Unit 1A What are you like?

Activity 3A

Extra – activity

What kind of personality do you have? Do you ever think about your personality? I do. I think it’s very
interesting to explore personality. My own personality has changed a lot over the years. When I was a
child, I was painfully shy, but now I’m brimming with confidence. I have learned how to be with people
and let my true character shine. The personalities of my friends have rubbed off on me, which I’m happy
about. There are parts of my personality I’m not too happy with. I’m quick to get angry with people and
sometimes I sulk when I don’t get my own way. I think overall I have a good personality. I’m easy to get
on with and I’m quite happy and cheerful. I might take some personality tests and see what they say
about me.
Unit 1B Breaking the ice

Activity 1B

Activity 1D
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People say first impressions count. What do you think? Can you understand a lot about someone from
the very first time you see them or meet them? I think I’m good at judging someone’s character from
the first time I set eyes on them. It’s easy to understand if the person is my kind of person. First
impressions count most when you meet someone important. If you have a job interview, it’s very
important to give a good first impression. The interviewer can decide if they like you as soon as you walk
through the door. Are you well-dressed? Do you look happy? Do you greet the interviewer? All these
things are important. I also think first impressions count when you meet your future in-laws.
Unit 2A Meeting new people

Activity 2A

Extra – activity

Love is a wonderful thing, but is it possible to fall in love with someone at first sight? Many people say
they have done this. How can it be possible? Surely it takes a time to get to know someone and then fall
in love. I think falling in love at first sight is dangerous. You don’t really know the person. Maybe after
you’ve built your life around them you’ll find lots of faults in them and suddenly be disappointed. Then
you’ll have to fall out of love. Anyway, is it really love at first sight or is it love at first conversation? And
what if the other person doesn’t fall in love with you at first sight? This could be a bit painful. It could
also be embarrassing. I think I like the traditional way of falling in love after 257 dates.
Unit 2B On the phone

Activity 4A

Extra activity

Telephones are a major part of our lives these days. When I was growing up, I perhaps used the phone
once a week. It was almost a big event when it rang. Everyone rushed into the living room to find out
who was calling. Of course, it was an old-style phone – the size of a football. And you had to leave it on
the table because it was plugged into the wall. Today, however, is a totally different matter. Everyone
has a phone. Some people I know have several. They change them every six months when the latest
models come out. Today’s phones aren’t really phones. They are like personal entertainment devices
that have a phone. I’m waiting for the watch phone. I’m sure it’ll be here soon.
Unit 3A That sounds delicious

Activity 2AB

Extra – activity

Do you like fast food? Lots of people complain about it but I think a lot of it’s quite tasty – as long as you
go to one of the international chains like McDonalds or Kentucky. I think in today’s world, it’s difficult to
avoid eating in fast food restaurants. They are so convenient and seem to be everywhere. Of course
they’re not the same as real restaurants. I wonder if they are restaurants. There aren’t any waiters.
Anyway, the most important thing to remember about fast food is that it isn’t so healthy. People who
eat it every day develop health problems. I don’t understand why schools serve fast food during lunch
time. Schools should encourage students to eat healthily. If you have time, look at a website on slow
food.
Unit 3B Going out to eat

Activity 2AB

Extra activity

I love restaurants. I never get tired of going to them. I go to restaurants a lot. Maybe three times a week.
I have my favourite restaurants, which I go to regularly. The waiters know me and I usually get very good
service. But I also like trying new restaurants. It’s exciting to see what’s on the menu and how the food
will taste. Most of the time a visit to a new restaurant is a great experience. But sometimes, I wonder
why my friend recommended a restaurant. I’ve been to a few restaurants where the food was so bad, so
tasteless, I didn’t want to pay. My favourite restaurants are Indian. I can’t get enough of Indian food. I
love the smells inside Indian restaurants. And of course the tastes.
Unit 4A What’s the weather like

Activity 2A

Extra activity

The weather means different things to different people. I come from England, so the weather is always a
big topic there. People in England can't deal with the weather. A tiny bit of snow, and no one goes to
work. Two days of thirty-degree temperatures and it's a heatwave. Three days and it's an emergency. I
once lived in Dubai. No one really talked about the weather there. It was the same almost every day of
the year. Hot, sunny, blue skies, no rain. I never looked at the weather forecast. I always knew what the
weather would be like. Not like in England where people pray for the weather to be OK. But the weather
is changing. Global warming is making it rain in the desert and dry in the rainforests.
Unit 4B Extreme weather

