1. They get texting anxiety
2. They're struggling with their mental health
3. They're working
4. They see your texts as low priority
5. They thought they replied already
6. They're known for procrastination
7. They're experiencing social burnout
8. They want to avoid conflict
9. They're not as emotionally invested as you are
10. They're distracted by something else
11. They have poor communication skills

Vocabulary
A
amuse ourselves — развлекать себя / забавляться
are prone to do this — склонны делать это
as a low priority — как низкоприоритетную задачу
at some point — в какой-то момент
attachment to — привязанность к
avoidant attachment — избегающая привязанность
B
being emotionally invested — быть эмоционально вовлечённым
the best outcome / the worst outcome — лучший исход / худший исход
the best route is — лучший путь / лучший способ — это
C
can impair — может ухудшить / повредить
convey verbally — выразить словами / передать вербально
cope with — справляться с
D
a daily source of stress — ежедневный источник стресса
depletes energy — истощает энергию
doesn't seem time sensitive or compelling enough — не кажется срочным или достаточно веским
don't feel the same sentiment — не разделять тех же чувств / настроений
don't see eye to eye — не сходиться во взглядах
drift away — отдаляться друг от друга
E
escape problems — убегать от проблем
eventually — в конце концов / со временем
excessive — избыточный / чрезмерный
experience social burnout — испытывать социальное выгорание
F
face the inevitable burnout — столкнуться с неизбежным выгоранием
for fear of — из-за страха перед / боясь чего-то
a form of entertainment — форма развлечения
a form of entitlement — проявление эгоцентризма / убеждённость в своём праве на что-то
free from distractions — свободный от отвлекающих факторов
G
get back to — вернуться к (чему-то/кому-то) / ответить позже
get into a disagreement — вступить в разногласия / поспорить
get texting anxiety — испытывать тревогу из-за переписки
a gentle nudge — мягкое напоминание / деликатный толчок
give a tough pill to swallow — преподнести горькую правду
giving someone some space — давать кому-то пространство
go out of their way — лезть из кожи вон / делать всё возможное (или намеренно избегать)
gradually — постепенно
H
harsh — жёсткий / суровый
hastily — поспешно / наспех
have a downside — иметь обратную сторону / недостаток
hold your head up high — держать голову высоко поднятой
how to back from it — как отступить назад / выйти из этого
I
incompatibility — несовместимость
inconsistent communicators — те, кто общается непостоянно / хаотично
increase in technostress — рост техностресса
instant message fatigue — усталость от мгновенных сообщений
is no different — ничем не отличается
it has something to do with — это как-то связано с
it stems from — это берёт начало в / проистекает из
J
just because... doesn't mean that... — только потому что... ещё не значит, что...
L
later on in the day — позже в тот же день
laugh about it in the end — посмеяться над этим в конце концов
leave it unread until later — оставить непрочитанным до более позднего времени
leave until later / tend to delay everything — отложить на потом / иметь склонность всё откладывать
leave you drained — оставлять тебя опустошённым
left wondering — оставаться в недоумении / гадать
lower well-being — снижать уровень благополучия / ухудшать самочувствие
M
message back — ответить на сообщение
multiple people at once — несколько человек одновременно
N
notorious — пользующийся дурной славой / пресловутый
not to rush to reply — не спешить с ответом
O
open to — открытый для (чего-то)
overanalyze — излишне анализировать / накручивать себя
P
perceive conflict as a threat — воспринимать конфликт как угрозу
permanently alter how we view each other — безвозвратно изменить то, как мы видим друг друга
per se — как таковой / сам по себе
potent — мощный / сильный
put a time limit on — установить ограничение по времени на
put anxiety at ease — успокоить тревогу
Q
a quick follow-up — короткое напоминание / быстрый повторный запрос
R
rarely benefits them as it can lead to unresolved tensions — редко идёт им на пользу, так как может привести к неразрешённому напряжению
reassure — успокоить / заверить
a recipe for disaster — верный путь к катастрофе
right away — прямо сейчас / немедленно
S
a serious offense — серьёзный проступок / оскорбление
set boundaries — устанавливать границы
social overload — социальная перегрузка
some may call it — некоторые могут назвать это
spare time — свободное время
T
take personally — принимать на свой счёт
tap into — задействовать / подключиться к
tend to delay everything — иметь склонность всё откладывать
W
wasn't that big of a deal — это было не так уж важно / пустяк
withdraw — замыкаться в себе / отстраняться
would love nothing more than — желать больше всего на свете

1️⃣ Matching

A
take it out like
people who you're close to
attachment to their phones is
connected
don't reply to texts even
your message is
practically glued to
interactions gradually
eventually, you're

B
left unread
silently drift away from you
disappear over time
their phone
a third friend in the group
when they're on their phone 24/7
left wondering what happened
so potent
to each other

