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Posting an Update and Getting Feedback

Someone posts a photo or status update about their recent activity or thoughts, and then discusses the comments or reactions they received on their post with a friend.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Sarah (Female)
Hey John, did you see the photo I posted earlier about my hiking trip?
2
John (Male)
Yeah, I did! It looked amazing. The view from the top was incredible. Lots of likes on that one, I bet!
3
Sarah (Female)
Thanks! It got quite a few, which was nice. But I was actually more interested in the comments. Some people shared their own hiking experiences.
4
John (Male)
Oh, that's cool. Any interesting ones? Sometimes the comments section can be a mixed bag.
5
Sarah (Female)
Totally. Most were positive, but one person asked if the trail was really as easy as I made it sound. They said they'd gone previously and found it quite challenging.
6
John (Male)
Haha, classic. It's always tricky to set expectations for others online. What did you say?
7
Sarah (Female)
I replied that my perception of 'easy' might be different because I hike regularly, and that maybe I should add a disclaimer next time about trail difficulty. It sparked a good mini-discussion!
8
John (Male)
See, that's what I like about social media sometimes – it can actually lead to genuine conversations and useful feedback. Good on you for engaging with it!
9
Sarah (Female)
Yeah, it definitely made me think about how I phrase things in future posts. It's not just about sharing, but also about the conversation it generates.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

hiking

Hiking means walking long distances in nature, like mountains or trails, for exercise or fun. Use it when talking about outdoor activities: 'I love going hiking on weekends.'

posted

Posted is the past tense of 'post,' which means to share something on social media, like a photo or message. It's common in online contexts: 'I posted a picture on Instagram.'

likes

Likes are positive reactions or approvals people give to posts on social media, shown as a heart or thumbs-up icon. Say: 'My post got 50 likes!' to show popularity.

comments

Comments are written responses or opinions left under a social media post. They're useful for starting discussions: 'I read the comments on your photo.'

challenging

Challenging means difficult or requiring effort. In this context, it describes something hard like a hike: 'The trail was challenging, but rewarding.' Use it for experiences that test skills.

disclaimer

A disclaimer is a statement that warns or clarifies something to avoid misunderstandings, like adding 'This is my opinion' to a post. It's practical for online sharing: 'Add a disclaimer about difficulty.'

feedback

Feedback means comments or opinions given to help improve something. In social media, it's useful responses: 'I appreciate the feedback on my post.' It shows you're open to advice.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

Hey John, did you see the photo I posted earlier about my hiking trip?

This is a casual way to start a conversation about social media. It uses a question with 'did you see' for past events and 'posted' for sharing online. Useful for checking if friends viewed your update; practice for informal chats.

It looked amazing. The view from the top was incredible.

These sentences give compliments on a post. 'Looked amazing' and 'was incredible' are simple past tense adjectives for positive descriptions. Use them to respond nicely to friends' photos; they build rapport in online discussions.

It got quite a few, which was nice.

This refers to receiving likes, using 'got' in past tense and 'which was nice' as a relative clause to add opinion. It's useful for talking about social media reactions; shows modesty and positivity.

Sometimes the comments section can be a mixed bag.

This idiom 'mixed bag' means a variety of good and bad things. 'Can be' shows possibility in present tense. Use it when discussing unpredictable online interactions; it's a natural expression for intermediate learners.

It's always tricky to set expectations for others online.

'It's always tricky' uses 'it' as a dummy subject with 'always' for general truth, and infinitive 'to set.' Useful for sharing online challenges; helps explain difficulties in digital communication.

I replied that my perception of 'easy' might be different.

This uses reported speech 'I replied that' followed by a clause with 'might be' for possibility. 'Perception' means personal view. Practice for responding to comments; shows thoughtful communication.

That's what I like about social media sometimes – it can actually lead to genuine conversations.

This cleft sentence 'That's what I like' emphasizes reason, with dash for pause and 'can actually lead to' for potential outcomes. Useful for expressing opinions on social media benefits; encourages balanced views.