Activate your Writing for B2 with answer key

YOUR WRITING THE B2 PSREELPLIANRGATION B2 Exams

Activate your Writing Hamilton House Publishers Ltd 37 Bagley Wood Road Kennington Oxford England E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.hamiltonhousepublishers.com Text, design, artwork and characters © Hamilton House Publishers, 2020 ISBN: 978-9925-31-423-2 Student’s Book ISBN: 978-9925-31-424-9 Teacher’s Book All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. Any person who carries out any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Photo credits: page 31 © Raggedstone / Shutterstock.com; page 34 © kajornyot wildlife photography / Shutterstock.com; page 46 © TTStock / Shutterstock.com; page 65 © 1000 Words / Shutterstock.com; page 66 © Radu Bercan / Shutterstock. com; page 68 © MikeDotta / Shutterstock.com

Contents UNIT PAGE Introduction 4 5 1 Education 9 Formal email asking for information 13 2 Relationships 17 Article (personal anecdote) 21 25 3 Health Matters 29 Formal email of application 33 37 4 Around the Globe 41 Informal email giving advice 45 49 5 Technology Today 53 Essay (advantages and disadvantages) 57 61 6 Film, Celebrities and The Press 65 Review I 69 102 7 The Performing Arts 103 Review II 8 The World Around Us Essay (opinion) 9 Crime Informal email making suggestions 10 Fashion Article (opinion) 11 Property and Housing Formal letter (opinion) 12 The Sporting Life Story (begin with a given sentence) 13 Summer Employment Formal letter (for or against) 14 Natural Habitats Story (begin with a given sentence; prompts) 15 Behaviour Essay (opinion) 16 Consumerism Report Writing pages Self-Assessment Checklist ’Can do’ Statements 3

INTRODUCTION Activate Your Writing for B2 Exams is a new book that aims to develop students’ writing skills in an innovative and effective manner. The focus throughout the book is on providing students with support and encouragement, thereby ensuring they have the confidence and ability to produce a piece of writing at B2 level, thus preparing them for a number of the B2-level examinations. Emphasis is placed on developing the critical thinking skills of learners through a variety of exercises and task types: comparing, sequencing, negotiation, debating and reasoning, just to name a few. Skill integration is advocated throughout the book. In order for students to express their ideas in an effective manner, they need to be involved in brainstorming, with the aim of clarifying their thoughts and forming opinions. With the intention of ensuring quality writing, students are guided to become empowered learners and are as such provided with intrinsic motivation to learn. Through empowerment, learners recognise and act upon their abilities. Bearing in mind the four dimensions of empowerment listed below, learners become confident writers, capable of making choices and approaching tasks in a positive manner: Meaningfulness of the task: in order for a student to be motivated, the task should mean something, hence the focus is on brainstorming individual ideas, preferences and beliefs. Competence: empowerment is derived from the feeling of being ‘capable’ of performing the task in question. Students need to say ‘I can do that’. Impact: the more impact a student believes he or she has on a lesson, the more motivation there is to make an effort. Choice: students need to be given the choice with regard to what the task goals are and how they should be accomplished. At the back of this book, you will find the ‘can do’ statements as stipulated in the Common European Framework for Reference for Languages (CEFR), together with a self-assessment checklist that can be utilised in the classroom. Happy Writing! Here are some general writing tips which will assist you when composing your piece of writing at B2 level: Use complex language When you choose a task or Read the question at this level. You will be topic that interests you and carefully and underline rewarded for the effort that you can relate you, you the key words. Make you make. write more effectively. a plan, always refer to Don’t forget the Always think about who the question, develop significance of spelling the target reader is and your ideas and display and punctuation, remember the appropriate a range of language. especially if these style, register and tone obstruct communication. required for the task. 4

01 Education Formal email asking for information Activate Your Ideas A Read this statement and discuss as a class. Do most people agree or disagree? Students’ own answers The best way to learn a foreign language is to go to the country where the language is spoken. B Read these statements about going abroad to learn a foreign language and list them in order of importance. Then discuss in pairs. Students’ own answers 1 a You develop your listening and speaking b You learn to be independent 2 skills in the most effective way. and build your confidence. 3 4 You familiarise yourself with the culture of You explore the country whose language you are learning. d a new country. c C Discuss these questions in pairs. Students’ own answers • Have you ever thought about going to study abroad? • Would you like to learn another language abroad? If so, which language and in which country? UNIT 1 5

Unit 1 D Y our friend is thinking about enrolling in a crash course in Spanish. She has three options. Read the options and discuss them in pairs. Then decide which option is the best. Students’ own answers IlLn0oet9ces:a0snlo0slnai–vsne1eg3Svu:pe0ara0gynefdoissarhcyohcnfooreooummlrsoenatth apcLOlqouemunasalrfoilnoninfreSietepSdohapfonSayupinosrahiunsprhiiensorlhewtwhstnseeeoaehnckohsw!merie.th, PLnTReaaaIitVlirovAnreT-SmESppLaaaEndnSiesSishcOhowNuteSirtashecahs er. E With your partner, write down three questions that your friend might ask about the Spanish course you have chosen. Students’ own answers. The following are suggestions: 1 How much does the course cost? / How much do the lessons cost? 2 Is there an exam at the end? 3 Do I need to buy any books? Activate Your Skills A Read this email asking for information about an English course and circle the correct words to complete it. Email Dear Mr Deverill, I am writing (1) in / to response to your advertisement regarding the summer English course in the British countryside. I am interested in attending the course, but I would like to ask for some additional information. (2) Firstly / At once, could you please tell me if the teachers are native speakers? (3) However / Also, I would be grateful if you could let me know how much the course costs. In addition, (4) due to / as I can only attend the course if it is during my summer holiday, kindly advise me on the starting date and the length of the course. (5) Finally / Plus, please tell me the exact location of the language school so that I can make travel arrangements. Thank you in advance. I look forward (6) for / to your reply. Yours sincerely, Nicky Costa 6

Writing B Read this writing plan and underline in the email the things that Nicky wants to find out. Writing plan Dear Mr + surname of person you are writing to Greeting Why you are writing / where you saw the advert Paragraph 1 Questions about the course (teachers; cost; date and length of course) Paragraph 2 Additional question (location) Paragraph 3 End your email politely Paragraph 4 Yours sincerely, Signing off Your first name and surname C In her email, Nicky uses indirect questions to ask for information. Circle the phrases she uses to begin her indirect questions. D Complete these indirect questions. Look at Nicky’s email again to help you. ? . 1 When does the course start? . Could you please tell me when the course starts . . 2 Do I need any previous knowledge of the language? . Please let me know if/whether I need any previous knowledge of the language 3 Are the teachers native speakers? I would like to know if/whether the teachers are native speakers 4 How many students are there in each class? I would like to know how many students there are in each class 5 Who can I contact if I need more information? Kindly advise me on who I can contact if I need more information 6 Is accommodation included in the price? I would be grateful if you could tell me whether/if accommodation is included in the price E N ow look back at the questions you wrote in Activate Your Ideas E and rewrite them as indirect questions. Students’ own answers. The following are suggestions: 1 I would be grateful if you could let me know how much the course costs / the lessons cost. 2 Please let me know if there is an exam at the end. 3 I would like to know if I need to buy any books. UNIT 1 7

