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A Short Intermediate Course

in English Speaking and Listening

2015-2016

PAUL ANDREW JARVIS

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The materials contained in the following pages will be used in the classroom during my

Intermediate courses for the academic year 2014-2015. The required text for home study for

students attending this course is 1000 Real Answers – English Phrasebook & Self Study Guide,

available in both paperback and ebook from amazon.it: http://www.amazon.it/1000-Real-Answers-Phrasebook-Self-Study-

ebook/dp/B00AUHFGC0/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1356087726

Audio files for 1000 Real Answers – English Phrasebook & Self Study Guide are available free at:

https://soundcloud.com/paulandrewjarvis/sets/1000-real-answers

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Some Tips For Improving Your English

1) Forget your perfectionist principles and stop worrying about brutta figura. Not understanding things and

making mistakes are a necessary part of the process of learning any language (including your own!).

2) Always learn the pronunciation of a word. As well as the phonetic transcription, note down an easy-to-

pronounce word that rhymes with or contains the same sound as the new item:

through [ɵru:] [rhymes with “blue”]

daughter [dɔ:tə] [rhymes with “water”]

hurt [hə:t][contains the same vowel sound as “term”, “word”, “girl” and “turn”]

3) Many words change their meaning in different contexts. Learn meanings in context by collecting

examples from books, newspapers, films, songs, conversations, etc:

through the tunnel – attraverso il tunnel

wet through – bagnato fradicio

the whole night through – tutta la notte

I can’t get through to her – a) non riesco a contattarla (telefonicamente); b) non riesco a farmi capire da lei

4) For longer words, be sure you know which syllable takes the primary stress. This will make pronunciation

of these words much easier. You can mark the stress in a variety of ways. Decide which is most effective for

you: afternoon [ӕftə’nu:n] [afterNOON] [afternoon] [afternoon]

5) Try to read something in English at least twice a week. Avoid articles on nuclear physics or the

complexities of the Scottish political system. Read about things you’re interested in. Useful links:

music – http://www.qthemusic.com/ cinema – http://www.imdb.com/

travel – http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel

6) Try to watch something in English (with subtitles in English) for 20-30 minutes twice a week. Pick

programmes and films that you enjoy: if you are more motivated to watch, you will learn more.

7) Check out the BBC’s Language Learning website. It has lots of useful activities to help you develop your

reading and listening skills, improve your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, and practise your

pronunciation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

8) Expand your vocabulary and improve your spelling and pronunciation with other language learning

activities: http://thelanguagebag.wordpress.com/

9) Online dictionaries are improving all the time and many allow you to listen to the pronunciation

(sometimes both the British and American versions!) of the word you are looking up. Find one you like, and

use it! I suggest WordReference: http://www.wordreference.com/

10) If you need my help because you miss a lesson or have difficulty understanding anything on the course,

you can find me in the office next to the Language Laboratory at the following times:

During term time: Monday (14.45-16.15); Friday (12.45-14.15)

Outside term time: Monday (12-13.30); Wednesday (12-13.30)

If you need to contact me by email, use this address: paulandrewjarvis@gmail.com

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Introductions

Principles of Pronunciation

A. Complete the questions using the words provided below:

1) What ____________ your favourite kinds ____________ food?

2) How ____________ you usually get ____________ university ?

3) What ____________ you see ____________ your bedroom window?

4) How ____________ real friends ____________ you got?

5) When ____________ you last go to ____________ cinema?

6) Who ____________ the first person you spoke ____________ this morning?

7) Which of ____________ educational experiences have ____________ most valuable?

8) If you have ____________ free time this evening, how ____________ you spend it?

9) How long are you ____________ to spend studying ____________ the weekend?

10) If you ____________ change one thing about the town you live in, what ____________ it be?

11) Are ____________ any circumstances in which you ____________ kill another human being?

12) If you ____________ had to come here today, what would you ____________ done instead?

any (2)

are

at

been

can

could

did

do

from

going

hadn’t

have (2)

many

might

of

the

to (2)

was

will

would

your

B. Write answers to the questions.

C. For each question, bracket off any words you think should be pronounced weak.

D. Listen to your teacher’s pronunciation of the questions and practise saying them yourself.

E. Ask the questions to your partner and make notes on his/her answers.

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Vowel Sounds

A. Look at the list of phonetic symbols your teacher provides. Write the appropriate symbol in the

square brackets after each word:

soon [ ]

red [ ]

put [ ]

fun [ ]

card [ ]

peace [ ]

stick [ ]

bag [ ]

force [ ]

player [ ]

girl [ ]

long [ ]

B. Practise saying the words above. Insert the symbols into the diagram of the mouth:

[ ] [ ]

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

[ ] [ ]

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

C. Practise saying the sounds in order from 1-12 and note the movement your tongue makes.

D. Which pure vowel sounds do the following words contain?

above [ ] [ ]

bar [ ]

book [ ]

build [ ]

colour [ ] [ ]

course [ ]

cut [ ]

does [ ]

hard [ ]

head [ ]

lend [ ]

piece [ ]

plan [ ]

pull [ ]

salt [ ]

stand [ ]

steel [ ]

still [ ]

suit [ ]

through [ ]

turn [ ]

walk [ ]

work [ ]

wrong [ ]

