SPACE WARRIOR MADNESS
SPEAKING
A Talking on your own
Work in pairs as Student A and B. Try to speak for about one minute.
Student A: Describe and compare the places in both pictures. Say whether you have ever been to such places and why.
Student B: Describe and compare what the people are doing and how they might be feeling in both pictures. Say whether you would enjoy activities like these.
B Discussion
1 What attracts people to places like these?
2 What problems do people have if they go to such places too often?
READING
A This letter recently appeared in an English magazine. Read it quickly, to get a general idea of what it is about. Ignore the five missing sentences.
I have recently become very worried about my 16-year-old son, Nick. Although he was never brilliant at school, he always used to get reasonably good marks.
as
He used to be such a good swimmer that he won several prizes. But now he has given up training. And instead of the neat clothes he used to wear, all he ever puts on is the same pair of shabby old jeans and a dirty sweatshirt.
[ Ijft    | Nick was in the kitchen. The radio was on so loud that he didn't hear me come in behind him. My handbag was on the table. \ 2 }
We had a terrible row. Finally, he broke down and confessed everything. He has been going every day to a big amusement arcade near his school and playing electronic games with names like Space Warrior and Alien Invaders. I had always thought they were harmless. 1 3 |
He has promised he won't go there again, but I think he's too addicted to stop. I 4 |   ] What can I do to help him?
B Match the gaps in the text (1-4] with the sentences (A-F) below. There is one extra sentence which you do not need. An example is given (0).
A But now I realize that he's so hooked on them, he'll even steal from his own mother in order to pay for the habit.
B Even if he wanted to, he couldn't — and he doesn't. C I often leave it there so that I won't forget it when I go out.
D He had taken some money out of it and was just
about to put it in his pocket. E But that isn't all - last Sunday, I got up earlier than
usual.
F But now his work has become so bad that his teachers say he is just wasting his time there.
C In pairs or groups, discuss these questions.
1 How do you think Nick's mother felt after she saw Nick in the kitchen last Sunday?
2 What connection do you think there is between the changes she noticed before last Sunday and what happened on Sunday morning?
3 What are some of the things she probably said to Nick last Sunday? Try to imagine her exact words.
4 What do you think Nick said to her?
D Explain the full meaning of the words in italics below.
1  Even if he wanted to, he couldn't - and he doesn't. 1 He had taken some money out of it, and was about to put it in his pocket.
3 I had always thought they were harmless.
4 He has promised he won't go there again.
LANGUAGE STUDY
Three types of past action > GS 13.2, 13.3
A Match the examples (a-c) with the meanings (1-3).
a) When I saw him, he was taking the money.
b) When I saw him, he was about to take the money.
c) When I saw him, he had taken the money.
1 He took the money before I saw him.
2 I saw him a moment before he took it.
3 I saw him at the same time that he took it.
B In groups or pairs, say what you think was about to happen, was happening or had happened.
Example: Nick looked inside his mother's handbag. He saw some money there. He put his hand into the handbag.
> He was just about to steal the money.
1 His mother was upstairs. The newspaper was open in front of her.
2 Outside, a raindrop fell. Then another fell. Then another.
3 A man was at the bus stop. He looked at his watch.
4 Nick took his hand out of the handbag. The money wasn't there any longer. It was in his pocket.
5 Nick looked out of the window and saw the front of the Number 12 bus not far from the bus stop.
6 The bus stopped. The man waited for the door to open.
7 A minute later, his mother came downstairs. Nick wasn't in the house.
8 She looked out of the window. Nobody was at the bus stop. She saw the back of the number 12 bus.
9 She put on her coat and went towards the door. Then she stopped suddenly.
10 She heard a sound. It was the telephone. She heard it again. And again.
11 A few minutes later, after saying, 'Good bye, Edna,' she put the phone down. Edna was a friend who phoned almost every day.
12 Nick was on the bus. He thought of the money in his pocket and the shop with all the electronic games.
FOCUS ONE
UNIT 8  • 59
READING
A Read the article below. It is in five parts. Choose the sentence (A-G) that summarizes what each part is about. You do not need one of these sentences. An example is given (0).
A There is a link between computer games and crime.
B The brain can be affected, too. C Weight problems are another result. D Girl's father is also blamed. E Playing computer games can actually hurt you.
F Why are younger people getting weaker ? G The health of teenagers causes concern in two countries.
art
0 a
Newspapers in Japan recently reported that standard tests show that the average Japanese teenager is 'significantly weaker than the average teenager forty years ago'. Almost exactly at the same time newspapers in England carried similar stories about the identical age-group in Britain.
