Top Notch TV Teaching Notes

For some general guidelines on using the Top Written work

Notch TV sitcom and interviews, see the General ● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write

Methodology document in the Top Notch TV folder affirmative and negative statements about the
on the ActiveTeach. Note: The Answer Keys included characters in the video episode. For example,
in these Teaching Notes provide answers to the Marie is the receptionist. Bob is not a singer.
Activity Worksheet exercises on the ActiveTeach. ● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write five

yes / no questions about the occupations of the

different characters. For example, Is Bob an athlete?
UNIT 1 Then combine pairs into groups of four and have
them exchange questions and write short answers.

VIDEO SCRIPT
Sitcom: Nice to meet you. The staff of Top Notch Travel, a small travel agency,
greets Mr. Rashid, a customer.
Social language
Mr. Evans: Hi! Are you Mr. Rashid?
● Greetings and introductions
Mr. Rashid: Yes, I am.
Grammar Mr. Evans: It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m James
● Verb be: singular and negative statements Evans, president of Top Notch Travel.
Marie: Welcome to Top Notch. I’m Marie, the
receptionist.
PREVIEW Mr. Rashid: Nice to meet you.
●Write the word occupations on the board. Ask Paul: Hi. I’m Paul. I’m a tour guide.
students to name different occupations and list Mr. Rashid: Glad to meet you.
them on the board. Add president, receptionist, tour Cheryl: Hi, I’m Cheryl.
guide, office manager, mailman to the list. Discuss Mr. Rashid: The office manager.
their meanings. Cheryl: Yes!
Mr. Rashid: A pleasure.
REVIEW Mr. Evans: Bob? Bob is . . .
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Mr. Rashid: A chef.

episode again if necessary. Mr. Evans: No, Bob is not a chef. Bob is a . . .
Is Cheryl the office manager? (yes) doctor? No, Bob is not a doctor. Bob is not
Who is a tour guide—Bob or Paul? (Paul) a singer. He’s not an architect. He’s not an
Is Bob a chef? (no) athlete . . . Bob!
Is Bob an architect? (no) Bob: Hi . . . I’m the mailman.
Is Bob an actor? (no) Mr. Evans: This is Bob. Bob is . . .
Is Marie the receptionist? (yes) Mr. Rashid: An actor!
Who is president of Top Notch Travel—Mr. Evans
or Mr. Rashid? (Mr. Evans)
ANSWER KEY
EXTENSION A. chef, doctor, singer, architect, athlete, actor
Oral work B. 1. No, he’s not. 2. Yes, he is. 3. Yes, she is.
4. No, he’s not. 5. Yes, she is. 6. Yes, he is.
● Discussion. Ask students Is Bob really the mailman?
C. 1. c 2. a 3. b 4. d
(no) Write on the board Bob is _____. Then ask
What do you think Bob’s occupation is? Write
students’ guesses on the board. Interview: Hi. How are you today?
● Group work: role play. Ask students to identify
the different responses to greetings they heard in PREVIEW
the video episode. Write them on the board. (It’s ● On the board, write:

a pleasure to meet you. Nice to meet you. Glad to What’s your name?
meet you. A pleasure.) Then have students work My name is _____.
in groups to role-play the greetings between ● Ask students the question. Refer them to the

Mr. Rashid and the different Top Notch Travel prompt as they answer.
employees.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 1

REVIEW Interviewer: I’m well. My name’s Doug. What’s
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video yours?
segment again if necessary. Dan: Dan.
Is Alvino a businessman? (yes) Interviewer: Hi, Dan. Nice to meet you.
Is Emma a teacher or a receptionist? (a receptionist) Dan: Nice to meet you.
Is Christiane a teacher? (no) Interviewer: Hello.
Is Vanessa a teacher? (yes) Christiane: Hello.
Interviewer: My name’s Doug. What’s your name?
EXTENSION Christiane: My name’s Christiane.
Oral work Interviewer: Hi, Christiane. It’s nice to meet you.
● Pair work: interviews. On the board, write the Christiane: Nice to meet you too, Doug.
following questions that the interviewer asks the Interviewer: So tell me, what do you do?
people: What’s your name? How are you today? What Christiane: I work in a hotel.
do you do? Put students into pairs and have them Interviewer: Good morning.
take turns asking and answering the questions. Vanessa: Good morning.
● Pair work: role play. Have students choose one of Interviewer: My name’s Doug.
the characters from the interviews and role-play Vanessa: My name’s Vanessa.
the short conversation between the interviewer Interviewer: Hi, Vanessa.
and the character. Tell students to try to include all Vanessa: How are you?
the information they talked about. Interviewer: I’m well. Thank you. Tell me, what do
you do?
Written work Vanessa: I’m a teacher.
● Write these names on the board: Vanessa, Emma, Interviewer: Good afternoon.
Alvino. Tell students to come to the board and Emma: Good afternoon.
write sentences describing what each person does. Interviewer: My name’s Doug.
For example, Vanessa is a teacher. Emma: My name is Emma.
Interviewer: Hi, Emma.
● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write
Emma: Hi. Nice to meet you.
down one of the dialogues from the video. Tell Interviewer: Nice to meet you. What do you do?
students to write as much information as they can
Emma: I’m a receptionist.
remember.
Interviewer: Oh, that’s interesting. Well, take care.
Emma: Bye-bye.
LANGUAGE NOTES: I’m well is another way of
Interviewer: Hi. My name’s Doug.

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
saying I’m fine. It can be used in response to the
Alvino: Hi, Doug.
question How are you?
Interviewer: What’s your name?
The term as well means the same thing as too or Alvino: Alvino.
also. For example, Nice to meet you as well. Interviewer: So, Alvino, what do you do?
Alvino: Retail.
Christiane pronounces her name as Christiana,
Interviewer: You’re a businessman?
which is the German pronunciation of the word.
Alvino: Yes, I am.
Interviewer: Well, it’s nice to meet you.
CULTURE NOTE: Retail refers to selling goods in
Alvino: Nice to meet you as well.
stores to people. When the interviewer asks Alvino
Interviewer: Take care. Have a nice day.
what he does, Alvino says, “Retail.” This answer is
Alvino: You as well. Bye-bye.
short for “I work in retail.” The interviewer finds
Interviewer: Bye-bye.
out Alvino’s occupation by asking him if he’s a
businessman.
ANSWER KEY
VIDEO SCRIPT A. 1. e 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. a
B. 1. b 2. a 3. b
Interviewer: Hi. How are you today?
C. 1. a 2. b 3. a 4. b
Dan: Good. How are you?

2 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 2 to come to the board and write affirmative
and negative sentences about these people’s
relationships to each other. Remind students to
use possessive nouns (name + ’s) or possessive
Sitcom: Who’s that? adjectives (his, her, their). For example, Mr. Evans
is Paul’s boss. Cheryl is not Mr. Evans’s lawyer.
Social language ● Pair work. On the board, write England, France,
● Discuss nationalities and occupations Mexico in one column, and David Ducain, Clark
Thomas, Arturo Montoya in another column.
Grammar Have students work in pairs to write yes / no
● Possessive adjectives questions about these men’s countries of origin.
For example, Is David Ducain from Mexico? Then
combine pairs into groups of four and have them
PREVIEW exchange questions and write short answers.
● Write these prompts on the board:

A: That’s _____. VIDEO SCRIPT

B: That’s not _____. That’s _____. Bob, Cheryl, Paul, and Marie are having coffee in
Play the role of Speaker A by identifying a student the café. A man in a hat and sunglasses walks in,
in the class incorrectly. Then refer to the prompt and the four friends try to guess his identity.
to have students correct your mistake. Call on Paul: This is good coffee.
volunteers to identify students incorrectly and Bob: It is good.
then correct each other’s mistakes. Paul: Who’s that?
Bob: That’s your friend David Ducain. He’s a
REVIEW writer from France.
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Cheryl: That’s not David Ducain. That’s Arturo
episode again if necessary. Montoya. He’s Mr. Evans’s neighbor. He’s a
(gesturing hat) Is the man in the hat David doctor from Mexico.
Ducain? (no) Marie: No. That’s Jeff Davis. He’s an artist.
(gesturing hat) Is the man in the hat Clark Bob: No. That’s Alan Reese. He’s our lawyer.
Thomas? (no) Cheryl: That’s not Alan Reese.
(gesturing hat) Is the man in the hat Mr. Evans? Marie: Oh! It’s Clark Thomas from England. He’s
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

(yes) a musician!
Is Mr. Evans their boss or their lawyer? (their boss) Paul: Excuse me.
Is Clark Thomas from Mexico? (no) Waitress: Yes?
Is Alan Reese their lawyer? (yes) Paul: Who’s that?
Waitress: That’s . . . Mr. Evans. He’s . . . your boss.
EXTENSION Bob: That’s not Mr. Evans.
Oral work Mr. Evans: Hey, guys!
Paul: (to Marie) Musician!?
● On the board, write the following names in a

column: David Ducain, Arturo Montoya, Jeff Davis,

Alan Reese, Clark Thomas. Then write the following ANSWER KEY
occupations in a column: a musician, a lawyer, a
A. 1. No 2. No 3. Yes 4. No 5. Yes
writer, an artist, a doctor. Call on students to create
B. 1. our 2. Mr. Evans’s 3. your
affirmative and negative statements about the
C. 1. c 2. d 3. b 4. a
people.
● Pair work: role play. Have students role-play the

conversation between Paul and the waitress. Then

call on volunteers to share their role plays.
Interview: Where are you from?

