This is a guest post by my friend, colleague and co-host of the podcast 2Ts in a pod, Katy Wright. It’s designed to help students preparing for the B2 first exam get to grips with some of the phrasal verbs and fixed expressions they might encounter in the exam. Students read a text about Jim’s forgotten dream, then try to recreate the text using key words. Download the student handout below:
A FORGOTTEN DREAM
- Look at the pictures. What is the story about?
- Read the story. Were your predictions correct?
Jim couldn’t stand his job. All he did all day was sit at his desk and pretended to work while watching the heavy rain outside his window. He was meant to be selling insurance on the phone, but he wasn’t very good at it. In fact, he had sold very few contracts. This was because all he had ever wanted to do was be an actor in Hollywood. He had loved acting when he was a teenager, but instead of going to America he studied Business and he put off looking for fame. “I’ll look into that when I have finished Uni” he said to himself. This was his biggest regret in life. On his way into work that day, his 15-year-old car broke down. Standing in the rain trying to change the tire he made up his mind. He wasn’t going to carry on like this. He was going to make a big change…
- Answer the questions in groups.
- What is Jim’s big dream?
- Why do you think Jim didn’t decide to become an actor after Uni?
- What do you think makes him change his mind?
- What big change do you think he is going to make?
- What will happen at the end of the story?
- What do you the expressions in yellow mean?
- Can you translate them to Catalan/Spanish?
- Do you have similar expression in Catalan/Spanish?
- Try to remember the original expression used in the story. The words in brackets are to help you.
Jim hated (STAND) his job. All he did all say was sit at his desk and pretended to work while watching as it rained heavily (HEAVY) outside his window. He should have been (MEANT) selling insurance on the phone, but he wasn’t very good at it. In fact, he didn’t sell many (FEW) contracts. This was because all he had ever wanted to do was be an actor in Hollywood. He had loved acting when he was a teenager, but rather than go (OF) to America he studied Business and he postponed looking (PUT) for fame. “I’ll investigate (INTO) that when I have finished Uni” he said to himself. This was his biggest regret in life. On his way into work that day his 15-year-old car stopped working (DOWN). Standing in the rain trying to change the tire he made a decision (UP). He wasn’t going to continue like this any longer (ON). He was going to make a big change…
- Write the original expressions here:
- STAND…………………………………………………………………………
- HEAVY…………………………………………………………………………
- MEANT …………………………………………………………………………
- FEW …………………………………………………………………………
- OF …………………………………………………………………………
- PUT …………………………………………………………………………
- INTO …………………………………………………………………………
- DOWN …………………………………………………………………………
- UP …………………………………………………………………………
- ON …………………………………………………………………………
- Write the rest of the story. Use the questions to help you.
Middle:
- What does he decide to do next?
- How will he change his life?
- What does he do to help him realize his dreams?
End:
- Does he finally reach his goals?
- How does he feel about his situation?
- Does he ever think about his old life?
- Read all of the paragraphs and vote on the you think is the best
