DISCUSS
How would you describe yourself?
I would describe myself as an easy-going, friendly, and reliable person. I enjoy learning new things at school and spending quality time with my friends and family.
Who do you prefer spending time with? Why?
I prefer spending time with my close friends because we share similar interests, hobbies, and sense of humour. At the same time, I also enjoy family evenings because my parents always offer support and helpful advice.
Read the statements. Do you agree with them? Why? / Why not?
• It’s easy to remember to call our best friends and easier to forget to call our parents.
I agree with this statement because teenagers are used to sharing every small detail of their daily routine with friends instantly, while they often take their parents’ presence for granted.
• People who don’t talk aren’t always shy.
I agree with this idea because some people are simply observant and prefer listening to others rather than speaking without a reason.
• Friends are the family you choose.
I completely agree because we build friendships based on mutual trust, shared values, and understanding, which can make these bonds as strong as family ties.
• Teenagers don’t know what age is. Adults forget what youth is.
I agree because teenagers have not yet experienced the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood, while adults often become too busy with work and forget the emotional pressure of being young.
GO THROUGH THE MODULE AND FIND:
• A girl’s blog entry: in the writing section of lesson 1a (Kelly’s blog).
• Stories about past experiences: in reading lesson 1b.
• Two emails: in reading and writing lesson 1d.
• An article about family order: in reading lesson 1a (Family Order).
• People talking about peer pressure: in lesson 1c.
READ
A. Discuss.
• What do you think the advantages and disadvantages of being the oldest or youngest child in a family are?
The main advantage of being the oldest child is learning to be independent, responsible, and a natural leader early in life, but the disadvantage is that parents often place very high expectations and pressure on you. The advantage of being the youngest child is getting more attention and learning from the experience of older siblings, while the disadvantage is being treated like a baby or having to constantly compete with older brothers and sisters.
• In your opinion, is it better to be an only child or have brothers and sisters?
It is better to have brothers and sisters because growing up with siblings teaches you how to share, communicate, and resolve conflicts. Having siblings also means you always have close friends at home who can support you through difficult times.
READING
B. Read the article, and match the missing headings 1-5 with the paragraphs A-D. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use.
- Paragraph A: 2 (Super-confident and ambitious)
- Paragraph B: 3 (Relaxed and outgoing)
- Paragraph C: 5 (Determined and spoilt)
- Paragraph D: 1 (Responsible but under pressure)
Extra heading: 4 (Shy but friendly)
C. Read the article again. For questions 1-8 choose from the people (A-D).
- doesn’t like being in a large group of friends? — D
- is very friendly with people? — B
- might not ask others what they think? — A
- doesn’t like to create problems? — B
- tries very hard to be like other people? — C
- puts too much pressure on herself/himself? — A
- talks to others in an ‘adult’ way? — D
- learns from everyone else’s experience? — C
D. Look at the highlighted words/phrases in the text, and try to guess what they mean. Then match them with the definitions 1-6.
- right for sb/sth: suitable
- to make things difficult for you: give (sb) a hard time
- very soon: in no time
- behaving in a responsible way: mature
- brothers and sisters: siblings
- happy to do sth if necessary: willing
E. Discuss. • Which type of child are you? Does your personality fit the description? • How well does the article describe your brothers and/or sisters, if you have any?
I am the eldest child in my family, and my personality fits the description quite well because I like organizing things and always try to be the best at school. However, I sometimes put too much pressure on myself when I face difficult challenges. The article also describes my younger brother accurately because he is very competitive and always tries to prove that he can do everything as well as I can.
GRAMMAR
Complete the text with the correct form of the adjectives or adverbs in brackets. Add the and as where necessary.
My elder sisters, Anne and Helen, are twins. Anne is a bit (1) taller than Helen, and she wants to be a scientist. My sisters used to spend all of their free time together, but as they got (2) older and older, they started being interested in different things. Helen is (3) the most creative person in our family; she wants to become an artist. She isn’t (4) as interested in science as Anne and our parents are. Helen spends (5) less time watching TV or being around people than Anne does. Next year, they’re both moving to England for their studies. So, (6) the more time I spend with them now, (7) the better it is for me because I’m going to miss them.
VOCABULARY
A. What do the adjectives in bold mean? Match them with the definitions a-g.
1 d (not changing your mind easily)
2 f (without hope; only seeing the bad things)
3 a (clever; good at thinking and learning)
4 c (willing to give your time, money or energy to others freely)
5 b (not to be trusted when needed for help or support)
6 g (happy and hopeful)
7 e (making sure that rules, especially about behaviour, are followed)
B. Look at the words below. Which words from activity A are they the opposite of? Use a dictionary if you need to.
- easy-going is the opposite of stubborn (or strict)
- miserable is the opposite of cheerful
- reliable is the opposite of unreliable
- positive is the opposite of negative
GRAMMAR
Complete the dialogues with the Present Simple or the Present Progressive of the verbs in brackets.
