Informação Sobre Curso Iniciante

Este é um curso de nível introdutório, onde você estudará o básico para falar inglês. Este nível de introdução o preparará para os próximos 3 níveis (níveis 1, 2 e 3) que o ajudarão a se tornar fluente em falar inglês.
Este curso abrange muitos tipos de atividades que ajudarão você a dominar o idioma inglês. Há muita conversa em exercícios práticos que removerão qualquer dúvida sobre sua capacidade de falar inglês.

Intro

Unit   1         It’s nice to meet you.

Topics

Alphabet; greetings and leave-takings; names and titles of address; numbers 0–10, phone numbers, and email addresses

Speaking

Introducing yourself and friends; saying hello and good-bye; asking for names and phone numbers

Grammar

Possessive adjectives my, your, his, her; the verb be; affirmative statements and contractions

Pronunciation/Listening

Linked sounds Listening for the spelling of names, phone numbers, and email addresses

Writing/Reading

Writing a list of names, phone  numbers, and email addresses

Activity

“Famous classmates”: Introducing yourself to new people

Unit   2         What’s this?

Topics

Possessions, classroom objects, personal items, and locations in a room

Speaking

Naming objects; asking for and giving the locations of objects

Grammar

Articles a, an, and the; this/these, it/they; plurals; yes/no and where questions with be; prepositions of place: in, in front of, behind, on, next to, and under

Pronunciation/Listening

Plural -s endings Listening for the locations of objects

Writing/Reading

Writing the locations of objects

Activity

“Find the differences”: Comparing two pictures of a room

Unit   3         Where are you from?

Topics

Cities and countries; adjectives of personality and appearance; numbers 11–103 and ages

Speaking

Talking about cities and countries; asking for and giving information about place of origin, nationality, first language, and age; describing people

Grammar

The verb be: affirmative and negative statements, yes/no questions, short answers, and Wh-questions

Pronunciation/Listening

Syllable stress Listening for countries, cities, and languages; listening to descriptions of people

Writing/Reading

Writing questions requesting personal information

Activity

“Board game”: Finding out more about your classmates

Unit   4         Whose jeans are these?

Topics

Clothing; colors; weather and seasons

Speaking

Asking about and describing clothing and colors; talking about the weather and seasons; finding the owners of objects

Grammar

Possessives: adjectives our and their, pronouns, names, and whose; present continuous statements and yes/no questions; conjunctions and, but, and so; placement of adjectives before nouns

Pronunciation/Listening

The letters s and sh Listening for descriptions of clothing and colors

Writing/Reading

Writing questions about what people are wearing

Activity

“Celebrity fashions”: Describing celebrities’ clothing

Unit   5         What are you doing?

Topics

Clock time; times of the day; everyday activities

Speaking

Asking for and telling time; asking about and describing current activities

Grammar

Time expressions: o’clock, a.m., p.m., noon, midnight, in the morning/ afternoon/evening, at 7:00/night/ midnight; present continuous Wh-questions

Pronunciation/Listening

Rising and falling intonation Listening for times of the day; listening to identify people’s actions

Writing/Reading

Writing times of the day “Friends Across a Continent”:  Reading an online chat between two friends

Activity

“What’s wrong with this picture?”: Describing what’s wrong with a picture

Unit   6         My sister works downtown.

Topics

Transportation; family relationships; daily routines; days of the week

Speaking

Asking for and giving information about how people go to work or school; talking about family members; describing daily and weekly routines

Grammar

Simple present statements with regular and irregular verbs; simple present yes/no and Wh-questions; time expressions: early, late, every day, on Sundays/weekends/weekdays

Pronunciation/Listening

Third-person singular -s endings Listening for activities and days of the week

Writing/Reading

Writing about your weekly routine “What’s Your Schedule Like?”:  Reading about three people’s daily schedules

Activity

“Class survey”: Finding out more about classmates’ habits and routines

Unit   7         Does it have a view?

Topics

Houses and apartments; rooms; furniture

Speaking

Asking about and describing houses and apartments; talking about the furniture in a room

Grammar

Simple present short answers; there is, there are; there’s no, there isn’t a, there are no, there aren’t any

Pronunciation/Listening

Words with th Listening to descriptions of homes; listening to people shop for furniture

Writing/Reading

Writing about your dream home “Unusual Homes”: Reading about two unusual homes

Activity

“Find the differences”: Comparing two apartments

Unit   8         What do you do?

