1

BACKGROUND
Necessities
1 You are going to watch a TED Talk by Graham Hill called
Less stuff, more happiness. Read the text about the
speaker and the talk, then answer the questions.

1 Hills website promotes a lifestyle that doesnt harm the

planet. What sorts of actions or choices do you think he
recommends/discourages?
2 Hill believes that we can be happier if we have fewer
possessions. Do you think hes right?
3 How easy do you find it to get rid of stuff?

GRAHAM HILL is a North American journalist

who studied architecture and design. He founded
TreeHugger.com, a website dedicated to promoting
a lifestyle that doesnt harm the planet and to making
complex environmental issues easier to understand.
Hes currently the CEO of LifeEdited, a project devoted
to living well with less. Graham Hills idea worth spreading
is that we can actually be happier with fewer things, so
long as we are able to edit our lives in smart, practical ways.

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 A familys possessions
outside a traditional yurt in
Xinbaerhuzuo Qi, Mongolia

KEY WORDS AUTHENTIC LISTENING SKILLS Relaxed

2 Read the sentences (16). The words in bold are used in pronunciation
the TED Talk. First guess the meaning of the words. Then
When some words combine with of, have or to, some
match the words with their definitions (af).
sounds in the word may be lost or changed in speech. In
1 Even though I had everything money could buy, my addition, the of, have or to is reduced to a weak // sound,
happiness flat-lined. for example kind of kinda; should have shoulda;
2 I crowdsourced advice on the best green holiday want to wanna.
options.
3 Deleting my old photographs cleared the arteries of 3a 1 Look at the Authentic listening skills box. Then
my computer. listen to sentences 13. Underline the expressions with
4 The simple design avoided extraneous elements that to and of that are reduced and changed.
would detract from the clean look.
1 So Im going to suggest that less stuff and less space
5 The recycling campaign has helped to stem the inflow
are going to equal a smaller footprint.
of waste into our local landfill site.
2 First of all, you have to edit ruthlessly.
6 The bowls are three different sizes, so they nest, making
3 Weve got to cut the extraneous out of our lives, and
them easy to store.
weve got to learn to stem the inflow.
a reduce the inward movement
b via the Internet, asked a lot of people for 3b 2 Read extracts 4 and 5. Which expressions do you
c not relevant or related think will be reduced or changed? Listen and check.
d stopped increasing, but didnt decrease 4 we combine a moving wall with transformer furniture
e removed unnecessary stuff from the inner workings of to get a lot out of the space. My bed just pops out of the
f fit one inside the other wall with two fingers.
5 Most of us, maybe all of us, are here pretty happily for a
bunch of days with a couple of bags ...

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 1.1 Less stuff, more happiness

1 1.1 Watch the TED Talk. Number the five topics (ae) 3 1.1 How much of the talk can you remember?
in the order Graham Hill discusses them. Answer the questions. Then watch the first part
(0.002.55) of the talk again and check your answers.
a examples of situations where we live comfortably withless
b three ways to live little 1 How much has the typical living space in the USA
c the personal storage industry increased in the past 50 years?
d the contents of the box discussed 2 In addition to having more space, what other two things
e Hills 420 square foot (39 m2) apartment and how he got it have increased for the average North American?
3 What, significantly, hasnt increased for North Americans
2 Work in pairs. Check your answers to Exercise 1. in the past 50 years?
4 What three benefits of having less stuff and living in a
smaller space does Graham Hill name?
5 Hill talks about having an edited set of possessions.
What does he mean by that?

dorm N Am Eng digitize / organize N Am Eng / BR Eng

10 hall of residence BR Eng digitise / organise BR Eng

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 Unit 1 Necessities
4 1.1 Watch the second part (2.564.42) of the talk Viewers comments
again. What examples does Hill give for his three main
approaches (13) to life editing? Paolo
P The box is so familiar. Everyone has one, right?
Bringing it on stage and talking about it really made the
1 Edit your possessions cut the extraneous and learn to point.
stem the inflow.
2 Repeat the mantra: small is sexy. K
KMJ Its hard to argue with smaller utility bills, more

3 Use multifunctional spaces and housewares. money and a smaller environmental footprint. I think < = >
(less equals more) is a really useful equation.
5 1.1 Watch the third part (4.43 to the end) of the talk
Erica Great talk, and completely true. And I love his
again. Answer the questions. E
apartment. I want one!
1 How much does Graham Hill suggest we could reduce
our living space by? *The comments were created for this activity.
2 What does he point out about the people who are
attending the TED Talk? PRESENTATION SKILLS Using props
3 What does he say life editing will give us more of?
4 What does the symbol < = > mean?
Props can be an extremely useful tool for presenters.
6 Hill uses a lot of examples from the USA in his TED Talk. A well-chosen prop:
stimulates the audiences curiosity or builds
How do you think issues of living space / amount of
material possessions compare in your own country? anticipation.
provides a visual focus.

helps clarify or reinforce an idea.

