1 Life and Family

FUNCTIONS:
• Describing people
• Describing places
COMMENT:
• Introductions
1) Family traditions are important.
2) Friends are the family you choose.
3) Not everyone could be a good soldier.
4) It is better for the young to live in the city.

TALK FOR 3 MINUTES ABOUT:

• Your family
• Your daily routine
• Your neighbourhood
MAKE A LIST OF AS MANY AS YOU CAN:

• family members
• phrases with the word family
• stages of life
• features of character
• words describing appearance
• types of houses

SPECULATE:

What do people in the photos have in common?

What problems may they have in their daily lives?
What is their daily routine?
1A 1. They get up early
Nearly 50 percent of the self-
made millionaires in Corley’s
research got out of bed at least
Speaking three hours before their
workday actually started. Many
Ex. 1 Answer the questions below. of them use the free time …
(2)… . “Getting up at ve in the
1. How important is routine in a soldier’s morning to tackle the top
life? three things you want to
2. What are the most common bad habits in accomplish in your day allows
your age group? you to regain control of your life,” he writes.
3. What character features do successful 2. They read a lot
people have? A whopping 88 percent of Corley’s wealthy
respondents say they devote 30 minutes or
Reading more each day … (3) … . Most do not read for
entertainment; they prefer biographies, history,
Ex. 2 Match some of the words in bold and self-help books. If you enjoy a good novel,
with the de nitions given. that can help you too. Science shows that
reading for pleasure can also boost your career.
1. a person who has become rich through 3. They make exercise a priority
their own e orts and hard work Working out regularly clears your head and
2. every year makes you feel more motivated, studies show.
3. happening often or repeatedly According to Corley, 76 percent of his survey
4. to deal with a di cult problem or task respondents carve out 30 minutes or more for
5. actions that are done regularly aerobic exercise like jogging, biking or walking
each day. Billionaire Richard Branson, for
example, says that his morning routine of waking
Ex. 3 Read the text and complete the up at 5 am … (4)… , has doubled his
gaps with the fragments below. There productivity.
is one extra sentence. 4. They spend time with inspiring people
“You are only as successful as those you
Exam Task frequently associate with,” Corley says. If you
Reading Task 3 - gap lling don’t have highly-motivated people in your
A text on general military topics where 6 omitted personal network yet, fear not. Self-made
sentences need to be inserted. An extra sentence millionaires volunteer, which is a great way to
that does not t any gap is always provided. meet other motivated individuals. You could also
join groups for people who share your same
interests, Corley suggests. Then develop the
Habits of Successful People relationship by keeping in touch. And be
Building wealth takes years of smart decisions, choosy about who you spend your time with. ”
both professionally and nancially. But Successful people also make a point … (5) … ,”
according to one man who interviewed says Corley.
hundreds of self-made millionaires, getting Adapted from a CNBC article
rich also means keeping certain lifestyle habits.
Tom Corley, an accountant and nancial A. to education or self-improvement through
planner, surveyed 233 wealthy individuals, reading
mostly self-made millionaires, on their daily B. to responses from 128 lower-earning
habits. He compared those answers …(1)…, individuals
or those with less than $35,000 in annual gross C. to doing what they like the most
income. In his best-selling book “Change Your D. to play tennis or bike
Habits, Change Your Life,” Corley explains that E. to limit their time spent with toxic, negative
wealthy people set themselves up for success people
in a few speci c ways. Here are some of the F. to tackle personal projects, plan their day, or
habits they have in common: make time for exercise
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Ex. 4 Summarise the text and say 1. actions at the moment of speaking
what other good habits you would add 2. timetables
3. habits and routines
to this list. 4. facts and the laws of nature
5. future arrangements
Idioms 6.
7.
headlines
temporary actions/background
Ex. 5 Check the de nitions for these 8. irritation about actions happening often
idioms and write them in the spaces. 9. developing situations
For more on Present Simple and Present Continuous see Grammar
Review on page 10