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E. The following words all contain diphthongs. Look at the symbols your teacher writes on the board,

listen to the sounds they represent and match them to the words below:

place [ ]

white [ ]

noise [ ]

go [ ]

now [ ]

here [ ]

chair [ ]

tour [ ]

F. Which diphthongs do the following words contain?

beer [ ]

boil [ ]

coin [ ]

cry [ ]

height [ ]

late [ ]

loud [ ]

might [ ]

poor [ ]

pure [ ]

share [ ]

show [ ]

tear [ ]

though [ ]

town [ ]

wear [ ]

weight [ ]

wine [ ]

G. Write answers to the following questions then ask the same questions to your partner:

1) Do you prefer beer or wine?

2) What height are you?

3) What makes you cry?

4) What's your least favourite colour?

5) Which university course are you finding most interesting?

6) What are your plans for the rest of the day?

7) What's the hardest thing about being a student?

8) How loud do you play your music when no one else is around.

9) Where would you most like to work?

10) What's the furthest you have ever walked?

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Multiword Verbs

Deducing from context

A. A. Read the text and try to get an idea of the meaning of the missing verbs. If you can’t think of an

English verb, use a pencil to write in an Italian verb:

Although I am from Liverpool, I ________________________ in a small town in Scotland. As an outsider, I

________________________ a variety of problems. It was not easy, for example, _____________________

what the local people were saying – their accents were practically unintelligible – and as a result I had

difficulty ________________________ my new school. I also had to ________________________ all kinds

of abuse on account of the fact that my classmates ________________________ the English. The only

children I ________________________ were foreigners like myself.

One day in the library I ________________________ a book entitled Scottish Culture. I usually

________________________ Caledonian literature but I had nothing better to do, and the volume was

extremely short. In fact, I ________________________ it in about ten minutes. The book dealt with various

aspects of life in Scotland, such as Cooking (which I quickly ________________________ , as the

illustrations made me want to ________________________), Health (an article on how

________________________ or ________________________ cigarettes and alcohol could dangerously

damage your pronunciation) and Art (apparently, the tradition of face-painting has been

________________________ from generation to generation).

As I was reading the last paragraph, I heard a girl’s voice behind me: "The kind of book you can't

________________________ , huh?"

I ________________________ and ________________________ in surprise.

"Don't mind me!" she smiled. "________________________!"

I ________________________ by how pretty and friendly she was. "Are you really Scottish? I

asked, "or are you ________________________?"

"I'm as Scottish as they come." She smiled again and I nearly ________________________ my chair

in astonishment. This was serious: I was ________________________ a girl in a kilt, which meant my

problems were only just beginning.

B. Listen to your teacher’s definitions and match them to the multiword verbs below:

carry on

cutting down on

falling for

fell off

giving up

got on with

got through

had it in for

happened across

looked up

passed down

put down

put up with

settling into

skipped over

steered clear of

taking the mickey

throw up

turned around

was brought up

was faced with

was taken aback

working out

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C. Write answers to the following questions then ask the same questions to your partner:

1) Who do you get on best with?

2) Where were you brought up?

3) Did you have any problems settling into university life?

4) What are the things you won’t put up with?

5) Have any interesting traditions been passed down through your family?

6) What would you find most difficult to give up?

7) Have you happened across any interesting books recently?

8) Who or what do you tend to steer clear of?

9) Have you ever fallen for anyone you would never have expected to lose your head over?

10) Is there anything you think you should cut down on?

11) When did you last throw up?

12) Have you got it in for anyone at the moment?

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Simple Past Listening

A. What are the past tense forms of the following verbs?

be

burst

buy

climb

cry

drop

get

go

hang

have

hear

leave

pack

put

run

rush

say

shine

think

B. Try to deduce the meanings of the words in heavy type from the context:

1) She grew flowers in the front yard and vegetables in the back yard.

2) 300 men were laid off yesterday but the company promised to reinstate them in six months if the

economic situation improves.

3) The railway track is made of steel and the cross ties are made of wood.

4) When she laid her head on his chest, she could hear his heart pounding.

5) I used a sledgehammer to demolish the wall.

6) I was on the upbound train and she was on the downbound train, so we must have passed each other at

some point.

7) In the middle of the forest was a clearing where you could sit on the grass and enjoy the sun.

8) When we left the church, she was still on her knees, praying.

9) Football managers are always whining about referees’ decisions.

10) When the Greyhound broke down, the bus riders had to get off and wait while it was repaired.

11) After they were cut down, the trees were taken to the lumber yard.

C. Complete the text using simple past forms of the verbs above. You may use a verb more than once.

I ___________ a job, I _________ a girl, I ____________ something going, mister, in this world; I

_____________ laid off down at the lumber yard, our love __________ bad, times _____________

hard. Now I work down at the car wash, where all it ever does is rain; don’t you feel like you’re a rider on a

downbound train? She just said, “Joe, I’ve got to go, we ___________ it once, we ain’t got it anymore.”

She ___________ her bags, _____________ me behind, she ___________ a ticket on the Central Line.