Unit 1 Activate Your Writing ALERT! • When you know the name of the person you are writing to, use Dear Mr/Miss/Mrs + surname and Yours sincerely. • W hen you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, use Dear Sir/Madam and Yours faithfully. A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. Y ou have seen an advertisement for a summer adventure camp in Switzerland. You are interested in going to the camp. Write an email to the head of the camp asking for information about the location of the summer camp, the type of activities on offer and the price. Writing plan Dea r (1) Sir/Madam Greeting Paragraph 1 Wh y y ou a re writing / (2) where you saw the advert Paragraph 2 Q ue stio ns a bout the cam p (location; (3) type of activities ; Paragraph 3 Paragraph 4 (4) price ) Signing off Additional question (your own idea) End your email politely You rs (5) faithfully Your first name and surname B N ow write a formal email asking for information in response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to check your writing and complete this checklist when you have finished. My writing checklist In my formal email, I have the following: Greeting Four paragraphs: • Why I am writing / where I saw the advert • Questions given in task • An additional question • End my email politely Signing off Formal language: Indirect questions 8

02 Relationships Article (personal anecdote) Activate Your Ideas A Read these sayings and discuss as a class. Which one(s) do most people agree with? Students’ own answers Half the truth is often a whole lie. A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. Ask no questions and you’ll be told no lies. B Read these statements and discuss the questions below them in pairs. Students’ own answers I had to tell a white lie as it was the My friend thought I had betrayed him, best way to deal with the situation. but I was just trying to protect him. It was a question of trust for her, and once it was lost between us, our friendship was never the same. • What could these situations have been? • Have you ever been in any situations like these? C Choose one of the statements in B and write a short paragraph about it. Students’ own answers UNIT 2 9

Unit 2 Activate Your Skills A Read the article and complete it with these adverbs. apparently gladly mistakenly obviously personally unfortunately Honesty is the best policy Most people are usually honest, but there are times when we (1) mistakenly think it is easier to tell a lie. Have you ever been in a situation like that? (2) Personally , I have, and it was a very unpleasant experience. A friend of mine was having a party, something she (3) apparently did every year. I had never been invited and neither had my best friend Tamara. So I accepted the invitation (4) gladly , and I was looking forward to it until I found out Tamara hadn’t been invited. When she asked me if I had been invited, I lied. I decided I would cross that bridge when I came to it. Although I felt guilty about Tamara at first, I had a lot of fun at the party. Then someone posted photos of us dancing and swimming in the pool. (5) Unfortunately , Tamara saw the photos and she was very angry. I apologised, but her answer was that actions speak louder than words. (6) Obviously , I will always regret my decision to lie to Tamara. It was a question of trust for her, and once it was lost between us, our friendship was never the same. ALERT! When you are describing something which has happened to you, you should describe your feelings throughout your description. 10

Writing B R ead this writing plan and underline four examples of the writer showing her feelings in the article. Writing plan Attract the reader with a catchy title. Title Introduce the subject of the article. (lying) Paragraph 1 Describe the situation up to the lie. Paragraph 2 Describe what happened and state how the person reacted. Paragraph 3 State your opinion on your decision to lie and the outcome. Paragraph 4 C The writer has used two idioms in her article. Circle them in the article, then match them and the other idioms below to their meanings. 1 a blessing in disguise c 2 actions speak louder than words a 3 cross that bridge when you come to it d 4 every cloud has a silver lining e 5 kill two birds with one stone f 6 once in a blue moon g 7 steal someone’s thunder h 8 the best of both worlds b a what you do is much more important than what you say b the benefits of two different situations that you can enjoy at the same time c something that seems to be a problem at first, but has a good result in the end d worry about a problem if/when it actually happens e every difficult situation has a positive side f achieve two things at the same time g very rarely h do something that somebody else was going to do (therefore receiving the praise or attention they would have received) D Now choose one of the idioms from C and write a short situation using it. UNIT 2 11

Unit 2 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. You see this advertisement in a local magazine. Articles wanted! Have you ever made a decision that you knew would hurt a person close to you? If so, we would like to hear about it! Write your article and say what the decision was, how it affected the person close to you and what the outcome was. The best articles will be published in next month’s magazine. Write your article. Writing plan Attract the reader with a catchy title. Title Paragraph 1 Introduce the subject of the artic le . (( 1) a bad decision ) Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3 Describe the situation up to the (2) decision . Final Paragraph Describe what happened and sta te (3 ) how the person reacted . State your opinion on (4) your decision to … and the outcome. B Now write your own article in response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to check your writing and complete this checklist when you have finished. My writing checklist In my article, I have the following: A catchy title Four paragraphs: • Introduction of the subject • Description of the situation up to my decision • Description of what happened and how it affected the person • My opinion on the decision and the outcome Adverbs Feelings Idioms 12

03 Health Matters Formal email of application Activate Your Ideas A L ook at this diagram about health and fitness. Complete the table that follows with the items in the diagram, according to what is true for you. Then discuss in pairs. Students’ own answers Students should: discuss the importance of doing all the items, giving examples of what they do, explaining why they should do other items more often and saying why they should start doing the items they don’t do. Spend time Avoid Balance with friends unhealthy (school) and family. work and food & leisure. drinks. Health & Fitness Do lots of exercise. Get enough Eat lots Drink sleep. of fruit & enough vegetables. water. I do this daily I should do this more often I never do this Students’ own answers UNIT 3 13

Unit 3 B Discuss these questions in pairs. Students’ own answers • W hich of the following do you do regularly? - play a team sport - go swimming - play an individual sport - go running - go to the gym - do exercise such as pilates or yoga • W hich of the above would you like to try (if there are any you haven’t tried)? • Are you, or have you ever been, the captain of a team? • H ave you ever been in a sports competition? C W hich of these adjectives describe someone who excels in a team sport, and which describe someone who excels in an individual sport? Write T for team sport, I for individual sport or B for both. Then discuss in pairs. 1 determined I 4 keen B 2 energetic B 5 reliable T 3 experienced B 6 sociable T D Now write adjectives from C which have similar meanings to these adjectives. 1 ambitious determined 2 knowledgeable experienced 3 passionate keen 4 responsible reliable 5 outgoing sociable 6 dynamic energetic E Your friend is thinking about applying for a summer job at a children’s sports camp. Which adjectives from D should he use to describe himself? Suggested answers: knowledgeable/experienced, passionate/keen, responsible/reliable, outgoing/sociable, dynamic/energetic 14

