Navigate Upper-Intermediate Watch the video and do the ex-es 1, 3, 4 slide 15

ex. 1 / Match the sentences halves.

  1. An official language is a language — c
  2. An indigenous language is a language — e
  3. A dominant language is the language — a
  4. A minority language is an official language that is spoken — b
  5. A global language is spoken — d

ex. 3 / Watch the video. Are sentences 1-5 true (T) or false (F).

  1. 92% of people in the UK speak English as their first language. — T
  2. In Scotland, Scottish Gaelic is spoken by around 60,000 people. — T
  3. In Ireland, only a few people understand Irish. — F
  4. In Wales, Welsh is spoken by about 50% of the population. — F
  5. In Cornwall, hardly anybody speaks Cornish. — T

ex. 4 / Watch again. Choose the correct option to complete the sentences, according to the video.

  1. Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Cornish have their roots in Celtic.
  2. There are Scottish Gaelic communities in northern Canada.
  3. The first official language of the Republic of Ireland is Irish.
  4. Welsh is most spoken in the north of Wales.
  5. Cornish is spoken by a few hundred people.
  6. Experts predict that 90% of the world’s languages will die out by the end of the century.

Navigate Upper-Intermediate Review 1a, b, 2a, 3 slide 16

ex. 1a / Write questions about the underlined pronouns.

1. A: It arrived this morning.
B: What arrived this morning?
A: Your postcard.

2. A: She collects old typewriters.
B: Who collects old typewriters?
A: My cousin.

3. A: I texted him by mistake.
B: Whom did you text by mistake?
A: Mattias.

4. A: He often confuses me with my twin brother.
B: Who often confuses you with your twin brother?
A: My football coach.

5. A: I had never heard of it before.
B: What had you never heard of before?
A: Silbo Gomero.

ex. b / Complete each question by adding the missing word.

  1. How many friends can you truly rely on?
  2. Do you think you will go abroad this summer?
  3. What are you learning English for?
  4. Is there anything you strongly disapprove of?

ex. 2a / Complete the paragraph with the present perfect simple or continuous.

I’m going on a big trip to Argentina soon, so for the last few weeks I’ve been trying to brush up my Spanish. I’ve studied Spanish before, but I’ve forgotten quite a lot, so I’ve gone to evening classes. They’ve been very helpful. I’ve downloaded a Spanish vocabulary app for extra practice and I’ve also read a book in Spanish. It’s a slow process, but I’ve nearly finished it.

ex. 3 / Complete the article with words from the box.

(appropriate, awkward, ease, impression, offend, row, small)

It is a well-known fact that the British are fond of talking about the weather, but it is important to realize that British conversations about the weather are not really about the weather at all. Weather-speak is simply a way of helping us feel at ease in social situations. It is used in three specific contexts:  

  • as a simple greeting
  • as a form of small talk leading to conversation about other more important matters
  • as a filler when there is an awkward silence during a conversation

It is seen as a safe, impersonal topic, which is unlikely to offend anybody or lead to a row.

Something to bear in mind when speaking to a British person about the weather is that you are expected to agree. If somebody says ‘Ooh, isn’t it cold?’, an appropriate reply would be ‘Yes, isn’t it?’ or ‘Mmm, very cold’. If you said ‘No actually, it’s quite mild’, you would create a very bad impression.