Nights as I sleep I hear that whistle whining, I feel her kiss in the misty rain and I feel like I’m a rider on a

downbound train. Last night I ____________ your voice, You were crying, crying, you ___________ so

alone; you ___________ your love had never died, you were waiting for me at home. I ___________ on

my jacket, I _____________ through the woods, I ___________ till I _____________ my chest would

explode; there in the clearing beyond the highway, in the moonlight, our wedding house ___________ ; I

_____________ through the yard, I _____________ through the front door, my head pounding hard, up

the stairs I ____________ ; the room ____________ dark, our bed ___________ empty; then I

_______________ that long whistle whine and I ____________ to my knees, ______________ my head

and ______________ . Now I swing a sledgehammer on a railroad gang, knocking down them cross ties,

working in the rain; now don’t it feel like you’re a rider on a downbound train?

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D. Now listen to the song and check your answers.

E. Write answers to the following questions then ask the same questions to your partner.

1) Whose was the first voice you heard this morning?

2) What kinds of things did you cry about when you were a child?

3) What was the last book you bought?

4) What time did you leave home this morning?

5) Did you ever get in trouble when you were at school?

6) What did you think of the song?

7) Where did you go last Saturday evening?

Listen to the song again at home: http://www.youtube.com

Key search words: “Springsteen”, “Downbound Train”

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Present Perfect (finished actions, unspecified past time)

A. Match the questions to the answers:

1) Have you ever eaten foreign food?

2) Have you ever read a book that changed your life in some way?

3) Have you ever seen a film in English?

4) Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

5) Have you ever been to a political demonstration?

6) Have you ever been so drunk that you don’t remember what you did or said?

7) Have you ever met anyone famous?

8) Have you ever wanted to hit another person?

9) Have you ever made a speech?

10) Have you ever cried with joy?

11) Have you ever been abroad?

12) Have you ever laughed so much that it hurt?

a) I have been to a lot. The last one I went to was against the education reforms.

b) Often. But I’ve never actually done it.

c) No, I haven’t, but my father saw a ghost once.

d) I often overdid it on the booze at university but I haven’t got out of my tree recently.

e) On many occasions. I’m easily moved.

f) I once ran into Natalie Portman in an airport. She gave me her phone number but I lost it.

g) I quite often have a kebab or an Indian takeaway.

h) I’ve seen several on DVD and I saw one at the cinema when I was in England.

i) Herman Hesse’s “Narziss and Goldmund” had a big impact on me when I first read it.

j) No. I don’t like standing up in front of large groups of people.

k) Only once. When Liverpool lost the championship to Arsenal in the last minute of the last match.

l) I went to Dublin on a study holiday when I was a teenager.

B. Write your own answers to the questions

C. Ask the questions to your partner and make a note of his/her answers.

D. Invent six questions beginning “Have you ever…?”

e.g. Have you ever flown? Have you been skiing? Etc.

E. Ask your questions to your partner and note his/her replies. Tell the class about your partner’s

answers. e.g. Claudia has never flown. Last year she went skiing for the first time and fell in love with the

instructor. Etc.

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Present Perfect (finished action, specified time that includes the present)

A. Write the questions.

1) __________________________________________________________ today ?

- I’ve eaten a couple of sandwiches and an apple.

2) __________________________________________________________ during this lesson ?

There was one thing I didn’t understand at the beginning.

3) __________________________________________________________ this week?

- Yes. I missed a Latin lesson yesterday.

4) __________________________________________________________ this month?

- No, I haven’t spent a lot of money this month.

5) ________________________________________________________ these last few weeks?

- Yes, I have. I saw Minions at the cinema last month and a Woody Allen film on television a few days ago.

6) __________________________________________________________ this year?

- I have had two: I went skiing in February and I spent the summer in California.

7) __________________________________________________________ since breakfast?

- I’ve had just two cups of coffee since breakfast.

8) _______________________________________________________ since you got here?

- I haven’t sworn at all since I got here today.

9) ________________________________________________ in the last ten years?

- It has improved immensely. There are more jobs, everyone pays lower taxes and the public services have

been transformed. Also, the television is more impartial.

10) ____________________________________________________ since the lesson started?

- I haven’t spoken Italian once since the lesson started. I’m a serious student!

B. Write your own answers to the questions, then ask the same questions to your partner. Make a note

of his / her answers. Tell the class about him / her.

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Present Perfect (unfinished actions)

A. Consider the sentence below. How does the meaning of the present perfect change when it is used

with “How long...?”, “for” or “since”? What is the difference between “for” and “since”?

How long have you known your girlfriend? I have known my girlfriend since 2012, but we’ve only been

together for six months.

Fill in the gaps in the following:

How long have you lived in Bari? I have lived in Bari _________ 2001.

How long have you been a student at the University? I have been a student here _________ 2 years.

How long have you supported your team? I have supported my team _________ I was three.

How long have you known your best friend? I’ve known him/her ________ we were children.

How long have you worked here? I’ve worked here __________ as long as I can

remember.

B. Ask some of the questions to your partner (modify them if necessary) and make a note of his / her

answers.

