48 Conversation 1 Reading and vocabulary: politics and elections in Britain Read the text and underline the verbs that go with the nouns in red. Translate the whole verb + noun collocations into your language. Then discuss which things in the text are: exactly the same in your country. ._ similar in your country. © quite different, Many people fel the British electoral system is in need of reform. The government can decide to hold a goneral election any time within five years of coming to power. For the election, the country is divided into 646 areas ot constituencies. In each constituency, the people who live in that area vote to elect one MP to represent them. The party wit the majority of MPs forms the government. ‘Where no party wins an overall majority there isa hung parliament and the biggest partes form a coalition. fn the UK, coalitions are rare. This is partly because of the ‘irst- past-the-post systom’. In each constituency, the candidate ‘who wins the most votes becomes the MP and all the other voies that have been east for other candidates do not count towards the national result. This is why the Labour ‘government in 2001 could win a landslide victory with @ 166-seat majority, despite having only received 41% of the vote. ‘One suggested benefit of this system is that people have ‘a more direct relationship with their MP. If you have a problem, you can write to your MP and they are obliged to ‘answer you. They also hold weekly or monthly surgeries ‘when you can go and vist them in person, However, some people believe we should adopt a system of proportional representation — where the number of MPs each party gets is in direct relation to the total number of votes cast nationally. So, ifthe Labour party were fo poll 5% of the total vote, they would then have 51% of the members in Parliament. Tn the UK, there are three main partes: Labour, which ‘vas traditionally lft wing, but which moved to the centre to get elected, the Conservatives (or Tories) and the Liberal Democrats (Lib-Dems). The Tories were most popular in the eighties when Margaret Thatcher was their leader, but after 1997, they were in opposition. The party sufered fom a lot of infighting, The Lib-Dems are the third party. ‘They were traditionally in the centre, but have adopted sore left-wing polices. There are also a number of ‘Nationalist partes — in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — which want either more autonomy or complete separation from England, a You're going to hear four people talking Harry, Abigail, Miriam and Toby. Listen to the conversation and find out: a. if they are going to vote and if not, why not b. who they're going to vote for and why. Discuss who says the following and what they are talking about. 4. L caught the end of it 2. Ita fine line between smooth and smarmy. 3. Its quite off-putting. 4. Ive had enough of them. 5. They're only involved in a tiny proportion of schools. 6. I just don’t see it helping integration. 7. find him a bit shitty myself. 8. Theyre a bit lightweight, aren't they? 9. He tells it lke iti. 10. They're never going to get in. 11. keep out of all of it 42. You're such a cynic. Listen again and check your answers. 3|| Speaking Discuss these questions with a partner. 1. Anew phenomenon in UK elections is negative campaigning. What do you think of the poster below? Do you find this kind of thing in your country? 2. How do you feel about religious schools? 3. Do you agree that all politicians are as bad as each other? 4. Would you describe yourself as a floating voter? CUTS TO SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS...Using grammar: sentences starting with What We often start sentences with What followed by verbs to express feelings and opinions.We use it to mean The thing that. For example: + What annoys ie is the way they treat us as if we couldn't think for ourselves! Find examples of this structure in the tapescript for Activity 2 at the back of the book. ‘Complete the sentences with the pairs of words in the box. annoys + way concerns + that drives + how disturbs + fact bothers + level angers + amount frustrates + lack disappoints + not upsets + seeing Ao What nner MO MOS is z it’s not an isolated incident. Its happened time and time again. kes really worrying. .— me most about him is the he talks to people. He’ really = me most is the ‘of money they've wasted on useless 4, What. _-- me crazy is = arrogant they all are. They never believe they're in the wrong. 5. What ... -~ me is the that you can now be basically detained without trial ‘Theyre constantly eroding civil liberties. 6 Wha these people starving in Africa and knowing our government Is doing nothing to help. 7. What .. fa much what they've done, but the way it’s been presented. 8 Wha me is the .. crime in our cities. There's ust so much! 9%. What .. _—- me is the investment in education. We can't improve our schools as quickly as weld like without more money. Write six sentences of your own about the government, your prime minister, the opposition Parties, the local council, your city, your country ~ or anything else you feel strongly about. ‘Tell a partner and find out if you agree or disagree. ‘Can you complete these sentence starters about similar things? a. What | really like about what they've done is . b. What's great about things here is = « ‘c. What's realy pleasing to see is... . 8 Politics and elections [5] talking about politicians Match the descriptions with the follow-up ‘comments. 1. He seems very down-to-earth. 2. gt the impression he's very passionate. 3. He just comes across as being really arrogant. 4, He's very smooth in front of the cameras. 5. He's obviously very competent, but he's a bit dull. 6. He's a complete fascist. a He never listens to other people's points of view because he think he knows best. . He presents a very slick image. You never see him flustered or caught out. ‘c.He just realy rightewing! He wants to curb women's rights and get rid of all the immigrants — that kind of thing. 4. He hasn't got the spark or charisma to be Prime Minister. fe. You could imagine having a drink with him. He's got no pretensions. 1. He genuinely believes in what he's doing and wants to change things. New match these descriptions with the follow-up ‘comments. 7. I got the feeling he's very ambitious. 8. He's very charismatic. 9. He just seems very honest. 40. He comes across as being quite shifty in interviews. 11. He just comes across as incredibly patronising. 12. He's just a complete hypocrite. & He never gives a straight answer: I just wouldn't trust him. fh. He's very straight with people. I he thinks something. is bad, he says so. He's just powersmad. He's only Interested in getting to the top. j. He complains about private schools, but he sends his son to one! k. He talks down to people like they're children. LHe gives some very powerful speeches. He's got this aura of confidence which people find attractive. Work with a partner. Spend two minutes trying to memorise the descriptions. ‘Student A: Say one of the follow-up comments. ‘Student B: Close your book and respond with oné of the descriptions. Now discuss these questions. Try to use some of the language from this activity. + Are there any politicians or public figures you like or respect? Why? ‘+ Which politicians don't you like? Why? BEBEB BE EEE 4350 Reading 1 | Listening: voter apathy Voter apathy is a big problem in many democracies. Do you know what it is? Listen and complete this introduction to a radio news feature about voter apathy. Voter apathy has reached (1) Es ‘Turnout for the forthcoming election is expected to be the lowest in history with voters staying away from people, self-serving and (3) ‘As one commentator dryly noted, “The issue now is not whether politicians lie or not. Ie which liar you @ .