UNIT 1- New Proficiency Gold Course Book

UNIT 1

Nearest and dearest

Speaking

1) Look at the photos. They show scenes from an extremely popular American TV programme, Friends.

1 Describe the situation in each picture. Which aspect of friendship do you think each picture shows?
• sharing problems
• sharing good times
• learning together
• learning to get on

2 Why do you think programmes like this are so popular? Do you think they give a realistic picture of friendship?

2) What do you think makes a good friend? Think of three qualities or characteristics that you value in a friend.

3) Discuss the following questions.
1 What are friends for?
2 Do different personalities and different beliefs make friendship impossible?
3 'The only way to have a friend is to be one.' (Ralph Waldo Emerson) How far do you agree?
4 How far do you think that developments such as e-mail and mobile phones are affecting personal relationship?
5 Do you think that the nature of friendship remains the same throughout a person's life?

Listening
Paper 4, Part 3

1) You will hear a psychologist being interviewed about friendship. Before you listen, read through the incomplete statements and the options A-D below. Discuss which option best completes each statement and underline it.

1 From 3 to 5 years old, children
A are happy to play alone.
B prefer to be with their family.
C have rather selfish relationships.
D have little idea of ownership.

2 From age 5 to 8 or 10, children
A change their friends more often.
B decide who they want to be friends with.
C admire people who don't keep to rules.
D learn to be tolerant of their friends.

3 According to Sarah Browne, adolescents
A may be closer to their friends than to their parents.
B develop an interest in friends of the opposite sex.
C choose friends with similar personalities to themselves.
D want friends who are dependable.

4 Young married people
A tend to focus on their children.
B often lose touch with their friends.
C make close friends less easily.
D need fewer friends than single people.

5 In middle or old age people generally prefer
A to stay in touch with old friends.
B to see younger friends more often.
C to have friends who live nearby.
D to spend more time with their friends.

2) Now listen and choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. How far did your ideas match those of the psychologist?

3) Vocabulary: phrasal verbs

1 Read the following summary of the Listening texts. Replace the verbs in Italics with phrasal verbs from the box. There is one you will not need to use.

Build up carry on fall off give up Keep to keep up taken on turn to

Between the ages of 3 and 5, a child is unlikely to (1) sacrifice anything for a friend. After the age of 5 children co-operate more but they expect their friends to (2) follow certain rules. This stage will usually (3) continue until the child is aged between 8 and 10.
In adolescence, friendships with the same sex (4) acquire great importance. Young adults may initially (5) maintain close relationships with their friends. Later on, the number of friendships begins to (6) decline and after middle age, people (7) develop new friendships less easily.

2 Are phrasal verbs more likely to be used in spoken or written English?

Study Tip

When you record new phrasal verbs in your vocabulary notebook, look up their equivalents in the dictionary and record those too. You should also record an example sentence or sentences to help you remember the phrasal verbs in context. A good dictionary will give examples of the most frequent uses. A good knowledge of phrasal verbs and their neutral or more formal one-word equivalents is important, as they may be tested in the Proficiency exam.

Get together phr v 1 [I] if two or more people get together, they meet each other: we must get together some time for a drink. | [+with] It’s ages since I got together with the gang from school. 2 [I] if two people get together, they start a romantic or sexual relationship: Those two should get together – they have a lot in common. 3 get yourself together to begin to be in control of your life, your emotions etc: She needs a bit of time to get herself together.

(Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English)

For example:
Get together = meet
We must get together some time for a drink.
It’s ages since I got together with the gang from school.

Reading
Paper 1, Part 2

In Paper 1, Part 2 you have to read four short extracts from different sources and answer two multiple-choice questions on each. The extracts will all be linked by a common theme. The questions may test your understanding of:

• the main ideas, detail and implication
• the writer’s attitude, tone and purpose
• text organization.

1) The following four extracts are all on the topic of friendship. Read the extracts quickly to get a general idea of the style and content. Then match them to the following sources:

• a novel or an autography
• a specialist journal or an academic reference book
• a popular magazine

2) Now read the extracts again and choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Ourselves and our friends

Most of us have friends as close as family, who, at a pinch, we’d call at 3 am for consolation or congratulations because we know they won’t resent us. They’re almost part of us, and we regale them confidently with our troubles and triumphs. But while I love these Pour Your Heart Out friends, I also need the energy of my Let’s Party friends. These friends care on a different level – less intense, less deep – but they still care.
And such friendships are important. ‘With some friends, you want to be playful rather than deeply disclosing,’ says psychotherapist Susie Orbach. ‘It’s not just a relief to them that you won’t give chapter and verse, it’s a relief to you. It’s healthy to have lots of different friends at different levels of intimacy because not only is it impossible to be close to everyone, it’s also undesirable. You need the full spectrum. This is the only way you can experiment with different parts of yourself.’
Of course, it’s exasperating to feel stranded with friends who can’t – or won’t – allow you to open up when there’s opening up to be done. But if we accept our ‘lite’ friends for what they do want to offer us – fun, laughter, full stop – then we enrich our lives immeasurably.

