Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 69

Life C1 Advanced 2nd Edition Paul

Dummett
Visit to download the full and correct content document:
https://ebookmass.com/product/life-c1-advanced-2nd-edition-paul-dummett/
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...

READY FOR C1 ADVANCED Student's book with key 4th


Edition Amanda French

https://ebookmass.com/product/ready-for-c1-advanced-students-
book-with-key-4th-edition-amanda-french/

Advanced Concrete Technology, 2nd Edition Zongjin Li

https://ebookmass.com/product/advanced-concrete-technology-2nd-
edition-zongjin-li/

Alexa for Dummies 2nd Edition Paul Mcfedries

https://ebookmass.com/product/alexa-for-dummies-2nd-edition-paul-
mcfedries/

Bernard Bolzano: His Life and Work Paul Rusnock

https://ebookmass.com/product/bernard-bolzano-his-life-and-work-
paul-rusnock/
The Maudsley Guidelines on Advanced Prescribing in
Psychosis 1st Edition Paul Morrison

https://ebookmass.com/product/the-maudsley-guidelines-on-
advanced-prescribing-in-psychosis-1st-edition-paul-morrison/

Chronic Renal Disease 2nd Edition Edition Paul Kimmel

https://ebookmass.com/product/chronic-renal-disease-2nd-edition-
edition-paul-kimmel/

Advanced Guide to Python 3 Programming, 2nd 2nd Edition


John Hunt

https://ebookmass.com/product/advanced-guide-to-
python-3-programming-2nd-2nd-edition-john-hunt/

Advanced Practice Palliative Nursing 2nd Edition


Constance Dahlin

https://ebookmass.com/product/advanced-practice-palliative-
nursing-2nd-edition-constance-dahlin/

Addiction & Recovery For Dummies 2nd Edition Paul Ritvo

https://ebookmass.com/product/addiction-recovery-for-dummies-2nd-
edition-paul-ritvo/
SECOND
EDITION

STUDENT'S BOOK I ADVANCED

NATIONAL PAUL DUMM ETT


GEOGRAPHIC JOHN HUGHES
LE A R NIN G HELEN STEPHENSON

Australia · Brazil · Mexico · Singapore · United Kingdom · Un ted States


- --
- Contents
Unit Grammar Vocabulary Real life (functions) Pronunciation

1
time phrases personality and identity getting to know people linking in word pairs
the continuous aspect wordbuilding: binomial pairs merged words in
word focus: life everyday phrases

Lessons for
life
pages 9-20

VIDEO: Arctic wisdom page 18 � REVIEW page 20

2
perfect forms wordbuilding: phrasal verb presenting yourself word stress
passive forms get
idioms: safety
word focus: foot/feet
personal qualities
More than a
job
pages 21-32
VIDEO: Climbing Yosemite page 30 � REVIEW page 32

3
qualifiers describing towns expressing opinions quite, fairly and
intensifying adverbs adverb + adJective pretty
collocations stress in intensifying
word focus: ground adverbs
linking vowel sounds
Design for life (intrusion)
pages 33--44
VIDEO: A story of solutions page 42 � REVIEW page 44

4
future probability wordbuilding: -able making a short pitch weak forms in past
past modals phrasal verb come speaking skill: making key modals
word focus: give points word stress

Innovation
pages 45-56

VIDEO: This man risked it all page 54 � REVIEW page 56

5
emphatic structures repeated word pairs telling an anecdote do, does and did
avoiding repetition wordbuilding: synonyms speaking skill: linking stress in short
word focus: matter events responses
long sounds

The magic of
travel
pages 57-68

VIDEO: On the road: Andrew McCarthy page 66 � REVIEW page 68

6
phrasal verbs wordbuilding: compound discussing proposals stress in two-syllable
verb patterns words speaking skill: proposing verbs
injuries and conceding a point toning down
idioms: health negative
word focus: face statements
Body matters
pages 69-80

VIDEO: The art of parkour page 78 � REVIEW page 80

2
-
!..istening Reading Critical thinking Speaking Writing
-:.o speakers talk about an article about the purpose your favourite saying taking notes
'Tlportant lessons in life lessons we learn from situations in your life writing skill: using
a :alk by a sociologist about the past call my bluff abbreviations
understanding what makes an article about
oeople who they are the language of
Shakespeare

:a k about the livelihood of an article about the analysing language more than a job a covering letter or
azakh nomads Moken people of safety features email
- 'l:erview with a firefighter Myanmar your comfort zone writing skill: fixed
an article about rock expressions
climbing in Yosemite

�nption of a photograph an article about two summarizing your home town an opinion essay
-:erv1ew with an architect towns with individual a bit of luxury writing skill: discourse
a:iout small homes characters how spaces affect you markers
an article about the
architect Zaha Hadid

--::s report about bionic an article about the finding counter future solutions a proposal
bee, parts future of bendable arguments how people managed writing skill: making
-:e'V1ew about the technology in the past recommendations
-s:::: 'at1on for inventions an article about a social a social business
entrepreneur

e: -::·act from a talk by a travel a travel biog about evaluating sources how you travel a review
different approaches to a mystery tour writing skill: using
r-a "lterv1ew about holidays travelling knowing places descriptive words
ii..-<nown places an article about travel in
graphic novels

.2csat1on between two an article about different author influence exercise trends a formal report
cs about health and exercise regimes describing an injury writing skill: avoiding

-=-·
-'Se
ew with an ultrarunner
: sports injuries
an article about beauty does beauty sell? repetition

3
Unit Grammar Vocabulary Real life (functions) Pronunciation
passive reporting verbs wordbuilding: verb prefix out making a podcast new words
nominalization idioms: business buzz words speaking skill: hedging
word focus: break language

Digital media
pages 81-92

VIDEO: Talking dictionaries page 90 .,. REVIEW page 92

8
the adverb just themes of songs your favourite music expressions with just
purpose and result idioms: music speaking skill: responding intonation to
word focus: hit to questions express uncertainty

The music in
us
pages 93-104

VIDEO: A biopic page 102 11>- REVIEW page 104

9
linking words wordbuilding: verb + checking, confirming and silent letters
present and perfect preposition clarifying
participles crime and punishment
word focus: board

Window on
the past
pages 105-116

VIDEO: Collecting the past page 114 II>- REVIEW page 116

10
adverbs and adverbial being a good member of making conversation sentence stress
phrases society speaking skill: showing intonation and
negative adverbials and having fun interest elision
inversion word focus: free

Social living
pages 117-128

VIDEO: Initiation with ants page 126 II>- REVIEW page 128

11
unreal past forms feelings recognizing feelings heteronyms
conditionals and inversion wordbuilding: heteronyms adjectives ending
word focus: beyond in-ed

Reason and
emotion
pages 129-140

VIDEO: Madeline the robot tamer page 138 .,. REVIEW page 140

12
approximation and vague wordbuilding: adverb+ a debate intonation in
language adjective collocations speaking skill: interrupting interruptions
would idioms: adjective collocations
word focus: move

Mother
nature
pages 141-152

VIDEO: Three years and 6,000 miles on a horse page 150 II>- REVIEW page 152

COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES page 153 .,. GRAMMAR SUMMARY page 156 .,. AUDIOSCRIPTS page 180

4
J Reading
II
Critical thinking Speaking Writing
a study of global facts identifying personal the impact of digital a news report
about selfies opinion media writing skill: cautious
an article about a day at brands language
a hackers' conference attitudes to security

an interview with a identifying key points themes of songs a description


musician about cultural how to relax writing skill: parallel
,,-...c nty
influences a charity concert structures
a review of a
documentary about
Bob Marley

an article about what unanswered questions an important past event describing a past
personal letters reveal a case of fraud event
about our past historical irony writing skill:
a story about hidden sequencing events
treasure

s -:-a radio an article about ant reading between the being a good member a discursive essay
-"' aoout ethnic society lines of society writing skill: referring
---5 an article about the social games to evidence
:::c�: the importance Hadza of Tanzania feeling free

=, a photographer an article about analysing structure modern life an email message

=
-:-c:::igraphing people
.:XU: irrational
understanding
emotions
an article about artificial
mind games
technology and
occupations
writing skill: avoiding
misunderstandings

intelligence in the
future

an article about the different perspectives natural and man-made a letter to a


5 importance of geo- features newspaper
literacy events in nature writing skill:
an article about how the animal and human persuasive language
wildlife are moving into worlds
our cities

5
- Unit 1 Arctic wisdom

Unit 2 Climbing Yosemite


Find out how Jimmy Chin made
a career out of mountaineer
photography.

Unit 3 A story of solutions Unit 5 On the road: Andr


McCar

Find out about how an architecture


company made an impact on a small
town in the USA. Learn how a travel experience
--------------------·····-------------- changed the life of travel writer
Andrew McCarthy.

Unit 8 A biopic
Unit 10 Initiation with ants
Learn about the inspiration behind the
making of the biopic Marley. Find out about an unusual ceremony
in the Amazonian jungle in Brazil.

--

6
Unit 6 The art of parkour Unit 7 Talking dictionaries

Learn about a project which is helping


to preserve dying languages.

_...
Unit 12 Three years and 6,000 miles
on a horse

l. Find out about the impact of an


u nusual j u
o m �:
:��'.�".�
:� ____,
'\ "
. ..,,,,'il
I ,.. ..
Unit 9 Collecting the past


I

-c-: Sanga Moses took a risk to


�=social enterprise in Uganda.

7
Unit 1 Lessons for life

1 Work in pairs. Look at the photo and these Tuareg proverbs.


What do the proverbs tell you about the Tuareg attitude to life?
.....sarning from the Better to walk without knowing where than to sit doing nothing.
"=ast
In life, it is always possible to reach agreement in the end.
Acquiring things you do not need will kill you.

oat makes us who


2 llJl Listen to two people talking about important lessons
they have learned in life. Answer the questions.
care?
1 What advice does each speaker now try to follow?
--�:e:sta..,ding what makes 2 What experience led them to learn this lesson?
�:r "·ho they are 3 Which lesson do you think a Tuareg person would agree
with?Why?
-mortal words
� 2..,guage of 3 a:;{f] Complete the phrases the speakers use to describe the
:::-..L-..es:-eare life lessons they have learned. Then listen again and check.
1 The most lesson I've learned was ...
/ retie wisdom 2 That's become a sort of principle for me ...
..,,. ·-:.:.:eo about how Inuit 3 A good rnle of is ...
...._.:.:2:5 :>ass on their 4 But it's a lot easier than done .. .
- w:edge 5 I always make a of not getting ...

4 Think of an occasion when you learned an important lesson


or found a good way of doing something (e.g. about people,
friends, family, money, work, health, risk, fun). Describe what
happened. What did you do? What have you learned from it?

YOUR FAVOURITE SAYING SITUATIONS IN YOUR LIFE CALL MY BLUFF GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE 9
.ife TAKING NOTES
reading lessons in life • grammar time phrases • speaking your favourite saying

1 a Learning from the past


Reading 3 Read the article again. According to the article, are the
sentences true (T) or false (F)?
1 Work in pairs. Read the quotation.
1 Sometimes people don't want to follow the lessons of
Do you think this is good advice? Is it easy
the past. T
to follow? Discuss with your partner.
2 A lot of Chinese people feel that their society is not
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't interested in the past. �\
live long enough to make them all yourself. 3 China's rapid development has begun to slow down.f
4 Mandela was not opposed to violence in principle. F
Eleanor Roosevelt, Diplomat
5 Nelson Mandela wanted the two sides j!t South Africa to
2 Read the article. Match the person (1-2) forget what had happened in the past. 1- . _
with the type of lesson they taught (a-c). 6 The writer suggests that most people are too selfish:.t \
There is one extra type of lesson.
4 Find words or expressions in the article with these meanings.
1 Confucius
2 Nelson Mandela
1 t
show the right direction (para 1) p:i 1h �iiJC<.j
2 period of significant growth (para 2)cCeMl?o�
a a lesson that is difficult to follow 3 do something as a result of infor�on or a ic (para 3)
b a lesson that has been misinterpreted 4 work hard towards a goal (p�a"?i� · · 6�
c a lesson that has been forgotten 5 copy someone's behaviour (para 4) ·�t I) -��"'t>le,

LEARNING F R O M government has become worried that people are becoming


more selfish and individualistic. Many Chinese have been
T HE P A S T sayingfor some time that the traditional values in society of
harmony, respect and hard work have been lost. Accordingly,
Why do we never seem to learn from the past? The mistakes ..l1 few years ago the government focused attention again on
or correct actions of others should point the way for us the teachings of Confucius.
in the future. But either we forget these lessons or we fail _Prior to the 1990s, Confucianism had not been fashionable,
to follow them or, in some cases, we deliberately choose but in a country which is_currently developing at a dizzying
to ignore them. Of all the lessons that we have to learn, speed, his teachings offer a sense of stability and order.
perhaps the most difficult is how not to be selfish or think
];Jowadays, people often talk about Confucius' idea of a
only of ourselves. 'harmonious society', even if they do not always act on it.
In China, the government is trying to remind people of
Sometimes it is difficult to learn lessons because the
the lessons given by Confucius, the ancient philosopher.
standards of the 'teacher' are so high. This is certainly the
Because of China's economic boomJn recent years, the
case with Nelson Mandela, who tried to spread the mes§age
f reconciliation to two sides in South Africa who hated
and distruste eac o er eeply. Mandela had always been
committed to peace, and while he was living in prison, he
decided that the only way to unite his divided country was
if the two sides could talk about what had happened in the
past apd begin to rebuild somemeasur ofJr_ys�ll those
e

who strive for peace lciiow that in the long term they will
have to begin a dialogue with their enemy. Yet few are able
to follow the example set by Mandela, because it requires
such a high degree of unselfishness. It seems that heeding
this warning - not to be selfish - is perhaps the hardest
lesson of all for people to learn.

dizzying (adj) /'d1ziuJ/ very fast and confusing


reconciliation (n) /,rek(:i)ns1h'e1J(:i)n/ making peace and
re-establishing relations

10
vocabulary and listening personality and identity • wordbuilding binomial pairs •
pronunciation linking in word pairs • grammar the continuous aspect • speaking situations in your life

1 b What makes us who we are?


�:.j/f[lf ;,
.. '•ix• .......
-���?�:
{

Vocabulary and listening 3 Look at these factors which can give people information
about you. Which do you think are the most significant?
personality and identity Number them in order (1-8) of importance.
1 Work in pairs. Look at the photo and a your friends e your life experiences
caption. Discuss the questions. b your work f your interests/hobbies
c your age g your background
1 Why is the painter putting his
d your character h your beliefs and values
hands up?
2 What impression of the painter do 4 aJ1l Listen to a sociologist describing how we define ourselves.
you get from his self-portrait? Tick (.1) the factors in Exercise 3 that he mentions. Which is
the most important, according to him?
2 Look at the expressions to describe
people. Answer the questions. 5 IJD Listen to the talk again. Choose the correct option to
complete the sentences.
a control freak a dreamer
a driven person a family person 1 The speaker thinks the question 'What do you do?' can
a free spirit a joker sound aggressive I judgmental as a conversation starter.
the life and soul of the party 2 Sally has been defined by her background because she
an outgoing type didn't grow up in the city I a nonnal family.
3 Sarah has dedicated her life to helping people who are ill I
1 What do you think each expression live in poor countries.
means? 4 The most important thing for John about his work is the
2 Which expressions do you think are challenge I security.
positive, negative or neutral? 5 Jack hasn't been in a relationship since he was 34 I 25.
3 Give an example of someone you 6 Arme wants school children to eat better I more vegetarian
know who fits each description. food.

12
reading the language of Shakespeare • critical thinking purpose • word focus life •
speaking call my bluff

1 c Immortal w·ords
Reading 6 Did the author state her purpose at any point?
In which of these writing types do you think it is
1 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions. important for an author to begin by stating the
reason for writing?
1 Who are the most famous writers in your
country's history? What did they write? • a description • a business report
2 What Shakespeare plays or characters can you • a job application • a personal letter
name? What do you know about them?
7 Do you think the author achieved her purpose?
2 Read the article. According to the author, why are Why? / Why not?
Shakespeare's plays still so popular today?
3 Read the article again and answer the questions. Word focus life
1 What adjective describes what England was 8 Look at the article again. Find words or
like in Shakespeare's time? (para 1) expressions with the word life that mean:
2 What new element did Shakespeare bring to
1 realistic (para 2)
play writing, according to Bloom?
2 for all one's life (para 2)
3 Why does Hamlet find it difficult to make a
3 with a 'big' personality (para 3)
decision?
4 In Romeo and Juliet, what is the nurse's attitude 9 Work in pairs. Look at the expressions with life in
to relationships? bold. Discuss what they mean.
5 Which adverb means that Shakespeare was good
at expressing ideas in just a few words? (para 4) 1 I sold my old Citroen 2CV car last year for
6 What verb tells you that Shakespeare created £300. Now I've just read that they've become
new words and expressions? (para 4) really valuable! That's the story of my life.
2 Work stress is just a fact of life these days -
4 Look at the expressions in italics in paragraph 4. you have to learn to deal with it.
Use them to replace the words in bold below. 3 There were people at the conference from all
walks of life -writers, students, business people.
1 I need a new jacket. This one is past its best.
4 My son was worried about going to university,
2 I'm 24. I have money and a university degree. I
but now he's having the time of his life.
can do anything I want to.
5 Thanks for driving me to the station - it was a
3 He said that one of the shops in town would
real life-saver. I'd have missed my train.
have the right battery, but it turned out to be a
search for something that couldn't be found. 10 Work in groups. Each think of a personal example
4 What the critics say is not significant. What for two of the expressions in Exercises 8 and 9.
matters is whether the public like the film.
5 Everyone says it's an obvious result that Not doing well in exams has been the story of my life!
Johanna will win, but I'm not so certain.
6 There's no point telling her he's no good. You Speaking my life
can't see the faults in the person you love.
7 The teacher got us to play a game to help 11 Work in two groups of three. Play the game Call
people relax at the start. my bluff using words coined by Shakespeare.
8 After six different jobs, I'm with my first Group A: Turn to page 153.
company again. I've arrived back at the
starting point. Group B: Turn to page 154.
• For each word, rewrite the true definition in your
Critical thinking purpose own words, then write two false definitions.
Write example sentences for each definition.
5 Which option(s) (a--d) describes the author's main • Group A reads the three definitions of the first word.
purpose for writing this article? Underline the Group B must guess which is the true definition.
sentences in the article that tell you this. • Group B then reads the definitions of their first
a to review Harold Bloom's book word for Group A to guess the true one.
• Then repeat this procedure with the other words.
b to explain why Shakespeare is popular today
c to examine if Shakespeare's reputation is justified 12 Think of an aspect of your life. Choose a word
d to examine Shakespeare's contribution to related to this, and find the English word. Then
modem-day English play Call my bluff with that word.