Written work PREVIEW

● On the board, write Alan Reese, Mr. Evans, Paul, ● Ask individual students the following questions:

Cheryl in one column, and Boss, Friend, Lawyer, What’s your name? Could you spell that for me? Write
and Employee in another column. Tell students students’ names on the board as they spell them.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 3

REVIEW LANGUAGE NOTE: Yep is a variation of Yup, a
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video very informal way of saying yes. Some people
segment again if necessary. might find it a bit rude if used with someone who
Is Natalie Chris’s wife? (yes) isn’t a friend.
Is Chris from England? (yes)
Is Natalie from England or the United States? (the
United States) VIDEO SCRIPT
Is “Deepti” a last name? (no)
Is “Gupta” a last name? (yes) Interviewer: Hi. I’m Doug.
Is Deepti Gupta from India or the United States? Natalie: Hi. Natalie. This is my husband Chris.
(India) Interviewer: Hi, Chris. Nice to meet you.
Does Matt live at 100 Concord Square? (no) Chris: Nice to meet you.
Interviewer: Where are you from?
EXTENSION Natalie: I’m from Oklahoma.
Oral work Chris: I’m from Bristol in England.
Interviewer: Hi. What’s your name?
● Group work: role play. On small pieces of paper,
Deepti: My name is Deepti Gupta.
write the first names of the interviewees from the Interviewer: That’s an interesting name. Could
video segment. Ask one student to role-play the you spell it for me?
interviewer. Give other students the names on Deepti: Yes. The first name is Deepti, which is
pieces of paper. If there are more students than D-E-E-P-T-I. The last name is Gupta. That’s
names, repeat some of the names. Then have the G-U-P-T-A.
interviewer ask each student What’s your name? Interviewer: And are you from the United States?
Could you spell that for me? Deepti: No, I’m not.
● Interviews. On the board, write the following
Interviewer: Where are you from?
questions that the interviewer asks the people: Deepti: India.
What’s your name? Interviewer: What’s your phone number?
What’s your address? Lisa: My phone number is 239-0560.
What’s your phone number? Interviewer: And your address?
What’s your e-mail address? Matt: 43 Concord Square.
Put students into pairs and have them take turns Interviewer: Do you have an e-mail address?
asking and answering the questions. Alternatively, Elli: Yep. It’s my name, which is Elli Fordyce—
E-L-L-I-F-O-R-D-Y-C-E@msn.com.

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
have students interview five classmates with
these questions and write them down. Then have Interviewer: What’s your cell-phone number?
volunteers report back to the class. Ian: My cell-phone number is 555-1312.

Written work
● Pair work. Ask students to recall the names of all
the interviewees and write them on the board
(Natalie, Chris, Deepti, Lisa, Matt, Elli, Ian). Have ANSWER KEY
students work in pairs to write questions about A. 1. No, he’s not. 2. No, she’s not. 3. Yes, she is.
these people, starting each sentence with What’s. B. 1. 239-0560 2. 43 3. ellifordyce@msn.com
Remind students to use the possessive form. For 4. 555-1312
example, What’s Deepti’s last name? What’s Ian’s C. 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. False 5. True
phone number? Then combine pairs into groups of
four and have them exchange questions and write
answers.
● Have students write statements saying where
some of the interviewees are from. For example, Top Notch Pop and Karaoke:
Natalie is from Oklahoma.
Excuse Me Please

4 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 Have volunteers come to the board. Ask them to
UNIT 3 ●

write questions with Where to find out the location

of the places Mr. Evans mentioned. For example,
Where is the café? Then have students work in pairs
Sitcom: Don’t take the train! to write answers on a piece of paper. Write these
words on the board to help them: around the
Social language corner, across the street, next to.
● Discuss how to get places. LANGUAGE NOTE: Mr. Evans says, “Got it?” The
Grammar expression to get something means to understand
something.
● The imperative

PREVIEW VIDEO SCRIPT

● Write places in the neighborhood on the board. Ask Mr. Evans, Paul, and Bob are having coffee in the
students to name different places and list them café when a tourist walks in to ask for directions.
on the board—for example, a school, a bank, a Tourist: Excuse me. How do I get to the Red Café?
pharmacy, a bookstore. Mr. Evans: The Red Café? Let’s see. Go to the
● Add café, park, taxi stand, and train station to the
corner and turn left.
list. Explain their meanings. Tourist: Left.
Mr. Evans: Go two blocks and turn right.
REVIEW Tourist: Right.
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Mr. Evans: Around the corner is a train station.
episode again if necessary. Tourist: Take the train.
Is the woman a tourist? (yes) Mr. Evans: Don’t take the train! Go through
Is the woman looking for a store or a café? (a café) the station, across the street to the bookstore.
Does Mr. Evans say, “Take the train”? (no) Next to the bookstore is a pharmacy. Next to
Is the Red Café next to a bookstore or a the pharmacy is the Red Café.
pharmacy? (a pharmacy) Tourist: Yes!
Is the pharmacy next to the station? (no) Mr. Evans: Got it? Let’s do it again.
Does Mr. Evans say, “Go through the station”? Mr. Evans and tourist: Corner. Left. Two blocks.
(yes) Right. Around the corner. Don’t take the
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Is the bookstore across the street from the train train! Through the station, across the street.
station? (yes) Bookstore. Pharmacy. Red Café!
Tourist: Thank you very much.
EXTENSION Mr. Evans: You’re very welcome.
Oral work
● Play the video episode with the sound off. Have ANSWER KEY
students focus on Mr. Evans’s hand gestures. Then
A. café, train station, bookstore, pharmacy
ask what actions and locations he was showing with
B. 1. True 2. False 3. False 4. True
his hands (corner, left, go, right, around the corner,
C. a. across b. blocks c. Next to d. Around e. left
don’t, through, across, bookstore, next to). Then play
f. Next to
the video episode again with the sound on.
a. 4 b. 2 c. 6 d. 3 e. 1 f. 5
● Group work: role play. In groups of four, have
students role-play the characters and reenact what
happened in the video episode. Have students take
turns playing the two speaking roles and the two
Interview: Is there a bank near here?
non-speaking roles.
PREVIEW
Written work ● Ask individual students Is there a _____ near here?

● Have students write down all the places Mr. Evans Ask about different places in the community—
mentioned in his directions (café, train station, for example, a pharmacy, a bookstore, a bank, a
bookstore, pharmacy). restaurant. Have students answer with short answers.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 5

REVIEW because the verb refers to banks, which is a plural
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video noun.
segment again if necessary. Rob gave wrong directions the second time. It
Is there a bank nearby? (yes) should be one block, not two blocks.
Is there a newsstand nearby? (yes)
Is there a taxi stand nearby? (no) VIDEO SCRIPT
Is Tavern on the Green a restaurant? (yes)
Is the restaurant Tavern on the Green at the Interviewer: Tell me, uh, is there a bank near
train station? (no) here?
Is the restaurant Tavern on the Green in the Catherine: Actually, there’s . . . there’s several.
park? (yes) Uh . . . there’s one on the corner up here, and,
uh, one right behind us, across the street, and
EXTENSION then one diagonal.
Oral work Interviewer: Excuse me. Is there a newsstand
nearby?
● Pair work: role play. On the board, write restaurant,
Rob: Yes, there is. There’s one right down the
newsstand, bank. Have students role-play the short street, two blocks, make a right, go one block,
conversations between the interviewer and the and it’s right on the right-hand side.
people who spoke about these locations. Interviewer: OK, so that was go up the street two
● Pair work. On the board, write Tell me and
blocks . . .
Excuse me. Point out that these are two ways the Rob: Yes.
interviewer spoke to people before asking them a Interviewer: Make a right, one block . . .
question. Have students work in pairs to combine Rob: Two blocks.
these expressions with Is there . . . and Where is . . . Interviewer: Two blocks . . .
to ask each other questions about locations. Rob: And it’s right on the right-hand side.
Interviewer: Right on the right-hand side.
Written work Interviewer: Do you know if there’s a restaurant
● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write nearby?
questions about the places the interviewer asked Joe: Yes, there’s a great restaurant in the park.
about. Tell them to use Is there . . . Then combine Uh, it’s called Tavern on the Green.
pairs into groups of four and have them exchange Interviewer: Is there a taxi stand nearby?
questions and answer them. Bring the class Ian: No, there isn’t.
together and go over the answers as a class. Interviewer: Can you tell me how to get to the

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
● Have students write their own answers to the train station?
interview questions in the activity above, using real Christine: Uh, would you like to walk or take the
information. For example, No, there isn’t a bank subway?
near here. Yes, there is a restaurant on the corner. Interviewer: Um, I’ll walk.
Christine: Just walk straight down this street for
LANGUAGE NOTES: Before repeating Rob’s about thirty blocks and you’ll run right into it.
directions to the newsstand, the interviewer says, Interviewer: That’s a long walk.
“So that was . . . ” This is short for So what you said Christine: It is a long walk, but you like to walk,
was . . . right?

When Christine says, “You’ll run right into it” she

means, “You won’t have to make any turns—you
will walk straight into the train station.” ANSWER KEY
A. 1. c 2. e 3. b 4. a 5. d
OOPS! When the interviewer asks Catherine,
B. 1. b 2. a 3. a 4. b
“Is there a bank near here?” she says, “There’s
C. 1. across 2. right 3. thirty
several.” She means to say, “There are several,”

6 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 4 ● On the board, write a short old woman. Remind
students that Marie described Cheryl as a short old
woman. Ask Do you agree? Then have students
write sentences describing Cheryl, using adjectives
Sitcom: Who’s this? they know. For example, Cheryl is very pretty.

Social language VIDEO SCRIPT

● Talk about families Marie and Cheryl look at Cheryl’s family album and
Grammar discuss her family members.
● Very Marie: Is this your family?
● So Cheryl: Yes.
● Questions with How old Marie: Who’s this?
● Questions with Who Cheryl: My brother.
Marie: He’s so handsome. How old is he?
Cheryl: He’s thirty-four.
PREVIEW
Marie: Oh!
● Invite a student to the board to draw a family tree
Cheryl: He’s a doctor.
of his or her immediate family (parents, brothers, Marie: Oh!!
sisters). Go over the vocabulary. Then invite Cheryl: That’s his wife.
students to name other words for family members Marie: Oh. She’s very pretty. Who’s this?
that they know. Cheryl: That’s my mother.
Marie: Your mother? But she’s so old.
REVIEW
Cheryl: She’s not old. She’s fifty-eight.
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Marie: OK. Who’s this? Is he a doctor, too?
episode again if necessary. Cheryl: No, he’s an architect. That’s my sister’s
Is Cheryl’s brother an architect or a doctor? (a husband.
doctor) Marie: Who’s this?
Does Cheryl’s brother have a wife? (yes) Cheryl: That’s my sister’s son. He’s a university
Does Marie think Cheryl’s brother is old? (no) student.
Is Cheryl’s mother fifty-eight? (yes) Marie: He’s so cute!
Who has a son—Cheryl’s brother or sister? Cheryl: He’s so young.
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

(Cheryl’s sister) Marie: Who’s this short old woman? What?

