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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
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woman left in the position of a widow, year after year, by her uncongenial
husband—and an intellectual, accomplished man, left alone in the prime of
life, to whom in kindness she had opened her doors. Some people had
shaken their heads, but everybody allowed that there was but one end to
such an intimacy. And it was very seldom that anything so convenient
happened in the world as the death of the husband so absolutely in the nick
of time. Of course what would happen now was clear to the meanest
apprehension. Probably being, as they were, excellent people both, and full
of good feeling, they would wait the full year and show ‘every respect’ to
the dead man who had been so considerate of them; but that, at that or an
earlier period, Mrs. Meredith would become Mrs. Beresford, was a thing
that everyone felt convinced of, as sure as if it had already taken place.
It would be difficult to tell how this general conviction forced itself upon
James Beresford’s mind. The efforts which had to be made to send him
away awoke him to a startled sense that his intimacy with his neighbour
was regarded by his friends under a strange and uncomfortable light; and he
had yielded to their efforts with no small agitation on his own part, and a
sense of pain and desolation which made him ask himself whether they
were right. Probably had he gone away, and Mrs. Meredith been forcibly
separated from him, an unlawful object of affection, he would have ended
by believing that they were right, and that the consolation and comfort and
pleasures of his intercourse with her had grown into ‘a warmer feeling.’ But
now that Mr. Meredith was well out of the way, and even the excitement
attending his end over, he was by no means so clear in his mind, and the
subject became one of great trouble and complication. Somehow it seems
always possible, always within the modesties of nature even to the least
vain of men, or women, that some other, any other, may regard him (or her)
with a specially favourable eye. No one does wrong in loving us, nor are we
disposed to blame them for it. So that there was perhaps a time in which Mr.
Beresford took his friends’ opinion for granted, and was not unprepared to
believe that perhaps Mrs. Meredith would be happy in being his wife; and
that, in his state of mind, was a final argument against which nothing could
be said. But lately he had begun to doubt this; his coming did not clear
away the clouds that had invaded her brows. She would strike into sudden
talk about Edward and his going away, when her friend with much delicacy
and anxiety was endeavouring to sound her feelings. She seemed
unconscious of his investigation—her mind was pre-occupied. Sometimes,
on the other hand, she would betray a certain uneasiness, and change the
subject in a way that betrayed her consciousness; but that was only when
her mind was quite free. From the time when she began to have a grievance,
an anxiety of her own, she escaped from the most cautious wiles of his
scrutiny. She was more occupied by thoughts of her son than by thoughts of
him. Was this consistent with love? Poor James Beresford, feeling that this
would decide him in a moment could he know, one way or another, what
her feelings were, was thus thrown out and forced to fall back upon his
own.
And what were his own?—A maze of conflicting ideas, wishes,
prejudices, and traditions of old affection. There was nothing in the world
he would not have given up cheerfully rather than lose this sweet friend—
this consoler and sympathiser in all his troubles. But he did not want her to
be his wife. His Annie, it might be, had faded into a distant shadow; but that
shadow represented to him a whole world past and over—the world of love
and active, brilliant, joyous happiness. His nature, too, had fallen into the
shadows—he did not want that kind of happiness now; one passion had
been enough for him; he wanted a friend, and that he had—he did not want
anything more. And the idea of disturbing all the unity of his life by a
second beginning gave him a smart shock. Can a man have more wives than
one?—Can he have more lives than one?—He was a fanciful man, of
fastidious mind, and with many niceties of feeling such as ruder minds
called fantastic. He shrank from the thought of banishing from his house
even the shadow and name of her who was gone. To be sure if he could
make up his mind that she wished it, all these resolutions would have gone
to the winds; and it is very likely that he would have been very happy—
happier than he could ever be otherwise. But then he could not make her
feelings out. Would she go visibly away from him, even while he was
sitting by her, into her troubles about Edward—eyes and heart alike
growing blank to him, and full of her boy—if she had given to him a place
above her boys in her affections? Surely no. I would not even assert that
there was not the slightest possible suspicion of pique in this conclusion, for
the man would have been flattered to know that the woman loved him, even
though he was conscious that he did not so regard her. But ‘the warmer
feeling’ of which all their friends were so sure, of which everybody
concluded that it had grown unconsciously en tout bien et tout honneur out
of that friendship which the world holds to be impossible between man and
woman—was just the one thing about which the principal person concerned
could have no certainty at all. He knew what the friendship was—it was
almost life to him; it was his strongest support—his best consolation; it was
the only thing that could make a second, a kind of serious sweet successor,
to the love that was never to come again; but it was not that love—certainly
not in his heart—so far as he could make out, not in hers either; but who
could tell? Weak man! he would rather have preferred that she should have
felt differently, and that it should have been his duty to marry for her sake.
His life had settled down into all its old lines since Mr. Meredith’s death.
