Read the text about "Life memories." Answer the questions that follow.

Life Memories
My grandparents are always talking about what life was like in the past. I decided to talk to them
one day to understand their ideas better. They said their lives were a bit slower. People were more
relaxed about time and their responsibilities. My grandparents think people are running all the time.
On a regular weekday, grandma was at home most of the time and grandpa was at work. Their
children were at school most of the day, so they got together at night. They told stories and played
games until it was time for them to go to bed. My grandparents always talk about their moments
of conversation with their relatives and children. "We were always around, so we could talk to
everybody," they said. These days they feel families do not have time to get together and talk.
Everyone seems to have their own schedule and agenda. One last thing my grandparents told me
was about the special celebrations they had. People were always ready for those moments. They did
not see that Christmas started in November as happens these days. They feel there was a moment
for everything. They did not do anything in a hurry as happens with most festivities now. My
grandparents concluded that they were happier when they were younger. They added that life does
not have the same quality today.

Comprehension
1 What was life like in the past according to the text?
a. Life was faster b. Life was slower. c. Life was easier.
2 Where were the different members of the family on a regular weekday?
a. Grandma was at home, grandpa was at work and the children were at school.
b. Grandma was at work, grandpa was at home and the children were at school.
c. Grandma was at school, grandpa was at work and the children were at home.
3 What did they say about people's attitudes towards special celebrations?
a. People were not always ready for those moments.
b. People were usually ready for those moments.
c. People were always ready for those moments.
4. What are families like today?
a. Their lives are a bit slower.
b. They have moments of conversation with their relatives and children.
c. Everyone seems to have their own schedule and agenda.
5. What did the grandparents conclude about their lives in the past?
a. They were happier when they were older.
b. They were happier when they were younger.
c. They were better when they were younger.
 Life in the Past

Writing task: Do you think life was really better in the past? Say what people used to/ had to or
were able to do a few centuries ago in the following areas:
● working life
● lifestyles (housing / food / clothing / transport…)
● education
● entertainment
● beliefs and customs
Pre task 1: Study the following statements about people’s lifestyle in the past. What do the words
in bold express?

 People used to bake bread in ovens.

They learned that by planting seeds and plowing their land, they were able to grow crops.
 They had to build walls around their cities to protect themselves from outside invaders.

Pre task 2: Fill in the table with

- use animals / carry/ heavy loads
- wash / all of their clothes / by hand
- keep / food / fresh / using many spices
- cook / on wood fires
- burn / candles
- travel / by horse
- eat / home-made meals / lots of fruit and vegetables etc…
- spend / free time / tell stories by fireside / read books / discuss serious problems
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In the past people …
had to were able to used to

● wear worn out clothes ●build irrigation canals to grow ● cook on wood fires
● more food ●
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You may begin like this:

Most elderly people say that life in the past used to be better and more pleasant, but I think it's not
always very true - life was very difficult in those days.
People had to get up around five o’clock in the morning every day to work on their farms, tend
sheep and goats or cut wood to make fire. Women had to carry water in buckets from the village
well …
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