C. Write the answers to the following questions:

1) How long have you been studying English?

e.g. I’ve been studying English since I was five years old.

2) How long have you been living in your house?

_________________________________________________________________________________

3) How long have you been preparing for the next exam?

_________________________________________________________________________________

4) How long have you been attending this course?

_________________________________________________________________________________

5) How long have you been wishing this lesson would end?

_________________________________________________________________________________

E. Ask the questions to your partner. Make a note of his / her answers. Tell the class about him / her.

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2nd

Conditional

A. Match the underlined words to the definitions your teacher gives you.

B. Match each sentence beginning to an appropriate ending:

1) If you were a cowboy…

2) If you were a piece of wood…

3) If you were a sailboat…

4) If you were a river…

5) If you were a house…

6) If you were a preacher…

7) If I was in jail…

8) If I was a telephone…

9) If I was in pain…

10) If I was hungry…

11) If I was in darkness…

12) If I was a book…

a) …I know you'd read me every night.

b) …you would lead me to the light.

c) …I know you'd sing me soothing songs.

d) …I know you'd spring me.

e) …I would live in you all my days.

f) …I would sail you to the shore.

g) …you'd ring me all day long.

h) …I would swim you.

i) …I would trail you.

j) …I'd begin to change my ways.

k) …I'd nail you to the floor.

l) …you would feed me.

C. Listen to the song and check your answers.

D. Complete:

1) If a friend were/was in pain, I would…

2) If I were/was in jail, I would…

3) If I were/was hungry now, I would…

4) If finding a job weren’t/wasn’t so difficult, I would…

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5) If you asked me, I would…

6) If the person I love rang me all day long, I would…

7) If I had time, I would…

8) If I weren’t Italian, I would like…

9) If there weren’t so many students in the class,…

10) If I didn’t study humanities, I would…

11) If I didn’t live in the south of Italy, I would…

12) I would sing you a song if…

13) I would change my ways if…

14) Bari would be a better place to live if…

15) The teacher would be angry if…

16) I wouldn’t be happy if…

17) We wouldn’t pass the exam if…

18) There would not be so much poverty in the world if…

E. Write answers to the following questions, then ask those questions to your partner:

1) Where would you be if you weren’t here now?

2) What would be the best thing that could happen to you?

3) Where would you most like to live?

4) What would you buy if you won the lottery?

5) How much would you be prepared to spend on a pair of shoes?

6) How would you react if your partner betrayed you?

7) Who would you most like to meet?

8) What are the things you wouldn’t do for love or money?

Listen to the song at home: http://www.youtube.com

Key search words: “Katie Melua”, “If You Were A Sailboat”

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Real Mistakes

A. Rewrite the following sentences the way you think a native speaker might say them:

1) I see from my bedroom window other palaces.

2) She is head over hills in love.

3) Can I make you a question? You can give no answer.

4) I am very happy to feel you.

5) The men usually are higher than the women.

6) I think to have done a lot of mistakes in the exam the last week.

7) Our teacher is the biggest of the world.

8) We must go to a marriage the next weekend.

9) Have you got piles so?

10) Within the end of the month I will must book my ticket.

11) This wedding is the third I take part in this month.

12) Last weekend I have gone in mountain with my friends.

13) I use to relax me listening music or watching TV.

14) I looked on the vocabulary but I not found the word.

15) We have eaten much yesterday.

16) In the weekend I will go in my country, Gravina.

17) When came the snowstorm we decided go back to home.

18) I will pass the summer to study.

19) English food is less good than Italian food.

20) I couldn’t to sleep this night.

21) When I was seeing the shops I met a my old friend.

22) We saw a play of Shakespeare the last week.

23) When I entered the university I knew many friends.

24) My father didn’t want that I study literature.

25) I’m satisfied of my choose.

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Future Forms

A. Below is a list of situations in which we use future forms; read the list and check you understand

what kind of situations they are.

promise (2) threat arrangement prediction imperative

with verbs / adverbs of uncertainty refusal intention future fact

suggestion calendar future 1st conditional timetable future

request future visible in the present offer spontaneous decision

after certain temporal conjunctions (when, if, until, as soon as, as long as, etc)

B. Match the examples below to the situations above:

1) I’m going to spend next weekend catching up on my sleep.

2) Everton will win the Premier League next year.

3) The next Olympics will take place in Brazil.

4) I will always be with you.

5) The course finishes on 21st December.

6) Shall we nip out for a coffee?

7) I will tell your wife about the three Swedish girls.

8) If I find the money I will get back to you immediately.

9) Look at his face; he’s going to cry.

10) I think I will take a day off next week.

11) I’ll drop you off.

12) We are meeting the lawyer next Tuesday morning.

13) Say hello from me when you see her.

14) Will you open the door for me?

15) I won’t vote for that crook on any account.

16) It’s cold. I’ll put the heating on.

17) My train leaves at seven forty this evening.

18) You will phone him immediately and apologise.