TIPS

VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT may help the audience relate to your ideas.

7 1.2 Watch the clips from the TED Talk. Choose the can help the audience visualize a complex idea or

correct meaning of the words. process.

serves as an example.

8 Complete the sentences in your own words. Then discuss isnt distracting.

with a partner. makes your talk memorable.

1 If I had to edit my possessions ruthlessly, Id start by

getting rid of 11 1.3 Look at the Presentation tips box. Then watch
2 My personal mantra is how Graham Hill uses his cardboard box in the TED Talk.
3 My is/are digitized. Answer the questions.

1 How does Hills box both build anticipation and reinforce

CRITICAL THINKING Identifying aims his ideas?
9 Look at this list of reasons for giving a talk. Which most 2 Hill stands in front of the box for most of the talk. Do you
accurately describes the main aim of Graham Hills think the box is distracting to the audience? Why? / Why
TEDTalk? not?
3 What other props might Hill have used to make the same
1 to entertain by telling an interesting and sometimes funny
point?
personal story
2 to give the listener new information 12 Work in pairs. Prepare a two-minute mini-presentation.
3 to persuade using objective facts Make some brief notes on one of these topics. Think of
4 to inform and ask the listener to make a specific decision a simple prop you could use to illustrate each of the talk
or choice topics.
5 to persuade by making an emotional appeal
1 air pollution
10 Read the comments* about the TED Talk. Which one 2 the benefits of regular exercise
of them mentions details that show what Hills main 3 money spent by the public on holidays abroad
aimwas? 4 a comparison of the size of homes and living space
around the world
5 the working lives of factory employees

13 Work with a new partner. Take turns to give your

presentation. Remember the advice from the Presentation
tips box to help you use your prop effectively.

burner N Am Eng a bunch of N Am Eng

hob BR Eng quite a few BR Eng
11

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 1.2 Luxury or necessity?
Do you really need it?

100

car
90

86
percentage of people who say each item is a necessity

80

clothes
dryer

60 59
55
54
ing
ition
49
ond
e air c 45
hom e
av
w

40
ro
ic
m

32

26

20
u ter
omp
m ec
ho
4

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

GRAMMAR The perfect aspect 3 Look at the graph showing changing ideas about
necessities and luxuries in the USA. Then answer
1 Whats a luxury? Whats a necessity? Think of two or
the questions.
three examples of each in your own life.
1 When the lines on the graph go up from left to right,
2 Write N (necessity) or L (luxury) for each the following. does it show that more people considered the item a
Explain why. necessity or more people considered it a luxury?
1 car 4 microwave oven 2 Do the lines between 1980 and 2005, show a generally
2 clothes dryer 5 home computer healthy economy or a weak economy?
3 home air conditioning 6 Internet access 3 Sometime after 2005, people suddenly change their
minds about what is a luxury and what is a necessity.
Why do you think this happened?

