A new start

• doing new and different things
• present simple and continuous tenses (revision)
• present meanings of the present perfect tense
• present perfect simple and continuous tenses
• writing college application forms

A new start: Mahmoud's first week at college

Well, the first week has nearly passed, with no real problems to tell you about so far. It hasn’t been easy though.

Now read the email Mahmoud sent home.

• Mahmoud says it hasn’t been easy: so many things are different from what he’s used to.
• The language is one thing: he’s studied English for many years, but it is like being a beginner all over again.
• It seems as if everyone is speaking a different language from the one he studied at school.
• Still, he’s beginning to get used to hearing English all around him.

Read the email quickly. Then answer the questions.

Where do you think Mahmoud is and what is he doing there?

What words in the email helped you to decide? Make a list.

Who do you think Mahmoud is writing to?

Read the email again. Then answer the questions.

Has Mahmoud had any problems in his new situation?

What surprised him about the language at first?

Why is this better now?

What has he been doing so far?

Why has he joined the Palestine Society?

Clubs and societies: the Freshers’ Week notice

Read the notice. Then complete the tasks below.

Find words or phrases in the notice that have these meanings. (They are in the same order as in the text.) not compulsory

with similar attitudes

take part (in)

area of interest

able to be seen

Use the words and phrases in Part 1 to complete the sentences below.

There are lots of good paintings ___ at the museum this week.

I don’t know much about biology. It’s not really my ___ .

This part of the form is ___ . You don’t have to fill it in.

Luckily, I live in a shared house with ___ people.

Unfortunately, his English isn’t good enough to ___ in academic discussions.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone

Look at the picture and quotation. Then discuss the questions below in pairs or small groups.

What do you think the phrase ‘comfort zone’ might mean?

Why do you think people are often advised to move outside their comfort zones?

Read the first paragraph of the text and see how close your ideas were to the writer’s definition of ‘comfort zone’.

Comfort zone: what it is and why it helps to leave it

• Obviously, staying inside your comfort zone has many benefits, especially at times when you’re feeling under stress.

• Unfortunately, people often get stuck in their comfort zones and don’t feel able to try different things.
• There are various possible reasons for this. They may be afraid of failing or unsure how to begin.
• Many people think ‘This is the way I am and I’ll never change’, using this as an excuse for not trying something new.

Read the rest of the text. Then complete the tasks below.

Replace the underlined parts of the sentences with words or phrases from the text.

1 I only need one more card to make a complete group. ___

2 We often get bored with the same everyday things we do regularly. ___

3 I know a lot about the subject, so I’m quite sure that I’ll succeed. ___

4 I’m not sure why she feels tired, but I think stress may be a part of the reason. ___

5 She isn’t a great singer yet, but she has great possibilities for the future. ___

6 He’s very good at making artistic things. Apart from writing poetry and songs, he paints wonderful pictures. ___

7 With its wheels in the soft ground, the car was completely unable to move. ___

8 I’m sure he isn’t really ill. I think it’s just an untrue reason for not working hard. ___

Match the pronouns (highlighted in the text) with the nouns or noun phrases that they refer to.

Complete the sentences with phrases from the text (3 words maximum).

1 Staying in your comfort zone is a way of avoiding ___ events.

2 People often prefer to stay in their comfort zones, particularly if they are ___ .

3 ___ often recommend leaving your comfort zone.

4 Knowing that you are developing helps you feel ___ yourself.

5 Sometimes people don’t do something different because they don’t know ___ .

6 You may have to ___ to do something new, but you won’t be sorry.

Discuss this question in pairs.

What kind of activities are in your own comfort zone, and what kind are definitely outside it?

I’m quite comfortable talking to friends, but talking to strangers is outside my comfort zone.

I’m the same, especially speaking in public – that’s a long way outside my comfort zone.

Present simple or present continuous: the rules

• We use the present _ tense to talk about regular or repeated actions, especially with ‘frequency adverbs’ like _ .
• We also use this tense for general truths that don’t change, and for some state verbs that are not actions, for example ___ or like.

We use the present _ tense to talk about regular or repeated actions, especially with ‘frequency adverbs’ like _ .

We also use this tense for general truths that don’t change, and for some state verbs that are not actions, for example ___ or like.

We use the present ___ tense to describe actions that are in progress at or around the time of speaking, or to talk about continuous change that isn’t finished yet.

