John Rae, ex-headmaster, Westminster School When New Streetwise asked
me to confess an incident that I had never told anyone about before, I immediately thought about the story of the English Essay Prize.
I should have told the headmaster at the time. After all, I was someone he trusted, but I didn't tell him.
He had gone out of the study for some reason and in
| his absence I moved aimlessly to see what was on his desk. In the middle of the desk was a small piece of paper on which were written the words 'English Essay Prize Examination: History is a String of Biographies’.
A moral person would have looked away oon as he saw the heading, I did not. The subject of the English Essay Prize was a secret but I could not resist reading it.
it was wrong, but it was the sort of temptation almost everyone would have yielded to.
A moral dilemma
Read this article about what a man who used to be the headmaster of a very famous English school did in a similar situation. Decide if these statements are true or false.
Warm-up Reading &i
1 Work in pairs. Discuss this 2 dilemma.
John Rae went to his head teacher's desk to look for the essay He saw the question on a piece of paper.
He told his headmaster that he had seen the Essay question.
He won the competition.
He still feels guilty about it.
By the time the headmaster returned, I was looking
out of the window. We must have talked about this and that, the arrangements for the Graduation Day perhaps. He was a nice man. He might have left the piece of paper in that prominent position to test me, knowing how keen I was to win the essay prize. But that wasn't his style.
| should have told him then. It would have been easy
to say, 'Headmaster, | am afraid | saw the title for the English Essay Prize on your desk. I didn't mean to, but I will withdraw my name at once, of course.'
The opportunity passed and did not return. We sat
the three-hour paper the following morning, With the
advantage of knowing the title in advance, I won. 1 like to think [ would have won anyway, but that is
not the point. I didn't set out to cheat, but it was
cheating nevertheless.
That was when I was eighteen, thirty-eight years ago.
The fact that the details are so clear suggests that the feeling of guilt has kept the memory fresh. I have never told anyone about it — until now.
3 Read the article again and answer these questions.
1 ‘I should have told the headmaster at the time.’ Do you agree with this conclusion?
2 Do you think it would have been easy to tell the headmaster?
Why/Why not?
Issue nine Part one
Vocabulary 4 Peter was very angry when a boy kicked him at ‡ a football match. Peter’s friends stopped him from hitting the boy.
4 Find words in the text that begin with the
letters in brackets and mean: 5 Jenny could not do the last question in her
1 admit that one has done something wrong (c...) maths exam. She wanted to copy the answer
2 gave in to something [y...) from her friend, but her friend wouldn't let her.
3 easily seen, obvious (p...)
4 decide that you will no longer take part (w...) Talking point 5 unhappiness caused by the feeling of having
done something wrong (g...) 6 Answer these questions individually.
Have you ever:
‘ Improve your grammar been on public transport without a ticket?
Would/should/might + infin kept the money when someone gives you the wrong change?
icipl ủ 4 #8, „ủi
past participle 3 borrowed something and ‘forgotten’ to give
@ What is the difference in meaning between it back?
these pairs of sentences? 4 cheated in an exam?
1 itwould be easy to tell him done anything else that was wrong?
It would have been easy to tell him.
„
a
2 {should tell the headmaster. Now make notes about something that you did
| should have told the headmaster. that was wrong. Use these headings.
Second and third conditionals What did you do?
Why did you act in that way?
b What is the difference in meaning between Would you like to have done something
these sentences? eet
1 If! had won the lottery, | would have gone to cirterents
the Bahamas, Work in pairs. Discuss your answers.
2. If! won the lottery, | would go to the Bahamas.
| © When do we use a third conditional Listening
construction? 7 Work in small groups. Look at the
photographs and describe the
. children. How old are they? What
Practice are they doing? Do they look
happy? Why/Why not?
Sometimes, when we are faced with a dilemma,
we do the wrong thing. Luckily, other people may save us from our actions. 8 Listen to a New Streetwise report about children at work and decide if these statements are true or false.
5 Make sentences about these situations using Ehe:thiFd conditional: 1 Some children in England earn £30 a week delivering newspapers.
Example 2 In the nineteenth century most
Sam was about to take some money from his children went to work.
friend’s wallet when the teacher came in. 3 Children did not do dangerous jobs.