Topics

Jobs and workplaces

Speaking

Asking for and giving information about work; giving opinions about jobs; describing workday routines

Grammar

Simple present Wh-questions with do and does; placement of adjectives after be and before nouns

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of do Listening to people describe their jobs

Writing/Reading

Writing about jobs “Job Profiles”: Reading about four unusual jobs

Activity

“The perfect job”: Figuring out what job is right for you

Unit   9         Do we need any eggs?

Topics

Basic foods; breakfast foods; meals

Speaking

Talking about food likes and dislikes; giving opinions about healthy and unhealthy foods; talking about foods you have and need; describing eating habits

Grammar

Count and noncount nouns; some and any; adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, hardly ever, never

Pronunciation/Listening

Sentence stress Listening for people’s food preferences

Writing/Reading

Writing about mealtime habits “Eating for Good Luck”: Reading about foods people eat for good luck in the new year

Activity

“Snack survey”: Taking a survey about snacks you eat and comparing answers

Unit   10       What sports do you play?

Topics

Sports; abilities and talents

Speaking

Asking about free-time activities; asking for and giving information about abilities and talents

Grammar

Simple present Wh-questions; can for ability; yes/no and Wh-questions with can

Pronunciation/Listening

Pronunciation of can and can’t Listening for people’s favorite sports to watch or play; listening to people talk about their abilities

Writing/Reading

Writing questions about sports “An Interview with Shawn Johnson”: Reading about the life of an Olympic athlete

Activity

“Hidden talents”: Finding out more about your classmates’ hidden talents

Unit   11       What are you going to do?

Topics

Months and dates; birthdays, holidays, festivals, and special days

Speaking

Asking about birthdays; talking about plans for the evening, weekend, and other occasions

Grammar

The future with be going to; yes/no and Wh-questions with be going to; future time expressions

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of going to Listening to people talk about their evening plans

Writing/Reading

Writing about weekend plans “What Are You Going to Do on Your Birthday?”: Reading about birthday customs in different places

Activity

“Guessing game”: Making guesses about a classmate’s plans

Unit   12       What’s the matter?

Topics

Parts of the body; health problems and advice; medications

Speaking

Describing health problems; talking about common medications; giving advice for health problems

Grammar

Have + noun; feel + adjective; negative and positive adjectives; imperatives

Pronunciation/Listening

Sentence intonation Listening to people talk about health problems; listening for medications

Writing/Reading

Writing advice for health problems “10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health”: Reading about ways to improve your health

Activity

“Helpful advice”: Giving advice for some common problems

Unit   13       You can’t miss it.

Topics

Stores and things you can buy there; tourist attractions

Speaking

Talking about stores and other places; asking for and giving directions

Grammar

Prepositions of place: on, on the corner of, across from, next to, between; giving directions with imperatives

Pronunciation/Listening

Compound nouns Listening to people talk about shopping; listening to directions

Writing/Reading

Writing directions “Edinburgh’s Royal Mile”: Reading about popular tourist attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland

Activity

“Giving directions”: Asking for directions in a neighborhood

Unit   14       Did you have fun?

Topics

Weekends; chores and fun activities; vacations; summer activities

Speaking

Asking for and giving information about weekend and vacation activities

Grammar

Simple past statements with regular and irregular verbs; simple past yes/no questions and short answers

Pronunciation/Listening

Simple past -ed endings Listening to people talk about their past summer activities

Writing/Reading

Writing about last weekend “Did You Have a Good Weekend?”: Reading about four people’s weekend experiences

Activity

“Past and present”: Comparing your classmates’ present lives with their childhoods

Unit   15       Where did you grow up?

Topics

Biographical information; years; school days

Speaking

Asking for and giving information about date and place of birth; describing school experiences and memories

Grammar

Statements and questions with the past of be; Wh-questions with did, was, and were

Pronunciation/Listening

Negative contractions Listening for places and dates of birth

Writing/Reading

Writing questions about a young person’s life “Turning Pain to Gain”: Reading about a young woman’s life

Activity

“Life events”: Making a timeline of important events in your life

Unit   16       Can she call you later?

Topics

Locations; telephone calls; invitations; going out with friends

Speaking

Describing people’s locations; making, accepting, and declining invitations; making excuses

Grammar

Prepositional phrases; subject and object pronouns; invitations with Do you want to…? and Would you like to…?; verb + to

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of want to and have to Listening to phone conversations; listening to voice-mail messages

Writing/Reading

Writing about weekend plans “Around Los Angeles: This Weekend”: Reading about events on a web page

Activity

“Let’s make a date!”: Making plans with your classmates

Level 1

Unit   1         Please call me Beth.

