Hobbies and interests

Today we speak about our hobbies and interests. Here is the presentation to help you prepare to speak on this topic:


Hobbies and interests

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Activities:

1) Ask other students about their interests. Form small groups of people of the same interest and talk about it. For example: if your hobby is music, find other people who are into music as well. Then ask each other questions like: what is your favourite kind of music? What is your favourite band/singer/composer? Do you play any instrument? What instrument to you play?

2) Teacher gives the answer and the students must create a proper question, to which the sentence might be the answer:
- I'm not very much into sport, but I like riding a bike and watching volleyball matches.
- I love rock music and my favourite band is Pink Floyd.
- I like going out with my friends and traveling.


Homework:
Write 3 sentences about your hobby or what you usually do in your free time. 

Nickelback - "Trying not to love you"

Students listen to the song and complete the following tasks:

VERSION A (A2 level):

1.    Listen to the song and fill in the gaps in the text below:

Nickelback - Trying Not To Love You

You call to me and I fall at your feet
How could anyone ask for more
And our time (1) …………. like knives in my heart
How could anyone ask for more

But if there’s a pill to help me forget
God knows I (2) …………. found it yet
But I’m dying to
God, I’m trying to

chorus:

‘Cause trying not to love you
Only goes so far
Trying not to need you
Is tearing me apart
Can’t see the silver lining
I’m down here on the floor
And I just keep on (3) ………….

I don’t know what for
Cause trying not to love you
Only makes me love you more (2x)

And this (4) …………. of pain only time takes away
That’s why it’s harder to let you go
And nothing I can do without (5) …………. of you
That’s why it’s harder to let you go

But if there’s a pill to help me forget
God knows I (2) …………. found it yet
But I’m dying to
God, I’m trying to

chorus:

‘Cause trying not to love you… etc.

So I sit here divided just stuck to myself
Was it something that I did, was there (6) …………. else
When a voice from behind me
That was fighting back tears
Sat right down (7) …………. me
Whispered right in my (8) ………….
So I've been dying to tell you

chorus:

That trying not to love you only went so far
Trying not to need you was tearing me apart
Now I see the silver lining, what we are fighting for
If we just keep on trying, we could be much more
‘Cause trying not to love you, trying not love you
Only makes me love you more (2x)

2.    Discuss in groups and try to find out the meaning of the following words and expressions:

to fall at someone’s feet

knife (pl. knives)

pill

dying to

to tear someone apart

every cloud has a silver lining

divided

3.    Write a sentence with each of the words/expressions above.

4.    Read the text again and underline the words/expressions which you don’t understand. Check their meaning in the dictionary.

     VERSION B (B1-B2 level):

1.    Listen to the song and fill in the gaps in the text below:

    

    Nickelback - Trying Not To Love You

     You call to me and I fall at your feet
How could anyone ask for more
And our time apart like (1) …………. in my heart
How could anyone ask for more

     But if there’s a (2) …………. to help me forget
God knows I haven’t found it yet
But I’m dying to
God, I’m trying to

chorus:

‘    Cause trying not to love you
Only goes so far
Trying not to need you
Is tearing me apart
Can’t see the (3) …………. lining
I’m down here on the floor
And I just keep on trying

     I don’t know what for
Cause trying not to love you
Only makes me love you more (2x)

And this kind of (4) …………. only time takes away
That’s why it’s harder to let you go
And nothing I can do without thinking of you
That’s why it’s harder to let you go

     But if there’s a (2) …………. to help me forget
God knows I haven’t found it yet
But I’m dying to
God, I’m trying to

chorus:

‘    Cause trying not to love you… etc.

