Did you hear what happened to me last week? It's typical of me, I suppose. I was going to Tunisia on businees with a colleague of mine. We were going to use my car to go to the airport and leave it in the long term car park. I had allowed plenty of time, which was fortunate, because when we got to the airport and I took the bags out of the car I realised that I had forgotten my passport! I couldn't think what to do at first. Then I thought, well, maybe my wife, Sue, could bring my passport to the airport. So I found a phone and telephoned home in the hope that she hadn't yet left for work. The phone rang six or seven times and I thought, "That's it. She's already left. There's no way I'm going to get my passport now." I was just about to put the phone down when my colleague Persuaded me to hang on for a few moments more. He said Sue might be in the bathroom or something. So I did, and then a second
or two later Sue answered the phone. She had, in fact, already left the house but by mistake she'd left a window open so she could hear the phone ringing from the street and rushed back in. Luckily, we live quite near the airport so she was able to jump in a taxi and bring me my passport. She got to the airport just in time and we caught the flight by the skin of our teeth! ( - () ).
A. Questions
1. Where was the writer going to fly? Why? 2. What did he discover at the airport? 3. What did he decide to do? 4. Was his wife in or out? 5. Did the writer manage to get his passport?
B. Have you ever had an experience of this sort? Tell about it.
This incident ranks as one of the more embarrassing moments in my life. It happened about five years ago. I had invited my girlfriend, Emma, and her parents to dinner. I hadn't met her parents before and I wanted to impress them. I had planned soup first, then fresh salmon and a chocolate mousse for dessert. In fact, I was quite looking forward to it.
On the day of the dinner, I got home from work early and started to prepare the meal. Everything went fine. Emma and her parents arrived and, after giving them a drink in the sitting-room, I went into the kitchen to do the last minute preparations for the meal. I removed the fish, which was now ready, from the oven and decided to leave it in the kitchen while we were having the soup.
When I went into the kitchen to bring in the fish, to my horror I found my cat looking very pleased with himself in the middle of the kitchen. He had, of course, eaten the entire salmon and there were bits of bone all over the floor! Needless to say, Emma's parents were very understanding. In the end, we all went to a Chinese restaurant and I suppose it wasn't such a bad evening, all in all. However, I don't think I'll let the cat anywhere near the kitchen in future.
A. Ask and answer questions on the text.
B. If you think you 've got a good story about an embarrassing moment in your life, tell us about it.
C. Complete this newspaper story about an unlucky man. Put each verb in brackets into the correct tense form.
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David Williams of Michester (have) such a terrible time this year that he ought to be in the Guiness Book of Records. The trouble (start) one morning last January when David (find) that his car (go) from outside his house. He (not see) it since.
In February David's joy at winning £200,000 on the football pools (not last) long he (forget) to post the letter. In March he (buy) a new car, but he (not have) it more than a week when someone (crash) into the back of it. These disasters (continue) right up to the present time. Two days ago David (sit) on a seat that someone (finish) painting only minutes before. He (have) on a new suit that he (buy) only the previous week.
August (be) the worst month so far this year. David (spend) three days of his holiday at airports because of strikes. When he (arrive) home, he (discover) that someone (break) into his house. His video-recorder and television (disappear).
David doesn't know what he (do) to deserve all this bad luck. He just hopes his luck will change soon.
Friend: You've just been on holiday, Gordon? Gordon: That's right. Friend: Did you have a good time? Gordon: No, it was awful! The town was all right, but quite boring. The brochure described it as busy, exciting, full of nightlife. In fact, there were a few shops,
one museum, one disco and one very expensive restaurant. And the beach was really crowded! On the first day, after I'd been there about half an hour, there were hundreds of people; and there was no sand, just stones. The water was filthy. It's always dirty there! After I'd been swimming I needed a bath! Friend: What about your hotel? That was all right, wasn't it? Gordon: No, it wasn't! The service was dreadful. We only got coffee in our room after we'd telephoned reception five times. And the rooms! Well, look. I've just written a letter....
A. Ask and answer questions on the text.
B. Roleplay the conversation.
C. Speak about a holiday you didn 't enjoy.
D. Complete the text with the Past Simple or Past Perfect Simple, then retell the text.
On Friday, February 8th, I (have) a meeting in Leeds. I (go) to bed early the night before. I (be) tired because I (spend) the day shopping in London. I (know) that I (prepare) everything for the meeting and I (sleep) well.
On Friday morning I (leave) home at 6 a.m. I (get) to the station early in fact the train (not arrive). I (not have) breakfast at home, so I (have) a cup of tea at the station before my train (come).
Later, on the train, I (take) out the letter about the meeting which I (put) in my briefcase. I (look) at the date of the meeting. I (cannot) believe it! I (make) a mistake. I (be) a month too early!
James Stoker was fifteen years old when he became the youngest fully qualified doctor in the United States. James was a genius. By the age of three he had learnt to read and write. Before his sixth birthday his father had taught him to speak three languages fluently and he could play the violin perfectly. James spent all his time reading and studying. After he had passed his school-leaving exams at the age of nine, he went to college. A year and a half later, he had finished college and started at a medical school. At the age of twelve, he didn't know what football was, because nobody had taught him how to play. There hadn't been time.
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At fifteen, he was ready to take the final examination. On the morning of the exam, although he had been studying for 48 hours, he wasn't tired. After the exam he walked through the park, but he didn't arrive home until seven o'clock in the evening, very tired and very dirty. What had he been doing? his mother wondered. He had met some eight-year-olds in the park. They had been teaching him how to play football.
