New Step on It 1 - Sample

1 new STEP ON IT

• The simple present

• Adverbs of frequency

• Possessive adjectives and pronouns

STEP IT UP Matera – Italy’s cave town

• The present continuous 16

• -ing form as a noun

• Possessive ’s

STEP IT UP Just ask Alexa!

• The simple past

• The past continuous

• Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns

STEP IT UP Speeding motorist

• The future form: 34 be going to, will, present continuous, simple present

STEP IT UP Big win, big plans!!

• Modal verbs 42 Potere: can/could, be able to/manage to, may/might –Dovere: must, have to – Volere: will

STEP IT UP Why eating insects is the next big thing! 16

• Comparative adjectives

• Superlative adjectives

• Prepositions of time: at – in – on – before – after – till –until – from… to/until/till… – between… and… – during – to

• Prepositions of place: at – in – on – into – out of

by Christine Eade

Infinite adjectives and pronouns: some / any – no / none – much / many / a lot of / lots of

• Wh- question words

• Adverbs of manner • The definite article • The

Hi there everybody!

Well, summer’s here at last, and I’m going to help you with your English homework. First of all, let me introduce myself – my name’s Caitlin Stuart and I’m Scottish. In my podcast you’re going to learn a lot about me and my beautiful home country. So here goes!

7

OUT AND ABOUT

1 Look at the pictures and write the names of the different kinds of holiday.

farmstay • backpacking • eco-friendly • road trip • couchsurfing • house swapping • sightseeing • glamping

2 2 Choose the best word to complete the sentence. Then listen and check.

1 The beautiful white sandy beaches in Sardinia are perfect for ___________________. a burning b sunbathing c taking the sun

2 Benidorm was once Europe’s most popular holiday ___________________. a place b seaside c resort

3 The ___________________ from the mountain top was awesome. a view b panorama c vision

4 He bought a model of a red double decker bus as a ___________________ of his trip to London.

FUN WITH ENGLISH

1 Work out the meaning of the idioms 1–10 from the context. Match each idiom with the correct definition a–j. We stayed in a little village off the beaten track – completely undisturbed by the tourists.

Kaylee moved to the countryside because she doesn’t like the hustle and bustle of the city.

need to hit the road if we want to get there before dark.

don’t really want to go the mountains this summer – but whatever floats your boat

always travel light because I hate waiting for suitcases at the airport.

a makes you happy

b travel with very little luggage

c far away from where people live

d leave for a trip/journey

e want to travel and do something new

f the crowds and the chaos

g exactly what is needed or wanted

h staying in several places for a short period of time

i deal with a problem when it happens

j in a place nearby

LISTENING

GLAMPING IS COOL!

1 3 You will hear Luke talking about glamping. Listen and fill in the gaps.

1 The word “glamping” was recognised by the Oxford English Dictionary in _________________________

2 Another word for glamping is camping or posh camping.

3 Children particularly enjoy staying in __________________________

4 A big

5 Luke thinks sleeping in

2 3 Listen again and complete the lists.

THE SIMPLE PRESENT

AFFIRMATIVE FORM

I/You/We/They + forma base del verbo

They go to Tuscany every summer.

He/She/It + forma base del verbo + s

It takes me ten minutes to get to school on foot.

INTERROGATIVE FORM

Do + I/you/we/they + forma base del verbo

Do you help your parents at home?

Does + he/she/it + forma base del verbo

Does Daniel study in Manchester?

• I verbi che terminano in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -z, -o, aggiungono -es alla terza persona singolare. focus ➞ focuses pass ➞ passes crash ➞ crashes watch ➞ watches relax ➞ relaxes whizz ➞ whizzes go ➞ goes

• I verbi che terminano in -y aggiungono semplicemente -s se la y è preceduta da vocale. Se la y è preceduta da consonante essa si trasforma in i prima di aggiungere -es play ➞ plays hurry ➞ hurries

1 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1 My friends and I _________ (love) working out at the gym. We (work out) three times a week.

2 Twice a week we (not have) lunch at home – we (go) to a café because we (have) lessons in the afternoon.

3 (Jenny, not work) in a hospital? No, she (work) in a clinic.

4 My little brother (get up) very early because he (go) to the pool to train.

5 I (wear) a uniform to school, but at weekends I (prefer) jeans and T-shirts.

6 My girlfriend (spend) hours playing video games!

NEGATIVE FORM

I/You/We/They + don’t + forma base del verbo I don’t like rice – I prefer pasta.

He/She/It + doesn’t + forma base del verbo Stefano doesn’t like playing video games.

INTERROGATIVE-NEGATIVE FORM

Don’t + I/you/we/they + forma base del verbo Don’t they live in Newcastle?

Doesn’t + he/she/it + forma base del verbo Doesn’t Jim go to university?

• Il simple present si usa per esprimere azioni abituali o di routine. È spesso accompagnato dagli avverbi di frequenza always, usually, sometimes, often, rarely, never o dalle ore.

I work for the Red Cross. Lavoro per la Croce Rossa.

My dad always gets up at 6.00. Mio papà si alza sempre alle 6.00.

– What time does the train to Edinburgh leave?

– It leaves at 5.45.

– A che ora parte il treno per Edimburgo?

– Parte alle 5.45.

7 (your boyfriend, like) rap?

8 Jim (live) alone but he (not like) it.

9 (you, not speak) English?

10 I _________ (not eat) very much in the morning because I _________ (not, be) hungry.

2 Write the questions.

1 The library opens at 8.30. What time ... ?

2 Sara speaks four languages fluently. How many ... ?

3 Philip does his homework in the afternoon. When ... ?

4 My sister likes Weeknd. Who ... ?

5 They watch YouTube videos in the evening. What ... ?

6 They go to school in Canterbury. Where ... ?

7 That phone costs €900! How much ... ?

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

• I principali avverbi di frequenza sono: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never, ever (quest’ultimo nelle domande).

Essi si collocano prima del verbo quando si tratta di verbi ordinari, ma seguono il verbo be.

We sometimes go for a walk along the seafront on Sundays.

Andiamo qualche volta a fare una passeggiata al mare la domenica.

Ben is always happy!

Ben è sempre felice!

Do you ever go to concerts?

Vai mai ai concerti?

3 Reorder the words and write sentences.

1 he / Does / go / ever / to the theatre?

2 travels /often/ on/ My dad / abroad / business

3 I / are / late / to school / go / never / by bus / they / because / always

4 money / spends / clothes / a lot of / My mum / on

5 often / your / do / and / see / How / you / grandparents / go?

6 she’s / busy / works / She / in an ice-cream kiosk / so / always / at the weekend

7 buy / do / usually / Where / you / clothes / your?

8 films / always / on Netflix / She / watches / or Amazon Prime

• Nella frase negativa gli avverbi di frequenza sono inseriti tra l’ausiliare e il verbo, ma dopo il verbo be

I don’t usually drink coffee in the evening. Di solito non bevo caffè la sera.

Where are they? They aren’t usually this late. Dove sono? Di solito non sono così in ritardo.

• Nella frase interrogativa si collocano tra il soggetto e il verbo.

Do you often go out for a meal?

Vai spesso a mangiare fuori?

