c I predict that the more , the more
46 MODULE 2: Free time
4 A suggested timetable
Now persuade someone in authority about your plan.
a Share out the four topics among the students in your group.
b Each student prepares a one-minute talk on his / her topic.
c As practice, students give their talks to their own group.
d Finally, each group presents its ideas to the rest of the class.
USEFUL LANGUAGE
Saying why something is important
It is really important for us to (look after our wildlife) because …
The main reason we must (protect the birds) is that they ...
I’d like to explain why we shouldn’t forget (the insects) …
If we don’t do something soon, … The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) is a global organisation which works to stop the destruction of the natural world.
Quote“We never know the worth of water ’til the well is dry.” Thomas Fuller
Unit 6 Nature
Student’s Book page
d Read out the question, then allow a few minutes for the students to discuss ideas with their partners. Ask the students to identify ‘formal’ verbs and suggest how they could be rephrased to be less formal. Ask them to identify other ‘formal’ words or phrases. Also point out that we do not usually use contractions (e.g. I’m, They’re) in formal texts.
(10-15 mins)
Ask the students to find the notes they made in the Speaking lesson (see page 50, exercise 2b). Tell them to look again at the letter in exercise 1, and then to use their notes to plan the paragraphs for their own letters. Remind them to use formal language. Let them make their plans in pairs if they wish to. Go round and make suggestions where necessary.
(15 mins)
a Allow time for the students to write their final letters, using their plans. Remind them to use formal language.
b Tell the students to read through their letters carefully, checking spelling, grammar and punctuation. Put the students in pairs
to read each other’s letters. Encourage them to make suggestions for improvement. Then collect in the letters to correct and hand back as soon as possible. Invite two or three strong students to read out their letters to the class and invite comments.
Lesson 9
Workbook pages 44 - 45, Writing Workbook answer key – see page 146
Objectives
Skills At the end of the lesson,
students should be able to:
Writing ●write a formal letter
●write an informal reply
Functions ●describe
●justify Preparation for the project
Tell the students they will be working on a project called Planning a radio or TV
programme at the end of the module in
which they will write a script for a radio or TV programme. Ask them to work in pairs, decide what aspects of a radio or TV programme they enjoy the most and find any information they will need. Tell them to research programmes from around the world to help them brainstorm ideas. They could also begin to research the topic of their programme, such as local news stories. Ask them to bring this research to the next lesson.
Quote
Read the quote to the class. Ask them what Thomas Fuller meant (the quote is metaphorical: we never miss something until it is gone or finished). Ask students if they agree. Why / why not? How does this relate to the issue of the environment? Background: Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) was a physician and an intellectual.
A formal letter
Tell the students they are going to write a formal letter in this lesson. Remind them of the earlier discussion about protecting wildlife, and ask them to read the Task box.
(20 mins)
aandb First, read out the two questions and ask students to look out for the answers while they read the text. Then, allow time for them to read the letter; go round and answer any questions about vocabulary. Then check the answers.
c Ask the students to look at the list of purposes (a-e) and then tell them to read the text again, matching each paragraph with the correct purpose. Then put the students in pairs to compare answers.
51
Unit 6 Nature
A formal letter
Read this formal letter and answer the questions.
a Why are birds and butterflies in danger?
b Why do the students need money? Dear Sirs,
1 I am writing on behalf of a group of students to apply for funds to Ånance a plan to protect animals.
2 We have studied our area and we would like to help protect birds and butterÆies here. These animals are in danger because of carbon monoxide from cars and buses in our city. We believe that as our urban environment develops, it is imperative that the population looks after the animals that are affected by these changes. The lives of animals will otherwise be damaged, without us even noticing.
3 The reason we have chosen birds and butterÆies is that ordinary people, including students, can do something practical to help. One proposal is to use an area of wasteland adjacent to our school. In this area, birds can build their nests and we can make sure they have enough food. We will also bed out plants here for butterÆies. 4 We have collected some money from the public, but we do not have enough to start
work. Students can do a lot of the work themselves, but we will need to employ someone to clear the area. We would also appreciate hiring a professional to oversee our plan, if necessary. We are planning to complete the project in our next school holiday.
5 We hope your organisation can help us, and we look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to contact us if you require any further information. Yours sincerely,
c Now match each paragraph with a purpose.
Paragraph 1 a To explain why the group needs money. Paragraph 2 b To give more details about the plan. Paragraph 3 c To summarise what the writer hopes for next. Paragraph 4 d To introduce the main purpose for writing. Paragraph 5 e To describe the most important points of the plan.
d How do you know that this is a formal letter? Think about verbs, the beginning and ending, and particular words or phrases.
Look back at the notes you made in Speaking.
