i am an online ESL teacher. Please help me come up with a writing activity / homeowrk task for the following worksheet:

""Mastering-small-talk (Functional Language)

Mastering small talk
Copyrights by ESL Brains
1. Complete the gaps below to explain the purpose of each sentence.
a) “I’m all ears.” >>> giving somebody your full attention
b) “How did you get into the industry?” >>> doing professional networking
c) “How long did you stay in France?” >>> asking a follow-up question
d) “My family have really supported me since I decided to change careers.” >>>
expressing a sense of belonging
e) “I’ve been overjoyed ever since I got a dog.” >>> reporting a boost in
happiness
2. Read the definition below and discuss how the phrases in ex. 1 might be
linked to small talk.
3. Complete each sentence with a preposition.
a) Starting a conversation with a stranger can come across as awkward. [be
perceived, be seen]
b) Weddings are a great opportunity for single people to pair up to dance, rather
than dance alone. [join together]
c) At business events it’s good to reach out to people you don’t know. [contact,
connect]
d) Staying engaged in a conversation with a stranger can sometimes be difficult.
[interested in, absorbed with]
e) People should put their phones away during small talk. [put aside, put down]
[Ask the students to think of synonyms for the phrasal verbs above.]
4. Decide whether or not you agree with the statements from ex. 3 and why.
attention belonging boost networking question
SMALL TALK (uncountable; make small talk)
a light, informal conversation, usually with someone
you do not know well
Mastering small talk
Copyrights by ESL Brains
5. Discuss the questions below. Then, watch a video
[https://youtu.be/JWybsoGx5UY] (to 03:20) about
small talk and check your answers.
a) What two things do people usually do if they don’t
know anyone at a party? stare at their phone, talk
to strangers [00:09]
b) What’s the ‘liking gap’? a phenomenon in which
people think that their conversation partners don’t
like them as much as they actually do [00:49]
c) When you make small talk, what can you do to be
more likeable? ask more questions [01:25]
d) What follow-up question could you ask when a person tells you they like
travelling? Where have you been? Where are you going next? [01:57]
e) What can come across as impolite during small talk? texting during a
conversation [02:15]
6. Complete the gaps with one word each. Then, watch the video again (to
03:20) and check.
a) So you have two options: the obvious one of staring mindlessly at your phone,
or the terrifying one of talking to strangers. [00:09]
b) They asked each person to rate how much they liked their partner and how
much they thought their partner liked them. People consistently
underestimated how much people liked them and enjoyed their company.
[00:57]
c) Questions like ‘What do you do?’ can be pretty dull. [01:33]
d) Asking follow-up questions is important. This shows you’re actively listening.
[01:52]
e) Studies have shown that people who texted during a conversation were seen
as less polite and attentive. [02:15]
f) For example, experts estimate that three out of four jobs are found through
professional networking rather than a job ad. [02:36]
Mastering small talk
Copyrights by ESL Brains
g) Research has found that people report feeling happier when they chat
with someone like a bartender or barista and treated them more like an
acquaintance than a stranger. [02:48]
h) Casual interactions can be really positive experiences. [03:10]
7. Discuss the questions.
• How useful would you rate the video, on a scale from 1 to 10? Justify your
answer.
• According to the video, people feel better when they treat strangers as
acquaintances. What could be the reason behind that?
• In your opinion, why is the liking gap so common?
• How important is professional networking to you?
• How good are you at small talk? Has it always been like that? If not, why has it
changed?
• When was the last time you made small talk? How did it go?
8. Choose two topics from the box and create a small talk question for each
one. Try not to make the questions dull!
9. Pair up (if possible, with a person you don’t know very well) and ask your
partner your questions from ex. 8. After each answer, ask at least one
follow-up question. Try to keep the conversation going for as long as you
can.
10.In pairs, imagine you are at a wedding making small talk with a guest you
have just met. Your teacher will give you each a card with two phrases. Try
to lead the conversation so that you are able to use the phrases as casually
as possible. At the same time, pay attention to what your partner is saying
because you will have to work out which two phrases they were given by
the teacher. Wait until the end of the conversation to guess what is on your
partner’s card.
entertainment food hometown upcoming events weather
Mastering small talk
Copyrights by ESL Brains
11.In pairs, tell each other what you remember from the video, using the words
below. Once a word has been used, cross it out. Talk until you have used up
all the words. [Before students start the exercise, make sure they remember the
words from the lesson in the box below, so that they don’t go back and forth while
speaking to look for the meanings. This will also prompt them to talk using their
own words rather than read the sentences from previous exercises.]
PHRASES SETS (EX. 10):
a pair of socks
a hamster owner
a responsible secretary
a broken button
original teeth
a noisy train
a huge mug
a red mouse
a cheerful lorry driver
surfing equipment
a vegan hot dog
a lonely dog walker
a tiny piano
a charming bridge
a wooden ladder
intelligent dolls
a creepy poem
an inexpensive haircut
birthday pancakes
lovely smoke
acquaintance put away estimate underestimate actively
mindlessly pair up networking reach out casual
attentive attention engaged follow-up dull rate
belonging boost come across""