Activity 2B

Activity 2D

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I don’t know about you, but I think there are more natural disasters now than before. Every time I turn
on the news there’s some kind of disaster. There are bushfires in Australia and California, earthquakes in
China, hurricanes in Mexico and droughts in Africa. I’m sure global warming is creating more natural
disasters. I’m lucky. Where I live, we don’t really have natural disasters. I’ve never experienced anything
like the things on TV. Japan has many natural disasters. They have earthquakes, typhoons, flooding,
volcanoes, all kinds of things. They are lucky they have the money to deal with them. There are
countries in Africa that aren’t rich. When a natural disaster hits them, everyone suffers terribly.
Activity 5A

Activity 1B

Activity 2AB
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What would life be like without music? I wonder how music started. It is an important part of every
culture on Earth. I wonder when we first became interested in music. I also wonder when we first
become interested in music. Is it when we are a baby? Some people think our interest in music starts
before we are born. Music is an essential part of my day. It changes my feeling and puts me in a good
mood. There’s nothing better to do on a train or bus than put on my headphones. I like all kinds of
music, from classical and opera to jazz, rock and world music. I’m always looking for something new.
Sometimes I hear a song or piece of music on the TV or radio. I have to find out who it is. Do you do
that? I’m sure I’ll keep collecting CDs or mp3s until I’m a hundred. Perhaps I won’t be able to hear it
then!
Unit 5B If I had more time

Activity 1A

Extra – activity

There never seems to be enough time to do things. I always seem to run out of time. I really wish there
were more hours in the day. Then I could slow down and relax, and get everything done. Time is a fun
thing. Sometimes it flies – usually when you’re having fun. Other times it drags and goes painfully slowly.
Sometimes I look at the clock and I think it’s going backwards. I think it’s very important to spend my
time wisely. It’s too important to waste. For me, time is very precious at the weekends. I can spend
some quality time with my family and friends. I always have a good time at the weekend. I like the
expression time is money. It kind of shows how valuable time is. Oh well. That’s that. Time for me to go
now.
Unit 6A Campus life

Activity 1C

Activity 1EF
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University is one of the happiest times of our life, if you go to university, that is. I totally loved my
university days. I also loved my university. I had three great years of being a student. It was the first time
I lived alone, without my parents. I had to cook, wash and clean for myself. I loved it. I had complete
freedom. I also loved the studying. It was much more interesting than studying at school. It was nice to
just wander along to a lecture, do the reading and then do the assignments. I really felt like I was
learning something. I also loved the social life at university. It’s almost 24/7. There are always parties
and things to do. You have to get the right balance between studying and partying.
Unit 6 Jobs

Activity 2A
Activity 2C

Activity 4C
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Job interviews are always hit and miss for me. Sometimes I have a great interview and get the job. Other
times, my interview bombs and I don’t get the job. It’s really important to prepare. You must also be
confident and make sure the interviewer knows you really want the job. The trick is to make the
interviewer think you are the best person for the job. I always wear my best suit and arrive early. I
always smile when I walk into the interview room. First impressions are very important. It’s also a good
idea to talk about your experiences - sell yourself. Make sure you have a few good questions to ask at
the end of the interview. Interview technique is something we learn over time – you get to relax more
the more interviews you have.
Unit 7A Traffic problems

Activity 1C
Activity 2B

Activity 3C

Extra – activity

Someone really should do something about the traffic. It’s terrible. It’s getting worse every day. There
are so many cars on the roads these days. It’s a nightmare driving in the city. Bumper to bumper even at
midnight. I don’t know where all this traffic came from. You turn on the radio and the traffic report is all
about congestion here, snarl-ups and gridlocks there. The answer must be to get better public transport.
Let people take the train or bus. People need to leave their cars at home. The roads are too dangerous.
And then there’s the pollution. It’s disgusting outside sometimes. You feel like you’re breathing pure
fumes. We need to get rid of these traffic jams so we can move and breathe more easily.
Unit 7B Touring a city

Activity 2B
Activity 3C

Travelling gives you many wonderful experiences you cannot find in your own country. You meet local
people and get to understand different cultures. It’s so exciting. I love planning trips and doing some
research on the country or countries I want to visit. Sometimes I like to plan everything in advance, my
flights, hotels and tours, etc. For me, the most exciting thing is arriving in a country with no hotel
reservation and no fixed plans. I prefer staying in hostels and guest houses. You get to meet and talk to
different and interesting people and share information. I also like to visit places that are off the beaten
track. Being somewhere with thousands of other tourists? It’s not my cup of tea.
Unit 8A City or countryside

Activity 2C
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Extra – activity

Where do you go for a good time? Most of the people I know go to a pub, club or bar. Sometimes all
three in one night. When I was younger I used to go pubbing and clubbing. We would all meet in a pub
and have a few drinks and then go off to a club to dance. When the club shut, we’d head off to a late-
night bar. I love going to pubs. They are full of atmosphere. Lots of people chatting, laughing and having
a good time. Thankfully, pubs are no-smoking places now, so you can come home without smelling like a
cigarette. I also still like clubs, although I’m a bit old now. I love the loud music. It always makes me want
to dance. I loved going clubbing in different countries. Different music and atmosphere.
Unit 8B Fears and crimes