-!" On top of all that, there's aso a (5) now that ifs not really politicians that run the show. They are often sesn as puppets with no real power, whilst behind the scenes, big business (6). : (2| speaking Discuss these questions with a partner. 1. Is voter apathy a problem in your country? Why? 2. Do you always vote in both local and national elections? 3. What are the consequences of voter apathy — both for society and for individuals who don’t vote? ‘4. Which groups in society do you think are most / least likely to vote? _3 | Before you read ‘You are going to read about some different ways people have tried to combat voter apathy. Before you read, write down three things you think would ‘encourage more people to vote. ‘Compare your ideas with a partner. Who has the best idea? le you read Now read the article.As you read, think about these questions. 4. Do any of the ideas mentioned already happen in your country? 2. Would you like to see any of these ideas introduced? Why? 3. What downsides to each idea might there be? Now discuss your answers with a partner. Vocabulary focus Match the nouns from the article with each group of collocations. meeting policy joke opinion answer goal election vote 4. crack a... /a dirty «/a sick / the .. fell fat / an old 2. cast a.../ get 22 per cent of the ../ the yes ../ a ..of confidence 3. demand an straight .. 4. a cabinet ../'a stormy ../ disrupt a ../ hold a ../ a top-level .. 5. in the run-up to the ../ rig the ../ hold a mock ../ local .. 6 put forward... ‘at the young 7. divide public .. an ..poll a difference of in my humble 8 a long-term ../ an immediate .../ an unrealistic ../ set a personal Now read the article again and find as many verbs 1 adjectives as you can that collocate with the nouns in the box below. «a rambling ../ he never gives a 1 adopt a controversial ./ a ..aimed the party line debates ways participation system How many of the collocations are new for you and your partner? Look up any collocations neither of you know. Then think of when you might use each one, 6| speaking Make sure you understand the words in the box. Then discuss the questions below in small groups. infrastructure and technology law and order pensions privatisation the economy the environment war and peace welfare and poverty abortion civil rights. education Europe foreign policy government reform health care immigration 1. What were the big issues in the last election in your country? Which of these issues were most important for you personally? 2. What kind of stance do the various parties in your country have on these issues?The politics of persuasion There's an old joke about voter apathy. A local council in Britain ‘once held a meeting to find ways of combating the problem ~ and only one person bothered to turn up! To those living under dictatorships, the widespread disillusionment with politicians in ‘many democracies must seem incredible and perhaps even offensive. However, for many — particularly the young - elections hold very little appeal. As a result, a vicious circle develops. If young people donit vote, candidates stop txying to appeal co them. If the candidates then don’t appeal to them, they're even more reluctant to vote! Re-enguging with voters and encouraging wider participation in the whole democratic process has become one of the main goals for political partes ofall persuasions. Here we explore six key ways in which a higher turnout could be encouraged. ] Stop the spint 4 Encourage greater participation in ‘Many voters claim they stay away from the polls more grassroots democracy in anger than in apathy. The modern obsession with image and presentation means most politicians never givea straight answer, always stick tothe party line and. ‘Many western democracies actually limit participation in the democratic process to a solitary vote once every enerally sound like they'e endlessly repeating a well- four of five years, Referendums on ismes of national fehearsed script. A bit more honesy, openness and importance ~ such as those often held in Switzerland — information would go a long way. Most voters want to would be one way of increasing interest. The South now about the mistakes as well as the success stories, American cities of Porto Alegre, Belém and Santo the problems as well as the plans, They also want ‘André in Brazil and Villa El Salvador in Peru have gone politicians to make big, brave decisions rather chan even further and set up participatory budgets, where always tailoring policies to fit public opinion. anyone and everyone can attend public meetings and ‘vote on how public finances should be spent. Lower the voting aj 2 pee 5) Make it easier to vote Politicians often complain that the young seem uninterested in politics ~ and yet many feel the voting ‘Many people don't get round to voting simply because system treats the young like idiots! In Britain, you can they'e too busy. E-voring, SMS-voting and polling smoke, have sex and start paying income taxat 16; you stations set up in shops, cafés or even pubs would can join the army and die for your country at 173 and take this into account and thus encourage greater yet you cant cast your vote for a party in favour of or participation, ‘opposed to war, abortion, tax cuts, and so on until you tum 18. The young have many responsibilities (Scrap the first-past-the-post system in Pale ee eee favour of proportional representation give them more rights! ‘At the moment, a British government that has 38 per 3 Pay more attention to civic ‘cent of the vote in a country where perhaps only 50 per responsibilities in schools czatof he people vot i hs he power uke The Some schools hold their own mock elections and ee ae eee A cncourage debates among pupils. Politicians and lobby einai eee ia Foe a Srey only te fe hee Wot be allocated seats according othe percentage of Paps: Te tg aa Be tee wet the overall national vote each received, would be far udents could also learn to value their right to vote ca ke pipet through studying, for example, the history of the coat ee ee acouly struggles women faced to get the vote.26 8 item ms titled ou Voting and elections ‘Complete the sentences with the words in the box. ‘boycotted ‘hung. “opposition coalition landslide rezing diceatorship main |. I didn't ike the government's policies, so I voted for ONE OF the sven PAFEES. a parties in our country. 3. ‘The government won the election by a 4. The last election resulted in a parliament where no-one won an overall majority. 5. The biggest party formed mmm with some of the smaller right-wing parties. 6 The government was accused Of avinnnnnan the election so they would win. 7. One political party snunmmnninnn the election because they didnt think it would be fair. 8, We used to have a Jn our country. Free and fair elections are relatively new. Now complete these sentences with nouns from the sentences above. Use some nouns more than they outtined in 13, The Opposition ween sin total disarray. 14, They've called an .. for 8 August. 