2a

Moan moan moan

disc jockeys

big computer companies

teenagers

politicians

people who write to

newspapers

fast food restaurants

my family

the internet

the weather

teachers

Hollywood films

builders, plumbers,
electricians, etc

smokers

my mobile phone

babies

TV programmes

exams

new technology

free moan

free moan

free moan

free moan

free moan

free moan

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Straightforward Upper Intermediate Second edition Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012

2b Its only my opinion

Will
English ever
become the
worlds only
language?

university
and college
education
be free?

ARGUE!

Should
testing of
cosmetics on
animals be
illegal?

ARGUE!
Is eating
meat cruel?

Take it in turns to throw the dice and move your

counter around the board.

Should the
rich world give
half their income
to the poor
world?

Argue
squares

Talk about the topic question for

30 seconds. (1 point)
Have a 40-second dialogue with the last
player, disagreeing about the topic they
just presented. (1 point each)

At the end, the player with the most

points is the winner.

Is the
death penalty
an acceptable
form of
punishment?

Is it OK to
copy films
and music
using the
internet?

Are
mobile phones
useful or a
nuisance?

Should
smokers be
offered medical
treatment?

Instructions
Topic
squares

Photocopiable

Should sports
be compulsory
in schools?

opinion b
y
m
y
l
n
ut
o
ts
i
Should
,

We

Start

Are cars
destroying
our cities?

ARGUE!

ARGUE!

Should
junk food
be banned?

What more
can we do
to save the
environment?

Is it OK for
newspapers
to reveal a
celebritys
secrets?

Are some
people born
lucky?
Will the
world survive
for another
100 years?

ARGUE!

Straightforward Upper Intermediate Second edition Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012

2c Animal bingo
1

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Straightforward Upper Intermediate Second edition Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012

2d Im getting used to it
A long time ago

Recently

Nowadays

You were an ordinary

student.

You got interested in politics.

You are president of a large

country.

A long time ago

Recently

Nowadays

You were a teenage

pickpocket.

You spent three long, boring

years in prison.

You work for a charity helping

young people to find useful
things to do with their life.

A long time ago

Recently

Nowadays

You were very poor. You

couldnt find work and had
no money.

You started trading in the

local market, selling fruit and
vegetables at very good prices.

You own a small chain of

supermarkets and employ
hundreds of people. You are
very wealthy.

A long time ago

Recently

Nowadays

You were a successful

hip-hop disc jockey in a hot,
noisy nightclub.

You started listening to

classical music and learnt to
play the violin.

You work for a classical music

radio station and play in an
amateur orchestra.

A long time ago

Recently

Nowadays

You were a millionaire a very

successful (but very bored)
businessman/woman.

You decided to give away all

your money to poor people
you met.

You are homeless and

penniless, living in a charity
hostel, but you have lots of real
friends and are very happy.

A long time ago

Recently

Nowadays

You are an alien called

Jigrigtig. You lived and worked
on your home planet called
Xugxug. Then you lost your
job. You had no food
or money.

You volunteered to take part

in a dangerous voyage of
exploration to other planets.
Your spaceship crashed
on Earth.

You work in a car factory on

Earth. Youre very happy! Life
on Earth is fine! No one seems
to mind that you are an alien!

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Straightforward Upper Intermediate Second edition Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012

2 video Animal therapy

Language

Length: 4.28 minutes

5 Complete the sentences with verbs from the box.

Animals; adjectives; health

exercisehelpsspeedingliftsprovides
strokingusedusing

General information
This is an authentic extract from a television programme.
Dont try to understand every word you hear. Watch and
listen for specific information by completing these tasks.

Before you watch

1 Work in pairs. Write the first two letters to make the
names of animals.

1 The close bond between animals and people

a vital link between ourselves and the
natural world.
2 Animals work a special kind of magic on us, so much so
in therapy.
that they are
3 Simply
on our bodies.

4 Today hospitals across the world are

sorts of animals as a form of natural therapy.
5 Animal contact
and

1 _ _ g l e
2 _ _ e p h a n t

a pet has a direct physical effect

all

the childrens spirits

them to recover more quickly.

4 _ _ r s e

6 Patients with limited mobility are motivated to

,
their road back to
recovery.

5 _ _ m e l

6 Watch the first part of the video to check your answers

3 _ _ t

to exercise 5.

6 _ _ g
7 _ _ l p h i n

7 Watch the rest of the video and answer the questions.

8 _ _ g e r

3 cuddly

1 How many muscle movements does ten minutes on a

horse require?
2 What does the motion of the horse encourage
musclestodo?
3 What has happened to some people after riding a horse?
4 What is the ultimate in animal therapy?
5 Who has shown dramatic improvement from this
therapy?
6 For a long, healthy and happy life, who can benefit from
a little animal therapy?

4 inquisitive

8 Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

5 obedient

1 All pets are mans better / best friend because they are
a natural prescription for health.
2 Our fingertips are incredible / incredibly sensitive.
3 So simply stroking a pet has a direct physical / physically
effect on our bodies.
4 Researchers have found that young patients who have
contact with animals actually feel less / lower pain.
5 The motion of the horse encourages muscles to relax and
is good / well for balance and coordination.
6 The sense of well-being we experience after a close
encounter like this may / can be partly due to the
dolphins sonar system.

9 _ _ o c o d i l e
10 _ _ a k e

2 Match each adjective to one of the animals from

exercise 1.

1 aggressive
2 cold-blooded

3 You are going to watch a video called Animal therapy.

In what ways do you think animals can be good for our

health?

While you watch

4 Watch the video and tick the animals from exercise 1
that you see.

9 Watch the whole video again to check your answers

to exercises 7 and 8.

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Straightforward Upper Intermediate Second edition Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012

2 video Animal therapy

Length: 4.28 minutes

After you watch

10 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
1 Do you own any pets or have you owned any in the past?
If so, which ones? Would you recommend them as pets?
If not, would you like to have a pet? Which one?
2 Do you agree that animals are good for your health? If so,
in what way?
3 Apart from what you saw in the video, do you know of
any other ways in which animals can be good for you?
4 Would you like to go swimming with dolphins? Why or
why not?
Glossary
bond n C something that gives people or groups a reason
to love one another or feel they have a duty to one another
sonar n U a system that measures the depth of water and
shows the position of objects under the water
spirit n C/U your attitude to life or to other people
stroke v gently move your hand over skin, hair or fur
stroke n C a medical condition in which blood is suddenly
blocked and cannot reach the brain
vital adj very important, necessary or essential
well-being n U the satisfactory state that someone or
something should be in, that involves such things as
being happy, healthy and safe, and having enough money

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Straightforward Upper Intermediate Second edition Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012