2B Ghost town

Student A
1 Read the text. Complete the gaps 1–8 with the past simple or past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

Our story 1 (happen) in A when Jane Allison

2
(travel) around Africa. While she was in Namibia, she 3
(decide) to visit to ghost town of Kolmanskop in the Namibian desert. It was very hot, but she had sun cream and
plenty of water, and her guide 4 (have) a lot of experience, so she felt
B
and not at all worried. Kolmanskop was a strange place. Sand
5
(cover) most of the buildings, but a few houses were still standing. Jane
6
(try) to imagine the diamond miners and their families living in them when she
suddenly 7 (see) a movement to her left. She 8 (turn) and
noticed C looking out of a window. He was waving his arms and his body language
was clearly saying, “Go away!” At that moment, D called to her, “Quick, we have to
leave.” They jumped into the truck and as they drove away, her guide explained that E
was coming. Jane told him that they should go back and rescue the man she’d seen, but he shook his head slowly
and said, “The last person who lived in Kolmanskop died there five years ago.” “But I saw him,” Jane shouted. The
guide replied, “So did I and I am thankful for his warning, but I tell you again that there aren’t any living people in
that town.”

2 Complete the questions to find the missing information for A–E.

A When ?
B How ?
C What ?
D Who ?
E What ?

3 Now ask Student B your questions and write the answers in the text.

Student B
1 Read the text. Complete the gaps 1–8 with the past simple or past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1 2
Our story (happen) in 1955 when Jane Allison (travel)
A 3
around . While she was in Namibia, she (decide) to
visit the ghost town of Kolmanskop in the Namibian desert. It was very hot, but she had sun cream and plenty
4
of water, and her guide (have) a lot of experience, so she felt well-prepared and not
at all worried. Kolmanskop was a strange place. Sand 5 (cover) most of the buildings,
B 6
but houses were still standing. Jane (try) to imagine
7
the diamond miners and their families living in them when she suddenly (see) a
8
movement to her left. She (turn) and noticed a man looking out of a window. He
C
was and his body language was clearly saying, “Go away!” At that moment, her
guide called to her, “Quick, we have to leave.” They jumped into the truck and as they
D
, her guide explained that a sand storm was coming. Jane told him that they should
go back and rescue the man she’d seen, but he shook his head slowly and said, “The last person who lived
in Kolmanskop died there five years ago.” “But I saw him,” Jane shouted. The guide replied, “So did I and I am
E
thankful for his warning, but I tell you again that there aren’t in that town.”

2 Complete the questions to find the missing information for A–E.

A Where ?
B How many ?
C What ?
D What ?
E What ?

3 Now ask Student A your questions and write the answers in the text.

insight Pre-Intermediate Communication worksheets photocopiable © Oxford University Press

Insight pre-int photocopiable worksheets FP.indd 7 08/05/2013 09:42

 2B Teacher’s notes Ghost town
Activity: Jigsaw reading
Language point: Past simple and past continuous
(Unit 2, Section D)
Time: 15–20 minutes
Materials: One handout for each pair of students, cut
in half
Procedure:
• Divide the class into pairs (Student A and Student B).
• Tell the students NOT to show their story to each
other.
• Task 1: Ask them to read the text and complete the
numbered gaps (1–8) with the verb in brackets in the
past simple or past continuous tense.
• Option: With a weaker group you could make Student
A pairs and Student B pairs, so that they can do task 1
and 2 together. Then, for task 3, make Student A and B
pairs.
• Check answers to task 1 as a class.
NOTE: only check the verb tense, not the full
sentence.
• Task 2: Tell students to complete the questions A–E.
• Monitor carefully and check answers as a class, if
necessary.
• Task 3: Tell the students to ask their questions to their
partner and write the missing information in the text.
• When they have finished, ask them to check that their
texts are the same.
• Option: You could ask them to discuss the story in
pairs or conduct a class discussion. For example,
Who was the woman?
Do you think it’s a true story?
insight Pre-Intermediate Communication worksheets
Insight pre-int photocopiable worksheets FP.indd 8
Key:
1
1 happened
2 was travelling
3 decided
4 had
5 covered
6 was trying
7 saw
8 turned
2 Student A
A When did this story happen? (1955)
B How did she feel before going to Kolmanskop?
(Well-prepared)
C What did she notice looking out of a window?
(A man)
D Who called to Jane? (Her guide)
E What did her guide explain?
(That a sandstorm was coming)
Student B
A Where was she travelling around? (Africa)
B How many houses were still standing? (A few)
C What was the man doing? (He was waving his arms)
D What did they do after they jumped into the truck?
(They drove away)
E What aren’t there in that town?
(There aren’t any living people)
3 FULL TEXT
Our story happened in 1955 when Jane Allison was
travelling around Africa. While she was in Namibia,
she decided to visit the ghost town of Kolmanskop
in the Namibian desert. It was very hot, but she had
sun cream and plenty of water, and her guide had a
lot of experience, so she felt well-prepared and not at
all worried. Kolmanskop was a strange place. Sand
covered most of the buildings, but a few houses were
still standing. Jane was trying to imagine the diamond
miners and their families living in them when she
suddenly saw a movement to her left. She turned and
noticed a man looking out of a window. He was
waving his arms and his body language was clearly
saying, “Go away!” At that moment, her guide called
to her, “Quick, we have to leave.” They jumped into
the truck and as they drove away, her guide explained
that a sand storm was coming. Jane told him that they
should go back and rescue the man she’d seen, but he
shook his head slowly and said, “The last person who
lived in Kolmanskop died there five years ago.” “But
I saw him,” Jane shouted. The guide replied, “So did I
and I am thankful for his warning, but I tell you again
that there aren’t any living people in that town.”
photocopiable © Oxford University Press
08/05/2013 09:42