Lesson 9. HWUpI. We used to be like that.

WorkBook.

UNIT 9
An email to a friend
Dear Sally,
I hope you don’t mind me contacting you out of the blue like this. It’s taken me a while to track you down, but now I have, thanks to the wonders of Facebook!
I don’t know if you remember but we used to go to Allendales School together. You were the first person I got to know when I started there.
We used to sit next to each other in class, but then the teachers made us sit apart because we were always giggling so much.
I remember we’d go back to your house after school every day and listen to music for hours on end. We’d get all the Guns N’ Roses CDs as soon as they came out. Once we ate all the food in your fridge and your mother was furious.
Do you remember that time we nearly blew up the science lab?
The teacher went crazy, but it wasn’t our fault. We used to call him ‘Homer Simpson’ because he was small, fat, and bald.
I still see Penny, and she’s still as mad as ever. We meet up every now and again, and we’ll always end up chatting about old times together. She’s always talking about a school reunion.
So if you’re interested, drop me a line.
Looking forward to hearing back from you. It would be great to know how you’re doing.
Your old schoolmate
Alison Makepeace

PS I’m not used to calling you Sally Davies! To me, you’re still Sally Wilson!

T. 9.2
we used to go to school together
we used to sit next to each other
we were always giggling so much
we’d go back to your house
we used to call him ‘Homer Simpson’
I’m not used to calling you Sally Davies

1 I got on very well with my mother. She was my best friend, still is. We had to get on, really. Dad left when I was three. I used to tell her everything, well, nearly everything. And she’d talk to me very openly, too. Sometimes she’d say to me ‘Don’t go to school today. Stay with me.’ And we’d go out shopping or, or something like that. It’s a wonder I had any education at all, the number of days I missed from school.

2 It was my dad who used to drive me mad. He was always telling me to have my hair cut and dress more smartly. My mum was much more lenient. She never really minded how I dressed. But she would get angry when I picked at food before she’d put it on the table. ‘Get your hands off!’ she’d say. But I was always so hungry. I had such a big appetite for such a small, weedy child - then at 16 I suddenly shot up - I’m 6ft 5” now!

3 My mum was always nagging me, telling me to get off the computer, turn off the TV, pick up my things, do my homework. She’d keep on and on and then she’d be all put out when I’d shut myself away in my room. I just needed some peace and quiet each day. She just didn’t realise how hard it was for me at school, I wasn’t very popular, you see - so I would really need some time out when I got home.

4 I have very fond memories of my childhood.
To me it represented security. We used to do a lot together as a family. I remember walks, and picnics, and going for car rides on a Sunday afternoon. Every Friday when my Dad came home, he’d bring us each a treat, just something little. My mother used to say he was spoiling us, but why not? It didn’t do us any harm.

T 9.4
1 A You don’t like your new teacher, do you?
   В Not a lot, but we’re getting used to her.
2 A How can you get up at five o’clock in the morning?
   В No problem. I’m used to it.
3 A How come you know Madrid so well?
   В I used to live there.
4 A How are you finding your new job?
   В Difficult, but I’m getting used to it bit by bit.
5 A Do you read comics?
   В I used to when I was young, but not any more.
6 A You two argue so much. How can you live together?
   В After 20 years’ marriage were used to each other.

