T

T
M

E
by Luke and James
Vyner

VE

a memory
recall
comprehe
nsion task
to
consolidat
e the story
and
new
language;

China:
The girl in
the red
dress
4.

write their own stories

using
a
variety
of
archetypal story-telling
phrases / devices such
Age: Young adults
as: I have a story to tell
/ Adults
you; there once was
Duration:
(once upon a time);
Approx. 60
suddenly; unexpectedly;
minutes
this is where my tale
Aims: In this
ends.
lesson the
Materials:
one copy of
students will:
the worksheet per
1. learn
about
the
Chinesestudent; Track 1
(introduction); Track 2
New Year;
(remaining audio) and
2. practise
Track 3 (full audio) - all
extensi
downloaded from
ve and
onestopenglish.
intensiv
Summary:
Join
time
e
traveller Amber Adams as
listenin
she is transported to a
g and a
village in China for New
range
Year.
Will
Amber
and
of
travelling
merchant
listenin
Hongjun be able to save
g subthe villagers from Nian, the
skills,
evil monster who steals
includin
children?
g
listenin
g
for
specific
informa
tion
and
gist;
Level: Preintermediate /
Intermediate

3.

c
o
m
p
l
e
t
e

Teachers
notes
questions
with the
Warmer whole class:

h
e

Aim: to
introduc
e
students
to the
characte
r of
Amber,
the
secret
watch
and the
context
of the
episode

w
o
r
k
s
h
e
e
t
.

1. Play
Track 1
(introduct
ion). At
this
stage,
dont
worry
about
preteaching
vocabula
ry;
encourag
e your
students
to simply
listen for
enjoyme
nt. Stress
that they
dont
need to
write
anything
down.

2. After
listening
to the
introduct
ion,
discuss
the
answers
to the
following

What story
is
being
told?

Who
Nian?

is

Who
Amber
Adams?

is

Chinese
New Year
task
Aim: to
introduce
students to
the theme of
the Chinese
New Year
1. Write
Chinese New
Year on the
board and
find out what
students
already know
about it.

They may
know about the
traditional lion
dance or the
giving of
money in red
envelopes.
Write any
answers on the
board.
Macmillan
Publishers Ltd 2014
LISTENING SKILLS / A
Time to Travel /
China: The girl in the
red dress

A
s
k
s
t
u
d
e
n
t
s
t
o
r
e
a
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e
e
x
c
e
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p
t
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a
k
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f
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o
m

C
h
i
n
a

A
M
a
c
m
i
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l
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r
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R
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a
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e
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a
s
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o
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ge
of

a
n
d

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a
n
s
w
e
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mp

t
h
e

tak

q
u
e
s
t
i
o
n
s

re
co
lex
lan
gu
ag
e
en
fro
m
the
list
eni
ng
pa
ssa
ge

Direct
your
b
studen
e
ts to
l
the
o
vocabu
w
lary
task on
i
the
t
worksh
.
eet
Vocabul and
ary task ask
them
A
to
i
match
m
the
words
:
to their
definiti
t
ons. All
o
the
definiti
p
ons are
taken
r
from
e
macmil
landicti
t
onary.c
e
om.
a
Feedba
ck on
c
the
h
answer
s as a
a
group.
r
a
n

Ke
y:
1.
gh

1
. Direct students to the listening task on the
worksheet and explain that they need to
listen
for the answers to the questions.
2
. Play Track 2 (remaining audio).

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T
I

T
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by
Luke
and
James
Vyner
Chines
e New
Year.

China:
2. Shes
The girl scared
that Nian
in the
will come
red dressas it is the

using a
variety of
archetypal
story-telling
phrases

1. Direct your

students to the
writing task
and explain
Key: 1.
that they are
because a
3. Hes
a going to write
their own story
travelling
child called
merchant.
using some of
Yang has
the language
4.
a
red
dress
been taken
5. He is taken from the
by Nian; 2.
away by Nian. listening
the colour
6. He lives in a passage. Ask
red
cave up in the them to look at
the words and
mountains.
Memory task
phrases in bold
7. He asks
in the box.
Aim: to allow
Nian
to
Check that
students to
stop
they
attacking
fully
understand
the
consolidate
them.
villagers
what they
and
free
2. Discuss ideas
have heard
Yang.
for what makes
Put students
8. Ambers red a good story.
into small
dress
Write all
groups and ask
9. Nian is very suggestions on
them to work
scared of the the board.
together to see
colour red.
Read out the
how much of
10. They placed following
the story they
red paper on questions to
their doors.
can remember.
help your
Key:
students think
Writing task
about their
1. Shes
stories:
Aim: to
doing a
practise
school
Where is the
project
creative
story set?
about
Who are the
writing
the
characters?
first day of
the
new
year.