C. In which situations (see exercise A. above) are the following structures used to express the future?

Simple present:

1) _________________________________ 2) _________________________________

3) _________________________________

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Present continuous:

1) _________________________________

will / shall / ‘ll

1) with verbs / adverbs of uncertainty 2) _________________________________

3) _________________________________ 4) _________________________________

5) _________________________________ 6) _________________________________

7) _________________________________ 8) _________________________________

9) _________________________________ 10) _________________________________

1) _________________________________ 12) _________________________________

be going to + infinitive:

1) _________________________________ 2) _________________________________

D. For each situation make an example of your own.

1st conditional ___________________________________________________________________

after “when”, etc. ___________________________________________________________________

arrangement ___________________________________________________________________

calendar future ___________________________________________________________________

future fact ___________________________________________________________________

future visible in present ___________________________________________________________________

imperative ___________________________________________________________________

intention ___________________________________________________________________

offer ___________________________________________________________________

prediction ___________________________________________________________________

promise ___________________________________________________________________

refusal ___________________________________________________________________

request ___________________________________________________________________

spontaneous decision ___________________________________________________________________

suggestion ___________________________________________________________________

threat ___________________________________________________________________

timetable future ___________________________________________________________________

uncertainty ___________________________________________________________________

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E. Explain the choice of future form in the following questions:

1) What are you doing after the lesson?

2) What’s the first thing you will do when you get home this evening?

3) Where are you going to spend next weekend?

4) How will you feel if Italy doesn’t qualify for the next World Cup?

5) What are the things you will never forget?

6) What are the things you won’t do for anybody?

7) Who are the people you will always do anything for?

8) How do you think the world will be different in twenty years time?

9) How long will it be before we discover life on other planets?

10) How soon is global warming going to become an enormous problem?

F. Write answers to the questions, then ask the same questions to your partner.

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Contemporary Spoken Language

A. Match the words and expressions in heavy type to the definitions or synonyms below:

1) When Ross was in China, Chandler let it slip that he was in love with Rachel.

2) That’s pretty much everything you need to know.

3) This is huge.

4) And the chicken pooped in her lap.

5) I heard this story in the cab.

6) Isn’t that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?

7) They’re going to charge you for that [drink].

8) The silver lining is that he made the decision all by himself.

9) I don’t care what you guys say, something is bothering her.

10) People do stupid things when they’re upset. If I had a nickel for every guy I wish I hadn’t…

11) And the fact that you dumped him because he hit on Phoebe?

12) Are you sure he’s going to be able to crack that code.

13) You have to promise you will not be bossy.

14) When I saw him get off the plane with her I really thought I hit rock bottom.

a) decipher

b) defecated

c) ended the relationship with

d) five-cent coin

e) got as depressed as it is

possible to be

f) make pay

g) more or less

h) revealed by mistake

i) taxi

j) the good part about

something bad

k) tried to seduce

l) keep telling me what to do

m) unhappy, distressed

n) very painfully

o) very, very big

p) worrying

B. Match the expressions to the situations in which you might hear or use them:

1) There you are!

2) Baggage claim.

3) You owe me one!

4) I was trying to spare your feelings.

5) Anybody know a good tailor?

6) Okay, you have to stop the Q-tip when there’s

resistance!

7) I’m just going to deal with it.

8) Just a little bit off the back.

9) I’m not falling for that again!

10) I just kinda [kind of] ran into him.

11) I quit.

12) I think the guy is scum.

a) After you have done somebody a big favour.

b) When someone tries to trap or trick you a second time.

c) Announcing that you intend to stop doing something.

d) At the hairdresser’s.

e) Describing someone you hate and despise.

f) Explaining that you met someone by chance.

g) At the airport.

h) When somebody says or does something very stupid.

i) Explaining why you didn’t tell somebody the truth.

j) When you finally find the person you are looking for.

k) Expressing your intention to face up to a problem.

l) When in need of made-to-measure clothes.

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C. Complete with appropriate adverbs or prepositions:

1) She went to the airport and she’s going to go ________________ it with Ross.

2) Oh, I’m sorry! I just gave ________________ the ending.

3) We were in grad school together but we haven’t seen each other ________________ then.

4) Guess who’s ________________ charge of the dig?

5) What the hell happened ________________ you in China?

6) There was this little voice inside that kept saying: “It’s never going to happen, move _______________ .”

7) She looks ________________ me and sees a friend, that’s all.

8) I never would have gone ________________ it with her if it hadn’t been for you.

9) What did you find ________________ ?

10) I’ve got to get ________________ here.

11) Why don’t you come ________________ in?

12) What’s the matter ________________ you?

at

away

for (2)

in

on (2)

out

out of

since

to

with

D. Write and then answer the questions your teacher dictates.

1) Have you got any good travel anecdotes?

2) How do you react when you hit rock bottom?

3) Would you ever let a friend cut your hair?

4) Has the boyfriend/girlfriend of a friend of yours ever tried to hit on you?

5) How do you deal with bossy people?

22

Get: the different meanings

A. Check that you understand the meaning of the following verbs:

fetch arrive obtain move (emotionally) buy

have the chance to answer become take

earn hit hear prepare become ill with

cause (to be) move (physically) persuade receive

understand irritate

B. What is the meaning of “get” in the following examples?

1) I’m getting the 7.45 train tomorrow.