Topics

Introductions and greetings; names, countries, and nationalities

Speaking

Introducing yourself; introducing someone; checking information; exchanging personal information; saying hello and good-bye

Grammar

Wh-questions and statements with be; questions with what, where, who, and how; yes/no questions and short answers with be; subject pronouns; possessive adjectives

Pronunciation/Listening

Linked sounds Listening for names and countries

Writing/Reading

Writing questions requesting personal information “What’s in a Name?”: Reading about popular names

Activity

“Getting to know you”: Collecting personal information about classmates

Unit   2         What do you do?

Topics

Jobs, workplaces, and school; daily schedules; clock time

Speaking

Describing work and school; asking for and giving opinions; describing daily schedules

Grammar

Simple present Wh-questions and statements; question: when; time expressions: at, in, on, around, early, late, until, before, and after

Pronunciation/Listening

Syllable stress Listening to descriptions of jobs and daily routines

Writing/Reading

Writing a biography of a classmate “Why Do You Need a Job?”: Reading about people who need jobs

Activity

“Common ground”: Finding similarities in classmates’ daily schedules

Unit   3         How much is it?

Topics

Shopping and prices; clothing and personal items; colors and materials

Speaking

Talking about prices; giving opinions; discussing preferences; making comparisons; buying and selling things

Grammar

Demonstratives: this, that, these, those; one and ones; questions: how much and which; comparisons with adjectives

Pronunciation/Listening

Sentence stress Listening to people shopping; listening for items, colors, and prices

Writing/Reading

Writing a comparison of prices in different countries “Tools for Better Shopping”: Reading about electronic tools for shopping

Activity

“Are you free this weekend?”: Making plans; inviting and giving excuses

Unit   4         I really like hip-hop.

Topics

Music, movies, and TV programs; entertainers; invitations and excuses; dates and times

Speaking

Talking about likes and dislikes; giving opinions; making invitations and excuses

Grammar

Yes/no and Wh-questions with do; question: what kind; object pronouns; modal verb would; verb + to + verb

Pronunciation/Listening

Intonation in questions Identifying musical styles; listening for likes and dislike

Writing/Reading

Writing a text message “Fergie of the Black-Eyed Peas”:  Reading about a famous entertainer

Activity

“Are you free this weekend?”: Making plans; inviting and giving excuses

Unit   5         I come from a big family.

Topics

Families; typical families

Speaking

Talking about families and family members; exchanging information about the present; describing family life

Grammar

Present continuous yes/no and Wh- questions, statements, and short answers; quantifiers: all, nearly all, most, many, a lot of, some, not many, and few; pronoun: no one

Pronunciation/Listening

Intonation in statements Listening for family relationships

Writing/Reading

Writing an email about family “Stay-at-Home Dads”: Reading about three father

Activity

“Family facts”: Finding out information about classmates’ families

Unit   6         How often do you exercise?

Topics

Sports, fitness activities, and exercise; routines

Speaking

Asking about and describing routines and exercise; talking about frequency; discussing sports and athletes; talking about abilities

Grammar

Adverbs of frequency: always, almost always, usually, often, sometimes, hardly ever, almost never, and never; questions: how often, how long, how well, and how good; short answers

Pronunciation/Listening

Intonation with direct address Listening to people talking about free time activities; listening to descriptions of sports participation

Writing/Reading

Writing about favorite activities “Health and Fitness Quiz”: Reading about and taking a quiz

Activity

“Do you dance?”: Finding out about classmates’ abilities

Unit   7         We had a great time

Topics

Free-time and weekend activities

Speaking

Talking about past events; giving opinions about past experiences; talking about vacations

Grammar

Simple past yes/no and Wh-questions, statements, and short answers with regular and irregular verbs; past of be

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of did you Listening to descriptions and opinions of past events and vacations

Writing/Reading

Writing an online post “Vacation Posts”: Reading about different kinds of vacations

Activity

“Thinking back”: Playing a board game

Unit   8         What’s your neighborhood like?

Topics

Stores and places in a city; neighborhoods; houses and apartments

Speaking

Asking about and describing locations of places; asking about and describing neighborhoods; asking about quantities

Grammar

There is/there are; one, any, and some; prepositions of place; quantifiers; questions: how many and how much; count and noncount nouns

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of there is/there are Listening for locations and descriptions of place

Writing/Reading

Writing a “roommate wanted” ad “The World in One Neighborhood”: Reading about a Toronto neighborhood

Activity

“Where Am I?”: describing and guessing locations

Unit   9         What does she look like?