 Is there a hero
and a villain?

e
w
o
r
d
s
Be the storyteller
in
b
Aim: to encourage learners
to consider pace
ol
and intonation whilst speaking
for an extended
d
period to bring a story to life
?
1. When the students have
completed their
W
short
h
stories, ask them to practise
reading their
stories
a
aloud to their partner. Tell
them to listen
t
carefully
e
to each other and offerffany tips to improve the
story and the way it is e
read. You could read out
the questions below toct
help the students give
advice to their partners.
di
d
t
The story
hi
1 Is
the
s
story
h
dramatic
a
or
v
exciting?
e
2 Could you
?

guess the
ending?

Was
the
problem
resolved?

The
storyteller

D
i
d
t
h
e
s
t
o
r
y
t
e
l
l
e
r
e
m
p
h
a
s
i
z
e
t
h

D
i
d
t
h
e
s
t
o
r
y
t
e
l
l
e
r
s
p
e
a
k
s
l
o
w
l
y
a
n

Did
the
sentences
sound
natural?

c
l
e
a
r
l
y
?

n
f
i
d
e
n
c
e

i
d

2. Place

students

in

new

pairs

to

read

their

stories

again

using the

feedback

from

their first

partners.

l
e

3. Fee

dback
on the
task
as a
group.
Ask
your
stude
nts to
discus
s how
they
felt
readin
g and

s
p
e
a
k
w
i
t
h

and

Mini
research
project
In pairs or
small
groups,
ask the
students
China: The
to
girl in the red
3. Give
dress
research
students
legends in
ten
their own
minutes to
countries
write their
and make
stories.
compariso
ns to the
Monitor
legend of
closely,
the girl in
helping
the red
with
dress.
Is there
a problem ideas.
that needs
Macmillan
solving?
Publishers
What
Ltd 2014
happens LISTENING
SKILLS / A
at the
Time to
end?
Travel /

language

listening
to each
others
stories.
Did they
enjoy it?
How did
it affect
the way
they
spoke?
Did they
learn
anythin
g?

Extension
activities
Group
storytelling
If time
allows,
ask if
anyone
would
like to
volunte
er to
read
their
story to
the
group.
You
could
set the
classro
om up
as
though
the
student
s are
sitting
around
a fire.

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T
I

by
Luke
and
James
Vyner

T
M

E
VE

China: The girl in the red

dress
Reading task
Read the following excerpt about the
Chinese New Year and answer the questions
below it.

SPRING FESTIVAL
(CHUN JIE)
CHINESE NEW YEAR

Worksheet
1
This is the most
important Chinese
festival and celebrates
the end of winter and
the beginning of spring.
The exact day depends
on the date of the new
moon, but it is always
between 21st January
and 19th February. The
festival lasts fifteen
days and tens of

dancers
one for the
lions head
and the
other for
the body
dance
through
the streets
to
loud music.
Ad

apted
from
China
(Macmilla
n Cultural
Readers)
by
Jennifer
Gascoign
e
Macmillan
Publisher
s Ltd
2013

1. When is the
Chinese
New Year?

2. How

Macmillan
Publishers Ltd
2014
LISTENING
SKILLS / A
Time to Travel
/ China: The
girl in the red
dress

long

the
days
befo
re
New
Year
?

5. What
4. What dance
food
s are
tradi
tiona
l?

is
perfor
med
and
why?

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by
Luke
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James
Vyner

E
VE

China: The girl in the red

dress
Language Task
Match the words to the definitions.
shadow

monster

hero

ghost

barn

shiver (v)

merchant

legend

roar (n)

crunch (v)

1. A ___________________ is the spirit of a dead

person that somebody sees.

2. If your body shakes because you are cold or

frightened, you ___________________.

3. A ____________________ is an old word for

someone who buys and sells goods.

4. A ____________________ is a large building

(normally on farm) where animals and
machines are kept.

5. A ____________________ is an area of darkness

created when something blocks light.

6. To ___________________ is to bite something

hard causing it to make a loud noise.