He had his business about the societies—his meetings—his lectures to
arrange—sometimes his articles to write. Now and then he dined out in the
best and most learned of company. He was pointed out to the ignorant when
he went into society as a distinguished person. He was in the front of the
age, knowing a great deal more than most people knew, doing things that
few people could do. His mornings were spent in these refined and
dignified occupations; and when he dined out with his remarkable friends,
or when he dined at home with only his silent little girl to keep him
company, as regularly as the clock struck he knocked at the next door, and
had his hour of gentle talk, of mutual confidence. They knew all about each
other, these two; each could understand all the allusions the other made—all
the surrounding incidents in the other’s life. They talked as man and wife
do, yet with a little element of unconvention, of independence, of freshness
in the intercourse, which made it more piquant than that between man and
wife. What could be more agreeable, more desirable, more pleasant? But to
break off all this delightful ease of intercourse by some kind of antiquary
courtship, by the fuss of marriage, by fictitious honeymooning, and
disturbance of all their formed and regular habits of life,—what nonsense it
would be—and all for the sake of their friends, not of themselves! But if she
should wish it, of course that would give altogether another character to the
affair.
This was what Mr. Beresford at last made up his mind to ascertain boldly
one way or another. It was about the same time as Oswald, approaching the
railway junction, was turning over his dilemma and seeing no way out of it.
Mr. Beresford had been hearing a lecture, and was in a chastened state of
mind. He had been hearing about the convulsions of the early world, and by
what means the red-hot earth cooled down and settled itself, after all
manner of heavings and boilings, into something of the aspect it wears. As
he walked home he dwelt upon the wonderful grandeur of such phenomena.
What did it matter, after all, what happened to a few small insignificant
persons on the crust which had formed over all these convulsions? What of
their little weepings and lovings and momentary struggles, to one who
could study such big and mighty strainings of force against force? A little
while at the most, and the creatures who made so much fuss about their
feelings would be a handful of dust; but volcanic action would go on for
ever. Notwithstanding this philosophy, however, it must be allowed that,
whereas he had heard of these convulsions with the calmest bosom, his
heart began to beat as he approached Mrs. Meredith’s door. If the moon had
tumbled out of the sky, or a boiling caldron suddenly revealed itself in the
earth, so long as it was at a safe distance, even Mr. Beresford, who was so
fond of science, would not have cared a tenth part so much about it as he
did to know what his neighbour meant; which was inconsistent, but natural
perhaps. The philosophy went out of his head as he approached the door.
Little fusses of loving and of liking—momentary cross-lights, or, let us say,
flickering farthing candles of human sentiment—what are they to the big
forces that move the world? Is not a bit of chalk more interesting than all
your revolutions and changes?—your petty sufferings, passions, heroisms,
and the like? Mr. Beresford thought he believed all that—yet, heaven
above! how calm he was when the chalk was under consideration, and how
much perturbed when he went up the steps of the house next door!
‘You have been out to-night?’
‘Yes, I have been hearing Robinson—a remarkably interested, intelligent
audience. Where are the boys? Edward should come—it would interest
him.’
‘Edward is always at work. He is killing himself for this examination. I
wish he could be interested in something less serious. Oswald has been
away all day. I think he said he was going to the country. If we could only
mix them up a little,’ said the mother, with an anxious smile—‘to one a
little more gravity, to the other a little more of his brother’s light-
heartedness.’
Mr. Beresford did not say anything about the superior interest of
volcanic action, as he might, nay, perhaps ought, to have done. He said
instead, in the feeblest way, ‘That will come as they get older. You must
give them time.’
Mrs. Meredith did not say anything. She shook her head, but the faint
smile on her face remained. There was nothing tragical yet about either one
or the other. Mr. Beresford was less calm than usual. He sat down and got
up again; he took up books and threw them away; he fidgeted about the
room from one point to another. At last even Mrs. Meredith’s composure
gave way. She jumped to one of those sudden conclusions which foolish
women who are mothers are so apt to think of. It suddenly rushed upon her
mind that some accident had happened to Oswald, and that Mr. Beresford
had been sent to her to break the news.
‘You are put out,’ she said; ‘something has happened. Oh, tell me—
something about the boys? Oswald!’
‘Nothing of the sort,’ he said. ‘Don’t think it for a moment! The boys are
perfectly well, I hope. I was going to ask you an odd sort of question,
though,’ he added, with an awkward smile, rushing into the middle of the
subject. ‘Did it never occur to you that you would be the better for having
someone to help you with the boys?’
Now, there could not have been a more foolish question—for until a very
short time back the boys’ father had been in existence—and since then,
there had been no time for the widow to take any such step. She looked at
him with much surprise. ‘Someone to help me? Whom could I have to help
me? Their poor dear father was too far away!’
‘Ah! I forgot their father,’ said Mr. Beresford, with naïve innocence, and
then there was a pause. He did not know how to begin again after that very
evident downfall. ‘I mean, however, as a general question,’ he added, ‘what
do you think? Should you approve of a woman in your own position—
marrying, for instance—for her children’s sake?’
‘That is a curious question,’ she said, with a little laugh; but the surprise
brought the colour into her face. ‘I suppose it would depend on the woman.
But I don’t know,’ she added, after a moment, ‘how a woman could put her
children into any stranger’s—any other man’s hands.’