14
Unit 1 Lessons for life

?• /ordbuilding binomial pairs


� WORD BUILDING binomia'. pe:rs
9 Look at the grammar box. Which verb form in
bold describes something which:
a is a current trend?
:=e.-..ain pairs of words in English are irreversible, i.e. they b we expect to be happening (now or) in the future?
c:. ::ays appear in the same order. c started in the past and is still continuing?
-:xk and roll (never ref.Iandrock), law and order d is the background to another more important
=-:::, further practice, see Workbook page 7 and 11. event in the past?
e was in progress up to a point in the past?
f happens regularly and is irritating?
5 :::...ook at the wordbuilding box. Choose the correct
�orm of these irreversible word pairs (a-b). 10 Work in pairs. What is the difference in meaning, if
any, benveen these verb forms?
a He picks up pieces and bits I bits and pieces of
work as and when I when and as he can. 1 What do you do I are you doing?
i:> It seems that what defines people first and 2 My husband is always phoning I always phones
foremost Iforemost and first is experience. me at work.
3 I've been reading I I've read the book you gave me.
7 Complete the word pairs using these words. 4 When I left school, I was working I worked at a
Discuss what you think each phrase means. restaurant at weekends.
5 This time next week, I'll be sitting I I'll sit on a
fro games large pains quiet sound beach in the Bahamas.
sweet then wide 6 He had been working I had worked as a nurse
before he became a paramedic.
1 I need peace and to concentrate. 7 She was living I had been living I lived in
2 They all came back from their canoeing trip safe Germany before she moved to this country.
and .. No one was injured, but most 8 California is eight hours behind us. Anne-Marie
of them had a few aches and will be going I usually goes to bed now.
3 Try not to give a long talk. By and
it's better to keep it short and 11 Complete the sentences using the appropriate
-! People come from far and to see continuous form of the verbs.
Stonehenge. There are busloads of tourists
1 Marlon's a fantastic football player, isn't he?
coming to and all day.
I (watch) him playing
:> You think my job is all fun and
the other day. I expect in a few years he
but actually now and we do some
(play) professionally.
serious work too!
Apparently, some clubs
(already/ watch) him.
B Pronunciation linking in word pairs
2 Katja is such a great friend. Last week I
ll:fil1 Listen to the word pairs in Exercise 7. (feel) really fed up about
Notice a) how the words are linked and work and she gave me some chocolates that she
b) the pronunciation of and in the word pairs. (save) for a special occasion.
Then practise reading the sentences. 3 Marta (get) very eccentric.
She keeps budgerigars and recently she's
started letting them out of their cages; so they
Grammar the continuous aspect (fly) all over the house. I
)l,, THE CONTINUOUS ASPECT
(sit) in her kitchen the other
day and one flew down and landed on the table.
Present continuous
i ... you fee/ as if people are always judging you ...
2 It's now becoming a national movement. Speaking my life
Present perfect continuous
12 Think of examples of the following things. Then
3 He has been saying that since he was 35.
work in pairs and take turns to tell each other your
Past continuous
ideas and ask follow-up questions.
4 When his children were born, he was working as a
carpet salesman. • a habit of other people that irritates you
Past perfect continuous • two things that you imagine people you know
5 At one point, he had been intending to leave will be doing right now
the company ... • a situation that you hope is temporary
Future continuous • something you haven't finished but keep
5 In a few years, he won't be moving about anymore. meaning to
• something you had been intending to do but
-=or further information and practice, see page 156.
then changed your mind

YOUR FAVOURITE SAYING !Jo,, SITUATIONS IN YOUR LIFE CALL MY BLUFF GETIING TO KNOW PEOPLE 13
my life TAKING NOTES
Grammar time phrases 7 Co:np:ete the com·ersations with the correct form
oi the ,·erbs. Use the time phrases to help you
� ilME PHRASES decide which form to use.
• J'),. ,j.

::r-..a;n time phrases are commonly (but nm aiv:a;s) used


'

1 A: How long 1,::,;,· ;·.1 r - '(you/ learn)


-:n certain tenses. Japanese? You speak it really well.
�nt simple: often, never, every week, generally B: Thanks! I •,4 t'<��.; (start) h?-ving lessons
�nt continuous: now, at the moment, this week two years ago. But I l\c- u Pi:' r, : _ (learn) a
.?ast simple: two days ago, last week, at the time, when few words oµ a trip to Japan before that.
2 C: 't I,. 1'' v1 i � 1 ' J.�
(you / try) out the new gym
Past continuous: at the time
yet? I IJJt �- (go) last night. It's great.
f- ?resent perfect simple: just, recently, so far, over the last
::wo years, how long, for, since (2010), already, yet, ever, D: No.Every week I .. (tell) myself
-ever I'm going to go, but I never 0
,, :.,.

a to (seem) to make it. I'm sure I 1:1, ' '.,,.,


1

�ent perfect continuous: how long, for, just, recently,


... �-ce (get) there in the end, though.
3 E: What �': l \_.:,.' IJ (you/ work) on
:>ast perfect simple and continuous: already, before that,
currently?
1gs. -'D to then
F: Well, for the last two weeks I ·,,,\ , • ·
7/, going to and present continuous for future: next
(do) some work at the university computing
.:eek, in three days I in three days' time, soon, on Friday
department.
13) =o• further information and practice, see page 156. E: Oh, that explains it. I ,.r} ·, (see) you
outside the university building the other day.
-- ::..-0ok at the grammar box and the time phrases
1-8) below. Then follow the steps (a-b).
8 Complete the sentences by writing facts about
yourself. Write one sentence which is not true.
ng - in recent years 5 currently
Then work in pairs. Compare sentences with your
partner and try to guess the false sentence.
3
of
..
2 for some time
:, a few years ago
6
7
nowadays
while 1 My work? Currently, I ...
� prior to the 1990s 8 in the long term Currently, I'm looking for a new job.
gly,
2 I like seeing new places. A few years ago, I ...
a Find the verbs that are used in the article with
3 In my free time, I usually ...
each of the time phrases and identify the tenses.
4 I have never ... , but I've always wanted to.
b Match the time phrases (1-8) with the tense in
>le, 5 I didn't ... last weekend, because I had already ...
the grammar box.
Lilg 6 I met my best friend when I .... I ... at the time.
:"' Complete the sentences with these time phrases. 7 I ... for several years.
8 I don't have the time or money at the moment,
at the moment at the time before that but sooner or later I ...
ever fifty years ago for years
in the coming years nowadays often 9 Complete the advice about life using these words.
over the last 25 years Then compare answers with your partner. Which
piece of advice do you like most? Why?
a 1
f, Hy -militar� service was compulsory
. s ever for in never now while
n in the UK. But 2 ni;t,,,,Jr;,� young people
don't have to go into tli0e,army. I think this will
1 Life is what happens you are making
change 3 :.1 £/1e c..,,� Yf;Jause there is a feeling
other plans.
that young people need more discipline.
2 Value your friends. If you ignore them a
b 4 Ow , people have defiajtely become long time, they will start to ignore you.
more greedy. I've been saying 5 :�f}�rS
3 When you're feeling stressed, ask yourself this
that it is not right for anyone to e�rn a hundred
question: five years, will the problem
times the average salary.
still seem so important?
father 6 c.l)rre�t.
people don't 7 o
(yt-te�.
c I'm having an interesting debate with my
He says that young
show respect to
4 No one has become poor by giving.
5 Get out more. A whole world of amazing
experiences is waiting for you right
their elders anymore. But I don't think you can
6 You should take yourself too seriously.
just demand respect; you have to earn it.
d When I f"aS forty { �ec{i�d to stop working so
hard. 8 rw-�p. �f was working sixty hours Speaking my life
a week. It was the best decis1 on · �t I have
9
elf(?r made. lO l1:,e f .,e. C'[' I had had 10 Work in groups. Each write down two of your
favourite (or least favourite!) sayings about life.
,.

no time to enjoy life.


Then discuss your choices.

YOUR FAVOURITE SAYING SITUATIONS IN YOUR LIFE CALL MY BLUFF GETIING TO KNOW PEOPLE
my life TAKING NOTES
11
The sixteenth-century dramatist Ben Jonson generously
called his rival, Shakespeare, a writer 'not of an age,
Unit 1 Lessons for life

with poor Hamlet because we all know that frustrating


situation where our hearts tell us one thing must be true
-
but for all time'. And so it has proved to be, because and our heads another. We laugh at the larger-than-life
Shakespeare's plays are still the most translated and nurse in Romeo and Juliet because of the amusing way 35
most performed of any playwright's in the world. But if she offers advice to Juliet about relationships, putting
you ask people the reason for Shakespeare's continued practical considerations before romance; she is a person
popularity, you get different answers. Some say he that we too have met. The name Lady Macbeth has
·was a great storyteller, others that the magic lies in become synonymous with cold, over-ambitious women;
!he beauty of his poetry. Some say it is simply because while the character of Iago still serves as a warning 40
he left us a huge volume of work, which was written about the dangers of jealousy and how it leads to the
during a vibrant time in English history, particularly in manipulation of others.
:he theatre.
Of course the language plays a big part too.
.\ more interesting answer that I came across recently The observations about people and life are made more
..: one put forward by the critic Harold Bloom in his memorable by the way in which they are phrased, both 45
.:-ook Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. Bloom succinctly and poetically. Shakespeare has been dead
i.--gues that Shakespeare gave us something that the for 400 years, but certain words and sayings of his still
·orld had not seen in literature before - characters exist in the English language today. Whether you are
r::th personalities, and particularly weaknesses, that 'fashionable' or 'faint-hearted', thank Shakespeare, who
-e could relate to. These lifelike characters and the probably coined the terms. Iago promises to 'wear his so
cservations that Shakespeare made about the human heart on his sleeve', a phrase still commonly used for
. dition are really what Jonson was referring to when people who do not try to hide their true feelings. In fact,
"'f talked about Shakespeare's universal appeal. For it is amazing just how great Shakespeare's influence on
.;..oom, a lifelong fan of the poet, English speakers everyday modern language has been. Take, for example,
..z-.-e Shakespeare to thank for much of their current these commonly used phrases: a foregone conclusion, come ss
::::1guage, cultural references and their understanding of full circle, has seen better days, break the ice, neither here nor
.:man psychology. there, the world is my oyster, a wild goose chase, love is blind .
nile some might disagree with Bloom's assertion Bloom's title The Invention of the Human may seem a bit
_ ut the invention of 'personality' in literature - many strong. 'The enduring humanity of Shakespeare', on the
-iier storytellers like Homer and Petrarch could claim other hand, would not be an exaggeration. 60
- - there is no doubt that Shakespeare's characters
--:-0nate with people very strongly. We sympathize

:c.during (adj) /m'djo:mlJ/ lasting a long time


�t-hearted (adj) /,femt 'ho:(r)trd/ lacking courage to act
-esonate with (v) /'rez;,ne1t/ create a feeling that something
s familiar or relevant

L
I..

,..
real life getting to know people • pronunciation merged words in everyday phrases

1d How did you get into that?


Real life getting to know people S Pronunciation merged words in everyday
phrases
1 Work in pairs . Discuss the questions.
1 What kind of subjects do you generally like to
a lli1J Listen to these questions and notice how
the underlined words merge together when said
talk about - sport, entertainment, the news, quickly.
family and friends, work, something else?
2 What do you find are good conversation topics 1 I don't think we've met.
for getting to know other people? 2 Is it your first day too?
3 What do you do?
2 Write three tips for a blog about 'getting to know 4 What did you think of the show?
people'. Then share your ideas with the class. 5 What kind of films do you like?
3 [J§i Look at the conversation openers for b � Listen to these questions and write in the
getting to know people. Then listen to six short missing words.
conversations. Tick (.I) the conversation opener
they use in each conversation. 1 eat here?
2 living in New York?
IJII,, GETIING TO KNOW PEOPLE 3 apartment have you got?
4 the new building?
Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm ...
Hi. Is it your first day at college too? 5 coffee or something?
Hey, I like your jacket.
6 Work in pairs. Act out two of the conversations for
Whereabouts are you from?
So, what do you do?
getting to know people you heard in Exercise 3.
What did you think of the show? Use the same conversation openers and follow-up
This is a long queue, isn't it? questions. Answer as naturally as possible.
Have you seen that film everyone's talking about?
I'm supposed to have given up sweet things, but I 7 Work with a new partner. Act out two more
can't stop eating this cake. conversations. Follow these steps.
• Choose two of the conversation openers in the
4 lliru Listen to the conversations again. Make box that you did not hear in Exercise 3.
• Think of follow-up questions you might ask.
notes on the follow-up questions that each person • Act out the conversations.
starting the conversation asked. Then compare
answers with your partner.
B taking notes • writing skill using abbreviations

e Your first day


Unit 1 Lessons for life

-
:ting taking notes 5 Writing skill using abbreviations

. ·ou write notes sometimes on things you read or a Work in pairs. How many different
:o? In what situations do you write notes? What abbreviations can you find in the notes? Try
:..::e ::otes consist of? What do you do with them? to guess what each one means.

=..ook at the notes taken by a student at a university b Compare your answers in Exercise 5a
=:ion day. Then listen to an extract from the talk with another pair. Did you guess the same
rn=1plete the information where the student put??? meanings? Which abbreviations have the
:::· 1 and 2. following meanings?
Shortened words Latin abbreviations
a including e for example
b roughly f that is to say

_--.::,e. r� w t\.111,. -G 1v101-1. i1-1. �i1'l 1A1'tl IA.t1.ff -


c please note
d and so on

�.US°1j· C We use abbreviations in semi-formal writing


and when writing in note form, but not
_ :,;,u-sw.s st1Ade.1-1.ts. i.e.. t1.f2. e.xc.e.pt '!AK t1.1-1.d@ in more formal contexts. In which of the
following could abbreviations be used?
�; tt1.J<e. doc.s to Ad111,issio1-1.s o-t-tic.e. - i1'ld.
:or 1 an academic essay
2 your notes on a book you have read
�.A,,,.t de.tt1.i£s - b e.1-1.d o-F 1-1.e.xt wee.)(. 3 a letter of complaint
tJ 4 an internal email to a close colleague
-. .·.o.s 'b1Addt StJste.m Ct1. 2.1-1.d tJe.t1.r st'!Ade.1-1.t)
d Look at this email message and rewrite it
-; ,...eip OS sts )(1-1.ow wltt.e.re. t1A.i1-1.as t\re. t\1'1.6 WV\./,\t in note form. Exchange notes with your
partner, cover the original email and try to
reconstruct it from the notes.
;;::- c.o'!Arse.s t\pprox. 9-(2. c.01-1.tMt IA.rs p.w.; pit\1-1.

��J ti11L& C.t\re.-t1Af2.l t.ots o-F pi.Me.s to wor)( 1


Please note that the meeting with Ellis &
Company will be tomorrow, Tuesday 12th

=;.
<£-:'". -2;,..c.1AHtJ £.ibrn�1 11Lt\i1-1. £.ibrn�1 :r:T c.e.'}'.tre.. May at 3 o'clock. Please can you let me
know approximately how many people from
�;arrie.d t1.bo1At st1AdtJ or stka e.£se.) se.e. st1Ade.'}'.t your department will be attending and if
you need further information. Thanks.
'=-7..t�se.£.£.or. NB l?-1,\C.k crro1Ap V\./,\S 1'1./,\tive. spe./,\)(e.r

:....,...htse.£.£.or.

• � ,.:t t\Ct\oe.111,iC. wrifj'}'.


6 ll::m Listen to a talk from a university tutor
O St<i£.£s f1Aifio'}'. t\Vt\i£t\b£e. -tor about reading for your university course
� Je.t\r sts - de.tt\i£.s i1't st1Ade.1-1.t boo)(i.e.t ( fi111,e.s1 and take notes. Remember to include only
the relevant points and to use abbreviations
�\�1) e.fo.). where necessary.
7 Exchange notes with your parh1er. Use these
questions to check your notes.
=-� in pairs. What other information did the speaker • Do the notes include the same relevant
_ e that isn't in notes 1 and 2? Discuss with your
points?
-::ier. • Have they left out unnecessary
:..isten again and check your answers. Why do you information?
:.. this information wasn't included? • Do they use abbreviations correctly?

YOUR FAVOURITE SAYING SITUATIONS IN YOUR LIFE CALL MY BLUFF GETIING TO KNOW PEOPLE 17
--; life ., it·!SIU#IU•il=l-i
1 f Arctic wisdom

An Inuit man ice fishing,


Nunavut Territory, Canada

CJ Nunavut

Alaska
(USA)
Unit 1 Lessons for life

3efore you watch S [Jl!WJ Watch the second part of the video (2.25
to 3.39) and complete the summary.
..- Look at the photo and the map of where the Inuit
In the past, elders were 1 for the
people live. Discuss with your partner what you
others in the community. Each one was an
:hink this place is like. Talk about: 2
on a particular area, helping the
• Population (many/few, old/young, etc.) community to 3 : on the weather,
• Weather on the environment, on different kinds of
• Communications (transport, internet, 4 . Inuits were happy with the
speaking/writing, etc.) 5 • The woman's mother told her
• Way of life (traditional/modern/changing, daughter that she would see many 6
stressful/relaxed, etc.) but she said, 'Never 7 who you are.'