Is the son an architect or a student? (a student) Cheryl: That is not a short old woman. That’s me.
Does Marie think Cheryl is pretty in the last Marie: Oh! Sorry.
photo? (no)

EXTENSION
Oral work
ANSWER KEY
● Ask students to make statements with have about

the people in the pictures. For example, Cheryl has a A. 1. a brother and a sister 2. mother 3. husband
sister and a brother. Cheryl’s sister has a husband and 4. son
a son. Cheryl’s mother has a son and two daughters. B. 1. True 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False
6. False 7. True
● On the board, write mother, brother, Cheryl, sister’s
C. 1. old 2. handsome 3. pretty 4. cute 5. short
son. Ask students to create questions asking these
people’s ages. Call on volunteers to answer the
questions. Point out that they will have to guess
the ages of Cheryl and her sister’s son. (Hint: He is
a university student.) Interview: Do you have any children?
Written work PREVIEW
●Have students write down the adjectives Marie ● Ask individual students Do you have any brothers

used to describe the people in the pictures. Then or sisters? How old are they? If there are students in
have students use them to write sentences about class who are old enough to have children, ask Do
the people. you have any children? How old are they?

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 7

REVIEW
VIDEO SCRIPT
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video
Interviewer: Who’s that in the picture in your left
segment again if necessary.
hand?
Does Rita have two or three children? (three)
Rita: I have two girls and a boy.
Does Mauro have a son and a daughter? (yes)
Interviewer: Could you tell me how old your
Are Mauro’s children doctors? (no)
children are?
Does Chris have a brother or a sister? (a sister)
Rita: Yes. My oldest boy is forty-one, soon to be
Is his sister twenty-five years old? (no)
forty-two. The second one, who is a girl, is
Does Maiko have a brother or a sister? (a brother)
forty. And my baby is thirty-four.
Is her brother short? (no)
Interviewer: Do you have any children?
Is her brother handsome? (yes)
Mauro: I have two children—a son and a
EXTENSION daughter.
Interviewer: Could you tell me a little about
Oral work
them? What do they do? What are their
● Ask students to name the interviewees from this
occupations?
segment. Write the names on the board (Rita, Mauro: Oh, they’re both students.
Mauro, Chris, Maiko). Call on volunteers to Interviewer: Do you have any siblings?
make statements about the family members the Chris: Yes. I’ve got one sister who’s twenty-six.
interviewees talked about. Interviewer: Tell me, do you have any brothers or
● Pair work. Have students role-play the sisters?
conversation between the interviewer and Maiko: Yes, um, I have one younger brother.
Maiko. Then tell students to take turns using the Interviewer: Tell me, what does he look like? Is
questions to interview each other. Remind the he tall?
interviewer to ask questions about the siblings. For Maiko: Um, he is very tall, very skinny, very lean.
example, Is he tall? Is she pretty? Interviewer: So is he handsome?
Maiko: Um, yes, he is.
Written work
● Ask students What did the interviewer ask Mauro?
(Do you have any children?) Write the question on
the board. Then ask What did Mauro say? Have
students write down the answer. (I have two
children—a son and a daughter.) ANSWER KEY

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
● Pair work. Assign each pair one of the following
A. 1. c 2. b 3. a 4. d
people from the video segment: Rita, Mauro, B. 1. b 2. b 3. c 4. a
Maiko. Have students write a few sentences C. 1. Maiko’s 2. Chris’s 3. Rita’s 4. Mauro’s
summarizing the information about their families.

LANGUAGE NOTES: Rita says her son is forty-

one, soon to be forty-two. This means he will be
forty-two soon.
Sibling means brother or sister. It is generally used
in formal English. Top Notch Pop and Karaoke:
Lean is another word for thin. Tell Me All about It

8 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 5 ● Pair work. On the board, write French movie, Play,
and Talk in one column, and the Avalon, the Arts
Center, the University in another column. Have
students work in pairs to write questions with
Sitcom: You’re late. Where about the different events. For example,
Where is the French movie? Then combine pairs into
Social language groups of four and have them exchange questions
and write answers.
● Talk about time
● Invite someone to an event
Grammar LANGUAGE NOTES: Oh, wow! is a common
expression of excited surprise.
● Prepositions of time
● There is That sounds great is a common expression used
to enthusiastically agree with someone about
something.
PREVIEW
● Write events on the board. Ask individual students

What events do you go to? Write the answers on

VIDEO SCRIPT
the board—for example, concerts, movies.
● Add a talk to the list. Explain its meaning. In the café, Cheryl and Bob discuss their plans for
Saturday night to celebrate Bob’s birthday.
REVIEW
Cheryl: You’re late.
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video
Bob: What time is it?
episode again if necessary. Cheryl: Two minutes after six.
Is Bob late? (yes) Bob: I am not late. Two minutes is not late.
Is he two minutes or five minutes late? (two Cheryl: Yes, it is. It’s two minutes late.
minutes) Bob: Oh, look! It’s five to six. I’m early.
Whose birthday is on Saturday—Bob’s or Cheryl: So for your birthday on Saturday,
Cheryl’s? (Bob’s) there’s a great French movie at the Avalon.
Does Cheryl want to go to a play? (yes) Bob: There’s a baseball game on Saturday night.
Does Bob want to go to a Mozart concert? (no) Cheryl: Or there’s a play at the Arts Center at
Does Bob want to go to a talk by a writer? (no) 8:00 p.m. Life Is a Dream.
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Does Bob want to go to a baseball game? (yes) Bob: The Tigers are playing the Giants. You
Does Cheryl want to go to a baseball game? (no) know, baseball?
Do they go to the baseball game? (yes) Cheryl: Oh, look! There’s a Mozart concert on
Saturday. Would you like to go?
EXTENSION Bob: What time?
Oral work Cheryl: Half past seven.
● Have students name the different events that Bob: The ball game’s at 7:00.
Cheryl and Bob talked about and write them Cheryl: Oh, wow! There’s a talk by the writer
on the board (a French movie, a play, a Mozart Ellen Lee at the University on . . .
concert, a talk by a writer, a baseball game). Ask Bob: On Saturday night. Is your birthday on
students Do you want to go to a . . . ? Poll the most Saturday?
liked and least liked events. Cheryl: No. It’s your birthday. Would you like to
● Pair work: role play. On the board, write the go to a baseball game for your birthday?
question Are you usually late? Have students share Bob: A baseball game! That sounds great!
their answers. Then have students work in pairs
to role-play Cheryl and Bob and reenact their
conversation about lateness at the beginning of
the dialogue. ANSWER KEY
Written work A. 1. 6:02 2. 5:55 3. 7:30 4. 7:00
B. 1. a 2. b 3. b 4. c
●On the board, write play, concert, and ball game.
C. 1. on 2. at 3. at, at 4. at, on
Call on students to write questions asking what
D. 1. Cheryl 2. Bob 3. Bob 4. Cheryl 5. Cheryl
time the events are. Ask volunteers to come to
the board and write answers, based on the video
episode.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 9

Interview: Do you know what time ● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write
simple scripts asking about the time, using the
it is? interviews as models. For example:
PREVIEW A: Excuse me. What time is it?
● Write different times and events on small pieces of
B: It is 9:15.
A: Thank you.
paper for every student. For example, concert—2:00;
B: You’re welcome.
movie—4:15; party—8:30; play—7:45. Then ask the
class What time is the concert / movie /
LANGUAGE NOTES: Sure or Oh, sure are friendly
party / play? Have the student with the answer
and informal ways of saying yes.
respond in a complete sentence.
Sure can also mean certain. When Angelique says,
“I’m not really sure” she means she does not know
for certain.
REVIEW
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video VIDEO SCRIPT
segment again if necessary.
Does Blanche have the time? (yes) Interviewer: Do you know what time it is?
Does Angelique have the time? (no) Lorayn: Five o’clock.
Is Alexandra at the post office? (no) Interviewer: Could you tell me what time it is?
Where is Alexandra? (at the movie theater) Vanessa: Sure. Um, it is 10:30.
What time’s the movie? (at 6:00) Interviewer: Excuse me. Do you have the time?
Is she on time? (yes) Stephan: Oh, sure. It’s 4:15.
What’s the date? (September 29th) Interviewer: Thank you.
Stephan: You’re welcome.
Interviewer: Could you tell me what time it is?
Blanche: It is . . .
EXTENSION Herb: I can’t.
Oral work Blanche: It is ten minutes to twelve.
● Discussion. Ask students to recall the interviewees’
Interviewer: Great. Thanks so much.
Blanche: You’re welcome.
names and write them on the board (Lorayn,
Interviewer: What movie do you want to see?
Vanessa, Stephan, Blanche, Herb, Alexandra,
Alexandra: I want to see National Treasure.
Angelique). Ask Who does not have the time? (Herb
Interviewer: And what time is the movie?

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
and Angelique) As a class, think of places where
Alexandra: It is at six o’clock.
you can find clocks—for example, cell phones,
Interviewer: By the way, what time is it now?
stores, restaurants, buildings, parks, train stations.
Alexandra: Um . . . it is 5:30.
Write them on the board.
Interviewer: So you’re right on time.
● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to create
Alexandra: I am.
their own scenarios, using the interviewer’s Interviewer: Could you tell me what time it is?
conversation with Alexandra as a model. On the Angelique: I actually don’t wear a watch, so I’m
board, write: not really sure.
What time is (the movie)? Interviewer: Do you know what the date is?
What time is it now? Angelique: I believe it’s the 29th of September.
You are (right on time / early / late).

ANSWER KEY
Written work A. 1. a 2. b 3. a 4. b
●Have students write sentences about Alexandra. B. 1. b 2. c 3. a 4. c
For example, Alexandra is at the movie theater. It is C. 1. No, she doesn’t. 2. Yes, she does. 3. No, he
5:30. The movie is at 6:00. doesn’t. 4. Yes, she does.

