Activate B2
Common European Framework (CEF)
Learning and Exam skills
Content & Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
KET
3.0
PET
4.0
0-245
246-380
381-500
500-650
3
4
FCE
CAE
5.0
6.0-7.0
650-720
720-910
57-86
87-109
110-120
chart correlating main exam types and grading systems
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
PTE
0
1
2
TOEFL
iBT
TOEIC©
B1
B1+
B2
IELTS
A2
UCLES
A1
A2
A2+
B1
B1+
B2
C1
ALTE
CEF
LEVEL
1
2
3
4
5
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
Writing
CEF
I can understand an interview in a
magazine.
8/9
Vocabulary: entertainment, phrasal verbs
Change word class using prefixes and
suffixes.
Review of Present tenses.
Present Perfect Simple vs. Present Perfect
Continuous.
I can produce a brief oral summary of a
text.
I can give information about a band I know.
I can say which instrument I would like to
learn to play.
I can understand short conversations in
different contexts.
I can ask and answer questions about my
free time activities.
I can ask and answer questions about other
people’s routines and preferences.
I can ask and answer questions about recent
activities and give reasons.
I can rewrite sentences using given words.
I can plan and write a formal letter of
application in response to an advertisement.
10/11
14/15
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 1
Learning and Exam skills
B2
Understand cohesive references.
Identify the topics in paragraphs.
Answer multiple choice questions.
Match words in a text / definitions
13
B2
B2
Summarise.
Give information
Express preference
12
B2
B2
Ask and answer questions about
routines
Ask and answer questions about recent
activities.
Give reasons
16/17
B1
Reformulate sentences with given
words.
Formal letter response to advertisement.
CLIL
Media
studies:
Talent shows
Compare
letter writing
conventions
CEF
I can understand a narrative article about
encountering a dangerous animal.
18/19
Vocabulary: Describing and classifying
wildlife. Phrasal verbs.
Narrative past tenses.
Collocations
Use of definite, indefinite and zero articles.
I can summarise a story.
I can describe wildlife in my country.
I can give my opinion of the scariest animal
in the world and give my reasons.
I can describe a personal encounter with a
dangerous animal of insect.
I can say which animals I would like to see,
and give my reasons.
I can talk about freak weather events and
describe my experiences.
I can talk about collaboration between
humans and animals.
I can describe a photograph and speculate
about the context.
I can understand a talk about how animals
react to weather.
I can listen to a teacher giving instructions.
20/21
24/25
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 2
B2
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
Learning and Exam skills
Understand the structure of a text and
add missing sentences.
Understand words from context.
Identify the topics of paragraphs in a
story.
Classifying vocabulary
23
B2
B2
B2
Summarise.
Describe animals.
Give opinions + reasons.
Describe events.
Describe picture and speculate.
22
B2
B2
Complete sentences from
comprehension.
CLIL
Environmenta
l science:
animal
defences
Describing
local wildlife
Environmenta
l science.
Writing
REVISE
Unit 3
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
CEF
I can expand notes to write sentences.
I can plan and write a fictional story from a
given opening sentence.
Grammar, vocabulary, cloze passage
26/27
I can understand an article about the work
of a TV presenter.
30/31
Vocabulary: work and the working situation
Review of future forms including future in
the past.
Using future time clauses and time markers.
I can talk about why people choose
different jobs.
I can talk about jobs I would or wouldn’t
like to do and give my reasons.
I can speculate about which jobs I would be
good at doing.
I can talk about my immediate future and
long term future.
I can talk about which jobs give job
satisfaction.
I can understand people describing their
work, applying for a job and changing jobs.
32/33
36/37
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 2
Contd
B2
B2
Learning and Exam skills
CLIL
Expand notes.
Plan narrative story.
Cloze
B2
Summarise information on specific
topics.
Search for specific information.
Answer multiple choice questions.
Using time markers.
Careers
35
B2
B2
B2
Explain preferences
Express preferences + give reasons.
Interview friends about their futures.
Make notes
Careers
34
B2
Predict the language I will hear.
Answer multiple choice listening
questions
Writing
CEF
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 3
Contd
Learning and Exam skills
CLIL
I can write an informal letter describing
38/39
future plans, making suggestions and giving
reasons.
I can write in appropriate language.
B2
B2
Make notes.
Reformulate sentences.
Write informal letter.
Academic
skills
I can read a magazine article about courses
to deal with behaviour problems.