- Key vocabulary 6 Watch the third part of the video (3.40 to the end)
and answer the questions.
- Read the sentences. The words in bold are used in
1 What has happened to the Iqaluit population in
:.li.e video. Guess the meaning of the words.
recent times?Why?
-
They have asked the government to fund the 2 Name two things the woman mentions when
building of a new community centre. talking about the key to a happy life.
2 The elders of the tribe meet once a week to 3 Why does she have a communication problem
discuss any problems in the community. with the younger generation?
3 He has low self-esteem because as a child 4 What is significant about the number 23?
he was always criticized for not being clever 5 What was the main characteristic of the culture
enough. of the Iqaluit in the past?
' Thank you for all your comments on my essay. 6 What does the narrator say is the key to these
They have been invaluable. people's future?
-
A disproportionate number of the university's
students are from wealthy backgrounds. After you watch
... .\latch the words in bold in Exercise 2a with these
definitions.
7 Vocabulary in context
a extremely useful a I a00 Watch the clips from the video. Complete
o too large or small in comparison to something the collocations. Then discuss your answers.
else
b Complete the sentences in your own words.
c older members of a group
Then compare your sentences with a partner.
d finance, provide the money for
e how good you feel about yourself 1 I always seek advice when ...
2 The last time I experienced a communication
Jh i le you watch barrier was when ...
3 The key to living a happy life is ...
3 I O®] Watch the video and check your ideas
8 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
�om Exercise 1. What is your overall impression
of the place? 1 Is the advice and wisdom of elders highly
respected in your society?
- I QilUI Watch the first part of the video (0.00 to 2 Is this as it should be?Why?/ Why not?
2.24) again which features an interview with the
.\1ayor of Iqaluit. Answer the questions. 9 Think of a story that one of your grandparents (or
· an older person in your community) told you and
What has happened to the elders in a short
retell the story to your partner. Do the stories have
time?
a lesson that is still relevant today?Why?/ Why
2 What is important about the elders?
not?
3 What phrase is still relevant and is often used
in Iqaluit?
' How did these people's parents live? infant mortality (n) /'mfant m:i:(r)'trel;:iti/ the number of
children that die before they are two years old
5 How were traditions passed down between nomadic (adj) /n;:iu'mred1k/ with no fixed home, wandering
generations? from place to place

19
UNIT 1 REVIEW AND MEMORY BOOSTER
Grammar Vocabulary
1 Read the article. What is a 'griot'? What lesson did 4 Complete the expressions.
the writer take away from his visit to Timbuktu?
1 a lifel painting
2 Choose the correct options to complete the article. 2 people from all w of life
3 to have the t of your life
4 a lifel passion
5 it's the s of my life
6 just a f of life
5 t>JM:1 Work in pairs. Which of these phrases
best describes these people: your best friend, your
mother, your sister or brother? Give reasons.

a control freak a dreamer a driven person


a family person a free spirit a joker
the life and soul of the party
an outgoing person

6 f>JM:1 Correct the underlined words to complete


these phrases about life lessons. Then give an
example from your own experience that illustrate
Some years ago I 1 visited I have visited Timbuktu each phrase.
in Mali. Generally, people 2 are thinking I think
of Timbuktu as a desert town somewhere at the 1 Trying to remain positive is a lot easier spoken
end of the world. But once upon a time, Timbuktu than done.
3
was I has been a thriving city and key trading post, 2 A good rule of finger is: if you want something
a place in Africa with a long and rich history. done properly, do it yourself.
In the marketplace you get a sense of this: women 3 It's a good idea to put a little money aside then
in brightly coloured clothes selling produce of all and when you can.
kinds. But my attention was drawn to a very old 4 My leading principle in life is: by and whole,
man who 4 had sat I was sitting in a corner. For a it's better to ignore what others say about you.
while, people 5 had gathered I had been gathering ICAN
around him, so I joined them. He was a griot, or
describe different types of personality
traditional storyteller.
Griots 6 have been singing I sang about kings and use idioms and expressions about life
magicians, wars and journeys for generations. This
is how Malians 7 learned I have learned about their
history. He poured me a glass of tea and then I
Real life
8
listened I was listening to him tell the story of King 7 Work in pairs. Complete the conversation starters.
Mansa and the golden age of Timbuktu, a story he
9
told I had told countless times before. At the end, 1 Hi, I don't think we . I'm
the griot quoted old Mali saying: 'To succeed you
need three things - a brazier, time and friends.' The 2 Hi. Is it your first too?
brazier is to heat water for tea. Time and friends are 3 Hey, I like
what you need to share stories. It's advice that 10 will 4 So, whereabouts ?
stay I will be staying with me in future years. 5 So, youdo?
6 What did you think ?
7 This is a long queue, ?
3 f>JM:1 Find six time phrases in the article. Which 8 Have you seen that film everyone
tenses are used with each time phrase? Then ?
choose four of the phrases and make your own 8 f>JM:1 Choose four of the conversation starters
sentences with them. from Exercise 7. Act out four short conversations,
ICAN using follow-up questions and answers.
use the correct tense with specific time phrases ICAN
use the continuous aspect to describe actions in progress start a conversation with someone I don't know
ask follow-up questions to get to know someone better

20
Unit 2 More than a job
-----��--·
es
.your

nplete
n
�trates

ething

ethen


�you.

:EATURES 1 � Work in pairs. Look at the photo and caption. What do


you think this man is doing? Then listen to an anthropologist
22 Living off the sea talking about these people and check your ideas.
The last nomads of the sea 2 lJm Listen to the speaker again and answer the questions.
24 Smokejumpers 1 What is the livelihood of the nomads in western Mongolia?
arters. 2 How are many Kazakhs making a living these days?
A firefighter who risks her 3 What is their more traditional way of life?
I'm life to save others 4 What task requires great patience?
5 What does the hunter share with his eagle?
? 26 Daring, defiant and What sort of activity do people think eagle hunting is these
free days?
Rock climbing unaided
3 Look at the phrases in bold. Discuss the difference in meaning
between the phrases in each pair.
30 Climbing Yosemite
A video about the 1 it's my occupation and it's my vocation
mountaineering 2 a trade and a profession
photographer Jimmy Chin 3 it's a living and it's my livelihood
iers 4 a job and a task
:ions, 5 work and a job (grammatical difference)

4 Work in groups. Can you think of (at least) two examples of


each of the following things?
a people who depend on animals for their livelihood
,er b a traditional occupation which is now dying out
c a task that requires great patience

--- my life MORE THAN A JOB SAFETY FEATURES


A COVERING LETIER OR EMAIL
YOUR COMFORT ZONE PRESENTING YOURSELF 21
reading the Moken people • wordbuilding phrasal verb get • grammar perfect forms • speaking more than a job

2a Living off the sea


Reading 2 Read the article about the Moken people. Answer the questio
1 Are there more or fewer people living off the sea now th
1 Work in pairs. Look at the facts about
in the past?
the sea and try to complete the missing
2 How do the Moken 'live off' the sea?
numbers. Then check your answers
3 What special qualities do the Moken possess?
on page 190. Did any of the numbers
4 What does the future hold for the Moken people?
surprise you?

f.i#MWiif.i Wordbuilding phrasal verb get


% of the Earth's surface is
covered by water. .... WORDBUILDING phrasal verb get
2 About % of the world's Get is one of many common verbs (e.g. take, come, go) which change
population live in coastal regions. their meaning when combined with a particle (e.g. by, on, with,
across) to make a phrasal verb.
3 % of the world's goods are get by (on/with), get on with, get round to
transported by sea.
For further practice, see Workbook page 12.
4 % of the world's animals live
in the sea.
The average consumption of fish per
person per year is kg.
Humans have been living off the land for thousands of
6 Fish is the main source of protein
for people.
years, developing the skills to hunt animals and harvest
edible plants. But they have been living off the sea for
7 The average time someone can hold probably just as long. However, in recent years, with the
their breath underwater is s industrialization of fishing, the number of people who
depend on the sea for their livelihood has declined.
Yet in one comer of the world, true 'sea people' can still
be found.
The Moken people, who migrated from China 4,000
10 years ago, live among the islands dotted across the
Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar. Their homes are
small hand-built boats called 'kabang' on which they live,
eat and sleep for eight months of the year. The Moken
came to public attention in 2004, when many of them
1s escaped the tsunami that devastated coastal settlements
around the Indian Ocean. Because of their intimate
knowledge of the sea, they had felt the tsunami coming
long before others realized the danger.
The Moken use nets and spears to forage for food and
get by on what they take from the sea and beaches each
day- fish and molluscs to eat; shells and oysters to trade
with Malay and Chinese merchants. To get these things,
they have to dive underwater for up to six minutes at a
time. Their extraordinary ability to do this has fascinated
scientists. Anna Gislen of the University of Lund was
particularly interested in how the Moken could see so well
underwater. She discovered that Moken children, once they
had entered the water, were able to quickly change both
the size of their pupils and the shape of their eye lens so
that their underwater vision was at least twice as good as
European children of a similar age.
Although their way of life poses no threat to others, the
Moken have been constantly pressured by the authorities
to settle on the land. Ten years ago, 2,500 Moken stll
i

led a traditional seafaring life. Now that number stands


at 1,000. In another ten years, this unique way oflife
and the Mokens' extraordinary skills will probably have
disappeared from the sea completely.
an a job Unit 2 More than a job

- :..OOk at the wordbuilding box on page 22. Find the 7 Choose the correct options to complete the text.

=ean
:'::U-asal verb with get (line 20) in the article. Does it
'manage or survive' or 'eat or feed'?
Before 2004, few people in the West 1 heard I had
heard of the Moken people. But since then, their
�k at these other phrasal verbs with get. Try to way of life and their situation 2 have attracted I had
:piestions.
:-..:ess what they mean. attracted a lot of interest. People are amazed, for
!OW than example, that Moken children 3 learn I had learned to
_ Sorry I haven't got round to fixing the tap yet. swim before they can walk, and that they 4 became I
I know you were disappointed not to win, but have become experts at reading the ways of the sea.
you've just got to get over it and move on. This knowledge, which their ancestors 5 acquired I
j I won't be free by 5.30. I have a meeting at have acquired and then 6 passed I have passed down to
5 p.m. and I can't get out of it. them, is now in danger of being lost as more and
-: :-1:e just invents facts and no one contradicts more Moken 7 are forced I had been forced to settle on
rum. I don't know how he gets away with it. the land.
= -:=-hanks for sending me the details. I'll get back
Sadly, this is not the first time that people 8 try I
to you if I have any questions.
change have tried to interfere in the Moken's way of life
'ji, and it probably 9 won't be I won't have been the last.
- ammar perfect forms The Moken 10 just want/ have just wanted to be left
alone. The ones I met 11 were I have been proud of
::>gFECT FORMS their simple way of life. But I suspect in ten or
� perfect simple twenty years' time their situation 12 will change I
-->= -:umber of people who depend on the sea for their will have changed.
--=
= �ood has declined.
'/oken have been constantly pressured by the 8 affl Complete the description. Use the correct
Oi .._-�rities to settle on the land. perfect or non-perfect form of the verbs in
�St � perfect continuous brackets. Then listen and check.
-� have been living off the sea for just as long.
My grandfather was a forestry commissioner,
;!le ::e."iect: simp Ie which meant he 1 (be) responsible
0 - --'= had felt the tsunami coming long before others
for managing forests. I think he 2
......: .::Ed the danger.
(intend) originally to be a biologist, but then he
till = perfect simple 3
(get) a job looking after forests in
- ��:her ten years, these unique people will probably Wales. He 4 (retire) now, but he's
= disappeared from the sea completely
still fascinated by trees and plants. I guess his job
-...:-.:-:; information and practice, see page 158. was a way of life for him because it 5
s are (occupy) all his time and he 6 (spend)
:.ive, so much of his life living in or around forests.
.:1: the grammar box. Which sentence(s) in the Over the years, I 7 (often/ think)
---:a:- box describe(s) an event or action: about working outdoors too, but I don't think I
ents s
e-..::: started in the past and is not finished? (follow) in his footsteps.
-
:s
:..,g c.=: ;,·ill be completed at a point in the future?
1.:::2_: completed but might be repeated or Speaking my life
d c::-::'"':1ued and has a (strong) present connection?
ach - c.u:::?:eted before the main event in the past? 9 Work in groups. Look at these jobs and decide
rade which are a way of life (i.e. much more than a job)
:..-:. ?airs. Discuss the differences in meaning for the people who do them. Give reasons.
;gs,
� the pairs of sentences.
:a Have they chosen to work in an unusual environment?
ated 21 =\·e really enjoyed travelling around Laos. Is this a job that previous generations in their family
- : :-eally enjoyed travelling around Laos.
had done?
owell =··,e only met John once.
:e they : 0:1h- met John once. banker coal miner graphic designer
oth .a • ::e �eeting started when we arrived. IT consultant farmer firefighter
S SQ .::e meeting had started when we arrived. fisherman/woman lorry driver
:x:l a s _::e \·otes will all be counted on the physiotherapist teacher
-:-..'.i.:.usday after the election.
__e . ::e \·otes will all have been counted by the 10 Think of another job (from the past, present or
cities -:-::i-sday after the election. future) that is a way of life. Describe the job and
. ·o one has taught him how to hold his your reasons for adding this job to the list. Is your
ds .:-:ea:h underwater. job or studies a way of life for you?
. ·o one had taught him how to hold his
::--:ea:h underwater.

)I,- MORE THAN A JOB SAFETY FEATURES YOUR COMFORT ZONE PRESENTING YOURSELF 23
A COVERING LEITER OR EMAIL
grammar passive forms • speaking safe�y features

Listening Idioms safety


1 Work in pairs. Look at these verbs. Which verbs 5 Look at this idiom Kerry used about safety in her jolr
collocate with fire and which collocate with a What does it mean? Then complete the idioms abou·
fire? Try to put each collocation in a sentence. safety in the text below using these words.

be on catch contain fight light . .. in this job you can't wrap people in cotton wool.
put out set ... to set on start
be become cut do err follow
be on fire: We could see smoke in the distance but we
The first rule of safety is always to 1 things by
couldn't see what was on fire.
the book Don't try to make up your own rules or to
2 Look at the photos and answer the questions. improvise or to 2 comers. You'll find that if you
3
the correct procedure each time, soon it will
1 What kind of fire is shown in the photo on 4 second nature to you -you won't even think
page 25? How does this kind of fire start? about it. If you're in any doubt about how something
How can they be stopped? should be done, always try to 5 on the side of
2 What qualities are needed to be a firefighter? caution. It's better to 6 safe than sorry.
Is it a job you could do?
6 Think of something you regularly do or have done
3 � Listen to an interview with smokejumper, that involves risk. What do/did you do to keep safe..
Kerry Franklin. Are the sentences true (T) or Use idioms from Exercise 5 in your description.
false (F)?
1 Smokejumpers are sent into places that are
difficult to reach.
Grammar passive forms
2 Their job is to evaluate a fire, not to fight it. � PASSIVE FORMS
3 Being a woman in this profession isn't easy. Tenses
4 IJ'.m Listen to the interview again and answer 1 Smokejumpers are firefighters with parachutes who are
dropped into inaccessible areas ...
the questions. 2 Kerry Franklin explained her career choice when she was
1 What are the consequences if a smokejumper interviewed by this programme.
is a) too heavy? b) too light? 3 That's been known to happen.
2 What is Kerry's view of her own personal 4 We get dropped in with tools.
safety? Modal verbs
3 When are smokejumpers sent to fight a fire? 5 If ... there's a strong wind, you might be carried a long way
4 How do they usually try to contain a bad 6 You can get injured when you hit the ground.
fire? Infinitives and gerunds
5 How do you become a smokejumper? 7 This information has to be relayed back to base ...
8 First, the fire needs to be assessed ...
9 The job involves being trained to a certain standard ...
···-·············-·-·----!
For further information and practice, see page 158.

24
1

:..00:.S. at the grammar box on page 24.

-
_--"·er the questions.
Unit 2 More than a job

10 Look at sentences 1-5 in the grammar box again. Find these


sentences in the audioscript on page 181 (track 14). Then
match each sentence with these uses (a-c) of the passive.
-
\\hat tenses are the passive verb forms
in bold in sentences 1-3? a The agent (person doing the action) is obvious,
-
How is the passive infinitive formed unknown or unimportant.
(sentences 7 and 8)? And the passive b We are following a series of actions that happen to the
gerund (sentence 9)? same subject.
3 What verb is used (informally) in place c We want to give emphasis to the agent by putting it at
of are and be in sentences 4 and 6? the end of the sentence.
• �write the sentences using passive forms 11 Choose the most appropriate form (active or passive) to
a: the underlined phrases. complete the text. Sometimes both forms are possible.
-
You always need to treat fire with
caution. If you are thinking of a career in firefighting, there are
-
He burned his hands badly while he a few facts you should know. It is a highly respected
,ms trying to put a fire out. profession; in most countries 1 people rank it I it is ranked
� I did the training course three times in the top ten respected jobs. The money is also good.
before they accepted me. 2
We need to compensate firefighters I Firefighters need
� I was very grateful to the fire service for to be compensated well for the risks 3 they take I that are
giving me the opportunity. taken by them. But it is not all adventure. Firefighters
_ People or natural causes, like lightning, spend sixty per cent of their time waiting 4 for someone
er job. can start forest fires. to call them I to be called into action. Moreover,
� Smokejurnpers sometimes make their eighty per cent of the events 5 they attend I that are
:1.bout
mokejumper suits themelves. attended by them are not even fires. Most are medical
-
We haven't seen forest fires in our emergencies: for example, 6 freeing someone I someone
11. region since 1996. being freed from a crashed car. Others are things like
Above all, firefighters need to be calm. building inspections to make sure that 7 people are
It's easy for the situation to overwhelm following fire regulations I fire regulations are being
you. followed. And the hours are long, with some firefighters
;by
working shifts of up to 24 hours without 8 anyone giving
·to .: (:o:nplete the sentences with passive them I being given a break.
:you �- Use these verbs.
,ill
runk arrest catch do explain force Speaking my life
ling .!.aY
� of 12 Work in pairs. List two safety and security features for
It doesn't need -it's the following things. Say how each feature works and
obvious how to do it. what its purpose is. Use passive forms.
:me -
It wasn't my choice to be here. I • my mobile phone
safe? to come.
- • a car
.,. at the end of every • my home or office block
month. Usually I'm broke for a week
before that. My mobile phone is protected by a password. Some phones use
� If you speeding in fingerprint recognition so the phone can only be unlocked by
your car, you risk the owner. I guess that's probably safer.
_ It's too late. What
cannot be undone. 13 Work in groups. Look at the idea for car safety. Then
think of your own 'new' safety feature for one of the
was
items in Exercise 12. Follow the steps below.

I think a lot of accidents could be prevented if


people always drove with two hands on the wheel.
My idea is that if people didn't have two hands on
the wheel, an alarm would go off. That way, people
iway ... would be discouraged from using their phones or
eating while driving.

• Decide what a good feature would be.


• Write a short description of it and how it would work.
• Describe your feature to another group.
• In class, vote on the best idea.

