Roadmap B1+ · Unit 2 · Lesson Path

Unit 2 — Talents

Learning new skills · Starting work · Parents & children · Conversations · Reading · Writing · 5 lessons

Total Score
0 pts
Progress
2A
🎸
Vocabulary + Grammar
2A · Learning New Skills
▼
Skills vocab Present simple Present continuous
0 / 40 pts
📝 Vocab
⚙ Grammar
✓ Check
1Choose the correct alternatives.
Click the correct word in each sentence.
1. I always enjoy trying / new instruments because I'm really keen / music.
2. At the moment I'm having a go / learning the violin.
3. It's a bit / a challenge and I'm useless / it.
4. But it doesn't matter! I go / what I learn during the lessons and I practise every day.
5. I think I've got a long way / go, but my teacher says I'm making a lot / progress.
2Match the sentence halves.

Matched: 0 / 8

3Complete with words from the box.
developtraining improveskilled expertinterested challengekeen
1. I practise skating every day so that I can my technique.
2. I'm a lot because I want to run a ten-kilometre race next month.
3. John has been working hard to his computer skills.
4. Nala is highly at painting. She had her own art exhibition last month.
5. My mum has taught my sister to cook over the years and now she's a bit of an .
6. Diving is something that has always me.
7. I'm making some progress with Mandarin, but it's a bit of a .
8. Jane's on music, so I think she'll enjoy learning to play the piano.
4Find and correct five mistakes in sentences 1–8.
Write the correct word(s) in the gap. If the underlined word is already correct, write it again.
1. I (am training) at the sports centre every Tuesday and Thursday.
2. Some young people are (starting) to write letters instead of sending emails.
3. Ashanti (downloads) an app at the moment.
4. (are you understanding) what I mean?
5. The word 'expert' (is meaning) someone who is good at something.
6. She's (having) a go at the guitar this term.
7. Yin and Michael (are belonging) to a golf club.
8. I don't (believe) that's true.
5Complete the conversation. Use the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
A: Hi Dan, what 1 you (do) in the kitchen?
B: I 2 (hate) cooking!
A: Really?
B: Yes, I 3 (have) a go at making an omelette! I 4 (do) a cookery course this month and I 5 (go) over what we learnt in the last class.
A: Good for you! I've heard that lots of people 6 (do) cookery courses at the moment.
B: Yes, my course is very popular. Anyway, I 7 (feel) that I'm useless at cooking, so it's a bit of a challenge.
A: I 8 (not think) you're useless. The food smells really good! Fish 9 (not be) easy to cook.
B: OK, it's ready now. 10 (want) to join me?
A: Yes, please!
✓2A Self-check

Score: 0 / 5

2B
💼
Vocabulary + Grammar
2B · Starting Work
▼
Workplace vocab Present habits Adverbs of frequency
0 / 35 pts
📝 Vocab Fill
⚙ Present Habits
✓ Check
1Complete the text with words from the box.
flexiblefire casualformal healthstrict firsttime
1. She's about the hours we work.
2. We can change the of our lunch break as long as we talk to her first.
3. She does have a policy about clothes.
4. We have to wear clothes at the office. We aren't allowed to wear
5. dress, such as jeans.
6. My boss is also careful about and safety rules.
7. She makes sure that we have regular drills and everyone has to do a
8. aid course.
2Choose the correct option a, b or c.
1. I'm not happy about the way my boss treats me. I'm going to contact my ___ representative.
2. There isn't a real fire. It's just a fire ___.
3. All the union ___ came to the meeting about the strike.
4. The health and ___ rules protect people when they are at work.
5. I work the night ___ every Saturday.
6. Sarah did a ___ course so that she knows what to do if someone is sick at the office.
7. After you've met all the employees, I'll show you around the ___.
8. The company has quite ___ working hours. We don't have to start work at 9 a.m. every day.
3Put the words in the correct order to make sentences.
1. the office / people / to / by 9 a.m. / get / to / Most / tend
2. first aid courses / We / staff / offer / regularly / to
3. a habit / of / has / computer / This / crashing
4. union meetings / time / have / We / time / to / from
5. there's / on / As / a strict policy / recycling / a rule
6. doesn't / Philippe / time off / January / tend / to take / in
7. casual / on / normally / clothes / Employees / Fridays / wear
8. don't / 6 p.m. / We / to work / after / tend
4Read and tick the correct meaning.
1. "Lucy eats in the canteen from time to time." This means:
2. "People are regularly changing shifts." This means:
3. "As a rule, the manager holds a staff meeting every Monday." The manager:
4. "This printer has a habit of breaking down." This means:
5. "Staff tend to take holidays in August." This means:
6. "Aisha is constantly late for work." This means:
7. "Employees don't tend to take a lunch break." This means:
8. "On the whole, employees eat in the staff canteen." This means:
✓2B Self-check