• Per chiedere la frequenza con cui si fa una cosa si usa How often…?

How often does your teacher give you a test?

Ogni quanto la vostra insegnante vi fa fare un test?

4 Rewrite the sentences using never, always, usually, often, sometimes. Tell the truth!

1 I drink coffee.

2 I do the food shopping.

3 I tidy my bedroom.

4 I get up at 6 o’clock at the weekend.

5 I go on Instagram.

6 I do sport at the weekend.

7 I tell lies.

8 I argue with my parents.

9 I copy my friends’ homework.

10 I play video games.

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

my mine your yours his his her hers its its our ours your yours their theirs

• Gli aggettivi possessivi non sono mai preceduti dall’articolo e sono invariabili nel genere e nel numero.

Mr Marsden is our new Spanish teacher. Il signor Marsden è il nostro nuovo insegnante di spagnolo.

I walk my dog twice a day. Porto a passeggio il mio cane due volte al giorno.

5 Choose the correct form.

1 “Do you know that boy over there?” “Yes, but I don’t know his / her name.”

2 Whose glasses are these? Are they your / yours, Anna?

3 “I haven’t got any shampoo…” “You can borrow mine / my if you like.”

4 Is it your turn or ours / our?

5 Some of hers / her videos are really funny!

6 “That’s Margaret and Sue’s dog, isn’t it?” “No, their / theirs is a Pitbull!”

7 Some friends of my / mine are coming to see me this weekend.

8 Hey kids! Are these yours / your sandwiches?

6 Choose the correct answer.

1 Do you want to go to a concert in August with me and friends?

a my b your c their

2 – Isn’t that Jane’s sports bag over there? – No, is in the locker.

a its b her c hers

3 I’ve done my homework. Have you done yet?

a your b hers c yours

• Il pronome possessivo sostituisce l’aggettivo possessivo e il nome a cui si riferisce. È usato spesso per evitare ripetizioni dello stesso sostantivo. Come l’aggettivo, non è mai preceduto dall’articolo ed è invariabile nel genere e nel numero.

– Is this George’s phone? – No, it’s mine!

– Questo è il telefono di George? – No, è mio!

That pendrive is his, not yours!

Quella chiavetta è sua, non tua!

• L’espressione “un mio/una mia / un suo/una sua…” si traduce in inglese con:

a… of mine/his/her oppure one of my/his/her…

Leo is a friend of mine oppure

Leo is one of my friends Leo è un mio amico.

4 Do the boys ever help parents in the house? a their b theirs c your

5 – Is this my glass? – No, it’s not – it’s mine! a its b your c yours

6 – This is your parents’ car, isn’t it? – No, it’s I bought it last week! a mine b their c my

7 Fill in the gaps using the correct possessive adjective or pronoun.

1 James and I live in a one-bedroom flat, Dan and Giulia live in a big villa. ________ house is really small but ________ is huge!

2 – I have to go to the chemist for ________ mum this afternoon but my car won’t start. – You can borrow if you like! – Ok. Thanks!!

3 Ben and Ryan are on holiday in Spain with ________ families.

4 – Take the snake out of ________ cage. I need to clean it. – What? The snake or the cage?

5 – Is this your sister’s bicycle? – No, is in the garage.

6 My girlfriend and I might go out with some friends of ________ this evening.

8 Read the text and choose the correct option.

MATERA

Italy’s cave town

Looking for a new holiday destination? Well, why (1) don’t you go / not to go to Matera? It’s a must-see and is fast becoming one of Italy’s most popular holiday destinations!!

My names’s Arianna and like all (2) my / your friends I’m so glad school is over and we’re on holiday at last! (3) Our / Their summer holiday here in Italy is really long… we have three months off!

I (4) usually / rarely go away with my family in the summer – we’ve got a holiday home in Sardinia so we (5) often / never go there but this year I’m so excited because we are going to Matera to visit (6) our / your grandparents!

Matera is awesome – it’s a small town in Basilicata in the south of Italy, entirely carved out of rocks! In the 19th century (7) it / she was very poor and known as “The Shame of Italy” but in the 1980s it changed completely and is now on the Unesco World Heritage site list. It is really popular with tourists thanks to (8) its / her amazing culture and traditions.

My gran and grandad live in Civita, the heart of the ancient city. (9) Their / Your house is right in the centre of the town and (10) its / their shops, museums and churches are fascinating.

The cuisine in Matera is delicious – (11) our / his grandparents’ friends own a restaurant: I especially love the orecchiette, a kind of pasta and the cialledda salad. Yummy!

So... put Matera on your bucket-list!! Have a great summer! Arianna

LANDSCAPE

CULTURE

FOOD

9 4 Translate the following sentences. Then listen and check.

1 Questo telefono non fa delle belle foto.

2 I miei genitori lavorano tanto quindi spesso li aiuto con i lavori di casa.

3 “Quanto spesso vai a judo?” “Due volte alla settimana.”

4 Non vanno mai in discoteca perché i loro genitori non li possono andare a prendere.

5 “Quante lingue parla tuo fratello?” “Quattro. Lavora spesso all’estero.”

6 Che cosa fanno i tuoi genitori di solito il weekend?

7 Adam ama Gemma, ma lei non lo ama.

8 Non lavora a Londra tuo zio?

9 Sei sempre arrabbiata! Che cosa hai?

10 Guardi i film con o senza i sottotitoli?

My YouTuberfavourite PODCAST

Well, like lots of teenagers I spend hours and hours watching videos on YouTube! I like loads of YouTubers but my favourite is Richard Williams, better known by his stage name Prince Ea – you’ve never heard of him? Well, listen to my podcast about him and do the exercises!

1 Match the words with their translations.

spoken word artist a razzismo b controverso c raccolta fondi d danno e laurea

f nome d’arte g disboscamento h fantastico

i cambiamento climatico

j artista della parola

2 5 True (T) or false (F)? Correct the false statements.

1 Prince Ea is sometimes polemical.

2 He has got three brothers and sisters.

3 He went to university in England.

His videos are about lots of different topics.

5 The video “Dear Future Generations: Sorry” is about racism.

6 “Stand for Trees” is a video about deforestation.

BE SOCIAL!

1 Match the words to their definitions.

a Your identity in social media.

b Short for weblog where you can find articles about a certain topic.

c Funny pieces of text, videos or images that go viral and users create and share their own variations.

d When you save documents and files in a virtual space where you can access all your files from anywhere.

e When a group of people come together to help others raise money for projects.

f Symbols which represent the expression on somebody’s face –they help the reader understand the writer’s emotions.

g Examples are WhatsApp and Facebook. Some of these are free but you have to pay for others.

h People who constantly harass and contact other people.

i Short for videoweblog or videoblog. There are a lot on YouTube.

j When a lot of people have seen the content of a video and shared it with others.

2 6 Fill in the gaps with one of the words in exercise 1. Then listen and check.