Present Tenses Ex. 7 Complete the gaps using

Ex. 6 Read sentences below. Match Present Simple or Present continuous.
them with an appropriate purpose from 1. I ___________ (wake up) at 7 am every
the list. day and go for a morning jog before
work.
"Look at him. He is
2. Currently, I ____________________ (work)
"He watches TV until snacking on chips on improving my time management skills.
late every evening.” despite knowing he 3. She ____________________ (drink/usually)
shouldn't." a cup of tea in the afternoon.
4. You ___________________(always/leave)
"The bus arrives at the
"She is currently your dirty socks not the oor. That’s
stop every 10 minutes learning a new annoying.
so I don’t use my car so language for an 5. I ______________________________(leave)
upcoming trip.”
often" for London tomorrow morning. My plane
_______________________ (leave) at 6am.
"Well, the sun rises in "More and more
the east, that’s the companies are actively
reason why in the
promoting eco-friendly
practices."
Speaking
bedroom there is so Ex.8 Answer the questions.
little light in the morning "He is always leaving 1. What’s your morning routine?
which makes it hard to dirty dishes in the sink, 2. Discuss a time you have had a problem
I hate it." breaking a habit.
wake-up on time."
3. What habits would you like to develop?
"Local volunteer group "They are meeting at Why?
cleans the beach every the gym tomorrow for
Go to page 134 and practice the Level 2 Speaking Task Two
Saturday." their workout session." Examiner’s Questions.

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 1B
Exam Task
Speaking Reading Task 1 - True/False
Task One consists of one or two texts, which are
Ex. 1 Answer the questions below. followed by 6-8 true/false questions.
The minimum number of questions for one text is 2.
1. What are the bene ts of being a stay-at-
home parent?
2. Is it possible to have both a successful career and a happy family?
3. What challenges does a military spouse face?

Reading
Ex. 2 You are going to read a text about the life of military spouses. Look at the
words in bold and guess if the message of this blog entry is positive or negative.
The life of a military spouse
I see it too often — military spouses expressing frustrations about how
Ex. 3 Read the
they put their careers on hold to follow their service member here and text and mark
there. This issue is common within the military spouse community, and I’ve the sentences
witnessed it many times among friends. While I can understand why it is True or False
dissatisfying, I’ve never thought like this myself. Before my husband and
I had children, I was an elementary school teacher. This was an ideal job as 1. A lot of author’s
a military spouse, because in this job you don’t climb up the career ladder. friends had to take
While not always convenient, it was relatively simple to job-hop when a career break.
necessary, and I found it to be bene cial to my CV as I gained experience
at di erent schools and in di erent states. For a few years I have been
a stay-at-home mom, with two little ones and another on the way. With 2. The author quit
a husband in the army, my roles as both mother and wife can be time- her job because
consuming. I know that if I returned to work, I wouldn’t be able to focus on she and her
being a mom, a wife and a teacher at the same time. husband moved
Since my husband’s last rotation in Iraq I have been functioning primarily frequently.
in the home alone, I may not always feel important to the world as I did when 3. The author says it
teaching, but I feel important to my home and my family — and that gives me is impossible for
more purpose than anything else I could imagine. Being a stay-at-home her to return to
mom may not feel very world-changing, but it’s an important job. work.
I’ll admit there are times I feel tired during my days as a housewife. It’s
discouraging when daily responsibilities around the home are reversed 4. The author’s
within minutes. Today, for example, I have been cleaning the house for a few husband has just
hours and when I looked around and found out the toys I just picked up are returned from a
all over the oor again, and the tiny handprints I wiped o the windows and mission abroad.
mirrors got back there within seconds. Doing household chores seems
5. According to the
pointless when you know that you’ll never actually cross them o for good.
text, military
For a military spouse and mom, there’s never a gold star, a bonus or
spouses receive
promotion or happy hour celebration at the end of a long day of laundry and
a salary.
wiping snot, tears, bloody knees. But there is a strong sense of stability and
security in your home because of you and what you do quietly day after day.
You don’t wear the uniform, and you don’t get anywhere near the front 6. Military spouses
line, but you and the sea of other devoted military spouses are the behind- provide great
the-scenes workers who put the “home” in “home front.” Without you, support for the
things would most certainly fall apart. military.
Adapted from a blog-brigade.militaryonesource.mil blog entry

