Teacher Guide
After reading the text leading up to each gap, the students should have a feel for what type of comment fits next. They can eliminate some and use the linking expressions to help give clues. Discuss keywords that give hints about the tone of the writer and give other examples to help get the students familiar with their use. For example 'however', 'but', 'even' 'although'. After choosing one of the sentences, they should read it out within the text and make sure it sounds right, even considering the sentence that immediately follows it. If in doubt, try the other options too.
10mins - Conversation: What did you do last weekend? What do you usually do on the weekends? How do you like to spend your free time? What do you like to do with your friends? Practice personal information questions likely to be covered in speaking part 1. Ask the students to brainstorm some questions they think they could be asked.
05mins - Review online homework. What topics were discussed? Was the homework easy, medium or difficult? Answer any questions the students may have.
10mins - Worksheet: 28 reading practice - part 4 - Review the answers.15mins - Test: 28 reading practice - Part 6 - Review the answers.
15mins - Activity: writing practice - part 2. Have students create an outline in class (and begin writing the introduction if there's time). Ask students to complete the review for homework.
Reviews wanted! Can you share with us your best or worst hotel experiences? Write about a hotel of your choice. Describe the hotel and your personal experience of staying there. Tell us what you liked and did not like about the hotel. We will publish the best reviews in our magazine.
Useful phrases:
I was pleasantly surprised by...
What I disliked the most...
I couldn't believe that...
I found it to be...
I strongly recommend...
I wouldn't go/visit/do this again...
I give it (x) stars...
05mins - Warm-down, goodbye, see you next time.
00mins - Homework: Complete the next section of the online homework.
1) Read the entire text to understand the context.
2) Read the sentences before and after the gap and think about what information could be missing.
3) Look at the words directly before and after the gap. Consider a logical and natural way to link the two phrases.
4) Look out for words that move backwards and forwards in the text, such as it and this.
5) If you think two sentences can fit into a gap, leave them and move on to the next question. As you fill gaps with sentences, you will narrow down the remaining options.
- D - At least, though, I'm not the only fed-up wage slave to feel like this.
- F - Also, over two-thirds of them answered the next question, "Are you usually glad to be home after a holiday abroad?" with a presumably unhappy-sounding "No".
- C - For instance, that highly important task you left with a colleague that's been ignored and later caused your email inbox to turn toxic.
- G - Longer by at least a fortnight, I'd guess, than the holiday they'd taken.
- E - The next one is making sure I have a day off everything between getting home and going to work.
- A - By September, on the other hand, when the schools go back and the main summer holiday season is over, I'll be back to normal.