrounded by trees or water gives people a sense of psychological distance from their worries. /ɒn tɒp ɒv ðæt ˈbiː.ɪŋ səˈraʊn.dɪd baɪ triːz ɔː ˈwɔː.tər ɡɪvz ˈpiː.pəl eɪ sens ɒv ˌsaɪ.kəˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl ˈdɪs.təns frɒm ðeə ˈwʌr.iz/

Even a short walk in a nearby park can clear your mind, lower your stress level and help you regain mental clarity, which is why these activities are such an accessible form of relaxation for ordinary people. /ˈiː.vən eɪ ʃɔːt wɔːk ɪn eɪ ˌnɪəˈbaɪ pɑːk kæn klɪə jɔː maɪnd ˈləʊ.ər jɔː stres ˈlev.əl ænd help juː rɪˈɡeɪn ˈmen.təl ˈklær.ə.ti wɪtʃ ɪz waɪ ðiːz ækˈtɪv.ɪ.tiz ɑː sʌtʃ æn əkˈses.ə.bəl fɔːm ɒv ˌrel.ækˈseɪ.ʃən fɔː ˈɔː.dən.ər.i ˈpiː.pəl/