ABOUT YOU
04 Watch the video and then answer the questions. Do you like making things? Why? / Why not? Do you think it’s important to learn manual skills? What was the last handmade item you bought?
Yes, I really like making things because it allows me to express my creativity and create something completely unique. It is also very satisfying to see a finished product that you built yourself. I believe it is essential to learn manual skills because they help us repair broken household items, save money, and become more independent in daily life. The last handmade item I bought was a braided leather bracelet from a local craft fair.
VOCABULARY
1 Look at the photos and describe what you can see. What is the object now and what was it before?
Photo A shows plant pots and a vertical garden now, which were previously old wooden pallets and plastic containers. Photo B shows a go-kart now, which was previously an old, broken go-kart that was taken apart to be repaired and rebuilt. Photo C shows a guitar-like musical instrument now, which was previously made of scrap bicycle parts, metal pipes, leather, and an old clock. Photo D shows a pair of stylish customised trainers now, which were previously an old, torn pair of sports shoes with a hole in them.
2 Listen to three teens, Mark, Leah and Will. Match each speaker to one of the photos.
- Mark: Photo C
- Leah: Photo D
- Will: Photo B
3 Match the sentence halves. Then listen again and check.
Mark 1 My brother Jake was fixing the bike — b (a couple of years ago.) 2 When we create something new — c (from something old, it’s really satisfying.) 3 We all know it’s important — a (to recycle.)
Leah 4 One of the trainers had a hole in it, — g (so I had to mend it first.) 5 We had to customise them, — f (you know, make them our own.) 6 First, we designed them on the computer and thought about — d (how we wanted them to look.) 7 I drew a cool pattern with coloured pens, — e (and I decided to sew some bits of material on, too.)
Will 8 We decided — i (to rebuild it.) 9 Then, we thought it would be a great idea — h (to decorate it.)
4 Match the words in Exercise 3 to the meanings.
1 make something look more attractive by putting things on it or around it — decorate 2 make something — create 3 repair clothes that are broken or torn — mend 4 use something again and not throw it away — recycle 5 draw or plan something before making it — design 6 change something to make it the way someone wants — customise 7 join things together with a needle and thread — sew 8 build something again — rebuild 9 repair something that isn’t working correctly — fix
5 Ask and answer the questions with a partner.
1 What was the last thing you created? The last thing I created was a wooden birdhouse for our garden, which I made during my school technology project.
2 Who generally fixes things in your home? My dad generally fixes broken things in our home, but I often help him so that I can learn how to repair household items myself.
3 Have you ever decorated or customised any of your possessions? Yes, I customised my school backpack last month by drawing cool patterns with fabric pens and adding several colourful patches to it.
4 Do you think it is important to recycle things? Why? / Why not? Yes, I think it is very important to recycle things because it reduces the amount of waste in landfills and helps to protect the environment and save natural resources.
READING
1 Look at the title of the article and the photos. What do you think the article is about? Read the text quickly and check your ideas. Ignore the spaces.
The article is about two twin brothers who turned their hobby and passion for trainers into a successful global fashion brand.
2 Five sentences have been removed from the text. For each question, choose the correct answer. There are three extra sentences which you do not need to use.
1 C (They spent the money they earned in their part-time jobs on really good ones.) 2 F (Meanwhile, Chet was the creative twin.) 3 A (The boys refused to give up, however, and continued to talk to possible producers.) 4 H (This wasn’t easy, but they eventually found two.) 5 D (Thanks to its publication, people noticed the brand.)
3 Match the highlighted words in the article to the meanings.
1 make a product available for the first time — launch 2 gave his opinions about something — reviewed 3 a type of product made by a particular company — brand 4 increased, developed — built up 5 companies which produce products in large numbers — manufacturers
TALKING POINTS
Which of your hobbies could become a job in the future? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a job which is also your hobby?
My hobby of digital drawing and graphic design could easily become a full-time job for me in the future, such as working as an illustrator or web designer.
The main advantage of having a job that is also your hobby is that you truly enjoy what you do every day, which keeps you motivated and creative. However, a major disadvantage is that doing your hobby for money and having strict deadlines might make it stressful, and you could lose the passion and fun you originally had for it.