MORE THAN A JOB Jl,,­ SAFETY FEATURES YOUR COMFORT ZONE PRESENTING YOURSELF 25
my life A COVERING LETTER OR EMAIL
reading climbing Yosemite • critical thinking analysing language • word focus foot/feet •
speaking your comfort zone

2c Daring, defiant and free


Reading 6 Work in pairs. Rewrite these sentences to include
the features (a-d) in Exercise 5. Then compare
1 Look at the photo and answer the questions. your more dramatic version with another pair.
1 How do you think the man got to this place? Chin watched as the climber above him held onto
2 How do you think he is going to get out of the rock by one hand, hesitating at first to take
there? the picture. He wondered if it would be right
3 How do you think the photo was taken? to take the picture in case the man then fell and
hurt himself, but then he decided that he had to,
2 Read the article and find the answers to the because it was his job.
questions in Exercise 1.
3 Read the article again and answer the questions. Word focus foot/feet
1 What are the three things you need for 7 Work in pairs. Find two words or expressions
free-soloing? in the article with word foot in them and discuss
2 How did Honnold feel after climbing for two what they mean.
hours and 45 minutes?
3 Why did Honnold carry on after his moment of 8 Read the sentences. Look at the other expressions
panic on the rock face? with foot or feet in bold. Discuss what each
4 What was the effect of this climb on Honnold's expression means.
reputation?
1 It's all a bit new: the college, the
5 What is Jimmy Chin's greatest passion?
accommodation, the people. But I'm sure I'll
6 When he is on an assignment as a mountaineer­
find my feet in a few weeks.
photographer, what does he believe is his first
2 When she told them at the interview that
job?
money wasn't important to her, she really shot
4 Find words and expressions in the article with the herself in the foot.
following meanings. 3 You put your foot in it when you asked Jim
about his job - he was made redundant two
1 an adjective meaning 'almost vertical' (para 1) weeks ago.
2 a noun meaning 'the top of a mountain' 4 She followed in her mother's footsteps and
(para 1) became a dentist.
3 an adjective meaning 'oily' (para 1) 5 Well, I like dancing, but I'm not sure anyone
4 an adverb meaning 'perfectly' (para 2) else likes my dancing. I've got two left feet.
5 an adjective meaning 'very surprised' (para 3) 6 We're friends now, but we got off on the wro11&
6 an adjective meaning 'very skilled and capable' foot when we first met.
(para 4)
7 a phrase meaning 'made a very strong 9 Work in pairs. Ask each other these questions.
impression on' (para 4)
1 In what kind of organization/ sector is it
8 a verb meaning 'thought about the past' (para 4)
difficult to get your foot in the door?
2 When was the last time you put your foot in it?
Critical thinking analysing 3 When have you got off on the wrong foot?
language
Speaking my life
5 Find three examples of each of the following
language techniques (a-d) which the author uses 10 Work in pairs. Climbers like to live at the limits of
to make the description more dramatic. their comfort zone. Do the quiz on page 153 to fin
a short sentences (nine words or fewer) out what your comfort zone is.
b use of the historic present (present tense to 11 Look at the answers to the quiz on page 190 to
describe past events) find out what your comfort zone is. Discuss if you
c words with a strong meaning (e.g. sheer, line 3) agree with the answers.
d use of direct speech

26
Unit 2 More than a job

::s a bright Saturday morning in September and a


young man is standing on a small ledge high up on the
north-west face of Half Dome, a sheer 650-metre wall of
granite in the heart of Yosemite Valley in California. He's
:iclude alone, far off the ground and without aids. Most climbers
>are :.ike t wo days to climb the face, using ropes and carrying
oair. ::p to 20 kilos of equipment and bivouacking for the
:d onto r:.:ght half-way up. Not Honnold. He is attempting the
:ake :oute free-solo, which means climbing with only a chalk
- ag and his rock shoes, and is tr ying to reach the top in
��t
:and -� than three hours. But less than 30 metres from the
iad to, ammit, something potentially disastrous happens. He
es the smallest amount of confidence. 'W hat am I
.icing here?' he says to himself, staring at a greasy bump
:1 the rock face. 'My foot will never stay on that.'

for two hours and 45 minutes, Honnold has been in the


DS ::. ne, flawlessly perforrning one precise athletic move after
:scuss ...:1ocher, and not once has he hesitated. In free-soloing,
-onfidence is ever ything. All you have is belief in your
-sn ability. If Honnold merely believes his fingertips can't
55ions wld, he will fall to his death. Now, with mental fatigue
..nd a glass-like slab of rock above him, he's paralysed,
m of his comfort zone. He hadn't felt like this two days
More when he'd raced up the same route with a rope. For
:ew minutes, he stands there, staring out at the sky, unable
:-e I'll ::;o look up or down for fear of falling. Then suddenly, he's
-"! motion again. He steps up, planting his shoe on the
�t .!?looth stone. It sticks. He moves his hand to another hold,
=y shot �eats the move, and within minutes, he's at the top.
: rallied because there was nothing else I could do,'
.Jim
Honnold says later, with a boyish laugh. 'I stepped up and
�WO ;:-c1Sced that foothold and was freed of the prison where
:·.1 stood silently for five minutes.' Word of his three-
and - ur free-solo of Half Dome flashed around the world.
.Ctlillbers were stunned, and the blog writers were buzzing.
,·one .:>n that warm autumn day in 2008, a shy 23-year-old
�eet. ::um the suburbs of Sacramento had just become a
ewrong -�bing legend.
:-hat is the magic of Yosemite: it creates heroes. But for
:15. ::.�e climbers, they are just doing what they love and - if
::hey're lucky - get paid for as a bonus. One such person
Jimmy Chin, who took this photograph. He is also an
...ccomplished mountaineer; the difference between him
ot in it? ...."!d Honnold is that Chin always works closely ,vith
:rt? :her climbers, caking photographs as he climbs. He was
.:ctually brought up in the flat countryside of southern
1innesota, but rock climbing has been his passion since
';lacier National Park first 'blew his mind' on a family
C!lits of '2.cation as a boy. Photography came later, when an
� to find :itdoor clothing company bought one of the photos he
�d taken on an expedition. As a photographer, it isn't
=JSY to get your foot in the door with a good client,
. to o Chin, encouraged by their interest, bought his own
; if you _;!llera. He hasn't looked back.
..::ombining a natural gift for photographic composition
-ith his mountaineering skills, Chin has become a tent
::ie of the leading specialists in what has been called chalk (n) /tf:i:Jc/ soft white stone (formed from limestone)
;,.articipatory photography' . He is able to carry a camerq1 ledge (n) /led3f a narrow horizontal surface projecting
here few dare to go, at the san1e time remaining a from a wall
a!iiable member of the climbing team. For Chin, that is slab (n) /slreb/ a large thick flat piece of stone
..:ways the priority. ...,..,...,r::,r,,,-.,.mrn,-,;w,,rn-xl.!I

MORE THAN A JOB SAFETY FEATURES � YOUR COMFORT ZONE PRESENTING YOURSELF 27
my life A COVERING LElTER OR EMAIL
vocabulary personal qualities • pronunciation word stress • real life presenting yourself

2d Tell me a bit about yourself


Vocabulary personal qualities
1 Look at these words and expressions people use
to describe themselves at interviews. Which of the
words and expressions match the situations (a-d)?
Sometimes there is more than one answer.

conscientious enthusiastic a fast learner


flexible focused motivated
reliable resourceful well-organized

a It was too late to post all the invitations, so I


researched each person's email address and
emailed them instead.
b I regularly stayed late to finish the job.
Sometimes you have to do that.
c I didn't miss a single day at work all last year. 5 llif1.i Listen to Katy presenting herself to a care�
d I had to do all sorts of jobs as Head of advisor. Note down the questions that the careers
Social Events: booking venues, dealing with advisor asks. What kind of work is Katy looking
entertainers, greeting new students, making for and why is she suited to this?
food sometimes.
6 am Look at the expressions for presenting
yourself. Complete the expressions with a suitable
2 Pronunciation word stress preposition. Then listen to the interview again and
a a]EJ Mark where you think the stress falls on check your answers.
each of the words in Exercise 1. Then listen and
lliJJ,- PRESENTING YOURSELF
check.
Background
b Work in pairs. Practise saying the words with the I graduated 1 there last June ...
correct stress. I've been looking 2 a job 3 journalism ...
Goals
Real life presenting yourself My ambition is to ...
The media is not an easy sector to break 4
3 Read the advice about a common interview That's what I'm working 5
question. What are some examples of things you I'd be (perfectly) happy to start 6 the bottom
probably shouldn't talk about when asked this and then work my way 7
question? I wouldn't mind -ing ...
Qualities
Almost every interview will either begin with I'm good 8 -ing ...
or include the question 'Can you tell me a bit Once I start something, I follow it 9
about yourself?' While it's important not to give When it comes 10 -ing ... , I ...
a scripted answer, it is important to think about I have some experien ce 11 -ing . . .
how you'll answer this. The interviewer doesn't I have a tenden cy 12 *
want your whole life story. What they really want
* for discussing weaknesses only
to know is: your relevant background, what has
brought you to this point in your career and your
hopes and goals for the future. 7 Work in pairs. Take turns to act out the roles of
either a career advisor and an interviewee OR an
employer and a job applicant. Follow these steps:
4 Work in pairs. Make a list of five more questions
that are often asked at an interview. Use these • decide what type of interview it is
words to help you. Then compare your questions • interviewer: make some notes on the questions
with another pair. you want to ask
• interviewee: make some notes on the answers
goals this job/position strengths you are going to give
in five years weaknesses • act out a short (e.g. five-minute) interview.
• begin the interview with the question 'Tell me a,
bit about yourself.'

28 MORE THAN A JOB SAFETY FEATURES YOUR COMFORT ZONE � PRESENTING YOURSELF
� my life A COVERING LEITER OR EMAIL
L.a: 2 .:ore than a job

II
lf 2e A letter of application
·riting a covering letter
::;r email
Dear Mr Fairburn
I am writing in response to your advertisement in last
• �ad the letter of application. Find and Tuesday's Guardian newspaper for a Trainee Marketing
::...,derline the following key elements of Assistant. Please find attached my CV. The job attracted
� co,·ering letter. Then compare answers me because it emphasizes opportunities for people who
• -:th your partner.
are keen to learn and also because of your company's
·
,
the job applied for reputation for innovative and high-quality travel books. I
where and when it was advertised am currently doing some freelance travel writing .
:; the candidate's current situation
· ,vhy the writer is a good candidate As a recent graduate from university, I am well aware
� thanks for reading the letter that I still have much to learn and it is exactly this kind
,, how and when the candidate can be of challenging environment that I am seeking. You
contacted will see from my CV that I am someone who believes
in getting results. My two proudest achievements are
acarefrs ::...ook at the statements about a covering
raising over £15,000 for a local charity and organizing a
careers �'etter. Using the letter as a model, say if
oking highly successful student Arts Week.
:.'ie statements are true (T) or false (F).
Explain your answers. Regarding the requirements you mention:
,g Keep it short. The letter should • I have a degree in Business Studies with a
-uitable basically just refer the reader to specialization in marketing
�and your CV. • I am flexible about where in the south-east I work
2 Show interest in and knowledge of • I have good organizational skills, acquired as head of
the organization you are writing to. the Student Social Committee
3 Just mention your general
suitability for the job. The letter I am available for interview at any time. Thank you for
should not respond to specific taking time to consider this application and please do
alism ... requirements the company has not hesitate to contact me at any time by phone or in
listed. writing if you have questions about any of the above.
4 The letter should give a personal I look forward to hearing from you.
touch to your application.
Yours sincerely
r.tom
Pkiiip Morri.s.se:i
3 Writing skill fixed expressions
Philip Morrissey
The writer follows the conventions
of letter writing by using certain
fixed expressions. Find words and
expressions in the letter with the
following meanings. 4 Write a covering email to a company that you would like to
a I am looking for work for. Make sure you include the key elements mentioned
b I am sending in Exercise 1.
C a good person to consider
5 Exchange letters with your partner. Look at their letter as if
d I am free to come you were the employer. Use these questions to check your
,of
e the thin.gs you say you need partner's letter.
IRan
f I am answering
;:eps: • Is it well organized and does it include all the key elements?
0 £eel free to
0

h I liked the look of • Is it grammatically correct and without spelling mistakes?


stions I hope you will reply • Does it use appropriate fixed expressions?
• Does it specify the key skills the organization needs?
J my CV shows you that
�,·ers k thanks for reading this • Is it interesting and does it have a personal touch?
• Does the application seem convincing?
r.
rme a

MORE THAN A JOB SAFETY FEATURES YOUR COMFORT ZONE PRESENTING YOURSELF 29
my life � A COVERING LETTER OR EMAIL
Unit 2 More than a job

Before you watch 5 1 at1m Watch the second part of the video again
(1.04 to the end) and complete the notes about
:.ook at the photo. Write down two words or Jimmy Chin's career. Use one word in each space.
4

expressions to describe what is happening. Then


��are your words with the class. What were the 1 In college he was part of the team.
::iost common words?
2 After college he went to the Bay area to find a
- Key vocabulary job in the . realm.
3 Not finding a job, he decided to take a
,;. Read the sentences. The words in bold are used in off and ski full time.
:ne video. Guess the meaning of the words.
- 4 Seven years later he was still living in the back
:vfy work as a surgeon is very physical, but it's of his and doing various jobs,
also very cerebral. shovelling snow and waiting
-
The acting in the film was so bad that it made
me cringe at times. 5 He spent most of his time in Yosemite, where
3 We'll need to shovel all this sand into a big he found his
wheelbarrow and take it to the back of the 6 After some time in Yosemite, he decided he
house. would like to visit the ranges of
' It's no good rushing an editing job. You have to
the world.
be very patient and methodical.
::i On my first day at the company, they gave me 7 He took a photo which a friend sold for
a very simple assignment- to learn everyone's $ and realized taking photos could
help him continue what he was doing.

=�
name in the office!
8 Yosemite is a special place for him because it
latch the words in bold in Exercise 2a with these helped to his career.
.::efinitions.
3 shrink back in embarrassment
_ work or study task 6 Do you think Jimmy Chin made a good career
� involving great thought and concentration choice? Why?/ vVhy not? How do you think his
d going through something slowly and carefully career will develop?
(often in a certain order)
e move with a large spade
After you watch
1hile you watch 7 Vocabulary in context

3 j am:nWatch the first part of the video (0.00


:o 1.03). Note the adjectives Jimmy Chin used to
a I rti/4ai Watch the clips from the video. Choose
the correct meaning of the words and expressions.
.::.escribe his work. Did any of these adjectives
s:.rrprise you? Were any of them the same ones you b Complete the sentences in your own words. Then
�d in Exercise 1? compare your sentences with a partner.

.,,., l Qf}.ffl Read these sentences about Jimmy Chin's


1 Before I go, I'll need to sort out a few odds and
ends, like ...
.:areer. Then watch the second part of the video
2 We left the house and headed out ...
:.04 to the end). Are the sentences true (T) or
3 My parents freaked out when I said I wanted
false (F)?
• to ...
Jimmy Chin's parents hoped he would follow a
professional career. 8 Look at these things people do before starting out
_ Chin realized straightaway that climbing was on a career. What are the benefits of each one, do
something he wanted to do permanently. you think?
3 Chin felt very at home in Yosemite. • travelling
J Chin's real ambition was to be a photographer. • doing military service
5 Being a photographer has allowed him to visit • doing various odd jobs (working in restaurants,
countries all over the world. shops, on building sites, etc.)
• building up a range of practical skills - driving,
speaking languages, computer skills (e.g. Excel)
• doing some voluntary work in the community

31
UNIT 2 REVIEW AND MEMORY BOOSTER
Grammar Vocabulary
1 Complete the article. Use the correct tense and 4 f>i\!11:1 Choose the correct option to complete the
form (active or passive) of the verbs. questions about work. Then discuss the questions
with your partner.
1 What do you consider a reasonable monthly
salary to get along I ln; on?
2 In their careers, have any of your family
followed in their parents' footsteps I shoes?
3 What are the advantages and disadvantages of
being in the teaching trade I profession?
4 In a new work environment, how long does it
take you to find I set your feet?
5 Is getting on I forward in life and moving up th
career ladder important to you?
6 Would you rather do a challenging job or stay
on the safe road I side and do something easy?

What would be your dream job? Tommy Lynch believes 5 t>JM:1 What are these people talking about, do
that he 1 (find) his. Two years you think? Discuss with your partner.
ago, he 2 (employ) as a waiter in a 1 'You need to get over it and move on.'
restaurant, but more recently he 3 2 'Sorry, I haven't got round to it, but I will.'
(travel) around the world testing water slides at holiday 3 'I'd like to get out of it, but I can't.'
resorts. That's because Tommy 4
(give) the job by holiday operator First Choice of helping ICAN
them to include the best water parks in their holiday talk about jobs and careers
brochures. So far, he 5 (test) over use phrasal verbs with get
fifty water slides and pools.
After the company 6 (create) their
own selection of 'Splash Resorts', they soon realized that Real life
they would need the quality of the facilities
(check) regularly. A First Choice 6 Match the questions (1-4) with the beginnings
spokesperson said, 'We knew that to offer the best, we (a-g) of the answers someone might give.
would have to appoint a full-time tester. Tommy 1 So can you tell me a bit about your
s (be) great.' background?
He was chosen from hundreds of applicants and 2 Where do you hope to be in five years' time?
9
(put) straight to work. 3 What are your strengths?
·1 10 (have) the time of my life,' he 4 And your weaknesses?
says, 'but it's hard work. New resorts
11
(add) to the list all the time. a My ambition is to .. .
So I spend a lot of my time travelling and doing b I graduated from ...
paperwork. But if customers have had a great time on c I have a tendency to ...
holiday, then all my work 12 (be) d When it comes to ... , I ...
worthwhile!' e I'm working towards ...
f I'm conscientious ...
g I've recently been ...
2 f>i�1j:1 Work in pairs. Find five passive forms in
the article. Discuss the reason the passive has been 7 f>JefJj:1 Look at these adjectives. Can you think
used in each case. (Refer to the reasons (a-c) in of a job for which each quality is especially
Exercise 10 on page 25, if necessary.) important? Give reasons.

3 Answer the questions. conscientious enthusiastic flexible


motivated reliable resourceful
1 Who created Tommy's job and why?
2 What does the job involve?
8 fflifij:t Work in pairs. Ask and answer the
ICAN questions (1-4) in Exercise 6.
use perfect forms to look back at actions at
ICAN
an earlier time
use a variety of passive forms present myself at an interview

32
R
Unit 3 Design for life
mlete the
"Uestions

onthly

(lt'S?
:1tages of

5 does it

ng up the

, or stay
1g easy?

out, do

i\ill.'

'llngs

FEATURES 1 Look at the photo and caption. Discuss the questions.


