Things Were Ticking along OK

A.

Give as short answers as possible to the following questions.

1. What was Sam’s – the narrator’s – life like at the time he describes? It was good he had on
worries.
2. Which was Sam’s best subject at school? Art and design.
3. What sport is Sam interested in? skate
4. Who is Alicia? The girl sam likes
5. Which of his parents does Sam live with? Mom
6. How old was Sam when the story started? Fifteen soon sixteen
7. Which school subject was giving Sam difficulties? Math

B.

Talk about the following questions (in English of course!)

1. What did Sam mean when he said that he had never “caused a fight between teachers”?
2. Sam didn’t like his mother’s old boyfriend. Perhaps Sam was being unfair, perhaps he wasn’t.
Do you still understand his feelings?
3. Things Were Ticking along OK is from the first chapter of Nick Hornby’s novel Slam. Do you
think Alicia will appear later on in the novel? Why/Why not?
4. Do you think you would like to read the novel now that you know how it starts? Why/Why
not?

C.

Combine the phrases so that you get the sentences that are well-formed and make sense.

1. Sam’s parents quarrelled a lot but always in private, ….e

2. In the end Sam’s parents realised that they… h
3. Of course, their divorce was a tragedy…d
4. After the divorce Sam wished his parents would stop being angry with each other but…i
5. His parents were bitter but they…f
6. A lot of weird things have happened to Sam….b
7. Alicia is a complicated person…a
8. Sam is obviously quite happy…g
9. Art and Design is Sam’s favourite subject…c
a) but she is fun to be with.
b) but he hasn’t told us what they are.
c) but he doesn’t like Maths.
d) but it would have been worse if they
had stayed together.
e) never in public.
f) never started punching each other.
g) when his parents stopped fighting.
h) had to get divorced.
i) they just carried on fighting.

D.
Do the next task, translation.