Score: 0 / 5

2C
👪
Grammar + Vocabulary
2C · Parents & Children
▼
used to / would Past simple Parenting vocab
0 / 35 pts
⚙ Used to / Would
📝 Vocab
✓ Check
1Choose the correct option a, b or c.
1. Life ___ less complicated than it is now.
2. My brother and I ___ with our toys outside.
3. I ___ don't ride my bike into the forest now.
4. My mother ___ us a picnic and we ___ our bikes into the forest for the whole day.
5. Once, I ___ off my bike and my brother rode all the way home to tell my parents.
6. My brother ___ all the way home to tell my parents.
7. My brother ___ all the way home to tell my parents.
8. Those experiences ___ us to become independent.
2Find and correct five mistakes in sentences 1–8.
Write the correct word(s). If the underlined word is already correct, write it again.
1. I (used to break) my arm when we were on holiday in Greece in 2014.
2. When I was young, I used to (deliver) newspapers in my neighbourhood.
3. I (would live) in Spain when I was a child.
4. Julia (didn't never use to) play the piano.
5. My friends and I (would play) on the beach all day when we were young.
6. One time, I (would see) a jellyfish in the sea!
7. Toby (didn't use to play) tennis when he was young.
8. Did you (use to walk) to school when you were a child?
3Complete the sentences with the missing words.
controlforce watcharrangements letcommunity mannerstrouble
1. We should how much children use technology. They're too young to know when to switch it off.
2. My mum used to me to eat everything on my plate. Now I'm grown up, I eat anything!
3. I don't think we should over children all the time. They need to learn how to look after themselves.
4. Some parents make too many for their children. They don't have any free time.
5. I always my children play outside because we live in a very safe neighbourhood.
6. We must respect people in a because otherwise there would be no law and order.
7. I teach my children the importance of good . They always say 'please' and 'thank you'.
8. As a child, my brother always used to get into , but now he's older, he behaves really well!
4Match the sentence halves.

Matched: 0 / 8

5Match words 1–8 with definitions a–h.

Matched: 0 / 8

✓2C Self-check

Score: 0 / 5

2D
💬
Functional Language + Listening
2D · End Conversations
▼
End conversations politely Word order Listening T/F
0 / 30 pts
💬 Alternatives
📢 Listening T/F
✓ Check
1Choose the correct alternatives.
Click the correct word in each sentence.
1. Tell me about it! /, I'm really sorry, but I've / to go.
2. I'm / in a rush.
3. My bus is about /. But it's / great seeing you.
4. Sorry to rush / like this. It'd be great to catch / on some time soon.
5. Yes, good idea. I'll call you tomorrow. Sorry, I've got to /. Bye!
2Put the words in the correct order to make sentences.
1. interrupt / to / need / Sorry / but / I / going / get / to
2. a / at / I've / class / 6.30 / got
3. train / leave / is / My / to / about
4. great / was / catch / to / It / up
5. rush / to / this / Sorry / like / off
6. rest / your / Enjoy / of / evening / the
7. soon / See / you
Listening · A meeting for new employees
0:00 / --:--
2.01
1Listen to a meeting for new employees. Which things does Camilla not mention? (choose 2)
2Listen again and answer the questions.
1. What sort of meeting is taking place?
2. Is the meeting formal or informal?
3. Who is Camilla?
4. Who is George?
5. Which floor is Camilla's office on?
3Listen again and complete George's notes.
Health and rules
• If there's a , don't use lift
• Use stairs and meet in
• Each meets in special place – look on map to find out where
courses
• Let Camilla know if interested.
• At least two people/department must do course
• contact details on company website
• policy on clothes – clothes all the time
• Company has flexible working hours, e.g. changing or taking time off
• times – speak to manager about them, probably flexible
✓2D Self-check

Score: 0 / 5

R/W
📰
Reading + Writing
Reading & Writing
▼
Does practice make perfect? Informal emails Linking words Rhetorical questions
0 / 30 pts
📖 Reading
✉ Writing
✓ Check
Does practice really make perfect?

1 Have you ever heard the old phrase, 'Practice makes perfect'? Whether we're learning how to dance, play a new instrument or developing our technique at a new sport, we usually just repeat the same action again and again until we can do it. My teachers always used to tell me that the more I practised, the more highly skilled I would become at any activity. In 2008, author Malcolm Gladwell wrote about 'the 10,000-hour rule'. This said that if you want to become an expert at a skill, you must practise it for 10,000 hours. However, a recent report by scientists at John Hopkins University has shown that the key to learning a new skill isn't how much time you spend practising, but the way in which you practise.

2 The scientists found that we learn more quickly if we slightly change the way we practise an activity each time we do it. To prove this, they carried out an experiment by teaching 86 people a new skill – how to control a computer with a new type of mouse. The researchers divided the people into three groups and each group had a session of 45 minutes to practise the new skill. Six hours later, the first group repeated the same exercise again in exactly the same way, the second group practised it in a slightly different way and the third group didn't practise again. At the end, the scientists tested everyone's ability to do the skill. It was no surprise that the third group got the worst results in the tests. What was surprising was that the second group did twice as well as the first group.

