Activity 1

• Discuss the following questions in pairs, then share your ideas with the class.

Who are the most influential people in the world

today? And in the past?

Activity 2

• Answer these questions:What do you know about Michelangelo?What did he do? (artist, sculptor, architect,…)When and where did he live? (15th century, Florence, Rome)

Activity 2

• Read the two texts about Michelangelo. Then, work in pairs to find examples of the differences in each section, and discuss the questions:

Which text sounds better? Why?

Answer

• The second section sound better. The first is clear and simple, but flat. The second is more expensive and powerful. This is achieved by changing word order to emphasize particular words and ideas, using stronger words (e.g. tremendous not great), adding emphasis by using sentences beginning It was… , and What…, and preferring back using this.

Answer (by section)

1. Two sentences are joined into one by incorporating the list as a subordinate clause. The stronger word, tremendous, replaces great.

2. Although replaces but. It was… , and What…was… are used to add emphasis. Above all is added to add emphasis.

Answer (by section)

3. Initially and in 1501 are bought to the start of the sentence to add emphasis, (bringing the words, and later, in the next paragraph, to the start of the sentence helps the story-telling structure as they effectively introduce each sentence by saying when it happened). This is used to refer back.

Answer (by section)

4. Later is brought to the start of the sentence. Two sentences are incorporated into one, comprised of dramatic, short clauses.

5. Two sentences combined, using it was… Second sentence uses What… . Use of There is… and this to change the order of the sentence for dramatic effect.

Answer (by section)

6. The order of sentences is changed, so that the final sentence has dramatic emphasis. Using this to refer back

Activity 3

• Rephrase the sentences in different ways to make them more emphatic.

1.I love my grandfather’s kind, wrinkly smile.What I love about…

The thing I love about…

What I love about my grandfather is his kind, wrinkly smile.

The thing I love about my grandfather is his kind, wrinkly smile.

Activity 3

2. They don’t understand the President’s policies.

It’s the President’s policies…

What they….

It’s the President’s policies (that) they don’t understand.

What they don’t understand is the President’s policies

Activity 3

3. The softness of Norah Jones’ voice makes it special.

What makes…

It’s the…

What makes Norah Jones’ voice special is its softness.

It’s the softness of Norah Jones’ voice that/ which makes it special.

Activity 3

4. I admired Mother Teresa’s courage. What I admired about…

It was…

What I admired about Mother Teresa is her courage.

It was Mother Teresa’s courage that I admired.

Activity 3

5. The way Pele could head a football was amazing.

What was…

What amazed me…

What was amazing was the way Pele could head a football .

What amazed me was the way Pele could head a football .

Homework

• Research the career of someone you consider influential, a sportsperson, artist, singer, actor, writer or business person. Using some of the structures for adding emphasis, write (about 250 words) about:– Their early life– How their career grew– Why he/she is/was a person of influence– The high points of their professional life