12

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 Unit 1 Necessities
4 Read the text in the Grammar box. Match the verbs in a and now I want to work less and have fewer luxuries.
bold to the letters (ae) on the time line. b after I get the new one next week.
c reading about how to live more simply.
d when I was given one to use for work.
The perfect aspect
e by the time I sell it next year.
f when I finally decided to do something about it.
What we consider to be a luxury has changed in
sometimes unexpected ways over the years. Up until 7 Choose the best options to complete each sentence.
2005, peoples expectations of home comforts such as 1 My phone has become a necessity. I dont think Ill ever
microwaves and clothes dryers had been increasing be able / have been able to get by without it.
steadily. However, some time after 2005, the trend 2 Before last year, I hadnt played / didnt play the guitar
reversed and by 2010 the percentage of people since I was a teenager. Now I play every week, but I do
considering these items a necessity had fallen to levels think of it as a bit of a luxury.
not previously seen since the 1970s. This downwards 3 Running has become a necessity for me. I ran / ve run in
trend has been continuing and shows no sign of eight marathons so far. Id go crazy without it.
bottoming out. Though numbers of cars and computers 4 My luxury has always been reading. I spend / ve been
dont fall as sharply in the data compared to air spending three hours a day reading.
conditioning and clothes dryers, our attitude to these will 5 Until recently, I hadnt ever used / wasnt ever using an
probably have changed again in the next ten years. alarm clock, because my dad always woke me up. But
since I started university, an alarm clock has been an
a absolute necessity for me.
b
8 Complete the sentences. Use the correct (simple or
2005 2010 NOW continuous) present perfect, past perfect or future perfect
c form of the verbs.
d
1 He (never own) a clothes dryer
e
because he doesnt mind hanging out the washing.
Check your answers on page 140 and do Exercises 16. 2 I (drive) to work for years before I
finally decided last year to start walking.
3 For the past year, you (try) to
5 Work in pairs. Explain the difference between the pairs convince me to buy a new laptop, but I dont want one!
of sentences. 4 By the time we retire, we (save)
1 a When my car broke down, I had decided to sell it. thousands of pounds by living in a smaller flat.
b When my car broke down, I decided to sell it. 5 If they (not install) air conditioning,
they could have saved a lot of money.
2 a By this time next year, I will have moved to a smaller flat.
6 I (live) in a computer-free house
b This time next year, I will move to a smaller flat.
for ten years next January, and I dont plan on changing
3 a Ive been thinking about getting rid of my TV. that!
b Id been thinking about getting rid of my TV. 7 She (use) her bike as her main
form of transport for the past fifteen years.
4 a Ive used my travel hairdryer a lot.
8 I (work) all day to try and finish this
b I used my travel hairdryer a lot.
report, but I wish Id done it sooner!
5 a Had you been trying to think of ways to save money?
b Have you been trying to think of ways to save money? SPEAKING Luxury and necessity
6 Match the two parts of the sentences. 9 21st century OUTCOMES
1 Ive been spending a lot of time Work in groups. Think of one luxury in your life
2 Id been thinking for years about trying to simplify something you could do without, but would miss and
mylife one necessity. Tell the group.
3 I will have spent thousands of dollars making
10 Take turns asking and answering questions. Explain how
improvements to my home
each came into your life, and the role they play in your life
4 Ive been working full time for ten years,
now. Use perfect constructions.
5 I hadnt used a computer for several years
6 I will have owned three cars in my life 11 Are your ideas about luxury and necessity the same as
the other members of your group? Or is one persons
luxury another persons necessity?

21st century OUTCOMES SOCIAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS Respond open-mindedly to different ideas and values 13

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 1.3 Im wide awake
READING Why do we sleep? VOCABULARY The prefixes over- and under-
1 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions. 5 When attached to a verb or adjective, the prefix over- can
be used to mean more than necessary and under- can
1 About how many hours do you sleep per night?
mean less than is necessary or not enough. Whats the
2 Would you prefer to sleep more or less, or do you sleep
meaning of these words from the article?
the right amount?
3 Do you tend to wake up early and feel alert in the 1 Sleep is undervalued in the modern world as a means
morning, or do you feel alert at night and stay up late? of staying healthy, happy and productive.
2 The dangers of being too tired are often underestimated.
2 Read the article. Which of the following are included? 3 Being overworked and exhausted slows brain function.
1 An explanation of what happens when a person is 4 But dont overdo it!
deprived of sleep 5 Eleven- to seventeen-year-olds are probably
2 Some reasons why people have difficulty sleeping undersleeping if they don't get an average of 8.5 to 9.5
3 A list of physical and emotional problems caused by hours a night.
working at night
6 Complete the sentences. Use words with over- and under-.
4 Descriptions of how to fight sleep and how to
encourageit 1 We needed more staff in the office.
5 An explanation of some of the dangers of exhaustion The office was .
6 Some famous peoples bad experiences with being 2 People use the word awesome far more than is
unable to sleep necessary.
Awesome is .
3 Find a sentence in the article that either supports or 3 Its easy to spend too much money on luxuries.
contradicts each of these statements. Its easy to on luxuries.
1 Randy Gardner is the world-record holder for staying 4 My idea isnt developed enough.
awake. My ideas .
2 Sleep deprivation causes people to lose touch with 5 The bus was so crowded that it was unsafe.
reality. The bus was .
3 The brain basically shuts off when we fall asleep. 6 We estimated that 500 people would visit, but only
4 Experts say that a healthy adult should have a minimum 300came.
of eight hours sleep each night. We the number of visitors.
5 Light can have a strong effect on the natural sleep 7 Im surprised this restaurant isnt more highly rated.
cycle. This restaurant is !
6 Not getting enough sleep could shorten your life. 8 The price of the movie was too high.
7 Its impossible for anyone to function for more than a The movie was .
few days without getting a solid nights sleep.
7 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
8 The only documented instances of sleep deprivation
lasting more than two or three days are experiments 1 What places in your area are frequently overcrowded?
carried out by scientists. 2 Can you think of a product or resource that is underused?
3 What products or services do you think are overpriced?
4 Work in pairs. Match the expressions from the article 4 Can you think of a book, film, restaurant, or something
with the definitions (af). else that you feel is underrated?
1 Gardner was wide awake. 5 Can you think of a book, film, restaurant, or something
2 Gardner began to nod off uncontrollably. else that you feel is overrated?
3 He needed to sleep on it.
4 She drifted off to sleep. SPEAKING Talking about things we need
5 He hadnt slept a wink.
6 He didn't oversleep in the mornings that followed. 8 21st century OUTCOMES
Sleep is a necessity for a healthy, happy life. Make a list
a wait until the next day to make a decision of other human necessities.
b gradually fall asleep
c had no sleep 9 In small groups, compare your lists. Then try to agree on
d fall asleep when you don't mean to the five most important necessities for daily life.
e wake up later than you mean to
f completely alert

