Episode 102

EPISODE 102
LEVEL A1.2/ A2.1

 

READING COMPREHENSION 

GOOD GUYS AND BAD GUYS

Mean (= unkind and unpleasant) Jack Stale was the most dangerous cowboy in the wild West. He was a cruel man (= he enjoyed causing pain to other people) who enjoyed hurting people. He could do what he wanted and nobody was afraid of him. He was a selfish (= thinking only about himself) and greedy person (= wanting more money) who would take the money from the rich and from the poor. 

Rhonda was Jack’s girlfriend. She was a vain girl (= she thought she was attractive and special), always looking at herself in the mirror. Because she was Jack’s girlfriend she was a bit proud, and thought she was more important than other people. But generally you couldn’t say she was a bad person because she was good and kind (= nice and helpful).

They lived in Little Village. Sheriff Parker also lived there. He was brave (= showing no fear), sincere (=  honest) and helpful. 

One day Sheriff Parker walked into the saloon and said to Jack: ‘You’re coming with me’.

Jack laughed and held Rhonda in front of him. ‘If you want to kill me, you will have to kill this nice lady first’.

Then Jack felt a piece of metal in the back of his neck. It was Rhonda’s gun. ‘I’m so sorry but this is the end of you and me’, she said. 

Sheriff Parker looked at her and said: ‘Thanks baby, I think I’m your man now’.

 

More contexts for the new words: 

• He suffers from back trouble too, so he was very sympathetic about my problem (= he understood and cared about someone else’s problems).
• Billy is clearly a warm and generous person (= giving people more time or money than is usually expected).

 

EXERCISE 1 

Complete sentences with correct words:

1. Don’t be so g………………………… . We also want to eat some cookies.
2. Those b……………….…. soldiers fought and died for their country.
3. How could you be so c…………….….. to someone who never did you any harm?
4. She was very k………………… to me when the children were ill.
5. Bill was very g………………..…… to people who had less than he did.
6. He was v…………….. about his looks, spending hours in the gym.

 

EXERCISE 2 

Answer the questions using the vocabulary from the lesson

1. Who is the most generous
2. Do you know anyone 
3. In which jobs do you
   a) have to be brave?
   b) person you know?
   c) who is really vain?
   

 

ENGLISH IN USE  

When you want to say that something was possible in the past you use could.

In the past you could buy these tickets in the Tourist Information Centre.

 

To say that something wasn’t possible in the past you use couldn’t.

You couldn’t travel by plane 200 years ago.

 

We also use could and couldn’t to talk about past ability.

Mary could walk when she was one.
Mary couldn’t swim when she was four.

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

My grandson is THE APPLE OF MY EYE.

If we say that a person is the apple of somebody’s eye, it means that they are the most important to us and we are very proud of them.

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

1. When you LOOK UP TO SOMEONE, you admire and respect them.

He’s a role model for other players to look up to.

 

2. When you LOOK DOWN ON SOMEONE, you think you are better and more important than someone else.

She looks down on anyone who hasn’t had a university education.

 

EXERCISE 3 

Match the halves:

1. She thinks they look down ………….. her because she didn’t finish university.
2. His youngest daughter was the apple ………… his eye.
3. I have always looked …………. to my big brother.

 

 

NEWS

COLOUR PREDICTS PERSONALITY

What color do you prefer? The simple answer may say a lot about your personality, at least according to a test. The new test takes sixty seconds to complete, and asks takers to order fifteen colored squares by preference. For example, which color do you like the least: black, grey, or white? Much like other personality tests, this one can help individuals choose jobs that match their personality profiles. However, this test is unique because most other tests are verbal and may not translate well to other languages or cultures. The new test, solely based on colors, can be used all over the world.

 

  GLOSSARY 

• individual – a single person or thing
• according to a test – taking information from a test
• unique – unusual, special
• solely – only

 

download lesson (pdf)