1 You can download the Zalando ___________________ from Google store.

2 Casie Neistat creates and uploads some amazing ___________________.

3 The video of that dog singing went ___________________ – it got 10 million views in a week!

4 I love the ___________________ of a hug – I use it a lot!

5 I use ___________________ to save all my files without filling up the computer.

6 You should report those kids if they’re bullying you online – they’re ___________________!!

7 To get people to visit your ___________________, share the link on social media.

8 The students presented a really interesting project and it was all financed by _______________.

FUN WITH ENGLISH

Technology crossword

1 Read the clues and solve the crossword.

A connection between documents on the Internet

emails, usually advertisements

view on a computer screen that shows icons

When you are not connected to the Internet

Someone who dislikes new technology

A programme that protects the screen of a computer

computer programme that makes it possible to read information on the internet

secret word or combination of letters and numbers used to prove who you are

piece of information stored on your computer about documents you have looked at

list of questions and answers to help people with a particular subject

Tip Top facts about TikTok

Who uses TikTok? • What is TikTok called in China? • How long do people spend on TikTok? • What was TikTok originally called? • Is TikTok allowed everywhere? • The most downloaded app ever.

1 Match the titles to the paragraphs.

1

TikTok was downloaded almost 115 million times in March 2020 – the most downloaded app ever in just one month. Of course, this growth was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic because many people spent a lot of time indoors with their smartphones. During 2022 it was downloaded over 672 million times, with Instagram in second place with 545 million downloads.

2

The app was launched in 2016 in China by the Chinese company, Bytedance. The app, called Douyin, was launched onto the western market in a slightly different version in 2017 and became known as TikTok. The global version of TikTok isn’t available in China.

4

TikTok was not the original name of the app. In 2014 an app called Musical.ly was launched and in 2017 it merged with TikTok. In November 2017 Tik Tok’s founder purchased Musical.ly for $1 billion USD.

3

The social media platform has around 2 billion monthly active users globally. It was designed with young people in mind (around 53% of creators are aged between 18 and 24). Around 54% of users are female and 55+year-olds are the smallest group on TikTok at just 1.7%.

READING

2 True (T) or false (F)? Correct the false statements.

5

By 2020 TikTok had been downloaded a total of 611 million times in India, about 30% of total global downloads. However, on June 29th, 2020 the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology blocked usage of the app because it represented a risk to security and privacy. It is also banned in Afghanistan.

6

Statistics reveal that in 2022 the average user opens TikTok 19 times per day and spends an average of 95 minutes per day on the app.

1 Tik Tok became particularly popular during the pandemic. T F

2 TikTok was downloaded over 100 million times more than Instagram in 2022. T F

3 Bytedance was the name of the app in 2016. T F

4 TikTok is exactly the same app as Douyin.

5 Fewer males than females use the app.

6 TikTok is very popular in India.

F

F

F

Grammar ZONE

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

AFFIRMATIVE FORM

Soggetto + simple present di to be + forma in -ing del verbo

We’re having a party to celebrate the end of school.

INTERROGATIVE FORM

Simple present di to be + soggetto + forma in -ing del verbo

Are you going out with Dave?

• Il present continuous si forma con il simple present di be + la forma in -ing del verbo.

Questa si ottiene aggiungendo -ing alla forma base del verbo (go ➞ going) e apportando le seguenti modifiche ortografiche:

– nei verbi che terminano con una consonante preceduta da una sola vocale accentata, la consonante raddoppia

cut ➞ cutting stop ➞ stopping

– nei verbi che terminano in -l, la -l raddoppia quando è preceduta da una sola vocale

cancel ➞ cancelling control ➞ controlling

– nei verbi che terminano in -ie, la -ie si trasforma in -y

tie ➞ tying lie ➞ lying – nei verbi che terminano in -e, la -e cade increase ➞ increasing change ➞ changing

• Il present continuous si usa – per esprimere un’azione che si sta svolgendo nel momento in cui si parla

I can’t come out. I’m tidying my bedroom. Non posso uscire. Sto mettendo in ordine la mia camera.

– per parlare di un’azione temporanea, anche se non si svolge nel momento esatto in cui si parla

I’m watching a really good TV series, it’s called Mare fuori.

Sto guardando una bellissima serie TV, si chiama Mare fuori

NEGATIVE FORM

Soggetto + simple present di to be + not + forma in -ing del verbo

Anna isn’t working today. It’s her day off.

INTERROGATIVE-NEGATIVE FORM

Simple present di to be + soggetto + not + forma in -ing del verbo

Are you not (Aren’t you) coming to the Spanish lesson this evening?

– per parlare di un’azione già programmata per il futuro

I’m not playing tennis this afternoon – it’s raining! Non gioco a tennis questo pomeriggio. Piove!

ATTENZIONE!

Normalmente non si usa il present continuous con i verbi che esprimono:

– percezione (to hear, to see, to taste, to smell, to feel) – conoscenza (to know, to think, to understand)

– sentimento (to love, to like, to hate)

– volontà, preferenza (to want, to prefer)

– stato, condizione (to be, to belong, to seem)

SHORT ANSWERS

AFFIRMATIVE FORM NEGATIVE FORM

Yes, I am.

Yes, he / she / it is. Yes, we / you / they are.

No, I’m not. No, he / she / it isn’t. No, we / you / they aren’t.

• Nelle short answers alla forma affermativa, il verbo essere non va mai usato nella forma contratta.

Are you Italian? Yes, I am. Are these your jeans? Yes, they are. Are they your friends? No, they aren’t.

Is that your dad? No, it isn’t.

1 Choose the correct form.

1 “Mmm, something is smelling / smells good! What do you make / are you making?” “Chocolate muffins – your favourite!”

2 It’s Sunday today, dad – you don’t usually work / aren’t usually working on Sundays!

3 Please turn down the volume on your phone! I try / am trying to concentrate!

4 Damian gets up / is getting up early most days but today is his day off and he still sleeps / is still sleeping

5 “This fish smells / is smelling a bit strange.” “Perhaps it’s off.”

6 “Isn’t your brother going / Doesn’t your brother go to handball practice today?” “No, he’s not feeling very well!”

7 I don’t understand / am not understanding this passage. What is “saucer” meaning / does “saucer” mean?

8 “What do we have / are we having for dinner this evening?” “Liver and onions! You know we always have / are having liver and onions on Friday!”

9 Look at Chiara and Melissa – they argue / are arguing again!

10 “Why don’t you eat / aren’t you eating?” “Because we aren’t hungry.”

11 How annoying! The Banco Poste App isn’t working / doesn’t work again.

12 Nobody is believing / believes Dan is 65 yeras old.

2 Write the correct form of the present continuous.

1 “What ___________________________ (the cat, do) on the roof?”

“It ______________________ (try) to catch a bird!”

2 “___________________________ (Tyler, sleep)?”

“No, she ___________________________ (get) ready to go to school.”

3 “Where’s Jason?”

“He’s in his room, he _________________________ (download) a film.”

4 “What ___________________________ (your parents, watch)?”

“A documentary on Netflix about climate change.”

5 “___________________________ (girls, not, do) their homework?”

“No, they ___________________________ (post) photos on Instagram!”

6 Oh no! The dog ___________________________ (chase) the hamster again.

7 Tony and his brother _________________________ (play) football in the living room again!

8 “____________________ (they, go) to the beach?”

“Yes, but I _______________________ (not, go)… I ___________________________ (stay) at home.”

