BE} Special occasions AIMS: Talking about special occasions * Connecting ideas * Pronunciation: Past tense endings * Past simple ® Skills development: Understanding Part 3 * Exam practice: Part 2and Part 3 1: Language development Vocabulary: Special occasions 1 Look at the photos of special occasions. Which of the things in the box below can you see? * balloons cake cards carnival costume family fireworks friends parade presents traditional food ns with the words below. 2 Complete the descriptions of special occ. family give make presents In my country, we celebrate name days. We (1) cards and (2) traditional food. | enjoy visiting my (3) on my name day and I love receiving @ ! fireworks, parade watch wear New Year is a very special occasion. There's (5) .... through the streets and people (6)... beautiful costumes. We (7) sssensee the parade and we celebrate the start of a new year with (8) 20 Get Ready for IELTS: SpeakingUnit 3 Vocabulary: Connecting ideas «)3 3 4 Read the description of Steven's trip. Put a-f in gaps 1-6. Then listen and check. a Itwasa special trip for me because ... d_ My best friend went too. b_ but it wasn't very nice. @ Then we visited another city ¢ itwas very exciting! we walked to the city centre. Last year | travelled to Rio and visited my cousin and his family. (1) .--sssssess ..We went to my cousin’s house and we had a delicious traditional meal. After we ate dinner, (2) When we saw the carnival, (3)... We danced and sang We watched the parade. It was fun, but we were very tired. (4) and stayed at a famous hotel (5) ... We stayed for two days then we went home. © .---«. [travelled without my parents for the first time. Look at the bold words in Exercise 3. Then choose the correct word to complete the sentences. | enjoyed the parade and the carnival, but / because | was very tired We went to a local restaurant for lunch, then / but we went to visit some friends. | got a present from my parents. | got a present from my brother after /too. | didn’t enjoy the trip too / because | don't like travelling by bus. 1 2 3 4 After /When the graduation ceremony, my family met my friends from university. 5 6 When /but the fireworks started, we were very excited. Grammar: Past simple 5 Read the rules and look at the table. Complete the past simple form of the irregular verbs below. Use your dictionary to help you. Use the past simple for past actions that are finished. ‘+ For regular verbs, add -d or -ed, * For irregular verbs, learn the different forms. + For the verb be, lear the different forms for different persons. Infinitive Past simple + Past simple - Regular verbs dance danced didn’t dance Irregular verbs sing sang didn't sing ‘The verb be be was / were wasn't / weren't ft eat, 3 make 7 5 wear 2 give 4 meet ... 6 see Special occasions 216 Complete the sentences with the words below. danced didn't stay graduated was went were 1. | wasn't at the carnival. f......-s:useet0 my sister's wedding 2 last year. My parents came to England for the ceremony. 3 People wore colourful costumes. It an exciting day! 4 We watched the parade. We sang and to the music 5 I stayed with my friends. |. ina hotel. 6 We didn't see the fireworks. We vss tired and went to the hotel. Pronunciation: Past simple verbs and -ed 14) 7 The-ed ending is pronounced in three different ways. Listen to the different sounds and the 4 past simple verbs in the table below. Wy /a/ fas danced stayed hated watched travelled visited *4)) 8 Listen to six past simple verbs and add them to the table above. Watch Out! The -ed ending adds a sound to the end. Sometimes it adds an extra syllable to the verb. For example dance + -ed = danced (one syllable) hate + -ed = ha-ted (two syllables) 9 Complete the sentences with the words below. Use the correct form of the verbs. 1 {but meet travel watch } the fireworks 1 my friends in the park after the carnival. We....... and... home. We had a great time, .... we were very tired. 2 { see play wear when My hometown has a big festival each year. Last year, | a costume and... traditional music at the parade. My parents were very happy «they . the parade, 22 — Get Ready for IELTS: SpeakingUnit 3 rt 2: Skills developmen: 1 Exam information The complete Speaking test (Parts 1, 2 and 3) takes 11-14 minutes. The examiner asks questions and the candidate gives answers. The answers are recorded. Part 3: Two-way discussion © Part 3 takes 4-5 minutes. * The questions in Part 3 relate to the topic in Part 2. * The discussion is between the examiner and you. * The examiner asks you questions. You talk about different issues and ideas on the topic. * Part 3 tests your ability to talk about other topics related to Part 2's topic and to express and justify your personal opinions and ideas. Look at beginnings of Part 2 task cards 1-3. Match each card with a general topic a-c. 2 3 Describe someone in Describe an activity Describe a speci your family who you like. that you like doing. occasion in your life. You should say’ You should say: You should say: what kind of person what activity is it where this occasion he/she is took place a events b hobbies. © people Now match each question a-c with a task card 1-3 from Exercise 1. a Do young people in your country celebrate special occasions? . b_ What do you think are the differences between sports