Intermediate

a) This makes everything possible. I wonder if she realises that? Now she’ll be the

centre of attention. Everyone will want her. I just hope she doesn’t …

b) I told you before: it’s too late. You can’t stop it now. You did it, and you can’t

undo it. Now we just have to try to …

c) No one knows how long it would take. We’ve looked at the figures. We’ve

worked out how many people we need. But there are things we just don’t know.

How often do they change the serial numbers, for instance?

d) But that’s how it is. We can’t change things. It’s a bit like a flower. You plant the

seeds in spring. You watch it grow. The bud forms and opens into a lovely bloom.

Then the petals fall off. It dries up, and dies. Then we think, never mind, it will grow

again next year. But, of course, people are not the same as flowers, are they?

Advanced

a) Figures are not everything. What does a hundred mean, or a thousand? Nor is

size as important as we think. What is big? What is small? Everything is relative.

What is important, then? Time? Space? Freedom of movement? Perhaps. But

surely, what matters most is knowing that the fire is still burning, and that the

lights have not gone out.

b) Black. Green. Yellow. Red. These are not just colours. They are more than

colours. Each has a quality of its own. A different quality. How can we discover

this if we do not search? But you can search and not find. There are those for

whom green and red, yellow and black are still no more than colours. They are the

ones who have searched and not found.

c) I don’t know why we weren’t made like that. We could have been given special

guns, which we could deter people with, but as soon as we used them they’d fire

in both directions, backwards and forwards, so you’d shoot you

ODD NEWS

Aim To use fragments of news to generate coherent story lines

Focus This will depend on the fragments chosen; language of discussion

Level Intermediate and above

Time One class hour

Preparation Collect fragments from radio or TV broadcasts in English or from

English-language newspapers. The fragments should be taken from a

variety of sources, and not be longer than about ten words

You will need a minimum of six fragments for each group of five students.

Procedure

1 Students work in groups of five. Distribute six or seven fragments to each

group (each group gets the same fragments).

2 Allow 20 minutes for groups to find a way of linking the fragments into a

connected story. One student, acting as group secretary, should write out

the story. Group members then practise reading it ‘dramatically’ – either

individually or as a group.

3 Each group performs its story for the rest of the class. Follow this by

whole-class discussion and feedback. How different were the stories?

How well were they performed? etc.

Simpler

… but that was when I was young, of course.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… and I don’t think he knew about it.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… before that I was in the army.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Who knows whether she really loved him. I certainly don’t.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He had long hair and a long grey beard at the time.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Did she ever mention the war to you?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

How did it feel to meet a monster like that?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Do you ever worry about the dangers involved?

More demanding

… produce about 60% of the bread eaten in England.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… and suddenly they have a pet – a cat, a horse, a dog, a donkey …

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… bananas or oranges. They didn’t even know how to peel an orange …

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… What happens in this story? Well, there’s this magpie …

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… fishing rights, oil prices and the problem of …

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… and how many times have we heard that argument before?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

… but will she be able to get the world to vote for her?

SPLIT EXCHANGES

Aim To develop interaction on the basis of conversational fragments

Focus Listening comprehension to develop a sense of appropriate responses;

vocabulary will be specific to the particular exchanges

Level Lower–Intermediate and above

Time 30 minutes approximately

Preparation Prepare a number of conversational one-line utterances and one or

more possible follow-on lines for each of them. Each line should be on

separate slips of paper. You need enough copies for one per student.

Procedure

1 Explain that students will be given a slip of paper with a sentence on it.

They should then try to find other students with sentences which match

their own. Explain that there may be many possible ‘fits’ with other

sentences. It is a question of creating new combinations rather than

simply finding the ‘right’ ones. For example, There’s a parrot in the fridge

could be followed by any of the following utterances:

Would you like me to wrap it up for you?

Would you like me to take it out for you?

I think it’s immoral.

as well as by the more obvious matches, such as, A parrot? Impossible!

2 Distribute one slip of paper per student. They should memorise what is

on their slip and practise saying it till they feel confident.

3 Students mingle freely, saying their utterances to each other. Whenever

they find a ‘fit’, they should write down the exchange in their notebook so

as not to forget it. They then continue to mingle and try to find another

‘fit’. Tell them the ‘fit’ may be amusing or dramatic; it does not have to be

obviously conventional. Allow up to 15 minutes for this.

4 Hold a class feedback session in which anyone can start an exchange by

speaking one of the lead-in utterances. Anyone who has a sentence which

could match this then speaks it out. See how many exchanges can be

generated by a single utterance. Ask students who contribute an

utterance what they think the context might be. Who are the speakers?

What is their relationship? What is the topic? Where are they? etc.

Follow-on

In a later class, ask students, working in groups of three, to choose one of the

lead-in utterances and to develop a short dramatisation of the encounter.

1 There’s a parrot in the fridge.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A parrot? Impossible!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Who told you that?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

That’s a ridiculous thing to say.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2 Do you know what myxomatosis is?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Something to do with rabbits, I think.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I haven’t the faintest idea.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Are you kidding me?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3 I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t go in there.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Do you realise who I am?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I’ll do what I like!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Why don’t you just mind your own business for a change?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4 Would you like me to wrap it up for you?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Don’t worry. I’ll take it as it is.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

If you don’t mind, yes.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5 I’ve got a splinter in my toe.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Would you like me to take it out for you?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Whose fault is that?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

6 O that this too solid flesh would melt!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You can say that again.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Are you on a diet or something?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

7 Have you ever been convicted of a serious offence?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Well, it all depends on what you mean …

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Why do you ask me that?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

8 Have you ever had malaria?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

No. Why do you ask?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As a matter of fact, I have.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

9 Didn’t I see you with Sandra last night?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You’d better keep your mouth shut about that.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

10 We’re going to Las Vegas for a holiday.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You’re throwing your money away.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Some people have all the luck.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

11 She’s just won first prize in the National Lottery.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I think it’s immoral.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It won’t make her any happier.

Note

This is a very productive and funny activity. It is, however, important that

students understand that any utterance may match more than one other, and

that they should look for creative combinations.

OFF THE CUFF

Aim To encourage students to speak in an impromptu situation

Focus Vocabulary will depend on the words which crop up

Level Intermediate and above

Time 20 minutes approximately

Preparation Select a number of nouns and write them on separate cards or slips

of paper. These may be words you want students to revise, or they

may be slightly unusual words, such as Anaconda, Lotus, Pulpit,

etc. (in this case, students must be allowed a few minutes to

consult a dictionary before starting).You need enough cards for

every student to have one.

Procedure

1 Students work in pairs. Distribute the cards, one per student. Students

should not look at the cards yet. When you give the word to start, one

student in each pair looks at their card and immediately starts to address

the word on the card as if it were a partner in a conversation, but without

actually mentioning the word itself. After two minutes, they stop and the

partner has to guess what the word is. Here is a possible example for the

word flame.

How warm you make me feel. And how useful you are: I can light my

cigarette from you. I can cook my food with you. You make my pot

boil on the fire. I love your red and yellow colour. etc.

2 The second student in each pair repeats the process with the word on

their card.

3 Students now write down a word of their own choice on a slip of paper.

Collect the slips and redistribute them at random. Students again form

pairs and repeat the process in steps 1 and 2.