9 We ___________________________ (not, eat) in the garden this evening, it ______________________________ (rain).

10 Hurry up… the bus ___________________________ (come)!

-ING FORM AS A NOUN

• La forma in -ing si usa anche come sostantivo in funzione di soggetto o complemento oggetto, soprattutto per esprimere un’attività.

Painting is a relaxing hobby.

I like horse-riding and playing golf. No diving

• Questa forma si può rendere in italiano con l’infinito sostantivato o con un sostantivo.

➞ Dipingere è rilassante.

➞ Mi piace andare a cavallo e giocare a golf.

➞ È vietato tuffarsi.

3 Fill in the blanks with the -ing forms from the box.

reading • chilling • driving • smoking • listening • keeping • travelling • swimming

1 I enjoy _________________ with my friends on Saturday evenings.

2 I think that fit and healthy is important.

3 is not allowed in public places.

4 One of the most complete sports is .

POSSESSIVE ’S

• La relazione di possesso in inglese viene espressa con il genitivo sassone (possessive ’s o possessive case):

possessore + apostrofo + s + cosa posseduta

Alice’s sandals i sandali di Alice Michael’s costume il costume di Michael the children’s trainers le scarpe da ginnastica dei ragazzi

• Si aggiunge solo l’apostrofo quando il possessore è un nome plurale che termina in -s. the girls’ bags le borse delle ragazze the teachers’ registers i registri degli insegnanti

• Quando il possessore è costituito da un nome proprio che termina in -s si aggiunge di solito ’s Ross’s bike la bicicletta di Ross

4 Write the correct form.

1 The ________________ (neighbours) dog never stops barking, it’s a real nuisance.

2 Oh dear! The ________________ (children) clothes are all over the place- it’s a real mess!

3 Next ________________ (week) geography lesson is about climate change.

4 Claire went to the ________________ (dentist) yesterday afternoon.

5 ________________ (Britain) weather is very changeable.

6 ________________ (Tomorrow) match is at 15.30.

5 in city centres can be really dangerous.

6 to Michael Bublé’s songs makes me feel relaxed.

7 I think that is the best way to learn about other cultures.

8 in bad light damages your eyes.

• Se il nome del possessore è una parola composta o i possessori sono più di uno, si aggiunge ’s all’ultima parola.

my mother-in-law’s cat il gatto di mia suocera

Betty and David’s Porsche la Porsche di Betty e David

• Il genitivo sassone si usa anche con i luoghi e nelle espressioni di tempo.

Rome’s tourist attractions le attrazioni turistiche di Roma

New York’s theatres i teatri di New York last week’s lesson la lezione della settimana scorsa yesterday’s newspaper il giornale di ieri

I’ve got two weeks’ holiday. Ho due settimane di vacanza.

5 Put in the apostrophe if necessary.

1 “Who is that girl over there?” “It’s Anna – she’s Steve and Pauls sister.”

2 New Zealands prime minister is very popular

3 Jims friends sisters are really good at swimming.

4 It’s about two hours drive to Manchester.

5 My mums cousins are from Edinburgh.

6 The bus stop is near St. Pauls Cathedral.

7 In Italy we have got three months holiday in the summer. In England they are off school for only six weeks.

8 “How far do you live from the Howarths house?” “Oh, its only about five minutes walk.”

6 Read the following text and choose the correct alternative.

Just ask

Step it UP

Did you know that Alexa wasn’t the first name that Bezos and his team had for (1) Amazon’s / Amazons all-knowing voice assistant? (2) His / Their suggestions included Finch, Friday, Samantha and Amazon. In the end Amazon decided on Alexa, which was (3) Bezos / Bezos’s idea.

(4) Are you considering / Do you consider getting a new Alexa speaker? They’re awesome – there’s so much they can do!

We all know that Alexa can play (5) his / your favourite playlist or album (“Alexa, play Indie for the Holidays”) and (6) calling / to call somebody is so easy (“Alexa, call (7) Dad’s / Dads mobile”) but she can do lots of other fun things too.

She can’t cook for you (yet) but cooking can be a lot less stressful – I (8) often ask / ask often her for conversions and recipes, or just to set a timer.

She can tell you what (9) is happening / happens in the world. This is called your “Flash Briefing” and she can also give you information about the weather. Just ask “Alexa, what’s the weather like in Rome?” or “Alexa, (10) does it snow / is it snowing in Trentino now?”.

Alexa can help you get fit – of course you can’t take her to the gym but you can get nutrition information and ask for a workout.

Do you often lose your remote? No worries! Alexa can turn on (11) its / your TV or Netflix.

And did you know that you can also learn English with Alexa? My friends and I use it a lot… she can define words and helps us improve (12) our / my pronunciation. She can even change (13) her / its accent so if you can listen to British, American, Australian accents.

Unfortunately, she can’t do (14) your / its homework for you… yet

7 7 Translate the following sentences Then listen and check.

1 “Questi occhiali da sole sono di Beth?” “No, sono i miei!”

2 Camminare sulla spiaggia è molto rilassante!

3 Imparare tutta questa grammatica non è molto facile!

4 Sto cercando le mie chiavi di casa. Sai dove sono?

5 Stare seduti ore e ore davanti al computer non fa bene agli occhi.

6 Dov’è il vestito rosso di Jess? Vado a un matrimonio e lo voglio mettere!

7 “Perché correte?” “L’autobus sta arrivando! Sbrigati!”

8 Non credo che sia la macchina dei Becker. La loro è bianca.

9 Perché il treno si ferma? Di solito non si ferma qui.

10 “Che cosa fai?” “Sto facendo una torta al cioccolato. Vuoi aiutarmi?”

Highlanddress

Hey! I bet when you think of Scotland the first things that come to mind are bagpipes and of course, kilts! Yeah ok, I know they’re stereotypes but they are a part of Scotland’s national identity. Listen to my podcast about kilts and then do the exercises!

BEFORE YOU LISTEN

1 Match the pictures to the words in the box. kilt • sporran • bagpipes • tartan • dagger • sock

2 8 Listen and complete the sentences.

1 Haggis, bagpipes and k are part of Scottish identity.

2 A “clan” is a f tribe.

3 In the 16th century the Scots wore kilts because the weather was w .

4 There are many different types of t .

5 Scottish men put a sort of knife in their s .

6 The Highland Games take place in s .

7 “Hogmanay” is the Scottish word for N

LOOKING GOOD!

1

Hi Tommaso!

Read the text and write the correct word. Then listen and check.

Mike

Thanks for writing back so quickly – lovely to hear from you! In your last mail you asked me about our school uniform here in Scotland. You said you don’t wear a uniform in Italy. Lucky you!! We have to wear a uniform. We can’t wear trainers to school – I have to wear black or brown ( _______________ and the boys wear black (2) t_______________, no shorts! The girls wear a black ( _______________ and we all have to wear a blue (4) p_______________. In the summer the girls can wear a ( _______________ instead of a skirt and shirt. My little sister hates it! It’s a horrible shade of green! We also have a PE kit at school – a pair of red (6 _______________ and a white ( _______________.

When we have swimming galas we wear the school swimming ( ______________. Write soon! XOXOXO

FUN WITH ENGLISH

Dressed to kill!