1 The writer feels her relationships with her ‘lite’ friends
A are valuable but not fully satisfying.
B can be relied on in difficult times.
C offer more than laughter and enjoyment.
D are often frustrating.

2 In this extract, the writer is
A opposing an argument.
B describing a problem.
C justifying an opinion.
D reporting on research.

Talking to Helena

‘You know what you said to Neale about underestimating friendship?’ I said.
‘Yes?’
‘I was just thinking I’ve never experienced it.’
‘Now you’re being silly again,’ said Helena. ‘I’m sure you have. I’m sure you’re a very warm-hearted person.’
‘No. I’ve been in love, or acquainted with people because I wanted them to give you something, always. Still, it’s natural to be impatient when you’re young.’
‘I once told Neale I could stand anything but a status quo.’
‘And now,’ said Helena, ‘one would give anything for a status quo. If only it would last. What were you and Neale really looking for?’
‘A moment,’ I said, ‘that should be immortal. A moment to set up against those moments when you wake up in the night and realize – oh, that Venice will crumble into the sea one day, and that even before that you’ll be dead yourself.’
Helena nodded. ‘Oh, those moments in the night,’ she said. ‘When they come on me now, I just say to myself: Well, you know now. You’re going to die. That’s all there is to it.’
I looked at her, smiling. ‘Oh Helena, I do like you.’
‘That’s a good thing.’ She gathered herself robustly in her chair. ‘Because I like you.’

3 What does Helena mean by saying ‘If only it would last.’?
A She would like to have more power over her life.
B She would like her friendship with the narrator survive.
C She would like her situation to remain unchanged.
D She would like to stay young forever.

4 The two main themes of their discussion are friendship and
A love.
B patience.
C death.
D fear.

STUDYING FRIENDSHIP

ALTHOUGH friendship is a common term in modern cultures, it has not been studied much by social scientists. The word is loosely applied in Anglophone society, although there seems to be general agreement that it has a deeper meaning in Europe than in North America. Arguably, in non-Western cultures it has a more explicit meaning and is used as the basis of structured social relationships. The word ‘friendship’ is not used in any context to describe a family relationship, but it does imply some type of reciprocity and obligation between otherwise unrelated individuals, although this varies according to situation and context. Friendships can range from the relatively casual, depending on shared activity or setting (such as a sports club), to deep and enduring relationships of mutual support.
The systematic study of friendship has two main strands. The social-psychological study of the ways in which children develop friendships usually focuses on the correlation between type of friendship and chronological age in childhood. Studies of friendship among adults, however, concentrate on patterns of sociability and tend to focus on class differences. Graham Allen claims that working-class friendship choices are dominated by kin links, although neighbours and work-mates also feature. The middle classes, on the other hand, have a wider, more conscious choice of friends.

5 Compared with English-speaking countries, friendship in other parts of the world
A has a deeper meaning.
B is less vaguely defined.
C has been little studied.
D is more closely linked to family ties.

6 What are the two main strands in the study of friendship?
A social patterns and psychology
B patterns of friendship for children and adults
C working-class and middle-class friendships
D children’s friendships and chronological age

In my own world

I spent a great deal of time inside myself, as if in my own world, screened off from everything else. But there was no world there inside me, only a kind of nothing layer, a neither-nor, a state of being hollow without being empty or filled without being full. It just was, inside myself. This emptiness and the emptiness was inside me – no more than that. It was nothing but an extension of time – I was in that state and it just went on. But the sense of unreality and of always being wrong when I was out in the world, outside myself, was harder to bear.
I often sat in the garden, looking at something, absorbed in a flower or a leaf. Then I felt neither wrong nor right, I just was and that never stopped. I never suddenly wanted to do something else. Nothing was happening there inside me. I sat looking observing.
I had no problem dealing with failing at something that I had decided to do on my own. I simply tried again until it worked. When I had set the goal myself, my patience was infinite. But when other people demanded something of me, I found it difficult that I failed so often. And every time it happened, I became even more sensitive and felt I was one great failure.

7 When she was apart from others and ‘inside herself’ the writer felt
A nothing at all.
B hopeless and lonely.
C at one with nature.
D cut off from the world.

8 The writer was demoralized when she
A was unable to achieve her objectives.
B felt unjustly condemned by other people.
C could not express her feelings about her situation.
D could not live up to the expectations of others.

3) Discuss the following questions.