Plan what you are going to write about in each paragraph of your letter. Make sure you use formal language.
a Write your formal letter following your paragraph plan.
b Check and correct your spelling, grammar, punctuation and style.
task
task
You are going to write a formal letter to a Kuwaiti organisation asking for funds to help finance the action plan on animal protection you suggested in Speaking.
ords to remember
W
adjacent, bed out, carbon monoxide, cleanup,
exotic, finance, global, imperative, mammal, nest,
on behalf of, toxin, wasteland
’
Focus
on
Student’s Book page
Focus
on
52
Kuwait: A Shopper’s Paradise
Kuwait is a great place to go shopping. It has some of the best stores and shopping centres in the whole of the Middle East. It’s little wonder a lot of people like to spend their free time shopping when they can go to places like Villa Moda. Villa Moda is a series of luxury designer boutiques selling fashion and clothing items from top designers from all over the world. The designers include names such as Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Miu Miu, along with many others.
Villa Moda was founded by Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah in 1991. Since then, the brand has grown into a well-known destination for shopaholics - people who are addicted to shopping. Villa
Moda has been so successful that several stores have opened in Dubai, Qatar, Syria and other sites across the Middle East. Not only does Villa Moda owe its success to its exciting brands but it also has great customer service and breathtaking design. All of this unites to create a unique shopping experience.
Perhaps the most interesting Villa Moda branch is the luxury shop in Mubarakiya, located in an old bank building set within Kuwait’s oldest souk. The souk location was chosen specifically to reflect modern Kuwait as a state which both embraces modernity and honours its traditional history.
The Mubarakiya store playfully based its aesthetic design on the idea of ‘organised chaos’. The architects incorporated traditional octagonal stars throughout the store. The stars’ eight
points were used as a subtle way to delineate the floor space and helped to reflect the apparently chaotic nature of the souk that disguises its organised reality.
Other traditional ideas are turned on their heads, sometimes literally. Large trays, usually used for communal eating whilst seated on the floor, are flipped over, attached to stainless steel stands and transformed into attractive coffee tables.
Even the fashion designers have helped to add to the sense of East meets West. Diane von Furstenburg and Rachel Roy were employed to create kaftans and long gowns, thereby literally weaving together the traditions of East and West in fashionable and desirable garments.
So fantastic are the shopping experiences offered by Villa Moda that shoppers from around the Gulf flock there. It celebrates the mixture of modern and traditional, and eastern and western that exists within the traditional marketplace of the Middle East. Most importantly though, it’s a wonderful place to shop!
Inversion
Inversion refers to an irregular verb placement form. Case One:
The question form (auxiliary + subject + main verb) takes the place of the standard positive sentence structure. Generally, an inversion is used to stress the uniqueness of an event and begins with a negative.
e.g. Not only do I enjoy classical music, but I also have a season ticket to the symphony orchestra. Case Two:
Inversion after so (So + adjective + verb ‘to be’ + subject). e.g. So strange was the situation that I couldn’t sleep.
Find one example of each case in the text.
Rewrite the two sentences printed in bold in the text using inversion. Use case One and case Two, once each.
5 10 15 20 25 30
Student’s Book page
Student’s Book page 52
Kuwait: A Shopper’s Paradise Pre-reading (5 mins)
Point to the title. Ask some general questions to students to talk about shopping in Kuwait.
Point to key vocabulary words in the text to lead the discussion (boutiques, brands, modernity).
Reading (20 mins)
Students read the text silently.
Afterwards, ask them questions about the content of what they have read to check their understanding. Here are some suggestions.
1. What are the advantages of shopping in Kuwait, compared with shopping in other
countries?
2. Which famous shop in Kuwait is the main topic of the reading text?
3. How have traditional ideas and objects been used to create a modern space?
4. Why is Villa Moda so successful?
5. How has this success been achieved?
6. Individually, list 10 difficult words in the text. Then work together in groups to work out their meanings.
Discussion (5 mins)
In pairs, students discuss the text.
Inversion (10 mins)
Read the explanation about inversion (Case One and Case two) and the examples.
(10 mins)
Put students in pairs to do exercises 1 and
2. Then students volunteer to give correct answers.
Project 2
Student’s Book page
Read
(15 mins)
Ask the students to look at the photo and tell you what it shows (a young man in a recording studio). Then ask them to read the announcement and explain any difficult vocabulary, which might include: creative, script, deadline, contract. Read out each question and ask different students to tell you the answers.
Discuss and decide
(20 mins)
Put the students in groups of three or four to plan their programme.
a Tell them to read the list of topics together and choose four of them. While they are deciding, go round and help them choose if necessary.
b Tell them to share the topics between members of the group. The whole group then discusses each topic and makes suggestions – the students make notes for their own topics only.
This should be both on content and on approach (e.g. for sport, students could have a round-up of recent matches, or an interview with a sports player; for health, they could talk about a new clinic, or give advice; etc.).
Note: If the groups find it difficult to think of
ideas, have a class discussion first about one or two of the topics.
Plan each topic in more detail
(15–20 mins)
a Tell the students to think about how they will present their topic – for example, they need a catchy ‘headline’ to introduce it, and a brief introduction to keep the listeners’ attention. Tell them to look at each other’s plans and make suggestions for improving them.
b Tell the students to read their scripts to each other, taking care with the timing, and make suggestions for improvements. If you have recording equipment, the students could then record their presentations.