Topics

Appearance and dress; clothing and clothing styles; people

Speaking

Asking about and describing people’s appearance; identifying people

Grammar

Questions for describing people:  What…look like, how old, how tall, how long, and what color; modifiers with participles and prepositions

Pronunciation/Listening

Contrastive stress Listening to descriptions of people; identifying people

Writing/Reading

Writing an email describing people “Your Style Questions Answered!”: Reading about clothing styles

Activity

“Find the differences”: Comparing two pictures of a party

Unit   10       Have you ever ridden a camel?

Topics

Past experiences; unusual activities

Speaking

Describing past experiences; exchanging information about past experiences and events

Grammar

Present perfect yes/no and Wh- questions, statements, and short answers with regular and irregular past participles; already and yet; present perfect vs. simple past; for and since

Pronunciation/Listening

Linked sounds Listening to descriptions of events

Writing/Reading

Writing an email to an old friend “Taking the Risk”: Reading about unusual or dangerous sports

Activity

“Find the differences”: Comparing two pictures of a party

Unit   11       It’s a very exciting place!

Topics

Past experiences; unusual activities

Speaking

Describing past experiences; exchanging information about past experiences and events

Grammar

Present perfect yes/no and Wh- questions, statements, and short answers with regular and irregular past participles; already and yet; present perfect vs. simple past; for and since

Pronunciation/Listening

Can’t and shouldn’t Listening to descriptions of cities and hometowns; listening for incorrect information

Writing/Reading

Writing an article “Greetings from . . .”: Reading about interesting cities

Activity

“City guide”: Creating a guide to fun places in a city

Unit   12       It really works!

Topics

Health problems; medication and remedies; products in a pharmacy

Speaking

Talking about health problems; asking for and giving advice; making requests; asking for and giving suggestions

Grammar

Adjective + infinitive; noun + infinitive; modal verbs could and should for suggestions; modal verbs can, could, and may for requests

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of to Listening to health problems and advice

Writing/Reading

Writing a letter to an advice columnist “Rain Forest Remedies?”: Reading about natural products as medicine

Activity

“Help!”: Playing a board game

Unit   13       May I take your order?

Topics

Food and restaurants

Speaking

Expressing likes and dislikes; agreeing and disagreeing; ordering a meal

Grammar

So, too, neither, and either; modal verbs would and will for requests

Pronunciation/Listening

Stress in responses Listening to restaurant orders

Writing/Reading

Writing a restaurant review “To Tip or Not to Tip?”: Reading about tipping customs

Activity

“Plan a menu”: Creating a menu of dishes

Unit   14       The biggest and the best

Topics

World geography and facts; countries

Speaking

Describing countries; making comparisons; expressing opinions; talking about distances and measurements

Grammar

Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives; questions: how far, how big, how high, how deep, how long, how hot, and how cold

Pronunciation/Listening

Questions of choice Listening to a TV game show

Writing/Reading

Writing about a place in your country “Things You Can Do to Help the Environment”: Reading about the environment

Activity

“How much do you know?”: Taking a general knowledge quiz

Unit   15       I’m going to a soccer match.

Topics

Invitations and excuses; leisure-time activities; telephone messages

Speaking

Talking about plans; making invitations; accepting and refusing invitations; giving reasons; taking and leaving messages

Grammar

Future with present continuous and be going to; messages with tell and ask

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of could you and would you Listening to telephone messages

Writing/Reading

Writing unusual favors “Cell Phone Etiquette”: Reading about cell phone manners

Activity

“Weekend plans”: Finding out about classmates’ weekend plans

Unit   16       A change for the better!