A. Ask and answer questions on the text Retell the text.
B. Invent a story about another amazing child genius Write the story of his/her life in a short paragraph. Use the Past Perfect and phrases, such as by the time, at the age of, before, as soon as.
Bad J2uck
Tom: Did you enjoy the film yesterday?
Nick: Well, it's a long story. I got on the bus but I had forgotten my bus fare.
Tom: So what d'd you do?
Nick: I got off the bus and ran home, but everybody had gone out. I couldn't get in, because I hadn't taken my key. So I went to Paul's house to borrow some money...
Tom: Wait, let me guess: he'd spent all his money that afternoon.
Nick: No. He hadn't come home yet. When he finally arrived, I had been waiting for twenty minutes. After he had lent me some money, I caught the next bus. But when I got to the cinema, the film had almost finished.
A. Ask and answer questions on the text.
B. Roleplay the conversation.
C. Use the words from the box in the Past Perfect Continuous to complete the sentences.
ear repair try rewise
tight run wait swim
read sit watch
eg Jenny's eyes were tired.
She had been reading all evening.
1. Amanda was hot and sore. She... in the sun. 2. Jane had oil on her hands. She... a friend's motor bike. 3. Tom was hot and out of breath. He... in the park. 4. Ben's clothes were dirty. He... with Jason. 5. She was angry. She... for Mike for twenty minutes. 6. Jane was nervous. She... a TV programme about crime. 7. Jenny had a stomach ache. She... sour grapes. 8. Sue was tired. She... for exams all night. 9. Mike was cold. He... in an unheated pool. 10. Bob fell asleep. He... to learn the Past Perfect Continuous.
D. Talk about the last time a) you felt very tired b) your feet ached c) you were very wet.
What had you been doing? How long had you been doing it?
Not long ago I was invited out to dinner by a girl called Sally. I had only met Sally twice, and she was very, very beautiful. I was flattered. "She likes me," I thought. But I was in for a disappointment.
"I'm so sorry we asked you at such short notice," she said when I arrived, "but we suddenly realised there were going to be thirteen people at the table, so we just had to find somebody else."
A superstition. Thirteen. The unlucky number. Recently I came upon a little group of worried people, gathered round a man lying on the pavement beside a busy London road. They were waiting for an ambulance, because the man had been knocked down by a passing taxi. Apparently he had stepped off the pavement and into the street, to avoid walking under a ladder.
They say this superstition goes back to the days when the gallows () were built on a platform. To get up to the platform you had to climb a ladder. To pass under the shadow of that ladder was very unlucky...
Note: In modern English realize = realise, apologize = apologise
A. Questions
1. What happened to the writer? 2. How many times had he met Sally? 3. What was Sally like? 4. Why did she apologise when he arrived? 5. What had Sally realised? 6. What did the writer come across recently? 7. What had happened to the man lying on the pavement? 8. Why had he stepped off the pavement?
B. Read and retell the text.
Future forms Simple Future (Will)
1. Will (as an auxiliary of the future) is used to predict the future or to say what we think will happen:
Tomorrow will be another cold day in all parts of the country.
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In the future, machines will do many of the jobs that people do today.
Tom won't pass his examination. He hasn't done any work for it.
Who do you think will win the match on Sunday?
We won't arrive home before midnight tonight. When we predict the future, we often use will with the following verbs and expressions: think, expect, believe, be sure, be afraid.
I'm sure you'll enjoy the film if you decide to go.
I don't think I'll go out tonight. I'm too tired.
I believe that inflation will fall to 3 per cent next year.
I expect they'll be here at around 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning.
We also use will in this way with adverbs of probability, eg probably, perhaps, certainly.
Martin will probably phone us this evening. Perhaps I'll see you tomorrow.
Willis also common when there is another clause withif, when, until, as soon as, unless, before and after.
If you hurry you'll catch the 4 o'clock train.
He will come home as soon as the meeting is over.
She will stay here until Jack returns.
2. Will (as a modal auxiliary) is used to express decision or intention often made at the moment of speaking, that is, not planned or premeditated.
"Would you like something to drink?" "Oh, thank you. I'll have some orange juice."
"There's someone at the door." "Is there? Oh, I'll see who it is."
"I'm going shopping." "Oh, are you? I'll come with you, then."
According to the context, this use of will can express willingness, intention, promise, offer, request.
I'll help you if I can. (willingness, intention) = I'm willing
to help you.
"I need some money." "Don't worry. I'll lend you some."
(offer).
Thank you for lending me the money. I'll pay you back on
Friday, (promise)
I won't tell Tom what you said. I promise.
Will you shut the door, please? (request)
Will you please be quiet? I'm trying to concentrate.
3. Shall (as a modal auxiliary) is used to ask for advice eg What shall Idol and to make offers eg Shall I help you? and suggestions eg Shall we go out this evening!
4. Will is also used to make statements of fact about the future.
I'll be forty next month.
5. In formal English, will can be used to speak about definite future plans:
Prime Minister: The government will lower all taxes, and I will ensure that every family in this country will benefit.
In everyday English we do not normally announce future arrangements about ourselves with will. The Present Continuous sounds more natural:
I will leave England in June. formal
I'm leaving England in June. more natural
However, in announcement of timetables, schedules and other programmes will can be used:
The wedding will take place at St Andrew's on June 27th.