Activity 2B

Activity 3C

Extra – activity

What are you afraid of? I’m not really afraid of anything. When I was a child I was afraid of the dark. I
used to hear strange noises at night when I was in bed. I couldn’t move. I was frozen with fear until it got
light outside. I’m no longer afraid of the dark, thankfully. I also used to fear speaking in public. My face
would go red and I’d get very hot. I overcame this fear because I had to make many speeches at school.
The more I did this, the more my public speaking fear disappeared. People are afraid of many strange
things. Did you know there is a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth? There is even a
medical name for it. I don’t think fear is a bad thing. It probably stops us from doing really dangerous
things.
Unit 9A Where do you want to go?

Activity 2A
Activity 4C

Extra – activity

I love holidays. They are the best thing in the world. The only problem is they are always too short. Even
summer holidays at school aren’t long enough. I recently had an eight-week holiday and it flew by. It
seems as though time goes quickly when we are on holiday, and slowly when we are at school or work. I
always really look forward to holidays – even one-day holidays are great. I live in a country that has
many national holidays, so there’s always a break around the corner. I feel sorry for some workers who
only get two or three weeks holiday a year. They can’t do anything or go anywhere. I love holidays even
if I don’t go away. Staying at home is just as good as going on holiday somewhere. Sometimes going on
holiday is stressful.
Unit 9B Hotel services

Activity 1C

Activity 2B
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Unit 10A Are you a techie?

Activity 2C
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What would we do without technology? Would we still be living in caves? Probably. I think there are two
main kinds of technology. The kinds before and after computers. When we think about technology
before computers, it was quite basic. It was all mechanical. Things like steam trains and fridges. At the
time, that was cutting edge technology. But, today’s technology is really cutting edge. It’s the kind of
technology that is out of date as soon as it hits the shelves. I love this. It’s so exciting seeing it all
happen. I love reading about what technology we’ll have in the future, and then buy it a few years later.
It’s like buying technology from science fiction movies. I’d love to live to be 200 so I can see what
technology is around then.
Unit 10B Online shopping vs traditional shopping

Activity 1B

Activity 2D
Activity 3C

Extra – activity:

Shopping must be one of the world’s most popular hobbies. I hate it. There’s nothing more boring than
wandering around shopping malls. What a waste of time. I know a lot of people who like window
shopping – just walking around shops without wanting to buy anything. Crazy! My plan for shopping is
‘quickly in, quickly out’. If I have to go shopping, I go in the morning on a weekday. This is when the
stores are empty and you can get what you want quickly, without thousands of other shoppers getting
in your way. The worst time to go shopping is on a Saturday afternoon during sale season. It seems as
though all of the world’s bargain hunters are in the same store as you. I was happy when online
shopping came along. This is very relaxing.
Unit 11A Animal and nature

Activity 2A
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I’m a real animal lover. I’m fascinated by the whole animal kingdom. I loved animals when I was a kid. I
used to read every book I could find on animals. I knew all the different animal species. The most
exciting thing for me was going to the zoo. I would spend hours just watching the animals walk around,
sit, or even sleep. When I was older, I went on a safari to Tanzania. I saw real wild animals in the wild.
Everyone should do this once in their lives. Looking at animals in their natural habitat is a real honour.
Now I’m worried about the future of many animals. Some of my favourite animals are in danger of dying
out. We really need to change our lifestyle so our children can have the chance of seeing animals in the
wild.
Unit 11B Protecting our environment

Activity 2AB
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I hate pollution. It makes me really angry. I think pollution is greed. People don’t care about the
environment so they pollute the air just to make lots of money. Big companies are the worst. They
pretend they’re not polluting. They have the money to say they are “green”. Pollution affects us all. We
are all less healthy because of companies that pollute the air or our rivers. Everybody needs to think
about how we can reduce the amount of pollution we create. Not using the car when we can walk is one
way. Turning off lights we don’t need is another. Barack Obama says he’s going to do his best to help the
Earth. I really hope he does because if pollution gets any worse, we’ll be in seriously big trouble.
Unit 12A Did you hear about?

Activity 2A
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Why is the news always so depressing? Every time I look at the news, I get sad. It’s always war, death,
killing, famine. Why can’t news stations report happy news? They really don’t have to bring us such
terrible stories. I looked at the news last night. There was news about two wars, a corrupt leader, an
increase in knife crime, and the story of a deadly new disease. Oh, I forgot, and the global financial crisis.
We’re all poorer and will stay poorer for the next twenty years! I’m sure there must be something happy
to tell us. If we look at nice news stories, we’ll all feel happier. We need news about the good humans
are doing. I want to hear about advances in medicine and science, or about someone raising a million
dollars for a charity.