Unit 4 – Life lessons

Getting Started – Life lessons

A) Look at the picture and answer the questions as a class:

1. Where are these people? What are they doing?
2. What is the girl thinking?
3. Why do you think they’re operating a toy in front of the girl?

B) Discuss the questions

1. Is it important to help children prepare for what might happen to them later in life? Why?
2. Which of your childhood experiences have had an impact on your adult life?
3. In general, how far do you think experiences in childhood influence the choices you make in
your life?
4. Compared to other countries, how is the Dominican culture in this aspect? Do parents prepare
children for the future? How?

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 Activity 1: Speaking
Learning objective: Discuss about winning or getting money – life lessons

A) Discuss the question:

1. Imagine you suddenly became very rich, either by winning or inheriting money. How would you
spend the money if you had ….?

a) RD$ 500,000 b) RD$5,000,000 c) RD$ 50,000,000

2. Do people change after they get money? Why?

B) Read the headlines a–c and answer:

1. What do you think happened to these people?

2. Do you know anyone (either people you know or people you have read about) who has won or
inherited money? What did they do with the money?

Activity 2: Grammar – Used to and would

Learning objective: Use used to and would to compare the past and the present

A) Look at the sentences a–c about Papotico Ramirez and complete the rules with the words in the
box.

a) Papotico Ramirez used to work as a taxi driver and security guard when he lived in San Juan.
b) He used to think he was rich and could use his money to buy a Ferrari.
c) He would regularly go on shopping trips where he would buy anything he fancied.

now past used to (x2) would (x2)

1. We use used to and would to talk about things in the ______

past which are no longer true _____.?
now
2. To talk about states, thoughts and feelings in the past, we can only useused
_____,
to notwould
_____.
3. To talk about habits and repeated actions, we can use either would
_____ or _____.
used to

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B) Scan the following text. Find examples of used to and would. Discuss its use.

C) Look at sentences A and B and answer the questions.

A) Today, the Tirabassi family don’t live in a huge house any more.
B) He used to think he was rich and could use his money to buy a Ferrari, but he no longer believes
that.
1. What do the words in bold mean?
(a) things are the same as before
(b) things are different now
2. Can you change ‘any more’ for ‘no longer’ in sentence A? How does the word order
change? Today, the Tirabassi family no longer lives in a huge house.
3. Can you change ‘no longer’ for ‘not any more’ in sentence B? How does the word order
change? He used to think he was rich and could use his money to buy a Ferrari, but
he don’t believes that anymore.
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 Grammar summary – used to vs would:

Activity 3: Vocabulary – Cause and result

Learning objective: Use 3-4 words about cause and result to write about events in your life.

a) Analyze the following sentence. What is the cause and result?

He became poor again because he spent all his money on empanadas.

b) Select the correct expressions in bold.

Sentence Correct answer

1. Of course, people like to believe that winning
leads to
money leads into / to disaster.
2. The idea that winning a lot of money causes / is causes
caused by misery is actually a myth.
3. Suddenly having a lot of money is just as likely to have a positive effect on
have a positive effect on / to you as a negative effect.
4. They measured how happy people are as a result as a result
from / of winning the lottery.
5. Getting richer doesn’t actually effect / affect how affect
happy you are.
6. But spending money on experiences usually results results in
in / on longer-term happiness.

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c) Answer the questions about the expressions in part B.
1. Which expressions have a similar meaning to ‘causes’?lead to
2. Which expressions has a similar meaning to ‘caused by’? as a result of
3. What is the difference between affect and effect? affect is about the cause, and effect the result.
4. Look at sentences 4 and 6. In which sentence is result a verb and in which is it a noun?
The result in the sentence number 4 is a noun, the other one is the verb.
d) Complete the sentences with the words in the box.

affect effect cause lead result (x2)

1. He’s much friendlier than he used to be. Getting married has had a positive _____
effect on him.
2. Having no money at all can often _____
lead to problems in a relationship.
3. I hear John and Barbara have slit up. I hope it won’t affect
_____ our friendship with them.
4. It’s well known that smoking can cause
______ cancer.
5. Hundreds of Dominicans’ lives were saved as a _______
result of the President’s help.
6. Be careful! Borrowing large amounts of money can ______
result in serious financial problems.

e) Think about an important event in your own life, and another event that happened as a result.
Write three sentences about it using expressions in part B.