Writing Activate Your Skills A Read this email applying for a summer job at a children’s sports camp and circle the correct words to complete it. Email Dear Sir/Madam I am writing to (1) apply / enquire for the summer job which I saw advertised in the local newspaper on 16th May. I am eighteen years old, and I am in my last year at secondary school. I believe I am a suitable (2) competitor / candidate for this job because I am the captain of our school football team, and I also do a number of other sports competitively, including swimming, tennis and basketball. I have some relevant (3) experience / training, having been a camp assistant at my local primary school camp for the past three years. In addition to my (4) talents/ skills and experience, I am outgoing, passionate about all kinds of sport, and my teachers describe me as hard-working and responsible. I hope you will (5) consider / recognise my application favourably. If you (6) prefer / require any further details, please do not (7) hesitate / wait to contact me. I am available for a(n) (8) meeting / interview at any time convenient to you. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, Oliver Jones B Read the writing plan and underline the skills and experience that Oliver mentions in his email. Writing plan Dear Sir/Madam, Greeting S ay why you are writing, which job you are applying for, and where and when Paragraph 1 you saw the advertisement. Mention your age and what you are currently doing. Write about relevant skills Paragraph 2 and experience you have. Write about your personal qualities that are relevant to the job. Paragraph 3 A sk the reader to consider your application and say that you are willing to Paragraph 4 attend an interview. I look forward to hearing from you. Signing off Yours faithfully, Your first name and surname C W hich adjectives does Oliver use to talk about his personal qualities? ALERT! outgoing , passionate , When you are asked to describe your hard-working , responsible personal qualities, use interesting adjectives which have a positive meaning. UNIT 3 15

Unit 3 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. You have seen an advertisement for a summer job in a sports centre. Write an email to the manager to apply for the job, saying why you believe you are a good candidate for the job. Writing plan Dear Sir/Madam, Greeting Paragraph 1 Say why you are writing, which job you are applying for, and where and Paragraph 2 (1) when you saw the advertisement. M ention your (2) Paragraph 3 Write about relevant (3) age and what you are currently doing. Paragraph 4 skills and experience you have. Signing off Write about your (4) personal qualities that are relevant to the job. Ask the reader to (5) consider your application and say that you are willing to attend (6) an interview . I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, your first name and surname B Now write your own formal email of application in ALERT! response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to In all writing tasks, try to avoid using help you. Don’t forget to check your writing and the same wording that appears in complete this checklist when you have finished. the question. Wherever possible, use synonyms or paraphrase what My writing checklist appears in the question. In my formal email, I have the following: Greeting Four paragraphs: • Why I am writing, which job I am applying for, where and when I saw the advert • My age, what I am doing, my relevant skills and experience • Relevant personal qualities • Ask reader to consider my application, say I’m willing to attend an interview Signing off Adjectives Synonyms/Paraphrasing 16

04 Around the Globe Informal email giving advice Activate Your Ideas A Discuss these questions in pairs. Students’ own answers • Where would you go on your ideal holiday? • Who would you like to go with? • How would you like to travel there? • What would you do there? B R ead these statements about holidays and discuss as a class. Which one(s) do most people agree with? Students’ own answers There’s no point going on holiday to You sometimes have a great holiday a place you know you won’t like. when you least expect it. It’s not where you go on holiday that matters; it’s who you’re with. C Write a short paragraph explaining the statement in B which you agree most strongly with. Students’ own answers UNIT 4 17

Unit 4 Activate Your Skills A Imagine that you have received this email from your Italian friend, Giacomo. Read the email and discuss the questions that follow in pairs. Students’ own answers Email Giacomo From: Subject: Some advice please! My cousin Sonia has invited me to go and stay with her this summer in Tuscany. Her family has a beautiful house in Tuscany, Italy, but the area is a little isolated and I am worried I will get bored. As you know, I like playing sports and doing other outdoor activities. I also like meeting people, not just relaxing in a summer house! What do you think I should do? Giacomo • What advice would you give Giacomo? • Do you think he should go? B Now read Tom’s reply to Giacomo’s email and compare his advice with your ideas in A. Students’ own answers Email Hi Giacomo, Thanks for your email. It would be great to go on holiday to Tuscany! That sounds much more appealing than spending your summer here in the UK! First of all, you should ask your cousin which town or village her house is near so that you can go online and check out things you can do there. Also, you ought to find out where the nearest beach or lake is in order to find out if there are activities such as water-skiing or scuba-diving for you to do there. Finally, you’re a very sociable person so I’m certain you will meet people when you’re there. If I were you, I’d talk to your cousin and do your research online so as to have all the information you need before you make your final decision. Hope this helps, Tom 18

Writing C Read this writing plan and underline three phrases Tom uses to give advice in his email. Writing plan Hi …! / Hello …! / Hi there, Greeting Thank Giacomo for his email. / Say what you think about the holiday. Paragraph 1 Give advice about the location and sports/activities. Paragraph 2 Reassure him that he’ll meet people. / Summarise your advice and explain why Paragraph 3 he should take it. Hope this helps! / Write soon and tell me what you decide to do! Signing off Your first name D Read Tom’s email again and circle ALERT! three clauses of purpose. When you give advice, use clauses of purpose to explain why the reader should take your advice. E Giving advice often involves finding a solution to a problem. Match these sentences to their solutions. 1 It’s a long way to the nearest village. b 2 I don’t like cooking on holiday. e 3 I can’t speak Spanish, so it won’t be easy to communicate. a 4 We’d love to go to Sardinia but it’s a very expensive island. d 5 Though I’d love to visit the island of Corfu, I’m not keen on boats. c a I’m sure most people there will know some English. b There might be a local bus you can take. c Why don’t you fly there? The flight from Athens only takes an hour. d What about looking into a package holiday? e You don’t have to – you can eat out. UNIT 4 19

Unit 4 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. You have received this email from an English-speaking friend, Lia. Email Lia From: Subject: Can you help me? My school friends are going to go skiing during the holidays and they want me to go with them. As you know, I’m not keen on winter sports and I don’t like the cold very much. I know if I don’t go, they’ll be upset with me. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Lia Writing plan Hi …! / Hello …! / Hi there, Greeting Paragraph 1 T hank (1) Lia for her email. / Say what you Paragraph 2 think about the holiday. winter sports and what she can do Give advice ab ou t (2) Paragraph 3 to stay warm. she’ll have a good time / enjoy the holiday / Signing off her friends won’t be upset if she doesn’t go R eassure her that (3) . / Summarise your advice and ex plai n w hy she should (4) take it . Hope this helps! / Write soon and tell me what you decide to do! Your first name Write your email. B Now write an informal email giving advice in response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to check your writing and complete this checklist when you have finished. My writing checklist In my informal email, I have the following: Greeting Three paragraphs: • Thank Lia for her email. / Say what I think about the holiday. • Give my advice. • Reassure Lia. / Summarise my advice and explain why she should take it. Signing off Phrases to give advice Clauses of purpose 20