1 What does the writer of the first extract mean by saying that friends help you to ‘experiment with different parts of yourself’? Do you agree?
2 The author of the last extract is autistic – she has a medical condition which means that she finds it difficult to relate to other people and to develop social skills. An autistic person appears to live in his or her own world and may display the following symptoms:
• Severely limited physical abilities
• Difficulty in coping with new experiences
• Lack of outward response to people and actions
• Difficulty in forming relationships with others.
Underline evidence in the extract for one of these symptoms.

Language Focus: Grammar

Diagnostic review of verb forms and uses

In order to convey your meaning effectively in writing and speech in Papers 2 and 5, and also to complete the tasks in Paper 3, you need to be able to use a good range of grammar and vocabulary appropriately and accurately, and be aware of how they affect one another. The Language Focus sections in this book highlight specific areas of grammar and vocabulary to help you to do this.

1) Talking about the past

1 The writer of the extract ‘In my own world’ on page 11 managed to overcome her autism and write an account of how she did so. Some autistic people display great creative powers. The following text describes an interview with the teacher of an autistic child called Stephen Wiltshire, who was an exceptionally gifted artist. Read the text below and put the numbered verbs into the correct tense. There may be more than one possible answer.

Stephen’s London Alphabet, drawn when he was 10.

When Chris Marris, a young teacher, (1)¬¬¬…………….. (come) to Queensmill in 1982, he was astonished by Stephen’s drawings. Marris (2)……………. (teach) disabled children for nine years, but nothing he (3)…………… (see) (4)……………… (prepare) him for Stephen.
‘When I first (5)……………. (see) him, Stephen (6)………………. (sit) on his own in the corner of the room, drawing,’ Chris told me. ‘He was absolutely amazing. He (7)………………. (draw) and draw and draw – the school (8)………………. (call) him “the drawer”. And he (9)……………….. (produce) these most unchildlike drawings, like St Paul’s and Tower Bridge, in tremendous detail when other children his age (10)………………. (draw) stick figures. It was the sophistication of his drawings, their mastery of line and perspective, that (11)………………… (amaze) me – and these (12)………………. (be) all there when he was seven.’

2 Which sentence:

a) establishes the main topic and time frame of the text?
b) Sets the scene and describes an event supporting the main idea?
c) Describes a repeated activity that occurred over a period of time?
d) Gives information about events occurring before the time of the main event?
e) Describes two different activities, suggesting that they occurred at the same time?

 Grammar reference p. 210

3 Divide into two groups. Students from Group A should complete the text on page 234 by filling in the gaps with the correct past tense form of the verbs given. Students from Group B should complete the text on page 238.

Now get together with a student from the other group and tell your completed story from memory.

Stephen King (1) was writing horror stories since he was seven years old, but in his early years he had little success. Throughout his twenties he (2) has worked as an English teacher during the day and (3) spent his free time writing. One day, in despair at receiving yet another publisher’s rejection slip, he (4) was throwing away the manuscript of his latest novel. However, his wife (5) retrieved it from the rubbish and soon afterwards it (6) has been accepted for publication. The book was called ‘Carrie’. It (7) since sold over 2.5 million copies and the film (8) terrified viewers ever since its release in 1970.
The undisputed king of literary and film horror, King (9) had made a fortune through his writing but (10) is still living simply today with his family in the small American town where many of his novels (11) are being set.

2) Relating the past to the present

1 The extract above is about the author Stephen King, a successful writer of horror stories, many of which have been made into films.

Work with a partner. Read the extract and decide if the numbered verbs are in an appropriate tense or not. If not, correct them. Discuss and justify your decisions.

2 Find and example of each of the following in the corrected text.

a) a verb used for a completed event occurring in the past but relevant to the present
b) a verb used for a repeated event which first happened in the past and is still happening now.
c) A verb used to talk about novel or film
d) A verb that could be either in the present simple or present continuous tenses, without changing the meaning

 Grammar reference p. 211

3) State and event verbs

1 Complete the following definitions with the correct terms, event verbs or state verbs.

1 ……………….. refer to activities and situations that may not have a definite beginning or end, e.g. be, have, know, and are not commonly used in the continuous form.

2 ……………….. refer to activities with a definite beginning and end, e.g. ask, leave, offer, and may be used in the simple or continuous form.

 Grammar reference p. 211

2 Read the following lines the extract on page 8 and answer the questions.

‘You know what you said to Neale about underestimating friendship?’ I said.
‘Yes?’
‘I was just thinking I’ve never experienced it.’
‘Now you’re being silly again,’ said Helena. ‘I’m sure you have. I’m sure you’re a very warm-hearted person.’

1 Are the underlined verbs usually state verbs or event verbs?
2 What is the difference between ‘I was just thinking’ and ‘I just thought’?
3 Why does Helena say ‘you’re being silly’ but ‘you’re’ a very warm-hearted person’?

 Grammar reference p. 211

3 Both sentences in the following pairs are possible. For each pair, decide whether the verb has the same or a different meaning. If the meaning of the verb is the same, what is the effect of using simple or continuous forms?