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 Unit 1 Necessities
Why
do we
sleep?
Adults spend, on average, a third of their lives asleep. But ask the question
above, and youll find that there isnt a clear or simple answer. But there are
plenty of other interesting questions ... and answers.

How long can a human go without sleeping? In 1965, seventeen-

year-old Randy Gardner of San Diego, California stayed awake for 264 hours and 5
24 minutes just over eleven days breaking the then world record of 260 hours.
Gardners record has been broken several times since, though not by much, and it
He needed to sleep on it remains the best-documented sleep-deprivation experiment ever conducted.
Albert Einstein, probably one of the What happens when you stay awake for eleven days? On the
greatest minds of all times, is said to first day of the experiment, Gardner was wide awake and ready to go at six in the 10
have required ten hours sleep each morning. By day two, however, his thinking showed signs of becoming less clear.
night. The reason is likely to be that When asked to identify simple objects by feeling them with his hands, he found it
he did a lot of problem-solving while difficult. By day three, he had become unusually moody. On day four, he began to
sleeping. Research has found that hallucinate, imagining that he was a famous American football player. Nights were
as we sleep, our minds are able to difficult, as Gardner began to nod off uncontrollably. His friends kept him awake by 15
continue working, and as a result, its driving him around in the car and playing pinball and basketball with him. As the
possible to fall asleep with a problem days passed, Gardners speech became less clear, he felt dizzy, his vision was
and wake up with a solution. blurred and his memory began to fail. He also continued to hallucinate.
Amazingly, after Gardner finally fell asleep he slept for only fourteen hours
She drifted off to sleep and forty minutes and awoke refreshed and alert and he didn't oversleep in the 20

In 2005, Ellen MacArthur broke mornings that followed.

the world record for the fastest
How much sleep do we need? Sleep is undervalued in the modern world as
solo round-the-world sailing boat
a means of staying healthy, happy and productive. But theres no magic number of
voyage. As part of her training, a hours you need to sleep each night. According to the Sleep Foundation, people who
sleep expert trained MacArthur to are eighteen and older usually need between seven and nine hours per night, and 25
take ten half-hour naps each day, eleven-to seventeen-year-olds are probably undersleeping if they don't get an average
resulting in a total of five hours sleep of 8.5 to 9.5 hours. Younger kids need more sleep, and infants the most fourteen to
in every twenty-four. Judging by her fifteen hours daily to stay healthy.
successes, this approach appears to
have worked well for MacArthur. What tricks do people use to try to stay awake? One of the most
common tricks for staying awake is drinking coffee, tea or soft drinks that contain 30

He hadnt slept a wink caffeine, a naturally-occurring chemical found in the leaves, seeds, nuts and/or
berries of various plants. It stimulates the brain, makes us feel more alert and even
The 2001 TV game show Touch the
helps us think more quickly. Other techniques include getting up and moving around
Truck featured twenty contestants
regularly, listening to lively music, splashing cold water on your face, and pulling
competing to win a brand new pick-
on the bottom part of your ears. Soldiers have been kept awake and focused by 35
up truck. The set-up was simple. wearing special goggles that shine a light the colour of sunrise into
Each person put one hand on the their eyes, keeping their brains in wake-up mode. But don't overdo it! Eventually,
truck. They werent allowed to lean mind and body need a rest.
on it or to sit down at all, but were
allowed a ten-minute break every Can sleep deprivation cause any problems? The dangers of being too
two hours and a fifteen-minute tired are often underestimated. Tiredness has been a factor in big disasters, such as 40

break every six hours. The winner the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, and in countless road accidents all over the
world every day. Being overworked and exhausted slows brain function, negatively
was the person who could keep a
affects judgement, contributes to depression and makes you forgetful. And there
hand on the truck for the longest
are physical problems, too. Chronic sleep deprivation can increase the risk of heart
period of time. That was Jerry
disease and other serious health problems. 45
Middleton, who stayed awake for 81
hours, 43 minutes and 31 seconds Why do we sleep? The best answer may be Because were tired.
without letting go of the truck.