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 Vocabulary Present Tenses
Ex. 4 Look at the text again and Ex. 7 Read sentences below. Match
translate the words in bold. Match them with one of the purposes 1-5.
some of them with the de nitions
below, then make your own de nitions
of the remaining words. I’ve it witnessed many times among
friends.
A. to say that you are extremely unhappy
with something I’ve never thought like this myself.
B. to change a workplace often
C. useful or good for you For a few years I have been a stay-at
D. a synonym for the word goal home mom.
E. tasks you have to do
F. chores you do every day I have been functioning primarily in the
G. synonym for the word engaged home alone.
H. to break into pieces
At times I feel tired (…) I have been
Verbs in Present Tenses cleaning the house for a few hours.
Ex. 5 Decide which verbs do not
appear in the continuous form and 1. to put emphasis on the duration of an
which change their meaning if they do. activity that started in the past and is still
going on
1. Know 6. Imagine 2. to describe a nished action that lasted for
some time and has a visible result now
2. Smell 7. Agree
3. to show how many times something has
3. Believe 8. Taste happened up to now
4. to talk about experience
4. Have 9. See
5. to describe an action that started in the
5. Love 10. Understand past and lasts up to the present

Ex. 6 Fill in the gaps with the verbs in For more on Present Perfect Simple and Continuous see
the correct form. Grammar Review on page 10

1. I ____________________ (believe) you

now.
Speaking
2. This soup ________________ (taste) great! Ex. 8 Answer the questions below.
3. Look at the dog! It ____________________
(smell) owers. 1. Who does the most household chores in
4. Now, I _________________ (love) it more your house? Why?
than ever! 2. Talk about the last family reunion you
5. I ___________________ (see) the dentist had.
tomorrow. 3. What are the pluses and minuses of
6. More and more people ________________ having siblings?
(believe) in the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
7. She can’t talk right now, she ___________ Go to page 134 and practice the Level 2 Speaking Task One
Roleplays.
_______________ (have) dinner.
8.

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 2C
Listening
Pronouns Exam Task Listening Task 2 - Filling in
Ex. 1 Complete the gaps with an missing information
appropriate pronoun. Choose from: There is one text, and 5 - 6 sentences for
I, he, she, it, they, their, him, her. the candidate to

1. Life can be exciting, and sometimes

__________ surprises us. Ex. 3 Listen to the recording
2. When Ana is happy, __________ looks and nish the sentences. Audio 1
pretty.
3. Bill has changed __________ job.
4. S i b l i n g s h e l p e a c h o t h e r w h e n 1. You can get speci c advice about the
__________ need it. place to live from …
5. I love my parents. When I was a child,
_________ learnt a lot from __________.
2. In the case of government-owned
military houses, the rent and utilities are
Vocabulary covered by…
Ex. 2 Translate the words below, then
match some of them with the
de nitions given. 3. The biggest plus of living in barracks is
advantages to move in to terminate
that it is usually …

drawbacks to be managed by reassignment

housing housing allowance o -base 4. In the case of privatised military housing,

you have to pay separately for …
various to be surrounded by to seek

location amenities maintenance

5. Private rental contracts must accept
to t barracks accommodation
lease termination due to …
support dorm to guarantee

to settle proximity lease

Adverbs of frequency
1. to have someone in charge of taking care Ex. 4 Decide where to put frequency
of you or making decisions for you adverbs in the sentences below.
2. not on a military camp 1. He is late. ALWAYS
3. to have things all around you 2. I visit my friend. OFTEN
4. an agreement between a landlord and 3. I have thought of moving to England.
tenant that allows the tenant to use ALWAYS
a property
4. Soldiers have to be ready for action.
5. to end or stop something, usually before ALWAYS
it was supposed to end

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Speaking
STANAG EXAM consists of 3 parts:
1.

