Peter Lucantoni
Introduction to
English as a
Second
Language
Fourth edition
University Printing House, Cambridge cb2 8bs, United Kingdom
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dedication
A big ‘thank you’ to my daughter, Emily, who provided plenty of useful comments during
the initial writing stages.
As always, this book is dedicated to three special people: Lydia, Sara and Emily.
Contents
Menu
Introduction
4
5
Part 1: The world around us
6
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Unit 7
Unit 8
7
15
23
31
40
48
56
64
How many planets are there in space?
What’s a living creature?
What’s a hurricane?
Are there any monsters in the ocean?
What’s an ecosystem?
Can bees scare elephants?
Can penguins see under water?
How hot are chilli peppers?
Part 2: Human endeavour
72
Unit 9 Who was Ibn Battuta?
73
Unit 10 What’s the best job for a teenager?
81
Unit 11 Who are the Maasai?
89
Unit 12 What does a triathlete do?
97
Unit 13 How much water do you use?
105
Unit 14 How important is oil?
113
Unit 15 How do you say ‘bridge’ in your language?
120
Unit 16 Where are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? 128
Unit 17 What impact does fashion have on teenagers?
136
Unit 18 What does that sign mean?
143
Appendix Audioscript of accompanying CD
150
Acknowledgements
159
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Menu
PART 1 The world around us
U1: How many planets
In this unit, you will: learn about the planets, do a project on space,
read and write about space achievements
Language focus: passive verbs;
Wh- questions
U2: What’s a living
In this unit, you will: talk about natural history, read about living things,
do a project on living things, read and write about turtles
Language focus: adverbs; word building;
‘signpost’ words
U3: What’s a hurricane?
In this unit, you will talk about the weather and violent Earth, listen to
a news item about hurricanes, read about avalanches, do a project on
the weather, read about Pompeii
Language focus: abstract nouns;
conditionals and if only
U4: Are there any
In this unit, you will: talk about water, read about the oceans, listen to
a marine biologist talking about sea monsters, do a project on your
nearest ocean, read about hot and cold places
Language focus: prepositional verbs;
past simple and past perfect
U5: What’s an
In this unit, you will: talk about plants, read about ecosystems, draw an
ecosystem diagram, do a project on an ecosystem
Language focus: word building;
imperatives for instructions
U6: Can bees scare
In this unit, you will: talk about animals, read about elephants in
Kenya, listen to a scientist talking about invertebrates, do a project
on invertebrates, read about a science-fiction novel
Language focus: infinitives and -ing
forms after verbs; question tags
U7: Can penguins see
In this unit you will: talk and read about human and animal senses,
read about the game of chess, do a project on games, listen to an
animal scientist, read about a musician, write an article
Language focus: comparative adverbs;
-ing forms as subjects and after
prepositions
U8: How hot are chilli
In this unit, you will: talk about ingredients, read about chilli peppers,
listen to a talk about rainforest plants, do a project on food products,
read about healthy foods
Language focus: referring words;
quantifiers
are there in space?
creature?
monsters in
the ocean?
ecosystem?
elephants?
under water?
peppers?
4
PART 2 Human endeavour
U9: Who was Ibn
Battuta?
In this unit, you will: talk and read about famous explorers, read
about oceanographers, do a project on an explorer, listen to a radio
programme about NASA
Language focus: countries, nationalities
and languages; past perfect
U10: What’s the best job In this unit, you will: talk and read about jobs, do a project on jobs,
Language focus: direct and reported
speech; sentence adverbs
U11: Who are the
In this unit, you will: talk about marathon running, read about sports
shoes, listen to a report about Maasai warriors, do a project on the
Maasai, read about unusual sports
Language focus: word building;
-ing forms
U12: What does a
In this unit, you will: talk about your favourite sports, read about sports
equipment, listen to a triathlete, do a project on sports equipment,
read about different holidays
Language focus: sentence patterns
with comparatives; ‘signpost’ words;
future forms
U13: How much water
In this unit, you will: talk about Science at school, read some scientific
definitions and about Leonardo da Vinci, listen to a scientist talking
about water, do a project about water
Language focus: the passive;
word building
U14: How important
In this unit, you will: talk about oil, read about products made of
plastic, read about mobile phones, do a project on technology,
listen to someone talking about inventions
Language focus: question forms;
time references with different tenses
U15: How do you say
In this unit, you will: talk and read about bridges, read about a hotel
made of ice, do a project on buildings and structures, read about the
lost city of Atlantis
Language focus: verbs ending in -en;
intensifying adjectives
for a teenager?
Maasai?
triathlete do?
do you use?
is oil?
‘bridge’ in your
language?
listen to a careers counsellor
U16: Where are the
In this unit, you will: talk and read about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Language focus: is thought/said/
Seven Wonders of World, listen to someone talking about the new seven wonders of the believed, etc.; compound nouns
the Ancient World? world, do a project on modern wonders, read about the city of Mumbai and complex noun phrases
U17: What impact does
In this unit, you will: talk and read about free time and digital
entertainment, read about mobile phones, do a project on clothes,
listen to someone talking about clothes in history
Language focus: word building;
modal verbs
U18: What does that
In this unit, you will: talk and read about signs and symbols, listen to
someone talking about superheroes, do a project on messaging systems,
read and write about sign language
Language focus: position of adjectives;
semi-fixed and fixed expressions
fashion have on
teenagers?
sign mean?
Introduction
Introduction to English as a Second Language is a one-year, theme-based
intermediate English course. It is for students who are not yet ready to start a
demanding exam-focused course, such as the International General Certificate
of Secondary Education (IGCSE®) in English as a Second Language (E2L). This
book is an ideal foundation for studying Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second
Language – a two-year exam course that will properly prepare you for the
E2L examination.
It is assumed that most of you who use this book will be studying English in
order to improve your educational or employment prospects and it, therefore,
includes a broad range of topics and themes relevant to this goal. You will find
passages and activities based on a wide variety of stimulating, cross-curriculum
topics and about people from all over the world, which I hope you will enjoy
reading and discussing.