If the teacher hadn't come in, Sam would have 4 In the UK you can't work at all until
stolen the money. you are 16,
5 Children can't work for more than two hours on a school day.
6 Children no longer work long hours.
Alice is eleven. She was alone in the house. She took one of her father’s cigarettes. At that moment, her mother came home.
Alex didn’t do his homework. He decided to lie to his teacher but she forgot to ask for it.
David thought he had lost the camera that his parents had bought him. He was so upset that he decided to tell them it had been stolen. His mother found the camera later that day.
ny 9 Do you think children should work?
o Issue nine Partone 83
ry ease his conscience: make
he received
Warm-up
Values
1 Imagine you have inherited a lot of money. What would you do with the money? Would you spend it? What on? Why? Or would you use it to help people? Who? Why?
business started by his great-great- great grandfather in 1865. John was
far from happy. His college friends were looking for their first jobs, and he could retire, He did not believe that anyone should be rich but he suddenly had a lot of money. John decided to pretend to be like everyone else and continued to live a simple life. He didn't tell any of his friends and eased his conscience by giving $100,000 of his money to a political party in South Africa. Today he is 36, he wears cheap shoes and clothes and can only afford a small car, but he is much happier.
John is a member of a group called Impact. The group is a club that helps rich people to think about their values and their lives. The members do not want to waste their money like the young millionaire who bought a
Issue nine Part two
restaurant because they didn’t have a free table and then gave it to the chef after he had eaten. They want to use their money to help society in the most useful way.
Impact teaches its members how to give money wisely and its members are encouraged to help the groups
2 Read the text and decide if
these statements are true or false.
1 John Gurner inherited a lot of money 14 years ago.
2 He was very pleased.
3 He gave all of it away.
4 John is a member of a group
of rich people.
5 The group aims to help millionaires invest their money.
6 John’s brother is very, very
rich,
7 The writer believes that John should have given all his money away.
they give money to by giving some of their time as well.
Interestingly, John’s brother received the same inheritance. He went out and multiplied his money and is now seriously rich. That is the normal American way.
So who is right? John or his brother?
What should young people who inherit money do? Should John have given all his money away rather than part of it? Perhaps, he ought to have helped the poor in New York rather than a political party in Africa? Who should he help now?
The answer depends on our values.
These are a product of our background, education, culture and personality and there is no easy answer. John’s case is, however, a good illustration of the fact that money doesn't necessarily bring happiness.
Vocabulary
3 Find words in the article that begin with the letters in brackets and mean:
1 to receive property, money, etc. from someone
who has died (i...)
2 leave your job and stop working (r...) 3 cook in a restaurant (c...)
4 increased greatly (m...)
5 your type of family and social class (b...)
€ Improve your ‘ammar
Should/ought to + have + past participle
@ Should/ought to + have + past participle are used to express an unfulfilled obligation or a sensible action that was neglected.
Examples
He should have mended the car.
He ought to have given them same money. - b in the negative form, they express a wrong or
foolish action in the past.
Example
She shouldn’t/ought not to have opened the letter. It wasn’t hers.
Practice
4 Write sentences with should have/ought to have + past participle.
Example
John didn’t give his money to the poor.
John should have given his money to the poor.
John didn’t invest his money.
John didn’t tell his friends.
John didn’t buy any new clothes.
on
5 Make sentences with should(n't) or ought to+
have + past participle for each of these situations.
Example
Sam inherited some money from his aunt. He spent it all on cars and clothes.
He should have invested some of the money.
Paula’s parents both smoked. They told Paula not to, but she didn’t listen. She is now a heavy smoker.
2 Charlotte is sixteen. Her parents never let her go out after 9 p.m. Last week she ran away from home,
Alice’s cousin went to live in Australia. Alice used to telephone her cousin every week until her father got his bill. He stopped everyone
o
using the phone. She never told him about her calls to Australia.
4 Pete decided to enter a writing competition.
His parents helped him and he won. The prize was a place on a course for journalists.
5 Patrick ran away from home once when he was twelve, After that, his mother used to open his
letters and search his room when he was out.
