DISCUSS
What changes in your life when you start being a teenager?
When you start being a teenager, you become more independent, take on more responsibilities at school and at home, and start spending more time with your peers. Your interests, lifestyle, and personal goals also change as you discover new hobbies and develop your own identity.
Look at the pictures. Which activities do you think each person does? Why? Use the phrases in the box.
- The young children probably do homework, play video games, and do arts and crafts because these are typical after-school activities for pupils of their age.
- The teenage girl likely reads books, does homework, and goes on trips with her classmates or family.
- The adult man most likely goes to work, does the housework, and may go fishing or go on trips at weekends.
- The elderly woman probably reads books, does arts and crafts, and does the housework during her retirement.
Which age do you think is better? Why? Use the phrases in the box.
Being a teenager is great because you have more energy and your whole life is ahead of you, although you still depend on others and don’t have your own money. On the other hand, being an adult allows you to make your own decisions and have a lot of life experience, even though you have less free time and must work/study.
GO THROUGH THE MODULE AND FIND
Find the items in Module 2:
- an advertisement about a rollerblading workshop: page 25
- five descriptions of computer games: page 26
- an article about parkour and freerunning: pages 20–21
- an announcement about a youth club: page 28
- a dialogue about buying model dinosaurs: page 30
READING
A. Discuss.
• Do you like extreme sports? Why? / Why not?
I enjoy watching and doing extreme sports because they are exciting, challenging, and provide an adrenaline rush. They help build physical strength and confidence, although it is always important to wear protective gear and stay safe.
• Look at the pictures. Have you ever heard of parkour or freerunning? What do you know or can you guess about them?
Parkour and freerunning are urban physical disciplines where traceurs navigate through city obstacles by running, jumping, climbing, and performing acrobatic movements. Parkour focuses on moving quickly and efficiently from point A to point B, while freerunning adds artistic, spectacular tricks and flips.
B. Read the text quickly. What is the writer’s attitude towards parkour and freerunning? Choose a, b or c.
a. He/She has a positive attitude.
C. Read again and write T for True or F for False.
- Traceur means ‘to be chased’. — F
- Parkour and freerunning were invented by two young people from Paris. — T
- Parkour and freerunning involve completely different moves. — F
- Parkour helps people control their body and mind. — T
- Parkour teaches people to interact with others as well as with the environment. — F
- Traceurs can practise parkour or freerunning anywhere there are obstacles. — T
- Parkour is only popular with sporty students. — F
D. Look at the highlighted words in the text, and try to guess what they mean. Then match them with the definitions a-f.
- carry on — c (to continue)
- obstacle — f (something that stops you from going forward)
- urban — b (connected with a town/city)
- spectacular — e (very impressive)
- opponent — d (somebody who plays against you in a game, sport, etc.)
- appropriate — a (suitable)
E. Discuss. What’s your opinion about parkour and freerunning?
In my opinion, parkour and freerunning are very exciting and impressive sports because they allow people to stay active and overcome their fears in creative ways. However, they can also be dangerous if you do not train properly or lack the necessary physical preparation.
GRAMMAR
Choose a, b or c.
- Eddie and Mike b. used to be good friends, but they don’t talk to each other any more.
- A: Why b. did you take up parkour?
B: Because I want to get fit. - A: How can you study while listening to such loud music?
B: I c. ’m used to it. - A: I almost crashed my new car again today. I can’t get used b. to driving it!
B: Don’t worry. It takes time.
VOCABULARY
A. Read the sentences, and guess the meaning of the verbs in bold. What do these verbs have in common? Now look at the verbs in the box. Which prepositions are they followed by? Complete the table.
These verbs are all followed by a specific preposition (dependent preposition) to connect them to an object.
| from | on | with | for |
|---|---|---|---|
| benefit borrow | depend concentrate | compare interact | apologise prepare |
B. Read the note, and complete the sentences with the words in the box.
- I didn’t enjoy the meal at all — the fish was cold, and the rice was overcooked.
- Norman overslept this morning, and he was late for the exam.
- Between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., the underground becomes overcrowded because that’s when most people go to work.
- Before the race, the children were overexcited and couldn’t stand still.
- My mum was a bit overweight a year ago, so her doctor advised her to change her diet and join a gym.
- Toby really liked the wooden bike, but he didn’t buy it because he thought it was overpriced.
- A lot of words have become so popular that some people overuse them, I think.
