G can, could, be able to (ability and possibility)V -ed I +hg adlectivesP sentence stress

I GRAMMAR con, could, be oble toa Look at the title of the lesson, which is the first half of a well-known

saying. Look at the different second halves below. \A4rich do youthink is the real saying? Vr/hich do you think is the best advice?. . . ask for advice....give up.

I started having driving lessons when I

was17. Although I'm normally a quicklearner, r-.-. After 18months I failed my first test - | was reallydisappointed. Since then l've taken thetest again three times, but I've alwaysfailed - usually on reversing or parking.The problem is I get so nervous duringthe tests that I can't drive properly. lt's soembarrassing to admit that I can't learnto do something that 2

Amanda, Brighton

...leave it until tomorrow.

...pay someone else to do it for you.

c Read the article about people who havetried (but failed) to learn something.Complete the text with these phrases.

A I've never been able to say

B I was able to learnC you'll never be able to speak

D I just wasn't able to do itE I hate not being able to communicateF I would suddenly be able to do itG all my friends are able to do

oFlnY LlvE

I've started learning English at least tentimes. I've been to classes, I've had a

private teacher, I've used a self-studycourse, but s anything inEnglish. I even had an English girlfriendonce but she learned Spanish before I

managed to improve my English, so wealways spoke in Spanish. I travel a lot inmy job and 6-- - it's sofrustrating. I'm thirty-two now and I

think if you don't learn a language whenyou're a child, or go and live in thecountry,7Guillermo, Madrid "* translated from Spanish

...have a cup of tea. ...try, try again.

b Look at the definition of be able fo. lVhat other verb is it similar to?

be able to do sth to have the ability, opportunity, time' etc.to do something, e.g. Will you be able to come to the meeting next week?

I've always wanted to be able to dance salsa,and when I was working in Ecuador therewere free classes, so I joined. But the art of l

salsa is to keep your arms still and move your I

hips, and I just couldn't do it. When I hear i

music my arms staft moving but my hipsdon't. After about ten hours of classes

the steps, but I wasdancing like a robot! I didn't give up, butsoon everyone in the class was dancing andI was just slowly moving from side to side andcounting out loud 'one, two, three, fout/. I wassure that one day a-- - butthat never happened. I can still rememberthe first two steps, though, and I still try todance when I hear a salsa tune, as long asnobody is watching.

Sean, Oxford

YaU l3 LoVe

it well.

Look at phrases A-G. What tense or form ofbe able to are they?.

O p.tf+ Grammar Bank 5C. Read the rules anddo the exercises.

O Communication Guess the sentence A p.ll6 B p.119 .

PRONUNCIATION sentence stressi;'f.l0lr Dictation. Listen and write sixsentences with can I cqn't or could I couldn't.

r l.t i ''r T irt n and repeat the sentences. Copy the fbythm.1 I'd love to be able to ski.2 We won't be able to come.3 I've never been able to dance.4 She hates not being able to drive.

-"*l'l2ir' Listen and make new sentences with theverbs you hear.

ride a horse)

ft'd love to be able to ride a horse.

ru&W W{8RPS t1fCIRK...1 Look at the two uses of so. Match them with

their uses.

I lt's so frustrating!2 The classes were free, so I joined.

I to emphasize an adjective or adverbI to connect a cause and a result

2 Look at the sentences below. Is so use 1

or use 2?

A I love Paris - it's so beautiful. trB The bus didnt come so I walked home. EC Why does he talk so much? L lD I was so tired tlat I went to bed at 9.00. IE Lwas tired so I went to bed. I

5 SPEAKINGInterview your partner with the chart.

.lo$..'t,f

t ptayamusicatV instrument2

a

speak a foreign language(apart from English)

drive

dance salsa

create awebsite

ride a horse

No, I can't.

i

I

I

i

Yes, I can.

How well?

Vften did you learn?

How did you learn?

Did you find it easyor difficult?

Would you like tobe able to?

Why (not)?

@w

4a

V0CABUTARY -ed l-ing adjectivesLook at the picture.I \Mhich person is bored? \A4rich person is boring?2 Which person is embarrassed? Which person is embarrassing?

Without looking back at the texts in 1, underline the correctadjective in these sentences.