2) That scene where they tell her that her fiancé is dead always gets me.

3) It’s getting hot in here.

4) He got £4.50 an hour in his previous job.

5) What gets me is the way she always interrupts when you’re speaking.

6) If you go to the shop can you get some beer?

7) The CD’s in my bedroom; I’ll get it for you.

8) I got an email from my friend in Minnesota this morning.

9) I’ll just relax in front of the television while you get the dinner, darling.

10) Where did you get these documents?

11) She got malaria while she was in Africa.

12) I actually got to speak to the prime minister.

13) Sorry, I didn’t get your surname.

14) I got home late last night.

15) The phone’s ringing; can you get it?

16) She told my boss about what I had done and got me sacked.

17) The bullet got her in the left shoulder.

18) Get out of my way or I’ll hit you.

19) Everyone else laughed at the joke but I didn’t get it.

20) See if you can get your boss to give you the day off.

23

Get: Dialogues

A. Write the questions.

1) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

I got 3 bills and a letter from my bank manager this morning.

2) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

I got some books and a gift voucher for my last birthday.

3) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

I came on foot / I got here on foot.

4) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

I’m going home by bus.

5) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

I got my shoes from a shop in Liverpool.

6) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

I got £4.50 an hour for my first job.

7) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

I last got really angry when Everton lost to Liverpool in the last minute of the derby.

8) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

On my last holiday I got to go white water rafting and I got to meet Natalie Portman at a party.

9) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

The part in Crash where the shopkeeper shoots the girl always gets me.

10) ___________________________________________________________________________________?

The thing about politicians that really gets me is the fact that they are paid so much.

B. Ask the questions to your partner and make a note of his / her answers.

B. Tell the class about your partner.

e.g. Francesca didn’t get any post this morning. For her last birthday she got a new bag. etc.

24

Get (phrasal verbs)

A. Match the expressions to the situations in which you might use them:

1) He hasn’t got over it yet.

2) What did you get up to while I was away?

3) I can’t get into it.

4) We just don’t get on.

5) Get away!

6) He got off.

7) Let’s get down to it.

8) You only did it to get back at me.

9) I can’t get through to her.

10) I get by.

11) She’s always getting at me.

12) How are we going to get round this?

13) What are you getting at?

14) I’ve got behind with my exams.

a) You don’t believe what you are being told because it sounds so improbable.

b) You are having problems communicating an idea to someone.

c) You are not rich but have enough money to survive.

d) You don’t understand the point someone is trying to make.

e) You are talking about someone who was accused of a crime but was not convicted.

f) You are describing the constant criticism you receive.

g) You are facing a tricky problem.

h) Accusing someone of doing something only for revenge.

i) You are finding the film you are watching rather slow.

j) You want to begin work immediately.

k) You are not progressing through university as fast as you would like.

l) You are describing someone who has recently had a traumatic experience.

m) You are talking about your poor relationship with someone?

n) You perhaps don’t trust your boyfriend/girlfriend.

C. Complete the following sentences using the phrasal verbs from the previous exercise:

1) The first few pages were boring but then I ______________ it.

2) After half an hour we finally _______________ work.

3) If you _______________ with your rent your landlord will throw you out..

4) Mum, stop ______________ me. I’ll do it when I’ve finished this.

25

5) The only way to _________________ this is by adopting a completely different approach.

6) “I’m going out for dinner with Keira Knightley this evening.”

“ ______________!”

7) His French is fluent and he __________________ in Spanish.

8) He was obviously guilty. It was only because of the statute of limitations that he ________________ .

9) So what did you _________________ in Rimini?

10) We let his tyres down to ________________ him.

11) Parents often have trouble __________________ their teenage children.

12) I couldn’t understand what he was ________________ .

13) Her hamster died last week and she hasn’t ____________________ it yet.

14) He ______________ his sister but he can’t stand his brother.

D. Write answers to the following questions, then ask them to your partner:

1) Do you remember a book or film you had problems getting into?

2) Who do you get on best with?

3) What are the most difficult things to get over?

4) What did you get up to last weekend?

5) What’s the best way to get back at someone.

6) Have you had to get round any particularly awkward problems recently?

7) How many languages can you get by in?

26

Writing an informal letter

A. Read the letter and fill in the gaps with the most appropriate phrase:

Dear (1) ________________

(2) ________________ for your last letter. I’m sorry I haven’t written for so long but, as I’m sure

you can imagine, I’ve been up to my eyeballs in work, (3) ________________ all the teaching and trying to

sort out the new house. (4) ________________ , the reason I’m writing is that I’ve got a few days off next

month and I was thinking of coming out to see you. (5) ______________________ Could you handle a few

days of living it up? And, (6) __________________ would you be able to (7) ______________________ ?

I’ll be free from the 10th to the 18

th of July. (8) __________________ if that’s a good time for you.

(9)__________________ , I ran into Jimmy the other day and he mentioned he (10)

___________________ in coming to see you too. (11) __________________ , you know what he’s like.

He’s probably already forgotten about it. If he (12) ____________________ to tag along I’ll give you plenty

of warning.

Get back to me as soon as you can. I (13) _____________________ again over the next couple of

weeks.