‘Ah, a stranger! perhaps I did not mean a stranger.’
‘I don’t think you know what you meant,’ she said, with a smile; but
there was some terror in her eyes. She thought she knew what was coming.
She was like him in her own sentiments, and still more like him in her
speculations about himself. She had been brought to believe that he loved
and wanted to marry her. And, if it could not be otherwise, she felt that she
must consent; but she did not wish it any more than he did. However, while
he thought the best policy was to find out what ought to be done at once,
she was all for putting off, avoiding the consideration, trusting in something
that might turn up. Mr. Beresford, however, had wound himself up to this
interview, and was not to be put off.
‘Between people of our sober years such questions may be discussed—
may they not?’ he said. ‘I wonder what you think really? There is nothing I
so much wish to know—not the conventional things that everybody says—
but what you think. You have been my other conscience for so long,’ he
added, jesuitically, in order to conceal the cunning with which he was
approaching the subject—asking for her opinion without specifying the
subject on which he wanted it.
But she saw through him, with a little amusement at the artifice
employed. He wanted to know what she thought without asking her.
Fortunately, the being asked was the thing she wanted to avoid. But, just
when they had got to this critical point, Edward came upstairs. He was not
friendly, as he had been to his mother’s friend; he came in with the gloom
upon his face, and a look of weariness. Mr. Beresford heard the door open
with great impatience of the newcomer, whoever it might be. Nothing could
be more inopportune. He wished Edward in Calcutta or wherever else it
might be best for him to be on the other side of the seas. But, as for Mrs.
Meredith, her attention fled on the moment to her boy. She forgot her friend
and his questioning, and even the delicate position which she had realised,
and the gravity of the relations which might ensue. All this went out of her
mind in comparison with Edward’s fatigued look. She got up and went to
him, putting her hand very tenderly upon his shoulder.
‘You have been working too long, dear. Oh, Edward, don’t be so anxious
to get away from me! You are working as if this was your dearest wish in
the world.’
‘So it is,’ he said; ‘not to leave you, mother; but to feel that I am doing
something, not merely learning or enjoying myself.’
‘Edward is quite right,’ said Mr. Beresford. ‘It is by far the most worthy
feeling for a young man.’
But Edward did not take this friendly support in a good spirit; he darted
a half-savage glance at his backer-up.
‘Oh, if you take it in that light, that is not what I meant,’ he said. ‘I am
not of that noble strain. It is not pure disinterestedness. I think it is a pity
only to lose one’s advantages, and I should have some advantages of
connection and that sort of thing. At least, I suppose so; and it is what is
called a fine career.’
‘Yes, it is a fine career.’
‘If it is fine to separate yourself from all you care for in the world,’ cried
Mrs. Meredith, ‘from all who care for you—not only must we be left
behind, but when you have got beyond me, when you have a family of your
own——’
‘Which I never shall have, mother.’
‘Nonsense! boys and girls say so, and end just like others; even your
own, your very own must be taken from you. You must give up everything
—and you call that a fine career.’
‘Men do, if women don’t,’ said the young man, not looking at her. His
heart was so wrung and sore that he could not keep the gloom off his face.
‘And you don’t care what women think? You might have put off that
lesson till you were a little older. At your age what your mother thinks
should surely be something to you still.’
He gave her a look which was full of pain. Was that what he was
thinking? Was he sure to care little for what women thought? ‘You know
better, mother,’ he said harshly. He was all rubbed the wrong way—
thwarted, wearied, unhappy. ‘I only came for a book,’ he continued, after a
moment, picking up the first one he got hold of, and then, with a little nod
to the visitor, went upstairs again. What did that visitor want here? Why did
he leave his own house, and Cara alone—poor Cara!—whom nobody loved
as Edward did? It would be a great deal better for Mr. Beresford if he would
stay at home. After this little episode Edward sat down stubborn and
unyielding to his work again. What did it matter if a man was happy or
unhappy? He had his day’s work to get through all the same.
‘Don’t think him harsh. I am afraid my boy is not quite happy,’ said Mrs.
Meredith, with tears in her eyes.
‘That is nothing,’ he said. ‘I am not a friend of yesterday; but he came in
when we were talking——’
‘Ah, yes,’ she said, but her eyes were still full of Edward; ‘what was it
we were talking about?’
‘I am afraid if you say that, it is sufficient answer to my question,’ said
Mr. Beresford, more wounded than he could have supposed possible; for he
wanted to be first with her, though he did not wish it in the vulgar way that
was supposed.
‘You are not to be angry,’ she said, with a deprecating look, laying her
hand softly on his arm; ‘you must not be hard upon me. When they are boys
we wish them to be men, but anxiety grows with their growth; and now I
think sometimes I should be glad to have them boys again.’
‘Boys, boys!’ he exclaimed, with natural impatience, ‘is that all you
think of? Yet there are other interests in the world.’
‘How selfish I am!’ she cried, rousing herself suddenly. ‘That is true.
You must forgive me; but I am so used to talk to you of everything,
whatever is in my heart.’