I can understand personal letters giving
advice.
Vocabulary: describing personalities and
relationships
Modals for abilities and obligations
Modals for speculation about the past,
criticism, and lack of obligation.
I can speculate about activities in
photographs.
I can summarise a text and describe my
feelings about it.
I can talk about what annoys me in
relationships.
I can give advice about what someone
should/shouldn’t do.
I can talk about positive and negative
behaviour and possible causes.
I can understand an interview with an
expert about relationships between
teenagers and their friends.
I can understand individuals talking about
problems in their relationships.
B2
B2
B2
Identify topics in paragraphs.
Match words / definitions
Health and
citizenship
45
B2
B2
B2
Speculate.
Summarise.
Describe feelings.
Organise and lead a group discussion,
eliciting opinions from all participants,
responding and stimulating responses,
and finally reaching a conclusion.
Give advice.
Rules of
behaviour for
teenagers.
44
B2
B2
Interview
Unit 4
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
40/41
42/43
46/47
CEF
I can understand and complete a letter to an
Agony Aunt.
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 4
Contd
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
Writing
CLIL
48/49
B2
B2
Complete cloze passages using lexical
sets and identifying the grammatical
function of the missing word.
Plan how to use time when writing for a
specific deadline.
Plan and write a well-structured,
informal letter giving advice.
Cloze
Academic
skills: Time
management
in writing
I can understand a magazine article about
changes in education systems in different
historical periods.
Vocabulary: education and learning
Comparative structures.
Using question words and intonation.
Phrasal verbs, determiners: plenty of, all of,
many, few, a great deal of, a little
I can discuss differences between the brains
of boys and girls.
I can say which course I would be
interested in taking and give my reasons.
I can understand interviews with people
talking about vocational training.
52/53
B2
B2
Compare and contrast information from
different sources.
Social history,
education
57
B2
B2
B2
56
B2
I can write a well-structured essay on coeducation, contrasting different systems,
summarising and drawing conclusions.
60/61
B2
B2
Compare and contrast photographs.
Ask and answer detailed questions to
compare different vocational courses.
Express preference + give reasons.
Multiple speakers.
Combine information from different
sources.
Discursive essay writing
Writing
REVISE
Unit 5
Learning and Exam skills
Grammar, vocabulary, cloze passage
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54/55
58/59
Vocational
training
Academic
skills
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
CEF
I can understand an article about body
image and making changes in personal
appearance.
I can read a paragraph and form an opinion
about the content of the following
paragraph before reading it.
Vocabulary: describing physical appearance
Adjective order in describing physical
appearance.
Zero, 1st ,2nd , 3rd and mixed conditional
forms
I can use the correct syllable stress in
words.
I can summarise someone’s opinion in
detail.
I can agree or disagree with opinions on a
topic, giving my reasons.
I can choose an individual I would like to
meet, and give my reasons.
I can speculate about reactions to changes
in my appearance.
I can understand 5 individuals describing
different events and identify the topic.
I can understand a teacher giving detailed
instructions.
I can understand two students trying to
follow the instructions.
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
62/63
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 6
Learning and Exam skills
B2
B2
Prediction in reading.
Insert missing sentences by using
synonyms and topic matches.
67
B2
B2
B2
B2
Summarise opinions.
Agree / disagree.
Express opinion + reason + example.
66
B2
B2
B2
Multiple speakers.
Identifying topic.
64/65
68/69
CLIL
Health and
self-esteem
Academic
reading skills
Writing
REVISE
Unit 7
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
CEF
I can plan and write a formal letter reacting
to a newspaper article about a planned
magazine.
I can use the appropriate layout and
language.
Grammar, vocabulary + 3 cloze passages
70/71
I can understand a brochure describing 4
different museums.
74/75
Vocabulary: science and technology
Passive structures
Reformulating sentences in passive forms.
Collocations
have/get something done
I can summarise information in a brochure.
I can give my opinion of the value of Harry
Potter’s invisibility gadget and suggest how
it might be useful.
I can describe photographs of scientific and
technological inventions.
I can give a short talk giving my opinions in
reaction to a printed statement.
I can listen to 8 conversations and identify
the topic.
76/77
80/81
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 6
Contd
B2
B2
B2
Learning and Exam skills
CLIL
Layout and language of a magazine
article.
Cloze
B2
B2
Information brochure
Understand words from context.