Some state verbs, for example _ , can be used in both tenses ( and __ ) but with a different meaning, according to whether or not the verb is an action.

• We use the present ___ tense to describe actions that are in progress at or around the time of speaking, or to talk about continuous change that isn’t finished yet.
• Some state verbs, for example _ , can be used in both tenses ( and __ ) but with a different meaning, according to whether or not the verb is an action.

• We have three bedrooms in our new house.
• Sorry, you can’t speak to him now. He’s having a shower.
• He’s looking in the mirror and he looks very smart.
• I think this bike is cool. I’m really thinking about buying one.

Complete the sentences with the verbs in the box.

1 I ___ this is the right answer, but I’m not really sure.

2 We ___ that this problem will be solved very soon.

3 Those people ___ to be arguing, but I can’t hear very clearly.

4 Not many people ___ how good he is at painting.

5 Have we met before? I ___ your face.

6 He says he’s ill, but I’m not sure if I ___ him.

3 Circle the correct option to complete the sentences.

1 I’m sorry, but I’m not agreeing / don’t agree with what you’re saying.

2 What happens / is happening outside?

3 I’m not enjoying / don’t enjoy parties normally, but I enjoy / am enjoying this one.

4 She might be able to see you, but she talks / is talking to a customer and it sometimes takes / is taking a long time.

5 He works / is working in the afternoons, but today he takes / is taking his son to the doctor.

6 That man looks / is looking rather strange.

7 Everyone looks / is looking out of the window.

8 What do you think / are you thinking the reason for her success is?

9 You’re very quiet. What do you think / are you thinking about?

10 He has / is having a shower because he has / is having an important appointment.

Present perfect: what it tells us about now

Look at the two examples. Then answer the questions below.

Are the meanings of the two sentences different or more or less the same?

Does the first sentence (in the present perfect tense) tell us more about the past or the present?

Complete the present meanings of what these people are saying.

1 No thanks. I’ve already eaten. Thank you for the offer, but I’m not ___ .

2 They’ve arrived at last. We can start. They’re _ now, so we don’t need to _ any more.

3 We’ve already met. We ___ each other.

4 Have you heard of that man? Do ___ who he is?

5 I haven’t studied this before. I ___ about this subject.

Look at the examples. Then answer the questions below.

Which tense talks about 1 recent past experience important at the time of speaking? ___

2 general past experience (‘indefinite time’: the experience itself is what matters)? ___

3 actions that began in the past and have continued up to present? ___

4 unfinished actions that have been in progress throughout the period? ___

4 Complete the sentences with the correct tense of the verbs in brackets: present perfect simple or continuous.

1 You should go to bed. You’ve _ on the computer for over two hours. (play) 2 How many times has he to his family this month? (write) 3 He’s with friends for too long. He needs to find a house of his own. (stay) 4 I can’t find my pen. Where have you it? (put) 5 I think someone has my phone. The battery is nearly dead. (use) 6 What has he all this time? We’ve for more than an hour. (do / wait) 7 I have him for nearly ten years. (know) 8 They have away for three nights. (be) 9 You were away a long time. What have you ? (do) 10 I’ve talked to him on the phone, but we have never __ . (meet)

5 Write the full questions. Then ask and answer them with a partner.

How many English books have you read? I’ve read a few at school, but I’ve only read one at home. 1 What kind of music / you / prefer?

2 How often / you / go to the cinema?

3 you / enjoy / playing computer games?

4 you / enjoy / this lesson?

5 you / ever / speak in public?

6 How many text or SMS messages / you / send today?

7 How long you / study English?

8 What / you / do / on Sundays?

Foundation courses and a college application

Look at the advert. Then answer the questions below.

1 What is a foundation course?

2 What kind of students are foundation courses good for?

2 Listen to a student talking about her future. Then answer the questions.

1 What is the student’s main interest?

2 What is she planning to do after June this year?

3 What does she want to do next year?

Now use your notes to fill in the form.

Write your own college application

Look again at the application in Period 5. Then discuss the questions below in pairs.

1 If you applied to do a similar foundation course, what subject would you choose, and why?

2 How do your previous experience and your present studies show your interest in this field?

3 Are there any phrases or full sentences in the application from Period 5 that you could use in your own application? Underline them.

Now write your own application using the information you discussed in Activity 1. When you have finished, show it to your partner.