This melted him once more. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘we talk to each other of
everything; we have no secrets between us. There is nothing in the world I
would not do for you, nor you, I think, for me. Do you know what people
are thinking about you and me? They think that being so near we should be
nearer; that we might help one another better. That was what I wanted to
ask you. Don’t you think it is so?’
He wanted her to commit herself first, and she was willing enough that
he should commit himself, but not that she should. She was embarrassed,
yet she met his eyes with a half smile.
‘I think it is not a case for heeding what people think. Are we not very
well as we are? How could we be better than as fast friends—friends
through fire and water?’
‘That we should always be,’ he said, grasping her hand, ‘that we should
always be; and yet without becoming less we might be more. Speak to me
frankly, dear; you know all my heart. Do not you think so too?’
CHAPTER XLII.

A GREAT REVOLUTION.

Notwithstanding the directness of this questioning, it was by no means a


direct reply which Mr. Beresford got from Mrs. Meredith. It was not a
refusal, but neither was it a consent. ‘Let us not do anything rashly,’ and ‘I
think we are very well as we are,’ was what she said, and yet the change
was certainly a step nearer accomplishment now that the possibility of it
had been mentioned between them. He had grown rather earnest in pressing
the expediency of this step as soon as the ice was fairly broken, and had
been piqued by her reluctance into more warmth than he had expected
himself to feel. Nevertheless, when he came back to his own house,
uncomfortable matters of detail came into Mr. Beresford’s mind, and
annoyed him more than he could have believed, more than they were worth.
About the houses, for instance; if this happened, they could not go on living
next door to each other. Would she come to his, or should he go to hers?—if
indeed the matter came to anything. This bothered him, and suggested many
other details—changes of habit which would bother him still more.
Altogether it was a troublesome business. He liked her best in her own
drawing-room; but then he liked himself much best in his own library, and
there were moments in which he felt disposed to denounce the fool who had
first thought of any change. All things considered, how much better it
would have been that they should remain as they were! but that was no
longer to be thought of. How was he to tell Cara? How was she to tell her
boys, upon whom she was so much more dependent than he was upon
Cara? If the boys disapproved strenuously, then Mr. Beresford felt it would
come to nothing after all; and in that case how much better to have said
nothing! for he felt that he would not like to stand in the position of a man
refused. So that altogether this middle-aged romance was not without its
troubles; troubles—as, for instance, that about the houses—which you may
laugh at if you please, but which involved much more personal
embarrassment and inconvenience, you will allow, than many of the
sentimental difficulties which you are ready to weep over in the romances
of the young.
Mrs. Meredith was kept in some uneasiness also by the fact that Oswald
did not return that night. The servants sat up for him, and lights burned all
night in the house, affronting the dawn which came so early; but he did not
appear. This was not at all usual; for Oswald, though he liked his own way,
and was frivolous enough, had never been dissipated in the ordinary sense
of that word; and what made it more unpleasant still was the fact that next
day was Sunday, and that no communication either by telegram or letter
was possible. This fact drove everything else out of Mrs. Meredith’s head.
When James Beresford went to her, she could talk of nothing but Oswald;
where he could have gone, how he might have been detained. That he had
not sent them any news of his movements was easily explained. Sunday! ‘I
would not say a word against Sunday,’ said poor Mrs. Meredith, who went
to church dutifully as Sunday came; ‘but, oh! when one is anxious, when
there is no post and no telegraph, what a day!’ They were all telling her
how easily explainable Oswald’s absence was; and when they stopped
explaining it to her, she herself would take up the parable, and protest that
she knew exactly how it must have happened. It was all as clear as daylight.
He had been detained by his friends whoever they might happen to be, or he
had lost the last train. It was Oswald’s way to lose the last train, and no one
had asked where he was going when he said he was going to the country.
And, of course, it had been too late to telegraph on Saturday night, and how
was he to know, a boy of his late habits, that the telegraph offices were open
early on Sunday morning? All these explanations were most plausible—the
worst of such things, however, is that, plausible as they are, they satisfy
nobody. But it annoyed Mr. Beresford immensely to find that Oswald’s
unexpected absence took up all Mrs. Meredith’s thoughts. She had no
leisure for him, though surely he ought to have been at least as important as
Oswald. Whatever he talked to her about, she replied to him with something
about her boy. As if her boy could have come to any harm! as if it was not
all his own levity and selfishness! Mr. Beresford, having an object of his
own to pursue, was quite indignant with and impatient of Oswald. What
was he, a frivolous do-nothing unsatisfactory young man, that so much fuss
should be made about him? He was one of ‘the boys’—what more could be
said? and how unsatisfactory the best of women were when this motive
came into play! Cara never thus distracted her father’s mind; he did not
think of her. To be sure she was a girl, and girls never get into scrapes. He
did not quite like, it is true, the task of opening this question, of which his
mind was full, to Cara. He thought, perhaps, that when all was settled, she
(meaning Mrs. Meredith) might do it. Women know best how to deal with
girls; but to make Cara, whatever might happen to her, into a hindrance of
other intercourse, into an obstacle which stopped everything, that was not a
weakness of which he would be capable. Mr. Beresford did not scoff at
women; it was not a sentiment congenial to him; but still he had a feeling
that in this respect the comparative strength and weakness of male and
female character was certainly shown. But he would not say so rudely. He
was obliged to submit.