15. They invaded us and installed a puppet sl 16. We need more women standing f0F euuremnnmnnnne+ 17. The scandal nearly brought down the El tts a fine tine If you say it’s a fine line between two things, you think there’s not much difference between them and ies easy to cross that line = move from one thing to the other. Match the sentence beginnings with the endings. |. Its afine line between smooth and 2: tea fine line between liberator and 3. Its afine line between genius and 4, Its afine line between news and 5. [esa fine line between helping and les a fine ine between outbreak and les a fine line between enough and les a fine line between fear and OOOOCOOU Propaganda. insanity. t00 much, 4. smarmy. @. exhilaration. epidemic. Ey talking about politicians ‘Complete the sentences with the words in the & occupier. A. interfering. age PN & charismatic flustered shifty direct hypocrite spark down-to-earth passionate |. He's got an aura about him. He's very. 2. He's a real man of the people. He's got no pretensions about him. He seems very .. 3. He comes across as being really wns | mean, he seems to really believe in what he's talking about. 4. He's very straight with people, I'l give him that. He's Very snennnsnnnnnamn— always say what he thinks. 5. He never gives a straight answer: He's just really 6. He comes across asa bit dull, He hasn't got the semen 80 get elected, 7: He doesn’t practise what he preaches. He's such a 8 He's very smooth. Ive never seen him get In front of the cameras.Ei sentences starting with What Rewrite the sentences so that they start with What and a verb to emphasise how you feel. The first one has been done as an example. |. He won't admit to having made mistakes, which is really annoying. What realy annoys me isthe fact that he won't admit to having made mistakes. 2. The lack of investment in education is worrying. 3. They've been ploughing an enormous amount of ‘money into nuclear weapons! Its very disturbing. The guy actually took responsibilty for the cock-up ‘and resigned, which was a pleasant change. 5. Proposing to introduce trial without jury is a concern, 6. I know mistakes happen — that’ fair enough ~ but this wasn't an isolated incident. That's the scary thing. 7. He speaks down to people all the time. I get really angry about it. Word bui ‘Complete the sentences with the words in the box. You will need to use some words more than ‘once. cleced =——=s« lective =—=«=*~*«lected election electoral unelectable electioneering electorate promises to be |. The upcoming general very closely contested. 2. The party is a shambles. They're totally 3. There's pressure to reform the 4, None of the European commissi but they wield a lot of power nevertheless. 5. The President needs to appeal to a wider section of 6. After the disaster, the opposition was accused of s~snensumenme When they criticised the government's performance. The government said the opposition ‘were exploiting the tragedy for their own 8 My wife decided to have an when she had our second child. 8 Politics and elections g Collocations Complete the sentences with the missing collocations from page 50 of the Coursebook. | tried to Joke about the situation, but t.. sone flat, 2. The government only. 37 per cent of the vote, which isn't exactly a vote of in their policies. 3. The meeting to approve the plans to build a new airport was Very onnu It was repeatedly by protesters. 4, Inthe to the . elections there were allegations that the mayor was trying to the election. a controversial at getting people off the dole 5, The government has policy and into work. 6. The government's stance on immigration has completely... public opinion. They've ‘even admitted that there are of opinion in the cabinet. a Stance on ‘Complete the sentences with these words. abortion ‘education pensions drugs foreign policy 1. Their stance of wwsnssnunne la bit confused. First they want to introduce a national curriculum, and then they want to increase parental choice regarding school selection, 2. ike thelr stance OM aewninennenn They want 10 ‘extend the retirement age and force companies to make higher contributions. 3. Their stance on | think it should be banned. 4. They take @ hard line on which | approve of. They want to toughen the law and increase prison sentences for possession. 5. fm dead against thelr stance OM em tes very isolationist. They want to withdraw from various international agreements, put up trade barriers and become more inward-looking. seems far too liberal. Find examples of these kinds of collocations: verb-noun _—adjective-noun_noun-noun 27| Politics Types of government Monarchy: a state ruled by a king or queen (= the king or queen has power and control). Some countries, e.g. the UK, have a monarchy, but the monarch is not the ruler. Republic: a state governed by representatives (= men or women chosen by the people) and a president, e.g. the USA or France. People who believe in this system are republicans. Democracy: a system of government in which leaders are chosen by the people, e.g. France or the United Kingdom. People who believe in this system are democrats. Dictatorship: a system of government in which one person rules the country (= one person has total power). This person is called a dictator. Political beliefs noun politics person politician adjective _ political conservatism conservative conservative socialism socialist socialist social democracy social democrat democratic liberalism liberal liberal communist communist communism People who believe in social democracy are social democrats. It is a democratic government, with liberal beliefs. Political positions The government is very reactionary (= they don’t want any changes). The opposition = the main political party which is not in government) is more radical (= they want to make changes to the system). The Prime Minister is quite right-wing (= conservative/ capitalist), and the leader of the opposition is more left-wing (= socialist). Elections In a democracy, people vote for (= they choose in a formal way) the political party (e.g. social democrats) they want to form the government. They do this in an election (= when everyone votes). Quite often elections take place/are held (= happen) every five years. 42% voted for the socialists in the election. (= The socialist party got 42% of the votes.) They elected a new president last year. (= The new president was elected last year.) The election takes place next week, and the Liberals hope to form the next government. Government Political systems are different all over the world (= in every part of the world). In the UK. when a political party wins a majority (= 51% or more) of seats (= official places in parliament) in an election, they are in power (= the government of the country), and their leader (= person in control of the party) becomes Prime Minister. The government must have policies (= programmes of action) to run (= manage and control) the country. This means, for example, an economic policy (for the economy), and a foreign policy (for actions by the country in other parts of the world). 174 — English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate & intermediate)86.1 86.2 86.3 86.4 86.5 Exercises What kind of political system is being described? 1 The country is ruled by a king or queen. 2 The country is governed by men and women who are chosen by the people. 3 The country is ruled by one person. Complete the tables. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary. general noun person general noun socialism believe democracy elect politics govern COMSCLVATISM fo enuconea tier a vote Rewrite the sentences using the words on the right. The meaning must stay the same. Make any necessary changes. Example It’s in every part of the world. ALL It’s all over the wodd. I Elections take place every five years. HELD. Elections ... 