05 Technology Today Essay (advantages and disadvantages) Activate Your Ideas A Write down the first five words that come to mind when you hear the words social media. Compare your words with your classmates’. 1 Students’ own answers 2 3 4 5 B On a scale of 1 – 10, how important is social media in your life? Students’ own answer C Read these two statements about social media and discuss as a class. Which one do most people agree with? Students’ own answers Social media has helped me I’m not a huge fan of social media. I prefer to meet make new friends, keep in touch people when I go out, talk to them and not just with friends from my old school communicate with them on Instagram or Facebook. and I can share my ideas and Also, I don’t like sharing every single experience experiences with everyone. I have online. It’s an invasion of my privacy. UNIT 5 21

Unit 5 D Read these advantages and disadvantages of social media and write them in the correct columns in the table that follows. • P eople spend too much time sitting down looking at screens. • There’s a lot of peer pressure. • You can communicate instantly with anyone you want. • You can communicate with friends any time, any place, anywhere. • You can see photos of family members who live abroad. • You don’t know who you are really communicating with as all you see is a photo and text. Advantages of social media Disadvantages of social media You can communicate instantly with People spend too much time sitting anyone you want. down looking at screens. You can communicate with friends any There’s a lot of peer pressure. time, any place, anywhere. You can see photos of family members You don’t know who you are really who live abroad. communicating with as all you see is a photo and text. E Write any other advantages and disadvantages you can think of in the table in D. Students’ own answers Activate Your Skills A R ead the essay about the advantages and disadvantages of social media and complete it with these words. although as despite furthermore in conclusion moreover since therefore Nowadays, people of all ages use social media on a daily basis. Some people use it for pro fessio nal p urpos es an d othe rs to intera ct socially. (1) Although there are certain negative issues concerning social media, can we say that it is bad for teenagers? First of all, we should look at its advantages in today’s society. Social media enables us to com mun icate with peo ple fr om a ll over the world. (2)Furthermore/Moreove,rsocial media cre ates a waren ess o f wha t is go ing o n arou nd us, (3) as/since there are constant pos ts, u pd ates and stories. (4)Moreover/Furthermor,epeople are able to make new friends, keep in touch with old friends and ask for opinions online. Ho wever , soci al me dia al so has its d isadv antages. (5) Despite thinking we are ma king n ew fr iends , we o nly s ee a p icture and text, (6) therefore we may think we are talking to a young girl when in fact it could be anyone. Finally, social media is also causing hea lth is su es, (7) since/as teenagers are sitting in front of their computers for hours instead of exercising and going out to meet people. (8) In conclusion , as we can see, social media has both advantages and disadvantages. We should use it carefully and in moderation in order to ensure that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. 22

Writing B Complete this diagram with the words from A. Concluding Expressing Adding points in addition to sum up reason besides to conclude because furthermore in conclusion due to the fact that moreover as since ESSAY WRITING Expressing Expressing consequence contrast/concession as a result in spite of while consequently whereas so although despite for that reason therefore C R ead the essay again and underline the ideas from the table in Activate Your Ideas task D which are mentioned. D Look at the writing plan and write the different parts of the essay under the correct headings in the table. • Topic sentences stating the main ideas Writing plan • Introduction of the topic of the essay Paragraph 1 The situation nowadays and • Summary of the main points Paragraph 2 a question to encourage the • General background of topic Paragraph 3 reader to continue • S upporting sentences which develop the Advantages of social media Disadvantages of social media topic sentences Paragraph 4 Summarise your points and • Question to stimulate interest of reader state your opinion. • Final comment on subject • Concluding sentence giving your opinion Paragraph 1 Paragraphs 2 & 3 Paragraph 4 Summary of the main points Introduction of the topic of the Topic sentences stating the essay main ideas General background of topic Supporting sentences which Final comment on subject develop the topic sentences Question to stimulate interest Concluding sentence giving of reader your opinion UNIT 5 23

Unit 5 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. Most teenagers are addicted to their mobile phones today. Write your essay and include what teenagers use their mobile phones for today, whether this has affected their social life and your own idea. Writing plan to Paragraph 1 The s ituati on tod ay an d a (1 ) question encourage the reader to continue Paragraph 2 (2) Advantages of mobile phones (positive ways teenagers use them; positive effects on their social life) Paragraph 3 (3) Disadvantages of mobile phones (negative ways teenagers use them; negative effects on their social life) Paragraph 4 (4) Summarise your points and state your (5) opinion . B N ow write your own essay in response to the task ALERT! in A. Use the table in Activate Your Skills task D Don’t forget to use a clause of and the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to purpose (in order to, so as to, check your writing and complete this checklist so that) to say why you think when you have finished. people should do something when you give your opinion. My writing checklist In my essay, I have the following: Four paragraphs: • Introduction of the topic and a question • Description of the advantages with a topic sentence and supporting sentences • Description of the disadvantages with a topic sentence and supporting sentences • Summary of main points and my opinion Words which express reason, contrast/concession and consequence, and words to add points and conclude 24

06 Film, Celebrities and The Press Review I Activate Your Ideas A Read this statement and discuss as a class. Do most people agree or disagree? Students’ own answers In a few years’ time, printed newspapers and magazines won’t be published anymore because everyone will get all the information they need online. B R ead these statements about websites and tick the ones which are true for you. Then discuss in pairs. Students’ own answers 1 I often read news websites. 2 I often read sports websites. 3 I often read websites about celebrities. 4 I look online to see what other people think about films and TV programmes before I watch them. 5 There are some websites that I look at regularly. 6 I don’t have a favourite website; I use a search engine to find information when I need it. C Discuss these questions in pairs. Students’ own answers • What are your favourite websites? • How do you find out about new websites? • What makes a good website? • Would you stop reading a website if it had too many advertisements? UNIT 6 25

Unit 6 Activate Your Skills A Read the review about a website and complete it with these adjectives. annoying best entertaining interesting latest off-putting superb user-friendly All About Hollywood One of the (1) best websites that I have ever used is called All About Hollywood (AAH). As its name suggests, AAH has all the (2) latest news on movies and film stars, but it has much more than that. As you might expect, the website is divided into three main categories: celebrities, movies and television, but it also has a (3) superb search function, so you can find whatever you want, whenever you want. Furthermore, AAH has lots of videos, including trailers for films which are about to be released, and videos of actors talking about their work and their lives. Although there are rather a lot of advertisements which some people may find (4) annoying/off-putting, there is so much information on this site that they don’t really bother me. In fact, the pop-up videos that automatically appear on your screen actually show short clips and trailers, so even they are (5) interesting ! To sum up, I highly recommend this site to lovers of film and TV everywhere. You will find AAH (6) entertaining/user-friendly and (7) user-friendly/entertaining, provided that you don’t find the adverts (8) off-putting/annoying. 26