1. What’s your name?

2. Can you spell it? (military or traditional alphabet)
3. What’s your job? and/or Where do you live?
2.

3.

To pass, you need to get altogether 14 points.

Watch the video to get familiar with examination procedures.

Ex. 5 Look at the sets below and act them out with your partner.

PART 2 PART 2
Candidate’s role: Candidate’s role:
You’ve joined a local community group. You are You moved to a different city with your family due
talking to one of its members. to reassignment. You are talking to a colleague at
your new unit.
· introduce yourself/ say who you are
· recently moved here/looking for new friends · Yes/moved with family, say where/ 1 week ago
· answer the question · Yes, a lot but don’t know city
· present pluses and minuses of the area · A good gym where?/restaurants?
· accept invitation/details – where/when? · Accept/ask for details
The examiner starts by saying: “Welcome to our They start by saying: “ Hi, I’m Sgt. Jones, you are
group! I’m Tom, how can I help you?” new here, aren’t you?”

Examiners role: Examiners role:

The candidate has joined a local community You are talking to a new colleague who has
group. You are one of the group members. recently been reassigned to your unit.
· React/ask why joined · Nice to meet you/ like it so far?
· Where live? · Need help?
· Like it?/ Any problems? · Good gym – city centre/restaurants recommend
· Offer to show around · Having BBQ/want join with family?
· Answer questions
You start by saying: “ Hi, I’m Sgt. Jones, you are
You start by saying: “Welcome to our group! I’m new here, aren’t you?”
Tom, how can I help you?”
PART 3
PART 3
1. Do you like meeting new people? Why? Why 1. Describe the area where you live.
not? 2. Talk about the last time you moved to a different
place.
2. Talk about the last time you met somebody new. 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
3. Compare introverts and extroverts. living in the countryside?

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2D

Writing
Ex. 1 Look at the exam task below and discuss in pairs how you would write it.

You've recently moved with your family to a different city. Write a letter to a friend saying:
1. where and why you moved
2. what your new house looks like and what you like/dislike
the most about the new neighbourhood
3. how this move changed your family routine
Write between 150 and 200 words.

Ex. 2 Look at the tips. Match them with explanations.

Start with a Greeting: _____ Introduction: _____ Body of the Letter: _____
Ask Questions and Show Interest: _____ Closing: _____
Check for Tone and Language: _____ Use Paragraphs: _____ Proofread: _____

1. Engage the recipient by asking about their life, sharing your curiosity about what they've
been up to, or expressing interest in their well-being.

2. Remember, this is an informal letter, so you can use contractions (e.g., "can't" instead of
"cannot"), slang (if appropriate for the recipient), and a relaxed tone. Avoid overly formal
language or complex vocabulary.

3. Organize your letter into paragraphs to make it easier to read and follow your thoughts.

4. Wrap up the letter with a closing remark like "Take care," "Best regards," "Love," followed
by your name.

5. Begin your letter with a warm and friendly greeting. Use the person's name or a casual
greeting like "Hi," "Hello," or "Hey there.”

6. Start by asking how the person is doing or reference a recent event or shared
experience. This sets a friendly tone.

7. Share your thoughts, stories, or updates.

8. Always proofread your letter before sending it to check for spelling or grammatical errors.

Ex. 3 Read the sample letter on the opposite page and de ne the purpose of the
phrases in bold.

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Sample Letter

Hey Fred,

Hope you're doing great! I wanted to catch you up on the whirlwind that's been my life lately
– my family and I just made a move to a different city! We settled in Maplewood because of my
new job opportunity. It's a vibrant place with a lot of greenery, and the community vibes are
fantastic.