now and in the past? © What is the role of grandparents in your culture? Exam tip The Part 2 task prepares you for Part 3 because you talk about a related topic. Special occasions 23a) 3 16 4) 4 6 7 8 Look at the underlined key words in the Part 3 question below. Listen to two more Part 3 questions. Write the questions and underline the key words. Do you think computer games are good? Listen again and check. Read the model answers to a question in Exercise 3. Which question do the answers match? a Yes, | think, yes. In my country, we have one or two big festivals. We visit family or we remember people or events. It is important. itis @ serious thing but it is fun. | like travelling to other countries for festivals too. It is interesting to learn about the world b | went to a festival in my country last year and | enjoyed it. It was important to me because | saw my friends and family. Look at the model answers in Exert mode! answer. 5 again. Answer the questions below for each Is the answer on the same general topic? Is it relevant to the question? 1 2 3. Does it include the key words or words similar to the key words? 4 How long is the answer? Exam tip Try to give an answer wi four or more sentences. Do not give short answers. Choose a Part 3 question from Exercise 2 or Exercise 3 and write your own answer. Record your answer, then use the questions in Exercise 6 to check your answer. 24 Get Ready for IELTS: SpeakingUnit 3 Part 3: Exam practice Part 2 1 Read the Part 2 task card below and write notes for your answer. You have one minute for this in the exam. Describe a special occasion in your life You should say: where this occasion took place when it took place who was there and explain how your feelings on this occasion. 2 Record your answer. You have one to two minutes for this in the exam. Part 3 4) 3 Read and listen to the Part 3 questions. v What is an important festival in your country? What are your favourite parts of this festival? How have special occasions such as weddings changed in your country? Do you think special occasions and festivals are important for a society? 4 Record your answers to each question in Exercise 3. Progress check Listen to your answers. Tick the boxes below to assess your answers. Do you talk about all the key words on the task card in Part 2? talk about the right topic in Part 3? answer with four or more sentences in Part 3? use vocabulary for special occasions? use vocabulary for connecting ideas? use the past simple? use correct pronunciation for past simple -ed endings? Special occasions 25es Review 1 1 Complete the table with family words. mother wife ian sister (4) sae granddaughter father . son @ grandfather (5) 2 Circle the correct word to describe people. arwnea ‘A funny / kind person cares about other people. A bossy / friendly person tells other people what to do, ‘A calm / creative person uses their imagination to make new things. A confident / happy person believes in their ability. A clever / friendly person likes meeting new people. 3 Complete the sentences with possessive adjectives in the box. Cher 1 2 3 4 5 his our my (x2) = = ‘your «name is Abdul. am 19 years old. Is family big or small? My grandmother is 80....... I'm not an only child. This is My husband is from Australia. .... name is Ana. .. Sister Maria. .... felatives still live there. 4 Read the sentences about free time activities. Cross out the incorrect options below. There is one incorrect option in each sentence. 1 2 3 4 5 My favourite thing is playing computer games / tennis / the Internet. | really like chatting online. It's boring / exciting / relaxing. I don't like watching DVDs / films / magazines. I ove doing exercise / to the gym / nothing | prefer going shopping / to the gym /to music. 26 Get Ready for IELTS: SpeakingReview 1 14) 5 Listen and choose the correct sentence (a or b). 8 1a It’s boring bb It’s interesting 2. a I like doing nothing, b | like doing exercise. 3. a I don't like using the internet, b | like using the internet. 6 Correct the errors with the present simple in the sentences below. 1. | like really playing computer games. 2. Children in my country don’t like go shopping. 3. My brother and I likes going to museums. 4 | no like going for walks. 7 Complete the time expressions with the correct preposition: at or on. 1. | like doing nothing... the weekend 2 | play tennis Saturday. 3 I goto the gym 6 a.m. every day. 8 Match the verbs with the words in the box below to describe special occasions. give visit. watch wear} costume family fireworks _ presents | 9 Connect the ideas in the sentences with the best word. The journey was very long, b seseseenss| WS excited and happy. We saw the parade on Saturday. T. A I made traditional food for my family. My mother made some food t........ we visited friends on Sunday. . the fireworks, | went home. | was very tired. w. \ arrived at the restaurant, all my family were there. We wore new clothes b.........:0++ Ooahwon= .. it was special day. 10 complete the sentences with the past simple form of the verbs in brackets. | England last summer. It... .-at the parade, but they a . at the carnival. (sing, dance) last year and... my first job. (graduate, get) to the restaurant because | very tired. (not go, is) great. (visit, is) it. (are, not like) apron Review1 27