Writing B Now look at the writing plan and underline the main features of the website in the review. Writing plan Title The name of the website Paragraph 1 A general idea of the website; what it is about Paragraph 2 Details of the website; the main features Paragraph 3 Complete your description of the website, including possible negative aspects Paragraph 4 Your recommendation C Read the review again and answer these questions. ALERT! 1 Which negative aspect of the website does the writer mention? When you write a advertisements review, you may have to mention a negative 2 Which phrase does the writer use instead of ‘too many’? aspect of the thing rather a lot of you are reviewing. Try to present it as 3 Why is the writer not bothered by them? positively as possible. because there is so much information on the site 4 What does the writer say to make the pop-up videos sound positive? They show short clips and trailers, so they are interesting. Activate Your Writing A Imagine that you and a friend are going to the cinema. Which of the following would you want to see? Students’ own answers 1 a cartoon 2 a comedy 3 a documentary about a famous person 4 a horror movie 5 a romantic comedy 6 a science fiction film 7 a thriller B Complete the paragraph with these words. The words in brackets will help you. characters is set leading role performance plot soundtrack The film (1) is set (happ ens) on a sma ll islan d in Gr eece. T he (2) plot (story ) is a s imple l ove sto ry, but it’s gr eat fun . There are lo ts of (3 ) characters (people) in the story , but M eryl Streep plays the (4 ) leading role (main character), and, as always, her (5) performance (acting) is amazing. One of the best things about this film is the (6) soundtrack (music), which has lots of famous songs by the 1970’s pop group ABBA. UNIT 6 27

Unit 6 Activate Your Writing C Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. You see this advert in your local English newspaper: We are looking for reviews of recent films. Is there film you have seen recently that you really enjoyed? Your review should include information on what the film was about, whether the plot was good and what the actors’ performance was like. Would you recommend this film? The best reviews will be published in our newspaper next month. Write your review. Writing plan Title The name of the film Paragraph 1 A g ene ral id ea o f th e (1 ) film ; what it is about and the Paragraph 2 De tails of th e fi lm; t he (2 ) plot of the film, including (3) actors’ performance Paragraph 3 Co mpl ete you r (4 ) description po ssi bl e ( 5) negative aspects Paragraph 4 Your recommendation D N ow write a review in response to the task in C. Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to use this checklist when you have finished. My writing checklist In my review, I have the following: A title Four paragraphs: • A general idea of the film; what it is about • Details of the film; the plot and the actors’ performance • Complete my description with possible negative aspects • My recommendation Adjectives Negative aspects presented positively 28

07 The Performing Arts Review II Activate Your Ideas A W hat kinds of performances or events are related to these performing arts? Complete the diagram with these words. ballet circus comedy (rock/pop) concert festival modern musical opera pantomime play traditional Music • (rock/pop) concert Theatre • play • festival • musical • opera • pantomime Performing Arts Reviews Other • circus Dance • modern performances • comedy • ballet • traditional UNIT 7 29

Unit 7 B Discuss these questions in pairs. Students’ own answers • Have you ever been to a performance/event like the ones in A? - If so, tell your partner about it. - If not, which of the performances/events would you like to go to, and why? • Which of the performances/events do you think are suited to: - young people - older people - families C Which of these words might be used in a review about a musical performance, and which might be related to a review about a theatrical performance? Write M for music, T for theatre or B for both. Then discuss in pairs. 1 album M 7 encore M 13 performer M 2 audience B 8 entertainment B 14 script T 3 box office T 9 fan M 15 solo M 4 cast T 10 interval T 16 stage B 5 costume T 11 lead singer M 17 tune M 6 director T 12 lyrics M 18 venue B Activate Your Skills A Read the review about a music festival and complete it with these adverbs. generally happily highly personally simply unsurprisingly Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury is perhaps the most famous music festival in the world. It takes place every summer in the small village of Pilton, Somerset, in the UK. (1) Unsurprisingly , thousands of people turn up every year to see leading rock and pop bands as well as other lesser-known groups that perform on the smaller stages. (2) Personally , I thought this year’s festival was amazing! All the mai n a c ts were (3) simply outstanding, and at the end of each performance the audience expected an encore. And why wouldn’t they? Nobody wanted them to end! As well as the incredible music, there was also dance, comedy, theatre and even a circus act, which the festival-goers loved! It is a huge venue, and everyone dan ced an d s ang along (4) happily to their favourite tunes, and (5) generally enjoyed the exceptional performances. Glastonbury is a very enjoyable music festival set in the heart of the British countryside. It has music and a great variety of other acts to suit all tastes. I (6) highly recommend it to people of all ages. 30

Writing B Read this writing plan and underline all the positive adjectives the writer uses to describe different things in the review. Writing plan Title The name of the festival Paragraph 1 General information about the festival; what kind of festival it is, where and when it is/was held Paragraph 2 Details of the main event Paragraph 3 Details of other aspects of the festival Paragraph 4 Your recommendation C Read the review again and answer these questions. 1 Which words does the writer use to talk about people? people , audience , festival-goers , ALERT! everyone , people of all ages In all writing tasks, try not to use the 2 Which words does the writer use to talk about what was on same words over and at the festival? over again. Wherever possible, use different bands , groups , acts , words which have similar meanings. dance , comedy , theatre , circus , performance UNIT 7 31

Unit 7 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. You recently went to a performing arts event. You have now decided to write a review of the event for the school magazine. Your review should include information about what kind of event it was, details of the event itself and any other details you think are important. Writing plan Title The name of the event Paragraph 1 General informa tion abo ut t he e vent ; what (1) kind of event it was, (2 ) where and (3) when it was held Paragraph 2 Details of the (4 ) main part of the event of the event Paragraph 3 Details of (5) other aspects Paragraph 4 Your recommendation B N ow write a review in response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to use this checklist when you have finished. My writing checklist In my review, I have the following: A title Four paragraphs: • General information about the kind of event, when and where it was held • Details of the main part of the event • Details of other aspects of the event • My recommendation Adverbs Positive adjectives Different words with similar meanings 32

08 The World Around Us Essay (opinion) Activate Your Ideas A L ook at this diagram and complete the table that follows with things you reduce, reuse and recycle. Compare your ideas with your classmates’. Students’ own answers Suggested answers: Reduce Reuse Recycle energy (use energy efficient appliances water bottles batteries and light bulbs) fuel (walk, cycle or use public transport fabric shopping bags electronic goods instead of using cars) packaging (choose fresh food which glass jars to store food glass doesn’t have a lot of packaging) plastic (use reusable water bottles metal paper/cardboard instead of buying plastic ones and fabric plastic shopping bags instead of plastic bags) use of water (turn off the tap while cleaning teeth, collect rainwater for the garden, etc) B Write at least one thing you can reduce, reuse and recycle which you don’t already do. Reduce: Students’ own answers Reuse: Recycle: UNIT 8 33

