About a Boy (110
..pdfRole play
With a partner, act out a dialogue, complaining and expressing sympathy. Spend a few minutes preparing what you are going to say. For useful language see Functional Bank.
a.Student A. You are Fiona. You feel desperate. Talk to your best friend Suzie and tell about your problems.
Student B. You are Suzie. You’re a single mother. You understand Fiona very well but you are more optimistic about life and relationships.
b.Student A. You are Marcus. Your mother is constantly depressed. You can’t understand the reasons for her crying. Talk to your friend at school and tell about your problems. Student B. You’re Marcus’s friend. Your parents are divorced. Try to encourage Marcus.
Project
Find information about some well-known self-help societies (like SPAT) in Russia, Great Britain and United States of America and present it to the class.
Unit 3 Dead-end
Chapters 8-11
Lead-in
1.Have you ever felt desperate and depressed?
2.What/who helped you to overcome depression?
3.What might the reasons be for single parents to stop struggling?
Watching
1.Watch the episode (17:30 – 23:07)andmark the sentences T (true), F (false) or NS (nothing said).
1.Will tells the truth about his job.
2.Will’s dad is a singer.
3.Will is annoyed with Marcus.
4.Will says he has 100 000 pounds royalties monthly.
5.Santa’s Super Sleigh is popular all over the world.
6.Will tells Suzie he misses Ned.
7.Marcus killed the duck with his mum’s homemade bread on purpose.
8.Will says to the policeman he killed the duck himself.
9.Marcus says to the policeman his favorite animals are dolphins and sharks.
10.The policeman is going to impose a fine on Will.
2.Watch the episode (17:30 – 18:45)andcomment on the following expressions. Who said them and when.
-“…had come and picked him up at the last second”. -“The more the merrier”.
-“Come on, slowcoach”!
-“…Suzie was fine, but now there was that wally who wanted to get off with her”. -“Pile in, everyone. Look what a mess Ned made of the car seat”.
3. Watch the episode (18:45 – 20:20) and restore the dialogue between Suzie and Will. Do you think Will wouldn’t answer Suzie’s question if he could? Why did he have to answer?
“S: (1) ____ ____ ____ ____ ____? W: Me? (2)________.
S: Well, before then.
W: What do you mean, (3) ____ ____ ____ ____? S: Yeah.
W: I did (4) ____.
S: You’ve never (5) ____?
W: I’ve done the (6) ____ ____ here and there, but, no. (7)____, isn’t it? S: It’s …
W: Brilliant... What happened, in fact, was that my dad (8) ____ a (9) ____.... in (10) ____, and it’s quite a (11) ____ ____... and I basically (12) ____ ____ the (13) ____ o f that”.
According to British courtesy people never talk about three things: - religion - politics
- ?
What is third? There’s a little hint in the episode – namely Marcus’s question, evidently impolite one.
4.Watch the episode (20:30 – 21:05) and do the following task: all the following words and expressions describe Marcus’s mum in one way or other. Can you figure out their meaning? Name the author of each phrase and restore the context.
-every once in a while
-a little off-color
-nuts
-needs a weekend taking it easy
-rested up
5. Watch the episode (21:05 – 23:07) and describe what happened while Marcus was feeding the ducks using the following words and expressions. Can you characterize Will as a person ready to take responsibility? Give grounds from the episode.
To kill, to feed, to float, mum’s homemade bread, to throw the whole loaf at a duck, to sink, getting upset (about Megan), favorite animal, dolphin, to kill sharks with their noses, to wade in.
Reading
1. Put these words and expressions into semantic groups which you consider logical. Name them.
dispirited |
a junkie |
articulate |
outrageous |
to whine |
pathetic |
|
obscure |
grim |
drained |
a vagrant |
frizzy |
sparky |
spineless |
2. Fill in the table with the words and expressions from the exercise above that best describe Will, Marcus, Fiona and Suizi.