1 Work out the meaning of the idioms from the context. Match each idiom with the expressions from the box.

Put a sock in it please! I’m tired of you complaining all the time!

a think hard

b seems good but I think she’s dangerous

c can’t sit still

d work harder

e fits me perfectly f be quiet

g imagine what it’s like to be in her situation

h three goals

i is the boss

j wearing really nice clothes

2 Choose the correct idiom from exercise 1 to complete the sentences.

1 The kids were arguing so much that I told them to _________________________.

2 You should _________________________ and try to solve the problem.

3 Saunders scored a _________________________ in the final and his team won 4-2.

4 Bill seems very bossy but it’s his wife who _________________________ in that house.

5 The coach told us to _________________________ if we want to win the championship.

Skills & Culture

THROW AWAYfashion

When shoppers entered the H&M store in London last summer the first thing they saw was a dark blue flowery dress on sale for just £4. It also had a green label1 with the word “CONSCIOUS”, a sustainable fashion collection. Just a little further on was a recycling box where you could drop2 clothes you don’t want.

H&M is one of several famous high street stores with sustainability programmes which encourage customers to take their unwanted clothes back to the shop for reuse. It hopes to eliminate the use of dangerous chemicals in the manufacture of its products and promises to use 100% recycled or sustainable materials by 2030. But is it too late?

H&M is a Swedish clothes store founded back in 1947 and it is famous for its low prices, rapid consumption and changing trends. It is the second largest retailer in the world, just behind Inditex (the owner of Zara) and

1 label_etichetta

2 drop_lasciare

3 burned_bruciato

4 landfill_discarica

operates in 62 countries. Unfortunately, the impact that “fast fashion” has on the planet is disastrous. One full garbage truck of clothes is burned3 or sent to a landfill4 every second!

The fashion industry produces nearly 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, 8.1% of the world’s total. And did you know that it takes 2,700 litres of water to make just ONE cotton T-shirt? And that in the process about 5kg of CO2 are emitted?

So, maybe it’s time to ask ourselves, “Do I really need 20 cheap T-shirts which probably won’t last and I’ll throw away? Maybe it’s better to pay a little more and just have four or five which will last longer?”.

READING

1 True (T) or false (F)? Correct the false statements.

1 “CONSCIOUS” is the name of a dress on sale at H&M. T F

2 You can take clothes that you don’t wear to H&M stores for reuse. T F

3 H&M is the world’s largest retailer. T F

4 H&M only use 100% recycled materials. T F

5 Fast fashion is having a negative impact on our planet. T F

2 Complete the following sentences using the information in the box.

62 • 2030 • 4 • 2,700 • 1947

1 The dress in H&M stores last summer cost just £__________________.

2 By the year __________________ H&M aim to use recycled or sustainable materials.

3 The store was founded in __________________.

4 You can find branches of H&M in __________________ countries.

5 To make one T-shirt over __________________ litres of water are required.

THE SIMPLE PAST

TO BE

I / He / She / It was You / We / They were

Was I / he / she / it? Were you / we / they?

• Il simple past si usa per parlare di azioni o situazioni collocate in un preciso momento nel passato.

I / He / She / It wasn’t You / We / They weren’t

Wasn’t I / he / she / it? Weren’t you / we / they?

Roberta was in Milan yesterday for a school project. Roberta era a Milano ieri per un progetto scolastico. Were you out last night? Eri fuori la notte scorsa?

1 Complete the sentences with was / were or wasn’t / weren’t.

1 My grandfather doesn’t work now, he’s retired – but he ____________ a fireman.

2 “____________ you all at Sofia’s birthday party last Saturday?” “Not everybody ____________ there. Unfortunately, Chris ____________ very well, so he ____________ there. But it ____________ a great party because it ____________ at the beach!”

3 Yesterday ____________ my dad’s birthday – that’s why my sister and I ____________ at hockey practice.

4 “You ____________ at school this morning! Where ____________ you?” “I ____________ at the dentist’s.”

5 “____________ your parents born in England or Italy?” “My mum ____________ born in Italy but my dad ____________ born in Sicily.”

6 ____________ those your teachers at that new café this afternoon?

7 There ____________ many people at the beach on Saturday because the weather ____________ very good –cold and cloudy.

8 That ____________ a terrible match – we ____________ awful!

REGULAR VERBS

Soggetto + forma base del verbo + -ed Hannah passed all her exams easily.

Soggetto + didn’t + forma base del verbo They didn’t play tennis because the weather was awful. INTERROGATIVE FORM

Did + soggetto + forma base del verbo Did it rain during the night?

Didn’t + soggetto + forma base del verbo Didn’t we see that film at the cinema last year?

VARIAZIONI ORTOGRAFICHE

• I verbi che terminano con:

– -e aggiungono la d like ➞ liked

– -y preceduta da consonante trasformano la -y in -i tidy ➞ tidied

• Si raddoppia la consonante finale nei verbi:

– monosillabici che terminano con una sola consonante preceduta da una sola vocale clap ➞ clapped

– bisillabici terminanti con una consonante preceduta da una sola vocale e con l’accento sull’ultima sillaba prefer ➞ preferred – bisillabici che terminano in -l preceduta da una sola vocale control ➞ controlled

2 Write the correct form of the verb (affirmative or negative). Choose from the box. work • know • watch • like • listen • arrive • disturb • study • be (x 3) • travel • enjoy

1 I ___________________ all summer at a beach restaurant. It ___________________ hard work but I ___________________ myself!

2 They ___________________ at school this morning at 10 o’clock because there ___________________ a train strike.

3 Last night I ___________________ television until two o’clock in the morning!

4 My mum ___________________ to lots of countries as a student.

5 We ___________________ that new pizzeria at all. The pizzas ___________________ terrible!

6 We ___________________ this afternoon, we ___________________ to music instead!

7 I ___________________ she was busy, so I ___________________ her.

IRREGULAR VERBS

• Il simple past dei verbi irregolari è la seconda forma del paradigma del verbo. In alcuni casi è uguale al participio passato.

INFINITIVE SIMPLE PAST PAST PARTICIPLE go went gone buy bought bought cost cost cost

• Le forme interrogativa, negativa e interrogativanegativa si costruiscono come nei verbi regolari. Did you buy that phone at the new store in the mall? Hai comprato quel telefono nel nuovo negozio nel centro commerciale?

I didn’t have time to go to the museum, it closed at 6.30.

Non ho avuto tempo di andare al museo, ha chiuso alle 18.30.

Didn’t you do the KET exam last year? Non hai fatto l’esame KET l’anno scorso?

3 Complete the sentences using a verb from the box in the correct form (affirmative, negative or interrogative).

go • see • get • drink • sleep • pay • be (x2) • send • buy • have • stay

1 The exam centre _______________ me an email with all the information about the PET exam yesterday.

2 I _______________ Breakpoint on Netflix last weekend – it’s really good!

3 “How much _______________ for that jacket? _______________ it expensive?”

“No, I _______________ it in that little secondhand shop in the village.”

4 “_______________ on holiday abroad this summer?”

“No, we _______________ at home.”