1 What do you think it's like to live in this place?
34 Towns with character 2 How would you describe these buildings and what features
· time?
Two towns with individual can you see on them?
characters
2 D1m Listen to someone discussing the photo. Compare your
36 Compact living ideas from Exercise 1.
A focus on small homes 3 ll:m Listen again. What adjectives does the speaker use to
describe these things?
38 The paper architect
1 apartments 3 buildings
The life and work of 2 climate 4 the city
architect Zaha Hadid
4 Look at these adjectives. Make adjective+ noun collocations
: think 42 A story of solutions with these nouns: apartment, building, street, area. Which
:v adjective can collocate with all four nouns?
A video about the human
impact of architecture
brick built-up deprived first-floor four-storey
high-rise imposing main narrow one-way
pedestrianized residential run-down spacious studio
tree-lined two-bedroom
:e
5 Think of an area or neighbourhood you know. Describe this
place and the buildings in it, saying what you like or dislike
about it.

YOUR HOME TOWN A BIT OF LUXURY HOW SPACES AFFECT YOU EXPRESSING OPINIONS
my life AN OPINION ESSAY
33
vocabulary describing towns • reading the character of towns • grammar qualifiers •
pronunciation quite, fairly and pretty • speaking and writing your home town

3a Towns with· character


Ii Vocabulary describing towns Reading
1 Work in pairs. Look at these different types of town 3 Look at the photos of two towns with a special
and answer the questions. identity. Read the descriptions of each town
that residents have written. Then match the
boom town ghost town historic town statements (1-6) with the towns (Granada
holiday town/resort industrial town market town or Billund).
port (town) regional capital shanty town
spa town university town 1 It is not a town that pretends to be
something it isn't.
1 What are the characteristics of each type of town? 2 It is known for its period buildings.
2 Can you give an example of three of these types of 3 It is very busy with visitors from outside.
town from your own experience? 4 Its residents seem happy and comfortable.
5 It has a relaxed feel to it.
2 Look at these adjectives which describe towns. Make 6 Its economy has grown in recent decades.
pairs of opposites or near opposites.

lively modern and characterless quaint scruffy


self-contained sleepy sprawl.ing well-kept

I moved to Billund in east Jutland, Denmark about ten


Granada. Nicaragua years ago. It's a rather ordinary kind of town - except
in one respect. Almost everyone here has a connection
It might be cheating slightly to call Granada a town: with Lego. The town dates back to medieval times - it
it's officially a city, but not a big sprawling city like still has a few quaint streets with period buildings in
Managua. Granada's quite small and self-contained. It's the centre - but it boomed when the Lego factory
5 also the oldest colonial town in Latin America (founded started exporting its toys in the 1950s and 60s. Most
in 1524) with beautifully preserved, elegant architecture. residents either work in the factory or the Legoland
In some historic towns you feel like you're in a museum, theme park, or they have some other business like
but Granada's not like that; it's not scruffy, but it's not a hotel or cafe that caters for the endless stream
particularly smart either and I quite like that. It just feels of visitors to the park. We live in a house that was
10 like a genuine working town, with farmers from the built by the company (not out of Lego, in case you
local countryside coming and going to sell their produce wondered). Life's pretty good here, partly because it's
in the town's vibrant markets. Outside the commercial such a family-friendly town - about thirty per cent of
areas, life has quite a gentle rhythm and after dusk residents are couples with children - and partly becau�
everything goes pretty quiet. That's changing a little the company looks after its people. They charge us a
1s now as tourism in Nicaragua increases and Granada fairly reasonable rent and they've built many amenities,
becomes a magnet for visitors. But you can see why they for the town - a church, a library, the local park.
come; it's such an incredibly photogenic place. My children even wear Lego-branded clothes.
34
Unit 3 Design for life

Grammar qualifiers 2 a bit fairly slightly

),- QUALIFIERS C: We've just moved into a new housing estate.


D: What's it like?
• QUALIFIER + ADJECTIVE C: To be honest, it's 5 modern and
_:iite, pretty, fairly (usually with positive ideas)
characterless. I'm 6
confident
_ --=e's pretty/quite/fairly good here.
a special � --=e has quite a gentle rhythm.
it'll get better with time as more people
1 town -...cy charge us a fairly/pretty reasonable rent. move in. But at the moment we're struggling
eh the
7
to enjoy it.
:::her
1ada :'s a rather ordinary kind of town.
:'s rather an ordinary kind of town. 7 Pronunciation quite, fairly and pretty
-...e town is rather ordinary.
a � Listen to the conversations. Does the stress
-;ot very, not particularly
fall on the qualifier or the verb/adjective?
:'snot particularly/very smart either.
5.
: QUALIFIER + VERB 1 A: Is it far? B: It's quite a long way.
"Utside.
�ite, rather, not particularly (with like, enjoy, want) 2 A: How do you feel? B: Pretty confident.
:ortable.
quite/rather like that. 3 A: How's the water? B: It's pretty cold.
:1idn't particularly like that. 4 A: Is it urgent? B: Yes, it's fairly important.
.ecades.
-ghtly, a little, a bit 5 A: Is she famous?
- 71ight be cheating slightly I a little I a bit ... B: Yes, she's quite a well-known actor.
--,3t's changing slightly I a little I a bit now. 6 A: How was the show? B: I quite enjoyed it.
=-::- further information and practice, see page 160. b am Listen again. W hich stress pattern means
'but not very'? Which stress pattern doesn't change
..,., =-.ook at the grammar box. Answer the questions. the meaning of the verb or adjective very much?
- C Work in pairs. Practise saying the phrases. Choose
Do the qualifiers make the idea expressed:
a much stronger? b less strong? which pronunciation pattern you use and see if your
.2 What is the position of each qualifier when partner can guess the meaning that you intend.
used with:
a an adjective? Speaking and writing my life
b an article+ adjective+ noun?
c a verb? 8 Work in pairs. Answer the questionnaire about
your home town. Use at least one qualifier in each
S !>tit the qualifier in the right place in the sentence. answer.
I always feel excited when I move to a new It's a pretty mixed town really. Quite a lot of students
town. (pretty) live there, but it also has an industrial part. Guides on
_ Liverpool used to be a busy port in the last the internet usually describe it as a university town,
century. (fairly) but that doesn't really give the whole story.
3 We wanted to visit Verona, but there wasn't
time. (quite)
· How would you describe your home town?
Industry in the town has declined in the last
How does this compare to descriptions of it you
thirty years. (slightly)
have read?
:, After moving to the country, we regretted our
,bout ten 2 What's your home town known for - a famous
decision. (a bit)
- except person, a historical event, its produce?
o The museum isn't interesting, if you don't like
)nnection 3 Has your home town changed a lot in the time
local history. (particularly)
:imes - it you've known it? If so, how?
cfings in : Complete the conversations using the qualifiers 4 I've got a day in your home town. What can I do?
dory ;iwn. Where is the best place to get a nice, reasonably­
5
s. Most priced meal in your home town?
goland a little particularly pretty quite
6 If you could change one thing about your home
.s like
..\: Do you like where you live now? town, what would it be?
,am
:was 3: I 1 like it, but it's not a 7 Would you be happy to live in your home town all
,e you
2 lively place. Don't get me wrong: your life? Why?/ Why not?
cause it's the people are 3 friendly and
� cent of they've welcomed us very warmly. We've just
:ly because had to adapt 4 after living in a big 9 Write a short description of what makes your
�ge us a city like London. home town special (up to 140 words). Use the
amenities descriptions in the article on page 34 to help you.
ark.
YOUR HOME TOWN A BIT OF LUXURY HOW SPACES AFFECT YOU EXPRESSING OPINIONS 35
my life AN OPINION ESSAY
listening small homes • grammar intensifying adverbs • pronunciation stress in intensifying adverbs •
vocabulary adverb + adjective collocations • speaking a bit of luxury

3b Compact liVing
Listening 3 ll:m Read the sentences. Then listen to the
interview again and choose the best option to
1 Work in pairs. Ask and answer the questions. complete the sentences.
1 How many different rooms are there in your home? 1 Jonas Wilfstrand specializes in designing
2 Do any of the rooms have more than one function? compact holiday homes I small homes in genera.'
3 If you had more space, what would you use it for? 2 There's a demand for compact living spac�
because they are cheaper I more practical.
2 � Look at the photos. Then listen to an interview
with an architect who specializes in compact designs. 3 Dolgan homes consist of one room I a shared
Answer the questions.
space and a bedroom.
4 The Dolgan need to move house regularly
1 Where are these two homes? because of the weather I their animals.

l
2 Why is the architect inspired by them? 5 In the ten-square metre cabin in California
there is little room for belongings I domestic
appliances.
6 In Gary Chang's apartment you can move I
remove the walls.

Grammar intensifying
adverbs
4 Look at these adjectives. Match each gradable
adjective (i.e. not with a strong meaning) with
an ungradable adjective (i.e. with a strong
meaning) that expresses a similar idea.
Gradable Ungradable
-
__, ' 1 cold a tiny
2 surprising b stunning
3 important C delighted
4 small d brilliant
5 original e freezing
6 pleased f amazing
7 clever g essential
8 attractive h unique
5 Work with a partner. Take turns to ask
questions using a gradable adjective. The oth
student should answer using the equivalent
ungradable adjective.
A: Is your apartment cold?
B: Yes, it's absolutely freezing.
6 Look at these common spoken phrases. WhiCP
underlined words mean 'very' and which
mean 'completely'?
1 Yes, you're absolutely right.
2 That's really kind of you.
3 Thanks. I'd be very grateful.
4 I'm sorry. It's� out of the question.
5 Yes, I'm quite certain.
6 That's a completely different matter.

36
Unit 3 Design for life

7 Pronunication stress in intensifying 10 Complete these sentences in your own words.


Ill
adverbs Use intensifiers where there is a highlighted space.

lJm Work in pairs. Listen to the sentences 1


2
I would only eat ... if I was
I get
desperate.
irritated by people who ...
in Exercise 6. Note where the stress falls. Then
� to the 3 The last time I was tired was ...
option to practise saying the sentences.
4 It's wrong to let children ...
� INTENSIFYING ADVERBS 5 I think ... are gorgeous.
signing 6 I'm certain that good health is ...
very, extremely, incredibly, really+ gradable
in general. adjective
.-:ng spaces I'm ve,y pleased to welcome . . . Vocabulary adverb + adjective
They are extremely basic.
;ctical.
• I a stzared absolutely, really, utterly, quite + ungradable
collocations
:extreme) adjective
11 Look at this example of an adverb + adjective collocation
:-egularly Some of them are really stunning.
':'s absolutely freezing there.
from the interview. What does strongly mean here: 'very'
:ls. or 'a little'?
:alifornia completely, entirely, totally, quite+ ungradable
domestic 'absolute*) adjective I've also been strongly influenced by the architect Gary Chang.
-oday we're looking at something completely
:an move I :!ifferent. 12 Look at these other adverb + adjective collocations.
T 'absolute' means adjectives which do not have a In most cases the adverb has the meaning of very or
:omparative or superlative form absolutely. Find the two collocations where this is NOT
the case.
-=or further information and practice, see page 160.
bitterly disappointed mildly amusing
3 Look at the grammar box. Turn to the closely associated (with) painfully slow
gradable audioscript of the interview on page 182 deadly serious patently obvious
iing) with (track 21) and find: desperately unlucky perfectly reasonable
trong hopelessly in love vaguely familiar
a five more examples of intensifying ideally suited to wildly optimistic
�-
adverbs with gradable adjectives
t.able b two more examples of intensifying 13 Work in pairs. Think of examples that fit the descriptions
adverbs with ungradable (extreme) of these things (1-5) or use your own ideas. Then discuss
ming adjectives, e.g. amazing, disgusting your situations with another pair.
ghted c two more examples of intensifying
:.ant adverbs with ungradable (absolute) 1 something you learned where you found progress
zing adjectives, e.g. right, true painfully slow
lZing 2 an ambition one of your friends has that seems wildly
:-itial !ii Choose the correct intensifier to complete the optimistic
'Ue sentences. 3 a bad idea someone had, i.e. it was patently obvious
1 I prefer modern design because it's that it wouldn't work
;k 4 a sporting competition where someone was
usually absolutely I very simple and neat .
. The other desperately unlucky
Having said that, my own house is
l!\·alent 5 a job you are ideally suited to
absolutely I incredibly disorganized.
2 The outside of the house is old but the
interior is completely I utterly new. They've Speaking my life
done a completely I really incredible job of
renovating it. 14 The architect in the interview designed 'a timber and
es. Which 3 I saw an absolutely I entirely stunning glass vacation house with built-in sauna'. Work in pairs.
hich penthouse flat for rent yesterdaYt but it's Look at these luxury features of houses and say which
utterly I extremely expensive. three you would most like to have in your house and
-l: She's a(n) incredibly I quite talented why. Try to use intensifying adverbs in your answer.
architect. I'd be totally I very surprised if I'd absolutely love to have a home cinema, because there are so
she isn't famous one day. many films now with really amazing special effects that you
estion. 5 Cath is very I quite certain that there's a can't appreciate on a small screen.
wasp nest under her roof. She's entirely I
Er. utterly miserable about it. a conservatory en suite bathrooms a games room
6 The price of houses in London is extremely I a garage/workshop a gym a home cinema
absolutely ridiculous. Even a one-bedroom a large kitchen a library a roof garden a sauna
flat is absolutely I completely unaffordable. a walk-in wardrobe

YOUR HOME TOWN liJ, A BIT OF LUXURY HOW SPACES AFFECT YOU EXPRESSING OPINIONS 37
my life AN OPINION ESSAY
reading Zaha Hadid • critical thinking summarizing • word focus ground • speaking how spaces affect you

3c The paper architect


Reading Word focus ground
1 Look at the photos and answer the questions. 6 Work in pairs. Look at the expression in bold from;
the article and discuss what you think it means.
1 Do you like the designs? Why? / Why not?
Then do the same for the other expressions in bol
2 Do you have a favourite modern building?
(1-5).
What is it and what do you like about it? Have
you been inside it? But as with anyone who tries to break new ground, it
was not easy to convince people to follow.
2 Read the article about the architect Zaha Hadid.
Choose the statement (a-c) that best summarizes 1 It's a very clever design, but as a business idea
her aims. it will never get off the ground unless they get
some money to develop it.
a to prove that women too can be successful 2 The council decided to close the swimming
architects pool on the grounds that it wasn't making
b to create original buildings that people like to money.
be in 3 It was a great meeting. We covered a lot of
c to create buildings with unusual and complex ground in the two hours.
forms 4 Even though she's going to appear on TV,
3 Read the article again and answer the questions. it's important that she keeps her feet on the
ground, because it may lead to nothing.
1 Why was Hadid called 'the paper architect'? 5 No one seemed to think his plan would work,
2 What does it mean when it says Hadid became but to his credit, he stood his ground.
'sought-after'?
3 What challenges did Hadid face when she 7 From your own experience, think of an example
entered the architecture profession in Britain? each of the following.
4 How did Hadid begin when she wanted to 1 someone who always keeps their feet on the
create a new design? ground
5 Why were potential customers doubtful about 2 a time when you stood your ground (despite
Hadid's designs? opposition)
6 What was the most important thing for Hadid 3 a company which is always breaking new
when designing a new building? ground with its products

r

7 What is interesting about the inside of the
Evelyn Grace Academy?
8 How does the author conclude that Hadid will Speaking my life
be remembered? 8 Public buildings or spaces can sometimes have

'
bad associations for people. Look at these places
Critical thinking summarizing which people in a survey said they didn't like
being in. How do you feel in each of them? Why?
4 In order to check you have understood the main
points of an article, it is useful to be able to 1 a dentist's surgery
summarize its message or arguments accurately. 2 a lift
To help you summarize this article, underline 3 an airport departure lounge
adjectives or nouns that describe the following: 4 a classroom or lecture hall
5 a large open plan office
• Zaha Hadid's designs
• her character 9 Work in small groups. Choose one of the public
• her buildings spaces in Exercise 8. Discuss how the design of th·
• her position in the world of architecture space could be improved to make people feel mo
• the effect of her buildings on the user comfortable. Think about the following:
5 Compare the words you underlined with your • shape and size of the space
partner. Then together compose a short summary • lighting
of Zaha Hadid's life and her contribution to • arrangement of furniture
architecture. • other additions (music, plants, etc.)

38
ou Unit 3 Design for life

T H E p A p E R
A R C H I T E C T
oold from =or a long time, Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid was known as'the
::ieans. ::cper architect'. That was because very few of her bold
n in bold =."ld daring designs, though frequently praised for their
-.agination and originality, ever left the page to become
-::al buildings. Between 1978, when she graduated, and
Jround, it
998, just four of her 27 projects were actually realized.
-"OWever, following the successful completion of two art
1ess idea ;,:::leries in Cincinnati and Denmark and a commission
, they get -=· BMW in Leipzig in 2005, Hadid's buildings began to
she had designed a building just so that they could stare 40
::.eoear everywhere. Within ten years, she had become
:�e of the most sought-after architects in the world. So and admire its beauty from the outside. 'Architecture;
.:ning she said, 'is not a medium of personal expression for
:...<mg ny did Hadid's architecture take so long to be accepted?
me. It facilitates everyday life: In other words, her aim
-rstly, she was one of the few women in a profession was to create buildings that were not just innovative,
ot of
:: minated by men. Today in Britain less than fifteen per but practical too. The internal space and how people 45
:x;c1t of practising architects are women. A lot more enter interacted with it were the keys for her.
TV, -e profession, but over half leave, either because of slow
on the 2:eer progress or because they become disillusioned For this reason, she was attracted particularly to public
o, projects: for example, the Aquatics Centre for the
:h the conservatism of most British architectural
'Cl work, ::e;ign. But in Hadid's case, this seems to have been a 2012 Olympics and the Evelyn Grace Academy, a large
-otivator. From an early stage, she was determined to secondary school in south London. For the latter, Hadid 50

:::"allenge the establishment with her own new ideas. But designed a building with lots of natural light and dramatic
.ample of angles, so that pupils could view the activity of other
- 11as never going to be an easy fight.
students from different perspectives within the structure.
on the :CCondly, even during her student days, Hadid was Right in the middle of the site, between buildings, she
--:erested in pushing boundaries and in creating placed a 100-metre running track to celebrate the school's 55
iespite =-Jdings that were new and different. She felt that emphasis on sports. The idea of offering the viewer
:· st-century developments in materials science and multiple viewpoints inside a building is a common theme
tew :.:Jinputer modelling tools provided an opportunity in Hadid's work. Internal spaces interconnect cleverly so
- experiment with more complex curved forms than that the visitor is surprised and charmed at every turn.
�chitects had attempted in the past. She would initially
;:.•.etch out her ideas in the form of an artist's drawing. Zaha Hadid died of a heart attack in 2016 aged 65, leaving 60

� as with anyone who tries to break new ground, it behind a groundbreaking body of work. She remained
ras not easy to convince people to follow - to believe all her life something of an outsider; or, if not completely
rtave outside, then on the edges of the architectural
at these sketches could be translated into functional
olaces establishment. Yet her impact on architecture was
!wllctures. However, once people began to see the results
like enormous: it will never be the same again. 65
- n buildings such as the Guangzhou Opera House in
t? Why?
:_,ina and the MAXXI art museum in Rome - they began
-ot only to believe, but also to start shouting her name.
,e idea of the architect as an artist was something Hadid
-erself rejected. She did not want people to think that

)Ublic
gn of this
feel more

\.