2 The government is socialist. WING The government is ...... ae as 3 Pima democrat. BELIEVE 4 Who controls the country at the moment? POWER Who Fill the gaps in this text about the political system in the United Kingdom. In the UK (1) ... take place every five years. The (2) .. saweee Minister may decide to have one after four years. but five years is the maximum. The country is divided into 652 areas and people in each area can only (3)...... for one person from one political (4) .... . The person with the most (5) .. iS the winner, and that person becomes one of the 652 members of parliament. The political party with a (6) of the seats in parliament then forms the government, and the (7) .... .. Of that party becomes Prime Minister. His or her job is then to decide on a number of different (8) ... .. tO run the country. Answer these questions about your own country. If possible, ask someone else. Which are the main political parties in your country? Which party is in power at the moment? When were they elected? Did you vote in this election? Who is the Jeader of this party? Is this person the President or Prime Minister of your country? Do you think you are left-wing, right-wing, or in the centre? Do you think your political beliefs have changed/will change during your life? INA PWN on English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate & intermediate) 175Politics and public institutions hz Types of government republic: a state governed by representatives and, usually a president (e.g. USA, France) monarchy: a state ruled by a king or queen (e.g. UK, Sweden) federation: a union of political units (e.g. provinces) under a central government (e.g. USA) democracy: government of, by and for the people dictatorship: system of government run by a dictator independence: freedom from outside control; self-governing MS Presidential and parliamentary government (US and UK) United States Presidential government: The powers of the President and the legislature (Congress) are separate. These branches of government are elected separately. The President is elected for a four-year term and can appoint or nominate high officials in government, including cabinet members (who advise) and federal judges. The President leads a major party, usually, but not always, the majority party in Congress. Congress consists of two houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congressmen or women and Senators are elected for fixed terms. The judiciary is a separate branch. The Supreme Court, the highest court, can overrule the President and Congress. United Kingdom Parliamentary government: The government consists of a legislature (Parliament) and a Cabinet of Ministers from the majority party in Parliament. The Prime Minister is the head of the government and the leader of the majority party i the House of Commons, holding office while the party holds a majority. The Prime Minister selects high officials and heads the Cabinet. Parliament consists of two chambers, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. MPs are members of parliament elected from each constituency [geographical area] the House of Commons. The judiciary is independent but it cannot overrule the Prime Minister or Parliament. The Highest Court consists of a group of Lords. Parliamentary elections During a general election each constituency has to choose which politician it wants ast representative. Usually there are several candidates to choose from. These candidates ar all standing (or running) for Parliament. They present the policies that they represent. € polling day each citizen goes to the polling station and casts a vote by marking a cross « their ballot paper. The candidate who gets the majority of votes wins the seat. If the V8 is very close, the constituency may be referred to as a marginal seat. If an MP dies in office, then there has to be a by(e)-election to replace him or her. The public can also occasionally vote in a referendum — a direct vote by the people on an important public issue. Probably the most useful political words for you will be the ones that relate to your Own COUN Highlight the words on this page that could be used about your country’s political system. 122 English Vocabulary in Use (Upper-intermediate)60.1 60.2 60.3 60.4 60.5 Exercises Choose the correct word from the choices offered. 1 India gained republic/independence/democracy from the UK in 1948. 2 Our MP’s just died and so we'll soon need to have a vote/referendum/by-election. 3. She’s running/sitting/walking for Parliament in the next election. 4 His father was voted/stood/elected MP for Cambridge City. 5S What is your country’s economic politics/policy/politician? 6 The USA is a legislature/federation/judiciary of fifty states. Look at this text about politics in the UK. Fill in the missing words. Parliament in the UK consists of two .... 1); the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In the House of Commons there are 650 ?), each representing one (3), The ruling party in the Commons is the one which gains a ... (4) of seats. The main figure in that party is called the = {5), The Commons is elected for a maximum period of 5 years although the Prime Minister may call a general ... (6) at any time within that period. Make some more words based on those you studied opposite. abstract noun revolution: representation election. dictatorship presidency Try this political quiz. 1 Name three monarchies. 2 Which is the oldest parliament in the world? 3 Name the President and the Vice-President of the USA. 4 Who is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom? S What politicians represent you in local and national government? 6 What are the main political parties in the country where you now are? 7 What are the main political issues in that country and what are the policies of the different parties on those issues? 8 What do these political abbreviations stand for ~ MP, PM, UN, EU, NATO, OPEC? Using the words on the left-hand page, write a paragraph about the political system in your country. Follow-up: Find a newspaper article in English relating to a political issue that interests you. Note down any further useful vocabulary in it. You will find words about types of political belief in Unit 63. English Vocabulary in Use (Upper-intermediate) 123Passive forms MODULE Before you start 11 Read about Yves Saint Laurent. Look at the highlighted grammar examples. Great fashion designers of the 20” century Y= Saint Laurent ig eOnsidered 10 be one of the most influential fashion designers of the twentieth century. His designs Have been copied many times and his ideas form the basis of many of today’s most famous fashion labels. Saint Laurent was born in Algeria but at the age of seventeen he moved to Paris to work for the famous clothes designer, Christian Dior. At first Dior patterns and help with details, but it was clear that this young man had a great talent for design. So, when Christian Dior died in 1957, ‘to Saint Laurent by the directors of the Dior fashion house. Saint Laurent created his first fashion collection for Dior in 1958. His designs for Dior were a huge success and within a few years he was making plans to start his own ae OR Taae business. The new company Wasset Up by Saint Laurent in 1962 and quickly became 08 the most successful French fashion house of the 1960s and 70s. But it wasn't enough for Saint Laurent to design clothes for the rich and famous. He wanted to create designs that anybody could afford. So in 1966 he formed a new company called Rive Gauche and in different sizes, so that anybody could wear them Saint Laurent always wanted to be different from other designers. For example, ftissaid that he was one of the first French designers to use black models in his shows. And he was certainly the first designer to put women in trouser suits and dinner jackets — clothes that had previously only been worn by men 2 Now read the sentences and choose the correct words in italics. The highlighted