Unit 8 C Complete these sentences with the correct form of these phrasal verbs. cut down cut down on dispose of dry up get rid of run out wipe out 1 Due to increased consumption of fossil fuels over the past 200 years, we are forced to cut down on their use and to find alternative sources of energy. 2 H ow m any mo re tr ees w ill be cut down before we realise that forests are the lungs of the planet? 3 Yo u a re n ot allo wed to dispose of any kind of waste on this beach. 4 Th e adv antag e of w ind an d sola r pow er is t hat th ey wil l never run out . 5 Lo ng pe riods of dr ought mean that rivers and lakes are slowly drying up . 6 Ju st get rid of your car and start cycling to work! Activate Your Skills A Read the essay about progress in environmental awareness and complete it with the correct prepositions. Today, it is common knowledge that our planet is suffering. The oceans, the land and the air are all (1) under threat from fossil fuels we use for energy, waste we produce and products we use. Although it is true that more and more people are aware (2) of what must be done to save our planet, are we doing enough? It cannot be denied that some progress has been made. Firstly, energy-efficient cars and buildings are becoming more popular, and the use of renewable forms of energy, such (3) as windfarms and solar power plants, is increasing. Furthermore, more pe opl e ar e re cycling (4) at least some of their waste, and there are also more prod ucts whi ch ar e bio degradable. (5) For example, you can now buy edible cutlery, and there are are also sunscreens, whose chemicals contaminate wate r, a va ilable (6) in biodegradable form. However, there are still many things harming our planet. Oil slicks and toxic waste threa ten m arin e lif e, an d da ngerous gases, emitted even by cigarettes and our firep laces at h ome , co ntrib ute (7) to global warming. In conclusion, in spite of the fact that some advances have been made, we are still far from ensur ing th e futu re of our pl anet. We m ust all do wh atever is (8) in our power to help. 34

Writing ALERT! When you write an essay, outline both sides of an argument. You should use high-level vocabulary. This often includes topic-related words which describe concepts or processes as well as prepositional phrases and phrasal verbs. B Read the essay again and find the words for these definitions. biodegradable windfarm 1 able to be decomposed by living organisms or bacteria toxic waste 2 area of land consisting of windmills/wind turbines that produce energy 3 poisonous materials and chemicals which are thrown away renewable forms of energy 4 energy that is generated from resources which do not run out, contaminate for example water, wind, the sun, etc global warming 5 make something dirty or less pure by adding something that is dangerous energy-efficient 6 the increase in the world’s temperature caused by the increase oil slick of particular gases 7 using little electricity or gas 8 a layer of oil floating on the sea C Look at the writing plan and answer the questions that follow. Writing plan Paragraph 1 The situation today and a question to encourage the reader to continue Paragraph 2 Develop one side of the argument with a topic sentence and supporting sentences. Paragraph 3 Develop the other side of the argument with a topic sentence and supporting sentences. Paragraph 4 Summarise your points and state your opinion. 1 What four things does the writer mention to support the argument that progress has been made? energy-efficient cars and buildings are becoming more popular the use of renewable forms of energy is increasing more people are now recycling there are more products which are biodegradable 2 What two things does the writer mention to support the argument that there are still many things harming our planet? Oil slicks and toxic waste threaten marine life dangerous gases contribute to global warming 3 What three phrases does the writer use to show that her arguments are true or accepted as true? it is common knowledge that it is true that it cannot be denied that UNIT 8 35

Unit 8 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. Nowadays, everyone knows what has to be done to save the planet, but many people believe that individuals can’t make a difference. Do you think this is true? Is there anything young people can do to change the world? Write an essay giving your views. Writing plan situation no wada ys and a (2) question to Paragraph 1 The (1) encourage the reader to continue individuals can’t make Paragraph 2 Develop on e si de o f the arg ume nt (that (3) a difference) with a topic sentence and supporting sentences. Paragraph 3 Develop the other side of the argument (what young people can do to (4) change the world) with a topic sentence and supporting sentences. opinion . Paragraph 4 Summarise you r po ints and stat e your (5) B Now write your own essay in response to the task in A. ALERT! Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to Don’t forget to use words to check your writing and complete this checklist when add points, express contrast/ you have finished. concession and to conclude. My writing checklist In my essay, I have the following: Four paragraphs: • Introduction of the topic and a question • D escription of one side of the argument with a topic sentence and supporting sentences • Description of the other side of the argument with a topic sentence and supporting sentences • Summary of main points and my opinion Correct prepositions in phrases High-level vocabulary Phrases to show your arguments are true or accepted as true Words which add points, express contrast/concession and conclude 36

09 Crime Informal email making suggestions Activate Your Ideas A Think about your neighbourhood. Is it a safe place to live? Look at these different crimes. How common are they in your neighbourhood? Make a list in order of frequency and discuss in pairs. burglary mugging robbery pickpocketing shoplifting vandalism 1 Students’ own answers 3 5 2 4 6 B Now complete this table. Nouns Verbs Crime Criminal burgle burglar mug burglary mugger rob robber pickpocket mugging pickpocket shoplift shoplifter vandalise robbery vandal pickpocketing shoplifting vandalism C Discuss these questions in pairs. Students’ own answers • What examples of vandalism can you think of? • Do you regard graffiti as a kind of vandalism? • Why do you think people commit acts of vandalism? UNIT 9 37

Unit 9 Activate Your Skills A Read this email and answer the questions that follow. Email Georgie From: Subject: Please help me! We’re having a class debate next week to discuss crime in our area. There’s a lot of vandalism and pickpocketing going on, and the gym almost caught fire last week because of people smoking behind our school! We need to come up with a solution and I thought maybe you had some ideas. What can we do to reduce the crime rate? I’d appreciate any suggestions you have. Thanks, Georgina 1 Who is going to have a debate? Georgina and her classmates 2 What is the debate going to be about? Crime in their area 3 What does Georgina ask the reader to do? Give her some suggestions on how to reduce the crime rate. B Write three things you would suggest to Georgina. 1 Students’ own answers 2 (Suggestions: Install cameras, request increased police presence, smoke alarm behind the gym, posters warning about pickpockets in the area, etc) 3 38