GRAMMAR
1 Match the examples to the rules.
1 d (We can use the past continuous for an action in progress that is interrupted by a short action in the past simple.) 2 c (We can also use the past continuous to describe the background to a story.) 3 b (We use the past continuous to talk about actions and situations in progress at a certain time in the past.) 4 a (We use the past simple to talk about completed actions and things that happened in the past.)
2 Choose the correct verb form.
1 When I was walking near the river, I saw some beautiful flowers. 2 Freddie spent three months in Nepal last year. 3 My mum fixed my computer for me last night. Now it works! 4 I’m sorry I didn’t call you sooner but I was studying all afternoon. 5 I was reading my text messages, when my doorbell rang. 6 They filmed us while we were playing in the garden.
3 Complete the description with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
I found some interesting shells when I 1 was walking along the beach. I 2 picked them up and 3 put them in my pocket. Then I noticed that my dog 4 was running to me with a piece of wood in his mouth. When he got to me, he 5 dropped it and, of course, wanted me to throw it again. But while I 6 was looking at it, I realised that it was a leg from an old chair. By the time I was ready to go home, I 7 had quite a collection of things from the beach! While I 8 was cleaning them later, I 9 had the idea of creating a piece of art with them. I 10 took a photo of the finished piece and uploaded it to the internet.
VOCABULARY
1 Read the example. How many actions are there? Underline the adverbs that tell us when each action happened.
There are three actions.
She completed the fashion course, then she worked for a small company. Later, she started her own business.
2 Choose the correct adverbs.
I wanted to make a birthday card for a friend. 1 First, I went shopping and bought the card and other materials, and 2 then I looked at some magazines and decided what I was going to do. 3 Next, I drew a picture of a cat because my friend loves them. I was doing this when 4 suddenly there was a knock at the door. It was my friend! I had to hide everything quickly! I finished making her card 5 later, after she went home. 6 Finally, I gave her the card on her birthday and she loved it!
3 You are going to tell a partner about something interesting or exciting that happened to you. Prepare your ideas. Use the adverbs in the box and the ideas below, or your own ideas.
Topic: A surprise from a friend
Notes:
- Event: My 14th birthday party.
- First: I thought everyone forgot my birthday because nobody messaged me in the morning.
- Then: My best friend invited me to come over to his place to play video games.
- Suddenly: When I opened the door to his living room, the lights turned on and all my friends shouted “Surprise!”.
- Next: We had cake, listened to music, and played party games.
- Later: We went outside to take photos in the park.
- Finally: They gave me a customised skateboard, which made it the best birthday ever.
4 Tell your partner what happened to you. Use adverbs from Exercise 3.
Last month, I had the best birthday experience. First, in the morning, I thought my friends had forgotten about my birthday because no one sent me a message. Then, my friend invited me to his house to play some video games. I arrived and opened the living room door when suddenly the lights came on and all my classmates jumped out shouting “Happy Birthday!”. Next, we ate delicious pizza and played board games together. Later, we went to the park to take pictures. Finally, they gave me an amazing gift, and we had an unforgettable evening.
WRITING
1 Do you enjoy reading stories? What makes a story interesting?
Yes, I enjoy reading stories very much, especially adventures and mystery novels. A story becomes interesting when it has exciting characters, unexpected plot twists, and a lot of descriptive action that keeps you guessing what will happen next.
2 Read Evie’s story quickly. How many people had the same sunglasses?
Four people had the same sunglasses (Evie, her brother, and their two friends, Poppy and Harvey).
3 Read the Prepare to write box. Then read sentences 1–3 below. Do they come from the beginning, middle or end of Evie’s story? Read the story again to check.
1 We were all wearing the same sunglasses. — end 2 We each picked out a pair. — middle 3 We were planning a holiday to Spain. — beginning
4 Read Evie’s story again. Find: 1 three verbs in the past simple 2 three verbs in the past continuous 3 three adverbs which say when things happened
1 decided, saw, chose (also: wanted, tried, picked, started) 2 were planning, were walking, were leaving (also: were wearing) 3 First, Next, Suddenly (also: Last week)
PREPARE TO WRITE
5 Read the task. Then plan your ideas and make some notes. Use the ideas below to help you.
- Why did you want to make the gift? It was my best friend Max’s 15th birthday, and I wanted to give him something unique and personal rather than buying a regular present in a shop.
- Who are the characters? My best friend Max and me.