grammar examples will help you. 1 Your car isn’t here. It has taken / been taken to the garage. > Unit 83 2 Do you think that jacket was designed by / of a man? > Unit 83 3. That ring was given to / given my mother by my father. > Unit 84 4 My application for a loan was turned by the bank down / down by the bank. > Unit 84 5 Ihave cut my hair / my hair cut once a month. > Unit 85 6 My boss had me take / to take the report to the printers. > Unit 85 7 Paris is thought being / to be the most beautiful city in Europe. > Unit 86 8 It is saying / said that the city is more beautiful than Venice. > Unit 86 3 > Check your answers below. Then go to the unit for more information and practice. Pres 8 2qo} { aye} 9 ynd Ney Au ¢ yueq ay} Aq umop 7 0} UaAIS ¢€ Aq Z Udye} Uaaq [ 25183 1 The passive What about this wedding dress? It was designed by Sara O'Neill Forming the passive We use a form of be + past participle (> page 348-350) of the verb. The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb: active verb + object 1 They buy their clothes in the sales. subject + passive verb 1 are bought in the sales. We don’t usually repeat the same subject and form of be in a sentence: The cars are taken to the port, [the cars are] loaded onto ships and [they are] sent to their destinations. simple _—‘ They import all the clothes from China. tenses Did Fabio design her dress? continuous Somebody's washing her jeans. tenses — They weren't selling those designs See last year. perfect | haven’t ironed your shirt yet. tenses People had seen that design before. will and They will post the results tomorrow. infinitives We need to repair your shoes. I'm not going to finish the report today. -ing forms _/ hate people shouting at me. All the clothes are imported from China. Was her dress designed by Fabio? Her jeans are being washed. Those designs weren't being sold last year. Your shirt hasn’t been ironed yet. That design had been seen before. The results will be posted tomorrow. — Your shoes need to be repaired. The report isn’t going to be finished today. | hate being shouted at. More on passive infinitives and -ing forms >» Units 64.1, 65.2, 75.3 and 76.1 In spoken and informal written English, we sometimes use a form of get instead of be to form the passive. We can only do this to describe actions, not states: What happened? Did he get beaten up? We got stuck in the lift for an hour! Other uses of get, e.g. get married > Unit 92.3 If we want to say who or what does an action when using a passive verb, we use by + noun. We usually put this at the end of the clause or sentence: Katie Holmes’ wedding dress was designed by Giorgio Armani. Did you buy that sweater from a shop or was it knitted by your mother? A Verbs with no object (intransitive verbs, e.g. arrive, come, grow up, happen, wait) cannot be 252 made passive: X Twas-grown-up-in Edinburgh. J I grew up in Edinburgh. X An-email-has-been-attived. J/ An email has arrived. Born is always passive: I was born in 1990. Where were your parents born?2 Reasons for using the passive We often use the passive when we want to talk about an action rather than the person or thing that does the action. We do this when it doesn’t matter who does the action: The votes will be counted at the end of the meeting. Have the parcels been delivered? we know or can guess who does the action: Here’s your skirt. It’s been dry-cleaned. (obviously by the dry cleaner’s) I brought my car to your garage yesterday. Has it been repaired yet? (by the garage) we don’t know, or we don’t want to say who does the action: My bicycle has been stolen! (1 don’t know who stole it.) I see the washing-up hasn’t been done again! (I don’t want to say who hasn’t done it.) we want to talk about general feelings or beliefs (> Unit 86): The building is believed to date from the thirteenth century. (Most people believe this.) we want to be polite or we are in a formal situation: Have the reports been typed yet? (more polite than Have you typed the reports yet?) Your application will be assessed by the manager. (more formal than The manager will assess your application.) 3 Using passives in writing Passives are more common in writing than in speech. e We usually prefer to start a sentence with known information (something that has already been mentioned) and then put new information at the end. The passive helps us to do this: [— known information ————, [Jennifer Lopez wore an amazing wedding dress . designed it .| known inf i 07 ' formation = ) ¥ Jennifer Lopez wore an amazing wedding dress . It was designed by Vera Wang . We generally don’t like to put a long subject before the verb, so we often use the passive to move the subject towards the end of the sentence, after the verb: [The low prices on a selection of summer suits in the shop window attracted us.] v We were attracted by the low prices on a selection of summer suits in the shop window. More on the use of passives in writing > Units 103 and 105.2 4 Common uses of the passive We often use the passive in these situations: Three men have been arrested by the police. The missing child has not been seen for three days. The results were announced early this morning. Three possibilities have been suggested and these will be examined in Chapter 3. The crystals were heated to a temperature of 150°. This plant needs to be watered daily. The doors are locked at 10.30 p.m. Staff expenses are recorded on form SE11 and — supported by receipts. The employees are paid monthly by cheque. 253 1683 THE PASSIVE 1 Zz 3 254 Practice Complete the second sentence so it means the same as the first, using passive forms. Listen and check. 0 They were painting that wall yesterday. We've turned off the lights. We will send you an email tomorrow They aren’t making that model any more. That model .. Do I have to fill in this form? Does this form They haven’t repaired your computer yet. | Your computer They’re going to close the road for 24 hours. The road AnkWwne Complete the descriptions of the pictures, using passive forms of the verbs in the box. 4 build count deeerate finish repair wash 0 This house .is being decorated 1 The votes .. 3 The roof needs 4 The bridge ...... next year. 2 This castle ..in 1250. 5. The dishes ....... . yet. Use the information in the email to complete the sentences below. Subject {Wedding plans! _~mx Mum and Dad agreed to pay for the reception. a paid ‘the deposit last eee That was: a relief! Have you decided what to wear yet? I've bought my wedding dress (it’s a bit big so | have to alter it). The shop had reduced the price so it was only a few hundred pounds. Do you remember Aunt Terri? Apparently she’s got a fantastic new video camera, so she’s going to film the ceremony. We've got a professional photographer as well. She'll take the formal photos. And Antonio from the Italian restaurant is doing the catering, so the food should be great! | | can’t wait to see you there. It's going to be a great day! Ie o Everything (ee ee by Jake and Tay, The final invitations at the moment. Jane Anderson .. to the wedding. The deposit for the ieceftion Lucy has bought her wedding dress but it has The price of the dress last week. .. by the shop. The ceremony ........... by Lucy’s aunt. The formal photos ................. by a professional photographer. 