Our new house is pretty neat! It's a cozy bungalow with a lush garden where I can nally
practice my gardening skills. The living room has these huge windows that ood the place with
sunlight – perfect for my indoor plants! But the kitchen's a bit smaller than our old one, and
we're still guring out where to put everything.

What I love most about Maplewood is the diversity. There are so many cool cultural events and
local eateries around. But the downside? It's a tad noisy during rush hours, and parking can be
a headache sometimes.

This move shook up our family routine quite a bit. We've had to adjust schedules, nd new
grocery stores, and get used to different commutes. Surprisingly, it's brought us closer – we
spend more time together exploring the area and guring things out.

Missing our old hangouts but excited about discovering new ones here. Can't wait for you to
visit and explore Maplewood with me! Write to me soon! I’m curious what you’ve been up to
recently. How is your family doing?

Catch up soon,

Alex

Ex. 4 Listen to the conversation between Fred and his wife. What problem
does Fred have? What advice does he get from his wife? Audio 2

Ex. 5 Read the examination task below. Write your letter.

Write a response from Fred in which you:

1. congratulate Alex on his move and say what new responsibilities you have at work, what
you like and don’t like about them
2. describe your family weekend trips and say where you’re taking your family next weekend
3. invite Alex and his family to join you on your trip, say what they need to bring

Write between 150 and 200 words.

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 GRAMMAR REVIEW Placement in Negative Sentences:
In negative sentences, they usually go between the
auxiliary and the main verb:
Present Simple & Present Continuous "He does not always listen."
We can use present simple to talk about … Placement in Questions:
• Habits and Routines: In questions, the adverbs typically go between the
"He watches TV until late every evening." auxiliary and the main verb:
• Timetables: "Do you often visit your grandparents?"
"The train arrives at 10 am.”
Present Perfect Simple & Present Perfect Continuous
• Facts and Laws of nature: We can use present perfect simple to talk about
"Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius." experiences and actions that happened at an
• Headlines: unspeci ed time before now. It emphasizes the result
of the action.
"Prime Minister Resigns." Structure:
We can use present continuous to talk about … Subject + have/has + past participle verb.
• Actions happening at the moment of speaking: "I have nished my homework."

"Look at him. He is drinking another beer" Present Perfect continuous describes actions that
• Temporary Actions/Background: started in the past, continued for a while, and might
"She is currently working from home." still be happening now. It emphasizes the duration of
the action.
• Irritation for actions that happen too often:
Structure:
"He is always leaving dirty socks on the oor." Subject + have/has been + verb+ing.
• Changing and Developing Situations: "More and "She has been studying for three hours.”
more people are buying electric cars”
For/Since
"For" indicates how long something has been
Stative verbs happening, while "since" pinpoints the exact time
Stative verbs are a special kind of verbs that when something started.
describe a state or condition instead of an • for 3 years vs. since I was born
action.They aren't usually used in continuous tenses.
Stative verbs often express feelings, emotions, Pronouns
thoughts, possession, or senses: Pronouns are words we use in a sentence instead of
• know, understand, believe, agree, own a noun. We may say:
• like, love, hate • This is my car, it is fast.
It is a pronoun. We use it not to repeat the word car.
Some verbs change their meaning when used in the
continuous or progressive form compared to their Personal pronouns:
use in the simple form. • I/me, she/her, he/him, they/them, it, we/us and you
• taste, smell, think, have They change depending if they are used to replace
"This burger tastes funny” the subject or the object in the sentence.
"She is tasting this burger” he = subject / him = object.
Tom gave the pen to John.
"I think you are wrong.” • He gave the pen to John. (Subject)
"I'm thinking of buying a new car” • He gave it to John. (Direct Object)
• He gave it to him. (Indirect Object)
Adverbs of frequency Possessive Pronouns
Adverbs of frequency („always," "usually," • mine, yours, ours, his, hers, theirs, its
"sometimes," "rarely," and „never,") describe how These are words that used to show the owner.
often something happens. Their position in a Instead of saying John’s car we can say his car.
sentence is important.
Placement with Simple Verb Tenses: Possessive Adjectives
They typically go before the main verb: • my, your, his, her, its, our, their
"I always go to the gym." They are similar to Possessive Pronouns and can be
Placement with the Verb "be": used to show possession but are placed next to
When the verb is "be”, they usually come after the a noun.
verb:
"She is always happy.”