1 a) I have a lot of friends in Australia.
b) I’m having some friends round for dinner at the weekend.

2 a) I’m feeling really hungry – let’s stop and eat.
b) I feel it’s important to do your very best.

3 a) Did you want to see me?
b) Were you wanting to see the manager?

4 a) Our tickets cost an arm and a leg.
b) The whole holiday was costing an arm and a leg.

5 a) That food tastes a bit salty.
b) I’m just tasting the pudding to see if it needs more sugar.

6 a) I imagine you must be tired.
b) Thank goodness you’re safe – I’ve been imagining all sorts of terrible things.

Exam Focus
Paper 1, Part 1

In Paper1, Part 1you have to read three texts taken from different sources, and unconnected in theme. Each text contains six gaps, and is followed by six multiple-choice options, testing your knowledge of the following areas of vocabulary:

• Collocations
• Fixed expressions
• Idioms
• Word complementation (the grammatical patterns that words are used with)
• Phrasal verbs
• Semantic precision (words with similar meanings).

The exercises in this section will help you to become aware of the types of vocabulary tested, and show you the best technique for dealing with this task. For each exercise, read the information and complete the sentences below.

1) Collocations

Collocations are words which are frequently found together. They may consist of verb + noun (take an exam), adjective + noun (a huge relief), verb + adverb (admire enormously), adverb + adjective (highly successful) or other combinations.

Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. Then decide which type of collocation each combination is.

1 I’m going ………………. a big party for Ella’s birthday this summer.
A make B do C throw D run
2 I managed to pass my driving test first time, but it was a …………….. thing.
A thin B close C fine D narrow

2) Fixed expressions

In fixed expressions, particular words always go together. Other words cannot normally be substituted. For example:

• People were walking to and back across the square. χ
• People were walking to and fro across the square.

1 Her maths improved by leaps and ………… and she got 90% in her final exam.
A jumps B walks C races D bounds
2 I was in the ………..... of despair before I heard the good news.
A pits B abyss C depths D valley

3) Idioms

Idioms are a type of fixed expression in which the meaning of the whole expression cannot be worked out from the meanings of the individual words. For example:

• The whole thing was so easy – in fact, it was a piece of cake.

1 You’re just …………… your head against a brick wall – you might as well give up now.
A putting B hitting C breaking D banging
2 She didn’t give chapter and ………… but I got a general idea of what she meant.
A line B book C verse D page

4) Word complementation

Some words are followed by special grammatical patterns, e.g. verbs + gerund or infinitive, nouns or adjectives + specific prepositions.

Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence, using the hints to help you.

1 I’ve always been very ………… of my grandmother.
A close B fond C affectionate D attached
(HINT: Which preposition – of, to, towards – follows each adjective?)
2 His comments about our project ………… me thinking.
A made B began C got D encouraged
(HINT: Which of the four words A-D fits which of the following patterns? 1 ………… me think 2 ………… me to think 3 ………… to make me think 4 ………… me thinking)

5) Phrasal verbs

You may have to choose the entire phrasal verb for a particular context, or select either the verb or particle.

Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence below.

1 The girl managed to ………… a conversation while doing her homework.
A carry out B keep up C make out D go on
2 The bedspread was ………… up of hundreds of small squares of material sewn together.
A formed B done C taken D made

6) Semantic precision (words with similar meaning)

Many words that have the same general meaning cannot be used interchangeably, either because they don’t have the same connotation (associations). For example, stride, stroll, trudge and shuffle all mean walk, but the suggest different ways of walking. You may have to look beyond the sentence with the gap to the whole text and think about very precise distinctions in meaning.

1 Local residents have complained about the music constantly ………… from the club.
A blaring B roaring C booming D thundering
2 The film’s success is amazing ………… the poor reviews it has received.
A considering B seeing C remarking D evaluating

7)
Read the following three texts and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

Here is a procedure to follow for this task.

• Read the text carefully. Decide what it is about and what style it is written in.
• Try to fill in the gaps without looking at the choices. This will help you to decide what kind of word you need for the gap, and will prevent you from being confused by distractors.
• Read the choices carefully. You may be able to eliminate one or two immediately or you may have already guessed the right answer.
• If several words look similar, think carefully about their meaning. They may be very different.
• If several words have similar meanings, think about
a) their grammatical use. The words before and after the gap may suggest a particular grammatical pattern.
b) Words they collocate with. Look at words before and after the gap for help.
Remember that a collocation may be found two or three words away from the gap.
• If you aren’t sure, read the text again, take a chance and go for the one that ‘feels’ right.
• Finally, read the whole text through again to check that it makes sense.

