20. Magic seven-petal flower

Grammar focus: the Suppositional Mood – “I wish…”

Materials: none

Dynamic: whole class

Time: 25 minutes

Procedure:

1. Explain the meaning of a magic seven-petal flower if necessary.

2. Tell the students they have each found such a flower and have been granted seven wishes. Have them write their wishes down.

3. Break the students into the groups of four-five and have them compare their wishes.

4. After comparing the students should answer the following questions:

How many were wishes for the present (for the future or about the past)?

How many wishes were about money (family members, giving up some habit)?

What was the most popular topic of the wishes?

What was the most extraordinary wish?

21. If only…

Grammar focus: the Subjunctive II – “If only…”

Materials: Worksheet P

Dynamic: whole class

Time: 10 minutes

Procedure:

1. Give one copy of Worksheet P to each student.

2. Have them look at the pictures and write down the sentences with “If only…” these pictures may illustrate.

3. Ask one student to read one of his/her sentences aloud. The others should guess which picture (or pictures) suits the sentence. Repeat the procedure with other students.

22. You look as if

Grammar focus: the Subjunctive II – “as if/though”

Materials: Worksheet Q, magazines

Dynamic: whole class

Time: 10 minutes

Procedure:

1. Cut up Worksheet Q and give each student one card (one picture).

2. Each student should take turn holding up a picture and describing it by using sentences with “as if/though”. For example: “The man in the picture looks as if he saw a ghost”.

Variation: Have students find their own pictures of people with unusual facial expressions or amusing animals beforehand (as homework). At the lesson the students one by one show their pictures to the groupmates and the latter describe them. Witty unusual suppositions are encouraged.

23. Would you rather… ?

Grammar focus: “would rather”

Materials: Worksheet R

Dynamic: whole class

Time: 20 minutes

Procedure:

1. Give each student a copy of Worksheet R.

2. Ask the students to answer the questions circling their choice. Then on a separate sheet of paper the students should give two reasons for each of their preferences.

3. Have the students discuss their reasons in class being open to the opinions and feelings of their groupmates.

VI. Worksheets Worksheet a

“If Beethoven had been killed in a plane crash at the age of 22, it would have changed the history of music... and of aviation.” (Tom Stoppard)

“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it.” (Bob Hope)

“Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.” (Herbert Henry Asquith)

“I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends... that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.” (Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.)

“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.” (Sir Winston Churchill)

“She did not talk to people as if they were strange hard shells she had to crack open to get inside. She talked as if she were already in the shell. In their very shell.” (Marita Bonner)

“To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.” (Marquis de Vauvenargues)

“If only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time.” (Edith Wharton)

“Most people would rather be certain they're miserable than risk being happy.” (Robert Anthony)

“I wish people who have trouble communicating would just shut up.” (Tom Lehrer)

“It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do.”

(Jerome K. Jerome)

“I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” (Margaret Thatcher)

“Don't be sweet, lest you be eaten up; don't be bitter, lest you be spewed out.” (Jewish Proverb)