Will
Marcus
Fiona
Suzie
3.Answer the questions.
1.Do Marcus and Will hit it off at the picnic? Are they likely to become friends and have a close bond in the future?
2.Is Marcus shocked at the fact of killing a duck or he is afraid of being punished? How would you feel if you were in his shoes?
3.Does Suzie think much of Will and why? Why doesn’t Will want to own up to his lies?
4.How does Marcus feel about the suicide? Does he blame Fiona for it?
5.Is Will more an observer or a participant? Prove your answer.
6.How does Marcus try to cheer her up? Why did “Groundhog Day” appear to be the wrong choice?
Vocabulary work
1. Read the chapters attentively.
Work with a partner. Discuss the meaning of the following idioms. How would you express the same ideas in your own language?
To feel under the weather |
To go down the drain |
To feel off colour |
To put two and two together |
To take at face value |
Boys will be boys |
To lose face |
To come to the crunch |
2. Complete the following sentences with a suitable idiomatic expression from the list above. You may have to change the form of the verbs.
a)__________. They enjoy the fresh air and fishing.
b)After one day beside the sea, he no longer _________.
c)He refused to admit he made a mistake because he didn’t want to _______.
d)She _______ after a long night of partying.
e)If somebody tries to improve on your invention, and get it patented, all your hard work
________.
f)I have been lucky when it _________ in football but in life you make your own luck.
g)“I don’t see there’s anything to explain. What connection is there between the two events?” She snorted indignantly. “The connection? The connection is obvious to anyone who can ________”.
h)I usually _____ people’s promises ________ and then regret it.
3.Work with a partner. Replace the words underlined in the sentences below with the multi-word verbs in the box. You may have to change the form of the verbs.
To toughen up |
to wade in |
to make up |
to rage on |
to get cut up |
to get round to smth/doing smth |
to live off |
to keel over |
|
|
Tell your partner about someone you know who …
a)isdifficult to stop when she/he is talking about politics.
b)canneverfind time to answer letters.
c)can’t help intervening in a fight.
d)who gets terribly upsetabout bad marks.
e)whoreceives money from royalties.
f)is fond of inventing stories.
g)needsto become stronger and learn to cope with difficulties.
h)whofainted when heard the awful news.
4. Find the English equivalents of the following
Установить разницу/различия, потерять нить/след/связь между вещами, заснуть в слезах, взъерошить волосы, настаивать на чем-либо, обвинять в чем-либо, ему пришло в голову, ловить такси, автомат для продажи напитков,совпадение
Speaking
Discussion questions
1.“Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem” (Phil Donahue) Do you agree?
2.Are there any situations in our life which can be considered dead-end? Can committing suicide in this case be justified?
3.What/who can help depressed people to feel hopeful again?
Role-play
a.Imagine you are Will. Describe your first impressions of Marcus.
b.Imagine you are Marcus. Describe your impressions of Will.
Project
Read the extract from the text you have recently read. Pay attention to an underlined word. What is a possible translation of the word?
“…while Will stood awkwardly on the pavement with Marcus. Marcus had shown no interest in him whatsoever, although he could hardly claim to have made a vigorous effort to get to know the boy.”
Use the following words in the contexts of your own:
However
Whenever
Wherever
Whoever
Unit 4 Odd Man Out
Chapters 12-14
Lead-in
1.Read the following sayings and say which one you agree with.
«Looks are deceptive».
«Clothes count for first impressions”.
Should we take people at face value?
2.What can the way we dress, our work and hobbies reveal about us?
3.Why do people find alternative way of life appealing? (hippy culture, vegetarianism, feminism) Is it a way to rebel or find meaning of life?
Watching
1.Watch the episode (11:00 – 11:45 / 23:23 – 26:45)andmark the sentences T (true), F (false) or NS (nothing said).
1.Marcus’s mum works with kids.
2.Marcus’s mum has problems with her job.
3.Marcus knows the reason of his mum’s crying.