Jessica

The trouble was just Jessica had been brought up by a strong, clear-minded and independent woman, and (1) ............ with the expectation that she would be the same. This had meant that at the earliest (2) ………… she had been encouraged to fly the nest and (3) ………… her wings. At no time had she considered marriage or ever having children; the two things didn’t (4)………… into her thinking. As a child there had been no bed-time stories of young girls being rescued by handsome princes. ‘Whatever you want to do,’ her mother would say when kissing her goodnight, ‘believe you can do it and you will.’ And more important than anything else, make sure you enjoy what you do. Which might have (5) ………… some children into becoming (6) ………… achievers, but not Jessica. What it did was convince her from an early age that whatever she did would be because she wanted to do it, and for no other reason.

1 A raised B grown C produced D reared
(HINT: Semantic precision)
2 A occasion B possibility C opportunity D moment
(HINT: Fixed phrase)
3 A spread B open C flap D try
(HINT: Idiom)
4 A come B go C move D get
(HINT: Phrasal verb)
5 A caused B provoked C incited D incensed
(HINT: Word complementation)
6 A great B big C huge D high
(HINT: Collocation)

Phone home

It was 7 a.m. and Amber Scott was driving to college. She had stopped at a level crossing when a truck ploughed into the back of her car and (7) ………… her into the middle of the train. The front of her car wedged under one of the carriages and she was dragged along for more than three miles, sparks (8) ………… .
At this point Amber dug out her mobile phone and phoned home. ‘I knew I couldn’t just sit there and be scared, so I called my mom.’ Her mother, more accustomed to calls about the humdrum events of the (9) ………… grind, was confused. For one thing, the phone’s battery was on the blink. ‘She could hear the noise of the train but she couldn’t (10) ………… out what it was – all she heard was “Mom, mom! I’ve been hit!” and then the line went (11) ………… .’
Finally, after seven minutes, Amber was knocked clear of the train, nursing cuts and bruises but (12) ………… unharmed.

7 A shunted B crashed C pulled D slipped
8 A shooting B flying C blazing D jumping
9 A daily B regular C ordinary D common
10 A find B make C work D get
11 A cold B blank C quiet D dead
12 A otherwise B elsewhere C nevertheless D conversely

Child’s play

Child’s play? Not at all, says Dr David Campbell, consultant clinical psychologist, who explains that children as young as seven as busy (13) ……… their identify outside the family. ‘They are developing relationships that give them (14) ………… about what kind of person they are – pretty, sporty, and so on. It’s a very important time for them. As they get older, relationships become more routine.
Psychological theories indicate that women are more (15) ……… to find their identify through relationships than boys, who define themselves more through activities,’ he adds. ‘At first, rejections are (16) ………… painful for girls, so they can seem much more important than they really are.’ He points out that the oldest child may feel more threatened by relationships that (17) ………… wrong. ‘If they lose a girlfriend at school, it reverberates with all their past experiences of (18) ………… to siblings.’

13 A constituting B establishing C basing D grounding
14 A feedback B reports C advice D references
15 A possible B probable C likely D given
16 A greatly B extremely C highly D utterly
17 A come B get C go D do
18 A losing out B getting out C bowing out D running out

Use of English
Paper 3, Part 1

1) Read the following statements. Which one do you think is more likely to be true? Give reasons for your opinions.

A Parents and adolescents argue mainly over everyday matters, and these arguments seem to change very little from generation to generation.
B Parents and adolescents have always argued over small things, but these days these arguments are becoming more serious.

2) In Paper 3, Part 1 you have to complete a text with fifteen gaps. To do this successfully, it’s essential to understand what the text is about.

Read through the whole of the text, ignoring the gaps for the moment, and decide which of the statements in Exercise 1 best summarises the text.

Does the text mention any of the ideas you discussed in Exercise 1?

3) In the first paragraph the words tested have been supplied. To help you identify the types of words that are being tested, match each of the following descriptions to one of the words 0-7 in the text.

a) part of a phrasal verb …………
b) part of an expression used to introduce an example …………
c) a preposition which follows an adjective …………
d) a preposition meaning about …………
e) a negative …………
f) a form of the verb often used in the expression to … a discovery ……O……
g) a conjunction meaning taking the circumstances into account …………
h) an auxiliary verb …………

4) Read the second paragraph and fill in the answers that are immediately obvious. Don’t spend time thinking about difficult items. Don’t fill in anything you’re not sure of at this stage, because you need to keep an open mind when you look back at the gap.