The book is divided into two themed parts: The world around us and Human
endeavour. Each themed part is subdivided into units, which focus on topics
such as space (Unit 1), natural disasters (Unit 3), explorers (Unit 9) and wonders
of the world (Unit 16). Each unit is further divided into sections covering all the
language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as thinking
skills, grammar, vocabulary, study skills and research.
I hope you enjoy using this new edition and I wish you success in your studies!
5
Peter Lucantoni
Introduction to English as a Second Language
6
Part 1:
The world around us
Unit 1: How many planets are there
in space?
Topics
A
■ space and space travel
■ the Hubble Space
Telescope
1
Speaking and thinking
Our solar system consists of the sun and the planets, their moons and
other objects. Discuss what you know about the planets with a partner.
Use these questions as a guide.
a How many planets are there in our solar system?
Use of English
b Which planets are the biggest and smallest?
passive verbs, Wh- questions
c
2
VOCABULARY
dwarf planet an object that is
similar to the eight planets in
the solar system, but is smaller
The scrambled letters below are the names of the eight planets (plus Pluto,
which is called a ‘dwarf planet’) in our solar system. Copy and unscramble the
letters and then match the words to the planets 1–9 in the picture. Use these
headings to record your answers in your notebook: Position/Name. Compare
your answers with your partner’s.
a teenpun
d lotup
g arms
b ripejut
e nevus
h heart
c
1
2
3
What are their names in your language? Do you know the names of
the planets in English? Do any of the planets have similar names in
your language and in English?
curryme
f
ratsun
i
urnusa
7
4
5
6
7
9
8
VOCABULARY
mythical not true or real,
imaginary
3
Most of the planets are named after a mythical Greek or Roman god
or goddess.
a Do you and your partner know which ones are not?
b Are there any myths behind the names of the planets in your own language?
What are they?
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Here is a list of gods and goddesses. Match them to the planets. Add the
heading god/goddess next to Position/Name in your notebook and write
your answers.
4
a God of farming and agriculture and father of Jupiter
b God of the sea
c
God of the sky and heavens and son of Saturn
d God of the underworld
e God of war
Goddess of love and beauty
g King of the gods
h Winged messenger of the gods
f
DID YOU KNOW?
8
81 kilometres
The planet Mars is the
home of the largest volcano
found in our solar system.
The volcano, named
‘Olympus Mons’, is about
27 kilometres high and
its crater (the bowl in the
middle) is 81 kilometres
wide. How does this compare
with the height of Mount
Everest on Earth?
Olympus Mons
27 kilometres
Mount Everest
B
Listening
1
How do you and your partner think the planets got their names? Why is
Mercury named after the winged messenger, for example? What is the
connection between the colour or size of a planet and its name? Look at
the information in your notebook and at the picture of the planets on page 7,
and try to guess how the planets got their names.
2
Listen to Taran talking about how the planets got their names. Were your
ideas in Activity B1 correct?
3
Listen again and answer these questions. Compare your answers with
your partner’s.
a When were the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus and Mercury named?
b Write the dates when these planets were discovered:
c
d
e
f
g
(i) Uranus, (ii) Neptune, (iii) Pluto.
Which planet travels around the sun in 88 days?
What is the association between the planet Mars and the colour red?
Which planet is the king of all the planets?
Why is Neptune named after the mythical god of the sea?
Which planet is always in the dark?
Unit 1: How many planets are there in space?
C Use of English: Passive verbs
1
Look at these sentences taken from Section B. What do you notice about the
underlined verbs? Can you give the verbs a name?
a … all of the planets, except for Earth, are named after Greek and Roman
gods and goddesses. Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus and Mercury were given
their names thousands of years ago …
b … Mars is red in colour and this colour was associated with blood in battles.
c Pluto, which is no longer classified as a planet, is the furthest from the
sun …
2
The underlined verbs are all forms of the passive. Who or what is the person or
thing affected by each action? Do you know who the doer is?
DID YOU KNOW?
The earth is not round; in fact,
it is geoid. This means that the
round shape has a slight bulge
(or lump) towards the equator,
the imaginary circle around
the earth. What other ‘shape’
words do you know?
9
Passive verbs
We use the passive to focus on the person, or thing, affected by an action,
rather than on the person, or thing, that performs that action (the doer).
With your partner, look again at the three sentences in Activity C1.
How is the passive formed? Copy and complete the following sentence.
The passive is formed with the verb to … , followed by the … of a main verb.
3
Now copy the table and complete the ‘Tense’ column.
To be
Past participle
Tense
are
named
present simple
were
given
…
was
associated
…
is
classified
…
Introduction to English as a Second Language
4
How are the present perfect passive and the past perfect passive tenses
formed? Look at the table on page 9 for help in working it out.
5
Have you heard of the Hubble Space Telescope? What do you and your class
know about it?
6
Read the following text about the Hubble Space Telescope. In your notebook,
write the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets.
the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
[1] The Hubble Space Telescope (a) … (launch)
in 1990 by the space shuttle Discovery and it
orbits the earth about 610 kilometres above us.
Scientists and star gazers (b) … (delight) by
Hubble’s pictures ever since its launch.
10
[2] The Hubble Space Telescope is as large as a
school bus and looks like a five-storey tower of
silver cans. Each one of the cans holds important
telescope equipment: the mirrors, computers,
imaging instruments, and pointing and control
machines. Solar panels (c) … (use) for generating
electricity, and antennas communicate with
scientists on Earth.
[3] The 11,110-kilogram telescope collects starlight
with a 2.4-metre-diameter mirror. The mirror,
which (d) … (hide) inside a long, hollow tube
that blocks the glare from the sun, Earth and
the moon, (e) … (slightly curve) to focus and
magnify light.
[4] Hubble is not like a normal telescope on the
ground because astronomers cannot look through
Hubble’s lens to see the planets and stars.
Instead, Hubble’s scientific instruments are the
astronomers’ electronic eyes. By closely studying
the colours of light from a star, astronomers
can understand the star’s temperature, its
make) of and
movements, what it (f) … (make)
its age.
[5] When Hubble collects pictures and data,
information (g) … (turn)) into long strings
of numbers that (h) … (transmit) as
radio signals. This information, which
(i) … (send) back to Earth, (j) …
(stream) through a series of satellite relays
to the Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland,
USA, and then by telephone line to the Space
Telescope Science Institute, where the numbers
(k) … (turn) back into pictures and data.
[6] The information, which (l) … (collect) daily
by Hubble, (m) … (store) on computer disks.
A single day’s worth of observations would fill an
encyclopaedia! The constantly growing collection
of Hubble pictures and data is a unique scientific
resource for current and future astronomers.
Adapted from www.stsci.edu
DID YOU KNOW?
The Hubble Space Telescope
moves at a speed of more
than 28,150 kilometres per
hour! Nothing on land or
water can beat this. Do you
know what living thing
moves at the fastest speed
on Earth?
D
1
Reading
Before humans went into space, animals were used as the first
space travellers. In small groups, discuss these questions.
a Why do you think this happened?
b What do you think about sending animals into space?
Do you think it is acceptable to send some animals but not others?
Which ones? Why?
d Some planets are so far away that it is impossible for animals (or humans)
to travel to them. What is the solution to this problem?
c
Unit 1: How many planets are there in space?
2
Look at the picture above. What does it show you? What do you think it is
called? Where is it? What can it do?
3
Here are five dimensions for the machine in the picture. Decide what each one
refers to.
2 metres 3 metres by 2.8 metres 2.1 metres
900 kilograms 50.8-centimetre diameter
4
You are going to read about NASA’s Mars rover, Curiosity. First, work with a
partner and use paper or digital reference sources to check the meaning of
the following words.
altitude ambitious centrepiece
manoeuvres obstacles severed
5
DID YOU KNOW?
On 12th April 1961, Russian
cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
became the first man in
space. Gagarin’s spacecraft,
Vostok 1, completed one
orbit of Earth and landed
about two hours later.
Gagarin had to jump
out and land using his
parachute because Vostok 1
was designed to crash land!
Do you know who the most
recent space traveller is?
daring habitable
withstand zap
Copy the following table and complete it using the words from Activity D4.
Word
Translation
Grammar
Example sentence
altitude
…
noun
The spacecraft flew at an
altitude of 5 kilometres
above Earth.
6
Skim the text, Mars Curiosity: Facts and information on page 12 to check your
answers to Activity D3. Do not worry about the gaps for the moment.
7
Complete the gaps a–j in the text using the words from Activity D4.
8
Answer these questions about the text.
a What are the two main objectives of the Mars Curiosity mission?
b Why is Curiosity’s large size an advantage?
c What is the difference between a Martian year and an Earth year?
d How long did it take MSL to reach Mars?
e Which word describes MSL’s entry into Mars’s atmosphere?
f What three things were used to slow down MSL before it landed on the
surface of Mars?
11
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Mars Curiosity: Facts and information
[1] The Mars Science Laboratory and its rover (a) … ,
Curiosity, is the most (b) … Mars mission ever flown
by NASA. The rover’s primary mission is to find out if
Mars is, or was, suitable for life. Another objective is
to learn more about the red planet’s environment.
[2] Curiosity’s large size allows it to carry many scientific
experiments that will be able to (c) … , analyse and
take pictures of any rock within reach of its 2-metre
arm. Curiosity is about the size of a small sports utility
vehicle (SUV). It is 3 metres by 2.8 metres wide, about
2.1 metres high and weighs 900 kilograms. Curiosity’s
wheels have a 50.8-centimetre diameter.
12
[3] Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
designed the rover to roll over (d) … up to 65
centimetres high and to travel about 200 metres per
day. The rover’s power comes from a multi-mission
power generator, which produces electricity from the
heat of plutonium-238’s radioactive decay. The power
supply should last a full Martian year (687 Earth days)
or more.
A complicated landing
[4] The $2.5-billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)
spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida,
on 26th November 2011, and arrived on Mars on 6th
August 2012, after a (e) … landing sequence that
NASA called ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’. Because of
Curiosity’s weight, the rover had to go through an
extremely complicated sequence of (f) … to land.
[5] Firstly, from a fiery entry into the atmosphere, a
supersonic parachute was needed to slow down
MSL. NASA officials said the parachute would need
to (g) … 29,480 kilograms to break the spacecraft’s
fall to the surface. Under the parachute, MSL let go
of the bottom of its heat shield, so that it could get
a radar fix on the surface and calculate its (h) … .
The parachute could only slow the spacecraft to
322 kilometres per hour, which was still far too fast
for landing. To solve the problem, engineers designed
the assembly to cut off the parachute and use rockets
for the final part of the landing sequence.
[6] Then, about 18 metres above the surface, MSL’s
‘skycrane’ was used. The landing assembly dangled
the rover 6 metres below the rockets. Falling now
at 2.4 kilometres per hour, MSL gently touched the
ground at about the same moment the skycrane
(i) … the link and flew away, crashing into the surface.
NASA personnel tensely watched the rover’s descent
on live television. When they received confirmation
that Curiosity was safe, engineers pumped fists
and jumped up and down in jubilation. News of
the landing spread through social media, such as
Twitter and Facebook, and traditional outlets, such
as newspapers and television.
Primary mission: Can, or could, Mars support life?
[7] Curiosity’s main mission is to determine if Mars is, or
was, suitable for life. While it is not designed to find
life itself, the rover carries a number of instruments
on board that can bring back information about the
surrounding environment. Scientists were excited
when the rover beamed back information showing
that Mars had had (j) … conditions in the past.
Powder from the first samples that Curiosity obtained
included the elements of sulphur, nitrogen, hydrogen,
oxygen, phosphorus and carbon, which are all
considered ‘building blocks’ or fundamental elements
that could support life. While this is not evidence of
life itself, the find was still exciting to the scientists
involved in the mission.
‘A fundamental question for this mission is whether
Mars could have supported a habitable environment,’
stated Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars
Exploration Program. ‘From what we know now, the
answer is yes.’ And the search continues …
Adapted from www.space.com
Unit 1: How many planets are there in space?
E Use of English
Wh- questions
When you want to get a more detailed answer you should use a whquestion. To make a wh- question in English, use this word order:
question word (who, when, etc.) + auxiliary verb (were, have, did, etc.)
+ subject (she, we, astronauts, etc.) + main verb (go, know, fly, etc.)
If who, what or which is the subject
subject, it is not possible to use do.
What slowed down the MSL spacecraft?
If who, what or which is the object
object, use do.
What did MSL transmit back to Earth?
PREFIXES
We can add prefixes to the
beginning of words in order
to change their meaning.
A prefix can be a letter or
group of letters. Look at
these examples from the
texts in this unit:
discovered, telescopes,
kilometres, diameter,
radioactive, supersonic.
What do you think these
prefixes mean? Use a
dictionary, or other reference
source (paper or digital), to
help you find out. Do you use
similar words in your own
language? Can you think of
any other English words that
begin with these prefixes?
Start keeping a list of
commonly used prefixes.
1
Decide if who, what or which is the subject or the object in each of the
questions below. Then answer the questions. The first one is an example.
a What did NASA engineers design the rover to do?
b
c
d
e
f
2
Example: What = object. Engineers designed the rover to roll over obstacles.
Who called MSL’s landing sequence ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’?
What was needed to slow down MSL?
Who watched the rover’s landing on television?
Which social media spread the news about the landing?
What samples do you think Curiosity collected?
In your notebook, write questions for the following answers. Compare your
questions with a partner’s. The first one is an example.
a Its heat shield.
b
c
d
e
f
F
1
Example: What did MSL let go of?
Engineers. Who designed the assembly to … ?
The skycrane. What severed … ?
Rockets. What was … ?
If Mars is suitable for life.
They felt excited.
Writing
In the three listening and reading texts there have been many expressions that
tell us when something happened. Look at these examples of time sequencers.
Listening text: … thousands of years ago … , … until much later … ,
… more recently … , … as recently as 1930 … .
Out of this world text: … in 1990 … , … ever since its launch … .
Look at the Mars Curiosity text and find examples of time sequencers.
13
Introduction to English as a Second Language
2
Look at these notes about space achievements:
■ 12th April 1961 – first human in space, 320 kilometres above Earth
■ 18th March 1965 – first spacewalk (12 minutes)
■ 11th October 1968 – first live television pictures from space
■ 20th July 1969 – first man on moon, collected 21 kilograms of lunar rock
■ 17th July 1975 – first international space meeting between USA and
Russian astronauts
Look again at the listening and reading texts in this unit. Choose at least four
more important space achievements and add them to the list above.
3
For each note (you should have nine or ten now), write a sentence. Then put the
sentences into a paragraph. Try to use the time sequencers from this section,
plus any others that are appropriate.
4
Look at the following notes about missions into space. Use the notes to write a
paragraph. Look at the example first.
a early 1960s / many attempts made / USSR / reach Mars / but / all ended /
failure / for different reasons
DID YOU KNOW?
14
b
Mars is mostly a very
cold desert. Even in
the warmest parts, its
maximum temperature is
about –5 °C. The minimum
temperature is about –87 °C.
Water cannot exist in liquid
form on Mars, although
it is believed there might
have once been rivers and
streams on the planet. What
is the temperature on the
other planets? Find out!
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
G
1
Example: During the early 1960s, many attempts were made by the USSR
to reach Mars, but all ended in failure for different reasons.
first success / 1964 / USA Mariner 4 / sent back 21 images
late 1960s / more USSR attempts / none successful / because / launch failure
1971 / USSR first success / Mars 3 Orbiter-Lander / sent back data for eight
months / and landed on Mars / but / only 20 seconds of data
mid 1970s / USA Viking 1 and 2 Orbiter-lander / 16,000 images returned /
large quantity of data and soil experiments
1980s and 1990s / mostly failures / USA, USSR, Japan
1985 / Sultan bin Salman Al Saud / join / international crew / on Discovery /
launch satellite / space
early to mid 2000s / plenty of USA success / sending back enormous
amounts of data
2012 / Chinese astronauts / eat / fresh vegetables / gardens / extraterrestrial bases in space
Project work
You have learned a lot about the planets and space in general in this unit.
what do you think is the most interesting thing you have learned? Why?
Use the Internet and reference books to find out as much as you can about
your choice, then produce an illustrated poster that you can display in your
classroom. Be prepared to present your research to your class and to answer
any questions.
Unit 2: What’s a living creature?
Topics
A
■ natural history
■ living things
■ turtles
1
Work with a partner. Look at this information about the Natural History
Museum in London, then decide if it is true or false.
a The museum has more than 70 million natural history specimens in
its collections.
b There are more than 6 million rare books and manuscripts in the museum.
c Five million people visit the museum every year.
d You can see material from the dodo, meteorites from Mars and a full-size
blue whale skeleton in the museum.
e The building for the Natural History Museum first opened in 1881.
f The museum is home to the largest and most important natural history
collection in the world.
2
Quickly read this paragraph about the Natural History Museum and check your
answers to Activity A1.
Use of English
adverbs, word building,
‘signpost’ words
Speaking and thinking
Athough the natural history collection had existed for some time, it was
in 1881 that the new building was opened. Today it is the home of in
excess of 70 million natural history specimens, including material from
the now-extinct dodo, as well as meteorites from the planet Mars and
a complete skeleton from a blue whale. This collection of natural history
items is the largest and most important in the world. The 5 million
people who visit the museum every year can also see some of the more
than 6 million books and documents that are displayed and stored in
the museum.
3
Look at the pictures 1–8 below and the names a–h on page 16. All of these can
be found in the Natural History Museum, but what are they? Match the correct
name to each picture.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
15
Introduction to English as a Second Language
(a) porcupine fish, (b) super crocodile, (c) dinosaurs, (d) parrot, (e) human
bones, (f) giant sequoia tree, (g) butterflies, (h) millipedes and centipedes
4
What would you like to see in the museum – something from the list in Activity
A3 or something different? Why? What does your partner think?
B
1
Listening
You are going to listen to a Natural History Museum volunteer being
interviewed about what she thinks is the most amazing thing in the museum.
Before you listen, work with your partner and use paper or digital reference
sources to check you understand the following words.
colossal appropriate juvenile impressive gills
donated tentacle glimpse
2
Which animal do you think the volunteer is going to talk about? Why?
3
Complete this information about squid, using numbers from the box.
Be careful – there are three extra numbers that you do not need to use.
500 kilograms
200 kilograms
16
2.5 metres
2200 metres
1500 metres
30–40 centimetres
8.62 metres
6.93 metres
DID YOU KNOW?
a The juvenile squid specimen is about … long.
The giant squid is able to
regenerate its tentacles! This
means that if a squid loses
a tentacle in an accident or
a fight, it will eventually
re-grow the lost tentacle.
c
b A specimen was caught in 2007 which weighed nearly … .
They live in the deep ocean at depths of at least … .
d The colossal squid has the largest eyes of any known living animal,
between … .
e The museum has a giant squid specimen that is … in length.
4
Listen to the interview and check your answers to Activities B2 and B3.
5
Listen again and answer these questions.
How did the Natural History Museum get the colossal squid specimen?
What is missing from the squid specimen?
Why are scientists unsure about the exact size of the colossal squid?
What is the difference between the eyes of a colossal squid and the eyes
of a giant squid?
How can museum visitors get to see the giant squid?
Name three things that can be seen on the 27 kilometres of shelves.
Why is it important for the museum to have complete specimens?
What do scientists hope to find out about the giant squid from DNA analysis?
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
6
Here are some of Jonathan’s questions. Work with a partner and try to
remember Caroline’s answers. Then check the audioscript on pages 150–1.
a Caroline, what do you think is the most amazing thing in the museum’s
collection?
b So, how enormous is it?
c But some of it is definitely missing, right?
Unit 2: What’s a living creature?
d OK, but why don’t you know for sure?
LEARNING SKILLS
e So what do we know about this monster squid?
Think about topic words
When you know the
listening topic, and before
you listen, try to make a list
of any words that you think
are connected with the topic.
This will make you more
confident when you listen.
If you know some connected
words in your own language,
find out what they are in
English. Start a bilingual
dictionary and add these
words to it.
Excuse me, did you say 27 kilometres of shelves?
g So what type of scientific work is done at the museum?
f
C Use of English
Adverbs
Adverbs can modify (= tell us more about) a verb, an adjective, another
adverb or a phrase. They usually answer questions such as how?, where?,
when?, how often? and how much? Many adverbs (but not all of them) can
be recognised by their -ly ending. Some common adjectives also end in -ly,
for example lovely, friendly, cowardly. Adverbs can appear at the beginning,
middle or end of a phrase or sentence, depending on their function.
1
Look at these sentences taken from Section B and find the adverb in each one.
Then decide if each adverb is modifying a verb, an adjective, another adverb
or a phrase.
a But some of it is definitely missing, right?
b It’s really quite simple …
c Spirit Collection Tour? What’s that, exactly?
d Unfortunately, yes, quite a lot of the squid is missing.
e Despite its size and weight, it can move incredibly fast.
2
Here are some more words and sentences from the Listening section, but
the words have been jumbled up. Rearrange the words into the right order
and write out the sentences in your notebook. Then decide if the underlined
adverb is modifying a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a phrase. Check
your answers with a partner and look at the audioscript on pages 150–1.
a difficult / question / a very / that’s / to answer
b donated / it / generously / was
c their eyes / strangely / of the head / the side / are on
d blood / one / pumps / heart / constantly
e important / extremely / having / is / complete specimens / really
3
Look at these pictures. What are they? Do any of them live in your country?
17
Introduction to English as a Second Language
4
Work with a partner and find out what the following are. Use paper or digital
reference sources for help.
lizard
5
Desert
beetle
butterfly
wasp
Skim the newspaper article Desert springs to life after rainy spell and find the
names for the five animals in Activity C3. Do not worry about the gaps in the
text at the moment.
springs to life after rainy spell
Wildlife survey spots animals and plants
‘not seen for years’ that reappeared after
winter showers
18
scorpion
[1] Animals and plants that had (a) … vanished from
Dubai for years have been spotted again (b) … ,
a new desert wildlife survey has found. They (c) …
reappeared after a five-year dry spell was broken
by winter rains. The sightings include those of the
UAE’s deadliest snake, the saw-scaled viper, and
the country’s smallest bat, the Sind Batina Serotine.
Also found were grass varieties, which provide
much-needed food for the Arabian oryx, gazelle
and hare. [suddenly, apparently, delicately, recently]
[2] Many local flowering plants have also made a
comeback, attracting birds and insects that (d) …
depend on them, followed by their predators.
Also resurfacing were a variety of lizards, beetles,
scorpions, butterflies and wasps. [completely, very]
[3] According to Dr Reza Khan, the survey supervisor,
and a wildlife and zoo management specialist at
Dubai Municipality, this chain reaction was sparked
by (e) … heavy rain that washed away top layers of
sand, (f) … exposing seeds that had lain dormant
for years. Dr Khan added that many life forms had
(g) … died out and disappeared in areas around
Dubai, such as Jebel Ali and Bab Al Shams, but
6
that recent rains had re-injected life. [carefully,
finally, extremely, virtually]
[4] During the course of one day in the survey, Dr
Khan said he found the (h) … tiny bats, as well as
the viper snake. The bats were (i) … dead but, in
fact, were in a condition known as torpid, a deep
state of rest, which is similar to hibernation. Heated
by the sun, they flew away and then landed (j) …
nearby. Each bat was about eight centimetres long.
[safely, incredibly, apparently, obviously]
[5] Plants have (k) … adapted themselves for life
in the deserts of the UAE. Many can remain (l) …
dormant for long periods of time and then bloom
within a fortnight of rain. The flowers and young
shoots of these plants are food for birds and
insects, and the seeds of some are carried away
and spread over large areas of desert. (m) … ,
once in the desert, they may remain dormant
without rain for many years, but as soon as rain
falls, the seeds near the surface soon germinate,
grow to mature plants, which then flower, and
the process continues for generations. The seeds
which are buried deeper in the sand require much
heavier rainfall that moves the sand and (n) …
reaches the seeds. [totally, successfully, eventually,
amazingly, very]
Adapted from www.gulfnews.com
The paragraphs in the text contain some gaps where the adverbs have been
removed. These adverbs are given in brackets at the end of each paragraph.
Read the text again and decide which of the given adverbs fits each gap.
Sometimes there may be more than one possible adverb for a gap. Be careful
– there is one extra adverb for each paragraph that you do not need to use.
Write your answers in your notebook.
Unit 2: What’s a living creature?
D
1
Reading
You are going to read about things that we know exist: living things. Before
you read the text, work with your partner and find out what the words below
mean. Try to find a picture or diagram of each one on the Internet, in an
encyclopaedia or other reference book. Perhaps you can use your school
Biology or Science book?
organisms cells germinate substances glucose waste
toxic embryo foetus toddler adolescent stimulus
2
What is life? While it is hard to give a clear definition of ‘life’, most biologists
agree that living things have many characteristics in common. If something
has these characteristics, it is considered ‘living’. Here are seven basic
characteristics of living things. What do you and your partner think they mean?
■
■
3
movement
sensitivity
■
■
nutrition
respiration
■
■
excretion
growth
■
reproduction
Skim read the following text and, in your notebook, match
each of the seven characteristics to a suitable paragraph (1–7).
Definition of living things
[1] All living organisms need to
take substances from their
environment to gain energy,
to make new cells and to
stay healthy.
[5] All living things must remove waste from their bodies.
This process is called excretion. If the waste remained
in the body, it could become toxic. Humans produce a
liquid waste called urine. We also excrete waste when
we breathe out.
[2] Organisms make new
organisms and all living things
produce young. Birds lay eggs,
dogs have puppies and humans
have babies. Plants also
reproduce. Many of them make
seeds that can germinate and
grow into new plants.
[6] When living things feed, they gain energy. Some of
this energy is used to help the organism grow. All
organisms begin small and get larger by the growth
of their cells and by adding new cells to their bodies.
For example, a human begins life as a fertilised egg,
developing into an embryo, a foetus and then
a baby. Later, the baby grows
into a toddler, an adolescent
and adult.
[3] All living things move in one way or another.
Living organisms also have internal movement,
which means that they can move substances from
one part of their body to another. Many living
organisms show external movement as well – they
can move from place to place by walking, flying
or swimming.
[4] All living things exchange gases with their
environment. Animals take in oxygen and breathe
out carbon dioxide. Organisms break down glucose
and other substances inside their cells to produce
energy, which they use to live.
[7] Living things react
to changes around them,
such as touch, light, heat,
cold and sound. For example,
if a stimulus causes you pain, you respond by
moving away from that object. If you place a plant
near a well-lit window, the branches or leaves grow
towards the light (phototropism). For protection,
some animals change colour to hide in their
surroundings (camouflage).
19
Introduction to English as a Second Language
4
Read the text again and answer these questions.
a Why do living things need to take substances from their environment?
b What happens to a plant seed after it germinates?
What does ‘internal movement’ in living organisms mean?
d Why do living things exchange gases with their environment?
e Why is it important for living things to remove waste from their bodies?
f How do organisms increase in size?
g What do stimuli cause living organisms to do?
c
DID YOU KNOW?
E Use of English
The Mexican free-tailed bat
can fly up to 100 kilometres
an hour (with a little bit of
help from the wind giving it
a push!) and can go as high
as 3050 metres, where
planes fly! Do you know
anything else about bats?
Find out something
amazing and tell your class!
Word building
We can form new parts of speech and change the meanings of words
by adding prefixes or suffixes (and sometimes both) to a word. Look at
this example:
satisfy (verb), satisfied/satisfying (adjectives), unsatisfied/unsatisfying
(opposite adjectives), satisfaction (noun).
Throughout this book, you will have an opportunity to ‘build words’ and
to practise using them. You will also sometimes be asked to find equivalent
words in your own language and to add them to your bilingual dictionary.
20
1
The two sentences below are taken from the text you have just read. Look at
the underlined words – they are both adjectives. Copy the table, using the
words supplied to help you complete it. Then choose your own words from
the text and add them to the table. Remember that you may not be able to
complete all the parts of the table.
All living organisms need to take substances from their environment to obtain
energy, to make new cells and to stay healthy.
… a human begins life as a fertilised egg, …
Verb
Noun
Adjective
Adverb
Noun translation
…
health
healthy
healthily
…
fertilise
fertility
fertilised
…
…
…
…
…
produce
2
…
movement
…
…
…
…
energy
…
…
…
respond
…
…
…
…
…
protection
…
…
…
Compare your answers with a partner’s and decide together on the best
equivalent in your language for the words in the Noun column. Add the
words to your bilingual dictionary.
Unit 2: What’s a living creature?
‘SIGNPOST’ WORDS
Effective writers and speakers use ‘signpost’ words (linking words) to show
the reader or listener which direction they are going in.
Examples: firstly, although, furthermore
Different signpost words give different information to the reader or listener.
Example: ‘firstly’ tells us when
What do although and furthermore tell us? Copy and complete the table
below, and add more signpost words as you come across them.
When
?
?
firstly
F
Writing
1
Before you write anything, you are going to read a newspaper article about sea
turtles in India. Before you read, look at the pictures, which illustrate the life
cycle of the turtles. With your partner, decide what happens in the cycle.
2
Look at these words taken from the article. Match the words to the pictures
below. Use a dictionary, or other reference source (paper or digital), to help
you. Then, with your partner, describe the life cycle again.
dig eggshells flippers hatchlings incubate
laying eggs nest nesting grounds sand
3
Now read the article on page 22 and find out about the turtles. How well did
you and your partner describe their life cycle?
