Warm up Activities B2

Lesson 07: Qualities for success

What qualities are important for success? Add one more adjective to each list. Then
rank them from 1 to 6.

A model A salesperson A magazine

fashionable clever affordable
gorgeous charming attractive
industrious knowledgeable entertaining
muscular persuasive informative
slender tough well written
Lesson 07: Warm Up: Opinions
Complete the chart with synonyms from the list

Awful Wonderful Stupid Strange

Absurd dumb marvelous silly

bizarre fabulous odd terrible
disgusting fantastic outstanding unusual
dreadful horrible ridiculous weird
Grammar Focus
 Lesson 07: Passive Voice (simple past)

The passive changes the focus of a sentence.

Subject + past of be + past participle + by + complement

ACTIVE PASSIVE
The president opened the building in 1931. The building was opened by the president in
1931.
An American architect designed the building. The building was designed by an American
architect
In the first example, we use the active because we are interested in who opened the building, so
the president is the subject of the sentence. In the first example from the second column, we used
the passive because we are most interested in the building, not in who opened it.

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 Lesson 07: Passive Voice (simple
present)
The passive changes the focus of a sentence.

Subject + present of be + past participle + complement

ACTIVE PASSIVE
They use the euro in most of the European Union. The euro is used in most of the European Union.
They speak English in many European countries. English is spoken in many European countries.
They manufacture a lot of cars in Europe. A lot of cars are manufactured in Europe

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Lesson 07: Passive Voice
Active sentence - the person or thing responsible for the action in the sentence comes first.
Passive sentence - the person or thing acted on comes first, and the actor is added at the
end, introduced with the preposition “by”. In a passive sentence we often omit the actor.
by somebody/someone = usually
redundant When do I use passive voice?
1. The actor is unknown - The cave paintings in Lascaux were made in the Upper
Old Stone Age.
2. The actor is irrelevant - An experimental solar plant will be built in the desert.
3. You want to be vague about who is responsible - Mistakes were made.
4. You are talking about a general truth- Rules are made to be broken.
5. You want to emphasize the person or thing acted on. - Insulin was first
discovered in 1921 by researchers at the University of Toronto.
6. You are writing in a scientific genre that traditionally relies on passive voice.
Passive voice is often preferred in lab reports and scientific research papers. The
passive voice places the emphasis on your experiment rather than on you.
The sodium hydroxide was dissolved in water. This solution was then titrated with
hydrochloric acid.
Lesson 07: Reported Speech: statements

When you talk to someone. There are two ways of talking:

Directly “I have lost my phone.”

Indirectl Tom said that he had lost his phone.

y
In the first sentence we put in quotation marks In the second sentence we express what the
because it is found in conversations (books, other person (speaker) has said, not repeating
stories, etc.) the exact words of the speaker.

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Lesson 07: Reported Speech: statements
When we report someone´s words afterward, the verb forms often move into
past. This is because what they said is now in the past
DIRECT SPEECH (ACTUAL WORDS) INDIRECT SPEECH (REPORTED STATEMENT)

Years ago, John said. . . A few years ago, John told me that . . .
“I want to get away from here.” He told me that he wanted to get away from there.
Present Simple Past Simple pronoun + verb in past form
“I had an awful time last year.” He told me that he had had an awful time the
Past Simple previous year.
Past perfect pronoun + had + verb in
participle
“I´ve found a new job in Canada.” He told me that he had found a new job in Canada
Present Perfect Past Perfect pronoun + had + participle
“I´m leaving tomorrow.” He told me that he was leaving the next day.
Present Continuous Past Continuous pronoun + past of be + ing
form of the verb.
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Lesson 07: Reported Speech: statements
When we report someone´s words afterward, the verb forms
often move into past. This is because what they said is now in
the past
DIRECT SPEECH (ACTUAL WORDS) INDIRECT SPEECH (REPORTED
STATEMENT)
“I am going to start a new life.” He said that he was going to start a new life.
is / are going to was / were going to
“I´ll write to you when I get there.” He said that he would write me when he got
will / won't there.
would / wouldn't
“You can come and see me” He said that I could come and see him.
can / can´t could / couldn´t

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Lesson 07: Reported Speech: statements
With 'tell' we NEED the
object ('me, you, her).
With 'say' we CAN'T
NOTICE use the object (me,
them, us).

a the changes in place and time references in

the
reported statements. In statements, say and tell are the most common
here → there reporting verbs. Look at how they are used.
last year → the year before
He said that it was not true. not: He told it was true.
b that the other modals verbs (would, could, He said it was true. not: He said me it was true.
should, He said to me (that) it was not true. not: He told me that
ought, might) do not change in reported it was true.
speech.
These verbs can be followed by that , but it is not
c the changes in pronouns used in reported necessary.
speech.
I → he/she/it
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Lesson 07: Reported Speech: requests
When we make a request, we use the word PLEASE and CAN. In
the reported speech we use ASK, SAY and TELL.

