JOMO

06-08-24 00 / episode: 398

Hi You’re about to listen to a story for Listening practice. This story is about JOMO or the Joy of Missing Out. In fact missing out can be very healthy when it comes to social media, to avoid the obsession and FOMO that comes with social media. Here are some pre-listening questions.

Questions

1.What did Larry use his smartphone for? 2.What did Larry notice on his first day of JOMO?
3.What was the big change that Larry noticed after a few weeks?
4.What rule did Larry set for himself about his smartphone?
5.When Larry’s friends noticed a change in Larry, what did they decide to do?

Hi and welcome to the English Listening World podcast episode number 398. This podcast is for listening practice. I have 26 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression ‘so … that’ is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below.

Fall into FOMO

Larry loved his smartphone. He used it all the time. He was always checking social media, watching videos, and playing games. It was fun at first, but soon he started feeling anxious. He felt like he was missing out on everything. He had FOMO - the Fear of Missing Out.

Larry felt anxious when he saw his friends posting pictures of their fun times. He felt like his own life was boring. It got so bad that he couldn’t sleep well. Larry knew he needed to do something. He decided to turn off his phone for one day a week. He called it his "JOMO Day" - the Joy of Missing Out.

First JOMO Day

The first JOMO Day was hard. Larry kept reaching for his phone, but it wasn’t there. He felt anxious at first, so much so that he almost turned it back on. But then, something surprising happened. Larry noticed things he hadn’t seen before. The trees looked greener, the sky bluer. It was so refreshing that he decided to keep going.

By the end of the day, Larry felt so relaxed. He didn’t miss his phone at all. He had a peaceful day, and his mind was clear. It was so fulfilling that he decided to keep doing it every week.

Big Change

After a few weeks, Larry noticed a big change. He wasn’t feeling as anxious anymore. He looked forward to his JOMO Days. He started reading books again, something he hadn’t done in a long time. He spent more time with his family. They played board games and went for walks. Larry felt happier and more connected to the real world.

Not Cold Turkey

But Larry still liked his smartphone. He didn’t want to give it up completely. So, he set a new rule for himself. He would only use social media for 30 minutes a day. It was hard at first. He wanted to check his phone all the time. But he stuck to his rule.

Larry found that 30 minutes was enough. He could check his messages, see what his friends were up to, and even play a quick game. Then, he would put his phone away. He had so much more time for other things. He started learning to cook, and he even took up painting.

They Noticed

Larry’s friends noticed the change. They asked him what he was doing differently. He told them about JOMO and his 30-minute rule. Some of his friends decided to try it too. They found it so refreshing that they also started having JOMO Days.

Larry was happy. He felt in control of his life again. He was no longer a slave to his smartphone. He found joy in the simple things and felt more connected to the people around him. Larry had discovered the joy of missing out, and it changed his life for the better.

Answers

1.What did Larry use his smartphone for? He used his smartphone for social media, watching videos and playing games. 2.What did Larry notice on his first day of JOMO?
At first he noticed more intense colours of things like the sky and leaves. Then he noticed that he was more relaxed. 3.What was the big change that Larry noticed after a few weeks?
Larry’s big change was that he was not as anxious anymore. He was happier and more connected to the real world.