10 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 6 LANGUAGE NOTES: What about . . . is a short
way of saying What do you think about . . . ?
I see is another way of saying I understand.
Sitcom: Do you like this blouse? VIDEO SCRIPT
Social language Bob and Paul are watching a ball game on TV
at Cheryl’s apartment. Cheryl tries to get their
● Express likes opinions on the clothes she bought.
● Describe clothes
Cheryl: Do you like this blouse?
Grammar Bob: Yes.
● This / that / these / those Paul: That blouse is beautiful!
● The simple present tense: like Cheryl: Thank you! What about these shoes? Do
you like them?
Bob: I like those shoes.
PREVIEW
Paul: I really like those shoes.
● Call on students to name the items of clothes they
Cheryl: And what about this dress?
are wearing. Write the words on the board. Bob: I really like that dress!
Cheryl: You do?
REVIEW Bob: You look like a movie star—Julia Roberts!
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Cheryl: I see. And this skirt?
episode again if necessary. Bob: That skirt is very nice.
Does Cheryl have new clothes? (yes) Cheryl: Bob. Bob!
(gesturing show) Does Cheryl show Bob a blouse Bob: What?!
or a shirt? (a blouse) Cheryl: What about these sweaters?
(gesturing see) Does Bob see her new shoes? Bob: I like those sweaters. Those sweaters are
(yes) beautiful!
(gesturing see) Does Paul see her new shoes? Paul: I really like those sweaters. They’re really
(no) nice.
(gesturing see) Does Bob see her new dress? (no) Cheryl: Thank you!
Does Bob say that Cheryl looks like Julia Roberts?
(yes)
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(gesturing show) Does Cheryl show Bob a skirt? ANSWER KEY

(no) A. blouse, shoes, dress, skirt, sweaters
B. 1. b 2. b 3. c 4. b
EXTENSION C. 1. this 2. That 3. these 4. those 5. this 6. that
Oral work
● Call on individual students to name the colors of
the clothing items that Cheryl showed Bob and Interview: Do you like that color?
Paul and the clothes the characters are wearing. PREVIEW
● Group work. On the board, write Do you like this / ● Have students name as many colors as they can
these ____________? Divide the class into groups think of. Write them on the board. Then ask
of three. Have students point to articles of clothing individual students What is your favorite color?
they are wearing and ask each other if they like
them. For example, Do you like this shirt? Do you REVIEW
like these pants? ● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video

segment again if necessary.

Written work
Who likes green and yellow—Martin or Dan?
● Pair work. Ask students to remember the clothes (Martin)
that Cheryl mentioned to Bob and Paul (blouse, Is Vanessa’s blouse new? (yes)
shoes, dress, skirt, sweaters). Then have students Does Lorayn like purple? (no)
write sentences that Bob and Paul said about the Does Martin like yellow? (yes)
clothes. For example, I like that blouse. That skirt is Does San like to wear white? (yes)
very nice. Do Lorayn and Natalie say they need new shoes?
● Have students write their opinions of Cheryl’s (yes)
clothes. For example, I don’t like those sweaters.
That dress is nice.
Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 11
EXTENSION
VIDEO SCRIPT
Oral work
Interviewer: That’s a nice sweater.
● Discussion. Ask individual students Do you need new
San: Why, thank you.
shoes? Do you buy new shoes often? See if men and Interviewer: That’s a nice color shirt.
women answer differently. Then say Natalie says Dan: Thank you very much.
“A woman always needs new shoes.” Is this true? Interviewer: That’s a really nice tie you’re
● Pair work. Have students recall different ways wearing.
the interviewer complimented the interviewees’ Martin: Thank you. I like it too.
clothing. (That’s a nice sweater. That’s a really nice Interviewer: Is that a new blouse?
tie. Is that a new blouse? I like that color.) Then ask Vanessa: Yes, it is. My sister bought it for me.
students How did the interviewees respond? (Thank Interviewer: Do you like that color?
you. Thank you very much. Thank you. I like it too.) Dan: I do. Navy blue’s my favorite color.
Have students work in pairs to take turns giving Interviewer: Do you often wear black?
each other compliments about their clothes and Lorayn: Not always. Red’s another favorite color
thanking each other. of mine.
Interviewer: Is green a favorite color of yours?
Written work Martin: Yes. I also like yellow too.
● Pair work. Have students recall the names of the Interviewer: What other colors do you like to
interviewees. Write them on the board (San, Dan, wear?
Martin, Vanessa, Lorayn). Have students work in San: I like wearing blue. Um, I like wearing
pairs to write six information questions about the purples and white.
different people. Encourage students to use Who, Interviewer: I like that color. Do you like that
What, and Which. For example, Who likes black and color?
red? What color does Dan like? Combine pairs into Vanessa: I like it very much.
groups of four and have them exchange questions Interviewer: Do you mind if I ask you a question?
and write answers. Lorayn: Not at all.
● Call on students to write on the board all the Interviewer: Do you need new shoes?
colors and articles of clothing mentioned in Lorayn: I always need new shoes.
the video. Then tell each student to write eight San: I always need new shoes.
sentences using the vocabulary on the board. For Natalie: Yes. A woman always needs new shoes.
example, I have a red sweater. Interviewer: Tell me, do you need a new pair of
shoes?

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
LANGUAGE NOTES: Lorayn says, “Red’s another Martin: I don’t think so.
favorite color of mine.” The sentence could also
be said Red is another one of my favorite colors.
Similarly, the interviewer asks, “Is green a favorite
color of yours?” The question could also be said Is
green one of your favorite colors? ANSWER KEY
San says she likes wearing purples. This means she A. 1. sweater 2. tie 3. blouse
likes to wear different shades of purple. All colors B. 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False
can be used in this plural form. 6. True
C. 1. blue 2. black, red 3. green, yellow 4. blue,
When Lorayn says “Not at all,” she means No, I
purple, white 5. green
don’t mind at all.

12 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 7 in the morning. For example, Do you read the
paper? Do you wash the dishes? Have each student
exchange questions with their partner and write
short answers.
Sitcom: What do you do in the
morning? VIDEO SCRIPT
Paul and Marie talk about their daily activities.
Social language
● Describe daily activities Marie: Paul, you’re late again.
Paul: Sorry. I never get up before 8:45.
Grammar Marie: 8:45?! That’s late!
● Frequency adverbs Paul: What time do you get up?
● Time expressions Marie: 5:00 a.m.
Paul: 5:00 a.m.?! That’s early! What do you do in
the morning?
PREVIEW Marie: Well, after I get up I usually make
● On the board, write Household chores and Leisure breakfast, take out the garbage, do the
activities. Have students give examples. Write them laundry . . .
under the appropriate headings. Paul: The laundry?
Marie: Yes. Then I read the newspaper, check my
REVIEW e-mail, sometimes I take a nap . . .
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Paul: You take a nap in the morning?!
episode again if necessary. Marie: Just fifteen minutes. On Monday,
Who is late for work—Marie or Paul? (Paul) Wednesday, and Friday I exercise. And on
Is Paul late often? (yes) the other days I clean the house. Then I take
Who wakes up early—Marie or Paul? (Marie) a shower, get dressed, put on my makeup,
Does Marie take a nap in the morning? (yes) and go to work.
Does she watch TV in the morning? (no) Paul: Wow. You never sleep late?
Does Paul do the laundry in the morning, too? (no) Marie: On the weekends I sleep ’til 6:00.
Does Paul do the laundry often? (no) Paul: That’s really late. You do laundry in the
morning?
EXTENSION Marie: And the evening. Why, when do you do
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Oral work the laundry?

● On the board, write the following conversation:
Paul: Usually in March. And September.
A: On the weekends I sleep until 6:00.
B: That’s really late.
Call on a volunteer to be Speaker A and model the ANSWER KEY
conversation together. Be sure to use a sarcastic A. take out the garbage, do the laundry, read
tone for Speaker B. Ask Does Paul really mean that the newspaper, take a nap, exercise, clean the
6:00 is late? (no) Have students repeat the tone. house
Then have students role-play this conversation. B. 1. b 2. a 3. c 4. c 5. b 6. c
● Pair work. Take a poll. Ask Do you sleep late? Do C. 1. Yes, she does 2. No, she doesn’t 3. No, she
you wake up early? Have students work in pairs to doesn’t 4. Yes, she does 5. Yes, she does
tell each other when they wake up and what they
do in the morning.

Written work Interview: What do you usually do

● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write during the week?
affirmative and negative statements about what Marie
does and does not do in the morning. For example, PREVIEW
Marie does the laundry. She does not sleep late. ● Ask students What do you usually do during the

● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write six week? Write the activities students name on the
yes / no questions to ask what their partner does board.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 13

REVIEW LANGUAGE NOTES: I don’t get a chance to means
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video I don’t have the opportunity / time to do something.
segment again if necessary. I’m good to go means I am ready to start the day.
Does Angelique go to the movies during the
week? (yes) I’m at full energy means I have the most energy.
Does Jessica do the laundry often? (no)
Does Deepti take naps in the afternoon? (no) VIDEO SCRIPT
Does Alvino eat breakfast early? (yes) Interviewer: And could you tell me what you
Does Blanche usually eat lunch at 12:00 or 1:00? usually do during the week?
(12:00) Angelique: Usually during the week, um . . . , I
Does Jessica usually eat dinner late? (no) mean, I go to a couple of films. I like to go to
Is Lisa a morning person or an evening person? the movies, independent films.
(evening person) Interviewer: How often do you do laundry?
Jessica: As little as possible.
Interviewer: Do you take a nap in the afternoon?
Deepti: I don’t take a nap in the afternoon. I don’t
EXTENSION get a chance to.
Oral work Interviewer: What time do you usually eat
● Pair work. Write on the board What time do you
breakfast?
Alvino: Between 6:30 and 7:00.
eat breakfast / lunch / dinner? Have students work
Interviewer: What time do you usually eat lunch?
in pairs to ask each other these questions and
Blanche: At noon.
answer them, using personal information. Then
Interviewer: What about dinner. When?
have students think up additional questions about
Jessica: Dinner . . . I love to have dinner around
habits, starting with What time do you . . . ?
6:00, which is not too late, because if it’s too
● Pair work. Write on the board How often do you do
late I can’t sleep. So, most of the time around
the laundry / exercise / make dinner? Have students 6:00, 7:00.
work in pairs to ask each other these questions Interviewer: So, would you say you’re a morning
and answer them, using personal information. person or an evening person?
Then have students think up additional questions Lisa: More of an evening person.
about how often they do things, starting with How Interviewer: And why do you say that?
often do you . . . ? Encourage students to answer Lisa: I think that it takes me a really long time to

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
with frequency adverbs. wake up, so usually anything after 12:00 I’m
good to go, and by 7:00 I’m like at full energy.