8 The catering 2... eeccceceeeeeeseseeeeeee DY Antonio. NAORWNHROTe 4 Choose the best word in italics. Sometimes both are grammatically correct, but one answer is more suitable. Listen and check. HOW IS PAPER MADE? Everyone enjoys reading fashion magazines and newspapers. But have you ever thought about how the paper (0) we print them / (they are printedjon is made? Most paper is (1) made / making from wood. First, (2) they cut the wood / the wood is cut into small pieces. These (3) mix / are mixed with water and heated to produce a kind of thick paste. Then chemicals (4) we add them / are added to clean the paste and make it white. Next the paste is spread on a screen and (5) dried / is dried. The water drains away or evaporates and (6) are left / leaves a thick layer of paper. (7) We then pass this / This is then passed between two large rollers (circular machines) to make it thinner and flatter. (8) The paper can then be cut / They can then cut the paper into the correct sizes. 5 Three more of these paragraphs would be improved if the second sentence used a passive form. Decide which paragraphs they are and rewrite the second sentence. 0 Philip Green bought the famous British clothes store, Moss Bros, in 2008. Because they ran out of money, the original owners sold it. of. . Live Aid was the most successful fund-raising event of the 1980s. A group of well- now British and American musicians organised it in July 1985. . 2 The Laurentian Library in Florence is one of the greatest buildings of the Italian Renaissance. Michelangelo designed it in the 1520s. 3) Jeans first became popular when they were worn by film stars and singers in the 1950s. Elvis Presley and James Dean were the two stars who had the most influence on young people's fashion at that time. 4 In recent years several high street stores s have st started d selling c copies. 5 of designer jeans. People who can’t afford to buy real designer clothes often buy them. My watch was made in Australia. My school was built in the 1960s. My old photos are stored in the garage. My favourite shirt is made of nylon. My hair is usually cut by my mother. I don’t like food that has been fried. APR WN O 25584 Passives with modal and other verbs WARNING! Do not w machine. Silk must be washed by hand or dry-cleaned. Modal verbs We make the passive form of modal verbs with the modal verb (+ not) + be + past participle. There is a perfect form — modal verb (+ not) + have been + past participle. Present You must wash silk by hand. Silk must be washed by hand. You should not iron this jumper. This jumper should not be ironed. Perfect — They might have turned the electricity off. The electricity might have been turned off. She couldn’t have washed it yet. It couldn’t have been washed yet. We often use modal present passives for written instructions and rules: Silk must be washed by hand or dry-cleaned. These lights cannot be used outside. We often use modal perfect passives to make guesses about the past or to talk about past expectations (> Unit 48.2/3): I don’t know why the cake’s burnt. It may have been left in the oven for too long. This computer still isn’t working; it should have been repaired ages ago! Verbs with two objects With these verbs, e.g. give, offer, buy (> Unit 59.5), there are two ways of forming the passive. The ‘person’ object becomes the subject of the passive verb: Sees object Amanda was given first prize (by the judges). Sylvia _ is going to be offered anew job (by her boss). The children were bought anew kitten (by their aunt). e The ‘thing’ object becomes the subject of the passive verb, and we put to or for in front of the ‘person’ object: First prize was given to Amanda (by the judges). A new job is going to be offered to Sylvia (by her boss). A new kitten was bought for the children (by their aunt). Verb + adverb/preposition We can usually make passive forms of phrasal verbs (> Unit 91) if they have an object: They pulled down the old school in 2005. + The old school was pulled down in 2005. Sally has given away Kemal’s CDs. + Kemal’s CDs have been given away (by Sally). We don't separate the verb and adverb: X Kemal’s-old-clothes-have-been-given-by Sally-away. There are a few prepositional verbs (> Unit 90) that are common in the passive: The old Hoover factory has been used as a supermarket for several years. New York is known as ‘The Big Apple’. Coco Chanel was regarded as the best designer of the 1920s.1 Practice Write the words in the correct order. Listen and check. 0 the questions all be answered must All, the, questions must be answered... 1 down bythe committee our proposal been has turned 2 left was by my grandfather tome that house 3 apayrise hasn’t Geraldine given been 4 be inthe USA can this mobile phone used ? 5 taken couldn’t that photo been at our wedding have Rewrite these historical facts, using passive forms. Begin with the underlined word. 0 The French government gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1886. The Statue, of Liberty was given 20 the United States by the. French government in. 1886, 1 The Spanish brought potatoes to Europe in the sixteenth century. 4 The South African government sent Nelson Mandela to prison in 1962. 5 France sold Louisiana to the United States in 1803. Find six more mistakes in the conversation and correct them. Listen and check. expert Well, this is an interesting fashion print. Did you buy it? by owner No, it was given to me ef my grandmother just before she died. Expert So she was the person who bought it? owner Not exactly. She found it. It had left on the side of the road by somebody. expert How amazing. Tell me, is this the original frame? owner No, I think it may been changed when my grandparents moved house. They had a really good carpenter and he made new frames for all their pictures. It might have been put into a new frame from him. EXPERT That’s a pity. These prints are always worth more if they’ve been keep in their original frames. It shouldn’t have been taken of the original frame out, really. But if it was for sale put up I expect it might fetch several hundred pounds ... 25785 have something done 1 have/get something done We use have something done (have + object + past participle) when somebody does something for us (something we want or ask them to do): Gerald has all his suits made for him. (His tailor makes them.) We’re going to have our kitchen painted. (Decorators are going to do it.) We can use this pattern with all tenses of have and make questions and negatives: Will they have their house painted next year? What has she had done in the garden? Have you had your hair cut? We haven't had our car repaired yet. We didn’t have our house painted last year. In informal English we can use get something done with the same meanings: Your hair’s lovely. Where do you get it cut? Can I get my car washed here? We also use have/get something done when somebody does something to us that we didn’t want or ask for, often something bad. Sergei got his passport stolen yesterday. (= A thief stole it.) Gerald has all his suits made for him by a tailor in London. Today Gerald's getting him to make a winter suit. A We always use have (not get) something done in the present perfect tense: x Wes bedi ; v We've had our water supply disconnected. (= The water company did it.) 2 have somebody do something, get somebody to do something In formal English we use have + object + infinitive to talk about making someone do something: The customs officer had me open my suitcase. (= He made me open my case.) I’m sorry about the mess in your room, sir. I'll have someone clean it immediately. In informal English we use get + object + to + infinitive with the same meaning: Gerald's getting him to make a suit. I got the children to clear out their rooms yesterday. If we tell a person to make something happen, we use the imperative: Teresa, have the new patients fill in forms, please. When you go to the shop, get them to give your money back. The forms with get are more common in British English and the forms with have are more common in American English. 