Writing C Now read Matt’s reply to Georgina’s email and compare his suggestions with your ideas in B. Students’ own answers Email Hi Georgina, Thanks for your email. I’m sorry to hear that crime is an issue in your area. We used to have similar problems in our area, so I have some suggestions for you. Something that might help solve these kinds of petty crimes, which usually happen in the evening when not many people are around, is CCTV cameras. This means that everything that happens in the area will be recorded, so it’ll be more difficult for the criminals to get away with it. You can also suggest that a smoke detector be installed in the area where people smoke. Once they find out it is there, they will think twice about smoking in an area where it isn’t allowed! Lastly, people should be advised not to walk alone when it is dark and not to carry valuable items with them. Your class could make posters and put them up in the area. I hope my suggestions help you in the debate. Matt D Do you agree with Matt’s suggestions? Discuss as a class, comparing Matt’s ideas to yours. Students’ own answers E Read this writing plan and underline four phrases Matt uses in the email to make suggestions. Writing plan Greeting Hi …! / Hello …! / Hi there, Paragraph 1 Thank Georgina for her email. / Say you are sorry to hear about the problem, and explain that you have some suggestions, and why. Paragraph 2 Make a suggestion which will prevent one (or more) crime. Paragraph 3 Make a suggestion which will prevent another crime. Paragraph 4 Make a suggestion which will prevent the third crime. Signing off Hope my suggestions help you in the debate. Your first name F Complete these sentences with the words in brackets. ALERT! Use the passive voice. When you make suggestions, you 1 You can s ugg est tha t th e school gates should be locked sometimes have to (should lock) every night. suggest that someone else takes action, so 2 More cam e ras could be installed (could install) outside the local shops. ought to be painted (ought to paint) it is necessary to use 3 The wall aro u nd the school the passive voice. by graffiti artists. 4 If I were y ou, I’d s ugge st th at m ore lights be put up (put up) in the streets. 5 People should be advised (should advise) to avoid walking in dangerous areas at night. UNIT 9 39

Unit 9 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. You receive this email from a friend of yours. Write your response. Email Sandy From: Subject: Some suggestions please! As you know, I’m head girl at my school, and I have a meeting with the teachers to discuss ways of preventing crime in the area near our school. There’s graffiti all over the school walls, some classroom windows are broken and the local shops have a terrible problem with shoplifters! I know you always have great ideas, so can you help me out? Bye for now, Sandy Write your email. Writing plan Greeting Hi …! / Hello …! / Hi there, Paragraph 1 Thank (1) Sandy for her email. / Say you are sorry to hear about the problem, and explain that you have some suggestions, and why. Paragraph 2 Make a suggestion w hic h wi ll pr even t (2) graffiti . Paragraph 3 Make a suggestion whic h w ill p rev ent (3) broken windows Paragraph 4 Make a suggestion whic h w ill p rev ent (4) Signing off Hope my suggestion s h elp you in the (5) shoplifters meeting Your first name B Now write an informal email making suggestions in response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to check your writing and complete this checklist when you have finished. My writing checklist In my informal email, I have the following: Greeting Four paragraphs: • T hank Sandy for her email. / Say I’m sorry to hear about the problem, explain that I have some suggestions, and why. • Make a suggestion which will prevent graffiti. • Make a suggestion which will prevent broken windows. • Make a suggestion which will prevent shoplifting. Signing off Phrases to make suggestions Passive voice 40

10 Fashion Article (opinion) Activate Your Ideas A Read these statements and discuss as a class. Which one(s) do most people agree with? Students’ own answers I know first impressions count, but it’s not all about Fashion promotes creativity and what we wear. We have to feel comfortable, too. helps us stand out from the crowd. Fashion has many negative impacts that we don’t always consider. How about people who can’t afford fashionable clothing? Have we thought about how that affects their self-esteem? B Answer these questions about the statements above. Then discuss in pairs. Which statement shows that the speaker: 1 is consid era te ab out othe r pe ople’s feelings? the third statement 2 enjoys b eing up- to-d ate w ith the latest trends? the second statement 3 is pract ical? the first statement UNIT 10 41

Unit 10 C Discuss these questions in pairs. Students’ own answers • How often do you buy clothes? • Do you have clothes in your wardrobe that you never wear? • Which of the following do you do with clothes you don’t wear anymore? - throw them away - recycle them - give them to a friend or family member - give them to a charity - sell them to a second-hand shop D Read these sentences and match the clothes idioms in bold with their meanings below. 1 ‘That dress fits you like a glove; I’ll buy it for you.’ ‘Thanks, Mum!’ d 2 They don’t know that I’ve taken their old clothes to the charity shop, c so keep it under your hat. 3 Keep your shirt on! I only paid £10 for these boots. I bought them h b at a second-hand shop. 4 You look very handsome. You’re going to knock their socks off at the party! g 5 Dad, I think you need a new outfit for the wedding. Everything you have is e a just so old hat. f 6 If you put yourself in her shoes, I’m sure you’ll understand why she did it. 7 I take my hat off to him; he’s done a great job. 8 You’re going to have to tighten your belt if you want to buy that leather jacket. a admire someone for something they have done b amaze someone c don’t tell anyone d fits perfectly e imagine what it would be like to be in someone else’s situation f live on less money than usual g old-fashioned h try to stay calm 42

Writing Activate Your Skills A Read this article about fashion and complete it with the missing phrases. The youth of today: fashion victims or confident individuals? (1) d teenagers today pay a lot of attention to the clothes and accessories they wear. Appearance is very important to them, but (2) f to call them fashion victims just because they like to feel good about the way they dress? (3) c to be complimented on your choice of clothing or your style, and I believe that most of us like to stand out from the crowd. (4) e when we dress well, we feel confident about ourselves, which is important. (5) b , most of us actually enjoy shopping for clothes. Nevertheless, there are people who spend all their time and money on clothes and who have to buy the latest fashion items, even if they really can’t afford them or they don’t suit them at all. As a result, they end up with wardrobes full of unwanted clothes. All in all, I believe that while teenagers do focus a lot of their attention on fashion, (6) a they are all fashion victims. a it would be wrong to say that b And let’s face it c We all know how nice it is d Most people will have noticed that e It is also worth mentioning that f is it fair B Read this writing plan and underline the positive aspects of fashion the writer mentions in the article. Writing plan Title Attract the reader with a catchy title. Paragraph 1 Introduce the topic of teenagers and fashion and ask a question to encourage the reader to continue. Paragraph 2 Develop one side of the discussion (positive aspects of fashion). Paragraph 3 Develop the other side of the discussion (negative aspects of fashion). Paragraph 4 Summarise your points and state your opinion. C Read the article again ALERT! When you write an article giving your opinion on a particular and circle all the words topic, you should use a wide variety of vocabulary related to related to fashion and the topic rather than repeating the same words. clothing. UNIT 10 43

Unit 10 Activate Your Writing A Read this task and complete the writing plan that follows. Write an article for a school/college magazine about what people should do with their unwanted clothes. You should write about the amount of clothes that people buy, different things that people can do with their unwanted clothes, including what you do with them. Writing plan Title Attra ct the read er wit h a (1 ) catchy title. Paragraph 1 Intro duc e th e to pic of (2) unwanted clothes and ask a question to encourage the reader to continue. Paragraph 2 Deve lop o ne si de of the discu ssion (the (3) positive things people do with their unwanted clothes). Paragraph 3 Deve lop th e oth er sid e of the d iscuss ion (t he (4) negative things people do with their unwanted clothes) Paragraph 4 (5) Summarise your points and state your opinion. B N ow write your own article in response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to help you. Don’t forget to check your writing and complete this checklist when you have finished. My writing checklist In my article, I have the following: A catchy title Four paragraphs: • Introduction of the topic and a question • Discuss positive things people do with unwanted clothes • Discuss negative things people do with unwanted clothes • Summary of main points and my opinion Informal phrases to show generally accepted ideas Variety of topic-related vocabulary 44