On Monday morning a telegram did come from Oswald. He had been
detained; would write to explain, but did not expect to get home till
Thursday or Friday; please send portmanteau to Cloak-room, Clapham
Junction. ‘Do any of his friends live in that quarter?’ Mrs. Meredith asked
Edward, with astonishment. ‘He has friends everywhere,’ said Edward, with
a half sigh. This pleased the mother, though he had not said it with such an
intention. Yes, he had friends everywhere. He was a harum-scarum boy, too
careless perhaps, but everywhere, wherever he went, he had friends; and the
portmanteau was sent, and the letter of explanation waited for—but it did
not come. In short, the week had nearly run round again without any news
of him, and everything else was arrested, waited for Oswald’s reappearance.
Mrs. Meredith evaded all recurrence to the more important subject by
constantly falling back upon Oswald—perhaps she was rather glad of the
chance of escape it gave her—and Mr. Beresford was no nearer a settlement
than ever. This fretted him, and put him in a sort of secondary position
which he did not like, but which it was useless to struggle against; and so
the days and the hours went on.
It was the Friday when two visitors almost at the same moment
approached the two adjoining houses in the Square, both of them with faces
full of seriousness, and even anxiety. One of them was Mr. Maxwell in his
brougham, who sprang out with a kind of nervous alacrity unusual to him,
and knocked at Mrs. Meredith’s door. The other was a solid and portly
clergyman, who got out of a four-wheeled cab, paying his fare with a
careful calculation of the distance which produced bad language from his
driver, and knocked at Mr. Beresford’s. They were admitted about the same
moment, and received in the two corresponding rooms with nothing but a
wall between them; and both of them had very serious business in hand.
Cara’s visitor was Mr. Burchell, from the Rectory, who asked, with a
countenance full of strange things, and with many apologies, whether Miss
Beresford had lately seen ‘our Agnes.’ Agnes! the name made Cara start.
‘I have not seen anyone but Roger since I left the Hill. I hope he—I
mean all, are well. Is Agnes in town, Mr. Burchell?’ Agnes was four or five
years older than Cara, and therefore out of her sphere.
‘I thought your aunt would certainly have mentioned it to you; indeed,
Mrs. Burchell was much surprised that she did not see her when she was in
town. Agnes has been in—an educational establishment for some time. We
are a little anxious about her,’ said the Rector, with a quaver in his voice.
‘Is she ill?’ Cara did not love the clergyman under whom she had sat for
ten years, but her heart was touched by that unmistakable trembling in his
commonplace voice.
‘I don’t suppose she is ill; we—don’t know. The fact is she left—the
House last Saturday—and has never come back. We don’t know what has
become of her,’ he said, with real trouble. ‘You won’t mention it to anyone.
Oh, I suppose it is nothing, or something quite easily explainable; but her
mother is anxious—and I thought you might have seen her. It is nothing,
nothing of any real consequence,’ he added, trying to smile, but with a
quiver in his lips. He was stout and commonplace and indeed disagreeable,
but emotion had its effect upon him as well as another, and he was anxious
about his child. He looked Cara wistfully in the face, as if trying to read in
the lines of it something more than she would allow.
‘Agnes! the House—O Mr. Burchell!’ said Cara, waking up suddenly to
a full sense of all that was in the communication. ‘Do you mean to say that
it was Agnes—Agnes! that was the Agnes in the House?’
Mr. Maxwell was more uncertain how to open the object of his visit. He
sat for some time talking of la pluie et le beau temps. He did not know how
to begin. Then he contrived little traps for Mrs. Meredith, hoping to bring
her to betray herself, and open a way for him. He asked about Cara, then
about Mr. Beresford, and how he heard he had given up all ideas of going
away. But, with all this, he did not produce the desired result, and it was
necessary at last, unless he meant to lose his time altogether, to introduce
his subject broadly without preface. He did so with much clearing of his
throat.
‘I have taken rather a bold thing upon me,’ he said. ‘I have thought it my
duty—I hope you will forgive me, Mrs. Meredith. I have come to speak to
you on this subject.’
‘On what subject?’ she said simply, with a smile.
This made it more difficult than ever. ‘About you and Mr. Beresford,’ he
said, abruptly blurting it out. ‘Don’t be offended, for heaven’s sake! You
ought to have known from the first; but I can’t let you walk blindly into—
other relations—without letting you know.’
‘Doctor, I hope you are not going to say anything that will make a breach
between us,’ said Mrs. Meredith. ‘You have no right to suppose that I am
about to form other relations—I only a few months a widow! I hope I have
done nothing to forfeit my friends’ respect.’
‘Then I am not too late,’ he said, with an air of relief. ‘There is still time!