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 GRAMMAR EXERCISES
Ex. 1 Complete the sentences, choosing either the Present Simple or Present Continuous form of the
verb given.
1. I usually __________ (play) tennis on Sundays, but today I __________ (study) for my exam.
2. She __________ (work) as a teacher.
3. John __________ (always/arrive) late for meetings, which __________ (annoy) his colleagues.
4. They __________ (have) a party tomorrow.
5. The sun __________ (rise) in the east and __________ (set) in the west.
6. The school bus __________ (arrive) at 7:30 AM every day.
Ex. 2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. She __________ (seem) unhappy today.
2. He __________ (have) a shower, as always in the morning.
3. The cat __________ (smells) my feet.
4. They usually __________ (understand) each other.
5. The replace __________ (smell) of burning wood.
6. He __________ (own) this house.
7. The kids __________ (love) playing in the garden.
Ex. 3 Mark the position of the adverbs of frequency given.
1. Do you tidy up your room before bedtime? ALWAYS
2. She misses her morning yoga routine because it keeps her energized. RARELY
3. They help with household chores on weekends. USUALLY
4. He is angry when he is hungry. ALWAYS
5. I have wanted to own a place in the city centre. ALWAYS
6. Mary does not come here alone. OFTEN
Ex. 4 Complete the sentences, with either the Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous
form of the verb given.
1. She __________ (read) three books this week.
2. They __________ (wait) for you since 3 o'clock, but they __________ (not/see) you yet.
3. He __________ (live) in this house for ve years.
4. I __________ (study) Spanish for two hours.
5. We __________ (travel) around Europe for a month and __________ (visit) many cities.
6. She __________ (clean) the house all day, and it looks fantastic now.

Ex. 5 Complete the sentences, choosing for or since.

1. They have been friends __________ they were in elementary school.
2. She has lived in this city __________ three years.
3. He has been working on this project __________ last month.
4. We have known each other __________ a very long time.
5. The team has been practicing __________ 3 hours without a break.
6. I have been studying English __________ I was a teenager.
Ex. 6 Complete the sentences with the correct pronoun.

1. Sarah and __________ family are going on a vacation this summer.

2. I need to cook a special meal for __________ parents' anniversary.
3. Peter forgot __________ homework at home, so he can't complete the assignment.
4. Look at that stunning family portrait! __________ frame is quite expensive, though.
5. We can't nd __________ family album; did you see it?
6. James and Susan are at the farmer's market. __________ are buying fresh produce for the week.
7. The bakery had a sale, so Jenny and Tina bought some pastries for __________ family gathering.

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 Wordlist

1 accommodation 26 housing allowance

2 adulthood 27 keep in touch
3 advantage 28 lease
4 amenities 29 location
5 aunt 30 maintenance
6 barracks 31 maturity
7 be born 32 mother-in-law
8 be pregnant 33 move in
9 break the habit 34 nephew
10 by force of habit 35 newborn
11 childhood 36 niece
12 community 37 o -base
13 creature of habit 38 old habits die hard
14 daily routine 39 patchwork family
15 discouraging 40 pet peeve
16 dorm 41 reassignment
17 drawback 42 responsibilities
18 family reunion 43 rotation
19 family values 44 spouse
20 generation 45 stay-at-home mom
21 get into the habit 46 stepparent
22 guilty pleasure 47 support
23 habit 48 time-consuming
24 home front 49 to give birth to
25 household chores 50 uncle

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