Causes of conflict between adolescents and their parents

Some interesting discoveries have been (0) made by psychologists studying conflicts between adolescents and their parents. One notable feature is that they seldom argue about such major topics (1) as sex, drugs, or politics. This is surprising, (2) given that great differences often exist between the attitudes of parents and adolescents (3) on such issues. Researches suggest the explanation may be that such topics (4) do not usually relate to day-to-day family interaction and are (5) not discussed as they are not directly relevant (6) to family life. Instead, parents and children tend to (7) fall out over everyday family matters such as housework.
Despite the changes that have (8) ………… place over the past fifty years, adolescents appear to have the same kinds of arguments with their parents as their parents had (9) ………… they themselves were young. It seems to come (10) ………… to the conflict between the adolescent’s desire for independence (11) ………… the parent’s authority. Teenagers spoke of their right to be free of restrictions, while parents were equally (12) ………… of their right to exert control, backing this up (13) ………… referring to the needs of the family as (14) ………… whole. Interestingly, both groups could see the other’s (15) ………… of view even though they disagreed with it.

5) Read the text again and use the hints below to help you with the more difficult items.

8 part of a collocation meaning occur
9 a conjunction
10 part of a phrasal verb
11 part of the structure the conflict between (something) … (something)
12 an adjective followed by the dependent preposition of
13 a preposition
14 part of an expression meaning altogether
15 a fixed expression: to see someone’s … of view

6) Discuss the following questions.

1 Do you think the text is right about what causes arguments between parents and children nowadays?
2 Do you think your parents had similar arguments when they were young?
3 What do you think can help parents and children have a close relationship?
4 In what ways is your relationship with your grandparents similar to or different from your relationship with your parents?

Speaking
Paper 5, Part 3

1) Read the prompt card below.

How easy is it for parents and children to understand each other?

• Generation gap
• Financial problems
• Education and careers

1 First discuss the following questions, which will give you some ideas to talk about.

• What problems do you think are caused by people of different ages living together? (Think about music, living styles, etc.)
• In what ways do you think attitudes change as you get older? (Think about tolerance, priorities, etc.)
• In what ways can money cause arguments between parents and children? (Think about what people like to spend their money on.)
• Do you think what young people have a sense of the importance of money? (Think about how much young people save, what they like to do with their money.)
• Do you think that parents and children have different attitudes to school and homework? (Think about how children like to spend their time.)
• How important is academic success to children? (Think about your plans for the future.)

2 Now think about organizing your talk. Use the headings below to help you. Remember that although you are giving your own opinion, you should show awareness of other points of view.

Introduction
Main part
Conclusion

3 Work in pairs. Present your talks to each other and give feedback on language, content and timing.

2) Now read the prompt card below, and follow the same procedure.

How far do you agree that friends are more important than family?
• Having problems
• Facing problems
• Finding problems

Improving your writing

In Paper 2 your writing may be assessed according to the following criteria:

a) accuracy, including grammatical accuracy, spelling, punctuation
b) range of grammatical structures used
c) range and accuracy of vocabulary used
d) consistency and appropriacy of style and register
e) effect on target reader
f) organization and discourse management

The exercises in this section will help you with a), b) and c). You will work on the other areas in Units 3, 9 and 13.

1) Accuracy
The sentences below have mistakes in grammar, word formation, spelling and punctuation. Identify and correct the errors.

1 I think children shouldn’t be aloud to watch violence cartoons.
2 I live in a city in Sweden. It is a lot of small shops there.
3 Some family let theirs children to do a lot of thing after the school.
4 When a six year old children, that is watching Robocop’, doesn’t understand the differences between TV and reality, its because his parents don’t explain him the differences.
5 When I had seen him I realized that he was the same person I saw before.

2) Range of grammatical structures

The following extracts would all lose marks because of lack of variation and range in grammatical structure. Each extract has been rewritten to express the ideas more precisely through use of appropriate structures and linking words.

1 Read Extract 1 and then complete the gaps in the rewritten version using the phrases given.

Extract 1

I am majoring in film at my university. I am writing a film script, but I keep in mind not to write anything violent. I think this is not interesting. Also it can be dangerous. People can be influenced by it.

but even more importantly one of my main concerns here
as part of partly because I do not find

(1) ………… my university major in film, I am writing a film script. (2) ………… is to avoid writing anything violent, (3) ………… violence particularly interesting, (4) ………… because it can be such a dangerous influence on people.

2 Read Extract 2 and then complete the rewritten paragraph by adding an appropriate linking word in each gap.

Extract 2

James is a handsome boy. He puts a lot of emphasis on his hair. His hair is short and brown but always fixed with a lot of gel. I’ve never seen him without gel on his hair. The strange thing about his hair is that he combs it according to the way he feels. That’s very unusual. You can tell his mood only by looking at his hair.

James is a handsome buy (1) ………… takes a great deal of care of his hair, (2) ………… is short and brown (3) ………… always held in place with gel. I’ve never seen him with ungelled hair. The strange thing is that he combs his hair according to the way he feels, (4) ………… is very unusual, (5) ………… means that you can tell his mood just by looking at his hairstyle.

3 Read Extract 3 and then combine the jumbled phrases below into a paragraph consisting of three sentences, forming an improved version of the original paragraph. Add punctuation where necessary.