7. A ____________________ is a loud deep sound

that lions often make.

8. A ____________________ is an imaginary creature

that is large and frightening.

9. A ____________________ is an old
story about famous people and
events in the past. Legends are not
usually true.

10. Someone who has done something brave,

for example saving a persons life or risking
their
own
life,
is
called
a
_______________________.

Listening task
Listen to the story and answer the questions

below.

1. Why do Amber and Hongjun go to look for

Nian?

2. What do they discover Nian is scared of?

Memory task
In small groups, discuss the questions
below. How much can you remember?

1. Why is Amber in China?

2. Why does the villager take Amber inside?
3. What is Hongjuns job?
4. What does Amber buy from Hongjun?
5. At the party what happens to a small boy
called Yang?

6. Where does Nian live?

7. What does Hongjun ask Nian?
8. What did Nian see as the sun shone through a
crack in the caves roof?

9. When they return to the village, what does

Amber tell the people?

10. After this event, what did villagers begin do

before New Years day?

Workshe
et
Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2014
LISTENING SKILLS / A Time to
Travel / China: The girl in the red
dress

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AN

T
I

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M

by
Luke
and
James
Vyner

E
VE

China: The girl in the red

dress
Writing task
Now you can create your own story!
Look at the box below. Some of the
language comes from the listening passage
but you must fill in the gaps with your own
ideas. The story you write could be from
your imagination, a true story or even a
legend from your own country.
The darkness is closing in. Come closer to the fire
so that I can see your face.
My name is _____________ ______________ and I
have a story to tell you - this is the tale of
__________________________________________
__________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________

There was once / Once upon a time

________________________________________
_
__________________________________________
________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________
Unexpectedly,
__________________________________________
___________________
__________________________________________
________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________

Suddenly,
__________________________________________
______________________
__________________________________________
________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________

________ immediately
________________________________________
_____________
__________________________________________
________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________
And this is where my story ends. After that,
____________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________

Be the storyteller
Practise reading your story aloud in a
dramatic and interesting way.
Dont read too fast and try to emphasize the
language in bold. Practise reading and listening to
your partner. Do you have any advice for your
partner to help them improve their story?
Once you have practised a few times, find another
partner and read your story to them.

Worksheet
2
Macmillan Publishers Ltd
2014
LISTENING SKILLS / A Time to
Travel / China: The girl in the
red dress

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E
VE

Amber:
Villager:

Young
H
o
n
g
j
u
n

Amber:

:
H
e
l

Old Hongjun:

l
o
,
m
y

Amber:
n
Villager:

Old Hongjun:

Amber:
Villager:

Amber:

u
I lay there shivering
in the barn all night, too scared to move.
However, Nian
didnt
come and eventually the morning arrived,
n
so I
,
left the barn. I had some items to sell and the villagers offered me
shelter and food and kindly asked me to join them that evening
a
for
their New Year
n celebrations. I saw the girl from the night before
and
d
went to talk to her.

Old Hongjun:

Old Hongjun:

Old Hongjun:

o
The first day of the New Year!
n
Oh. Err, can I come in?
g
Quickly!
j

Villager:

China: The
girl in the
red dress

e
i
s
H

I
a
m
a
l
s
o
a
v
i
s
i
t
o
r
h
e
r
e
a

trav
ellin
g
cha
Track 1

nt.

Transcri
pt

mer

Track 2
Macmillan
Publishers Ltd
2014
LISTENING
SKILLS / A
Time to
Travel / China:
The girl in the
red dress

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by Luke and James
Vyner

China:
The girl
in the
red
dress
Amber:

Nice to meet
you,
Im
Amber. Hey,
if youre a
merchant,
then I dont
suppose that
you
have
any clothes
for sale? Ive
been invited
to the party
tonight and I
dont
have
anything to
wear.

Young Hongjun: It just so

happens I
have a
dress that I
think will
look
perfect on
you! Its
bright red
and very
fashionabl
e.
Old
Hongjun:
So, I sold
Amber the
red dress
and we
waited for
the night to
come

VE

and the
celebra
tions to
begin.
Villager: You dance
well, Amber!
Amber: Thank you! I
always like to Quick!
Young Hongjun: This
way!