YOUR HOME TOWN A BIT OF LUXURY 111'- HOW SPACES AFFECT YOU EXPRESSING OPINIONS 39
my life AN OPINION ESSAY
real life expressing opinions • pronunciation linking vowel sounds (intrusion)

3d A lot to recommend it
Real life expressing opinions
1 Work in pairs. Think about a public work
of art in your town or area. Describe it to
your partner, saying what you like or dislike
about it.
2 Look at the photo and the caption and
discuss the questions.
1 Do you like these public works of art?
Why? / Why not?
2 What benefits do you think they might
bring to the city (for both locals and
visitors)?
3 � Listen to two people discussing a
proposal for a public work of art in a city.
6 Look at the expressions for expressing opinions. Say
Answer the questions.
which expressions are used to agree, disagree politel1�
1 What piece of work is being proposed? disagree or give an opinion.
2 Are the speakers in favour of or against it?
... EXPRESSING OPINIONS
4 Work in pairs. Read the short text below.
I think ... / I reckon ...
Then discuss which way of expressing I have to say, ...
opinions you most commonly encounter. Personally, I .. .
How much does this depend on the person For me, .../ If you ask me, ...
you are talking to? It seems a bit ... to me.
It's pretty obvious that ... / It's fairly clear that ...
Different people express their opinions I'm (all) in favour of ...
in different ways. Some people disagree I'm against ...
briefly and bluntly, e.g. 'I don't agree,' I agree completely. I Absolutely.
or 'That's not correct.' Others disagree I disagree./ I don't agree.
openly but politely, e.g. 'I'm afraid I don't I don't think you should underestimate ...
share your opinion.' In some cultures, it is I can see that, but ...
considered rude to disagree openly and I'm not (entirely) convinced that ...
people express disagreement by keeping
silent or even by saying the opposite, e.g.
'Yes, I agree.' 7 Pronunciation linking vowel sounds (intrusion
a � Listen to these phrases. Which consonant soun ·
5 � Listen to the discussion again. (/w/ or /j/) are used to link the vowel sounds in each o
Complete the arguments that each speaker these sentences (1-6)?
gives in favour of or against the idea. 1 Have you seen the�artwork?
1 Speaker A: I think it's 2 It's more likely to�attract people.
3 If you�ask me, ...
2 Speaker B: Personally; I'd rather have 4 I disagree�about the cost of it.
something 5 Cexpect you're right.
3 Speaker B: I'm also not convinced that it 6 I'm not so�interested in architecture.
will b Work in pairs. Practise saying the sentences in Exercis
4 Speaker A: I reckon people ... will really 7a, linking the vowel sounds with /w/ and /j/.
like the fact that it
8 Work in pairs or small groups. Look at the two
5 Speaker B: I'm all in favour of something proposals for a public work of art on page 154. Ask
that's relevant ... , but I'm afraid it just each other for your opinion of each proposal. Use
seems expressions to agree or disagree.
6 Speaker A: Well, for me, it's very important
What do you think of the LED screen idea?
that it's
Personally, I think . . .

40 YOUR HOME TOWN A BIT OF LUXURY HOW SPACES AFFECT YOU IJ,- EXPRESSING OPINIONS
my life AN OPINION ESSAY
· .g an opinion essay • writing skill discourse markers Unit 3 Design for life

II
3e Old and new
·riting an opinion essay
Should we allow modern
:..OOk at the photo of two buildings. Do these two buildings to be built next to
::uildings go well together? Why? / Why not? older buildings in a historic
area of a city?
Read the essay question and the essay. Answer the
01estions. In order to answer this question
• properly, first we need to ask
What is the writer's opinion?
.., whether people actually want to
What arguments does he give to support this?
3 What points against his own argument does he preserve the historic character of
mention? an area. Not all historic buildings
are attractive, but they may
:..OOk at the four key elements of an opinion essay. contribute to an overall feeling
fmd each element in the essay. What is the correct that makes the area attractive to
::-der? people. What should we do then if
a new building is needed?
a deal with opposing arguments
:is.Say :> give your opinion and present the arguments In my view. modern architecture
� politely, supporting it can fit perfectly well with buildings
� make your conclusion from another period. Indeed, there
ci analyse the question and set out your starting are many examples in my own
point home town of Tours where radical modern designs
sit comfortably next to old buildings. As long as the
Writing skill discourse markers new building is pleasing and does not dominate
its surroundings too much, it should enhance the
2. The writer uses certain phrases to present his attractiveness of the area. Having said that, there
:deas. Look at the underlined discourse markers must also be a limit to the number of new buildings
:n the essay and match the discourse markers with if people want to preserve the area's historic feel.
the function (1-5). Admittedly. there are examples of modern buildings
1 introduce an opinion (1 adverbial phrase, 2 which have spoilt an area, but this is not an argument
verb phrases) against putting new buildings among historic
2 qualify or make a concession to an opinion or ones in principle. I suspect that the main reason
argument (2 adverbial phrases) for objections to such buildings is that people are
3 reinforce a point or argument (2 adverbial conservative: in other words, they do not like change.
phrases) In conclusion, I believe that while we must respect
-l: express the same point in another way (1 the views of others, it is the duty of architects and
:trusion) phrase) planners to move things forward. After all, if we only
5 sum up the argument (1 adverbial phrase) reproduced what was there before, we would all still
�t sounds be living in caves.
:1 each of D Complete this text. Use discourse markers from
Exercise 4a.
, modem buildings that S Write an opinion essay about this question (200-
try to imitate older architectural styles do not 250 words).
work. 2 , they sometimes
Should we create more socially mixed residential areas,
look worse than an unimaginative modern where rich people live next to poorer people, instead of
design. Despite this, some architects and in separate communities?
planners insist on building in a 'traditional'
style. 3 , their intentions are 6 Exchange essays with your partner. Use these
'. Exercise good: they do not want to spoil the overall look questions to check your essays.
of an area, but 4 they are • Is their opinion clear and have they presented
mistaken. It would be much better if architects
[} both sides of the argument?
�Ask and planners considered a range of new designs. • Have they followed the structure suggested in
, they need to be more
5
L"se Exercise 3?
adventurous. • Have they used discourse markers correctly to
present the ideas?

YOUR HOME TOWN A BIT OF LUXURY HOW SPACES AFFECT YOU EXPRESSING OPINIONS 41
my life AN OPINION ESSAY
3f A story of s·olutions

I

The new fire station in Newbern,


Alabama, USA
Unit 3 Design for life

,j efore you watch After you watch


II
" :...ook at the photo. How does (or did) this building serve 6 Vocabulary in context
:...�e community? Who works/worked there and what is
O::m Watch the clips from the video.
-
:..�eir job like, do you think? a
Choose the correct meaning of the words
!...ook at this list of public buildings or buildings that and phrases.
serve the community. Add any others you can think of.
Then answer the questions (1-2). b Work in pairs. Complete these sentences
in your own words. Then compare your
college community centre court house fire station sentences with a partner.
hospital museum leisure/sports centre
1 The sole reason that I learn English is ...
post office public library theatre town hall
2 ... was a catalyst for ...
3 The book, ... , had a profound effect on
1 Which buildings/amenities would you expect to find
me when I was younger.
in a town of less than 500 people?
2 Which do you think are the most important 7 Look at the viewer comments about the
buildings/amenities for residents? video. Which is closest to your impression
after watching the film? Explain why.
Jhile you watch
3 l bW Watch the first part of the video (0.00 to 0.14).
)..Tote down all the things you see. Compare notes with
your partner. Then answer the questions.
1 What kind of town is Newbern? I found this very uplifting. I agree with
2 Can you describe the buildings you saw in the town? what the woman said at the end: it's
What were they like? people that make the difference. And
you can see that these people really care
-r r:JIHlwl Watch the whole video. Give more details of about each other and their community.
what you saw by answering these questions.
1 What was the first fire engine you saw like?
2 What was the meeting about?
3 How would you describe the design of the new fire I love the simplicity of this architecture.
station? It answers the need and nothing more.
4 What kind of fire did you see?
3 What did you see the architecture students doing?
6 Who did you see using the library? m
I came to this thinking that I was going to
3 QRffl Watch the whole video again. Pause after each see some very innovative or radical new
peaker and write in the words to complete the summary architectural designs. But actually, there
of each speaker's message. The first letter is given for you. weren't any. Disappointed.
1 Sarah Curry: Having no local firehouse means houses
b
i
d
and they are h
; so people can't get

1 Andrew Freear: Community groups focused on the


m
I can't really put my finger on why I like
o and we helped with the b this. Perhaps it's just the way it's filmed.
3 Patrick Braxton: Our first call was to a grass fire and
we took t -t people with us.
-! Andrew Freear: Frances Sullivan came to us and said
'If you really want to help, build a 1 8 What new building would your community
5 Kesha Jones: I don't know how you c most benefit from? Present your idea to the
Newbern, but I'm very g you came. class and explain your reasons.
6 Sarah Curry: This works because everyone is working
towards the s g as a team.
7 Frances Sullivan: Architecture is part of the
s , but it's the p that really
make the difference.

43
UNI r 3 l{hV lbW ANO MEMORY BOOSTER
Grammar Vocabulary
1 Look at the photo. What do you think this building 4 Complete the phrases. Then put the phrases into
is for? Read the text and check your ideas. three categories: a feature of a house, a feature of
town and an adverb+ adjective collocation.
2 Choose the correct options to complete the text .
1 a two-b flat
2 b ly disappointed
3 ab wall
4 ab -up area
5 as ing suburb
6 a ten-s block of flats
7 an en-s bathroom
8 w ly optimistic
9 aw -in wardrobe
5 Which of these adjectives would you use to
describe these places from Unit 3?

characterless compact imposing lively


modern quaint run-down sleepy smart
spacious

I 1 really I completely love the London Olympics


Aquatics Centre. It's a great example of how
to design a public building and actually it's
2
slightly I quite rare for design and function to 6 f>JMj:j Work in pairs. Use the adjectives from
come together as successfully as this. It's both very Exercise 5 to describe a building, area or city that
practical and 3 extremely I absolutely pleasing you know.
to look at. Like many of Hadid's buildings, the
outside has a 4 quite I rather organic feel to it. ICAN
Some say it looks like a large turtle with its flippers use adverb + adjective collocations
outstretched. Hadid did not 5 quite I particularly describe buildings and places
want to add these 'flippers', but they were extra
structures needed to accommodate the 15,000
spectators attending the Olympic swimming Real life
competitions. After the Olympics, 12,500 seats
were 6 completely I utterly removed. If the exterior 7 Match the sentence beginnings (1-7) with the
is 7 a bit I pretty remarkable, the interior is 8 quite I endings (a-g).
entirely spectacular. Bare concrete sweeps this way 1 Personally, a of public art works.
and that in beautiful curves and the diving boards It seems a bit b the benefits.
seem to grow out of the floor. At floor level is the 3 It's pretty clear that c no one wants it.
fifty-metre pool, which is 9 totally I really still and 4 I'm all in favour d completely.
a deep, deep blue. The whole effect is 10 entirely/ I can see that, e I think it's a great idea.,
incredibly dramatic. I agree with you f old-fashioned to me.
7 You shouldn't g but I still think it's too
underestimate expensive.
3 f>J1�j:1 Work in pairs. Look at the adjectives
which follow the modifiers or intensifiers in the 8 f>J&;j:1 Work in pairs. Give your opinions about
text. Which are: a) gradable adjectives an idea to create a small zoo in your local city
b) ungradable (extreme) adjectives and where children can learn more about animals.
c) ungradable (absolute) adjectives? Use the expressions in Exercise 7.

ICAN ICAN
use adverbs to modify or intensify meaning express my opinions
agree and disagree politely

44
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
I.

Buona parte dell’opera, che il primo imperatore di casa Flavia svolse


nel campo della istruzione pubblica, ricalca fedelmente le orme del
passato.
Anche Vespasiano fu, probabilissimamente, un felice inauguratore di
pubbliche biblioteche. Nel Templum Pacis, da lui fondato, Gellio e
Galeno menzionano una biblioteca omonima, [199] e, sebbene questo
nuovo istituto non sia esplicitamente indicato come sua opera, è in
tutto verisimile che autore ne sia stato lo stesso Vespasiano, il quale,
come era avvenuto di altre biblioteche, l’avrebbe aggregata al
tempio da lui stesso edificato [200].
In maniera analoga, come i suoi predecessori, egli mantenne
inviolate le esenzioni dai pubblici carichi, concesse fin allora ai
grammatici, ai retori e ai filosofi, e riconfermò esplicitamente la loro
immunità dall’ius recipiendi, civile e militare, [201] di cui abbiamo
discorso, [202] e che, probabilmente per poca chiarezza delle
precedenti ordinanze imperiali, o per altri motivi, era contestata da
funzionarii o da generali viaggianti.
Ma, se qui si fosse arrestata, l’opera di Vespasiano avrebbe avuto
scarsa originalità, e la politica scolastica degli imperatori di casa
Flavia si sarebbe adagiata negli stessi confini dei predecessori di
casa Giulio-Claudia. Se non che uno degli anni del governo di
Vespasiano, fra il 70 e il 79 di C., segna il principio di una rivoluzione
profonda nei rapporti dell’istruzione pubblica col governo centrale
romano.
In uno di questi dieci anni, l’imperatore, tra le svariate cure, di cui
ebbe ad onorare i poeti e gli artisti, [203] deliberò di stipendiare a
spese del fisco, cioè di quella parte delle entrate dell’impero,
amministrata direttamente dall’imperatore, i maestri di retorica greca
e latina, fissando loro una retribuzione annua di 100,000
sesterzi, [204] pari a L. 25,000 circa.
Dai sommarii accenni delle fonti noi riusciamo malamente ad avere
un’idea dei particolari della riforma, che lascia adito a molti dubbi e a
molte interrogazioni. Furono stipendiati tutti i retori greci e latini
dell’impero, o almeno d’Italia, o soltanto quelli di Roma? E, se la
riforma venne limitata a Roma, furono stipendiati tutti i retori romani,
o solo i più famosi? Quali furono i rapporti, che d’ora innanzi si
stabilirono fra questi nuovi professori ufficiali e l’insegnamento
libero?
Svetonio, che è la fonte principale, non risponde alla prima nostra
domanda, ma ad essa rispondono chiaramente gli informatori di un
più tardo storico, Zonara, il quale avverte che si trattò (ed era pel
momento naturale) di una riforma limitata esclusivamente alla
capitale del mondo [205].
Che non si trattasse poi di tutti i retori di Roma, ma solo di qualcuno
tra i più famosi, si può rilevare da un fatto e da una considerazione: il
fatto che noi, in realtà, non conosciamo che un solo retore
stipendiato, Quintiliano, e la considerazione, che, in tanta copia di
scuole romane di retorica, ogni più liberale innovazione avrebbe
imposto alle finanze dello stato un aggravio non trascurabile, che un
principe quale Vespasiano, tacciato persino di avarizia, non avrebbe
mai consentito.
Ma, da quanto precede, risulta ancora che l’innovazione non può
essere definita una statizzazione delle scuole di retorica [206].
L’insegnamento privato rimane ugualmente, come per l’innanzi,
libero e preponderante, incoraggiato, per giunta, dalla realtà, o dalla
speranza, di un assegno annuo da parte del fisco. Ed invero, gli
stessi maestri di retorica stipendiati furono degli insegnanti liberi;
libera rimase la loro scuola da ogni influenza dello Stato, che non
impose alcun programma o alcun controllo; liberi i maestri di
richiedere, come richiesero, da ciascuno dei discepoli, un onorario,
che costituiva il loro maggiore provento. Anzi, siccome il fatto stesso
di uno stipendio imperiale, elevava le pretese dei retori, che lo
godevano, e la classe sociale degli alunni, che ne ricercavano le
scuole, esso dovette altresì, per un consueto fenomeno di
livellamento economico, accrescere i proventi di tutti i loro colleghi,
e, insieme, le pretese di una classe di persone, la cui dignità morale
veniva anch’essa tangibilmente esaltata.
L’insegnamento privato non riceve dunque alcun danno. Solo, per la
liberalità di Vespasiano, lo Stato, scegliendo fra i molti, indica e
sussidia alcuni pochi istituti, che si potrebbero definire istituti di
paragone. Il vantaggio della coltura era tanto palese, quanto palese
che le intenzioni del legislatore rimanevano lungi da ogni idea di una
scuola di Stato, e persino di una scuola ordinata e controllata dallo
Stato. Se non che — ed era fatale — al di là delle intenzioni degli
inconsapevoli iniziatori, la scuola di Stato dell’avvenire si sarebbe
svolta dal germe seminato dal primo degli imperatori Flavii.

II.