3 need + -ing We can use an -ing form or infinitive after need in order to give a passive meaning: These dirty clothes need to be washed. (= It is necessary for somebody to wash them.) — These clothes need washing. My hair is very long. It needs to be cut. + My hair needs cutting. More on need for necessity > Unit 50 258Practice in the box. break paint show test wash | 0 1 2 That van o 3 The police officer ..... Et WEIS Dette cee 2 his nose ‘1 Complete the sentences, using a form of have, get or need and suitable forms of the verbs .. her nails .painged his eyes oo. him my driving licence. .. ina boxing match last year. Read about the club and choose the correct words in italics. Listen and check. THE SPOIL YOURSELF CLUB * What is the Spoil Yourself Club? The Spoil Yourself Club is there for your every need. Once you pay the $10,000 membership fee you can call us at any time and get us (0) arrange ((f0 arrangé)almost anything you want. What can you get for me? We can get almost anything for you. For example, if you need a new designer dress for a special party we can have a top designer (1) produce / produced something for you within a few days. If you need a table at a five- star restaurant we can (2) have had / have the best table (3) reserved / to reserve for you at just an hour's notice. If you've had (4) cancelled a flight / a flight cancelled, we can get one of our pilots (5) to fly / fly you anywhere you desire in our private jet. DEED Listen and check. Your room is filthy! Ge¢. it, cleaned up I’m going grey, so I Sindy . Something is wrong with your TV. I think . DAunkWNHO Excuse me. Can I while she was at the gym. * What about other services? If you've had a hard day at the office and just want a relaxing massage, we have a team of excellent therapists ready to help. You can have your hair and make-up (6) to be done / done by our expert beauticians. But we haven't forgotten about those everyday problems. So, if your central heating system breaks down we will get a plumber (7) coming / to come to your house in half an hour. If your car needs (8) servicing / to service, we can have a mechanic collect your car and return it to you later the same day. 3 Complete the sentences, using suitable forms of the words in brackets. at once! (get / it / clean up) every six weeks. (have / my hair / colour) (get / phone / steal) (it / need / check) Perea while you were out? (get / those documents / copy) .. your bags up to your room now, sir. (have / the porter / take) ceseseee here? (get / my passport photos / take) 259 1686 Passive reporting verbs 1 Using passive reporting verbs We can use passive reporting verbs @ to talk about general feelings or beliefs: His company is thought to be worth almost three billion dollars. (= Many people think this.) e when we don’t know (or we don’t want to say) who made the statement originally: It was suggested that the factory should be closed. I’m afraid your fees were considered to be too expensive. 2 Patterns with passive reporting verbs We usually use the reporting verbs believe, consider, expect, know, report, understand, say, State and think. There are two patterns. e It+ passive verb + that clause: It is said that Ralph Lauren is the world’s richest fashion designer. Yesterday it was reported that three prisoners had escaped from the island. e Subject + passive reporting verb + to + infinitive: The American team is expected to win. (= Most people expect them to win.) His company is thought to be worth almost three billion dollars. To talk about the past, we use the perfect infinitive (> Unit 65.2); there is an active and a passive form: People say the Romans built the town. > The Romans are said to have built the town. People believe the town was built by the Romans. > The town is believed to have been built by the Romans. These patterns are used mainly in news reports and in academic and scientific English: These poems are considered to be Shakespeare's finest works. The new software is expected to require more memory. It is said that Ralph Lauren is the richest designer in the world. His company is tho be worth almost three billion dollars. 3 supposed to, meant to Supposed to and meant to have several meanings © We often use them for something that was arranged or expected but didn’t happen: He was supposed to phone me yesterday. (= 1 expected him to phone but he didn’t.) Where are the keys? They were supposed to have been left on my desk. Where’s John? He was meant to be here half an hour ago! ® We also use supposed to/meant to for things we should or shouldn’t do. We often use it when people ‘break the rules’ or do things we think are wrong: You can’t go in there. You’re meant to wait outside. Shh! We aren’t supposed to talk in the library. © But supposed to/meant to can also describe a general belief: Try their lamb curry. It’s supposed to be really good. You should take the train; it’s meant to be less stressful than flying. More on reporting verbs and patterns >» Module 13 260Practice Choose the correct meaning, A or B. 0 Phillipe Starck is considered to be the world’s greatest designer of household objects. A Phillipe Starck thinks this. ) Many people think this. 1 Tom Cruise is said to be the richest film star in the world. A People think this, but it may not be true. B This is a fact. 2 We're supposed to take a present with us. A Our hosts expect us to take a present. B We forgot to take a present. 3 It is believed that the government will cancel the high speed railway line. A The government believes this will happen. B Some people believe this will happen. 4 How annoying. We were meant to have seats in the front row! A They’ve given us seats in the front row. B They haven't given us seats in the front row. 5 It has been suggested that Martin stole £100,000 from his employer’s bank account. A Some people say Martin did this. B Martin says he did this. Complete the second sentence so it means the same as the first, using the word in brackets. Use four or five words in your answer. Listen and check. 0 Iexpected Harriet to send me a parcel, but she didn’t. (supposed) Harriet ... .. mea parcel. 1 Many fashion writers think that New York is the top fashion city in the world these days. (said) New York .... the top fashion city in the world these days. 2 My landlord doesn’t like me smoking in the house. (meant) . in the house. 3 The TV news says that the football club has a new owner. (reported) The football clap: <5, press csasssis cates spsas eeseenonesssssee . anew owner. 4 They wanted me to go to their party but I was too busy. (supposed) Deemer Pmre .. their party but I was too busy. 5 I've been told tl that Acmatl designs all her clothes. (believed) All her clothes by Armani. Rewrite the underlined phrases in the talk, using the words in brackets. Listen and check. ‘Welcome to Candleburgh Hall, the historic home of the Westmoor family. (0) The house is said ave been designed by Robert Smythson, although we don’t have any proof of that. But we certainly know it was built around 1570. (1) We were going to visit the stables today, but I’m afraid they are currently closed for repairs. (2) We think they'll be finished in April, so you'll be able to see them then. Today we're starting in the main drawing room. In fact, (3) many people think it is the most beautiful room in the house. But it holds a dark secret. (4) Some people believe that Sir Henry Westmoor died here. In fact, (5) they say he was killed by his own brother. Now, if you'll all follow me, we’ll move to the Queen's Bedroom ... this room got its name because (6) we think that Queen Elizabeth I slept here in the 1580s ...’ 