Extract 3
George was a quite short man to play basketball, his height was 1 metre and 81 centimetres, that is why he was the playmaker of the team. George was the greatest and most talented player in the whole championship. He got this title because he was extremely fast, he had an incredible dribble and shot, a superb jump and he was calm and energetic too.

(1) At only just over 1 metre 80,
and jump superbly
these skills
in addition to being extremely fast
made him the most talented player in the whole championship
he could dribble and shoot incredibly well
together with his combination of calmness and energy,
and was therefore the team’s playmaker
George was quite short for a basketball player

3) Range and accuracy of vocabulary

The following three extracts do not express the writer’s meaning clearly because of problems with the range and accuracy of the vocabulary used. Complete the gaps in the three rewritten versions by choosing a word or phrase from the box below.

arising convicted created current affairs drunkenness emotional
existence ideal persistent potentially repeatedly sent
shocking unstable

Extract 1

I think we have too many bad programmes for example tv drama and movies. When there is a bad problem we can watch tv news about that many times so young people imitate it as funny problems. I think people have some problems in its heart, people who don’t have a good family, they are difficult to solve.

I think that too many of the TV dramas and movies we see are (1) ………… harmful, and in addition to this, (2) ………… programmes (3) ………… show (4) ………… events that young people sometimes imitate for fun. These people may have complex (5) ………… problems (6) ………… from (7) ………… family backgrounds.

Extract 2

In our country there are some schools for criminal children. Most of them come there because of their unrealizable faults: drugs, overdrinking, or just imitating the violence in films.

In our country there are some special schools for children who are (8) ………… criminals. Most of them are (9) ………… there because of (10) ………… crimes: drug-taking, (11) …………, or just imitating violence in films.

Extract 3

He influenced my life, because he invented the motto I was looking for. I need a motto to give my life meaning.

He influenced my life, because he (12) ………… the (13) ………… I was looking for, and which I need to give meaning to my (14) ………… .

Writing
Paper 2, Part 1 (letter)

For the compulsory task in Paper 2, Part 1 you may be asked to write a letter, and article, an essay or a proposal. This will involve putting forward an argument and supporting it with your own ideas. You will be given information to base your writing on. In this section you will work on a formal letter.

1) Read the following writing task.

TASK
You have read the text below which is an extract from a magazine article on the lack of inspiring role models in public life. You decide to write a letter responding to the points raised and describing a person who has inspired you.
(300-350 words)

We are becoming a society of cynics, money-grabbers, people whose sole purpose in life is furthering self-interest. Te sad truth is that there are no longer inspirational people among us; manipulation of the media and wealth creation have become paramount for those in public life. Most people just want an easy life; few take risks for the sake of others, or push for knowledge without anticipating financial reward. Where are the role models of today?

2) Read the following letter which was written in answer to the task. Note down:

• why the writer recommends John Gleen as the role model
• how she has used the information in the extract from the magazine to help to give her ideas for her letter
• what extra details she has added to support her argument.

Dear Sir,
I am writing in response to your article about the lack of role models today. I feel that it was most unfair and that there are many admirable role models to inspire us today. I have always felt that people who attempt to push back the frontiers of knowledge or who put their lives in danger for others should be admired. I would like to describe someone who has inspired me personally and who in my opinion has fulfilled these criteria – the American astronaut John Glenn.
Throughout his life Glenn constantly looked for new challenges. He proved his courage and adventurous spirit in 1962, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth. This was a major technological breakthrough and made him world-famous. After that spectacular trip into space it could have been difficult for him to settle back into the routine of normal life, and indeed later astronauts had psychological problems. But, admirably, he then set about carving a new career for himself in politics. He became a well-respected and popular senator, making an important contribution to the American political scene.
Even then Glenn didn’t rest on his laurels. Instead, after reaching the top in these two professions, he decided to go back into space to help with medical research into the process of ageing. This would have been major undertaking at any age, but John Glenn did it at 77, an age when most people just want to sit back and relax. Not surprisingly, there was considerable opposition, as people felt it would put too much strain on him. However, he had kept himself fit throughout his political career and was therefore ready to undertake this final challenge.
Overall, I think that I most admire his spirit and optimism. Neither cynical nor money-grabbing, he took great personal risks to push for knowledge. He achieved more in his lifetime than most people ever dream of, and was truly inspirational to others, not only of his own generation but also of mine. Who could ask for a better role model for our time?
Your faithfully,

(348 words)

3) To show you how the writer has used the information given in the magazine extract, answer the following questions.

1 How does the writer show that John Glenn had a purpose in life other than ‘furthering self-interest?’
2 What information does she give to show that he was ‘inspirational’?
3 What ‘risks’ did he take and why?
4 What evidence does she give for showing that John Glenn did not opt for an ‘easy life’?