:
Ni
an
,I
a
m
Ho
ng
ju

n
Amber: Over here.
La
Well
oz
whatev
u
er that
was,
an
its run
dI
away
ha
now.
ve not afraid of someone or
And Ill go with you Hongjun, Im
Girl:
It
... It
took children!
something
who
steals
co
Yang ... It took Yang ...

m Please, take this torch,

Oh
thank you, thank you so much!
soVillager:
e Nian lives in a cave, high up
you
where you are going.
No!can
My see
Yang!
in the mountains.
to
My sweet
as to journey up into the
We
left immediately
and began
beautiful
boy.
mountains.
k
The
night
Who
can was dark and the path was difficult to climb, but with
the
low
light of the torch, we pushed
on into the darkness. The
yo
help
me?
sun began to rise in the east and
we
finally
arrived at Nians cave.
u
Young
As we got closer we could hear the roars of the monster inside.
to
Hongjun: Ill
st
help you.
op
Dont
OK,
butworry;
be careful Hongjun, its dark inside the cave. Ill be
att
hiding
Ill getright
yourbehind you.
ac
son back.
Trying to control my fear, I spoke in a deep, loud
ki
voice:
Amber:
Villager:
ng
Old Hongjun:
th
Young Hongjun:
e
Amber, stay back. I will
vill
go in first.
ag
Amber:
Old Hongjun:
erstanding behind you?
Or else what? I dont see an army
Young
s

I may not be an army,

H but Im not scared of you! Let Yang go!

an

Dinner as well! It must

be my lucky day!
o

n
g
j
u
n

let
th
e
bo

y go!

Hm
m,
you
re
just
in
tim
e
for
bre
akf
ast,
I
will
enj
oy
cru
nch
ing
on
you
r
bo
nes
.
Young
Hongjun:
Let the boy
go or else!
Nian:
Amber:
Nian:
Macmillan Publishers
Ltd 2014
LISTENING SKILLS / A
Time to Travel / China:
The girl in the red dress

Transcri
pt

Nian:

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AN

by
Luke
and
James
Vyner

E
VE

n the
roof of
the
cave. It
shone
right
on
Amber
s red
dress.

China:
The girl in
the red
dress
Nian:

Old Hongjun:
As Nian spoke
he began to
move towards
us. Outside
the sun was

No, No!

Amber:
Whats
going on? Whats Nian
scared of?
r
i
s
i
n
g

Young Hongjun: It
must be your dress?
Nian:
No! Not
red, take the red away!
Amber:
Hes ...
Hes scared of my red
dress?

a
No! No!
n Nian:
d Amber:
Quick,
Hongjun, grab Yang
i and lets get out of
t here!
s
h Old Hongjun: I put
o the boy on my
n shoulder and we ran
e out of the cave. We ran
down
t
the
h
mounta
r
in trail
o
and the
u
angry
g
roars of
h
the
monste
a
r
disapp
c
eared
r
behind
a
us.
c
Eventu
k
ally we
arrived
i

back at the
village.
V
i
l
l
a
g
e
r
:
O
h
,
Y
a
n
g
!
Y
a
n
g
!
T
h
a
n
k
y
o
u
s
o
m
u
c
h
,
y
o
u
b
r
o
u
g
h
t
m

y son back to
me!

Amber:
Listen
everyone; you
dont need to
be afraid
anymore! Nian
is very

Young Hongjun: From now

on, you

s
c
a
r
e
d
o
f
t
h
e
c
o
l
o
u
r
r
e
d
.
A
n
d

shoul
d
wear
red
cloth
es
and
put
red
on
your
hous
es at
the
New
Year.
Then
Nian
will
be
too
scare
d to
retur
n and
you
will
be all
safe!

m Old Hongjun: And

y
this
r
is
e
whe
d
d
r
e
s
s
m
a
d
e
h
i
m
s
c
r
e
a
m
i
n
f
e
a
r
!

re
my
stor
y
ends
.
After
that,
the
villag
ers
put
red
pape
r on
their
front
door
s
befor
e
New
Year
s
Day
and
Nian

n
e
v
e
r
c
a
m
e
a
g
a
i
n
.
I
w
a
s
a
h
e
r
o
!
A
l
t
h
o
u
g
h
I
c
o
u
l
d
n

t
h
a
v
e
d
o
n
e
a
n
y
o

f it without
Amber, the
girl from the
legend. The
girl in the

red
dress
.

Transcri
pt
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FROM

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AN

Macmillan
Publishers Ltd 2014
LISTENING SKILLS /
A Time to Travel /
China: The girl in
the red dress