Written work
ANSWER KEY
● Have students recall the interviewees’ names
A. 1. b 2. c 3. a
and write them on the board (Angelique, Jessica,
B. 1. True 2. False 3. False 4. True 5. False
Deepti, Alvino, Blanche, Lisa). Have students write a
6. False
sentence about each person.
C. 1. doesn’t go 2. doesn’t do 3. has
● On the board, write Are you a morning person 4. doesn’t eat
or an evening person? Have students answer the
question and then write five sentences describing
their morning or evening habits. For example, I am Top Notch Pop and Karaoke:
a morning person. I get up early. I eat breakfast at
5:30 A.M. In the morning I . . . On the Weekend

14 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 8 combine pairs into groups of four and have them
exchange questions and write short answers.
● Tell students to name the different “rooms” Cheryl
has in her apartment. Write them on the board
Sitcom: Welcome to my new (kitchen, dining room, office, living room, bedroom).
apartment. Then have students copy these words and write
what furniture and appliances she has in each
Social language “room.” Have students refer to the words on the
board from the oral work if necessary.
● Describe a home
Grammar LANGUAGE NOTES: This is it is another way of
saying This is everything. There is nothing more.
● There is / there are
● Questions with where A studio apartment is an apartment that has just
one room.
PREVIEW
● Write the word rooms on the board. Have students
VIDEO SCRIPT
list rooms in a house or apartment. Cheryl’s mother comes to visit Cheryl at her new
apartment.
REVIEW Cheryl: Hi.
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Mother: Hi.
episode again if necessary. Cheryl: Welcome to my new apartment, Mom!
Does Cheryl live in a house or an apartment? (an Mother: I liked your old apartment at 24 Oak
apartment) Street better.
Who is visiting Cheryl’s apartment—her mother Cheryl: That’s because you live at 22 Oak Street.
or her sister? (her mother) Mother: Your old apartment had such a nice view.
Is there a park near Cheryl’s apartment? (yes) Cheryl: The view here is nice too, Mom. The park
Does Cheryl live near her office? (yes) is just across the street. And my office is around
Does Cheryl have a large kitchen? (no) the corner.
Does the apartment have many rooms? (no) Mother: Nice refrigerator. It’s very small, isn’t it?
Does Cheryl like her apartment? (yes) Cheryl: The refrigerator?
Does Cheryl’s mom like her apartment? (no) Mother: The kitchen.
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Cheryl: It’s a little small, but I like it. There’s the

EXTENSION dining room, the office, and the living room.
Mother: The chairs are nice. I like the sofa. Why’s
Oral work
the dresser in the living room?
● Ask students What furniture and appliances are there Cheryl: There’s no place else for it to go.
in Cheryl’s apartment? Have students answer using Mother: But where are the other rooms, honey?
There is . . . and There are. . . . Write the vocabulary Cheryl: Mom, it’s a studio apartment. There are
on the board, and leave it there for the next exercise no other rooms.
(refrigerator, freezer, cabinet, table, chairs, rugs, desk, Mother: This is it?
computer, lamp, sofa, chairs, dresser). Cheryl: This is it!
● Pair work. Have students refer to the vocabulary Mother: But where’s the bedroom?
on the board from the previous activity and Cheryl: Ta da!
ask each other whether they have the different Mother: I’m afraid to ask about the bathroom.
furniture and appliances in their homes. Model Cheryl: Oh, Mom! I think it’s nice.
yes / no questions. For example, Do you have a
computer? Do you have chairs?
ANSWER KEY
Written work A. 1. c 2. d 3. a 4. b
●Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write six B. 1. at 2. across 3. around
yes / no questions asking about the furniture and C. 1. True 2. True 3. False 4. True 5. True 6.
appliances in Cheryl’s apartment. For example, False 7. False 8. True
Does Cheryl have a bed? Is there a table? Then

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 15

Interview: Do you live in a house or A backyard is the grassy area behind a house. A
backyard can have a garden.
an apartment?
Apart from means except for.
PREVIEW
● Ask individual students Do you live in a house or an
Fridge is a commonly used short version of
refrigerator.
apartment? Take a poll and write the numbers on the
board. Then ask students Do you like your house /
apartment? VIDEO SCRIPT
Interviewer: Do you live in a house or an
REVIEW apartment?
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Rob: I live in an apartment.
segment again if necessary. Chris: I live in a house.
Does Rob live in an apartment? (yes) Christiane: I live in an apartment.
Does he like his apartment? (yes) Interviewer: And do you have a large living
Does Christiane live in an apartment or a house? room?
(an apartment) Catherine: I would say medium-sized.
Does Chris’s kitchen have a dishwasher? (no) Interviewer: And what sorts of furniture do you
Does Christiane’s apartment have a balcony? (no) have in your living room?
Does Christiane like her apartment? (yes) Rob: We have a sofa and a lounge chair and a
coffee table and a television set.
Interviewer: Does your apartment have a lot of
EXTENSION
windows?
Oral work Emma: Actually in every room there is a window.
● Have students choose an interviewee and Interviewer: Does your apartment have a
say something about the person’s house or balcony?
apartment. Christiane: No, my apartment does not have a
● Pair work: interviews. Have students recall the balcony.
interviewer’s questions. Write them on the board. Interviewer: How about a garden?
For example, Do you live in a house or an apartment? Catherine: We do have a backyard.
Do you have a large living room? Does your apartment Interviewer: What appliances are there in your
have a lot of windows? Then have students work kitchen?
in pairs to take turns asking and answering these Chris: We’ve got a cooker, a microwave. We’ve

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
questions, using personal information. got a fridge and a freezer, but in fact we’ve got
everything apart from a dishwasher.
Written work Interviewer: And a cooker. What’s a cooker?
● Pair work. Assign each pair one of these names:
Chris: A stove.
Interviewer: Do you like your apartment?
Rob, Christiane, and Chris. Tell students to write
Rob: I love my apartment.
as many sentences as they can about the person’s
Christiane: Yes, I like my apartment a lot.
home. Then group the pairs that had the same
Interviewer: And why?
names and have them compare their sentences.
Christiane: Because I painted it in my colors, and
● Pair work. Tell students they will create True and
it’s my home and my little castle.
False quizzes. Have them write six sentences
about the interviewees—some correct and some
incorrect. Then combine pairs into groups of four ANSWER KEY
and have them exchange and answer each other’s A. 1. apartment 2. house 3. apartment
quizzes. Finally, have the writers of the quizzes 4. apartment
check the answers. B. 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False
6. True
LANGUAGE NOTES: Cooker is British English for C. Rob’s living room: sofa, lounge chair, TV, coffee
stove. Speakers of American English generally don’t table
understand this word. Chris’s kitchen: microwave, freezer, refrigerator,
Lounge chair is the same as easy chair—a stove
comfortable chair to sit in.

16 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 9 LANGUAGE NOTES: That sounds great means
That is a good idea.
How about is an expression used to make a
suggestion.
Sitcom: What are you doing this
weekend?
VIDEO SCRIPT
Social language Cheryl and Marie try to make plans for the weekend.
● Make plans to get together Marie: What are you doing this weekend? Do
you want to go shopping with me?
Grammar
Cheryl: That sounds great. When do you want to
● The present continuous for future plans go?
Marie: How about Saturday morning?
PREVIEW Cheryl: I’m making breakfast for some friends
at 9:00. Then I’m doing laundry from 11:00
● Ask individual students What are you doing this
to noon.
weekend? Write some responses on the board. Marie: Saturday afternoon?
Make sure students respond using the present Cheryl: I’m taking an art class from 1:00 to
continuous. 3:00. How about 3:30?
REVIEW Marie: No, I’m exercising with a friend from
3:00 to 4:00. Then I’m going to the movies at
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video 5:00 with my sister.
episode again if necessary. Cheryl: Sunday morning?
Do Cheryl and Marie have busy schedules? (yes) Marie: I’m visiting my parents until 10:00.
Does Cheryl have an art class on Saturday? (yes) Then I’m meeting a friend at the art museum
Is Marie visiting her sister on Sunday morning? until 1:00. Sunday afternoon?
(no) Cheryl: I’m going to a baseball game with Bob
When are Marie and Cheryl going shopping— at 1:00. How about late afternoon?
Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon? Marie: Around 5:00?
(Sunday afternoon) Cheryl: Great.
Does Paul want to play basketball with Bob? Bob: Hey. Do you want to play basketball
(yes) tomorrow?
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Do Paul and Bob have a busy weekend? (no) Paul: OK.