DIRECT SPEECH (ORIGINAL REQUEST) INDIRECT SPEECH (REPORTED REQUEST)

“Please don't tell lies” My mother asked me not to tell lies.

“Please don´t smoke here.” The lady asked us not to smoke there.

“Please sit down.” The principal asked us/me to sit down.

“Don't come home after midnight.” She told me not to come home after midnight.
She said not to come home after midnight.

“Can you play your music more quietly?” He asked me to play my music more quietly.

“Can you help me?” My friend Tom asked me to help him.

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Reading Comprehension B1
Lesson 07: Birthday Traditions around the World.
The tradition of birthday parties started a long time ago. People
thought that there was a special danger from evil spirits, so friends and family
came together to bring good thoughts and wishes and even presents. At one
time, only kings had birthday parties but as time went by, children and then
adults began to have their own birthday celebrations. There are some
traditions - such as sending birthday cards, blowing out the candles on a
birthday cake and singing the 'Happy Birthday' song, that you can find almost
anywhere, any time. Others are more specific to certain ages ... and certain
countries.
1 In China, everyone celebrates their birthday on New Year's Day: they
become one year older on that day. On a child's second birthday, family
members put a variety of objects on the floor around the child. According to
Chinese tradition, the first object that the child picks up tells you what
profession the child will choose later in life.
3, 5, 7 For Japanese children, the third, fifth and seventh birthdays are
particularly important. At this age, there is a special celebration called Shichi —
Go — San (seven, five, three in Japanese) when children go to the temple
wearing a brand-new kimono. The priest gives them special sweets, and the
parents usually organize a party for their friends in their home.
 15 In Argentina, Mexico and several other Latin American countries, girls have a
special birthday celebration when they reach the age of fifteen. After a religious
ceremony, the girls dance a waltz with their father and other boys.
18 Eighteen is the traditional 'coming of age' — the age where you have the right to
vote, join the armed forces and (in many countries), drink alcohol and (in the UK) buy a
house or become a member of parliament.
21 In many English-speaking countries, a twenty-first birthday cake often has a key
on top, or the cake itself is sometimes in the shape of a key. The key means that the
young person is now old enough to leave and enter the family home at any time they
want.
30 In the past in parts of Europe, men who reached the age of thirty and
were still single, had to clean the stairs of the City Hall. This way every girl could see
that the man didn't have a girlfriend. — and how good he was at cleaning the house!
40, 50 After the age of thirty, many people prefer to forget their birthdays
rather than celebrate them ... children often bring Mum (or Dad) breakfast in bed, and
it's traditional to give a bunch of flowers and enjoy a special meal or party. It's also a
day when your friends and family have to pay if you go out for drinks or a meal!
 Exercise - Practice:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLS
dHgZ_fq0XCZmn2B4P34hW16NvsSHdotnOH
EEU1BLYAOxiejw/viewform

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 Lesson 07: Child Prodigies.
Other musicians have described Sarah Chang as “the most wonderful,
perfect violinist” they’ve ever heard. What praise especially surprising in Sarah’s
age. She’s only in her twenties, and people have been describing her this way
since she was a child. On Sarah’s fourth birthday, her father gave her a violin. By
age 5, she was accepted at the famous Juilliard School of Music in New York City.
By 8, she was performing as a violin soloist with major orchestras. Since then,
Sarah has performed around the world and recorded many albums.

Before Michael Kearney was born, the doctors warned his parents that
he might have learning difficulties. He’s been proving them wrong ever since! By
the time he was 4 months old, Michael could say full sentences like, “What’s for
dinner Mom?” By 10 months, he could read words. Studying at home with his
parents, Michael completed four grade levels each year. At 10, he graduated from
college with honors. And at 14, he received a Master’s degree. Now in his late
teens, he is teaching and working on his Ph.D.
 When Alexandra Nechita was 2, her parents gave her some crayons
and coloring books. Alexandra was soon working in inks, watercolors, and by
the time she was 7, oil paints. At 8, Alexandra had her first art exhibit. Now a
young adult, Alexandra is one of the most recognized artists in the world. Her
paintings are often compared to those of Picasso and other great artists. They
have sold for as much as $80,000. She has been on TV many times, and several
books of her paintings have been published.

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 Exercise - Practice:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLS
dHgZ_fq0XCZmn2B4P34hW16NvsSHdotnOH
EEU1BLYAOxiejw/viewform

https://www.vla.academy/