I
In both countries, the same four things were identified as the causes. The first was too much television. The second was too much convenience food and the third was not enough exercise. However, the fourth cause - computer games - was the focus of more comment in Britain than Japan.
One London newspaper reported that a boy of 12 had become so obsessed with various computer games that he stole from his parents and his schoolmates in order to buy more. This is not the only such case. The head of a primary school recently claimed that many of the children at his school steal each other's lunch money for the same reason.
Dr Leonora Keller, a health expert, said that many children play these games with such enthusiasm that they suffer from 'Space Warrior's Wrist'. The muscles of the lower arm become inflamed as a result of repeated movements of the wrist and constant pressure on the computer control stick. This also causes other aches and pains in their elbows and shoulders as well as strange sores on their hands.
J
Dr Keller has also found that children who spend a lot of time playing electronic games have a tendency to be fatter than those who do not. She said that 'for some reason these children tend to eat more sugar and fat' and that 'many of them get too little exercise to burn up these things.'
LT
Another alarming problem was recently reported in the British Medical Journal. A 17-year-old girl spent hours playing computer games every day. Her father repaired computers and she took games from his workshop. One day she suddenly fell to the floor and began to jerk about wildly. The doctors who treated her found that she was suffering from an unusual form of epilepsy. The attack was caused by the signals on the computer screen blinking at a particular frequency.
B Now answer these questions.
1 Why, according to this article, are young people in Japan and Britain weaker than young people forty years ago?
2 Which crimes are blamed on computer games?
3 Describe three different kinds of health problems that can be caused by electronic games.
C In pairs or groups, discuss these questions.
1 Find out how much time your partners spend every day sitting down.
2 Now find out what they do while sitting down.
3 Find out what forms of exercise they get.
LANGUAGE STUDY
so or such > GS 6.1
A Complete the following sentences with so or such.
1 He is_obsessed with these games that he has
no time for anything else.
2 He plays these games with_ enthusiasm that
he is completely exhausted afterwards.
60   •   UNIT 8
FOCUS TWO
3 Nick was_a good swimmer that he won
prizes.
4 Nick swam_well that he won prizes.
B Rewrite these sentences using too.
Example: Nick can't stop playing these games because he's addicted.
> Nick is too addicted to stop playing these games.
1 Some children don't get any exercise because they're lazy.
Some children are_any
exercise.
2 My son is so young that he can't understand this. My son is_this.
3 I'm so tired that I can't concentrate. I'm_.
4 He's so obsessed with football that he can't think about anything else.
He's_about anything else.
C Rewrite the second sentence in each pair. Use no more than five words including the word in bold. Do NOT change this word.
1 The film was very amusing. I couldn't stop laughing.
such   It was_I couldn't
stop laughing.
2 I couldn't stop laughing. I was very amused.
so   I was_stop laughing.
3 I didn't go to the party because I was very busy, too   I was_the party.
4 I couldn't keep my eyes open because I was very tired.
so   I was_keep my eyes
open.
5 It was a very cold day. I didn't want to go out.
such   It was_didn't want
to go out.
6 Nick can't give these games up because he's obsessed.
too   Nick's_up these
games.
7 He does nothing else because of his interest in them.
so   He's_he doesn't do
anything else.
8 It's a very interesting game. I can't stop playing it.
such   It's__I can't stop
playing it.
9 Don't waste your time like this. Life is very short.
too   Life_for you to
waste your time like this.
VOCABULARY
A Match the six words below with the definitions 1-6.
ache   constant continuous convenient   pain suitable
1 going on and on; not stopping
2 happening again and again, or always there
3 a bad feeling that can suddenly come and then stop
4 a bad feeling which doesn't start or stop suddenly
5 easy to do or prepare, or practical in some way
6 acceptable or good for a particular purpose
B Complete the sentences using the six words in A.
1 Is three o'clock a__time for us to meet?
2 Is red a_colour to wear to a very formal
party?
3 A_line of policemen blocked the
pain.
_ yesterday. _in my
street.
4 The patient was in_
5 I had a terrible head_
6 Suddenly I felt a terrible. shoulder.
C Use the words given in capital letters below the text to form a word that fits the numbered space.
'Space Warrior's Wrist' is only one of the
(0) painful    conditions that can be caused by
(1)_playing computer games. Children also
suffer from a strange (2)_feeling in their
upper arms or shoulders. Another problem that
doctors have reported is a (3)_of appetite in
some children. The (4)_for this seems to
be that they don't get enough exercise. This may also
explain the (5)_of some children to put on
weight. The high sugar (6)__of the
convenience foods the same children eat is
(7)_also a cause. