B – L11 – Decisions, decisions… -

Do you like giving and receiving gifts? Why?

When do we give / receive gifts? What are the occasions?

What is the best gift you’ve ever received?

B11.1_Read the post and answer the questions

Where is Edison from, and where does he live now?
Why does Edison find it difficult to give good gifts in each culture?
What is Edison planning to do today, and why?

B11.2_Listen to the audio and match speakers to their countries

B11.3_Listen to the podcast again and choose the right answers below

B11.4_Complete the definitions with the words from the list

B11.5_Complete the sentences with the correct words/phrases

B11.6_Read the podcast script and find the VERB + VERB combinations

Part 1

Edison: Hey, Yuki! I hope to hear a few words about giving gifts in your country.

Yuki: Well, in Japan, gift-giving is an art!

Edison: Art?

Yuki: Yep! Remember, never give presents in 4 and 9 – that’s a no-no! So spend some time choosing the right number! Also, we enjoy getting nice things like sweets or tea, but avoid giving cutting tools – it’s like you’re cutting our relationship. Crazy, right? But that’s the beauty of Japanese customs!

Edison: Wow! Thanks! I promise to remember it!

Part 2

Edison: Corina, I’d like to ask you for some tips on gift-giving in Mexico.

Corina: Edison, listen, Mexico loves to embrace the joy of gift-giving, and while it’s not super strict like in other places, there are some awesome rules! Imagine this: as a guest, you should bring a gift for every child in the house to show respect. And guess what? They’ll unwrap the gifts right away.

Edison: Really?

Corina: Yeah! Believe me, everybody will be pleased and grateful!

Edison: Oh, I don’t mind seeing this!

Part 3

Edison: Connor, you’re from Ireland, right? Could you help me to learn about giving gifts and receiving them?

Connor: Oh, yeah! In Ireland, you need to play one ritual… Imagine this: someone offers you a gift, and you have to say “no” not once, not twice, but three times before accepting it.

Edison: Why?

Connor: Well, it all goes back to the difficult times when people didn’t have much, but they still wanted to make a good impression. So, it’s like a friendly dance of some really polite people in Ireland!

Edison: Yeah, I imagine doing this! Thank you, dude!

Let’s study some VERB patterns

B11.7_Let’s practice!

B11.8 – Make sentences using the prompts below

1. I / always / enjoy / give / gifts / friends / birthdays.
2. She / want / wrap / present / mother / very / carefully.
3. They / love / spend / time / together / watch / movies / weekends.
4. My sister / hope / receive / new camera / Christmas / this year.
5. He / like / prepare / breakfast / family / every morning.
6. Can / you / help / wrap / this / gift / cousin / graduation / party?
7. John / not mind / wait / his friend / café.
8. Stop / waste / time / your phone / come / help / wrap / this gift.

B11.9_Complete the sentences and make them true for you. The next word has to be either the infinitive with to or the -ing form of a verb.

When I choose a gift:

I always avoid…

I hate…

I love…

When I gave my last gift:

I chose…

I decided…

I enjoyed…

For my next gift-giving opportunity:

I want…

I hope…

I would like…

In my country,

People love…

People avoid…

B11.10_ Fill in the gaps with the words from the list

Life Changing Decisions

B11.11_Can you guess what the story is about? You only have a picture, a story title and some key words

From midlife crisis to food truck fiesta

Key words: impulse decisions, food truck, Midlife-Crisis-Mobile, Spicy Diva, chili food, office job, road trips, big dream

My unexpected journey into llama farming

Key words: Peru, unusual, business suits, alpaca wool sweaters, landscapes, taking care of animals, spontaneous decision, life-changing

How humor turned my life around

Key words: cliff, banana costume, surprise, laughter, jump, stand-up comedian, big changes

B11.12_Read and retell each story in 1-2 sentences using your own words

From midlife crisis to food truck fiesta

Edith: One day, I, Edith, Queen of Impulse Decisions, bought a very old food truck. My friends laughed at me. They thought it was really funny and called it my “Midlife-Crisis-Mobile.” But I changed it into the “Spicy Diva,” a place for delicious chili food. Everyone was surprised! They never thought I, who burned every single task I cooked, could do it in my fifties. I left my office job – I was so exhausted – and started making food instead. Now, I wear comfortable shoes and travel a lot. Life’s become a mix of chilies, laughter, and road trips, turning my midlife crisis into a midlife fiesta! The lesson? Don’t laugh at a woman with a big dream!

My unexpected journey into llama farming

Stacy: I remember that crazy day when I woke up and bought a llama farm in Peru. It was quite unusual, right? I never worked at a farm before, and I can’t even keep a cactus alive. But there I was, swapping business suits for alpaca wool sweaters. It was a messy llama drama, but I found a really nice community and breathtaking landscapes. Surprisingly, I became good at taking care of animals. That spontaneous click changed my life completely! It was funny and exciting. Here’s the truth – sometimes, life’s best decisions are the wildest ones.