3 These results are useful because they help us to understand how our brains remember information and learn new things. By changing our practice slightly, our brains have to work harder. Pablo A Celnik, the scientist who led this research, said that the differences between practices must be small, for example changing the size or weight of a tennis ball or racket. If the differences are too big, then there will be no improvement in learning speed.

4 These results are not only important for those of us who are learning new leisure skills, they might also help people who have been in an accident. For example, sometimes people need to learn to walk or talk again, and this technique can help them to do these things faster. Celnik says that more research still needs to be done, but that this could help patients recover more quickly.

5 So, the old phrase 'Practice makes perfect' isn't exactly wrong. You must practise to become perfect at a new skill. But just remember that changing the way you practise each time will give you better results!

1Read the article and choose the best summary.
2Read again and match questions a–e with paragraphs 1–5.
a. Why are the results of the experiment interesting? 3 (example)
b. What have scientists discovered and how did they show it was true?
c. How do we usually learn a new skill?
d. What might these results mean for the future?
e. How we can use this in our own learning?
3Read the email and choose the correct alternatives.
Hi Julia,
I'm sending you a link to a really interesting / about the best way to practise new things. You know how you're always telling me that practice makes perfect. Well, it's /, in a way! A recent / has shown that you should practise slightly differently each time because this helps you to learn more /. The difference /. I decided to try this out with my guitar practice last week and it works! I learnt a piece of music more / than I normally do!
Speak soon! Love, Clara
4Read the article again. Choose the correct option a, b or c.
1. Malcolm Gladwell says that …
2. Scientists have discovered that you learn more quickly if you practise …
3. They proved this by carrying out an experiment with a group of …
4. The group that did worst in the test …
5. The people who practised in the same way twice did … as well in the test as those people who practised again in a slightly different way.
6. Pablo A Celnik explained that the difference between practise sessions …
7. This discovery could mean that people who are learning to walk and talk again …
8. The writer now thinks that the phrase, 'Practice makes perfect' …
5Read the article again. Answer the questions.
1. What does the phrase 'practice makes perfect' mean?
2. What advice did the writer's teachers give him?
3. In what year did Malcolm Gladwell write a book about practising a skill?
4. What did scientists ask 86 people to do in the experiment?
5. What was surprising about the results of the second group?
6. What do these results help us to understand about the brain?
7. Who is Pablo A Celnik?
8. What sort of people could this research help?
6Find words in the article to match definitions 1–8.
1. Someone who is highly skilled at something (para 1):
2. Show that something is definitely true (para 2):
3. A period of time for an activity (para 2):
4. The study and discovery of new information about something (para 3):
5. When something gets better (para 3):
6. The time when you aren't working (para 4):
7. A particular way of doing an activity (para 4):
8. Become well again after illness (para 4):
1Read the emails and choose the correct alternatives.
1. These are / emails to a /. They contain /.
2Read the emails again. Are the statements below true (T) or false (F)?
3Read the Focus box. Then answer the questions in Exercise 4.
LINKING WORDS AND QUESTIONS IN INFORMAL EMAILS

Informal emails and letters are often more like a conversation. You tend to use short sentences and simple linking words like and, so, but, though, because. You might just use a dash to show a connection or to make clear that information is not central to understanding the rest of the sentence. You also often include questions as if you are talking to someone face to face. Sometimes these questions will be rhetorical, i.e. they don't require an answer.

4In Emails 1 and 2, underline examples of:
1. expressions that we use in spoken English
2. short sentences
3. linking words: and, so, but, though and because
4. dashes
5. real questions
6. rhetorical questions
Re-read the emails above and identify these features. This is a reading task — no input required.
5Choose the correct linking word.
1. Today is my first day in my new job, ___ I feel a bit nervous.
2. The business is struggling a bit, ___ it's going to be fine.
3. Mei left her last job ___ her boss was bullying her.
4. I've had a promotion ___ I've also had a pay rise.
5. He's looking for a new job, ___ he hasn't been made redundant yet.
6. I missed my train, ___ I was late for work.
7. He was made redundant ___ his role wasn't needed any more.
8. He was given an interview, ___ he didn't get the job.
6Match the sentence halves.

Matched: 0 / 8

7Read the questions. Are they real questions (R) or rhetorical questions (Rh)?
1. "What does it matter?" — R or Rh?
2. "Have you seen that film yet?" — R or Rh?
3. "Who cares?" — R or Rh?
4. "What's the point?" — R or Rh?
5. "What's that man's name?" — R or Rh?
6. "Whose coat is this?" — R or Rh?
7. "Why do you need it?" — R or Rh?
8. "Is it really worth it?" — R or Rh?
✓R/W Self-check

Score: 0 / 5

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