GRAMMAR
Complete using the Past Simple or the Past Progressive of the verbs in brackets.
Last April, my uncle (1) invited my sister and me to join him and his children on a skiing holiday. On the first morning at the ski resort, Uncle Joe (2) booked our lessons, and while we (3) were learning how to stop and change direction, he (4) was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. At some point, I (5) was concentrating so hard on my skis that I (6) was not looking where I (7) was going. As a result, I (8) crashed into my sister, Fiona, and she (9) fell over. Unfortunately, Fiona and I had both sprained our ankles! So, for the rest of the week, while our cousins (10) were having fun on the ski slopes, Fiona and I (11) spent our time going up and down the mountains on the chairlifts and cable cars. We still (12) felt very lucky to be in such an amazing place, but hopefully we’ll be luckier in the future and actually learn how to ski!
LISTEN
You will hear people talking in three different situations. For questions 1-3, choose the picture which answers the question correctly.
-
Where might Jenny be now?
a (at the gym) -
What is the hourly rate for a private tutor?
b (£50) -
What is the woman trying to persuade her son to take up?
c (arts and crafts)
SPEAK
Talk in pairs. Imagine that three people have their birthdays soon, and you’ve decided to buy each of them an activity gift. Read the advertisements about the gift ideas. Then discuss and decide which activity is the most appropriate for each person. Give reasons. Use the phrases given.
Student A: Let’s choose the best gift for Barry first. I think the Freerunning workshop would be the most suitable for Barry because he is nineteen years old and he loves extreme sports.
Student B: I agree. Well, since Barry dislikes swimming, he wouldn’t enjoy windsurfing lessons at all. What about Kim?
Student A: I think Windsurfing Lessons would be the most appropriate for Kim because she likes water sports and is seventeen, which is above the minimum age of twelve. Well, since Kim dislikes parkour, she wouldn’t enjoy the freerunning course.
Student B: That’s true. That leaves Arnold. I think the Circus School would be the most suitable for Arnold because he is fourteen, has a good level of fitness, and enjoys exercising and learning new physical tricks.
WRITING
A. Read the web page. What type of event is being advertised?
A rollerblading hobby workshop for teenagers is being advertised.
B. Read the online article, which was written by a participant in the workshop. Then answer the questions.
1. Which title is the most suitable for the article? Why?
b. A workshop that’s worth it! is the most suitable title because it is catchy, expresses a positive personal evaluation, and encourages people to read the article, whereas title a is too plain and informative.
2. What kind of information does the writer give in each paragraph?
- Paragraph 1: Gives background information about the event (name, organiser, date, and location).
- Paragraph 2: Describes the preparation and what happened before the workshop started (arrival, equipment, atmosphere, safety instructions, and group division).
- Paragraph 3: Describes what happened during the workshop and right after it ended (learning tricks, feelings, snacks, and gifts).
- Paragraph 4: Summarises the writer’s overall impression, gives a recommendation, and shares future expectations.
C. When we write an article, we want to attract and keep the reader’s interest. We can do that by:
1. having a title that catches the reader’s attention.
2. using descriptive language, e.g. colourful adjectives.
3. addressing the reader personally.
4. asking rhetorical questions.
Find examples of these in the article in activity B and underline them.
- Catchy title: A workshop that’s worth it!
- Descriptive language / colourful adjectives: enthusiastic (participants), excited (organisers), bright neon-yellow (T-shirts), cool (tricks/laces), exhilarating, fantastic (experience).
- Addressing the reader personally: “…and perhaps I’ll see you there as well!”
- Rhetorical question: “Not bad, huh?”
D. Write an article describing an event (workshop, festival, celebration, etc.). Follow the plan and read the tip in the Writing section at the back of the book.
A Day Full of Rhythm and Fun!
Last Saturday, I had the chance to participate in an exciting hip-hop dance workshop organised by the local youth club. It took place in the central sports complex from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
When I arrived in my sporty clothes and trainers, dozens of energetic teenagers were already warming up. The welcoming instructors handed out colourful badges and went over the basic safety rules. Then we were split into beginner and intermediate groups, and the real fun started.
During the session, the coaches demonstrated spectacular street dance moves and helped each of us master a full routine. The energy was incredible, and the lively music kept everyone smiling. At the end, there were refreshing fruit drinks and healthy snacks for all participants. Pretty amazing, right?
Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves music and staying active. I am already looking forward to the next session, and maybe I will see you there!