EXTENSION
Oral work
● On the board, write What are Cheryl and Marie ANSWER KEY
doing this weekend? Have students name the A. 1. Marie 2. Cheryl 3. Cheryl 4. Marie
different activities the two friends have planned in 5. Cheryl
full sentences. B. 2. Cheryl is making breakfast for some friends
● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to create 3. Cheryl is doing laundry 4. Marie is exercising
their own scenario for planning an activity with a friend 5. Cheryl is taking an art class
together, using the video episode as a model. C. 1. doing 2. visiting 3. meeting 4. going
Encourage students to refer to their real-life
schedules.
Interview: What are you doing
Written work
● On the board, write Saturday and Sunday. Then
this evening?
have students come to the board and write what PREVIEW
Marie and Cheryl are doing on each day. ● Ask individual students What are you doing this

● Pair work. Have students write six questions (both evening? Remind students to answer in the present
information questions and yes / no questions) continuous.
about Marie’s and Cheryl’s activities. Then
combine pairs into groups of four and have them
exchange questions and write answers.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 17

REVIEW I usually go week by week means I don’t plan too
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video much in advance. I take one week at a time.
segment again if necessary.
Who is going out to dinner with friends—Joe or OOPS! Martin says that he is going with a
Martin? (Joe) colleague in the office. Formally, the correct
Is Martin going to the opera this evening or this preposition would be from the office.
weekend? (this weekend)
Is Martin going to the opera with a colleague? (yes)
VIDEO SCRIPT
Is Martin going out to dinner this evening? (no)
Does San have plans for this weekend? (yes) Interviewer: What are you planning to do this
Is she hanging out with friends? (yes) evening?
Is she going to the park? (yes) Joe: This evening I’m planning to go to, um,
dinner with friends and maybe some drinks.
Martin: I think I’ll stay home and have my dinner.
EXTENSION
Interviewer: So what are you going to do this
Oral work weekend?
● On the board, write this evening, this weekend, San: I am going to go to, um, the park and maybe
next month, next Monday. Have students make see a movie and hang out with my friends.
statements about the interviewees using these Martin: Um, I’m going to an opera.
time expressions. Make sure they use the present Interviewer: That’s interesting. And, uh, will you
continuous for future. be going with anyone?
● Pair work. Have students refer to the time Martin: Uh, with a colleague in the office and her
expressions in the previous activity and ask each husband.
other questions about their own plans. Remind Interviewer: Next month. Do you have any big
students to use the present continuous for future. plans coming up?
Stephan: Um, I don’t have major plans coming up
Written work next month. I usually go week by week.
● Pair work. Have students write six information San: Next Monday I will, um, probably be in the
questions about the interviewees in the present office working. Um, after work I’ll probably go
continuous. Tell them to start two questions with out and have something to eat and go to dinner
Who, two questions with When, and two questions and, um, come home and watch TV.
with What. Combine pairs into groups of four and

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
have them exchange questions and answer them
in full sentences.
ANSWER KEY
● Have students summarize San’s plans for this

weekend and for next Monday. A. go to the park, see a movie, hang out with
friends
B. 1. working 2. going out 3. coming home
LANGUAGE NOTES: Hang out with someone
4. watching TV
means to spend time together, not doing anything
C. 2. Martin is staying home and having dinner
in particular.
this evening 3. San is going to the park this
When something is coming up, it is about to weekend 4. San is working next Monday
happen. It is in the near future. 5. Joe is having dinner with friends this
evening
Major plans means big or important plans.

18 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 10 there any peppers? How many potatoes are there?
Then combine pairs into groups of four and have
them exchange questions and answer them in full
sentences.
Sitcom: Tonight, I’m cooking.
LANGUAGE NOTE: Have a taste means Taste this.
Social language
VIDEO SCRIPT
● Discuss ingredients for a recipe
Cheryl, Marie, and Bob are in the kitchen, where
Grammar Bob is making soup.
● Count and non-count nouns
Bob: Tonight, I’m cooking.
● Questions with How many
Cheryl: What are you making?
● The simple present tense and the present
Bob: Bob’s Famous Vegetable Soup. Do you have
continuous
any vegetables?
Cheryl: I have some onions, tomatoes . . .
PREVIEW Bob: How many tomatoes?
● On the board, write vegetable soup. Ask students Cheryl: Two. I have some beans, some peas,
What are ingredients for vegetable soup? Write one cabbage, and a potato.
students’ answers on the board. Bob: Great!
Cheryl: You want them all?
REVIEW Bob: It’s vegetable soup. Pass those bananas,
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video please.
episode again if necessary. Marie: Bananas are fruit.
Who is making dinner? (Bob) Bob: Yes.
What is he cooking? (vegetable soup) Marie: You put bananas in your vegetable soup?!
Does Cheryl have vegetables in the refrigerator? Bob: Sounds good, doesn’t it? Now do you have
(yes) any sugar?
Does she have any sugar? (yes) Cheryl: Yes.
Does she have any coffee? (yes) Bob: And I need a lemon. Oh, and do you have
Does Bob put the coffee and bananas in the any coffee?
soup? (no) Cheryl: Do you have a recipe for this?
Bob: Go watch TV, please.
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Does Bob have a can of soup? (yes)

Do Cheryl and Marie like the soup? (yes) (One hour later)
Bob: Come. Have a taste.
EXTENSION Cheryl: This is . . . delicious! Bob, you’re a great
Oral work cook!
● Ask students What vegetables does Cheryl have? Marie: The coffee and bananas are great!
Call on students to name the foods in complete
sentences. For example, Cheryl has onions. Then
ask What other foods does Bob need? For example, ANSWER KEY
Bob needs bananas. A. lemon, coffee, banana, sugar
● Group work: role play. Have students role-play
B. 1. True 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. True
the characters in the video and reenact what 6. False
happened in the video episode. C. 1. one 2. two 3. one 4. one

Written work
● Have students write the list of ingredients for Bob’s Interview: What do you like to
Famous Vegetable Soup, as heard in the video eat and drink?
episode. Then have students compare lists with a
partner and add any foods they forgot. PREVIEW
● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write ● Ask individual students What items do you have in

questions with How many . . . and Are there any . . . your refrigerator right now? Write the foods on the
about the food in Cheryl’s kitchen. For example, Are board. Note the most repeated foods.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 19

REVIEW LANGUAGE NOTES: Beverage is a formal word
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video for drink.
segment again if necessary. Sushi is a Japanese dish consisting of cold rice and
Does Ian like coffee? (yes) raw fish.
Does James like iced tea? (yes)
Who likes fish and rice—Dan or Matt? (Dan)
VIDEO SCRIPT
Does Natalie eat a lot of carrots? (yes)
Do Natalie and James both eat a salad every Interviewer: Tell me, what beverages do you like
day? (yes) to drink?
Does Matt eat a lot of soup? (no) Ian: Um, coffee, tea, milk, uh, water.
Is Dan eating lunch around 2:00 or 3:00 today? James: I like to drink iced tea—iced tea and water.
(3:00) Interviewer: How about, um, the foods that you
Does Lorayn want a big salad for dinner today? like to eat? Could you tell me some foods that
(no) you like to eat?
Dan: Uh, fish and rice.
Interviewer: How often do you eat carrots?
Natalie: I usually eat a salad every day, and in the
EXTENSION salad I put carrots.
Oral work Interviewer: Do you, um, eat a lot of soup, for
● Discussion. Ask students these questions: example?
Does Natalie eat a salad every day? Do you? James: Yes, a lot of soup.
Does James eat a lot of soup? Do you? Dan: Yeah. I have soup occasionally.
Does Dan eat lunch late? Do you? Lorayn: In the winter I eat a lot of soup, actually.
● Pair work: role play. As a class, recall the questions Matt: No. I don’t eat a lot of soup.
the interviewer asked. Write them on the board. Interviewer: Could you tell me some items that
(What beverages do you like? What foods do you are in your fridge right now?
like? How often do you eat carrots? Do you eat a James: Uh, let’s see. Well, we’ve always got a lot of
lot of soup? What’s in your fridge right now? When vegetables because we eat a big salad every day.
are you eating lunch today? What are you eating Ian: Uh, bread, cheese, eggs.
for dinner tonight?) Have students work in pairs Interviewer: What time do you plan to eat lunch
to choose interviewees from the video. Then have today?
them ask each other these questions. Dan: Uh, maybe around 3:00.
Interviewer: So what do you want for dinner

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
tonight?
Written work Lorayn: I would really like sushi for dinner tonight.
●Ask students to name the interviewees in this
episode (Ian, James, Dan, Natalie, Lorayn, Matt).
ANSWER KEY
Tell each student to choose one person and write
sentences about him or her. A. 1. coffee, milk, water 2. vegetables, iced tea
3. rice, fish
● Pair work. Have students write six questions about
B. 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. True
the interviewees. Then combine pairs into groups
C. 1. b 2. d 3. c 4. b 5. d
of four and have them exchange questions and
write answers.

20 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 11 about Dr. Anderson’s vacation. Then combine
pairs into groups of four and have them exchange
questions and write answers.

Sitcom: How was your trip? LANGUAGE NOTE: Lots of has the same meaning
as a lot of or many.
Social language
VIDEO SCRIPT
● Discuss a trip
Dr. Anderson discusses her trip to London with Marie.
Grammar
Marie: Well, hello, Dr. Anderson! Welcome back.
● The simple past tense
Dr. Anderson: Thank you very much.
Marie: How was your trip to London?
PREVIEW Dr. Anderson: It was fine, thank you.
● Ask individual students Where did you go on your Marie: Did you visit lots of museums?
last vacation? What did you do? Write students’ Dr. Anderson: No. I didn’t visit any.
responses on the board. Make sure they use the Marie: Did you eat in some good restaurants?
simple past tense. Dr. Anderson: No. I ate in the same bad
restaurant every day.
REVIEW Marie: Did you see any plays or concerts?
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Dr. Anderson: No. But I watched TV in the hotel
episode again if necessary. room at night.
Did Dr. Anderson go to London? (yes) Marie: Did you take some nice walks around
Did she go for business or vacation? (business) London?
Did she visit any museums? (no) Dr. Anderson: Actually, no. I sat in a chair for
Did she eat in different restaurants? (no) four days.
Did she see much of the city? (no) Marie: Dr. Anderson, that doesn’t sound like a
Did Dr. Anderson meet with doctors? (yes) very nice vacation.
Did she stay in the hotel for four days? (yes) Dr. Anderson: Vacation? I went to London for
Did Dr. Anderson give four speeches? (no) business, not for vacation. I met doctors from
How long did Dr. Anderson stay—four or five all over the world. We talked about new
days? (four days) medicines, and I gave two speeches. I always
ate at the hotel restaurant. So I actually never
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Did she look at the city from the plane? (yes)

left the hotel.
EXTENSION Marie: But, Dr. Anderson, you were in London
and you didn’t see the city.
Oral work Dr. Anderson: No. But it looked nice from the
● Discussion. Ask students these questions:
airplane.
Does anyone go on business trips?
What cities do you go to?
Do you usually have time to see the city? If yes, ANSWER KEY
what do you do? A. 1. b 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. c
Do you ever only stay in the hotel? B. 2. Did you eat in some good restaurants 3. Did
● Pair work: role play. Have students role-play you see any plays or concerts 4. Did you take
the characters in the video and reenact what some nice walks around London
happened in the video episode. Remind the C. 2. talked 3. didn’t take 4. watched 5. didn’t
students role-playing Marie to show surprise. see 6. ate

Written work
● Have students write affirmative and negative Interview: What did you do last
sentences describing Dr. Anderson’s vacation. For weekend?
example, Dr. Anderson went to London on business.
She did not visit any museums. PREVIEW
● Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write ● Ask students What did you do last night? Write

six questions in the simple past tense (both students’ responses on the board. Make sure they
information questions and yes / no questions) use the simple past tense.