Quali poterono essere intanto le ragioni, che indussero Vespasiano a


tentare ciò che tentò?
Gli storici moderni, più malevoli degli antichi, hanno, con rara facilità,
visto nel suo atto un machiavellico ritrovato di addomesticamento dei
retori e delle loro scuole, [207] anzi, più ancora, un felice espediente,
per il quale egli intendeva schierarli intorno al proprio carro, a difesa
degli attacchi dei filosofi.
In verità, i limiti e la natura della riforma escludono assolutamente la
possibilità del conseguimento di tale scopo, ed escludono perciò che
Vespasiano non vedesse — il che era agevolissimo — la inanità dei
mezzi, che vi avrebbe adoperati. A chi ben guardi, anzi, la
limitazione del sussidio dello Stato a determinati retori era un motivo
atto a raggiungere effetti opposti alle intenzioni attribuite
all’imperatore. Chi non vede a quante gelosie, gare, disillusioni e
recriminazioni, non doveva quella scelta dar luogo? E, al tempo
stesso, a quanti attacchi contro l’imperatore e contro i suoi ministri?
Poteva ciò essere un mezzo di corruzione di tutta la classe? Questo
non vuol dire che il privilegio inaugurato da Vespasiano non si
volesse anche interpretato come un onore concesso
all’insegnamento della retorica e ai suoi ministri, come una lontana
captatio benevolentiae. Come abbiamo accennato, Vespasiano
tenne sempre a ostentare un tal quale mecenatismo verso le scienze
e le arti, nonchè verso coloro che le professavano. E in tal senso egli
potè mirare a passare eziandio come un protettore, tra i più
benemeriti, delle scuole di retorica. Il mecenatismo era la malattia
aulica del secolo, e non per nulla la nuova munificenza fu
direttamente prelevata sugli introiti dell’impero a disposizione
dell’imperatore.
Ma, per Vespasiano, di peso assai grande dovette essere la
conoscenza delle condizioni economiche della classe dei retori —
condizioni sempre tristi, nonostante gli onori e le esenzioni, di cui
essi erano stati oggetto. Noi non abbiamo notizie relative ad età
precedenti; ma, nell’età di Traiano [208], in cui, dopo il privilegio,
concesso dal primo dei Flavii, la dignità di quell’insegnamento
doveva essersi di molto elevata, Giovenale traccia un quadro
miserando della vita dei retori e dei grammatici. «Tu insegni a
declamare, o Vezio. Tu hai dei polmoni di ferro». «Tutto quello che
poco prima avevi letto, stando a sedere, tu dovrai ripeterlo in piedi, e
negli stessi termini. Il ripetere fino alla sazietà uccide il disgraziato
maestro. Giacchè tutti vogliono conoscere quale sia il colorito da
dare a una discussione, quale il genere di una causa, ove ne risieda
il punto fondamentale, quali possano essere le varie obbiezioni.
Salvochè nessuno vuol pagare l’onorario. Ti si rinfaccia: — Tu chiedi
il pagamento dell’onorario? E che cosa ho io appreso? — La colpa,
naturalmente, dovrà essere del maestro, se non c’è un briciolo di
anima in questo giovane arcade. Ogni giorno mi ha rotto i timpani col
suo dirus Hannibal, il quale discute (che so io!) se dopo Canne
debba recarsi a Roma, o se, più prudente, debba, dopo una
tempesta ripiegare sulle città vicine. Quanto vuoi fissare (io sborso
subito la somma) perchè suo padre lo stia ad ascoltare tante volte
quante è toccato a me? — Così protestano altri sei o più maestri», e
«la loro ricompensa maggiore è l’importo di una tessera per
frumento a buon mercato. Indaga invece presso i citaredi Crisogono
e Pollione quanto renda loro l’insegnamento ai fanciulli ricchi.... Tu
sfogli invece il manuale del retore Teodoro....
«Si spenderanno seicentomila sesterzi a costruire dei bagni, e più,
per un portico, nel quale il signore si faccia portare a passeggio
quando piove (dovrebbe forse attendere il sereno, o lasciare che i
suoi cavalli siano spruzzati di mota recente?)». «Altrove egli
edificherà una sala da pranzo con eccelse colonne di marmo numida
e che sia tutta esposta al sole invernale. Conforme alla dignità della
casa, gli occorreranno cuochi di svariate abilità. Fra questi dispendii,
due mila sesterzi saranno di troppo per un Quintiliano. Così ad un
padre niente costerà meno di un figliuolo.» [209]
E nulla in realtà poteva costar meno. Dal fugace accenno dello
stesso Giovenale, l’onorario mensile dei retori, che corrispondeva
all’importo di una tessera per frumentazioni, non giungeva, a quel
tempo, a superare i 20 sesterzi, in cifra tonda L. 5 al mese per
alunno [210].... Due secoli dopo, in tanto più elevato tenor di vita,
l’onorario dei maestri di retorica si aggirava intorno alle L. 6,25
mensili per alunno [211]. L’amaro accenno di Giovenale doveva
dunque essere l’eco di una protesta generale. Che cosa sarebbe
avvenuto delle migliori scuole di retorica, qualora fossero state
abbandonate al proprio destino? Era possibile che un governo di
Mecenati proteggesse i musici, o gli attori celebri, e trascurasse i
maestri, formatori e creatori delle coscienze e delle intelligenze
romane? Poteva esso trascurarli, quando, per di più, dal gesto di
protezione, che loro avrebbe rivolto, era lecito sperare un compenso
di gloria e, magari, di gratitudine avvenire?
Quale fu intanto il rapporto, in cui codesto sussidio stette con la
considerazione, che i retori godevano in Roma, e presso i poteri
centrali?
Taluni moderni hanno, anche qui, malevolmente, confrontato lo
stipendio assegnato a quelli da Vespasiano con i premii da lui largiti
ad altri professionisti, e ne hanno tirato delle gravi conclusioni circa
la scarsa stima sociale dei retori. Se non che balza evidente agli
occhi di ogni spassionato osservatore l’impossibilità del confronto.
Nell’un caso, si tratta di stipendio annuo, nell’altro, di sussidi una
volta tanto. Se un confronto si voleva istituire, esso doveva farsi con
altri funzionari stipendiati. Tra questi si potevano scegliere i
procuratores imperiali. Siamo nel I. secolo di Cristo, e noi ne
conosciamo due sole categorie, i ducenarii e i centenarii [212],
stipendiati cioè, i primi, a 200.000, i secondi, a 100.000 sesterzi
annui. Noi non possiamo dire, per ora, quali procuratores si
trovassero nell’una, quali nell’altra condizione; ma, di qui a poco più
di un mezzo secolo, saranno procuratori centenarii i governatori di
parecchie provincie e certi funzionarii urbani e provinciali, come il
procurator alimentorum, il procurator aquarum, il procurator ludi
magni, il procurator operum publicorum, ed altri ancora, fra cui il
procurator bibliothecarum [213]. Or bene, accanto a tutti costoro,
vanno, per considerazione sociale, allogati i centenarii insegnanti di
retorica. Vero è che, in questo ulteriore periodo, i procuratores
centenarii rappresentavano il più basso ordine dei tre, che allora di
codesta classe esistevano; ma non si può negare che non sempre,
anche in tempi più civili, il maestro di retorica si è trovato in così
buona compagnia tra i funzionarii dello Stato.

III.

Ma, dopo quanto precede, noi non possiamo trascurare di porci


un’ultima domanda. Perchè Vespasiano limitò i suoi favori ai maestri
di retorica, e non li estese anche ai litteratores e ai grammatici,
maestri, rispettivamente, della scuola primaria e media inferiore?
Eppure, se i retori stavano male, i precettori di grammatica e i
litteratores stavano peggio. Dei primi — l’abbiamo accennato — ci
informa lo stesso Giovenale: «E il maestro di grammatica? Quale
guadagno ritrae dal suo lavoro il maestro di grammatica? Il suo
salario è inferiore a quello del retore, ma, per miserando che esso
sia, ne detraggono una parte lo scempio pedagogo e
l’amministratore. Ma, povero Palemone, tollera anche questa
ritenuta, come un qualsiasi mercante di stuoie invernali e di bianchi
cortinaggi, purchè non invano tu ti sii levato all’ora della notte, in cui
nè il fabbro ferraio, nè il cardatore di lana sono in piedi!» «Chè il
salario tu l’otterrai di rado senza ricorrere al tribuno. Eppure voi, o
genitori, esigete che un precettore conosca le leggi del linguaggio,
che conosca tutta la storia, tutti gli autori a mena dito, cosicchè,
interrogato all’improvviso, mentre si reca alle Terme o ai bagni di
Apollo, sappia dire chi fu la nutrice di Anchise e il nome e la patria
della matrigna di Anchemolo e quanti anni visse Alceste e quante
urne di vino siculo donò ai Frigii. Eppure, voi esigete che egli plasmi
le tenere menti, come altri foggia con la cera un volto umano,
esigete che egli faccia da padre e impedisca che i fanciulli amino le
cose turpi e non le pratichino insieme. Non è cosa da nulla
sorvegliare tante mani e tanta mobilità di occhi. Questo tu devi
curare, e al termine dell’anno ricevi pure i cinque aurei, che il popolo
reclama per l’atleta vincitore» [214].
La concorrenza doveva infatti essere grandissima, e, se, in sullo
scorcio della repubblica, Roma contava oltre venti scuole di
prim’ordine [215] di grammatici, codesta cifra era naturale si fosse
ormai più che quadruplicata. Ove poi volessimo avanzare di qualche
secolo fino all’età di Luciano, noi apprenderemmo che tutto il
provento dei grammatici bastava appena a pagare il sarto, il medico
e il calzolaio. [216] E, nell’editto dioclezianeo de pretiis rerum
venalium del 302 di C., troveremmo che il maestro di grammatica,
greco o latino, veniva in media pagato con 200 denarii (L. 4.50)
mensili per scolaro [217].
Se questo è a dire dei grammatici, peggio ancora è a ripetere dei
litteratores. Durante la fanciullezza di Orazio, i fanciulli delle più
ricche famiglie romane corrispondevano loro mensilmente una
retribuzione, che si aggirava intorno agli otto assi, cioè a dire a circa
quaranta o cinquanta centesimi al mese. [218] Nell’età di Diocleziano,
la tariffa era salita a L. 1,25, o poco più, al mese. [219] Si sottraggano
i tre o quattro mesi di vacanza, [220] e si vedrà che la vita non
sarebbe stata possibile, se i maestri — con quanto vantaggio
dell’insegnamento è facile comprendere — non avessero pensato di
sopperire con dei mestieri accessori [221]. Parrebbe evidente da tutto
ciò che i grammatici e i litteratores dovessero attendersi dalle cure
imperiali parecchio di più di quello che l’impero concedeva alle
scuole di retorica. Invece la realtà parla in senso opposto. E la
ragione è crudele: lo stato romano promuoverà, e curerà, quasi
esclusivamente, gli istituti ed i gradi superiori dell’istruzione pubblica,
e seguirà per tal guisa un criterio di amministrazione, che sarà, pur
troppo, anche nel più lucido avvenire, difficilmente sorpassato. Noi
avremo di ciò una conferma nei provvedimenti di ordine didattico e
scientifico degli imperatori, ma possiamo subito ricordare qualche
fatto, che riguarda anch’esso le sorti economiche dei maestri.
Antonino Pio tornerà a regolare la materia delle immunità, ma da
esse saranno esplicitamente esclusi gli insegnanti elementari: per
questi il governatore doveva curare soltanto che non fossero
sovraccarichi di oneri..... Più tardi, apprenderemo che la regolarità
dei salari ai maestri verrà garantita dallo Stato; ma, se tale garanzia
era da questo riconosciuta come un suo debito preciso verso i retori,
essa veniva largita come un mero favore ai grammatici ed ai
litteratores, i quali, sostiene il relativo documento ufficiale,
abusavano, in tale pretesa, dell’analogia della loro funzione con
quella dei retori. [222]
Evidentemente, per lo Stato romano, curante solo gli interessi delle
classi superiori, non esisteva che un’unica forma d’istruzione da
privilegiare e da garantire: l’istruzione media di secondo grado e
quella superiore, talora anche l’istruzione professionale. La primaria
e la media inferiore dovevano invece abbandonarsi a tutte le sorti
della concorrenza, a tutti i colpi del destino.

IV.
Una questione, che potrebbe sembrare — ma non è — più difficile,
perchè non possediamo intorno ad essa alcun ragguaglio positivo, è
quella che concerne i rapporti — diremo così — amministrativi e
giuridici (ai rapporti didattici abbiamo accennato) dei nuovi retori
stipendiati con lo Stato.
Come se ne fece in quel tempo la selezione? Quali obblighi
venivano essi ad assumere verso il governo? Anzi, esistevano degli
obblighi in proposito? Rappresenta l’innovazione di Vespasiano
un’ufficiale istituzione di cattedre, o solo un beneficio a reggenti
cattedre, che già esistevano, e che erano legate soltanto alla loro
opera e alla loro persona?
Circa il primo punto la risposta è prevedibile. La scelta, sebbene la
responsabilità ne risalisse all’imperatore, dovette, per ora, essere
soltanto compito di persone di fiducia del capo dello Stato. Ma di
obblighi è possibile non se ne sia imposto alcuno. Come il
programma dell’insegnamento non subì nè coercizioni, nè controlli,
così nessuna codificazione dovette farsi di quello che oggi si direbbe
il contratto d’impiego. I retori stipendiati non erano — è bene
ripeterlo — dei funzionarii dello Stato; erano delle persone
benemerite sussidiate.
Può, a tale veduta, fare ostacolo la dichiarazione di Quintiliano, che
egli avrebbe avuto bisogno di impetrare, dopo venti anni
d’insegnamento, il favore d’essere messo a riposo? [223]
Evidentemente, no. Qui non si tratta di obbligo, che lo Stato avrebbe
potuto continuare ad addossargli, nè di un esonero, che egli avrebbe
dovuto chiedere, ma di un onore, che il governo avrebbe desiderato
l’illustre maestro continuasse a largire alla città, e di una cortesia,
che traeva il retore a chiedere al principe quella licenza morale, cui i
lunghi anni di godimento del sussidio e la fiducia imperiale
l’obbligavano.
E neanche la risposta all’ultima delle nostre domande può — a
nostro modo di vedere — essere dubbia. L’imperatore Vespasiano
non istituisce alcuna ufficiale cattedra di retorica in Roma. Egli non si
preoccupa della stabilità dell’insegnamento di quella disciplina. Le
scuole dei retori erano tante, che una simile preoccupazione
sarebbe stata fuori di luogo. Egli si limita soltanto a istituire uno
stipendio ad personam in favore di taluni retori. Quando questi
fossero morti o si fossero ritirati, il beneficio poteva passare ad altri;
ma le antiche cattedre non rimanevano scoperte; cessavano
semplicemente del tutto. Di qui si svolgerà più tardi la pratica
dell’istituzione di vere e proprie cattedre di retorica o d’altra
disciplina; ma, per adesso, Vespasiano non pensa a un così regolare
procedimento.
E la modestia della innovazione, negli intendimenti di coloro che
l’operavano, e l’assenza di ogni intendimento rivoluzionario ci sono
confermate dall’impressione dei contemporanei, che non videro in
essa più di quanto il principe aveva voluto metterci.
Videro anzi qualcosa di meno: non un favore verso l’istituzione, o
verso i migliori che la rappresentavano; ma un favore verso le
persone — in quanto persone — che il provvedimento imperiale
veniva a beneficare. E il beneficato per eccellenza appare uno solo:
Quintiliano. Un ex-senatore, decaduto, per sue personali traversie, a
insegnar retorica in Sicilia, inaugurava il suo corso, esordendo nella
prolusione con una frase, che si può ritenere quasi testuale: «Ecco i
tuoi giuochi, o fortuna! Tu fai senatori dei maestri, e fai maestri dei
senatori!» [224] Quintiliano era allora stato insignito degli ornamenti
consolari [225]. E il fatto meraviglioso del retore di Calagurris divenuto
console fu, per tutti i suoi contemporanei, un esempio palmare della
cecità della fortuna, un motivo frequente di recriminazioni a suo
carico. «Passiamo sopra», esclama Giovenale nello scritto dianzi
citato, «a questo strano esempio dei favori del destino. Se si è
fortunati, si ha la bellezza e il coraggio; se si è fortunati, si è sapienti,
nobili e generosi»; «se si è fortunati, si è anche grandi oratori e
motteggiatori; se assiste la fortuna, magari colpiti da raffreddore, si
canta bene ugualmente. Importa molto invero il genere di stelle,
sotto cui si mandano i primi vagiti, sudici ancora del sangue
materno. Se la fortuna vuole, si diviene da retore console....» [226].
V.

Ma la verità era che ben difficilmente il pensiero di Vespasiano


poteva essere tradotto nella pratica in modo più degno di quello che
fu realmente, per opera dell’uomo, che, ricolmo dell’onore del
principe, salì primo in Roma la cattedra di retorica: Quintiliano.
Quintiliano fu veramente un grande maestro. La cattedra, ch’egli
tenne in Roma per venti anni, lasciò nella storia dell’istruzione
pubblica e della letteratura romana una traccia, che mai più avrebbe
potuto cancellarsi. Il maestro modello, che Vespasiano col suo atto
indicava alla cittadinanza, volle che anche i lontani ed i posteri
avessero nozione del suo insegnamento e del suo pensiero, e,
ritiratosi dalla cattedra, concepì il disegno di raccogliere in un solo
volume tutta la fine teorica del suo magistero.
Era quanto mille desiderii tesi verso di lui chiedevano istantemente.
Quando egli attendeva ancora all’insegnamento, i suoi scolari,
«nimium amantes», avevano pubblicato le sue lezioni e le avevano
fatte passare come veri e proprii trattati di retorica. Il maestro, pieno
d’indulgenza, non sconfesserà quell’indiscrezione, ma vorrà darci
ben altra cosa: il libro, il vero e solo libro, a cui le sue lezioni
avrebbero potuto dare origine, cioè i suoi precetti per la formazione
dell’oratore e la teorica della sua pratica pedagogica. Questa fu la
sua Institutio oratoria, che egli pubblicò negli ultimi anni del secolo I.
di C.
In questo suo libro, che accoglieva il meglio del suo pensiero e della
sua esperienza, Quintiliano non si palesa, come potrebbe attendersi,
un severo e radicale novatore. La nuova scienza, officialmente
favorita, non rivela in lui un indirizzo sconosciuto, o una riforma ab
imis dell’antico. Numerose e fiere erano già in quel tempo le accuse
contro le scuole dei retori e contro la loro vanità: [227] accuse, che
hanno traversato i secoli con una tenacia solo pari all’altra, con cui
quel tanto combattuto indirizzo pedagogico è rimasto tenacemente
radicato nell’insegnamento secondario. Forse, se non è fattura
d’altri, nel suo scritto su Le cause della corrotta eloquenza,
Quintiliano aveva ribadito anche lui, e in maniera più esplicita, quelle
accuse. Certo, altri prima di lui, e con lui, le avevano lanciate. Ma
adesso, dal sommo della gloria e della lunga esperienza, Quintiliano
può meglio comprendere e giudicare e misurare il valore delle
accuse e delle difese e le esigenze della realtà. I suoi rari appunti
sono incidentali e sono esposti in forma oggettiva: [228] piccoli e lievi
colpi, che, nella costruzione del suo edificio, egli è costretto a dare
contro alcuni particolari, che mal si adattano all’architettura
dell’insieme. Il suo compito è un’altro: è anzitutto quello di rendere
sano, pratico, perfetto l’indirizzo esistente. La sua opera riesce così
mirabilmente architettonica, pensata, martellata, come un mosaico,
fin nei minimi particolari, e fondata sur una conoscenza
inappuntabile delle teoriche esistenti su ciascuna speciale questione.
Per questa parte, i suoi successori non avranno per lungo tempo
altro ad aggiungere od a creare: avranno soltanto a spiegare e a
commentare Quintiliano. Ma assai più mirabile per ogni età sarà il
principio informatore, che anima l’opera sua, principio creatore della
pedagogia stessa. Egli concepisce il suo compito, non già come una
comunicazione d’insegnamenti addizionali ed esteriori, ma come
un’opera di formazione interiore del fanciullo e dell’adolescente, dai
primi anni fino all’età matura, all’uomo che si sarebbe dovuto
plasmare. La grande virtù dell’oratore non sarà, per Quintiliano, la
schermaglia vana, che sprizza dall’abilità disonesta del cavillatore,
ma il pensiero compiutamente reso, perchè compiutamente
maturato; e l’oratore romano è, per lui, grande oratore, solo in
quanto sia veramente uomo e cittadino.
Per tale rispetto, Quintiliano è il sommo tra gli scrittori latini di cose
pedagogiche [229].
Ma, anche in quella sua esposizione, il maestro si rivela assai più
grande del teorico. Gli ammonimenti, le osservazioni sagaci, le
riflessioni particolari mostrano in lui una capacità insegnativa di
prim’ordine, l’uomo che sa intendere, prendere e maneggiare i
giovani secondo una propria idea, secondo una sua propria
intenzione [230]. E a compiere questo miracolo didattico non
avrebbero mai posseduto virtù sufficiente nè l’invidia dei colleghi
meno fortunati, nè la rabbia malevola dei poeti satirici.