👌🏼 Find the odd one out:

a) right away
b) hastily
c) leave it unread until later
d) a quick follow-up

a) lower well-being
b) put anxiety at ease
c) leave you drained
d) a daily source of stress

a) withdraw
b) perceive conflict as a threat
c) get into a disagreement
d) open to

a) a serious offense
b) wasn't that big of a deal
c) a recipe for disaster
d) a tough pill to swallow

a) avoidant attachment
b) attachment to
c) being emotionally invested
d) drift away

a) as a low priority
b) doesn't seem time sensitive or compelling enough
c) tend to delay everything
d) would love nothing more than

2️⃣ Matching
A
if you're aware that someone you know struggles with this,
tap into their social networks for
this might seem excessive, but it
people reported that texting is
use their cellphones as a way
a message that tells them not to rush to reply
they overanalyze every word or emoji
however, this has

B
that they send
help with coping
a downside to it
stems from past experiences
to escape their problems
can help put their anxiety at ease
a daily source of stress for them
then it's best to give them some space

👌🏼 Contextual Choice

I noticed we started to (drift away / withdraw) from each other after we stopped sharing our real, non-digital lives and relied only on texts.

Just because he didn't text back immediately doesn't mean it was (a serious offense / a recipe for disaster); he might just be busy.

For notorious overachievers, accepting that they cannot be available to everyone at once is (a daily source of stress / a tough pill to swallow).

She tends to (withdraw / overanalyze) every single comma in his messages, which only feeds her texting anxiety.

If a message (doesn't seem time sensitive or compelling enough / is no different), I will likely leave it unread until later in the day.

Trying to handle complaints from multiple clients at once is a surefire way to (face the inevitable burnout / give a gentle nudge).

Instead of assuming they are ignoring you, the best route is to (take it personally / give a gentle nudge) with a quick follow-up.

People with an (avoidant attachment / attachment to) style often perceive conflict as a threat and choose to go out of their way to avoid direct confrontation.

3️⃣ Matching
A

• once they are in a calmer place
• many of us work and
• allow people to reply to you when
• most of us would love nothing more than
• expecting a reply is
• it can be a bit controlling
• that way, they can be free from distractions

B

• a form of entitlement
• they have the spare time to do so
• to text all day long
• they will message you
• and do their jobs properly
• if you put a time limit on their replies
• can't respond right away

👌🏼Choose the best partner:

1. Overanalyzing every single punctuation mark...
2. Trying to be constantly available to multiple people at once...
3. When people with avoidant attachment withdraw during a disagreement, it...
4. Realizing that someone’s delayed reply has something to do with their own social overload, and not you,...
5. Just because an inconsistent communicator leaves your message unread until later...
6. Forcing yourself to message back right away when you feel completely drained...

a) ...rarely benefits them as it can lead to unresolved tensions
b) ...is a tough pill to swallow for someone with texting anxiety
c) ...doesn't mean that you are a low priority to them
d) ...could be a recipe for disaster for your mental well-being
e) ...is the best route to put your anxiety at ease
f) ...faces the inevitable burnout and depletion of energy

4️⃣ Matching
A

• but the worst outcome
• if your message doesn't seem time sensitive or compelling enough to them,
• this is the best outcome because at least you know
• this can be damaging to the person on the receiving end
• they may feel like the two of you

B

• don't see eye to eye
• because it feels like a personal rejection
• that they will reply to you later on in the day
• then they may leave it unread until later
• has more to do with incompatibility

5️⃣ Fill in the gaps:

rely on, permanently alter, some may call it , follow-up, at some point, is no different, a recipe for disaster, prone to

1. _, we've all thought that we replied to someone only to find out later that we never actually sent the text message.
2. It's a small reminder of how much we _technology to help us maintain our relationships.
3. One innocent mistake can cause massive miscommunication and _ how we view each other.
4. A quick _ or explanation can go a long way here, and maybe both of you will laugh about it in the end.
5. People who are chronic procrastinators tend to delay everything in their lives, so messaging you back _.
6. _ laziness, but it could just be that they are inconsistent communicators, especially if they are _ do this in other aspects of their lives.
7. If they're someone who has their phone with them 24/7 and they are notorious procrastinators, then that could be _.

1️⃣ Matching Antonyms

A

• amuse ourselves
• right away
• was a serious offense
• being emotionally invested
• gradually
• put anxiety at ease
• the best outcome
• a form of entitlement

B

• a recipe for disaster
• wasn't that big of a deal
• hastily
• get a daily source of stress
• giving some space
• give a tough pill to swallow
• not feeling the same sentiment
• leave until later / tend to delay

2️⃣ Concept Checking Questions

If someone is described as a "notorious" modern communicator, are they famous for good or bad texting habits?

When you receive a "gentle nudge", is someone screaming at you or just subtly reminding you about something?

If an experience "depletes energy", does it give you power or steal it from you?