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 21

REVIEW
VIDEO SCRIPT
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video
Interviewer: What did you do last weekend?
segment again if necessary.
Alvino: I worked.
What did Alvino do last weekend—work or relax?
Rob: Last weekend I went running in the park.
(work)
I had drinks with friends. I read the paper. I
Did Rob go running in the park? (yes)
relaxed.
Did Maiko go to a movie and have dinner with a
Maiko: I went to see a movie, and, um . . . yes,
friend? (yes)
with my friend, and I went to have some
Did Mauro walk around New York all day? (no)
dinner with her.
Did Alvino say the weather was rainy or sunny
Interviewer: How about yesterday? What did you
last weekend? (sunny)
do yesterday?
Did Maiko say the weather was sunny on
Mauro: Well, yesterday it rained all day in New
Sunday? (yes)
York, so I just went to the public library.
Interviewer: This past weekend, what was the
weather like?
Alvino: It was nice, sunny, pleasant.
EXTENSION Interviewer: Yeah? So you enjoyed it?
Oral work Alvino: Yes, I did.
● Pair work: role play. Have students choose one of Interviewer: You were outside?
the interviewees from the interviews and role-play Alvino: I was outside working, yes, but enjoying
the short conversation between the interviewer it.
and the interviewee. Tell students to try to include Maiko: It was . . . oh, last weekend it was not too
all the information they talked about. good. Uh, it was rainy, but I think Sunday was
pretty good. It was sunny.
● Pair work. On the board, write What did you do
Rob: The weather was great.
last weekend? What was the weather like? Have
Interviewer: That sounds really nice.
students work in pairs to ask and answer these
Rob: It was really nice.
questions.
Interviewer: Did you have a good time?
Rob: I did have a good time.

Written work
● Have students recall the interviewees’ names
ANSWER KEY

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
and write them on the board (Alvino, Rob, Maiko, A. 1. False 2. True 3. True 4. False 5. True
Mauro). Call on volunteers to come to the board B. 1. nice 2. sunny 3. rained, went 4. went, had,
and write sentences about the people’s past read, relaxed
activities. Make sure students use the simple past
tense.
● Have students write several sentences describing Top Notch Pop and Karaoke:
what they did last weekend and what the weather My Favorite Day
was like.

22 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 12 LANGUAGE NOTES: Mr. Evans says to Marie
“You do look awful.” The word do in the sentence
puts emphasis on the statement. Another way to
say this would be You really look awful.
Sitcom: She has a fever. Mr. Evans says to Marie “You’re not going
anywhere.” This is a firm way of saying You should
Social language not go anywhere.
● Talk about ailments
Grammar VIDEO SCRIPT
● Verb tense review Marie pretends to be sick.
Marie: I’m meeting my sister for lunch.
PREVIEW Cheryl: Aren’t you having lunch with Mr. Evans?
Marie: Oh, no! I forgot! Tell him I don’t feel
● Write the word ailments on the board. Have
well and I’m going to the doctor.
students name different ailments that they know. Paul: OK.

REVIEW (Marie leaves.)

Mr. Evans: Is Marie here?
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video
Cheryl: Uh, no. She’s not feeling so well.
episode again if necessary.
Bob: She went to the doctor.
Is Marie meeting her sister for lunch? (yes)
Paul: She has a fever. And a headache. And a
Is she having lunch with Mr. Evans? (no)
stomachache. And a toothache.
Do Marie’s friends tell Mr. Evans she is sick? (yes)
Mr. Evans: That sounds bad!
Is Marie really sick? (no)
Does Paul say Marie has a toothache and a (Marie reenters.)
headache? (yes) Marie: I need my jacket.
Does Paul say Marie has an earache? (no) Mr. Evans: You do look awful!
Does Mr. Evans think that Marie is sick? (yes) Marie: I do?
Is Mr. Evans calling the doctor? (yes) Mr. Evans: Well, with your fever . . .
Marie: Fever? Oh, yes, fever.
Mr. Evans: And a headache!
EXTENSION
Marie: Ohhh!
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Oral work Mr. Evans: And a stomachache!

● Pair work: role play. Play the video episode from Marie: Oooh.
the part where Marie returns to the office to get Mr. Evans: And a toothache!
her jacket, with the sound off. Have students Marie: Ow!!!
look at Marie’s body language and identify the Mr. Evans: You’re not going anywhere. Stay
ailment she is pretending to have (in order: fever, right here. I’m calling the doctor.
headache, stomachache, toothache). Then call on Marie: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Evans. (to her
volunteers to role-play Mr. Evans and Marie in this colleagues) Thank you very much.
section.
● Pair work: role play. Have students imagine
that Marie is at the doctor’s. Ask What questions ANSWER KEY
does the doctor ask her? Write the questions that A. a fever, a headache, a stomachache, a toothache
students suggest on the board. For example, Do B. 1. b 2. a 3. c
you have a stomachache? Then have students work C. 1. a 2. b 3. b 4. a
in pairs to role-play the doctor and Marie.

Written work Interview: What do your parents

● Have students write the excuses Marie’s friends look like?
give to Mr. Evans. For example, She’s not feeling so
well. She has a toothache. PREVIEW
● Pair work. Have students write yes / no questions ● On the board, write hair and eyes. Have students

about Marie’s ailments. For example, Does Marie say words to describe hair and eyes. Write them on
have a headache? Does she have a backache? Then the board. For example, Hair: black, brown, white,
combine pairs into groups of four and have them curly, straight; Eyes: blue, brown, big.
exchange questions and write full answers.
Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 23
REVIEW
VIDEO SCRIPT
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video
Interviewer: Could you describe your parents for
segment again if necessary.
me?
Is Jessica’s father tall? (yes)
Jessica: My dad is like this tall. He has already
Who has big ears—Jessica’s mother or father?
white hair, big ears, and is very handsome.
(Jessica’s father)
And my mom is a little smaller than me, and
Is Jessica’s father handsome? (yes)
she has black straight hair and is very beautiful,
Does Jessica’s mother have brown eyes? (no)
and has big blue eyes.
Do Martin’s brothers have brown eyes? (yes)
Interviewer: Could you tell me what one of your
Are Martin’s sisters pretty? (yes)
brothers looks like?
Does Angelique have a brother or a sister? (a brother)
Martin: Um, looks like me a little bit. The other
Is he handsome? (yes)
one looks more like my mother.
EXTENSION Interviewer: Could you describe them a little
bit—their hair, their eyes?
Oral work
Martin: Uh, they both have black hair and brown
● On the board, write the names of the interviewees
eyes, just like me.
(Jessica, Martin, Angelique). Have students describe Interviewer: Now, do you have any siblings?
the family members they spoke about. Angelique: Yes. I have an older brother.
● Call on students to describe the interviewees Interviewer: So is he a handsome guy?
from the video without mentioning their names. Angelique: I would think so, yes. I think he’s very
For example, She has long blond hair. Then have handsome, but he’s my brother, so . . .
the class guess who is being described. If the Interviewer: And how about your sisters? Are
class can’t guess, allow students to ask yes / no they pretty?
questions to get hints. Continue the activity by Martin: I say they’re pretty.
asking one student to pick a classmate. Have the
rest of the class ask questions to get hints and
guess who is being described.

Written work
● Pair work. Have students write sentences
summarizing what Jessica’s parents look like.

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
● Have students choose one of their family members

and write sentences describing what they look like.

ANSWER KEY
OOPS! Jessica says, “He has already white
hair.” However, He already has white hair is A. 1. b 2. c 3. a
grammatically correct. B. 1. a 2. b 3. c 4. a
C. 1. big ears, white hair, handsome 2. big blue
Jessica also says, “She has black straight eyes, black hair, beautiful, straight hair
hair.” However, She has straight black hair is 3. black hair, brown eyes
grammatically correct.

24 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 13 practice making requests and responding using
these words.
● Pair work: role play. Have students write down
as many of Mr. Evans’s questions as they can
Sitcom: Could you do me a favor? remember. Then have them role-play the scene.
Encourage students role-playing Marie to use
Social language different ways of saying yes as discussed above.
● Request favors Written work
Grammar ● Pair work. Have students write six questions with

● Requests with Could you could you requesting their partner to do things for
them. Then have pairs exchange questions and
answer them.
PREVIEW
● Make requests with Could you. For example, Could
LANGUAGE NOTE: Yeah, right is a rude way of
you open the door? Could you close the window? indicating that something is not going to happen.
Then have students make requests of each other.
Write examples on the board. VIDEO SCRIPT
Mr. Evans requests Marie to do a few things for him.
REVIEW
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Mr. Evans: Marie, could you do me a favor? I’m
episode again if necessary. having lunch with a client in an hour, and I
(gesturing spill) Did Mr. Evans spill coffee on his spilled coffee on my tie. Could you go to the
tie? (yes) store and buy a new tie for me?
Does Mr. Evans ask Marie to buy a new tie? (yes) Marie: Sure, no problem.
Does Mr. Evans ask Marie to buy a shirt or socks? Mr. Evans: And can you get a newspaper for me
(a shirt) at the store on the corner?
Does Mr. Evans really want a cup of coffee? (yes) Marie: Yup.
Does Mr. Evans really want her to play the violin? Mr. Evans: This coffee is cold. Could you buy
(no) me a cup of coffee, too?
Is Marie fixing Mr. Evans’s car tonight? (no) Marie: Sure.
Does Marie say “yes” to everything Mr. Evans Mr. Evans: Also, this shirt doesn’t look very nice.
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

asks? (yes) Can you buy me a new shirt?