A teacher to remember

1 Sean
Funnily enough the teacher I’ll never forget is my Latin and Greek teacher - you may think they’re dry subjects -er dead languages but Mr Lang, the teacher, somehow used to make these dead languages seem dead easy. He looked the part - he was kind of traditional-looking - quite formal and serious. He’d always wear a dark green or dark brown suit and he had a long black
moustache. He’d been at the school for over 20 years so he must have been in his 50s I suppose. You’d think that everything about him was boring and serious, cos he never smiled or laughed, never, but somehow he was clear, interesting, and entertaining. He had a razor sharp wit, and there were jokes hidden in his words if you listened carefully - and we all did. I passed my exams but didn’t study Latin or Greek at university. However,
1 did study philosophy - and that was a direct result of learning about the great philosophers, Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, from Mr Lang.
2 Samantha
My most memorable teacher, hmm! 1 think that would be Mrs Chapman. I was about 13 or 14 and she was our English and drama teacher. She was short and a bit plump, dumpy in fact, with mousy-brown hair. She looked like everybody’s kind, middle-aged auntie but she wasn’t very kind. She had a big loud voice and she used to like to get us to act out the plays we were studying and she’d shout ‘speak up, speak up and think about the meaning of the words’. But what I remember most about her is her ruler. She had this wooden ruler and if anyone was looking sleepy or bored she’d poke them on the shoulder with this ruler and shout ‘wake up girl’ or ‘boy’. Then one day she spotted someone asleep, fast asleep and snoring, at the back of the class. Mrs Chapman was sooo furious she slammed the ruler down on his desk and it broke in half. We were all scared stiff. She didn’t throw the ruler away - after that, it was even sharper when she poked you in the back. Maybe her lessons helped me though - I’m a barrister now and when I have to speak in court Mrs Chapman’s words ring in my ear: ‘speak up, speak clearly girl!’
3 Rupert
I don’t think I ever had a favourite teacher but I had a least favourite teacher and weirdly he was probably the most successful teacher I ever had. You see when I was at primary school I was really good at maths - I could do it all. But when I went to secondary school I had a succession of dismal maths teachers and by the time I took my exams at 16 I was absolutely hopeless. I failed miserably. And I needed to pass maths to get into university, so I had to retake it. This time with a very different teacher, Mr Biggs. I have no idea how old he was - just old - but you know when you’re 16, 35 seems old. I’d say he was probably in his late 30s and big like his name with a huge booming voice. He was very sarcastic and it seemed to be his mission in life to embarrass his students and me particularly because I’d joined the class to do a resit. He was always getting me out to the front of the class to do sums on the board and he’d sneer if I got it wrong, which was most of the time. I hated him with a passion but actually his explanations were crystal clear and gradually over the year I improved. I got a really good pass in the end and got into a good university.
4 Charlotte
Well, one teacher I’ll never forget is Miss Wilkinson. She taught chemistry and biology.
I didn’t like her subjects much, probably ‘cos I wasn’t much good at them. She seemed old to me but she was probably just in her early 30s and kind of tall and gangly. She drove this ancient mini and she always seemed too big for it. She had to crouch over the steering wheel. Anyway, the reason I remember her so well is because I think she fell for my dad. Really! You see he’d sometimes collect me from school and one day
there she was in her mini and she couldn’t get it to start, so of course my dad, being the lovely gentleman he was, helped her. Miss Wilkinson was glowing with gratitude: ‘Oh thank you, thank you Mr Wilson, so kind, so kind.’ She went all weak and wobbly, not at all like she was when she was yelling at us in class. And then every time he came to collect me after that, somehow Miss Wilkinson would appear and she was always asking me about him: ‘How’s your kind father, Charlotte?’ ‘Just fine Miss Wilkinson, he and my mum are going to Paris this weekend.’ I just made that up to see her reaction. My friends and I used to giggle about it. When I mentioned it to my dad he just laughed and said ‘Don’t be silly Charlotte, nobody would fancy an old bore like me.’ But my mum raised an eyebrow.
1 They live in this great big house in the centre of London.
2 I only made one tiny little mistake in my driving test, but I still failed.
3 Careful with the soup - it’s boiling hot. Don’t scald yourself.
4 It’s freezing cold in here. Can’t we put on the heating?
5 Do you like my car? It’s brand new.
6 Don’t worry. You won’t wake the children. They’re fast asleep.
7 I have a cold shower every morning. Then I feel wide awake.
8 A I’m fed up with this lesson.
В Me too. I’m bored stiff.
where/wear nose/knows wood/would war/wore through/threw
T 9.8
1 My brother is crazy about Man. U. But I’m an Arsenal fan myself.
We don’t have air conditioning, just a ceiling fan. It’s not enough.
2 Oh dear! We have a flat tyre and no spare wheel.
I’m renting a flat near where I work.
3 ‘What’s today’s date?’ ‘The third.’
I’ve got a date tonight. I’m going out with Carl.
4 He goes to the gym every day. He’s very fit.
The trousers are too small. They don’t fit you.
5 It’s not fair. Everyone else is allowed to stay out til midnight.
She has beautiful fair hair and blue eyes. UQ See p76
T 9.10
1 A Why is Sunday the strongest day?
В Because the others are weak days!
2 A Your battery’s flat. That’s why your car won’t
start.
В Oh dear! What shape should it be?
3 A Why will you never starve in the desert?
В Because of the sand which is (sandwiches)
there.
4 A Waiter! What’s wrong with this egg?
В Don’t ask me, sir. I only laid the table.
5 A What do you get when 5,000 strawberries
try to go through a door at the same time?
В I don’t know. What do you get?
A Strawberry jam!
6 A Waiter, this food tastes funny.
В So, why aren’t you laughing?
7 A What do you give to a sick lemon?
В Lemon aid!
8 A What did one toilet say to the other?
В You look a bit flushed.
9 A Why can’t Cinderella play soccer?
В Because she’s always running away from the ball.
T 9.11
1 Pat
If you ask me, this is a terrible idea. Firstly, good body image isn’t something that you can teach. Secondly, schools don’t have time to add another non-academic subject into their packed curriculum. Another thing is that teachers have enough to do and it’s really down to the parents to try and develop self-esteem in their children. Personally, I’ve never worried too much about how I look, but that’s not the point. The point I’m trying to make is that young people’s education should be about qualifications for their future, not worrying about body image.
2 Ian
To tell you the truth, I haven’t really thought about it. I suppose the problem is that there are lots of images of beautiful models out there in the media. But as far as I’m concerned, people come in all shapes and sizes. I don’t see what’s wrong with that. Actually, it would be a pretty boring world if we all looked the same, wouldn’t it? And personality is what counts after all, and just trying to be happy. Anyway, as I was saying, I don’t really feel strongly one way or the other about young people and their body image.
3 Helen
If you want my opinion, I think this is a really good idea. Many of today’s teenagers are obsessed with the idea of physical perfection. Basically, they feel like an outsider if they look different in any way. As I understand it, this is true of boys as much as girls. But the main point is that the media and celebrity culture sells them an image of beauty which they will never achieve. What really worries me is that cosmetic surgery and eating disorders are going to become the norm for the next generation. In conclusion, I think that schools should play a greater role in developing teenagers’ self-esteem.
T 9.12

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