I am very glad of that. Respect—forfeit your friends’ respect? who could
suppose such a thing? You have only too much of your friends’ respect. We
would all go through fire and water for you.’
‘Thanks, thanks,’ she said; ‘but you must not let me be gossiped about,’
she added, after a moment, which made the doctor, though he was not of a
delicate countenance, blush.
‘That is all very well,’ he said, ‘but those who have so many friends, and
friends so warmly interested, must expect a little talk. It has been spoken of,
that there was something, that there might be—in short, that Mr. Beresford
and you—forgive me! I don’t mean to say that it would not be most
suitable. Everybody knows how fond he is of you—and not much wonder.’
‘Indeed, indeed you must not talk to me so,’ cried Mrs. Meredith,
distressed; ‘my affairs are not public business, Mr. Maxwell.’
‘I came to tell you,’ he said, doggedly, ‘something you ought to know. I
have no dislike to James Beresford. On the contrary, we are old friends; we
were boys together. I did my best to shelter him from any reproach at the
time. Everything I could do I did, and I think I succeeded. Perhaps now
when one comes to reflect, it would have been better if I had not succeeded
so well. But I could not stand by and see him ruined, see his peace of mind
destroyed.’
‘Are you talking of Mr. Beresford? Have you lost your senses, doctor?
what do you mean?’
‘You remember all that happened when Mrs. Beresford died?’
‘I remember—oh yes—poor Annie! how she suffered, poor soul, and
how truly he mourned for her—how heart-broken he was.’
‘He had occasion,’ said the doctor, grimly.
‘Had occasion! I cannot imagine what you mean—there was never a
better husband,’ said Mrs. Meredith, with some fervour; ‘never one who
loved a woman better, or was more tender with her.’
‘Too tender. I am not saying that I condemn him absolutely. There are
cases in which in one’s heart one might approve. Perhaps his was one of
these cases; but anyhow, Mrs. Meredith, you ought to know.’
She got impatient, for she, too, had the feeling that to see her friend’s
faults herself was one thing, but to have him found fault with quite another.
‘I should have thought that I knew Mr. Beresford quite as well as you did,
doctor,’ she said, trying to give a lighter tone to the conversation. ‘I have
certainly seen a great deal more of him for all these years.’
‘You could not know this,’ said Mr. Maxwell, ‘nor would I have told you
but for the extremity of the case. Listen! She might have lingered I cannot
tell how long—weeks, months—it was even possible years.’
‘Yes!’ the assent was no assent, but an exclamation of excitement and
wonder.
‘I believe he meant it for the best. She was mad about having something
given to her to put her out of her misery, as soon as we knew that she was
past hope. Mrs. Meredith, I feel bound to tell you—when you know you can
judge for yourself. He must have given her something that day after the
consultation. It is no use mincing words—he must have given her—her
death.’
‘Doctor! do you know what you are saying?’ She rose up from her chair
—then sank back in it looking as if she were about to faint.
‘I know too well what I am saying. I huddled it up that there might be no
inquiry. I don’t doubt she insisted upon it, and I don’t blame him. No, I
should not have had the courage to do it, but I don’t blame him—altogether.
It is a very difficult question. But you ought not to marry him—to be
allowed to marry him in ignorance.’
She made no answer. The shock came upon her with all the more force
that her mind was already weakened by anxiety. Given her her death! what
did that mean? Did it mean that he had killed poor Annie, this man who was
her dearest friend? A shiver shook all her frame. ‘I think you must be
wrong. I hope you are wrong,’ she said. It was all she could do to keep her
teeth from chattering. The sudden horror chilled and froze her. ‘Oh, Mr.
Maxwell, he never could have done it! No, no, I will never believe it,’ she
said.
‘But I know it,’ said the doctor; ‘there could be no doubt of it; I could
not have been deceived, and it was no crime in my eyes. He did it in love
and kindness—he did it to serve her. But still no woman should marry him,
without knowing at least——’
‘There was never any question of that,’ she said, hurriedly, in the
commotion of her mind. Then it seemed cowardly of her to forsake him.
She paused. ‘He is worthy of any woman’s confidence. I will not hear a
word against him. He did not do it. I am sure he did not do it! or, if he did,
he was not to blame.’
The words had not left her lips when the door was opened, and the
subject of this strange conversation, Mr. Beresford himself, came into the
room. They were both too agitated for concealment. She looked at the
doctor with sudden terror. She was afraid of a quarrel, as women so often
are. But Maxwell himself was too much moved to make any pretences. He
rose up suddenly, with an involuntary start; but he was shaken out of
ordinary caution by the excitement of what he had done. He went up to the
new comer, who regarded him with quiet surprise, without any salutation or
form of politeness. ‘Beresford,’ he said, ‘I will not deceive you. I have been
telling her what it is right she should know. I don’t judge you; I don’t
condemn you; but whatever happens, she has a right to know.’
It is one of the penalties or privileges of excitement that it ignores
ignorance so to speak, and expects all the world to understand its position at
a glance. James Beresford gazed with calm though quiet astonishment upon
the man who advanced to meet him with tragedy in his tone. ‘What is the
matter?’ he said, with the simplicity of surprise. Then seeing how pale Mrs.