At the end of the video episode, who is going to Marie: Of course.
the store to buy a tie—Mr. Evans or Marie? (Mr. Mr. Evans: Could you get me a new suit, too?
Evans) Marie: Yes.
Mr. Evans: And can you play the violin for me
after lunch?
EXTENSION Marie: Certainly.
Oral work Mr. Evans: Could you fix my car tonight?
● Discussion. Play the last five exchanges, from You Marie: Yes, sir.
didn’t hear me at all, did you? Ask What does Marie Mr. Evans: You didn’t hear me at all, did you?
say when Mr. Evans asks, “You didn’t hear me at all, Marie: I’m sorry, what did you say?
did you?” (She says “I’m sorry, what did you say?”) Mr. Evans: Nothing. Nothing. I’m going to the
Focus on Yeah, right. Explain that Yeah, right is rude. store to buy a new tie.
Marie is saying she won’t fix Mr. Evans’s car. This Marie: OK.
means she really heard his requests, but says she did (Mr. Evans leaves.)
not. Ask Why does she do this? (For example, She does Marie: Can I fix his car tonight? Yeah, right.
not want to get a tie for him. She has too much work.)
● Ask students What are the different ways Marie

responds to Mr. Evans’s requests? Write the ANSWER KEY

responses on the board (Sure, no problem. Yup.
A. 1. True 2. False 3. False 4. True 5. False
Sure. Of course. Yes. Certainly. Yes, sir. OK.). Play
B. 1. No 2. No 3. Yes 4. No 5. Yes 6. No 7. Yes
the video again and have students listen for these
C. 1. Could you 2. Could you 3. Can you
responses. Ask Which of these responses are less
4. Could you 5. Can you 6. Could you
formal? (yup, sure) Have students work in pairs to

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 25

Interview: Can you play a musical LANGUAGE NOTES: My goodness is an
expression used for surprise or admiration.
instrument?
Oh gosh is a filler expression generally used when
PREVIEW the person is trying to think of what to say next.
● Ask individual students Can you play a musical
Poker is a card game.
instrument? If necessary, give examples of musical
instruments—guitar and violin. Then ask What VIDEO SCRIPT
things can you do? Write students’ responses on
the board. Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about yourself. Can
you play a musical instrument?
Elli: Not at all. I wish I could, but I sing.
Matt: Yes, I can play the guitar.
REVIEW Interviewer: And when did you learn?
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Matt: Um, I started playing the guitar when I was
segment again if necessary. in fifth grade, which is about age eleven, I’d say.
Who can play the guitar—Matt or Stephan? Interviewer: And was it hard to learn?
(Matt) Matt: Uh, just takes a lot of practice.
Can Elli play a musical instrument? (no) Interviewer: Any other musical instruments?
Can Elli sing? (yes) Stephan: I used to play the drums when I was, uh,
Who can dance—Vanessa or San? (San) younger.
Does Vanessa run every day? (yes) San: I cannot play a musical instrument. Um, but I
How many languages does Stephan speak—three like to dance, so that’s kind of related to music.
or five? (five) Interviewer: Can you swim or ski or knit?
Is his native language Greek? (yes) Vanessa: Um, I jog. I like to jog. I’m trying to do a
Can San play a musical instrument? (no) marathon, so I’ve been running. I’m up to five
miles. So I run as much as I can every day.
Interviewer: Do you speak any foreign languages?
Stephan: Yes, I do. I speak, uh, five foreign languages.
EXTENSION
Interviewer: My goodness. That’s a lot. Could you
Oral work tell me which ones?
● Pair work: role play. Have students choose one of Stephan: My native language is Greek, um, and I
the interviewees and role-play the conversation also speak English, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
between the interviewer and the interviewee. Tell Interviewer: Can you knit or ski or paint or cook?
students to try to include all the information they San: Yes to a lot of those things. I can cook a little bit.
talked about. Um, I can ride a bike. I can, um . . . oh gosh, it’s
● Pair work: interviews. Have pairs of students recall hard to name a lot . . . all the things that you can
the different questions the interviewer asked, and do when you don’t . . . that you take for granted.
then use the questions to interview each other. Um, I can play sports. Um, I can, um, play poker.
Then bring the class together and have students
tell the class their partner’s abilities.
ANSWER KEY
A. 1. sing 2. dance 3. speak five languages
Written work 4. play the guitar 5. run five miles
● Pair work. Have students write eight questions B. 1. b 2. d 3. a 4. b 5. c
about the interviewees’ abilities. Then combine C. 2. Elli can’t play a musical instrument
pairs into groups of four and have them exchange 3. Stephan can play the drums 4. Vanessa
questions and write answers. can’t ski 5. San can play sports
● On the board, write Matt, Stephan, San. Assign

students a name and have them write what the

person can or cannot do.

26 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition

 UNIT 14 the future. Remind students to use would like and
be going to. For example, Marie would like to live
in China. She is going to learn Chinese. Combine
pairs into groups of four and have them share
Sitcom: I’d like to get married. their sentences. Tell them to add any details they
missed.
Social language ● Have students write five sentences describing their
● Discuss future plans own plans for the future. Instruct students to use
would like and be going to. Then call on students
Grammar to read their sentences to the class.
● Would like
● Be going to for the future LANGUAGE NOTE: What about you? is a way of
asking someone to share their thoughts or opinions
about something. It is also possible to say And you?
PREVIEW
● Ask individual students What are your plans for the
VIDEO SCRIPT
future? Make sure students answer with I would
Bob, Cheryl, Paul, and Marie are sitting in the café,
like . . . and I am going to. . . . Write students’
talking about their dreams.
answers on the board.
Marie: I would like to live in China.
REVIEW Paul: I’d like to learn to play the guitar.
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Marie: If I can’t live in China, I’m going to
episode again if necessary. learn to speak Chinese.
Does Cheryl want to live in China? (no) Paul: I’m going to write a book.
Does Marie want to learn to speak Chinese? (yes) Marie: Really? About what?
Does Paul want to learn to play the piano or the Paul: I don’t know. Cooking.
guitar? (the guitar) Marie: You don’t cook.
What does Paul want to write a book about— Paul: I’ll learn.
skiing or cooking? (cooking) Marie: What about you two? What are your
Does Paul know how to cook? (no) plans?
Do Cheryl and Bob have plans to go to a concert Bob: We’re going to go to a movie tonight.
or a movie? (a movie) Marie: No, what are your plans for the future?
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Do Cheryl and Bob both want to get married? (yes) Cheryl: Well, I’d like to get married and have
Do Cheryl and Bob both want to have children? children.
(yes) Marie: What about you, Bob?
Bob: I’d like to get married and have children,
EXTENSION too.
Oral work Marie: Really? You would?
● Group work: role play. Have students role-play the Paul: You want to get married?!
characters and reenact what happened in the video Cheryl: Actually, we have some news for you.
episode. Then have the groups create their own Marie: No! You’re getting married?!
scenario with their personal plans for the future. Bob: We want you to come to the movie with us.
Marie: Oh.
● Ask students When Bob says, “We’re going to get Bob: And we’re going to get married.
married” what do Marie and Paul say? (I’m so Marie: I’m so happy for you!
happy for you; Congratulations) Ask When you hear Paul: Congratulations! Can we still come to the
good news, what can you say? For example, I’m movie with you?
so happy to hear that; Best wishes. Have students
work in pairs to share good news and use these
responses. ANSWER KEY
Written work A. 1. d 2. a 3. b 4. c
B. 1. c 2. b 3. b 4. c 5. b 6. c
●Pair work. Have students work in pairs to write a
C. 1. is going to go 2. are not going to get 3. is
few sentences about each character’s plans for
not going to learn 4. is going to write

Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition Top Notch TV Teaching Notes 27

Interview: Where were you born? VIDEO SCRIPT
Interviewer: So where were you born?
Lorayn: I was born in New York City.
PREVIEW
Interviewer: And when were you born?
● Ask individual students What would you like to do in
Lorayn: January 28, 1969.
the future? Write students’ answers on the board. Interviewer: And, uh, did you grow up in New York?
Lorayn: Yes, I did.
Interviewer: Where and what did you study?
REVIEW Joe: Uh, I studied at, uh, Rutgers, uh, in, uh, New
● Ask comprehension questions. Play the video Jersey, and I studied psychology.
segment again if necessary. Interviewer: What are your future plans?
Was Lorayn born in New York City? (yes) Christiane: I will work in America and then
Was she born in December? (no) maybe move to Thailand.
Does Christiane want to move to Thailand? (yes) Interviewer: Why do you want to move to
Is Ian making plans to get married and raise a Thailand?
family? (no) Christiane: Because Thailand has beautiful
Can Maiko ski well? (no) beaches and it’s warm all the time.
Would Dan like to play the violin? (yes) Interviewer: Do you have any thoughts about getting
Does Ian like writing? (yes) married? Having children? Raising a family?
Ian: Uh, I’m not up to that yet. No.
Interviewer: Not even thinking about it?
EXTENSION Ian: Well, I’m thinking, I . . . but I’m not up to
Oral work that yet.
Interviewer: How about, uh, some other thing
● Have students recall the names of the interviewees you might like to do—like learn to play a
and write them on the board (Lorayn, Joe, musical instrument or some other hobby you
Christiane, Ian, Maiko, Dan). Then call on might like to learn?
volunteers to create statements about them. Maiko: OK. Um, I really love skiing so, um . . .
● Pair work: interviews. On the board, write the but I’m not too good at it, so, um, I’d love to
following questions: Where were you born? When learn more.
were you born? Where did you grow up? What are Dan: I’d like to play the violin.
your future plans? Have students work in pairs to Ian: I’d like to, uh, learn more about writing. I

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
take turns asking and answering the questions. like writing.

Written work ANSWER KEY

● Pair work. Have students write questions about the A. 1. d 2. b 3. c 4. a
interviewees. Then combine pairs into groups of B. 1. False 2. True 3. False 4. True 5. False
four and have them exchange questions and write 6. False
answers. C. 1. b 2. a 3. a 4. b
● Tell students to write sentences describing what

they would like to do in the future.

Top Notch Pop and Karaoke:

LANGUAGE NOTE: When Ian says, “I’m not up
to that yet” he means that he is not thinking about I Wasn’t Born Yesterday
that yet.

28 Top Notch TV Teaching Notes Top Notch Fundamentals, Third Edition