How humor turned my life around

Simon: I remember the day when I made a decision that changed my life forever. It was exciting! I was standing on a cliff dressed in a banana costume. Yes, you heard it right, a banana costume. Can you imagine that? Everyone below was looking at me in surprise and laughing. I took a deep breath and jumped off the cliff right into the blue water below. With an extremely deep breath, I jumped down, moving through the air like a fruity superhero. Oh man, imagine how terrifying it was! The people watching started laughing. That decision was incredibly funny and it made me realize that I love making people laugh. It inspired me to become a stand-up comedian. It’s really amazing how a simple banana costume can bring such big changes!

B11.13_TRUE or FALSE?

B11.14_Look at the sentences from the text and answer the questions

1.They thought it was really funny and called it my “Midlife-Crisis-Mobile.” But I changed it into the “Spicy Diva,” a place for DELICIOUS chili food.

2. I left my office job – I was so EXHAUSTED – and started making food instead.

3, It was a messy llama drama, but I found a really nice community and BREATHTAKING landscapes.

4. With an extremely deep breath, I jumped down, moving through the air like a fruity superhero. Oh man, imagine how TERRIFYING it was!

5. It’s really AMAZING how a simple banana costume can bring such big changes!

Which word means very frightening?
Which word means very exciting?
Which word means very good?
Which word means very tasty?
Which word means very tired?

B11.15_Complete the sentences by choosing the correct option.

B11.16_Say it in other words

Look at the words in bold and try to define their role in the text

B11.17_Write the intensifiers from the list in the correct places on the line

B11.18_Let’s practice

B11.19_Have you ever made a spontaneous decision that changed your life? Share your stories and discuss how you felt about the experience. Use the words below:

B11.20_Intensify the adjectives IN ALL CAPS using a proper intensifier or replacing it with the extreme adjective. There are a few options, so name as much as you can

1. The sunset was BEAUTIFUL tonight.
2. The BIG elephant walked slowly through the jungle.
3. I find history class BORING sometimes.
4. It’s COLD outside to go for a walk.
5. The horror movie was so FRIGHTENING that I couldn’t sleep at night.
6. My little brother always makes FUNNY faces when he’s happy.
7. It’s so HOT today that I’m going to the beach.
8. The kitten is SMALL enough to fit in my hand.
9. This pizza is TASTY, thanks for ordering it.
10. I feel TIRED after staying up late watching movies.

B11.21_Read the situations. Finish the sentences using the words from the list

1. You see such a kitten that you can hold in your one hand. It’s …
2. You’re standing next to the largest skyscraper you’ve ever seen, looking up. It’s …
3. It’s the middle of summer, and the temperature is so high that it’s hard to stay outside. It’s …
4. In the middle of winter, the temperature drops so low that the water freezes instantly. It’s …
5. You’re watching a horror movie with scenes that make you jump out of your seat. It’s …
6. You’ve just climbed to the top of a mountain and are looking out over the landscape. It’s …
7. You’re eating a homemade meal that tastes better than anything you’ve had in a long time. It’s …
8. After running a marathon, you feel like you can’t move another step. You feel …
9. You’re walking through a garden full of beautifully arranged flowers and plants. It’s …

Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to go wrong? What was it like?
Do you believe in bad luck? Why?
What do you usually do to turn your bad days around?

B11.22_Listen to the dialog and mark the following statements as true or false

B11.23_Read the dialogue and put words to gaps

B11.24_Match the words and their definitions

B11.25_Fill in the gaps with the correct word/phrase from the list

Grammar Focus

Read the sentences and answer the questions below

1. Are the sentences describing the present or past?
2. The sentences are divided into two clauses. What tense is used after the if/when clause?
3. What tense is used in the main clause?
4. Do you use real conditionals [if/when + Present Simple + will] to talk about the present or future consequence of a specific situation?
5. Do you use if for a situation that is certain or likely?
6. Do you use when for a situation that is certain or likely?
7. Can you change the order of clauses in sentences?

Real Conditionals

B11.26_Select the correct option:

B11.27_Fill in the gaps with the correct forms of the verbs

B11.28_Read the comments and agree or disagree with each

B11.29_Complete the sentences so they are true for you

If I don’t check the weather forecast, …
When I’m in a hurry, …
When I try to cook a new recipe, …
If I don’t double-check my travel documents, …
If I eat too much spicy food, …
When I don’t get enough sleep, …
When I don’t read the instructions carefully, …
When I don’t plan my schedule, …

B11.30_Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb

B11.31_ First Conditional chain

First Conditional Chain

Your teacher will begin the exercise with a First Conditional sentence, like “If you study hard, you will pass the exam.” After hearing the teacher’s sentence, continue the chain by creating your own First Conditional sentence. Your sentence should start with “If” and logically follow from the result of the teacher’s sentence. For example: “If you pass the exam, you will get a good grade.”

Example of a First Conditional Chain:

– Teacher: “If you study hard, you will pass the exam.”

– Student: “If you pass the exam, you will get a good grade.”

– Teacher: “If you get a good grade, your parents will be proud.”

– Student: “If your parents are proud, they might give you a reward.”