- What are the main events? I decided to build a custom wooden desk organiser. While I was painting it in his favourite colours, I accidentally knocked over a jar of blue paint onto the surface. I quickly had to fix the accident by turning the stain into a cool graffiti design.
- What happens in the end? When I gave Max the present at his birthday party, he loved the creative design and was very impressed.
6 Compare your ideas with a partner. Can you improve your plan?
I compared my notes with my partner, and we decided to add more descriptive details about my feelings during the accident to create more suspense. I also improved my plan by adding time adverbs such as First, While, Suddenly, and Finally to make the sequence of events clearer.
7 Write your story. Use the tips in the Prepare to write box. Write about 100 words. Remember to check your spelling and grammar.
I decided to make a gift for my friend. It was Max’s fifteenth birthday, and I wanted to give him something really special. First, I found some wooden boards in our garage and built a stylish desk organiser for his pens and notebooks.
While I was painting the final details, suddenly my cat jumped onto the table and knocked over a jar of dark blue paint! The front panel was completely ruined.
Fortunately, I had a creative idea. I quickly grabbed a small brush and turned the blue splatters into an awesome graffiti pattern. Finally, I gave the present to Max at his party. He was delighted with the unique design, and I felt very relieved.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever had to help someone who was hurt? What did you do? When did you last have a day off school because you were ill?
Yes, I have helped someone who was hurt. Last semester during a PE lesson, my classmate tripped over during a football match and badly scraped his knee. I helped him get up, walked him to the school medical room, and got some cold water and an antiseptic bandage for him.
The last time I had a day off school because I was ill was two months ago. I had a high temperature, a sore throat, and a bad cough, so the doctor told me to stay in bed and rest at home for four days.
VOCABULARY
1 Look at the photos. What’s wrong with the people?
In the top photo, the boy has a nosebleed and is pressing a tissue to his face. In the photo on the right, the girl is doing exercises and her back aches. In the bottom photo, the girl has fallen over and injured her foot or ankle.
2 Read the quiz. Check the meaning of the words.
- burn – to damage the skin by heat, fire, or hot liquids.
- cut – to make a wound on the skin with something sharp.
- bleed – to lose blood from the body.
- blow your nose – to clear your nose using a tissue.
- blink – to close and open the eyes quickly.
- coughing – forcing air out of the lungs suddenly with a harsh sound.
- injure – to hurt or damage a part of the body.
- recover – to become well again after an illness or injury.
- aches – has a continuous, dull pain.
- yawn – to open the mouth wide and breathe in deeply because of tiredness or boredom.
- breathe – to take air into the lungs and let it out.
- beating – making regular rhythmic movements (the heart pumping blood).
3 Do the quiz with your partner.
1 C (put your hand under cool water) 2 B (put pressure on the area and then clean it with cold water) 3 B (hold the top of your nose firmly between your thumb and a finger) 4 A (blink regularly) 5 B (offer them a sweet or a drink) 6 C (stop playing and rest for a few days until you recover) 7 B (relax in a hot bath) 8 B (breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth)
4 Listen to a podcast and see how many answers in the quiz you got right.
1 C (Put your hand under cool running water from the tap. Ice and butter can damage the skin further.) 2 B (Put pressure on the area with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding, then clean it with cold water.) 3 B (Hold the top of your nose firmly with your thumb and finger. Do not tilt your head back or blow your nose.) 4 A (Blink regularly so your eyes do not get dry. Do not turn off all lights.) 5 B (Offer your friend a cough sweet or a drink to soothe their throat.) 6 C (Stop playing immediately and rest for a few days to let the injury recover.) 7 B (Relax in a warm bath to help the muscles relax after exercising.) 8 B (Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth to stop yawning.)
5 Complete the sentences with the correct form of words from the quiz.
1 After an hour of running, my leg muscles really ached. 2 Be careful with that sharp knife or you might cut yourself. 3 When I had something in my eye, my dad told me to blink a few times. 4 My friend burnt her hand while she was ironing her clothes. 5 When I was playing basketball, I fell over and injured my foot. 6 Sometimes you yawn when you’re tired or bored. 7 When we run or do exercise, we breathe more quickly. 8 Last year I had the flu and it took me ages to recover. I was off school for two weeks! 9 I was really excited and I could feel my heart beating. 10 The ball hit me hard in the face and my nose began to bleed. 11 My mum had a really bad cold last month. She was sneezing and coughing all day.