Getting Streetwise! i
Requests
6 Look at these expressions. What do they have in common?
Can you give me...?
Im terribly sorry to bother you but I wonder if you could lend me ...?
You haven't got ..., have you?
Could | please have ...?
Would you mind giving me ...?
Which expression is the most polite? Which would you use:
* to ask your father for something?
* to ask a stranger for something?
* to ask a friend for something?
7 Listen to different people asking their father, a stranger and a friend for something. Complete the table for each situation.
What they want
Extract 1 Dad
Extract 2 Stranger
Extract 3 A friend
8 The way we ask someone for things depends on many factors, including how well we know the person, the age and status of the person we are asking, and the urgency of the request.
Decide on an appropriate request for each of these situations.
You are on holiday. You want a stranger to use your camera to take a photograph of you and a friend.
You want to go to a party. It is on the other side of town and you are late. Ask your father for the money to take a taxi.
You are in class and you find that you have forgotten your pencil case. Ask a friend for a pencil and an eraser.
4 You are in class and you want to use a dictionary that belongs to your teacher.
" o
Issue nine Parttwo = 85
The expression used
Excuses
Reading
1 Read the notes and answer these questions.
1 Who do you think these notes were addressed to?
2 Who were they written by?
3 Are there any that were especially silly? Which ones?
What do you think the writers should have said?
Emily was off one day last week as she played truant and | Kept her off for the
rest of the week as I was frightened she S2 he hasp's |
would do it again felt tke F009. Thark you.
1 nes \
a 3 absent with permission
ee
helt hor sister had a baby. Please fo te a 7
‘hank the headmaster very much
2 Read the letters and answer these questions.
1 Are these expressions excuses or requests? 14 Hills Road
I wonder if... Keswick
I would be grateful if ... Cumbria
2 What do the expressions as and because 17 May 1999 introduce?
3 Sally would have been at her swimming Dear Sir,
desson... J wonder if Mary could be excused from
Did Sally go swimming or not? Why does the games today as she is not feeling very well.
writer use the third conditional? Yours faithfully
Paul White 57 Thames Court
Guildford t4
suey Cl BFE tee Lane
15. ppril (997 Leics LE 4TE
Dear Mr Strange nt from th February 1444
James war apse!
| am sorry that cause he b
schoo! yesterday Tho M42 bể , jn‡men†: ear Mr Green,
jad a doctor'> 4/72 ji) be away at the same Sally would have been at her swimmi esterday i swimming lesso Lam on aah wee onder # he could time ne: ead Et Mày Ni hurt her shoulder Sein I gone ul iT You would e .
be excused mẹ “ Swimming for the rest of the. ‘rm tr fam
thank you in ANANCE Many thanks,
Yours sincerely, Yours sincerely,
Mary Simp20” Alice Weight
86 _ Issue nine Part three a —
{ Improve your writing
Writing an excuse
@ We can use as and because to introduce reasons. We usually use because when we think that the reader/listener doesn’t already know the reason.
Example
1! went to the doctor because | had hurt my foot.
As (or since) can be used at the start of a sentence when the reason is already known to the reader/listener.
Example
As you want to go home, I'll phone a taxi.
We can usually use because in place of as or since but we cannot always replace because with as or since.
b We sometimes use the third conditional to offer explanations or make excuses.
Examples
Sally would have been at her swimming lesson if she hadn’t hurt her shoulder.
| would have passed the test if | hadn’t been feeling ill.
€ We often use expressions like |’m afraid and I’m sorry to introduce an excuse.
di Here are some polite request forms:
| wonder if (you could) ...
| would be grateful if ...
Could you please ...
Practice
3 Combine the sentences using the conjunctions in brackets.
Example
I went to bed. | was tired. (because) I went to bed because | was tired.
1 I didn’t go to school. I was ill. (because) 2 I won't come. You didn’t buy my ticket. (as) 3 She is not allowed to go out late. She is very
young. (as)
4 She forgot to do her homework. She didn’t write it down, (because)
5 She went home early. She wasn't well. (since)
4 Make up an excuse or explanation for each of these situations using the third conditional.
1 You dropped a very expensive ornament because your hands were wet.
2 You didn’t go swimming because you weren't very well.
3 You forgot to do something important because your friend didn't remind you.
4 You didn’t go to the party because you had an exam the next day.
5 You didn’t help your friend with his homework because you didn’t understand it.
Writing
5 You want to be excused from your homework for part of next week. Write a note to your teacher saying why. Follow the Improve your writing guidelines to help you.