4) To help you to think about how the letter is organised, complete the following outline by adding notes.
Opening paragraph
Reason for writing:
I am writing to respond to your article about…

Writer’s point of view:
I have always felt that…
In my opinion…

First supporting paragraph
Main idea: constantly looking for new challenges
Supporting details:
…………………………………………………………
new career as US senator

Second supporting paragraph
Main idea: he kept going – didn’t relax
Supporting details:
…………………………………………………………

Closing paragraph
Summary of points made in relation to magazine article:
…………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………

Return to reason for writing given in opening paragraph:
…………………………………………………………

5)
1 Read the following writing task.

TASK
You have read the text below which is an extract from a magazine article on the declining role in the family of fathers today. You decide to write a letter responding to the points raised and describing a person who, in your opinion, has been an ideal father.
(300-350 words)

A father is more than a male parent. Fathering a child is easy – being a father is not. Many people say that fathers no longer have a clear role in the family. They spend most of their time outside the home and never really get to know their children. Without models to follow, how can today’s boys understand the concept of ‘being a father’? Are there no real fathers left?

2 Here are some questions to start you thinking about the topic. You may find it helpful to jot down some notes from the text to give you ideas for your letter.

1 What role do you think fathers should play in a family today? Is it taking financial responsibility, feeding and clothing a child, teaching a child how to behave, or something different?
2 How do you think the person you are describing has demonstrated the best aspects of ‘being a father’?

6) Using the model in Exercise 4 to guide you, prepare your own outline for the task.

Opening paragraph
Give your reason fro writing.
Introduce the person you are describing and give your reason for this.

Supporting paragraphs
Give specific examples of how this person is a model father and what makes him a caring parent. What has he contributed to maintaining ‘family values’?

Closing paragraph
Summarise your points in relation to the extract.
Return to your reason for writing.

7) Now write your letter, using the outline above.

8) Exchange your letter with a partner. Evaluate each other’s work and suggest improvements. Use the checklist on page 231.

9) Write an improved version of your letter.

Exam Strategy
In any piece of writing, planning in advance will save you time and help you to organize your ideas clearly. Get into the habit of always writing an outline before you start.

UNIT 1 review and extension

1) Match the two halves of each sentence in the following story.

1 Last week I invited a colleague of mine round to supper
2 It was one of the worst evenings
3 I’d only just got home from work
4 Only minutes after he’d arrived,
5 He zapped through all the channels on TV
6 He didn’t leave
7 I think he’s easily the most inconsiderate person

a) and didn’t even try to make conversation.
b) because he didn’t seem to know anyone.
c) he was lying with his feet up on the sofa.
d) I’ve ever met.
e) until he’d finished off all the food and drink in the house.
f) when he arrived – an hour early.
g) I’ve ever had.

2) For questions 1-8 complete the second sentence with three to eight words so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

1 We sometimes argue, but I get on well with him most of the time. usually
Despite ................................................ get on well with him.
2 My friends are the most important thing in my life. mean
My friends ................................................ else.
3 I only just managed to win the race. close
I won the race, ................................................ thing.
4 There’s been a great improvement in Hannah’s relationship with her sister. leaps
Hanna’s relationship with her sister ................................................ bounds.
5 That is the most outrageous suggestion I’ve ever heard! such
I’ve ................................................ life!
6 No-one could deny that he had won all the international competitions. undisputed
He was ................................................ world.
7 The music was so loud that she couldn’t understand what he was saying. make
She couldn’t ................................................ the loud music.
8 The opinion of parents often has less effect on children as they grow older. parental
As children grow older, ................................................ to decline.

3) Read the following text and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

As a child I lives near an American air base in central England, and so had several American friends, but after I left school I lost touch with most of them.
Recently I decided to try to (1) ………… them, but my efforts were in (2) ………… , and I resigned myself to the fact that I would not see any of them again. Then, completely out of the (3) ………… , I received a postcard from one of my old friends, now living in Seattle, bringing me up to date on her news and inviting me to pay her a visit. It’s extraordinary how rapidly a single event like this can turn your life (4) ………… . I had been having a tough time trying to (5) ………… with a job I hated and an unsatisfactory social life, which had meant that my opportunities for new experiences had been (6) ………… limited – until now. Without hesitation I booked a flight and set off for new horizons.

1 A discover B trace C place D identify
2 A failure B despair C vain D loss
3 A sky B blue C distance D past
4 A up B out C in D around
5 A cope B manage C run D handle
6 A strongly B closely C tightly D severely

4) Look at the photo below. It has been chosen as the centerpiece for a campaign promoting the values of family life.

Discuss what positive aspects of family life the picture shows, and decide if there are any other positive aspects that are not portrayed. Would this be a good picture for the campaign? What other issues do you think could be portrayed in campaign instead?