Topics

Life changes; plans and hopes for the future

Speaking

Exchanging personal information; describing changes; talking about plans for the future

Grammar

Describing changes with the present tense, the past tense, the present perfect, and the comparative; verb + infinitive

Pronunciation/Listening

Vowel sounds /ou/ and /ʌ/ Listening to descriptions of changes

Writing/Reading

Writing a plan for a class party “Setting Personal Goals”: Reading about goals and priorities

Activity

“My possible future”: Planning a possible future

Level 2

Unit   1         A time to remember

Topics

People; childhood; memories

Speaking

Introducing yourself; talking about yourself; exchanging personal information; remembering your childhood; asking about someone’s childhood

Grammar

Past tense; used to for habitual actions

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduced form of used to Listening to people talk about their past

Writing/Reading

Writing a paragraph about your childhood “Drew Barrymore: Actor, Producer, Director”: Reading about the life and work of this Hollywood star

Activity

“Class profile”: Finding out about a classmate’s childhood

Unit   2         Caught in the rush

Topics

Transportation; transportation problems; city services

Speaking

Talking about transportation and transportation problems; evaluating city services; asking for and giving information

Grammar

Expressions of quantity with count and noncount nouns: too many, too much, fewer, less, more, not enough; indirect questions from Wh-questions

Pronunciation/Listening

Syllable stress Listening to a description of a transportation system

Writing/Reading

Writing an online post on a community message board about a local issue “New Ways of Getting Around”: Reading about new transportation inventions

Activity

“Tourism campaign”: Suggesting ways to attract tourists to a city

Unit   3         Time for a change!

Topics

Houses and apartments; lifestyle changes; wishes

Speaking

Describing positive and negative features; making comparisons; talking about lifestyle changes; expressing wishes

Grammar

Evaluations and comparisons with adjectives: not…enough, too, (not) as…as; evaluations and comparisons with nouns: not enough…, too much/ many. . . ,  (not) as much /many…as; wish

Pronunciation/Listening

Unpronounced vowels Listening to people talk about capsule hotels

Writing/Reading

Writing an e-mail comparing two  living spaces “Break those bad habits”: Reading about ways to end bad habits

Activity

“Wishful thinking”: Finding out about  a classmate’s wishes

Unit   4         I’ve never heard of that!

Topics

Food; recipes; cooking instructions; cooking methods

Speaking

Talking about food; expressing likes and dislikes; describing a favorite snack; giving step-by-step instructions

Grammar

Simple past vs. present perfect; sequence adverbs: first, then, next, after that, finally

Pronunciation/Listening

Consonant clusters Listening to descriptions of foods

Writing/Reading

Writing a recipe “Food and Mood”: Reading about  how food affects the way we feel

Activity

“Is that so?”: Surveying classmates about their experiences

Unit   5         Going places

Topics

Travel; vacations; plans

Speaking

Describing vacation plans; giving travel advice; planning a vacation

Grammar

Future with be going to and will; modals for necessity and suggestion: must, need to, (don’t) have to, ought to, -‘d better,  should (not)

Pronunciation/Listening

Linked sounds with /w/ and /y/ Listening to travel advice

Writing/Reading

Writing a letter with travel suggestions “Volunteer Travel – A vacation with a difference”: Reading about how volunteer vacations work

Activity

“Fun vacations”: Deciding on a trip

Unit   6         OK. No problem!

Topics

Complaints; household chores; requests; excuses; apologies

Speaking

Making requests; agreeing to and refusing requests; complaining; apologizing; giving excuses

Grammar

Two-part verbs; will for responding to requests; requests with modals and Would you mind . . .?

Pronunciation/Listening

Stress in two-part verbs Listening to the results of a survey  about family life

Writing/Reading

Writing a set of guidelines “How to Ask for a Favor”: Reading about ways to ensure a positive response to requests for a favor

Activity

“That’s no excuse!” Apologizing and making amends

Unit   7         What’s this for?

Topics

Technology; instructions

Speaking

Describing technology; giving instructions; giving suggestions

Grammar

Infinitives and gerunds for uses and purposes; imperatives and infinitives for giving suggestions

Pronunciation/Listening

Syllable stress Listening to a radio program; listening to people give suggestions for using technology

Writing/Reading

Writing an email asking for specific favors “Modern-Day Treasure Hunters”: Reading about the new hobby of geocaching

Activity

“Talk radio”: Giving advice to classmates

Unit   8         Let’s celebrate

Topics

Holidays; festivals; customs; celebrations

Speaking

Describing holidays, festivals, customs, and special events

Grammar

Relative clauses of time; adverbial clauses of time: when, after, before

Pronunciation/Listening

Stress and rhythm Listening to a description of Carnaval  in Brazil

Writing/Reading

Writing an entry on a travel website about a cultural custom “Customs Around the World”:  Reading about interesting customs  and cultural events

Activity

“Special occasions”: Finding out how classmates celebrate special events

Unit   9         Times have changed!