0 The house ..is supposed to have been designed by Robert Smythson . (supposed) LW aevsssscsinecssavenessonccate eerastenscicas SAREE - (meant) 2 The work . : . (expected) 3 It. . (considered) 4 Sir Henry Westmoor . . . (believe) 5 It. See ee eee ee een ere renee re EE (SAIC) 6 Queen Elizabeth I. aes tseonenss si ceeseestineesnstneeeniesenniieennnieenisaees (thought) om Colmar 261Review MODULE 16 1_sunits 83 AND 84 There is a mistake in each of these signs and labels. Find the mistakes and correct them. This garment must | ae not dry- Cleaned, 1 j 2 4 | The shop be closed for _ staff training. We will | rex open at 2 p.m. J AUN This table has been reserved of the This site has been closed by our engineers down i while we upgrade management. ] - 7 our servers. eee Charles Dickens fe cite g Prose | Do not open the | eee _ doors until the train is — | arrived at a station. 1786. Fake fashions (0) Ié.is said that. svi, (it/ say / that) most designer goods sold in street markets these days are fakes. It isn’t surprising; most designers only sell their goods through upmarket shops. There is even more of a problem on the Internet. In June 2008 a French court found eBay guilty of allowing fake goods to be sold on their website. The court (1) , (have / eBay / pay) €40 million to the luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior in compensation. Of course, the people who buy these items often don't know that they are fakes. A man who paid £500 for a ‘Rolex watch’ only discovered it was a fake when he (2) ... (have / it / repair) by a local jeweller. People often find that clothes are (Ses aNnEn they ...... (need / wash). They wash them and discover that they shrink or the colour changes — something that would never happen with a real designer product. (It/ often / argue) that designer brands are much too expensive. People don’t like paying such high prices and don’t seem to care that designers are losing money. But the truth is that buying fake goods does have serious consequences because the people who deal in these fakes are often serious criminals. They (5) (have / the goods / make) in small factories in the Far East or South Artes and then import them to Europe and the USA. Some of the people making the goods (6) ... (think / be) children who work in terrible conditions for almost no money. They are the ones who pay the real price for our fake designer clothes. ic i a 3 units 83 AND 86 Choose the best sentence to continue each paragraph, A or B. O Marek brought a beautiful carved wooden table back from India. A An old Indian carpenter in Delhi made it. It was made by an old Indian carpenter in Delhi. 1 Davina was really thrilled when she got her first car. A It was given to her by her parents just before she went to university. B Just before she went to university her parents gave it to her. 2622 Susie and Jim were shocked when they visited their old school. A Somebody had demolished it and built a block of flats in its place. B It had been demolished and a block of flats built in its place. 3 Guernica is one of Pablo Picasso’s most famous paintings. A He painted it while he was living in France. B While he was living in France it was painted. 4 The Member of Parliament for Warton North was arrested by the police this morning. A He is reported to have sold government secrets to the Enquirer newspaper. B Some people say he has sold government secrets to the Enquirer newspaper. 4 at.unrts Read the note and the letter. Choose the best answer, A, B or C below. Redding Lexton Student Loans Ltd. Redding House Loughborough LX8 90M Dear Mr Kingston, Thank you for choosing Redding Lexton Student Loans. (2) .. _ over one million adult students with loans in the UK, so we know that there is a wide choice of student loans on the market. We believe that our Student Loan Plus is the best choice available. We apologise for the fact that you did not receive the application form last month. There | I | was a postal strike in Loughborough and we believe (3) in the post. The application form (4) ..0........... with this letter. The form (5)............... in black ink and signed at the bottom. Please (6) ... by your next of kin.. The form then needs (7) ...... to our Loughborough office. The bottom section (8) ............... and kept as a receipt. The completed contract (9) 00.00.00... our customer service department in due course. The first instalment of the loan (10) ............... direct to your bank account as soon as your application has been approved. Yours sincerely, JDu— ot a ee Jacob Dunn Sales Executive 0 A has filling in @yhas to be filled in C has to been filling in 1 A supposed to have been sent B supposing to be sent C supposed to been sent 2 A We think there are B There are thought being _C There are thought to be 3 A it may to be lost B we may lose it C it may have been lost 4 A isenclosed B enclosing C be enclosed 5 A you should complete B should be completed C should you complete 6 A section 9 have completed _B have completed section 9 C_have section 9 completed 7 A being posted B to be posted C that it is posting 8 A can be torn off B can torn off be C can be off torn 9 A is sending to you from B to you will send by C will be sent to you by 10 A can making B can to make C can be made 263264 Test MODULE 16 Passive forms Choose the correct answer, A, B or C. 1 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Sorry. Your clothes ,........, yet. A didn’t been ironed B haven’t done iron C haven’t been ironed Film stars love ..........- A been photographing B being photographed C being photograph in the 1960s? id the house build B Was the house built C Was built the house What happened? .......... hurt? A Did he get B Did he been C Got he A by Charles Dickens written B written of Charles Dickens C written by Charles Dickens The experiment ......... under strict medical supervision. A we carried out B was carried out C was carrying out Thanks for the medicine. ......... before or after meals? A Should it be taken B It should take C Should be taken it This heater .......... in a bathroom. A can’t to use it B not can be used C cannot be used A acar was given by his uncle B to his uncle was given a car C was given a car by his uncle I’m not surprised your camera isn’t working. It .......... out in the rain! A shouldn’t have left B shouldn't have been left C shouldn't to be left Rome is often ......... A as the Eternal City known B known as the Eternal City C as known the Eternal City Mrs Osbourne .......... once a month. A her hair coloured B has coloured her hair C_ has her hair coloured I, serviced next week. A am being the car B am having the car C have done the car Don't worry, sir. I .. you the contract this afternoon. A will have my assistant fax B will have faxed my assistant C have my assistant done fax Those curtains are very dirty. They really need A towash B washing C have washed The painting .......... worth at least fifty million dollars. A is thought to be B it is thought to be C is thought being The ancient Romans central heating. A are believed to invent B are believed have invented C are believed to have invented We were expected ......... the match against the army team. A tolose B losing C to be lost You can’t park there. You .......... at the side of the building. A supposing to park B are supposed parking C are supposed to park Where's the report? It was supposed .......... by this morning. A to being finishing B to have been finished C to have done finished > Unit 83 > Unit 83 > Unit 83 > Unit 83 > Unit 83 > Unit 83 > Unit 84 > Unit 84 > Unit 84 > Unit 84 > Unit 84 > Unit 85 > Unit 85 > Unit 85 > Unit 85 > Unit 86 > Unit 86 > Unit 86 > Unit 86 > Unit 86