SPEA K IN G 3 i l l W ork in pairs.
Check you understand the
phrases in bold, then discuss the questions. Listen!
1 Choose w hich relationships from the box below again and check your ideas.
you have had. Pu t them in order from the biggest
1 W hat were the mixed messages Toby received?
influence on your life to the sm allest influence.
Then w ork in groups. Com pare and explain your 2 What will help him get back on the straight and
choices. narrow, according to his grandmother?
3 How did the ridiculous confrontation come about? I
siblings grandparent - grandchild
life partners 4 Why do you think Toby was unwilling to back down?!
parent - child
colleagues teacher - pupil 5 W hy has the incident come as a shock to his coach?]
business partners coach - athlete
6 What did Toby confide to his coach?
neighbours doctor - patient
7 W hy did the doctor say the man was in remarkably |
good health?
LISTEN IN G 8 Who came to his aid?
2 C D Listen to five people talking about a young 9 W hy did they split up, when it cam e down to it?
man called Toby and an incident he’s been 10 W here was there a scene and what do you think
involved in. Decide: caused it?
1 who each speaker is and what their relationship to
Toby is. G RA M M A R
2 what you think the incident they refer to was.
W ould
Would has many different uses, including talking about
past habits, giving advice, talking about the future in
the past, and explaining hypothetical consequences in
conditional sentences.
20
4 Match each sentence from the listening (1-6) to 3 As a teenager, she really sparked my interest in
a sentence (a-f) that has the same m eaning of science.
would. 4 I’ve collaborated with him on a number of projects
1 I probably would’ve stayed with him if he’d and he’s taught me a lot.
apologised. 5 They’re not on speaking term s at the moment,
2 When he was a toddler, I’d do the childcare most days. which can m ake it aw kw ard at meetings.
3 I knew it would come to no good, but you can’t really 6 W e ’re on first-nam e term s as I have to go and see
interfere, can you? him so often.
7 They maintain a professional relationship, but they
4 I remember once I asked him to change desks and he
don’t see eye to eye on many issues.
just wouldn’t- ju s t refused point blank.
5 He should obviously be punished, but after that I’d still 8 They g et on each o ther’s nerves all the time and
they’re constantly competing for my attention.
give him another chance.
6 I would say he has a stubborn streak and he’s been 9 She puts people at their ease and reassures them
prone to outbursts and answering back. about the whole process.
10 He pushes his kids incredibly hard.
a I’d consider talking it through with a therapist. You 11 I don’t really know any of them as w e tend to keep
shouldn’t bottle these things up. ourselves to ourselves.
b For some reason, the car wouldn’t start this morning 12 He doesn’t tend to pull his weight, which causes
so I’m waiting for the breakdown people, some friction in the office.
с They said it would be miserable today, but it’s actually
turned out quite nice,
S PEA K IN G
d If they’d intervened, the situation would be a lot
worse now. 8 W ork in groups of three. You are going to
e Before the anger management classes, he’d often get roleplay some conversations.
into unnecessary confrontations,
Student A: look at File 7 on page 187.
f I wouldn’t say it’s a disaster - just a slight setback.
Student B: look at File 8 on page 185.
Student C: look at File 9 on page 189.
5 Use structures and phrases w ith would to w rite
sentences about the story of Toby. T h in k about: Read your three problems and choose the one
that you think is most interesting. Plan how to
• what you’d say his childhood was like - what he and describe the problem as if it was really happening
his parents would do and how they got on.
to you. Think about some details to add.
• why you’d say different people have the opinions
they do. 9 Now roleplay a conversation about each problem.
You can start the conversations like this:
• why you think he was arrested and how it would’ve
been different in other circumstances. A: W hat’s up?
• what you’d imagine / hope would happen to Toby now. B: Oh, it’s ... (explain the problem)
• what you would advise him and the people he knows Continue the conversations by sympathising,
to do. sharing experiences, giving advice, offering
I’d say he had a difficult childhood because his parents reassurance, etc. Use some of the language below.
would argue a lot and they wouldn't spend a lot o f time
with him. • Oh dear!
I would’ve thought Toby still likes his ex-girlfriend. • That must be difficult.
6 Work in groups. Share your ideas and see if you • How awful!
agree. • I know exactly what you’re going through!
• Something similar happened to a friend of mine.
• I’d talk it over with them (if I were you).
• Have you been in touch with the police?
VOCABULARY Relationships
• I’d have thought they could help.
7 Work in pairs. For each sentence below, decide:
• I’d imagine it’ll all blow over.
a what relationship in Exercise 1 you think is being
• I wouldn’t worry about it.
talked about.
b if you think the relationship is good or bad - and why. • What an idiot!
с if you could say this about any relationships you know.
10 W h en you have discussed one problem each,
1 They’re going through a bit of a rough patch and choose another one or invent your own
have talked about splitting up. relationship issue. Have further conversations.
2 I keep an eye on her as she’s quite frail and has no
relatives nearby.
Unit 2 Relationships 21