6 Imagine you were absent from school last week. Write a note giving a really silly reason
for your absence.
Self check
7 Work in small groups. Read your notes to each other and answer the questions.
1 Did your partner use the third conditional?
2 Did your partner use any polite request forms?
3 What changes could you make to improve your partner's notes?
Decide on the best note in each catagory.
Issue nine Part three 87
Oh yes, I'm the great pretender, Pretending I'm doing so (1) ,
My need is such I pretend too (2)
I'm lonely but no one can tell.
Oh yes, I'm the (3) pretender, Adrift in a (4) of my own,
I play the (5) but to my real shame You've left me to dream all alone.
Look at this entry from a dictionary.
pretend /pri'tend/v To appear to do or be { something, in order to trick or deceive }
someone }
Paul's not really asleep. He's just pretending. { The children are pretending to be clowns.
———— es en
When do people pretend? Do you ever pretend to be something you are not?
Songbook
_ Too real when I feel what my (7)
ES A2
Too real is this (6)
of make-believe, can't
conceal,
Oh yes, I'm the great pretender, Just (8) and gay like a (9)
1(10) to be what I’m not you see, I'm (11) my heart like a crown, Pretending that you're still around.
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal ...
Chorus
2 Look at the song. Try to fill the gaps with the words from the list.
much world seem well
feeling clown — great
laughing wearing game
heart
3 Listen and check your answers.
4 What is the singer pretending? Why?
5 Do you think film and pop stars have to pretend more than ordinary people? Why/why not?
Do you believe that some people and animals
can see into the future?
What do you expect from a good neighbour?
Why do people write letters to newspapers and magazines?
What kinds of things do they usually write about?
we want wo know so i there's $0
| | sờ: ewe Bayt 7+ - thate aleve like a
TK. cn totter we print&
Vocabulary
4 Match these verbs from the article to the definitions.
join promote create spend interview to give publicity to something
to make something new
to become a member of a group to pass Lime
a meeting where you ask someone about their life and opinions
Ga
5 Complete the sentences with an appropriate verb from the list above.
The reporter
their lives. the Spice Girls about 2 The Spice Girls Wannabe on TV and
radio.
3 The Beatles two months in Hamburg.
4 Ringo was the last to the group.
5 Epstein did not the Beatles. He managed them.
li Improve your grammar
imple past and past progressive
@ Look at the examples below and write:
1 three examples of the past progressive 2 two examples of the simple past used for a
completed event in the past
3 two examples of the simple past used for a past habit
It was snowing heavily at the time.
Epstein spoke to the Beatles while they were waiting to appear.
The Spice Girls lived in the same house for two years.
Paul played the guitar and piano.
The Beatles were playing in The Cavern when Epstein saw them for the first time.
b Which example(s) of the past progressive suggests that an action in the past started before another action in the past, and probably continued after it?
2 gives background information about the weather, etc?
"———
Practice
6 Complete the sentences with an appropriate past tense form of the verb in brackets.
Example
Epstein was working (work) in a record shop when he heard of (hear of) the Beatles.
111 (rain) when Paul and John (meet) for the first time.
John Lennon (not live) with his parents when he slarted his band.
Nn
3 Paul (join) a group when he was fifleen.
41 (watch) television when | (hear) the news of John Lennon's death.
5 Emma _ (work) as an actress when she (see) the advert to join a girl group.
6 Fmma (start) to dance when she was three
7 Emma (go) to a famous theatre school
when she was a teenager.
8 The Spice Girls (write) Mama (I love
vou).
9 Geri (leave) the Spice Girls in 1998.
Talking point
7 Answer as many of these questions as possible.
1 What is your favourite group? Why?
2 What are the names of the people in the
group?
3 Where are they from?
4 What did they do before they became famous?
5 When and where did they meet?
8 Share your answers with the class. Which is
the most popular group? Why?
Issue one Part one 9