5 Fred was angry because _______________ a bad mark in his English test.

6 We _______________ a picnic in the park on Sunday because it _______________ windy.

7 I _______________ too much coke yesterday – I _______________ at all last night!

4 Write the questions. Look at the example.

“Where did you go for your holidays?”

“We went to Tuscany.”

1 “________________________________________?”

“Chloe bought an e-bike with her savings.”

2 “ ?”

“We stayed at home last night.”

3 “ ?”

“I went to swimming practice four times a week when I was younger.”

4 “ ?”

“Carl travelled through Europe by bicycle.”

5 “ ?”

“There were 60 000 people at Coldplay’s concert in Rome!”

6 “ ?”

“We saw Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon.”

7 “ ?”

“They got home at one o’clock this morning.”

8 “ ?”

“My grandmother was born in Paris.”

THE PAST CONTINUOUS

I / He / She / It + was + forma in -ing del verbo

You / We / They + were + forma in -ing del verbo

When I called her she was having lunch.

Was + I / he / she / it + forma in -ing del verbo

Were + we / you / they + forma in -ing del verbo

How fast were you driving when the police stopped you?

I / He / She / It + wasn’t + forma in -ing del verbo

You / We / They + weren’t + forma in -ing del verbo

You weren’t listening – that’s why you don’t understand!

Wasn’t + I / he / she / it + forma in -ing del verbo

Weren’t + we / you / they + forma in -ing del verbo

Wasn’t she waiting for you at the station?

• Il past continuous si usa per parlare di ciò che stava accadendo in un determinato momento nel passato.

I was sending a message to my friend when the teacher walked into the room.

Stavo inviando un messaggio a un mio amico quando l’insegnante è entrato in classe.

5 Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the past continuous.

1 They ________________ (have) lunch in a street café when they saw the accident.

2 He ________________ (watch) TV when there was a blackout.

3 Who ________________ (you, wait) for when I saw you outside the cinema yesterday?

4 Adam ________________ (play) rugby when he fell and sprained his ankle.

5 As usual the students________________ (not, listen) to the teacher.

6 I ________________ (not, chat) with my friends on Instagram when you called me, I ________________ (do) my English homework!

6 Simple past or past continuous? Choose the correct alternative.

1 We were watching / watched television when we were hearing / heard a noise upstairs.

2 The girls played / were playing rugby in the back garden when Holly kicked / was kicking the ball and it hit / was hitting the window

3 Sue was swimming / swam in the sea when a jellyfish stung / was stinging her.

4 Did you enjoy / Were you enjoying your trip to the Cote d’Azur?

5 This time last month I was lying / lay on a tropical beach.

6 Tracy was listening / listened to music so she didn’t hear / wasn’t hearing the doorbell.

7 Dan looked / was looking at his phone when he walked / was walking into a lampost.

She wasn’t paying attention so she didn’t know how to do the exercise.

Non prestava attenzione quindi non sapeva come fare l’esercizio.

What were you doing this time last year?

Che cosa stavi facendo a quest’ora l’anno scorso?

7 Reorder the words and write sentences using the past continuous and the simple past.

1 live / Gemma / Naples / boyfriend / in / her / she / when / meet

2 do / call / you / What / I / when?

3 his / rugby / break / He / play / he / when / leg

4 the classroom / sandwich / walked into / eat / Tom / teacher / a / when / the

5 race / win / Jane / fall over / when / the / she

8 Put the verb in the correct form, past simple or past continuous.

1 “What time ___________ (the courier, come) this morning?” “At seven o’clock, while we ___________ (have breakfast).”

2 “How ___________ (you, break) that vase?”

“I ___________ (not, break) it! It ___________ (be) the cat. It ___________ (run) around like crazy and ___________ (knock) the vase off the table.”

3 When the teacher ___________ (walk) into the classroom, Kev ___________ (eat) a piece of pizza.

4 “How ___________ (you, break) your arm?”

“I ___________ (change) a lightbulb and I ___________ (fall) off the chair.”

5 “What ___________ (happen) to your foot?”

“I ___________ (cut) the grass when a snake ___________ (bite) me!”

6 While we ___________ (have) dinner the waiter ___________ (drop) a pile of plates.

Grammar ZONE

DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS

• I dimostrativi sono this (“questo/a”), that (“quello/a”), these (“questi/e”), those (“quelli/e”). Possono essere usati sia come aggettivi che come pronomi.

DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES

This phone is mine. Questo telefono è mio.

That boy over there is my boyfriend. Quel ragazzo laggiù è il mio fidanzato.

Did you make those biscuits? Hai fatto tu quei biscotti?

These shoes are horrible! Queste scarpe sono orribili!

9 Complete the sentences with this, that, these, those.

1 Aberystwyth?? Where’s _________________?

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

This is my English teacher. Questo/a è il mio/la mia insegnante di inglese.

Is that your new school? È quella la tua nuova scuola?

These are my birthday presents. Questi sono i miei regali di compleanno.

Those are my schoolfriends. Quelli sono i miei compagni di scuola.

• I dimostrativi si usano anche quando si presenta qualcuno: Jim, this is Kay Nice to meet you!

• Al telefono Hi Ann, this is Claire. Is that Mr Harries?

2 Is the English exam tomorrow? Yes, _________________’s right.

3 Yummy!! _________________ cherries are delicious; where did you buy them?

4 How much are _________________ boots over there in the window?

5 Look over there! Isn’t _________________ Lionel Messi?

6 Who is _________________ lady over there with your mum?

7 Hey Michelle! Is _________________ your e-book? It was in the bathroom!

8 Where are _________________ books I lent you last week?

9 “Ann, _________________ is Leo.” “Hi, Leo! Nice to meet you!”

10 Complete using this / that / these / those and one of the words in the box. smartwatch • memory stick • sunglasses • flip flops

11 Read the following text and choose the correct alternative.

Speeding 1 Motorist

Late one night a young man (1) was speeding / sped down an empty road. A policeman (2) saw / was seeing him go flying past so he (3) was chasing / chased2 him and stopped him.

The policeman went up to the car and he asked, “Do you know how fast you (4) were going / went, sir?”

The man replied, “Yes, I am. I (5) was trying / tried to escape a robbery3.”

The policeman looked at him and asked him, “Did somebody rob you, sir?”

The man casually replied, “Oh no, I committed the robbery. I was escaping.”

The policeman was shocked. He said, “So you’re telling me you (6) committed / were committing a robbery?!”

“Oh yes,” replied the man calmly. “I have all the money in the boot4.”

The policeman got angry and said, “Sir, I’m afraid you have to come with me, and give me that bag please.”

The man (7) shouted / was shouting, “Don’t do that! There’s a gun5 in that bag!” The policeman (8) stopped / was stopping and said, “Wait here.”

He returned to his car and called for more help.

Soon there were cars, policeman and helicopters everywhere.

The police handcuffed and (9) arrested / were arresting the man.

Just before he got in the police car a policeman said, “Sir, this officer tells us that you committed a robbery, stole money, and you have a gun in your bag. However, we (10) didn’t find / weren’t finding anything.”

“Yeah,” the man replied, “and I bet6 he said I was speeding too!”

Translate the following sentences. Then listen and check.