When you say "just because... doesn't mean that...", are you trying to break a logical stereotype or support it?

3️⃣ Case Studies

1. Olivia noticed that her close friend has started to leave her messages unread until later. Now, Olivia spends hours scrolling through their past chats, looking for signs of trouble.

Explain what is happening to Olivia and give her a tip.

Phrases to use:
overanalyze
it stems from
get texting anxiety
put anxiety at ease
not to rush to reply

2. Mark runs an online business and feels he must message back right away to every single notification, even late at night. Recently, he finds himself snapping at family members and feeling physically exhausted.
Identify Mark's mistake and suggest a better route.

Phrases to use:
a daily source of stress  experience social burnout
face the inevitable burnout
set boundaries
put a time limit on

3. In a family group chat, Uncle Leo made a sarcastic comment. Sarah took it personally and thought it was a serious offense. She immediately typed a furious response, and now they don't see eye to eye.

Phrases to use:
wasn't that big of a deal
that could be a recipe for disaster
give a gentle nudge
laugh about it in the end

4️⃣ Personalized Sentence Completion

First answer:
Just because someone doesn't reply to your text right away, doesn't mean that...

When managing a remote team or communicating with clients, the best route is to set boundaries because...

I believe that avoidant attachment in digital communication rarely benefits people as it...

If I realize that a conversation is beginning to deplete my energy, I usually...

Accepting that we can't be available to multiple people at once without feeling drained is...

5️⃣ Then match:
A
...prompts them to withdraw whenever they perceive conflict as a threat. Instead of resolving the issue, they leave their partner left wondering, which eventually leads to unresolved tensions.

B
...they don't feel the same sentiment or value your relationship. They might simply be free from distractions, focusing on their work, or trying not to rush to reply while they experience social burnout.

C
...constant availability can impair your productivity and become a daily source of stress. If you leave every message unread until you are ready, it puts your anxiety at ease and prevents instant message fatigue.

D
...a tough pill to swallow for notorious overachievers, but it is the only way to escape the inevitable burnout and keep our mental health intact.

E
...put a time limit on my screen time and leave it unread until later. I’ve realized that forcing myself to reply right away is a recipe for disaster that only lowers my well-being.

encoding: converting sensory information into a storable form
storage: maintaining encoded information over time
retrieval: accessing and recalling stored information
synapses: connections between neurons that strengthen with use
elaboration: connecting new information to existing knowledge
neurons: fundamental units of the brain and nervous system; specialized cells designed to transmit information
to consolidate: to strengthen the memory traces of recently learned information, moving it from short-term to long-term storage
to impair: to damage, weaken, or spoil something so that it becomes less effective or functional

The retrieval of information from a computer is the process of getting it back.
The retrieval of the lost documents took hours.
The retrieval of the stolen art was a major success for the police.

Exercise 1. Complete the paragraph using the following words:
retrieval, synapses, encoding, storage, neurons

When you encounter new information, your brain begins the process of (1)__, turning sights and sounds into a storable format.
For this information to last, it must move into long-term (2)__.
Physically, your brain is changing: it forms new (3)__ between (4)__.
The real test of learning, however, is (5)__ — the ability to pull that information back into your conscious mind when you need it most.

Exercise 2. Odd One Out
Identify the word that does not belong in the group and explain why:
1. short-term memory / scratchpad / library / 20-30 seconds
2. mnemonic / acronym / rhyme / nutrition
3. omega-3 / chronic stress / hydration / balanced diet

Exercise 3. Replace the underlined simple words with more academic/technical terms:

When you sleep, your brain makes memories stronger.
Your brain c_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _s memories.

High levels of worry can hurt your ability to focus.
Chronic stress can i_ _ _ _r your ability to focus.

You need to get the information back from your brain.
You need to r_ _ _ _ _ _e the information.

Try to link new facts to things you already know.
Use e_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _n to connect information.

Exercise 4. Transform the base word in brackets to fit the sentence correctly.

(CONSOLIDATE) Sleep is essential for the __ of memories.

(COGNITION) Physical activity is proven to improve __ performance.

(RETRIEVE) Using flashcards makes the __ of facts much faster.

(MEANING) If you connect info to your life, it becomes more __.

(CONSISTENCY) You should maintain a __ sleep schedule.

Exercise 5. Alphabet
A
a type of abbreviation formed from the initial letters of a phrase or multi-word name that is pronounced as a single word

C
to strengthen the memory traces of recently learned information

E
1. involves explaining a concept in your own words or connecting it to a personal experience
2. converting sensory information into a storable form

I
to damage, weaken, or spoil something so that it becomes less effective or functional

L
the brain's system for storing, managing, and retrieving information over extended periods, ranging from several minutes to an entire lifetime

M
a memory aid or technique used to help you retain and recall information

S
maintaining encoded information over time