I I failed my first test - I was really disappointed / disappointing.2 It's so embarrassed / embarrassing to admit I can't do something

that all my friends are able to do.3 I hate not being able to communicate - it's so frustrated /

frustrating.

Look back at the texts on p.44 and check your answers.

Complete the adjectives with -ed or -ing.

I What do you think is the most excit sport to watch?2 What music do you listen to if you feel depress ?

3 What was the last interest TV programme you watched?4 Have you ever been disappoint- by a birthday present?5 Which do you find more tir*, travelling by car or by

public transport?6 Are you often bor at work or school?7 What's the most embarrass- thing that's ever happened to you?

8 Are you frighten of any insects?

9 Do you feel very tir- in the morning?10 \\rhat's the most bor film you've seen recently?

Ask and answer the questions in pairs. Ask for more information.

tI STEN I NGYou're going to hear a psychologist talkingabout how to succeed at learning to dosomething new. Before you listen, matchthese phrasal verbs with their meanings.I I want to take up scuba diving.2 I'm going to give up learning Japanese -

it's too difficult.3 If I like this course, I'll carry on next year.

I a stop, abandonE b continueI c start something new

t.lt Read these seven tips. Now listento the programme. Tick (rz) the fivethings the psychologist says.

t I Be realistic about what you choose.2 I Always take up a new activity at the

beginning of the year.3 I Don't think you'llbe bad at all sports

just because you're not good at one.4 I Don't give up an activity before you've

given it a good chance.S I If you re learning something new, don't

think you're going to become the bestin the world at it.

6 I Always take up a new activity with afriend.

7 fl Learning something new is a good wayof meeting people.

Listen again. What examples does shegive for each point you've ticked?

5a

c

d

ffi:.itED

6a

READ IN GCan you think of anyone you know or a famous person who has been successfulin very difficult circumstances?

b Work in pairs. A read about Natalie, B read about Bethany. Complete the chart.Natalie

1 How did she lose a limb?2 When did she start her sport again?3 How did she feel?4 What has she achieved since then?5 How does she see her future?

c A use the chart to tell B about Natalie. B complete the chart. Then swap roles.

Now read the other text. Underline five words / phrases in either text that you want to remember.

\{hat have the two women got in common? What's different about them?

d

e

t#

Natalie, the swimmer who lost a legNatalie du Toit, the South African swimmer, was only seventeenwhen she lost her leg in a road accident. She was going to atraining session at the swimming pool on her motorbike whena car hit her. Her leg had to be amputated at the knee. At thetime she was one of South Africa's most promising youngswimmers. Everybody thought that she would never be ableto swim competitively again.

But Natalie was determined to carry on. She went back into thepool only three months after the accident. And just one yearlater, at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, she swam800 metres in 9 minutes 11.38 seconds and qualifiedfor the final - but not for disabled swimmers, for able-bodiedonesl Although she didn't win a medal, she still made history.

'l remember how thrilled I was the first time that I swam afterrecovering from the operation - it felt like my leg was there.It still does,' says Natalie. 'The water is the gift that gives meback my leg. l'm still the same person I was before the accident.I believe everything happens in life for a reason. You can't goback and change anything. Swimmlng was my life and still is.My dream is to swim faster than I did before the accident.'

Bethany, the surfer who lost an armBethany Hamilton was the best girl surfer of her agewhen she lost an arm in a shark attack. She was onlythirteen years old and was surfing in Hawaii when atiger shark attacked her and tore off her left arm. lthappened so fast she didn't even scream.

But Bethany was determined to get back on a surfboard as soon as possible. As soon as she left hospital,she began practising her surfing exercises on the beach.Everyone was amazed to see her surfing so soon afterher accident. lncredibly, she finished 5th at theNational Su rfing Championships.'The first time I went back into the sea I was so happyI cried,'she said.'lt was easier than I thought. Butobviously it's much more difficult than with both arms,and I have to accept I'll probably never be worldchampion, which used to be my dream.'

Since then Bethany has signed a contract with Rip Curl,and has written a book about her experiences whichhas been made into a film. 'l always dream of the sea,'she says. 'When you surf a wave, it's like walking onwater, !,1.,you're in the air, itl:.like flying.'

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