4.Will realizes that driving fast behind the ambulance is fantastic.
5.Fiona is going to be ok.
6.Marcus is afraid his mum may try to commit suicide again.
7.Marcus’s mum is going to stay in hospital for two weeks.
8.Marcus is going to stay overnight at Will’s place.
9.Will is worried about Fiona.
10.Will compares life with a TV show.
2.Watch the episode (25:23 – 25:47) restore the following dialogue and answer the questions. “- Are you with (1) ____ Brewer?
-Yes? I’m her friend Suzie. This is Marcus and Will.
- She is (2) ____ well, but we’ll (3) ____ her (4) ____. I’m going to get a (5) ____ form for Ms.Brewer so the boy can (6) ____ with (7) ____ ____ tonight.
- Right. So my (8) ____or yours? … Sorry...”
9.What kind of emotions made Will to ask the last question? Why did he say “sorry” just after?
10.Can you say Suzie thinks much of Will? Why/why not? Give your grounds using expressions from what you have already watched.
3. Watch the episode(25:55 – 26:45) and restore the following context. What can you infer from Will’s speculation about his personality?
“All in all, this was very (1) ____. But I wouldn’t (2) ____ to do it every night. The thing is, a person’s (3) ____ is like a (4) ____ ____. I was the (5) ____ of The Will Show. And The Will Show wasn’t an (6) ____ drama. (7)____ came and went but I was the (8) ____. It (9) ____ ____
to me, and me alone. If Marcus` mumcouldn’t (10) ____ her own (11) ____, if her (12) ____
were falling, it was (13) ____, but that was (14)____ ____. (15)____, the whole single-mum (16)
____ ____was a bit (17) _____ for me”.
4. Watch the episode (32:20 – 33:36). Fill in the table with the words Marcus andWill describe their impression Fiona’s looks made on them.
“At least she looked (1)_______. I had her put on that (2)_______ (3)_______ jumper... ...and Marcus the (4)_______ she got from her friend that
went to Zimbabwe.”
“As for his mum, she was clearly (5)_______
Will ...and appeared to be wearing some kind of
(6)_______ costume. This had better be quick. We were definitely not ordering (7)______.”
5. Watch the episode (33:36 – 34:25) where Fiona and Marcus sing a famous song “Killing Me Softly with His Song”. Describe the impression Fiona makes on you.Do you think your impression has something in common with her character?
Reading
1.Which alternative things does Fiona prefer?Complete the table. Looks
-hair
-clothes
Style
Food
Health
Music
Relationships
Values
2.Answer the questions:
1.How is Ellie’s reaction to Kurt Cobain’s death different from Marcus’s? Why?
2.What is Ellie’s attitude to life? Why does she think that Kurt Cobain “understood her”?
3.What does Ellie usually do to prove her motto?
4.What Nirvana’s songs does Marcus recollect? Do they mean anything to him?
5.Marcus is convinced that “injustice of this world” is not the real reason of Ellie’s dissatisfaction? Why?
1.Why does Will agree to take Marcus and Fiona out?
2.Do you think Will and Fiona is a perfect match? Why/Why not?
3.Why does Will decide to stay away from this family after all? Does Fiona put him off?
4.Why does Marcus visit Will? How do you regard his behaviour? Do you feel sympathetic with the boy?
Vocabulary work
1. Complete the sentences with an appropriate word or words that are synonymic to the expressions in brackets. The first letter is already given.
1.I have never c… living abroad. (consider, think about)
2.I'm always d… by the city lights. (amazed, impressed, overwhelmed)
3.I am in favour of p… l… for men. (time away from work granted to a father to care for an baby)
4.I’m not good at j… life and a job. (deal with two or more activities at the same time)
5.I’m dreaming of e… on a career in journalism. (start something new and difficult)
6.I f… the most popular night clubs in the city. (visit a particular place often)
7.I’m not a l…-a… person. (obeying the law, living by the book)
8.I’m deeply concerned about the world’s a… environmental problems. (very serious and severe)
9.Although I love singing I can’t c… a t…. (accurately sing a melody)
10.I have a really close b… with my grandparents. (an emotional link or connection)
11.I’m always b… by the end of the month. (have no money)
Are any of the statements true for you? Discuss with a partner.