4
Read the article again and answer these questions.
a Which paragraph/s tells you where?
b Which paragraph/s tells you how many?
c
Which paragraph/s tells you how?
21
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Millions of olive ridley hatchlings
emerge from nests in Orissa
flippers, deposit at least 100 eggs, cover and
conceal the eggs and nest, and then return to the
sea. The eggs incubate in the warm sand and the
females never visit the nest again to take care of
the eggs or the hatchlings.
[1] In what is one of the most breathtaking sights in
nature, millions of olive ridley baby turtles broke
out of their eggshells under the sand at one of their
mass nesting grounds in coastal Orissa, India. After
emerging from their nests in the Rushikulya River
mouth, in the southern district of Ganjam, some
175 kilometres from Bhubaneswar, the hatchlings
started their journey towards the Bay of Bengal.
[2] Orissa is home to three mass nesting sites of the
[4] The hatchlings emerge from the eggs after 45–60
days, and it is one of nature’s rare phenomena
that the babies grow without their mother. It is
believed that the females return to the same beach
where they themselves were born to lay their eggs.
[5] In recent years, sea erosion has led to many
endangered olive ridley turtles, one of which,
Gahirmatha, is considered one of the world’s largest
nesting sites, with around 700,000 to 800,000
turtles laying eggs on the beach every year.
[3] The female turtles drag their great weight up the
beach from the sea, dig a nest with their back
IRREGULAR PLURALS
22
Look at the word phenomena
in paragraph 4. This is one of a
few words in English that have
an irregular plural form -a.
The singular is phenomenon.
Can you think of any other
plural words that end in -a?
What is the singular?
5
turtles’ nests being damaged or wiped out. Also,
predators such as dogs, jackals and birds have
reduced the number of nesting turtles. And of
course man has also had a negative impact by
using engine-powered fishing boats near the
turtles’ nesting grounds.
Adapted from Oman Daily Observer, 27th April 2008.
Find words in the text that have a similar meaning to the following.
a amazing, incredible (paragraph 1)
e hide (3)
b very large (1)
f
incredible events (4)
g destroyed (5)
h animals killing for food (5)
coming out (1)
d in great danger (2)
c
6
Write a paragraph about the life cycle of the turtle. Use the information in the
newspaper article and your ideas from the previous activities. Write four or five
sentences, beginning each sentence with an appropriate signpost word.
Start like this: Firstly, the female turtle drags herself …
G
1
2
Project work
You are going to research some animals and find out how they demonstrate
three of the seven characteristics of something ‘living’ (growth, movement,
nutrition, excretion, reproduction, sensitivity, respiration). Choose any three
living things, then copy and complete the table below.
How
Example
1
2
3
name
fish
…
…
…
grows from small to large
eggs develop into fish
…
…
…
responsive to stimuli
some fish can change
colour to hide
…
…
…
comfortable in its
environment
fish breathe in water
using gills
…
…
…
Choose one of the living things from Activity G1. Design an information leaflet
that describes its characteristics. Use the information you have researched,
and include pictures and other visuals.
Unit 3: What’s a hurricane?
Topics
■ the weather
■ natural disasters
■ Pompeii
A
1
Speaking and thinking
Earth can be a very violent place, with natural disasters happening frequently.
Try to find a picture of each of these events below on the Internet, or in an
encyclopaedia or other reference book.
Use of English
a volcano
e tsunami
abstract nouns, conditionals,
if only
b hailstorm
f
c
avalanche
d flood
g drought
2
mudslide
h hurricane
What are the characteristics of the events in Activity A1? Which events are
to do with the weather? Which ones are not? In pairs, use a table like the one
below to sort the events into two groups and write a note about each one.
Do any belong in both groups?
DID YOU KNOW?
The planet Jupiter has a
hurricane that has been
going on for over 300
years. The hurricane can
be seen as a red spot on
the planet and is bigger
than Earth! So, how big
is Jupiter’s hurricane?
earthquake
j tornado
k sandstorm
i
Violent weather
Violent Earth
…
earthquake – ground moves,
buildings fall down
3
In many ways, hurricanes are the most awesome of Earth’s violent activities.
How do they form? Look at the diagram below and describe the five stages to
your partner. Remember to use ‘signpost’ words (page 21) in your description.
4
What do you know about hurricanes? Read the following information.
With your partner, decide whether each statement is true or false.
You can check your answers in the next section.
a Hurricanes can be up to 1000 kilometres across.
b Hurricanes can last for over a week.
c
Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are all the same thing.
23
Introduction to English as a Second Language
SIMILAR AND OPPOSITE
MEANINGS
Words that have a similar
meaning are often called
synonyms, while words that
are opposite in meaning
are often called antonyms.
‘Synonym’ and ‘antonym’ are
both Greek words: συνώνυμο
and αντώνυμο. The ‘onym’
(‘ώνυμο’) part of the two
words means ‘name’. What do
you think the ‘syn’ (‘συν’) and
‘ant’ (‘αντ’) mean? Knowing a
synonym or an antonym for a
word can help you remember
what it means, so why not add
this to your dictionary?
B
1
Listening
You are going to listen to John Devonport, a meteorologist, talking about
hurricanes. Before you listen, complete the following vocabulary activities.
a When you see or hear the word hurricane, what other words and phrases
do you think of? For example strong winds, sea, destruction. Work with a
partner and make a list. Try to think of at least five words and phrases.
b A hurricane is a big storm. Which five of these adjectives have a similar
meaning to big? What do the other six words mean?
huge
large
c
24
strong powerful heavy
light massive gigantic
enormous
weak active
Match the verbs from the list in column A with a suitable meaning in column B.
A: Verb
B: Meaning
spiral
collect
lasts
go around and around
gather
continues for a period of time
rotate
happen
occur
turn
d What is the meaning of the following words? Work with your partner and
use a dictionary, or other reference source (paper or digital), to find out.