1.
2.
3.

Activity 4: Speaking – Used to and would | Vocabulary

Learning objective: Use used to and would and words related to cause and result to talk about yourself.

a) Think about yourself now and how you have changed in the last 10 years. Make notes on some
of these topics:

Work Learning a new language Housework

Free time Family and relationships Food
Attitude to life Money Technology

b) Tell the class about how you have changed.

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 Activity 5: Speaking
Learning objective: Talk about jobs in a class discussion

A) Look at the photos and answer:

1. What kind of training do you think is needed for these jobs?
2. Which training would be the hardest?
3. Can you think of a more difficult job?
4. Is there a profession you can learn without studying?
5. What is your dream job? Why?

B) Look at the following sentences. Decide whether you agree or disagree and discuss.

1. You can do all the studying you like, but until you’ve done the actual job, you don’t know what it
really involves.
2. These days you need a degree no matter what you do; you simply can’t get a job without one.
3. You don’t have to have a university degree to be successful.
4. You must have experience before getting a job.

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 Activity 6: Grammar – Modality review
Learning objective: Use modal verbs and phrases to talk about rules and difficulty.

a) Check the sentences from part B in the previous activity. Can you identify modal verbs or
phrases (e.g. can, have to) in texts?
1.
2.
3.
4.

b) Look at the words and phrases in bold in sentences 1–6. Which show obligation (O) and which
show permission (P)?

1. I was supposed to be in the training, but they forgot to let me know.

2. O…. there was a workshop for a day where they made us practice new ways to do things.
3. o…. in her class we weren’t allowed to talk or use our cellphones in any way.
4. p…. they could see this was a pretty unique opportunity, so they let me do it.
5. p… we were allowed to use the internet for free.
6. o… there were some boys who were forced to give it all up …

Grammar summary: Modals for obligation and permission.

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c) Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets.

1 You can wear whatever you want. [need to] You don’t need to wear a uniform.
2 I think you should write to them. [ought] you ought write to them
I think _______________________________.
3 They made me give them my phone. They________________________________.
formed me to give them my phone
[forced]
4 They won’t let you park here. [can] You won’t ___________________________.
be allowed you park here.
5 You don’t have to stay here. [can] ________________________________
You can stay here if you like.

6 They advised us to bring strong shoes. We __________________________________.

were suppose to bring strong shoes
[supposed]
7 I wasn’t allowed to use a dictionary. [let] They ________________________________.
didn't let to use a dictionary
8 It was raining so we were forced to stop. The rain _____________________________.
made us stop
[made]

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 Activity 7: Vocabulary and Speaking
Learning objective: Use words related to difficulty to talk about difficult situations.

A) All the adjectives in bold, except for one, describe something that is very difficult. Which adjective
is not as strong as the others?

1. The training was punishing

2. Discipline was very strict.
3. Teachers could be quite tough.
4. He described his time at school as ‘arduous’
5. It’s not likely to be quite as grueling as Jackie Chan’s training.
6. Those lucky enough to be selected go through rigorous training
7. Sometimes they might need to use force to resolve a tricky situation.

B) Which adjective in part A means …?

1. Something is so hard you have to push yourself almost to the point of hurting yourself.Punishing
2. Something is very difficult because the training is very thorough and detailed. rigorous
3. Something is difficult because these are rules that must be obeyed. strict

C) Discussion. Answer the questions. Give extra details.

1. Imagine you have to run a marathon. Would it be tough or punishing for you? Why? Punishing, I'm not accustomed
2. Can you remember a teacher you had at school who was very strict?
3. What’s a job that requires rigorous training? doctor, soldier, pilot.
4. Have you ever been in a tricky situation? What happened?

D) Vocabulary extension – Use your dictionary to help you with the vocabulary. Think of an
experience you’ve had for four of the things below and write a sentence about it.

1. An outdoor experience that stretched you.

2. The most demanding thing about learning a language.
3. A book you once read that wasn’t straightforward.
4. An awkward meeting you once had.
5. A sport that was a struggle for you to learn.
6. A delicate question that you had to ask someone.
7. Something you studied that really challenged you.