-
A: Why are you in such a hurry? What time does the train to Oxford leave?
B: At 9 p.m. But I want to be in the city centre by seven o’clock because I am meeting my friend Katie in a café first. -
A: Whose suitcase is this?
B: It’s Timothy’s. He is staying with us for a few days.
A: Really? Where is he now?
B: He’s in the living room with Larry. They are watching a football match. Larry always watches sports on Sundays. -
A: Hey, Mandy. Can you explain this text to me? I do not understand it.
B: Not now, Kevin. I am working.
A: Oh, Mandy. You never help me! -
A: Why are the kids crying?
B: Because they can’t find their cat. They think someone took it.
A: Their cat is outside. It is sleeping next to the garage.
LISTEN
You will hear people talking in three different situations. For questions 1-3, choose the best answer a, b or c.
- a (reliable)
- b (He takes after his father.)
- c (that the job of a nurse isn’t right for her)
SPEAK
A. Talk in groups. Look at the pictures and discuss what characteristics you need to have to be these people and why. You can use some of the phrases in the boxes and some of the personality adjectives in the vocabulary section.
- A friend: In my opinion, you need to be a good listener and be reliable if you want to be a good friend. You definitely need to support your friends and not be stubborn when solving small disagreements.
- A leader: The way I see it, people who want to be a good leader must be organised, confident and have good communication skills. I believe a leader should also be a role model and believe in people to encourage them.
- A teammate: If you ask me, to be a good teammate you need to work well in a team and have a passion for your sport. You must be encouraging and positive, especially when the team is losing.
- A colleague: I think a good colleague needs to be hard-working and generous with their time. It is important to like helping other people and stay cheerful in stressful situations.
B. Talk in groups. Describe the people below, and justify your opinions.
• A person you admire: A person I admire is my older brother. I admire him because he is very hard-working, patient, and ambitious. He always studies hard, sets clear goals for his future, and takes time to help me with my schoolwork whenever I need support.
• A person you like hanging out with: A person I really enjoy hanging out with is my best friend Alex. He is extremely cheerful, easy-going, and has a great sense of humour. We have common interests, so we always have a wonderful time playing video games and riding our bikes together.
• A person who you sometimes find annoying: A person I sometimes find annoying is my younger cousin. Although he is friendly, he can be quite stubborn and bossy when we play board games. He always insists on having everything his way and gets upset if he does not win.
WRITE
A. Read the blog entry and answer the questions.
- Kelly Watkins created this blog entry.
- She created it to introduce herself, describe her personality and future ambitions, and talk about her best friends.
- The writer uses linking words and phrases such as so, and, Apart from that, unlike, because, Another thing about me is that, also, but, and even when.
B. Look at the categories. Choose a few and write notes about yourself.
- my family: four people (parents, elder sister, and me); close-knit, supportive, love having family dinners together.
- my mates: two best friends (Max and Dan); loyal, funny, always ready to help, enjoy outdoor activities.
- my pet: a golden retriever named Archie; active, playful, loves running in the park.
- my school: modern school, friendly classmates and teachers, favourite subjects are English and Geography.
- my personality: cheerful, outgoing, reliable, a bit stubborn when defending my opinion.
C. Discuss the categories in activity B and answer the questions.
• Which category do you think is the easiest to write about?
The category ‘my mates’ is the easiest to write about because I spend a lot of time with my friends every day, so it is simple to describe our common activities and their personalities.
• Which categories do you think would be best for a blog entry about you? Why?
The categories ‘my personality’ and ‘my mates’ would be the best because they give readers an accurate idea of who I am, what my character is like, and what kind of people I surround myself with.
• Can you think of any other categories that you would like to write about?
Other interesting categories to write about would be ‘my hobbies and interests’, ‘my favourite books and movies’, or ‘my future plans and career goals’.
D. Write your own blog entry. Write 2-3 paragraphs. You can use your notes from activity B.
Welcome to My World!
Hi everyone! My name is Oleh and this is my personal blog!
about me
I’m a fourteen-year-old ninth-grader. I’d describe myself as an outgoing and cheerful person who enjoys meeting new people and learning new things. Apart from that, I’m quite reliable and hard-working, although I can be a bit stubborn from time to time. My favourite school subjects are English and Geography, and in my free time, I love taking photos and riding my bicycle.
my mates
I have a few close friends, but my best mates are Max and Dan. Max is very mature and responsible, so I often ask him for advice when I have a problem. Dan isn’t as serious as Max, but he is extremely funny and always makes me laugh when I’m having a stressful day. We spend most of our weekends together playing video games, cycling in the park, and planning fun activities.