1 speeding_eccesso di velocità, superare il limite di velocità

2 to chase_rincorrere

3 robbery_furto

4 boot_bagagliao

5 gun_pistola

6 to bet_scommettere

1 Ho visto Jacopo ieri pomeriggio al centro commerciale ma lui non mi ha visto. Stava chiacchierando con i suoi amici.

2 Questa borsa è la mia, quella è la tua!

3 Mentre Federica stava nuotando in mare qualcuno ha rubato il suo asciugamano.

4 Quelle ragazze laggiù sono le mie compagne di squadra.

5 Il criceto è scappato mentre pulivo la sua gabbia.

6 Perché hai buttato quella rivista? La stavo ancora leggendo!

7 Questa pasta è deliziosa! Come l’hai fatta?

8 Stavamo facendo la lezione di inglese quando è mancata la luce!

9 Stavo prendendo il sole quando improvvisamente ha iniziato a piovere!

The Gulf

Gruppo Editoriale ELi

Casa

G. Principato

The Gulf

The Gulf of Mexico

THE NINTH LARGEST BODY OF WATER1 IN THE WORLD

The Gulf of Mexico is bordered by Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas to the north, five Mexican states to the west, and the island of Cuba to the southeast. It is fed2 by many rivers in the US and Mexico, including the Mississippi River. Water enters the Gulf through the Yucatan Strait and exits through the Florida Strait, forming the warm Gulf Stream. It is a biologically fertile area in a sub-tropical climate where hurricanes are common. Its economy is based primarily on tourism, recreation and fishing.

THE HABITAT

The Gulf of Mexico offers many different habitats. In the coastal wetlands3, marshes4 and bayous are covered with submerged vegetation like mangroves, palmetto trees and long grass. The marine areas contain estuaries, lagoons and salt-water bays. Coral reef ecosystems are extremely diverse, supporting more than 6000 species. Inland areas like prairies and grasslands can be found further west.

The characters

JORDAN

is tall and thin, with dark brown hair and a short beard. He is 18 and has just finished high school. He wants to spend the summer in Louisiana as a volunteer in an association to clean up the Gulf of Mexico after the oil spill1

DANA is in her late teens2. Her family is from the Houma Native American tribe. She’s slim with long, black hair and sea-green eyes. Her skin is golden brown. She plays the violin, accordion3 and many other unusual Cajun4 instruments.

TWAIN is Dana’s 25-year-old brother. He is short with dark brown eyes and short hair. He has a black cat named Huck who follows him everywhere.

GATOR is Dana and Twain’s father. He’s a shrimp and crab5 fisherman, with silver hair, tanned skin and a crab tattoo on his arm.

IRENE

is Dana and Twain’s grand-mother. A Native American from the Houma community, she is full of ancient wisdom6 and has natural remedies for many illnesses.

JOY NOAH

is a marine biologist and head of the Marine Center. She is in her early thirties, with blond hair pulled back in a pony tail7 and glasses. She believes that it is possible to save the Gulf.

1 oil spill fuoriuscita di petrolio, disastro petrolifero

2 in her late teens nella sua tarda adolescenza

3 accordion fisarmonica

4 Cajun Comunità autosufficienti che vivono nelle aree bayu della Louisiana meridionale, formate da discendenti francesi canadesi che parlano una forma arcaica di francese.

5 shrimp and crab gamberetti e granchi

6 ancient wisdom antica saggezza

7 pony tail coda di cavallo

The Gulf of Mexico

THE WILDLIFE

The Gulf is home to very diverse forms of life, from killer whales to starfish. It provides rich natural habitats to sea birds, turtles, oysters, and alligators. Migrating birds find a winter home in the rivers and estuaries. Twenty-nine marine mammal species live here, including bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales5, and sharks. Invertebrates like zooplankton and shrimp are abundant. Each of these species plays a key role in the food chain.

1 body of water bacino d’acqua

2 fed alimentato

3 wetlands zone umide

4 marshes paludi

5 humpback whales megattere

The Green Turtle

Green turtles are the largest of all the hardshelled1 sea turtles. They eat mainly sea grasses and algae. Every two to four years, female turtles travel long distances back to the beaches where they were born. Here they dig holes2 and lay their eggs. The baby turtles must get back down to the water without being eaten by birds, crabs or other predators. Green turtles are an endangered species. On land, their habitats are destroyed by pollution from oil spills and industrial waste. In the sea, turtles often die from eating plastic debris3

1 hard-shelled con il guscio duro

2 dig holes scavano buchi

3 debris detriti, scorie

Deepwater

Jordan and his family were at the dinner table.

“Deepwater?” asked Jordan’s father, surprised.

“Yeah, don’t you remember Deepwater, the oil spill in 2010?” said Jordan. “All that horrible pollution in the Gulf of Mexico? They need volunteers to help.”

“Of course, I remember,” said his father. “A terrible disaster! But isn’t everything ok now? In the news, they say the Gulf is clean and the tourists are back.”

“No way!1 There are lots of problems. There are still animals covered in oil. Wildlife and plants are still dying. And the fishermen are losing their jobs because there are no more fish.”

“But what can you, a simple high school student, do?” asked his father.

“I’m going to help study the wildlife. We need to count the number of animals we find on the Mississippi River and in the Gulf.”

His mother looked at him and asked: “When do you leave?” “In three weeks.”

“And for how long?”

“One month. The first week is Orientation Camp at the Marine Center where we study the ecosystem. Then we do a special rescue course2 to learn how to save animals. After that we spend one week on the Mississippi River looking for wildlife and recording what we find. During the last week we work on the beaches in the Gulf, counting sea mammals3 and cleaning them.”

“Awesome!4” Jordan’s little sister said. “We’re studying the Gulf of Mexico in Geography this week.”

Samantha began reciting from memory: “The Gulf of Mexico is bordered by the US to the north, Mexico to the west, and the island of Cuba to the southeast…”

Jordan laughed. “Thanks Little Miss Knowit-all5!”

“I hope it’s not dangerous,” said his mother. She was worried.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be fine.” He felt silly6 when his mother treated him like a child.

“What about your band?” asked Samantha.

“Don’t you have any concerts this summer?”

“No, we’re taking a break. We need some new ideas.”

“And what about Helen?” asked his mother.

“Please Mom!” Jordan left the table suddenly.

“He needs a new girlfriend too!” said Samantha, smiling.

The Gulf

COMPREHENSION

1 Report back. Use the following words to complete the summary.

clean • surprised • disaster • plants • wildlife association • danger • dinner table • mammals • the summer • worried

One evening, at the (1) _____________, Jordan told his family that he wanted to go to the Gulf of Mexico for one month during (2) _____________. He planned to work for a (3) _____________. His mother was (4) _____________, and his father was (5) _____________.

But Jordan was convinced he could help the wildlife there. Many animals and (6) _________ were in (7) _________ because of the Deepwater Oil Spill, a terrible environmental (8) _________. Jordan’s job was to count sea (9) ___________ and to (10) ___________ them.

2 True (T) or false (F)? Correct the false sentences. 1 Deepwater was a film made

course,

The beaches in the Gulf of Mexico are now all clean.