1.
Learning frances is so demanding, I had to spend hours studying if I wanted to keep up.
2.
I had an awkward meeting with my mother and the school's director about my behavior.
3.
I asked my boyfriend about adopting kids instead of procreate them.
4.
At High School I learned Delphi, at the beginning I wasn’t able to develop even a calculator,
that really challenged me.
Activity 8: Speaking
Learning objective: Use modals to talk about rules.
a) Think of a time (at school, university or work) when you had to do some training and follow
rules. Make notes about the questions.

- What was the situation?

- Who made the rules?
- Were some of the rules very strict?
- Were there some rules you didn’t follow?
- How did you feel about the experience?

b) Discuss your experiences with the class.

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 Activity 9: Integrated activity – video lesson
Learning objective:

a) Discuss the questions

1. How do you feel about showing your work to other people?
2. Do you…?
o always show other people what you’ve done
o only show your work if you think it’s good
o never show your work unless you really have to
3. How do you feel about people commenting on it or criticizing it?
4. How do you react to a critique that does not make sense to you?

b) Look at the photo below. Where do you think Becky and Tessa are? Who are they talking to?

c) Watch the video until 1:48. Check for your answers (part B). Replay if necessary. Answer the
questions below.
1. Whose photos are they?
2. What does the tutor especially like?
3. What’s the topic for the next assignment?

d) Watch the rest of the video. Answer the questions.

1. What are Becky and Tessa talking about?

2. Where is Becky going next?
3. What favor does Becky ask Tessa?
4. Do you think Tessa is interested in the man? Why?
5. Is the man interested in Tessa?
6. What do you think will happen next?
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Expressing careful disagreement

e) Read the exchanges between Tessa and Becky. What are the differences between A and B?

Exchange A
TESSA: Yes, bridges. So boring.
BECKY: I don’t agree. They’re not at all boring.

Exchange B
TESSA: Yes, bridges. So boring.
BECKY: Oh, I don’t know, it’s not that boring. All that fantastic architecture. That could be quite
interesting.

f) Play the video from 1:49 to 2:23. Which exchange is the one in the video? Why does Becky use
careful ways to disagree?

g) The sentences below are replies to what another said. What do you think each speaker is
talking about? Match the replies with the topics in the box.

A baseball game A film Bank managers

A restaurant meal A party

1. Really, did you think so? I thought he played quite well.

2. I’m not sure about that. It doesn’t seem that expensive.
3. I know what you mean, but on the other hand it’s a very responsible job.
4. Oh, I don’t know. I think it could be quite fun.
5. Maybe you’re right, but I enjoyed some bits of it.

h) How could you disagree with the comments below? Prepare replies using underlined
expressions from part G.

1. I love Aguilas Cibaeñas. I think they are a great baseball team.

2. I’d never want to have a cat. All they do is sit around and sleep.
3. I don’t know why people listen to dembow. It’s such a waste of time.

Activity 10: Speaking

Learning objective:

A) Prepare an opinion on one of the topics below. Plan what you will say about it, and your
partners will disagree with you using phrases from activity 9, part G. Use the same phrases to
carefully contradict their arguments.

1. Men drive better than women

2. Coronavirus is not that dangerous.
3. Marriage is no longer necessary.
4. The place you live now
5. Women should go to jail if they hit men.

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 Activity 11: Writing – Narrative paragraph
Learning objective: Write a narrative paragraph about an experience you had.

A) Writing a Narrative Paragraph with Time Words

A narrative paragraph tells a story about something that happened. In a narrative paragraph, you should use
time words and a good time order for your sentences. This means that the sentences must be in the order in
which the story happened.

• Time words may show the dates when something happened.

EXAMPLES: January 1, 2000; On the 22nd of March; In June.

• Time words may show the exact time when something happened.
EXAMPLES: At 10:00 a.m.; At 11:00 p.m.

• Time words may show the time of day when something happened.
EXAMPLES: In the morning; In the evening; At night.

• Time words may show an event that follows another event.

EXAMPLES: The next day; After that; Next; Finally.

• Time words may show an event that comes before another event.
EXAMPLES: Before that; Previously; Yesterday.