Then, think of equivalents for these words in your own language and add
them to your bilingual dictionary.
evaporation hemisphere anticlockwise
calm (adjective) surge (noun) flood (noun)
2
Listen to John Devonport. Check your answers to Activity A4 and whether
he says any of the words and phrases you thought of in Activity B1a above.
How do you think John Devonport feels about the subject of hurricanes? Why?
3
Listen again and complete the following notes about hurricanes. Check
your answers with your partner and with the audioscript on page 151.
My notes about hurricanes
Size of hurricanes: up to (a) … kilometres across.
Wind speeds: (b) … kilometres per hour to (c) … .
Over open sea, hurricanes travel (d) … – (e) … .
kilometres per hour.
(f) … makes hurricanes more powerful.
Hurricanes turn (g) … in Northern Hemisphere.
Storm surge can cause a (h) … .
Hurricane season in Eastern Pacific from (i) …
to ( j) … .
Tropical storms are called (k) … in the Atlantic Ocean,
(l) … in Australia.
Unit 3: What’s a hurricane?
TAKING NOTES
When you listen to someone, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of jotting down
notes, as these can help you with any questions you may have to answer later. The
only person who is going to see your notes is you, so use any abbreviations or symbols
that you are comfortable with – just make sure you remember what they mean!
4
John Devonport mentions the following places: (a) the Atlantic Ocean,
(b) Australia, (c) the Bay of Bengal, (d) the Eastern Pacific Ocean, (e) the Gulf
of Mexico, (f) the Indian Ocean and (g) the Western Pacific Ocean. Find these
places on the map below and write them out with ‘H’ for hurricane, ‘T’ for
typhoon, or ‘C’ for cyclone next to each place.
25
C Use of English
Abstract nouns
Abstract nouns are words for things that cannot be experienced by any
of the five senses: they cannot be seen, heard, smelled, tasted or touched.
Words for feelings, concepts and ideas are abstract nouns – for example
bravery, fear, fairness, success, hate, trust, and so on.
Abstract nouns are very common and important. They are often (but not
always) formed by adding an ending to the root word. Child is a concrete
noun, for example, but childhood is an abstract noun. Nouns with the
following endings are often abstract:
-tion, -ism, -ity, -ment, -ness, -age, -ence, -ship, -al, -acy, -hood.
Introduction to English as a Second Language
1
Make five abstract nouns from these root words. Then read the audioscript on
page 151 and check your answers.
move
2
advice
anger
apple
art
beach
beauty
book
business
computer
confidence
courage
crime
danger
energy
enjoyment
entertainment
freedom
friendship
fun
grammar
hate
health
help
history
homework
honesty
26
evaporate
survive
differ
Look at the following nouns. Which ones are abstract nouns? Work with your
partner and see who can finish first in the class!
house
hurricane
importance
information
injection
insurance
intelligence
interest
knowledge
laughter
law
library
life
3
direct
love
luck
music
news
noise
nose
opportunity
patience
peace
permission
piano
planet
politics
practice
pride
progress
proof
responsibility
screen
secrecy
shoe
sleep
table
telephone
time
traffic
travel
trouble
truth
unemployment
violence
vocabulary
wallet
wealth
work
Choose any abstract noun you want and then think of a time when you
experienced it. Next, write a poem describing the abstract noun using your
five senses. You can put the senses in any order you want. Here is an example
using danger:
Danger is dark red
It sounds like a stormy night
It smells like something old
and rotten
It feels as hot as fire
It looks dark and spooky
It tastes like onions and garlic
D
1
All that is necessary for an avalanche to occur is a mass of snow and a slope for
it to slide down. But what is snow? Discuss your ideas with a partner.
2
Find out what the following words mean. Work with your partner and try to
find a picture of each one on the Internet, or in an encyclopaedia or other
reference book.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are about 250,000
avalanches each year in the
Alps, the highest mountain
range in Europe. In which
country, or countries, can
you find the Alps? Are there
are any avalanche areas in
your country?
Reading
snowflakes
3
snowballs
ice
rain
clouds
Now check the meaning of each of these words.
cylindrical
4
crystals
hexagonal
identical
moist
melt
hillside
field
Look at pictures 1–5 opposite. Find a word or phrase in the Safety tips text to
match each one.
Unit 3: What’s a hurricane?
1
2
FOLLOW THESE SAFETY TIPS TO HELP STAY
SAFE WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MOUNTAINS.
SAFETY FIRST
CAUGHT
If you are in an avalanche area, take notice of
warning signs. Stay alert in the countryside and
never travel alone. Travel single file (not side by side).
If you are caught in the path of an avalanche,
try to get to the side of it. If you can’t do this,
hold on to an anchor, such as a tree.
EQUIPMENT
SWEPT AWAY
If you are in an avalanche area, always carry safety
equipment, including a long stick, a small spade and
a personal tracking device that signals your location.
If you are hit by an avalanche, ‘swim’ with the
snow to stay as close to the surface as you can.
4
5
Adapted from www.nationalgeographic.com
3
E Use of English
Conditionals and if only
In the text above, there are several examples of conditional sentences.
A conditional sentence usually has two parts or clauses. Look at the safety
tips and copy out the conditional sentences. In each one, underline the
part containing if and double underline the second part of the sentence.
Example: If you are in an avalanche area, take notice of warning signs.
1
Circle the verb in each clause and say which form of the verb is used.
Example: If you are in an avalanche area, take notice of warning signs.
present
imperative
2
Why do we use this type of conditional here? Choose the correct option.
a to talk about something we regret, or to criticise
b to talk about something that is always true or a scientific fact
to give an instruction, some advice or a warning
d to talk about a strong possibility or something that is likely to happen
e to talk about something that is unlikely, not very probable
c
3
Complete the conditional sentences about extreme weather. What advice or
suggestions can you give for each one?
Example: If a hurricane approaches, hide in the basement .
a If you have an emergency radio, …
b If you don’t have a basement, …
If you know a hurricane is coming, …
d If you live in a hurricane area, …
e If you live in a mobile home, …
f If you live on a boat, …
g If you see a broken power cable, …
c
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