Topics

Life in the past, present, and future; changes and contrasts; consequences

Speaking

Talking about change; comparing time periods; describing possible consequences

Grammar

Time contrasts; conditional sentences with if clauses

Pronunciation/Listening

Intonation in statements with time phrases Listening to people talk about changes

Writing/Reading

phrases Listening to people talk about changes

Writing a paragraph describing a person’s past, present, and possible future “Are you in love?”: Reading about  the signs of being in love

Activity

“Consider the consequences”:  Agreeing and disagreeing with classmates

Unit   10       I hate working on weekends.

Topics

Abilities and skills; job preferences; personality traits; careers

Speaking

Describing abilities and skills; talking about job preferences; describing personality traits

Grammar

Gerunds; short responses; clauses  with because

Pronunciation/Listening

Unreleased and released /t/ and /d/ Listening to people talk about their  job preferences

Writing/Reading

Writing a cover letter for a job application “Find the Job That’s Right for You!”: Reading about how personality type affects career choices

Activity

“Dream job”: Interviewing for a job

Unit   11       It’s really worth seeing!

Topics

Landmarks and monuments; world knowledge

Speaking

Talking about landmarks and monuments; describing countries; discussing facts

Grammar

Passive with by (simple past); passive without by (simple present)

Pronunciation/Listening

The letter o Listening to descriptions of  monuments; listening for information about a country

Writing/Reading

Writing a guidebook introduction “A Guide to Unusual Museums”: Reading about  interesting museums

Activity

“Who is this by?”: Sharing information about famous works

Unit   12       What happened?

Topics

Storytelling; unexpected recent past events

Speaking

Describing recent past events and experiences; discussing someone’s activities lately

Grammar

Past continuous vs. simple past;  present perfect continuous

Pronunciation/Listening

Contrastive stress in responses Listening to stories about unexpected experiences

Writing/Reading

Writing a description of a recent experience “From the Streets to the Screen”: Reading about the rise of  an unusual group of musicians

Activity

“Life is like a game!”: Playing a board game to share past experiences

Unit   13       Good book, terrible movie!

Topics

Entertainment; movies and books; reactions and opinions

Speaking

Describing movies and books; talking about actors and actresses; asking for and giving reactions and opinions

Grammar

Participles as adjectives; relative pronouns for people and things

Pronunciation/Listening

Emphatic stress Listening for opinions; listening to  a movie review

Writing/Reading

Writing a movie review “Special Effects”: Reading about the history of special effects

Activity

“Famous faces”: Asking classmates’ opinions about movies, TV shows, and celebrities

Unit   14       So that’s what it means!

Topics

Nonverbal communication; gestures  and meaning; signs; drawing  conclusions

Speaking

Interpreting body language;  explaining gestures and meanings; describing acceptable and prohibited behavior in different situations; asking about signs and their meaning

Grammar

Modals and adverbs: might, may, could, must, maybe, perhaps, possibly, probably, definitely; permission, obligation, and prohibition

Pronunciation/Listening

Pitch Listening to people talk about the meaning of signs

Writing/Reading

Writing a list of rules “Pearls of Wisdom”: Reading about proverbs and their meaning

Activity

“What’s going on?”: Interpreting body language

Unit   15       What would you do?

Topics

Money; hopes; predicaments; speculations

Speaking

Speculating about past and future events; describing a predicament; giving advice and suggestions

Grammar

Unreal conditional sentences with if clauses; past modals

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of have Listening to people talk about predicaments; listening to a call-in  radio show

Writing/Reading

Writing a letter to an advice  columnist “The Advice Circle”: Reading an  online advice forum

Activity

“Do the right thing!”: Deciding what  to do in a difficult situation

Unit   16       What’s your excuse?

Topics

Requests; excuses; invitations

Speaking

Reporting what people said; making polite requests; making invitations  and excuses

Grammar

Reported speech: requests  and statements

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of had and would Listening for excuses

Writing/Reading

Writing a report about people’s responses to a survey; “The Truth About Lying”: Reading about “white lies”

Activity

“Excuses, excuses”: Discussing calendar conflicts and making up excuses

Level 3

Unit   1         That’s what friends are for!