B) Read the paragraph written by a student and answer the questions below.

A Frightening Experience
October1, 1987, was a frightening day for me. It was 7:30 on a Thursday morning in Mexico. I was
alone because my parents were out of town. Suddenly, the room started to shake. Some dishes fell to
the floor. I did not know what to do, so I got under a table. A few minutes later, I came out and tried to
turn on the television, but the electricity was off. After that, I tried the telephone, but it did not work.
Shortly after, the neighbors came to see if I was all right. Finally, at about 9:00 am., the telephone rang.
It was my mother. She was calling from Mexico City. She was more frightened than I was.

1. What is the topic sentence? was a frightening day for me.

2. What happened first? Identify the time word or words that show you hits. Their parents went out of town.
3. What happened next? Identify the time word or words that show you hits. The room started to shake.
4. What happened after that? Identify the time word or words that show you hits. She got under the table.
5. What happened at the end? Identify the time word or words that show you hits. Her mother called.

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C) The Comma (,) with Time and Place Expressions

We use a comma with time words, dates, and place names.

• When a time Word begins a sentence.

EXAMPLES: Suddenly, the room started to shake.
After that, I tried the telephone.
• To separate a date from a year.
EXAMPLES: I came to the United States on March 4, 2014.

• After the year when it begins a sentence.

EXAMPLES: On March 27, 1964, a big earthquake hit Alaska.

• To separate a city from a state or a city from a country.

EXAMPLES: I come from Tokyo, Japan.

• After a state or country in a sentence.

EXAMPLES: Crescent City, California, is on the coast.

D) Put a comma where necessary in the following sentences.

1. The San Francisco earthquake hit on the morning of April 18, 1906.
2. On December 26, 2004, a tsunami hit Asia.
3. The biggest earthquake recorded in North America was the earthquake on March 27, 1964.
4. Suddenly, people heard a noise like thunder.
5. A terrible earthquake hit Kobe, Japan in 1995.
6. A tsunami hit Sumatra, Indonesia after the earthquake.
7. A few minutes later, buildings washed away.
8. Shortly after, a tsunami hit the coast of Sri Lanka.

E) There are 10 mistakes in capitalization and punctuation below. Find the mistakes and correct
them.

In the United States, the States with the greatest number of deaths from lighting are Florida texas and
north Carolina. Avoid these states, especially in June, which is the worst month for lighting. The other
bad months are august, july, april and September.

F) Writing and Revising the Paragraph

Writing the First Draft
The first draft should contain all the ideas you have decided to use in the order you have chosen in your
plan. Be sure to start with your topic sentence. Once you have included all the ideas from your plan, think
about adding a concluding sentence that summarizes your main point or adds a final idea. If possible, once
you have finished the first draft, set the paper aside for several hours or several days.

Revising
Revising means rethinking and rewriting your first draft and then making whatever changes, additions, or
corrections are necessary to improve the paragraph. You may cross out and rewrite words or entire
sentences. You may add, drop, or rearrange details. As you revise, keep the reader in mind. Ask yourself
these questions:

• Is my topic sentence clear?

• Can a reader understand and follow my ideas?
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 • Does the paragraph follow a logical order and guide the reader from point to point?
• Will the paragraph keep the reader interested?

Revising for Support

As you revise, make sure your paragraph contains excellent support—that is, specific facts, details, and
examples that fully explain your topic sentence. Be careful, too, that you have not simply repeated ideas—
especially the topic sentence. Even if they are in different words, repeated ideas only make the reader
suspect that your paragraph is padded (that is, to include unnecessary words or pieces of information to
make the writing longer and hide the fact that you do not have much to say) and that you do not have
enough facts and details to support your main idea properly.

Revising for Unity

It is sometimes easy, in the process of writing, to drift away from the topic under discussion. Guard against
doing so by checking your paragraph for unity; that is, make sure the topic sentence, every sentence in the
body, and the concluding sentence all relate to one main idea. This paragraph lacks unity:

(1) Quitting smoking was very difficult for me. (2) When I was thirteen, my friend Janice and I took up
smoking because we thought it would make us look cool. (3) We practiced smoking in front of a mirror,
striking poses with our cigarettes. (4) Even though we often were seized with violent fits of coughing, we
thought we seemed grown up and sophisticated. (5) Gradually, I began to smoke not just to appear worldly
but also to calm myself when I felt stressed. (6) I smoked to give myself confidence on dates and to feel less
anxious before taking tests at school. (7) Reading, talking on the phone, and driving all became reasons to
light up. (8) Soon, I was smoking all the time.