(14) ___________________ to seeing you. (15) ___________________ to Ruth from me.

(16) ______________________ ,

Paul

1) a) Mr Jones b) Sir c) Mick

2) a) I was most grateful b) Cheers c) Many thanks

3) a) what with b) on account of c) the reason being

4) a) However b) Anyway c) I’ll come straight to the point

5) a) What is your opinion? b) What do you reckon? c) And you?

6) a) more to the point b) furthermore c) on an equally important note

7) a) put me up b) put up with me c) put me somewhere

8) a) I ‘d be grateful if you ‘d tell me b) Please inform me c) Let me know

9) a) There is one further point b) By the way c) Also

10) a) would have been interested b) would be interested c) has been interested

11) a) still b) however c) moreover

12) a) decides b) does decide c) did decide

13) a) ‘ll be in touch b) ‘ll communicate c) let you know

14) a) I’m looking forward b) I can’t wait c) I’m impatient

15) a) Do say hello b) Greetings c) Many happy returns

16) a) Yours faithfully b) Yours c) All the best

B. Write a reply to the above letter

27

Vocabulary traps

Listening Comprehension (Adjectives)

Phrasal Verbs

A. Match each words or phrase to the more appropriate explanation:

1) an outside chance a) a good chance b) a small chance

2) eventually a) perhaps b) sooner or later

3) rang a lot of bells a) aroused memories b) really irritated

4) thrilled a) surprised, shocked b) delighted, very happy

5) grave a) burial place b) heaven

6) waistcoats a) heavy winter jackets b) sleeveless jackets

7) as it turned out a) as we imagined b) as we discovered

8) bugger a) lawyer b) homosexual

9) as for me a) as regards me b) the same as me

10) run out of a) find yourself without b) leave quickly

11) actually a) at the moment b) really

B. Read the text and complete using appropriate adjectives.

big-hearted

enormous

enthusiastic

experimental

fabulous

general

jolly

kind

own

strange

stuck

thrilled

vocal

Gareth used to prefer funerals to weddings. He said it was easier to get ________________ about a

ceremony one had an outside chance of eventually being involved in. In order to prepare this speech I rang

a few people to get a ________________ picture of how Gareth was regarded by those who met him.

“Fat” seems to have been a word people most connected with him. “Terribly rude” also rang a lot of

bells. So, “very fat” and “ very rude” seems to have been the stranger’s viewpoint.

On the other hand, some of you have been ________________ enough to ring me and let me know

that you loved him, which I know he’d have been ________________ to hear. You remember his

________________ hospitality, his ________________ , ________________ cooking. The recipe for duck à la

banana fortunately goes with him to his grave . Most of all, you tell me of his ________________ capacity

for joy, and when joyful…when joyful, for highly ________________ drunkenness. But I hope joyful is how

you will remember him. Not ________________ in a box in a church. Pick your favourite of his waistcoats

and remember him that way: the most splendid, replete, ________________ (weak-hearted, as it turned out)

and ________________ bugger most of us ever met. As for me, you may ask how I will remember him,

what I thought of him. Unfortunately, there I run out of words. Perhaps you will forgive me if I turn for my

________________ feelings to the words of another splendid bugger, W. H. Auden. This is actually what I

want to say:

C. Watch the film clip and compare your answers with what is actually said.

D. Match the beginnings to the endings:

1) I didn’t have my address book with me so I

just scribbled her number...

2) Some of the mountain villages have been cut...

3) The child’s mother put her arms...

4) Every morning in the autumn the old man

sweeps...

5) The milk had gone off so I poured...

6) She closed her book, put...

7) My father called to me from the garden to

bring...

8) She decided to tidy her study: she packed...

a) ... it away.

b) ... off by the snow.

c) ... on the back of an old train ticket.

d) ... out his sun-hat.

e) ... out the light and went to sleep.

f) ... round him and comforted him.

g) ... up all her old school books and took them to

the second-hand shop.

h) ... up all the leaves that have fallen onto his

driveway during the night.

E. Read through the poem below and underline the words which mean:

birds symbolic of peace

a musical (percussion)

instrument

decorative ribbons

lamenting

not clearly audible

people present at a funeral

succulent

take apart

box where dead body is put

thin cloth or material (2)

Stop all the clocks, ........................................... the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

........................................... the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle, moaning overhead,

........................................... the sky the message: He is Dead.

....................... crepe bows ....................... the white necks of public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North , my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song,

I thought that love would last for ever; I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: ........................................... every one;

........................................... the moon and dismantle the sun;

........................................... the ocean and ........................................... the wood;

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

(W.H. Auden, Funeral Blues)

F. Read through the poem again and complete using the verbs from exercise D. Then watch the film

clip and check your answers.

G. Ask the questions to your partner and make a note of his/her answer:

1) How would you like to be remembered?

2) Have you had any thrilling experiences recently?

3) How would you describe your own cooking?

4) What’s your favourite musical instrument?

5) Did you like the poem? (Give reasons for your answer).

6) Is there a piece of prose or poetry that you consider particularly beautiful? Explain why.

