Lesson 26. Miscellaneous. Review

`Grammar drill!`

`Reading and discussing`

Seven tips for a tidy desk

1. Only keep things you really need on and near your desk.

Use a tray for any papers you have to read. Have a jar for pens and pencils and have a bin near your desk.

2. Don’t keep any drinks on your desk.

Go to the kitchen when you want to have a drink or, if you prefer, keep a drink on a small table near your desk.

3. Reduce the amount of paper that you use.

Try to keep as much information as possible in folders on your computer. Before printing a document, ask yourself, ‘do I really need to read this on paper?’

4. Scan your notes.

If you have a lot of paper (magazine articles, notes, worksheets, etc.), use a scanner and keep a digital version as a PDF on your computer.

5. Use your smartphone to take photos of things you need to remember.

For example, take photos of notes to yourself, the name and address of a place you need to visit or diagrams you need to study for school.

6. Get a noticeboard.

If you really do need to keep small bits of paper, use a noticeboard on the wall. Check it every day and throw old notes in the bin.

7. Clean your desk at the end of every day.

Choose a time to tidy your desk and do it! If you do it every day, it will only take five minutes and you can start each new day with a clean and tidy space.

Discussion questions

Do you often tidy your room?
Do you like tiding up?
Would you use the tips for tiding up in the future?
Do you study in your room or somewhere else? Do you often use your desk?
Do you have many things on your desk? What are they?
Would you like to change anything in your room? If yes, what would you like to change?