21st century OUTCOMES CRITICAL THINKING Effectively analyse and evaluate claims and beliefs 15

C1_SB_unit01_008-017.indd 15 25/08/15 5:26 PM

 1.4 Keep it to the bare minimum
LISTENING Planning a trip 4 What makes the more polite expressions sound more
polite?
1 If you were planning a canoe and camping trip of several
nights, what four or five necessities from home would you 5 5 Complete the sentences with these words and
bring with you? phrases. Then listen and check your answers.

2 3 Listen to four friends planning a canoeing trip. dont know just suggest know
What do they decide to bring? What do they decide not might not be might possibly want no expert
to bring? personally wonder

3 4 Listen to the statements from the conversation. 1 Im , but I dont think that we can
Circle P for the more polite ones and D for the more expect to have a phone signal.
direct ones. 2 , I feel that we dont want to be
1PD weighed down with too much stuff.
2PD 3 I about you, but I dont think well
3PD want a lot of devices on this trip.
4PD 4 Can I we leave our other
5PD electronics at home?
6PD 5 All I is that Im going to want at
7PD least three pairs of socks.
8PD 6 I if we should consider leaving the
9PD camping stove behind?
10PD 7 We it if we have rainy weather.
8 It a bad idea for all of us to look at
it together.

Pronunciation Vowel sounds at word boundaries

6a 6 Look at the words that are written with
consonants at the end. When spoken, do they end with a
consonant sound or a vowel sound? Listen to check.

1 know
2 wonder
3 personally

6b 7 What happens when the word is followed by a

vowel sound? Listen to check.

1 All I know is
2 I wonder if
3 Personally I feel

6c 8 Listen. What sound do you hear between the

words in bold?

1 Im no expert
2 It might not be a bad idea to
3 I dont think theres a law against fires.

6d Practise reading aloud the sentences in Exercise 5.

16

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 Unit 1 Necessities
SPEAKING Hedging Writing A statement of opinion
7 Work in small groups. Youre planning a two-week 8 21st century OUTCOMES
stay on a tropical desert island. There is fresh water Read the two short statements of opinion. Do you agree
and plenty of fruit to eat and there are trees for shade, or disagree with either of them?
but nothing more. Talk about what youd need to take
with you. Use the hedging expressions in the Useful Writing skill Hedging expressions
expressions box. 9a In the first text, find:
1 two adverbs that mean maybe or possibly.
HEDGING 2 an adverb modified by another adverb, meaning
very likely.
I think its reasonable to assume (that) 3 two phrases that mean probably.
It seems to me (that) 4 An expression that says one thing probably makes
I dont know about you but another thing true.
Im guessing
Im no expert, but I (dont) think (that) 9b What six hedging expressions are used in the second
Can I just suggest text?
Personally, I feel (that) 10 Who would you take on a one-year desert island
All I know is (that) adventure? A farmer or a fisherman? Write your answer.
I wonder if? Use hedging expressions.
It might not be a bad idea to
maybe / probably / might possibly 11 Work in pairs. Exchange statements of opinion. Which
hedging expressions has your partner used?

Who would you take on a one-year desert

island adventure? A doctor or
an engineer?

Answers

Arguably the most useful professional on a desert island would be a doctor. In all likelihood, life in the
tropics would be hard and dangerous. The biggest problem would almost certainly be remaining healthy
with very little food to eat, or access to clean water as well as potentially facing dangerous fish, insects
and animals. Its not unreasonable to imagine that the presence of a doctor could mean the difference
between life and death. If you stay healthy, you can survive. This suggests that there is no profession
more useful than a doctor on a desert island.

Rating POSTED TodayCOMMENTS 15

While a doctor may seem the obvious choice, its worth considering the benefits of having an engineer
on a desert island. Its widely accepted that in a survival situation, the most important needs to address
are food, water and shelter. It could be said that if you take care of these, health will follow. An engineer
would be very likely to be able to design and build somewhere to sleep, create tools for getting food and
water, and develop ways to trap and kill animals for food. We can probably conclude that an engineer is
the most useful professional to have with you on a desert island adventure.

Rating POSTED 3 days agoCOMMENTS 7

21st century OUTCOMES CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING Interpret information and draw conclusions 17

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