15.7 When did you last...? Practice

When did you last oversleep ?

How long is it since you last overslept?

I last overslept about three weeks ago.

It’s six months since I last overslept.

1 haven’t overslept

for ages. since March.

Work in groups. Ask each other about the following, as in the example.

going swimming visiting your aunt having a temperature going out to dinner cleaning your windows

crying losing your temper going abroad going to a wedding playing cowboys and indians

15.8 Lazy days Reading

1. According to the writer, how are unexpected guests ‘good for you’ ? (line i)

2. In general, in what ways is the writer:

a) lazy?

b) not lazy?

3. Write T(true) or F(false) by each of the following statements.

a) The writer lives next door to a museum and an art gallery.

b) He hasn’t been to the theatre for six months.

c) He’s got hair over his ears.

d) Flared jeans were fashionable in the sixties.

e) He hasn’t bought any records since the sixties.

f) He doesn’t like the current clothes and music.

4. Explain the meaning of the following.

a) thrilled (line 17)

b) first nights (line Z4)

c) The Mousetrap (line 31)

d) by heart (line 44)

e) scratchy (line 46)

f) keep in touch with (line 61)

5. For what reasons did the writer last go to:

a) the theatre?

b) the cinema ?

In what way are these two reasons similar ?

6. a) Why does the writer ‘feel like a clock that stopped several hours ago’ ? (line 36)

b) Explain ‘even a stopped clock is right twice a day: the sixties will be back some

time’, (line 53)

7. a) Why didn’t the writer finish the personality quiz?

b) Why does he say ‘luckily’ ? (line 69)

8. Do you think the writer is lazy ?

9. Write five questions for a personality quiz called ‘How lazy are you ?’

15.9 Personality quiz

Free practice

Work in pairs.

Pair A: You are going to find out from pair В how careful they are with their possessions. Work out together what questions you will ask them.

Pair В: You are going to find out from pair A how fashionable they are. Work out together what questions you will ask them.

Tell the rest of the class what conclusions you came to about the personalities of the other pair, and give some of your reasons.

Writing

Write a paragraph about yourself, showing that you are (or aren’t) either lazy or careful or fashionable.

Unit 15 Summary of language

In this unit you have learnt how to:

• talk about the origin of present situations

• talk about the duration of present situations

• say how long it is since things happened

key points

1 ‘Origin’ structures

How long ago did you become a teacher?

I became a teacher

a long time ago. in 1968.

When did he start playing the guitar?

He started playing

six months ago. in June.

How long ago did you buy your cooker ?

We bought it

a year ago. last year.

2 ‘Duration’ structures

How long have you been a teacher?

I’ve been a teacher

for a long time. since 1968.

How long has he been playing the guitar ?

He’s been playing

for six months, since June.

How long have you had your cooker?

We’ve had it

for a year, since last year.

3. ‘Since’ with clauses

He started playing the guitar when he got one for his birthday.

He’s been playing the guitar (ever) since he got one for his birthday.

4. Negative origin and duration

When did you last have a meal ?

How long is it since you last had a meal?

I last had a meal two days ago.

I haven’t had a meal

for two days, since Tuesday.

It’s two days since I last had a meal.

Unit 16 Location

16.1 IN, ON & AT

Presentation

Look at the five sets of sentences below.

When do we use (a) in? (b) on? (c) at?

in There are thousands of fish in the lake. My coat is in the wardrobe. There aren’t enough chairs in the dining room.	on There are pleasure steamers on the lake. The coffeepot is on the table. There are pictures on the wall. on There’s a town on the lake. Canterbury is on the road to Dover. There are customs posts on the frontier.
in There are two islands in the lake. There are some cows in that field. There’s a fountain in the square.
at There are crowds of people at the lake today. There’s a policeman standing at the corner. You have to get off at the next stop. There are new traffic lights at the crossroads.

Practice

Decide what you might find ...

1. in/on a river 5. in/on the grass

2. in/on a bottle 6. in/at a swimming pool

3. in/on a bed 7. in/at the corner

4. on/at a door

Now fill the gaps with in, on or at.

1. Have you got an electric blanket your bed ? I’ve only got a hot-water bottle mine.

2. There’s a ticket machine the entrance to the car park.

3. Finchley Road tube station is the Bakerloo Line.

4. In summer, there are always flies the kitchen ceiling.

5. She spent the day sunbathing the swimming pool.

6. My favourite pub is the river bank.

7. There’s a newspaper shop my way to the office.

8. Scott found a Norwegian flag the South Pole.

9. There is snow Kilimanjaro throughout the year.

10 Tickets must be shown the barrier.