Watch the clip again at home: http://www.youtube.com

Key search words: “Four Weddings & A Funeral”, Auden poem, funeral scene, “Stop all the clocks”

Revision of tenses

A. Write the correct form of the verbs provided:

I (be born) __________________________ in a small village in Africa in February 1964. My father, who

(work) __________________________ as a missionary there, (meet) __________________________ my

mother two years earlier during a period of leave in Paris. I (spend) __________________________ my

early childhood (ride) __________________________ elephants and (kill) __________________________

snakes. At the age of six I (fall) __________________________ in love for the first time, with Iga, the

pretty eight-year-old sister of one of my friends. She (be) __________________________ not interested.

When I was ten we (move) __________________________ to England and I (develop)

__________________________ a passion for football. I (play) __________________________ every

evening after school, and on alternate Saturdays I (go) __________________________ and watch Everton,

the only local team worth (support) __________________________ .

At eighteen, (hope) __________________________ to follow in the footsteps of my favourite uncle, Baz, I

applied (study) __________________________ medicine at Cambridge, and (accept)

__________________________ , but after a year I (realise) __________________________ I wasn’t cut out

to be a doctor – I kept (faint) __________________________ at the sight of blood – and so I (switch)

__________________________ to a course in linguistics. I (prefer) __________________________ to

study English Literature, but there were no places available in that subject. I (graduate)

__________________________ in 1986.

In the last few years I (do) __________________________ various jobs. At the moment I (work)

__________________________ as a fulltime teacher in a secondary school and since the beginning of the

month I (moonlight) __________________________ as a barman, as the rent for the flat I (share)

__________________________ with my girlfriend Natalie is very high. We (live)

__________________________ together for six months and (buy) __________________________ our

own house as soon as we (have) __________________________ enough money. Ideally, we (like)

__________________________ to settle in Provence or Tuscany.

Next month I (leave) __________________________ for India to do some research for a novel. If all (go)

__________________________ according to plan, I (become) __________________________ rich and

famous, and in a couple of years time we (find) __________________________ the house of our dreams

and (live) __________________________ like kings.

B. Write your own (real or invented) autobiography.

Course analysis

A. Ask the following questions to your partner:

1) How much did you understand of what the teacher said (100% / 50% / 10%)

2) Did you find any lessons particularly enjoyable?

3) Did you find any lessons particularly boring?

4) Was there a connection between your level of enjoyment and how much you learned?

5) What was your objective in following this course? Did you achieve it?

6) Are the problems involved in learning English at this level different from those you have experienced in

the past? How? Why?

7) In what ways (if any) has your English has improved as a result of following this course?

8) On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you assess your ability in the following areas of English?

speaking

listening comprehension

reading comprehension

writing

grammatical accuracy

vocabulary

fluency

pronunciation

9) Which aspects of your English do you think still need to be significantly improved?

10) Did you supplement the course with any extracurricular English-learning activities?

11) What kind of extracurricular activities (reading books / watching films / surfing the internet / using CD

roms / communicating with English-speaking friends and relatives / studying grammar books / etc) did

you engage in?

12) How useful were these activities?

13) Do you intend to continue studying English in the future?

14) How might you reconcile the need to continue improving your English with lack of time for studying it?

15) What advice would you give to anyone beginning to learn English?

16) If you were going to teach Italian to foreigners, which aspects of the language would you prioritise?

17) In what ways do you expect English will be useful to you in the future?

18) Do you have any other comments on the course or suggestions on how to improve it?

Appendix: Classroom Language

Translating “Che cosa significa?”:

What does “thank you” mean?

“Thank you” means “grazie”.

What does it mean?

It means “grazie”.

Translating “Come si dice?”:

How do you say “scusa” in English?

We say “sorry” or “excuse me”.

We usually use “sorry” AFTER the event, to apologise for something we have already done or not

done:

Whoops! Sorry!

I’m sorry I’m late.

I’m sorry about what happened between me and your girlfriend.

I’m sorry I forgot to call you.

Possible answers to “sorry” are:

No problem.

It doesn’t matter.

Don’t worry.

or, if you are particularly angry with the person apologising:

You should be.

We tend to use “Excuse me” BEFORE we interrupt or disturb someone or make a request:

Excuse me, would you mind speaking a little more slowly?

Excuse me, could you tell me which floor the language laboratory is on?

Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?

Excuse me, may I use your bathroom?

“Excuse me” often requires no answer; when an answer is necessary, we tend to use:

Yes?

N.B. We never reply to “Excuse me” with “Tell me”

When you have problems hearing or understanding someone:

Sorry?

(I beg your) pardon?

Could you repeat that, please?

Could you speak more slowly, please?

Other useful expressions:

How do you spell it / that?

How do you pronounce it / this?

Possible answers to “thank you” or “thanks” (informal) or “ta” (very informal) are:

You’re welcome.

Don’t mention it.

Not at all.

It’s a pleasure.

Thank YOU. (the stress is on the “you”)

N.B. We almost never reply to “Thank you” with “Please”

“Please” is used before requests or to accept an offer or invitation:

Can you lend me your pen, please?

Mother: Would you like an ice cream?

Child: Oh, yes please! (cf. No, thank you.)