🧠 PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

Read. Think. Answer. Speak.

 

Board:

• What is the problem?
   
• Is it serious or not serious?
   

 

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B. Saying what to do (solutions)
🧠 Words for Solutions

• must — very important
• need to — necessary
• should — good idea
• can — possible

 

• We must fix it.
• I need to call support.
• We should wait.
• We can restart the phone.

 

📘 TEXT 1 — A Bad Morning

Alex wakes up late.
He looks at the clock — it is already 7:40.
He must leave the house at 8:00.

He takes his phone, but the phone doesn’t work.
The screen is black.
He tries again — nothing.

Alex feels nervous.
He needs the phone to call a taxi and check messages.
Without the phone, he is lost.

He thinks for a second.
Maybe the battery is dead.
Maybe the phone is broken.

Alex must make a decision fast.

Questions

1. What is the problem?
2. Why is the problem serious?
3. What must Alex do first?
4. What can he do if the phone still doesn’t work?

 

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📘 TEXT 2 — No Internet, No Work

Maria is at home.
She works online.
Today she has an important video meeting.

She turns on the laptop.
She opens the browser.
But the page doesn’t load.

There is no internet.

Maria checks the Wi-Fi.
She restarts the router.
Nothing changes.

The meeting starts in 15 minutes.
She feels stressed.

Maria understands:
She must solve the problem now.
Waiting is not an option.

Questions

1. What exactly is the problem?
2. Why can’t Maria wait?
3. What should she try first?
4. Who can help her if nothing works?

 

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📘 TEXT 3 — Cold, Late, and Tired

It is winter.
Tom is standing at the bus stop.
It is cold and windy.

The bus is late.
Five minutes pass.
Ten minutes pass.

Tom’s hands are freezing.
He is tired and angry.

He thinks about his options.
He can keep waiting.
He can walk.
He can call a taxi.

Tom must choose the best solution — not the easiest one.

Questions

1. What problems does Tom have?
2. Which problem is the most serious?
3. What should Tom do and why?
4. What would you do in this situation?

 

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🗣 TASK — Say the Solution

Complete the sentences:

• There is a problem because ____________________.
• I must ____________________.
• I should ____________________.
• I can ____________________.

Say one full answer for each story.

 

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🔄 TASK — Change the Story

Choose ONE text and change ONE detail:

• the weather
• the time
• the place

Then answer:

• What is the new problem?
• What must the person do now?

🧠 CHOOSE THE BEST SOLUTION

 

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1️⃣ The phone is dead (important call)

A) You should buy a new phone immediately.
B) You must charge the phone now. 
C) You can put the phone in your bag and wait.
D) You should complain about it and do nothing.

2️⃣ No internet at home (you need it for work)

A) You should restart the router. 
B) You can complain about it tomorrow.
C) You must close the laptop.
D) You should watch videos offline and ignore work.

3️⃣ Late for work (15 minutes to leave)

A) You must move fast and get ready. 
B) You should stay in bed and relax.
C) You can watch videos first.
D) You should start cleaning your room first.

4️⃣ Very cold room (winter)

A) You should turn on the heater or wear warm clothes. 
B) You must open the window.
C) You can drink cold water.
D) You should sit still and “get used to it”.

5️⃣ The bus doesn’t come (very late)

A) You can check another route or call a taxi. 
B) You must stand and do nothing.
C) You should go home and sleep.
D) You can argue with other people at the stop.

6️⃣ The car doesn’t start

A) You should check the battery or call for help. 
B) You must drive faster.
C) You can ignore the problem.
D) You should press the horn many times.

7️⃣ Phone fell into water

A) You must turn it off and dry it. 
B) You should charge it immediately.
C) You can shake it very hard.
D) You should keep using it and hope it’s fine.

8️⃣ Headache at work

A) You should take a break and drink water. 
B) You must continue working without stopping.
C) You can look at the screen more.
D) You should skip lunch and drink energy drinks.

 

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HARD (9–15)

9️⃣ No Wi-Fi, but mobile data works (meeting in 5 minutes)

A) You should use mobile internet and join the meeting. 
B) You must wait until Wi-Fi works again.
C) You can turn everything off and rest.
D) You should message “sorry” after the meeting starts.

🔟 Car makes a strange noise, but still drives (not far from home)

A) You should drive slowly and go to a service center. 
B) You must continue driving fast to arrive on time.
C) You can ignore the noise and drive as usual.
D) You should turn the music louder so you don’t hear it.

1️⃣1️⃣ Very tired, but work is important today

A) You should rest a little, then work carefully. 
B) You must cancel all work for the day.
C) You can work all day without stopping.
D) You should drink 5 coffees and skip water/food.

1️⃣2️⃣ You can’t find your wallet (you need to pay / travel now)

A) You should check your pockets/bag and the last places you used it. 
B) You must ignore it and leave without paying.
C) You can buy random things later and “maybe it appears”.
D) You should panic and call everyone immediately (without checking).

1️⃣3️⃣ You smell smoke in the kitchen (you’re not sure why)

A) You must check safely and turn off the stove/electricity if needed. 
B) You can go to another room and wait.
C) You should open the window and ignore the smell.
D) You should light a candle to “fix the smell”.

1️⃣4️⃣ Your train is cancelled (you have an interview soon)

A) You should find a fast alternative route and inform the interviewer. 
B) You must wait for the next train and say nothing.
C) You can go home because “it’s not your fault”.
D) You should arrive very late but act like it’s normal.

1️⃣5️⃣ You are locked out (you lost your key, it’s late evening)

A) You should call a family member/landlord or a locksmith. 
B) You must try to break the door quickly.
C) You can sleep in the hallway.
D) You should keep pulling the handle harder and harder.

 

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2–3 extra tasks (projector-friendly, actually fun)

Task A — “Bad Advice Doctor” (8 minutes)

Show 3 situations. Students find the worst option and rewrite it into a good one using must/need to/should/can.
Example: “You should light a candle” → “You must turn off the stove and check safely.”

Task B — “Fast Decision Duel” (10 minutes)

Pairs. One student reads the situation. The other has 10 seconds to answer:

• Problem: …

• Serious / not serious: …

• Best option (A/B/C/D): … because …
  Switch roles.

Task C — “Rank the seriousness” (7 minutes)

Put 6 situations on the board. Groups rank them 1 (not serious) → 6 (very serious) and give one sentence for each using:

• “It’s serious because…” / “It’s not serious because…”