3 Match each character (1-5) with what they say or do (a-e) in episode 1.

a plays in a band.

b is studying geography at school.

c reads the news.

d asks about Jordan’s girlfriend.

e is Jordan’s girlfriend.

Episode 2

The Gulf AssociationWildlife

“Here’s your guitar, kid,” the bus driver said to Jordan.

“Thanks,” said Jordan.

Walking away from the bus, he saw the Gulf Wildlife Association Center in front of him.

“Hello! Are you Jordan?” a man in his thirties with wild blond hair was waving1 from the door. “Welcome to the GWA! I’m Toni. Come on in2.”

The center was a wooden building with big glass windows. “This is the dormitory,” said Toni pointing to a large room with 20 bunk beds3.

Jordan looked out the window. The view of the Gulf was amazing4, with long sandy beaches, deep blue water, and pelicans flying in formation.

“If you’re lucky, you might see a dolphin out there,” promised Toni.

“Here’s the kitchen, and there’s the communal room. There is a free WiFi-zone and a free library where you can borrow and lend books.”

“Come on,” said Toni. “Let’s go meet the patients.”

He opened the door to an area with four large pools. Each pool contained a mammal. A big man with dark brown eyes and short hair was throwing fish into one of the pools.

“Hey, Twain, this is Jordan, the new volunteer,” Toni called out. “And that’s Twain’s black cat, Huck. He follows him everywhere!”

After they shook hands5, Twain introduced Jordan to each of the animals.

“This one’s Spinner,” said Twain, pointing to a young seal6. “We rescued him on the beach near the center.”

“What’s wrong with him?” asked Jordan. “He looks fine!” “He is now, but he was covered in oil when we found him, and couldn’t swim. He’s going to be released7 into the harbour8 tomorrow.”

“And who is that?” asked Jordan, pointing to a sea otter9 on his back in the water, eating a piece of fish.

“That’s Juno. He’s just a pup10. He was alone when our volunteers found him. Young otters can’t survive on their own. Their mothers usually carry them around11 on their bellies12.”

Then Toni took Jordan to see the Rescue Room. Volunteers were busy cleaning birds

The Gulf

covered in oil and then drying them in towels.

“This is your first job,” said Toni. “It’s hard work, and the birds don’t always survive. But when they do, it’s a beautiful experience.”

1 was waving salutava agitando la mano

2 Come on in Entra

3 bunk beds letti a castello

4 amazing straordinaria, eccezionale

5 shook hands stretta di mano

6 seal foca

7 released rimessa in libertà

8 harbour porto

9 sea otter lontra marina

10 pup cucciolo

11 carry them around li portano in giro

12 bellies pance, ventri

COMPREHENSION

1 Report back. Reorder the following events. The first one has been done for you.

Toni waved to Jordan from the entrance of the GWA.

1 Jordan got off the bus in front of the Gulf Wildlife Association.

Jordan met Twain and his cat, Huck.

Toni and Jordan watched the volunteers in the Rescue Room as they cleaned the birds.

Twain introduced Jordan to a young seal and an otter.

Toni showed Jordan around the Association. Toni took Jordan to the dormitory.

2 Choose the correct alternative.

1 In the dormitory, there was

a a free library.

b a free wifi-zone.

c a window with an amazing view.

2 The young seal was rescued because he a was covered in oil.

b was alone.

c was with his mother.

3 Young otters can’t survive alone because

a they can’t see.

b they need their mothers.

c they can’t hear.

4 The volunteers have to clean the birds because

a they can’t swim.

b they can’t hear.

c they can’t fly.

5 Jordan’s first job is

a cleaning birds.

b cleaning seals.

c feeding seals.

The Underwater Lab

“S o how much do you already know about the Gulf Oil Spill?” Joy Noah, the marine biologist, asked the new group of volunteers at the Marine Center. She loved the Gulf of Mexico and the people who wanted to save it.

“Here’s an easy question. When and where did it happen?” “On the Deepwater Horizon offshore1 drilling rig2 in 2010,” replied one of the volunteers, very sure of herself. “Forty miles off the Louisiana Coast.”

“Correct! How much oil was spilled?” asked Joy.

“3 million barrels4?” asked Jordan. He was just guessing5. “More, the official number is 4.9 million,” said a boy. “It took 87 days to put a cap on the pipe6. All that time oil poured into ocean!”

“That’s right,” said Joy, pointing to a photo. “Here’s a picture of the explosion on the oil rig. We took it from our research boat.”

“What’s this here?” cried out a young girl. “A black starfish? I’ve never seen one like that!”

“Starfish aren’t black normally,” explained the scientist. “This one is covered in oil, just like this poor pelican.” The pelican in the photo was trying to fly.

“With all that oil, it can’t get into the air,” explained Joy. “Our volunteers cleaned it, but it didn’t survive. The only products which really clean the oil are too toxic. They are bad for animals and the environment.”

“That’s terrible,” exclaimed Jordan. “There must be a solution.”

“I hope so, but the scientists haven’t found one yet. Come over here8,” Joy invited the group into a room with enormous windows. Outside they could see the sea floor and the fish swimming by.

“This is the coral reef,” explained Joy as she looked out the window. “It’s very important for all the organisms. But look at all that black stuff9 on the coral. That’s from the oil spill. It’s very toxic, so bad for the fish. And it isn’t just out here on the coast. I’ve found it up the river and in the bayous10 too. I need to explore the waterways11 more, but it’s so difficult to

The Gulf

COMPREHENSION

navigate them. Only the people who live there really know the area. But I’m an outsider for them, so they don’t trust me.”

1 offshore in mare aperto

2 drilling rig piattaforma petrolifera

3 forty miles off quaranta miglia al largo

4 barrels barili

5 guessing indovinando

6 put a cap on the pipe mettere un tappo sull’oleodotto

7 poured into è colato (nell’oceano)

8 come over there venite qui

9 stuff roba

10 bayous rami paludosi del fiume

11 waterways corsi d’acqua navigabili

1 Report back. The following are three short summaries of episode 3. Choose the correct one.

1 Joy Noah, the marine biologist took the group of volunteers on her research boat to take pictures of the offshore drilling rig. But there was too much oil in the water, so they had to return to the Marine Center.

2 Joy Noah, the marine biologist met with the group of volunteers to explain the effects of the Deepwater Oil Spill. She showed them pictures of animals covered in oil, and explained why she needed to explore the river and the bayous.

3 Joy Noah, the marine biologist met with the group of volunteers to explain why the Coral Reef is important for organisms. She wanted to take them all to visit the bayous because they were so beautiful.

2 Choose the correct alternative.

1 Jordan knew / didn’t know how much oil spilled into the Gulf after the Deepwater explosion.

2 The pelican in the photo could / couldn’t fly.

3 The products used to clean birds covered in oil are toxic / aren’t toxic

4 Joy has found / hasn’t found oil in the river and bayous.

5 The people who live in the bayous trusted / didn’t trust outsiders

3 Answer the questions.

1 When did the Deepwater Horizon offshore explosion happen?

2 How long did it take to stop the oil that was spilling into the ocean?

3 Why was the starfish in the photo black?

4 Why didn’t the pelican in the photo survive?