Scan for specific information
Science,
technology,
life science
science /
technology
79
B2
B2
B2
B2
Summarise.
Express opinion, make suggestion.
Describe picture.
Give short talk.
Say when I don’t understand, ask for
repetition or clarification.
Say when I am unsure about something.
Academic
skills.
78
B2
B2
B2
Multiple speakers.
Identify topics.
Gist listening.
Answer multiple choice questions.
Writing
CEF
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 7
Contd
Learning and Exam skills
I can write a review of a science fiction
film.
I can summarise the plot, describe the
characters and events and give my opinion
supported by examples.
82/83
B2
B2
B2
Plan, structure and write film review.
Edit review, correcting mistakes and
improving it.
I can understand a magazine article about a
young, celebrity chef, describing his
background and achievements.
84/85
B2
B2
Skim the text for gist.
Scan the text to find specific
information.
Vocabulary: food and food preparation
Categorising foods
Gerunds and infinitives: structures and uses
Collocations with prepositions
I can summarise a text explaining a
person’s attitude to their work.
I can discuss fast food and express my
opinions about foods and eating habits.
I can discuss diets and exercise and express
my opinions.
I can listen to a talk about nutrition and take
notes.
I can identify the communicative purpose
of the talk.
I can understand a listener asking questions
after the talk.
86/87
90/91
CLIL
Unit 8
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
Food science:
Health and
diet
Academic
reading skills
Organising vocabulary in categories.
89
B2
B2
B2
B2
Summarise attitudes.
Discuss diets.
88
B2
B2
B2
Note taking
Answer multiple choice questions.
Academic
skills: taking
notes
Writing
REVISE
CEF
ref
CEF
Pages
Unit 8
Contd
Learning and Exam skills
CLIL
I can prepare and write a formal report on a
sports club, explaining the reasons for
writing, describing problems, suggesting
solutions, making recommendations and
drawing conclusions.
Grammar, vocabulary, reformulating
sentences, cloze passages
92/93
B2
Report writing
Academic
writing skills
I can understand a magazine article about
the use of logos on fashion items.
96/97
B2
Predict from headlines and subheads.
Read for gist and identify the topic of
each paragraph.
Insert missing sentences in the correct
position by reading before and after the
gap.
Business,
commerce,
fashion, logos
Vocabulary: shopping, fashion
Reported speech: statements and questions
Using collocations in completing cloze
passages.
Verbs used in reporting.
98/99
102/103
Unit 9
Reading
Language
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
Speaking
Listening
Writing
I can summarise a text listing two causes
101
for a trend.
I can say why I think the use of logos is a
good or bad idea.
I can describe my favourite TV
advertisements.
I can give reasons why an advertisement
might be effective.
I can describe products and talk about likely
customers.
I can describe music videos.
I can discuss their value in promoting music
and artists.
I can understand an interview about
100
celebrity endorsements for products.
I can understand two students talking about
product placement in James Bond films.
I can prepare notes and write an answer to
104/105
an email. I can use paragraphs, punctuation
and spelling correctly.
CEF
ref
CEF
Pages
Unit 9
Contd
Learning and Exam skills
CLIL
B2
B2
B2
B2
Summarise.
Justify an opinion.
Describe products, identify likely users.
Describe videos and emotional
responses to videos.
Trade ,
commerce
advertising
and marketing
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
Interview
Answer comprehension questions.
Listen again to check answers.
Respond to an email.
Unit 10
Reading
I can read an article in which four people
describe getting into trouble.
I can read quickly to get an idea of the
topics.
I can read more carefully to find specific
information.
I can understand the meaning of words
from their context.
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
106/107 B2
C1
Combine information from different
sources.
Skim for gist. Scan for detail.
Use context to understand unfamiliar
words.
Citizenship
Language
Speaking
Listening
Writing
REVISE
CEF
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 10
Contd
Learning and Exam skills
Vocabulary: the processes of justice,
putting verbs in the correct sequence.
Expressing wishes and regrets
Using prefixes to change the meaning of a
word.
Clauses of reason, purpose, result, contrast
and cause.
I can summarise the text explaining the
feelings of each individual.
I can talk about what I wish for now and
what I wished for in the past.
I can discuss how friends can support others
who are in trouble.
I can discuss if rules and punishments
should be more or less severe.
I can discuss different types of fraud.
I can understand a girl talking about boys
and girls who get into trouble.