11 Property and Housing Formal letter (opinion) Activate Your Ideas A T hink about your town/city. If a friend were coming to visit you for the first time, which three places would you take him/her to and why? Compare your answers with your classmates’. 1 Students’ own answers 2 3 B Imagine that your local council plans to invest money in improving facilities in your town/city. Look at these facilities and number them in order of importance. Then discuss in pairs. Art gallery Students’ own answers Concert hall Community centre Exhibition centre Shopping mall Stadium UNIT 11 45

Unit 11 C Which of the facilities in B do you think these statements refer to? Discuss in pairs. Accept all logical answers. Answers are suggestions. This would attract more This could be enjoyed This place would have visitors to the area. by people of all ages. activities for everyone. Exhibition centre Concert hall Community centre This could be a venue for lots of different activities; it would create jobs and promote a healthier lifestyle. Stadium This would attract creative people to the area. Art gallery Activate Your Skills This would be a great place for A Read this task and answer the questions that follow. youngsters to socialise, especially if it had a cinema complex, too. Shopping mall The Town Gazette is interested in citizens’ opinions about the local council’s plan to build on unused land on the outskirts of town. It is either going to construct a sports centre or an entertainment complex. Write a letter to the editor, giving your opinion. 1 Has the local council decided what it is going to build? No, it hasn’t. 2 What are the options? A stadium, a sports centre or an entertainment complex. 3 What does the newspaper want citizens to do? Write a letter giving their opinions. 4 Who is going to read the letters? The editor. B Which option do you think would be best, and why? Students’ own answers 46

Writing C N ow read Carla Meyer’s letter in response to the task in A and compare her opinion with your answer in B. Discuss in pairs. Students’ own answers Dear Editor, I am writing in response to the article in today’s Town Gazette concerning the council’s plan to build on unused land on the edge of town. Firstly, I think it is a great idea, as this area is considered to be one of the worst in our town. Additionally, lots of people have had to leave our town due to a lack of employment opportunities, and both options would create jobs for locals. They would also both attract more people to the area. In my opinion, the best thing to build would be a sports centre, as we do not have many facilities like that in our town. It would also help citizens of all ages lead a healthier life. On the other hand, an entertainment complex is not a bad idea either, as it would give people something to do in their free time, though in my opinion it is not as important as a sports centre. To conclude, I strongly believe that a sports centre should be constructed in order to improve the lifestyle of this town’s citizens. Yours faithfully, Carla Meyer D Read this writing plan and underline Carla’s reasons for her choice. Writing plan Dear Editor, Why you are writing / where you saw the article. Greeting Give your general opinion about the plan, and your reasons. Paragraph 1 Say which option you prefer and why, and mention the other option Paragraph 2 Restate your opinion. Paragraph 3 Yours faithfully, Paragraph 4 Your first name and surname Signing off E W hich structure does Carla ALERT! use to talk about the reasons When you have to choose from different options, there may for her choice? be positive aspects that are true for both options. If this is the case, discuss these reasons in the first paragraph; they She uses would + bare infinitive. will still make your choice stronger. UNIT 11 47

Unit 11 Activate Your Writing A R ead this task and complete the writing plan that follows. The Town Gazette is interested in citizens’ opinions about the local council’s plan to replace the old stadium with either a community centre or a shopping mall. Write a letter to the editor, giving your opinion. Writing plan Greeting Dear (1) Editor , Paragraph 1 Why you are w ri tin g / (2) where you saw the article. plan , Paragraph 2 Give your ge ner al op inio n ab out the (3) and why, and mention the and your reasons. Paragraph 3 Say which o pt ion y ou (4) prefer other option Paragraph 4 (5) Restate your opinion. Signing off Yours (6) faithfully , surname Your first na m e a n d (7) B N ow write a formal letter giving your opinion in ALERT! response to the task in A. Use the writing plan to When you have a choice of options, help you. Don’t forget to check your writing and don’t worry about which one you complete this checklist when you have finished. choose. Both are acceptable, so choose the one for which you can My writing checklist come up with better reasons. In my formal letter, I have the following: Greeting Four paragraphs: • Why I am writing / where I saw the article • My general opinion about the plan and my reasons • Which option I prefer and why; mention the other option • Restate my opinion Signing off would + bare infinitive to give reasons for my choice 48

12 The Sporting Life Story (begin with a given sentence) Activate Your Ideas A Why do you think people like listening to and telling stories? Discuss as a class. Students’ own answers B Read this quote and discuss as a class. Do most people agree or disagree? Students’ own answers The pleasure of reading a story and wondering what will come next for the hero is a pleasure that has lasted for centuries and, I think, will always be with us. Stan Lee C R ead these first sentences from stories. What do you think each story is going to be about? Discuss in pairs. Students’ own answers 1 Eli was running towards the park gate when she heard someone shouting ‘Help me!’ 2 The sky was getting darker, the wind was howling and the trees were blowing from side to side. 3 The players had been practising for hours. 4 When it started to pour, Celia had just walked through her front door. 5 Kenny dashed up the stairs, closed the door and jumped under his bed. 6 Mike was shooting some hoops while Eve was texting her friends. UNIT 12 49

Unit 12 D N ow look carefully at the tenses used in the sentences in C and match them with the explanations below. a the past continuous with past simple for an action that was in progress in the past 1 when it was interrupted by another action b the past perfect continuous for an action that started and continued until a specific 3 time in the past 4 2 c the past perfect simple for a completed action before a specific time in the past 5 d the past continuous for setting the scene 6 e the past simple for a sequence of actions that happened one after the other in the past f the past continuous for two actions happening at the same time in the past Activate Your Skills A Read the first sentence of this story. What do you think it is going to be about? Discuss in pairs. Students’ own answers As I walked towards my house, I saw that everything was pitch black. B Now read the whole story and compare it with your ideas in A. Students’ own answers As I walked towards my house, I noticed that everything was pitch black. There were no lights, nothing. I was worried because today had been very special, but I hadn’t heard from anyone all day. I hoped everyone was alright. Slowly, I unlocked the front door. To my surprise, when I turned on the light, all my friends and family appeared in the hall. They were wearing party hats and they all shouted ‘Congratulations, Amelia!’ When I had got over the initial shock, my friends led me into the living room, and I saw how beautifully it was decorated. Balloons and bouquets of flowers had been placed all around the room. There were also presents in brightly-coloured wrapping paper on a table, as well as a huge cake. All my favourite people had gathered to congratulate me on winning my first tennis tournament. I had been so nervous before the match that I hadn’t even wondered why nobody had called me. I had no idea that they were planning to throw a surprise party for me. It was the best day ever! 50