2.Fill in the correct word derived from the word in bold.
a)Do you think your collection will increase in value in the … future? FORESEE
b)A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them. The … never looks, and suffers the consequences. SIMPLE
c)She is … found raiding the refrigerator late in the evening. FREQUENT
d)He was … by the warmth of her smile. DAZZLE
e)When you watch it you can see that the actors aren't relaxed and self-confident, they're so … in front of the camera. CONSCIOUSNESS
f)The hippie subculture … that rejectsrules and conventions of traditional lifestyle. MOVE
g)… is a diet which excludes meat and dairy products.VEGETARIAN
h)Meditation and animal therapy are … ways of treating disease.CONVENTION
i)The gothic subculture is a contemporary subculture which is growing in … in many countries nowadays.POPULAR
j)Please don’t forget to complete the … application form. ENCLOSE
k)What I especially liked about her was a … of freckles on her cheeks. SPRINKLE
l)She was … aware that she had been treating her friends badly.DIM
m)Despite the fact that the pace of new bankruptcies has slowed, a lot of companies are still under pressure and battling to stay …. FLOAT
n)Punks are youngand…. They don't like to dress appropriately because it is a way to express their hatred to the mainstream culture.REBEL
Speaking
Discussion questions
1.Do you think the first impression you leave always reflect what is inside you?
2.Do your first impressions of people usually last?
3.Do you belong to any subculture?
4.Have you ever wanted to rebel against traditional clothing styles or reject a traditional lifestyle?
5.Does belonging to a subculture have a positive or negative effect on a person? Why?
Role play
With a partner, act out a dialogue, inviting and accepting or refusing.Spend a few minutes preparing what you are going to say.
Student A. You are Marcus. Invite Will to come round for dinner.
Student B. You are Will. You don’t want to go to Fiona’s place. In the end you decide to accept/to refuseMarcus’s invitation.
Singing
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a 1971 song composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. It was inspired by Lori Lieberman's response to having seen a performance by Don McLean.
Lori Liebermanwas the first to record Fox and Gimbel's song, in 1971. It became a bigger hit when covered by Roberta Flack in 1973. Her version won three Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female Performer and it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 weeks.
1. Choose the words from the box to complete the song. Compare your answers with a partner. Then listen and check your answers.
words (X2) |
letters stranger despair through clear finish right style knew read |
strumming |
fever strong |
|
Killing Me Softly With His Song |
|
Charles Gimble, Norman Fox |
|
(Roberta Flack) |
_______ my pain with his fingers, Singing my life with his _______, Killing me softly with his song, Killing me softly with his song,
Telling my whole life with his _______, Killing me softly with his song ...
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a ______. And so I came to see him to listen for a while.
And there he was this young boy, a ______ to my eyes.
…………………….
I felt all flushed with _______, embarrassed by the _______, I felt he found my _______ and _______ each one out loud. I prayed that he would _______ but he just kept _______ on
……………………..
He sang as if he _______ me in all my dark _______. And then he looked right ________ me as if I wasn't there.
But he just came to singing, singing _______ and _______.
……………………..
2. How did you feel when you listened to the song?What did you imagine while listening to the song?
Project
1.Find out some information about the following subcultures, their roots and development: a. feminism
b. the hippie subculture c. vegetarianism
2.Fiona likes the song “Killing Me Softly with His Song” which is very close to her soul habitude. Find information about singers or bands popular among modern teenagers in Britain. Present an English song you can say reflects your personality, your world view, your mood. Give information about the authors and the origin of the song. Say why you like this song.