108/109
112/113
I can write an essay about using community
service as a form of punishment.
Grammar, vocabulary, cloze, word
formation
114/115 B2
Write opinion essay.
I can understand a narrative article about
the supposed ‘curse’ of Tutankhamen.
118/119 B2
Understand words from context.
Match words with definitions.
111
B2
B2
B2
Summarise information and attitudes.
Describe past and present ambitions.
110
C1
Listen to 8 short dialogues; identify
context, speakers and topic.
CLIL
Unit 11
Reading
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
History:
ancient Egypt
and
exploration in
1922
Language
Speaking
Listening
Writing
CEF
Vocabulary: history and archaeology
Modals: expressing degrees of certainty.
I can select the correct form of a word for
the grammatical context.
I can select the precise word I need from a
group of words with similar meanings.
Using the passive for reporting.
I can summarise a historical story.
I can discuss the value of learning history.
I can talk about the historical periods which
interest me.
I can describe photographs to a partner and
answer her questions.
I can understand five people talking about
experiences connected with history.
I can discuss the topics and make
predictions about the content before
listening.
I can listen to a teacher giving instructions
and then answering questions from
students.
I can write an exciting story which has a
given ending.
I can edit a story for language, clarity and
style.
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 11
Contd
Learning and Exam skills
CLIL
120/121
124/125
123
B2
B2
B2
B2
Summarise narrative.
Discuss ideas.
Describe preferences.
Ask answer questions about
photographs.
122
B2
C1
Collect information from different audio
sources.
126/127 B2
Narrative writing
Editing
Creative
writing
Reading
Language
Speaking
Listening
Writing
CEF
CEF
ref
Pages
Unit 12
I can read a web page describing different
summer camps in the USA.
128/129 B2
B2
Vocabulary: holidays and travel
Compound nouns: using hyphens
Defining and non-defining relative clauses.
Collocations
Using present participles
I can summarise a text from memory.
I can say what I would or would not like
about a summer camp.
I can give an extended description of my
best or worst holiday.
I can describe my ‘dream’ holiday.
I can describe cities, their features and
problems.
I can discuss the environmental impact of
different means of travel.
I can express my opinions about the impact
of tourism on tourist destinations.
I can compare holidays in my own country
with holidays in foreign countries.
I can understand an interview with a man
who likes to take holidays in cities.
I can write a magazine article describing a
journey.
130/131
134/135
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010
Learning and Exam skills
Collect information from different
sources.
Scan for detailed information.
CLIL
Reading skills
Geography:
describing
landscapes
133
B2
B2
B2
B2
Summarise from memory.
Present extended description.
Describe places.
Discuss issues.
Compare holidays.
132
B2
Answer detailed questions about what is
said.
Plan, structure, write magazine article.
Choose appropriate language, edit.
136/137 B2
B2
Geography:
describing
cities
Geography:
the impact of
tourism and
travel
General description
Activate B2 is a course in general English for teenagers. It covers the grammar and vocabulary required for B2 level in a manner
which is appropriate for teenaged learners. In addition, the exercise types train students in examination skills since they echo task
items found in the FCE examination.
The reading skills development work includes a wide range of text types, including magazine articles, stories, reports and letters.
Listening includes interviews, reports, discussions, radio programmes as well as 12 authentic video clips on the DVD. Students are
trained to do multiple choice comprehension questions, identify topics, completing cloze tasks, and understand words from context.
Listening tasks include basic comprehension, identifying speakers and contexts and noticing attitudes.
In speaking, students are trained to ask for and give information, ask for and express opinions giving reasons, discuss topics,
undertake surveys, tell stories, describe pictures and objects, maintain extended conversations and produce oral summaries.
Students are also trained to write formal and informal letters, reports, creative stories and reviews.
CLIL and cross-curricular work
The topic material in the book and on the DVD provides many links across the learning curriculum. There are links to citizenship,
arts, science, history, geography, and social studies. Topics also approach important behaviour related topics which are important
for teenage learners such as health, fitness, support for people in difficulties, a good diet, career choice, crime and punishment and
respect for rules.
This topic work will benefit from the students’ background knowledge in these areas as well as extending the students’ knowledge
and understanding. The training in both language and academic learning skills in Activate B2 will be transferable across the
curriculum, so, the training in planning written tasks, academic reading skills and note taking will generate benefits in many different
curriculum areas.
© Pearson Longman 2009/2010