• Here the topic sentence itself, sentence 1, does not relate to the rest of the paragraph. The main idea
in sentence 1, that quitting smoking was difficult, is not developed by the other sentences. Since the
rest of the paragraph is unified, a more appropriate topic sentence might read, As a teenager, I
developed the bad habit of smoking.

Writing the Final Draft

When you are satisfied with your revisions, recopy your paper or print a fresh copy. If you are writing in
class, the second draft will usually be the last one. Be sure to include all your corrections, writing neatly and
legibly.

Activity 12: Writing a narrative paragraph – ASSIGNMENT

a) Choose one of the topics below for your paragraph.

1. A frightening experience.
2. A dangerous experience.
3. A strange experience.

b) Use the following questions to help you plan your response.

1. When and where did the experience happen?
2. What happened first?
3. What happened after that?
4. What happened at the end?

c) Fill the outline below. Use your sentences from Exercise B. The time words in the outline will help
you.

(Date) A
_______________________
summer day in 2005 was a ___________________
dangerous day for me.
I wasat
__________________________________________________________
the beach shore with my mother having a good time.
Suddenly, __________________________________________________________
my mom went away from me into the deepest side of the beach
A few minutes later, __________________________________________________________
I went after her but I fall in a hole and the waves started beat me

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Shortly after that, __________________________________________________________
I was sinking, drinking a lot of water and desperate for breathing.
Finally, I__________________________________________________________
woke up and I realized that I got rescued by a teenager who was swimming near by.

d) Using the notes you’ve written so far, write a draft of your paragraph.

Write paragraph here: A dangerous experience.

A summer day in the 2005, was a dangerous day for me. I was six years old when my father,
my mother, some of their friends and I went to the beach. I was with my mother at the beach
shore having a good time. Suddenly, my mother said she’s going to the deepest side of the
beach, so she ask me to stay there and she swam away from me. A few minutes later, I went
after her, but I fall in a hole and the waves started beat me. Shortly after that, I was drinking a
lot of water and desperate to breathe I yelled her "Help! help! I'm sinking!" but she might have
thought I was joking. Finally, I woke up and I realized that I got rescued by a teenager who was
swimming near by.

e) Use the following revision and editing checklist to revise your paragraph.

Did you give your paragraph a tittle?

Did you write the title with a capital letter or letters?
Did you put the title in the center at the top of the page?
Does your paragraph have time words that show the order of events?
Are the events written in the order that they happened?
Did you write on every other line or double-space on a computer?
Do you have a subject in every sentence?
Verb in every sentence
Words in correct order?
Sentences begin with a capital letter?
Sentences end with a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point directly at the end of the
sentence?
Commas in the correct place?
Wrong words?
Spelling?
Missing words?

f) Write the final version of your paragraph considering the checklist from part E.
A dangerous experience.
A summer day in the 2005, was a dangerous day for me. I was six years old when I went
to the beach. I was with my mother at the beach shore having a good time. Suddenly,
my mother said she’s going to the deepest side of the beach and she swam away from
me. A few minutes later, I went after her, but I fall in a hole. Shortly after that, I was
drinking a lot of water and desperate to breathe. Finally, I woke up and I realized that I
got rescued by a teenager who was swimming near by.

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 Activity 13: Self-assessment
Review your progress.

How well did you do in this unit?

I can discuss events that changed my life.

Started but need more practice.
X Able to do this with some help.
Competent without help.
Competent and able to help others.

I can discuss and describe rules.

Started but need more practice.
X Able to do this with some help.
Competent without help.
Competent and able to help others.

I can make careful suggestions.

Started but need more practice.
X Able to do this with some help.
Competent without help.
Competent and able to help others.

I can write a narrative paragraph.

Started but need more practice.
X Able to do this with some help.
Competent without help.
Competent and able to help others.

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