Topics

Personality types and qualities; relationships; turn-ons and turn off s

Speaking

Describing personalities; expressing likes and dislikes; agreeing and disagreeing; complaining

Grammar

Relative pronouns as subjects and objects; it clauses + adverbial clauses with when

Pronunciation/Listening

Linked sounds Listening for descriptions of people; listening for opinions

Writing/Reading

Writing a description of a best friend “To Friend or Unfriend?”: Reading about choosing online friends

Activity

“Personality types”: Interviewing a classmate to find out about  personality characteristics

Unit   2         Career moves

Topics

Jobs; careers of the future; job skills; summer jobs

Speaking

Talking about possible careers; describing jobs; discussing the negative aspects of some jobs

Grammar

Gerund phrases as subjects and objects; comparisons with adjectives, nouns, verbs, and past participles

Pronunciation/Listening

Stress with compound nouns Listening to descriptions of summer  jobs; listening for likes and dislikes

Writing/Reading

Writing about career advantages  and disadvantages “Help! How Can I Find a Job?”:  Reading a message board with  advice on how to find a job

Activity

“The dinner party”: Comparing people’s careers and personalities to make a seating chart for a dinner party

Unit   3         Could you do me a favor?

Topics

Favors; formal and informal requests; messages

Speaking

Making unusual requests; making direct and indirect requests; accepting and declining requests

Grammar

Requests with modals, if clauses, and gerunds; indirect requests

Pronunciation/Listening

Unreleased consonants Listening to people making, accepting, and declining requests

Writing/Reading

Writing emails with requests “Yes or No?”: Reading about the way people in different cultures respond “yes” and “no”

Activity

“Borrowers and lenders”: Asking classmates to borrow items; lending  or refusing to lend items

Unit   4         What a story!

Topics

The media; news stories; exceptional events

Speaking

Narrating a story; describing events and experiences in the past

Grammar

Past continuous vs. simple past; past perfect

Pronunciation/Listening

Intonation in complex sentences Listening to news podcasts; listening to narratives about past events

Writing/Reading

Writing a news story “The Changing World of Blogging”: Reading about the evolution of blogs

Activity

“A double ending”: Completing a  story with two different endings

Unit   5         Crossing cultures

Topics

Cultural comparisons and culture shock; moving abroad; emotions; customs; tourism and travel abroad

Speaking

Talking about moving abroad; expressing emotions; describing cultural expectations; giving advice

Grammar

Noun phrases containing relative clauses; expectations: the custom to, (not) supposed to, expected to, (not) acceptable to

Pronunciation/Listening

Word stress in sentences Listening for information about living abroad; listening to opinions about customs

Writing/Reading

Writing a tourist pamphlet “Culture Shock”: Reading blog entries about moving to another country

Activity

“Culture check”: Comparing customs in different countries

Unit   6         What’s wrong with it?

Topics

Consumer complaints; everyday problems; electronics; repairs

Speaking

Describing problems; making complaints; explaining something that needs to be done

Grammar

Describing problems with past participles as adjectives and with nouns; describing problems with need + gerund, need + passive infinitive, and keep + gerund

Pronunciation/Listening

Contrastive stress Listening to complaints; listening to people exchange things in a store; listening to repair people describe  their jobs

Writing/Reading

Writing a critical online review “The Value of Upcycling”: Reading about reusing materials to make  things of greater value

Activity

“Fixer-upper”: Comparing problems  in two pictures of an apartment

Unit   7         The world we live in

Topics

The environment; world problems; current issues

Speaking

Identifying and describing problems; coming up with solutions

Grammar

Passive in the present continuous and present perfect; prepositions of cause; infinitive clauses and phrases

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of auxiliary verbs Listening to environmental problems; listening for solutions

Writing/Reading

Writing a message on a community website “Saving a Coral Reef – An Eco Tipping Point”: Reading about reviving  marine life around Apo Island

Activity

“Make your voices heard!”: Choosing an issue and deciding on an effective method of protest; devising a strategy

Unit   8         Lifelong learning

Topics

Education; learner choices; strategies for learning; personal qualities

Speaking

Asking about preferences; discussing pros and cons of different college majors; talking about learning methods; talking about personal qualities

Grammar

Would rather and would prefer; by + gerund to describe how to do things

Pronunciation/Listening

Intonation in questions of choice Listening to descriptions of courses; listening for additional information

Writing/Reading

Writing about a skill or a hobby “Learning Styles”: Reading about different kinds of learning

Activity

“Learning curves”: Choosing between different things you want to learn

Unit   9         Improvements

Topics

Everyday services; recommendations; self-improvement

Speaking

Talking about things you need to  have done; asking for and giving  advice or suggestions

Grammar

Get or have something done; making suggestions with modals + verbs, gerunds, negative questions, and infinitives