Meredith was, he went on with some anxiety, ‘Not anything wrong with
Oswald? I trust not that?’
Mrs. Meredith stirred in her chair and held out her hand to him. She
could not rise. She looked at him with an agitated smile. ‘I put perfect faith
in you, perfect faith!’ she said, ‘notwithstanding what anyone may say.’
‘In me!’ he said, looking from one to another. He could not imagine
what they meant.
‘Beresford,’ said Maxwell again, ‘I will not hide it from you. It has been
in my mind all this time. I have never been able to look upon you as I did
before; at a crisis like this I could hold my tongue no longer. I have been
telling all that happened at the death of your first poor wife.’
‘My first—!’ the exclamation was under his breath, and Maxwell
thought he was overcome with horror by the recollection; but that was not
what he was thinking of: his first wife!—there was something sickening in
the words. Was this his Annie that was meant? It seemed profanation,
sacrilege. He heard nothing but that word. Maxwell did not understand him,
but there was another who did. The doctor went on,
‘I have never said a word about it till this day, and never would but for
what was coming. You know that I took the responsibility, and kept you free
from question at the time.’
‘What does he mean?’ This question, after a wondering gaze at the other,
Beresford addressed to Mrs. Meredith behind him. ‘All this is a puzzle to
me, and not a pleasant one; what does he mean?’
‘This is too much,’ said the doctor. ‘Be a man, and stand to it now at
least. I have not blamed you, though I would not have done it myself. I have
told her that you consented—to what I have no doubt was poor Mrs.
Beresford’s prayer—and gave her—her death——’
‘I—gave her her death—you are mad, Maxwell! I, who would have died
a dozen times over to save her!’
‘There is no inconsistency in that. You could not save her, and you gave
her—what? I never inquired. Anyhow it killed her, poor girl! It was what
she wanted. Am I blaming you? But, James Beresford, whatever may have
been in the past, it is your duty to be open now, and she ought to know.’
‘My God, will you not listen to me?’ cried Beresford, driven to despair.
He had tried to stop him, to interrupt him, but in vain. Maxwell had only
spoken out louder and stronger. He had determined to do it. He was
absolutely without doubts on the matter, and he was resolute not to be
silenced. ‘She ought to know,’ he went on saying under his breath to
himself.
‘But it is not true. It is an invention, it is a mistake! I do anything against
her dear life!—even in suffering, even in misery, was she not everything to
me?’
‘That is all very well to say. You did it in love, not in hatred, I
acknowledge that. Beresford, no one here will betray you. Why not be bold
and own to what you did? I could not be deceived; it was from your hand
and no other your wife got her death. How could I, her doctor, be
deceived?’
‘Dr. Maxwell,’ said a low voice from the door; and they all started with a
violent shock, as if it had been Annie Beresford herself come back from the
grave. Mrs. Meredith rose hastily and went towards this strange apparition.
It was Cara, with cheeks perfectly colourless, with blue eyes dilated,
standing as she had entered, transfixed by those terrible words. But the girl
took no notice of her friend’s rush towards her. She put out her hand to put
Mrs. Meredith away, and kept her eyes fixed on the doctor, as if there was
no one else in the room.
‘Dr. Maxwell,’ said Cara, her young bosom heaving, ‘I have come just in
time. You are making a great, great mistake, for that is not true.’
‘Cara, child, go away, go away; I never meant this for you.’
‘No one knows but me,’ she said; ‘I was in the room all the time. I have
never forgotten one thing, nor a word she said. She wanted him to do it, but
he would not. He rushed away. I did not understand then what it meant.’
The girl stood trembling, without any support, so slight, so young, so
fragile, with her pale face. Her father had scarcely thought of Cara before
since she was the plaything of his younger life. All at once his eyes seemed
to be opened, and his heart. He went to her by an irresistible impulse, and
put his arm round her. Love seemed to come to life in him with very terror
of what he was about to hear.
‘It was not you!’ he said, with a low cry of anguish; ‘it was not you!’
‘She would not let me,’ said Cara. ‘I asked to do it, but she would not let
me. She looked up—to God,’ cried the girl, the tears rushing to her eyes,
‘and took it. Did not He know everything? You would not be angry, papa?
you would not have cast me away if I had taken something to get free of
pain? Would He? He was her father too.’
‘O, Cara, no one blames her—no one blames her!’ said Mrs. Meredith,
with unrestrained tears.
‘She looked up to God,’ said the girl, with her voice full of awe. ‘She
said I was to tell you; but I did not understand what it meant then, and
afterwards I could not speak. It has always seemed to stand between us,
papa, that I had this to tell you and could not speak.’
‘My child,’ said the father, his lips trembling, ‘it has been my fault; but
nothing shall stand between us any more.’
The two others looked on for a moment with conflicting feelings. Mrs.