VI.

Gli elementi originali della politica degli imperatori Flavii sono


pressochè tutti contenuti nell’opera di Vespasiano. I suoi due figli,
durante il loro regno, non fecero che rispettarli e lasciarli immutati,
senza dar mano ad alcuna aggiunta, senza tentare alcuna
sostanziale innovazione. Che questo fosse avvenuto sotto Tito, noi
lo apprendiamo da una notizia assai esplicita. Tito confermò tutti i
benefici e i privilegi concessi dai predecessori. [231] Con lui dunque
furono ripetute le immunità ai maestri di grammatica, di retorica, di
filosofia; con lui fu ripetuto lo stanziamento in bilancio di una
retribuzione per i retori; sotto di lui, Quintiliano continuò a dettar
lezioni dalla sua cattedra, protetta dal favore del principe; e continuò,
per i letterati e gli artisti, a spirare il benessere del governo di
Vespasiano.
Lo stesso noi dobbiamo dire di Domiziano. Quintiliano infatti
proseguì, fino all’88, le sue lezioni, percependo dallo Stato il sussidio
consueto [232], e poco di poi veniva dal principe invitato a colmare i
propri ozii con l’occuparsi dell’educazione dei suoi nipoti. [233] In
compenso di questo e dei lunghi servigi resi all’istruzione pubblica,
egli riceveva la prima onorificenza, con cui il governo del nostro
paese avrebbe onorato il riposo ufficiale dei suoi maestri, il grado e
le insegne consolari [234].
Ma, nei rispetti dell’istruzione pubblica, il governo di Domiziano è
assai notevole per tre altri ordini di fatti: in primo, l’operosità sua a
vantaggio delle biblioteche romane; in secondo, la restituzione delle
antiche gare oratorie; in terzo, i nuovi impulsi dati all’educazione
fisica e musicale.
Narra invero il biografo dei primi Cesari, Svetonio, che Domiziano,
«senza badare a spese», fece costruire, e ricostruire, le biblioteche
perite negli incendi precedenti, chiedendo per ogni parte nuovi
manoscritti e mandando persino ad Alessandria persone, che li
collazionassero ed emendassero, servendosi degli esemplari
contenuti in quella biblioteca. [235] Si tratta, com’è facile intendere
dalla diligenza, dai criteri e dalla difficoltà del lavoro, di un disegno di
prim’ordine, che merita tutta la riconoscenza dei posteri. Quali siano
state le biblioteche da Domiziano ricostituite, riesce a noi ben difficile
indicare con sicurezza. È possibile che egli stesso abbia rifatto
l’Ottaviana bruciata sotto Tito [236] e che ritroviamo menzionata più
tardi [237], ma è impossibile tanto essere sicuri di singoli riferimenti,
quanto completare l’elenco delle ricostruzioni, che dovettero essere
molteplici [238].
Più interessante è invece porre in rilievo il fatto che tanta operosità
imperiale, in rapporto alla fondazione e alla restituzione di pubbliche
biblioteche, dovette, fin da questo momento, avere la prevedibile e
consueta ripercussione nel campo dell’opera privata e comunale, in
Roma e fuori. Numerose collezioni di libri dovettero, fin d’ora, aprirsi
al pubblico, in Roma, in Italia e in provincia. Singoli privati, come
poco di poi faranno il console Giulio Aquila Polemano, per
Efeso, [239] Plinio il giovane, per Como [240], e, non sappiamo
quando, un ignoto donatore, per Volsinii, cominciarono a legare ai
municipii delle somme per la fondazione e il mantenimento di
pubbliche biblioteche [241]. Le stesse collezioni private appalesano
fin d’ora una grandiosità e una ricchezza, che suscitano commenti e
censure, come quelle, in cui lo scopo della cultura appariva
subordinato al lusso ed alla vanità [242]. Ma, come a siffatta
bibliomania noi dobbiamo la conservazione di buona parte della
produzione classica, così i dotti del tempo dovettero all’esempio, che
veniva dall’alto, l’agevolezza, che fu ormai una consuetudine, di
servirsi delle collezioni private dei loro doviziosi amici o mecenati, e,
quindi, di istruirsi e di lavorare, il che, in circostanze diverse, non
sarebbe certamente avvenuto. Per identico tramite, dovette, durante
questo tempo, introdursi, nel regime delle pubbliche biblioteche, tutta
la serie di liberalità [243], tendenti a soddisfare le esigenze dei lettori
e degli studiosi, che sono oggi patrimonio universale di quei nostri
istituti di cultura. Ed anche di questo noi dobbiamo essere, sopra
ogni altro, riconoscenti all’ultimo degli imperatori Flavii.

VII.

Dicemmo che un secondo provvedimento, caratteristico del governo


di Domiziano, fu la istituzione di nuovi concorsi di eloquenza in
Roma. Abbiamo visto come su questo campo egli fosse stato
preceduto da Nerone, ma la grande reazione politica, seguita alla
fine della casa Claudia, aveva interrotto la prosecuzione di
quell’istituto [244]. Domiziano torna a provvedervi in modo più serio,
più solenne e, forse, anche più fortunato.
Nell’88 di C., egli istituiva il tanto celebrato Agone Capitolino, un
nuovo cimento olimpico, come iperbolicamente fu definito dai
contemporanei [245], una festa quinquennale in onore di Giove
Capitolino, in cui, fra l’altro, furono rinnovati dei concorsi, che si
dissero, anche questa volta, musicali, ma che compresero delle gare
poetiche ed oratorie [246]. La festa era celebrata con solennità rara e
grandiosa, e un’apposita giurìa assegnava i premi ai vincitori, i quali
ricevevano dalle mani stesse dell’imperatore il segno della vittoria,
una corona di quercia. [247]
Noi non possediamo notizie distinte di ciascuno dei due concorsi
oratorii e poetici. Ma, se anche i primi non ebbero, come taluno ha
pensato, la lunga vita dei secondi, [248] la gloria, o la solennità, ne fu,
finchè esistettero, di poco minore. Del pari che pei concorsi poetici,
le previsioni sul loro esito dovettero, ogni volta, essere oggetto delle
più appassionate discussioni dei circoli romani. I candidati vi
accorrevano numerosi, e il conseguirvi vittoria rimase per parecchio
tempo uno degli scopi più alti e più gelosi dei letterati dell’impero.
Ma, insieme con questa gara solenne, in Roma, Domiziano ne istituì
una seconda più modesta, in Albano. Richiamò egli quivi un vecchio
culto romano a Minerva, protettrice della poesia e della letteratura,
dal quale ufficio ella era stata, da circa un secolo, fugata da
Apollo [249], e vi istituì un collegio religioso, avente, fra l’altro,
l’incarico di organizzare concorsi oratorii, oltre che poetici, da
celebrarsi ogni anno, il 19 marzo, in onore della Dea. Anche qui era
una giurìa, anche qui erano assegnate, quali premi ai vincitori,
corone auree di ulivo. [250] Ma, probabilmente, meno fortunati, i
concorsi albani si spensero prima degli altri, romani e capitolini, di
eloquenza. [251]

VIII.

Ci resta a discorrere dei mezzi, con cui Domiziano promosse il culto


dell’educazione fisica a tipo greco in Roma. Domiziano fu un principe
essenzialmente imitatore. Dopo aver imitato il padre, dopo avere,
nell’amore e nella cura delle pubbliche biblioteche, imitato Augusto,
egli entrò in gara con Nerone.
Ed invero, l’Agone Capitolino, da lui istituito, comprese eziandio una
prova equestre (ἀγῶνες ἱππικοί) ed una ginnastica (ἀγῶνες
γυμνικοί). Tra i concorsi ginnici — pretta imitazione ellenica — a cui
pigliavano parte fanciulli romani liberi, si diedero, sull’esempio della
antica Sparta, anche gare di corsa di fanciulle. E come Nerone
aveva costruito un ginnasio per gli esercizi fisici, Domiziano
costrusse al Campo di Marte, per le gare ginniche ed equestri, uno
stadio [252] capace di oltre 30 mila spettatori. Il carattere ellenico
della festa fu anche nell’apparato esteriore. Presiedeva l’imperatore
in veste purpurea e assistevano, e giudicavano, il Flamen Iovis,
nonchè i membri del collegio Flavio, vestiti anch’essi in costume
greco [253].
I giuochi capitolini sopravvissero fino agli ultimi confini dell’antichità
romana, e ad essi sopratutto si deve se gli spettacoli atletici
divennero fin da allora comuni in ogni genere di spettacoli in Roma.
Ma quello che a noi più importa è che, in Roma, fin dall’età di
Domiziano, si nota una sicura e decisa prevalenza dei fautori della
educazione fisica greca, che penetra ormai vittoriosa, così nella
consuetudine, come nel quadro della educazione italica dei fanciulli
liberi di ambo i sessi [254].
Al nuovo indirizzo della educazione fisica vanno congiunti gli impulsi,
non meno efficaci, dati alla istruzione musicale. Anche su questo
terreno, la politica dei Flavii si era sperimentata fin da Vespasiano.
L’antico soldato aveva reagito contro il gusto degli ultimi Cesari,
rimettendo in onore il culto dell’antica musica classica. [255] Ma non
era andato più oltre; aveva anzi continuato a profondere ricompense
ai virtuosi dell’arte musicale: 400 mila sesterzi a un cantor tragico;
200 mila a due citaredi; 140 mila ad altri, e corone d’oro a iosa. Il
ritorno all’antico non osava più violare i confini di una assennata
disciplina dell’avvenire, e il nuovo era accettato, e ratificato, in tutto
quello che esso aveva avuto di rivoluzionario e che aveva di
novatore.
Identica può sembrare la contraddizione, in cui si avvolge
Domiziano, ma quest’ultimo dei Flavii, che sembra nato per far
riscontro all’ultimo dei Claudii, riesce a decidere delle sorti
dell’educazione e dell’istruzione musicale, nella società romana.
Domiziano comincia con l’abolire le pantomime pubbliche. [256] Si è
detto che facesse ciò per gelosia della moglie e per avere subìta una
sgradevole esperienza domestica. [257] La spiegazione è certo
insufficiente, e il divieto, che fu limitato alle pantomime recitate in
pubblico, non la rende davvero più attendibile. Rimosse poscia, dal
Senato, Cecilio Rufino, solo perchè amator della danza. [258] Ma,
nello stesso tempo, Domiziano inaugurava, nell’Agone Capitolino, il
più grande e il più felice concorso musicale dell’età imperiale, in cui
si distribuivano premi per la citaredia, per la citaristica, per gli a solo
di flauto, per la corocitaristica, e a cui accorrevano artisti di ogni
paese, [259] ed egli stesso costruiva appositamente, per gli spettacoli
musicali, l’Odeon, al Campo di Marte, capace di contenere circa 10
mila spettatori. [260] Era quanto di più grandioso e di più onorifico
fosse stato concesso, fin allora, al culto di Euterpe, in Roma, e
subito se ne videro tangibilmente gli effetti. Nelle case dei ricchi, i
maestri di musica divennero più ricercati dei loro colleghi di retorica.
Nell’età di Giovenale, i citaredi Crisogono e Pollione sono divenuti
dei signori, al confronto di Vezzio, il precettore di retorica. [261] Non
più i poeti, ma i citaredi hanno fortuna; [262] e Marziale, consigliando
un amico intorno alla carriera, cui avviare il proprio figliuolo, scrive:
«Fuggi per carità e grammatici e retori!» «Fa versi? Caccia di casa il
poeta!» «Intende imparare un’arte lucrativa? Che egli divenga
citaredo o coraulo!» [263].
Noi possiamo da tutto ciò prevedere quale sia stata l’opera dei Flavii
circa l’educazione della gioventù nei collegi giovanili. Vespasiano era
rimasto nell’orbita della schietta tradizione augustea, [264] ma
Domiziano svolge e integra, come nel resto, il programma di Nerone.
Egli istituisce — questa volta ne siamo informati in maniera positiva
— anche fuori di Roma, dei Iuvenalia, cui prendono parte i suoi
iuvenes augustales, [265] e fonda collegia iuvenum, con appositi
maestri, i quali danno caccie di bestie feroci, rappresentazioni
sceniche, e gareggiano in concorsi di poesia e di eloquenza. [266]
Con Domiziano dunque si consolida, e trionfa, l’indirizzo educativo
Neroniano.

IX.

La luccicante medaglia ha anch’essa il suo rovescio. E non vogliamo


con questo accennare alle persecuzioni, così frequenti in quest’età,
contro qualche retore, o contro schiere di filosofi, colpevoli di opinioni
antidinastiche, persecuzioni le quali ricadevano fatalmente sulle loro
scuole e sulla pratica libertà dell’insegnamento. Gl’imperatori Flavii
possono allegare a loro parziale discolpa la pur dubbia attenuante di
avere avuto in questo dei predecessori tra gli imperatori Claudii.
Intendiamo invece accennare a qualche specifico provvedimento ai
danni delle scuole esistenti nell’impero romano, e precisamente delle
scuole filosofiche di Atene, ch’era allora la capitale intellettuale di
tutto l’Occidente.
È nota la violenta reazione di Vespasiano contro le libertà municipali,
già restituite alla Grecia da Nerone, e a Vespasiano, o al suo
governo, deve riferirsi una misura, la cui paternità non possiamo,
con uguale verisimiglianza, attribuire ad alcuno dei successori, e che
noi conosciamo solo attraverso un rescritto di Adriano, che ne
interruppe definitivamente l’applicazione.
È noto come i creatori delle varie scuole filosofiche greche avessero
fondato in Atene delle comunità di studiosi, per la diffusione della
loro rispettiva filosofia. Ciascuno di essi aveva trasmesso, per
testamento, la propria carica ed il proprio ufficio alla persona, che
aveva creduto più indicata, e questa, a sua volta, ne aveva seguito
l’esempio [267]. Ma Vespasiano, nella sua avversione alla filosofia, e
nei pericoli politici, di cui la credeva capace, intervenne a limitare la
facoltà dei testatori. Secondo una sua prescrizione, gli scolari di
ciascuna scuola filosofica dovevano essere cittadini romani, nè essi
potevano nominare successori che non rivestissero tale qualità [268].
I motivi di siffatta disposizione si possono facilmente immaginare.
Vespasiano aveva voluto, per quanto sapeva e poteva, garantire se
stesso e lo Stato contro la potenzialità rivoluzionaria della filosofia, e
rendere questa politicamente innocua col farla impartire da cittadini
romani. Ma altrettanto prevedibili sono gli inconvenienti di quel
sistema. La scelta del successore era, ogni volta, dipendente, non
già dalle degnità e dal merito, e neanche dalla maggiore fedeltà
dell’eligendo alle idee del maestro, sibbene dalla condizione
esteriore della sua cittadinanza. Veniva così, in una città e in un
paese tanto poco romanizzato, come la Grecia, chiusa la via alle
iniziative del genio locale, che aveva dato al mondo i pensatori ed i
filosofi più illustri, e quella via si apriva invece al privilegio della breve
schiera dei cittadini romani, professanti colà discipline filosofiche. E
la libera scelta del successore, preclusa una prima volta allo
scolarca, tornava a chiudersi ugualmente, più tardi, alla comunità
degli studiosi, qualora essi, conforme alla consuetudine, avessero
voluto correggere la nomina e procedere a una nuova elezione [269].
Era un viluppo di ostacoli, che ledeva necessariamente la libertà e
l’efficacia dell’insegnamento filosofico in Atene. E i maestri e i
discepoli tollerarono, per anni, duramente, quel freno; per anni
cercarono di romperlo. Finchè, interceditrice una principessa
imperiale, il più greco degli imperatori avrà, come noteremo, l’onore
di esaudire il semisecolare desiderio.

X.

Tale la politica degli imperatori Flavii.


A quest’opera loro, in rapporto all’istruzione pubblica, suole, nella
storia della medesima, riconoscersi un’importanza decisiva. I Flavii
— si dice — avrebbero deposto la prima pietra di quell’edifizio, che
l’avvenire dedicherà solennemente alle cure della istruzione
pubblica.
La disamina, che noi abbiamo precedentemente tentata, non ci
consente un giudizio così entusiasta. L’opera di quei tre imperatori
non contiene, salvo una sola eccezione, alcun elemento, che già non
fosse stato posto dagli imperatori della casa Giulio-Claudia. Per
qualche parte, anzi, il lavoro dei predecessori non è continuato; per
qualche altra, l’opera stessa dei Flavii è demolita da un’insanabile
intima contraddizione.
L’unico tratto originale è rappresentato dalla concessione dello
stipendio ai maestri di retorica. A parte però il brevissimo àmbito di
persone e di ordini di scuole, cui essa ebbe a riferirsi, è necessario,
per poterla valutare, distinguere la portata e l’importanza del
provvedimento, considerato isolatamente, dalla idea che esso ne
induce nel pensiero degli storici moderni. Noi oggi non riusciamo più
a concepirlo fuori dagli svolgimenti, che più tardi ne derivarono, e
siamo costretti a scorgervi il primo consapevole passo verso quella

You might also like