Pronunciation/Listening

Sentence stress Listening to suggestions for  self-improvement

Writing/Reading

Writing a letter of advice “Critical Thinking”: Reading about  the characteristics and benefits of critical thinking

Activity

“Put yourself in my shoes!”: Discussing different points of view of parents and their children

Unit   10       The past and the future

Topics

Historic events and people; biography; the future

Speaking

Talking about history events; talking about things to be accomplished in  the future

Grammar

Referring to time in the past with adverbs and prepositions: during, in, ago, from…to, for, since; predicting the future with will, future continuous, and future perfect

Pronunciation/Listening

Syllable stress Listening to predictions

Writing/Reading

Writing a biography “Tweet to Eat”: Reading about a restaurant that uses social networking to reach customers

Activity

“History buff”: Taking a history quiz

Unit   11       Life’s little lessons

Topics

Milestones and turning points;  behavior and personality; regrets

Speaking

Describing rites of passage; describing turning points; describing regrets and hypothetical situations

Grammar

Time clauses: before, after, once, the moment, as soon as, until, by the time; expressing regret with should (not) have + past participle; describing hypothetical situations with if clauses + past perfect

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction of have and been Listening to descriptions of important events; listening to regrets and explanations

Writing/Reading

Writing a letter of apology “Milestones Around the World”: Reading about important life events in Egypt, Mexico, and Vanuatu

Activity

“When I was younger,…“: Playing a board game to talk about how you were and could have been

Unit   12       The right stuff

Topics

Qualities for success; successful businesses; advertising

Speaking

Describing qualities for success; describing features; giving reasons  for success; interviewing for a job; talking about ads and slogans

Grammar

Describing purpose with infinitive clauses and infinitive clauses with for; giving reasons with because, since, because of, for, due to, and the reason

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduced words Listening for features and slogans

Writing/Reading

Writing a radio or TV commercial “The Wrong Stuff”: Reading about advertising failures

Activity

“Catchy slogans”: Creating a slogan and logo for a product

Unit   13       That’s a possibility.

Topics

Pet peeves; unexplained events; reactions; complicated situations  and advice

Speaking

Making conclusions; offering explanations; describing hypothetical events; giving advice for complicated situations

Grammar

Past modals for degrees of certainty: must (not) have, may (not) have, might (not) have, could (not) have; past modals for judgments and suggestions: should (not) have, could (not) have, would (not) have

Pronunciation/Listening

Reduction in past modals Listening to explanations; listening for the best solution

Writing/Reading

Writing about a complicated situation “The Blue Lights of Silver Cliff”: Reading a story about an unexplained phenomenon

Activity

“Photo plays”: Drawing possible conclusions about situations

Unit   14       Behind the scenes

Topics

How a movie is made; media  professions; processes; the entertainment industry

Speaking

Describing how something is done or made; describing careers in the media

Grammar

The passive to describe process with  is/are + past participle and modal + be + past participle; defining and non-defining relative clauses

Pronunciation/Listening

Review of stress in compound nouns Listening to a producer describe his work; listening for personality traits

Writing/Reading

Writing about a process “Hooray for Bollywood!”: Reading about the kind of movies made in India

Activity

“Who makes it happen?”: Putting together a crew for making a movie

Unit   15       There should be a law!

Topics

Recommendations; opinions; local concerns; controversial issues

Speaking

Giving opinions for and against controversial issues; offering a  different opinion; agreeing and disagreeing

Grammar

Giving recommendations and opinions with passive modals: should be, ought to be, must be, has to be, has got to be; tag questions for opinions

Pronunciation/Listening

Intonation in tag questions Listening for solutions to everyday annoyances; listening to issues and opinions

Writing/Reading

Writing a persuasive essay “How Serious Is Plagiarism?”:  Reading about plagiarism and  people’s opinions about its severity

Activity

“You be the judge!”: Deciding on punishments for common offenses

Unit   16       Challenges and accomplishments

Topics

Challenges; accomplishments; goals; volunteering

Speaking

Describing challenges, frustrations,  and rewards; talking about the past and the future

Grammar

Complex noun phrases containing gerunds; accomplishments with the present perfect and simple past; goals with the future perfect and would like to have + past participle

Pronunciation/Listening

Stress and rhythm Listening to challenges and rewards of people’s work; listening for people’s goals for the future

Writing/Reading

Writing a personal statement for  an application “Young and Gifted”: Reading about exceptionally gifted young people

Activity

“Viewpoints”: Taking a survey about volunteering

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