So I sit here (5) ………….  just stuck to myself
Was it something that I did, was there somebody else
When a voice from behind me
That was fighting back tears
Sat right down beside me
(6) …………. right in my ear

     So I've been dying to tell you

chorus:

     That trying not to love you only went so far
Trying not to need you was tearing me apart
Now I see the (3) …………. lining, what we are fighting for
If we just keep on trying, we could be much more
‘Cause trying not to love you, trying not love you
Only makes me love you more (2x)

2.    Discuss in groups and try to find out the meaning of the following words and expressions:

to fall at someone’s feet

dying to 

to tear someone apart

every cloud has a (1) …………. lining 

3.    Write a sentence with each of the words/expressions above.

4.    Read the text again and underline the words/expressions which you don’t understand. List them below along with their definition from the dictionary.

Dating profiles (for the speed dating activity)

1. Your name is Stephan, you are a widowed 65 years old man who has just retired. After 40 years of hard work in Chicago you finally want to move out from the city to a small house in the countryside and live your life in harmony with the nature. You are looking for a warm-hearted woman to share your calm life with. She should be a bit younger than you to be able to take care of you as well when you get very old.

2. You are Nicole - a 37 year old active businesswoman, not thinking of getting married, as you are focused on your career. You look for a man to date with from time to time, who wouldn't collide with your busy life. Preferably around your age and having similar lifestyle to yours. You like to have fun on weekends, but on weekdays you are entirely dedicated to your work. The man you look for must understand you can't sacrifice a lot of time for him as your job is a number one priority in your life.

3. You are Claire (53) a divorced biology teacher, who has sacrificed most of her time to her 3 children. All of them have grown up and move out to take up studies at the university. You feel lonely in a deserted house and would like to have someone to share your life with. You don't mind if the man was older than you, but you definitely don't want to move to a big city as you are rooted in your small village.

4. You are Jack, a 40 years old guy without children, who has just divorced. You have your own company that generates good money, but also requires a lot of time and attention. Your ex-wife had always complained that you were spending too much time at work. That is why you don't think of a serious relationship right now, you just want someone to date with, who would not invade your independency.

5. You are Fabian, a 22 year old boy from Germany, who came to Spain a month ago to study for one semester as an Erasmus exchange student. You are interested in the Latin American culture. You are a fun loving person, always eager to party an meeting new people. You look for an open-minded girl, who loves parties as well.

6. Your name is Martina, you are 20 years old and you’ve just started your studies in Spain, but you come from Argentina. You want to travel to other European countries and practice your English, so would like to meet a nice foreign boy to speak English with. You are very interested in different cultures and love to travel and meet new people.

Love letter

The full presentation about how to write a (love) letter can be found under this link:

How to write a (love) letter

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Present perfect game

The teacher tells the students two true and one false “I have…” sentence. Students ask her questions (to which she can lie in response about the false one) and try to spot which one is false.

The classgroup is devided into smal 2-4 persons groups. Each group throws a dice. The bigger number they get, the earlier they start - this is to make the order of the groups to take turns. First turn is only for asking questions - the questions must contain PP structure ("Have you..." etc.). Each group asks one question in an order that was settled by throwing a dice. From the second turn on each group after asking the question has the right to have a guess. They lose that right if the question doesn't contain PP structure or is gramatically incorrect. If they guess correctly, they win. If their guess is incorrect, we cross out the sentence and now we have only 2 left, so the other groups have a bigger chance to guess which one is false. 

According to the level of the class the sentences are simplier or more complex. In the more advanced classes the groups are also marked for their questions with the points from 1 to 5. In case none of the group guesses the false sentence, the winner is the one who gathered more points.

1. I have traveled to Greece.

2. I have ridden an elephant. (F)

3. I have cooked a paella.

How to make a "have you" question from a present simple question?

e. g. instead of "Did you like Greece?" you should ask "Have you liked Greece?"

1. It has taken me a long time to learn Turkish. 

2. I have never been that cold as I was in Turkey. 

3. I haven't driven a car for more than a year. (F) 

Students must think on the strategy – better to have a guess or wait for another turn?

Students focus on using Present Perfect - they practice the structure by speaking and memorize the 3rd form of the irregular verbs.