Meredith looked at them with generous tears and satisfaction, yet with a
faint pang. That was over now. She had always intended it should end thus;
but yet for the moment, such is the strange constitution of the heart, it gave
her a passing pang. As for the doctor, he gathered his gloves and his hat
together with great confusion. He had made a fool of himself. Whatever the
others might do, how could he contemplate this solemn disclosure he had
come to make, which had been turned into the officious interference of a
busybody? He took no leave of anyone; but when they were all engaged
with each other, made a bolt for the door of the back drawing-room, and got
out, very red, very uncomfortable, and full of self-disgust. He was touched
too by the scene which had been so unexpectedly brought before him, and
felt tears, very unusual to him, tingling in the corners of his eyes. He met
Edward on the stairs; but Edward was too much preoccupied to observe
how Maxwell was looking.
‘Do you know,’ he said, ‘if Miss Beresford is in the drawing-room?
There is a gentleman waiting for her downstairs.’
‘If you mean Cara,’ said the doctor, ‘she is there, and the mistress of the
situation, I can tell you. Oh, never mind; I can let myself out. You’ll find
them all there.’
Edward stared a little, but went on to deliver his message. ‘I hope I am
not disturbing anyone,’ he said, in the formal manner which he had put on;
‘but there is someone, very impatient, waiting for Miss Beresford—I mean
Cara,’ he added, half ashamed of himself, ‘downstairs.’
Cara roused herself from her father’s arm. It revived her more than
anything else to see that Edward was turning away again to leave the room.
She shook the tears from her eyes, and roused herself into sudden energy.
‘That was why I came,’ she said. ‘O, Mrs. Meredith, where is Oswald? We
must find him, or they will all break their hearts.’
‘Who—you, Cara, my darling? no one shall break your heart.’
‘No, no,’ she cried, with a little start of impatience. ‘It is time this was
over. He never would tell you the truth. Oh, we must find him, wherever he
is, for Agnes has gone too.’
They all gathered about with looks of wonder, Edward making but one
step from the door where he stood. His countenance gleamed over with a
sudden light; he put out his hands to her unawares.
‘Agnes—who is Agnes!’ said Mrs. Meredith. ‘O, Cara, what does it all
mean? I know nothing about him—where he is. He was to come back to-
day.’
‘Agnes is Agnes Burchell,’ said Cara. ‘He has been telling me of her all
this time. He has been spending his whole time going after her. And she is
gone too, and it is her father who is downstairs. Oh, think how we can find
them! Her father is very anxious. Oswald should not have done it,’ said
Cara, with the solemnity of her age. ‘I always begged him, and he always
promised, to ask you to go.’
‘This is extraordinary news,’ said Mrs. Meredith, dropping into the
nearest chair. She was trembling with this renewed agitation. ‘And you
knew it, Cara; you have been his confidante? Oh, what a strange mistake we
have all made!’
‘It was not my fault,’ said Cara, softly. She gave a furtive glance at
Edward as she spoke, and his mother looked at him too. Edward’s
countenance was transformed, his eyes were lit up, smiles trembling like an
illumination over his face. Mrs. Meredith’s heart gave a leap in her
motherly bosom. She might have been wounded that it was none of her
doing; but she was too generous for so poor a thought. He will not go to
India now, she said to herself in her heart. The pang which Cara had given
her unwittingly was nothing to the compensation thus received from her
equally unconscious hands.
CHAPTER XLIII.

THE WORST SCRAPE OF ALL.

A rumour had spread in the little hamlet which had gathered about the
junction, of some travellers who had missed their train. The faintest rumour
echoes a long way in the quiet of the country, and as the village was chiefly
formed of the cottages of railway labourers and porters, it was natural that
this kind of report should travel more swiftly than anything else. Oswald
and his companion walked down the still road in the soft dusk like two
ghosts. In the mind of Agnes nothing less than despair was supreme. What
was to become of her? Shame, disgrace, destruction, the loss of all things.
How could she dare to face the wondering women in the House? Sister
Mary Jane might understand her, but who else? And what comments there
would be, and what talk! And home—how could she go home? To spend a
night at an inn at all was something entirely strange to Agnes. But thus—all
alone, and with a gentleman; one who was not related to her, of whom she
could give no account or befitting explanation! A wild fancy seized her of
flying from him, disappearing into some corner behind a high hedge, some
nook under the trees. But this was as futile as everything else, and might be
worse than anything else. She had the bondage of custom before her, though
she had put herself into a position in which all her familiar habits were
thrown to the winds. And yet going to the inn with Oswald was about as
bad as spending a night in direful desolation in the dark corner of a field.
The one was not much better than the other! If she could have got away at
once, it was the field she would have chosen. She could have crept into a
corner in the dark, and there waited, though she might have been frightened,
till the morning broke and there was an early train. Had she but done that at
once, stolen away before he could see what she was doing! But she could
not disappear from his side now, at the risk of being pursued and argued
with and entreated and brought back. So, with her mind in a blank of
despair, not knowing what to think, she walked close by his side between
the hedgerows through the soft darkness. Oh, what a punishment was this
for the indiscretion of the day! It was indiscretion, perhaps, but surely the

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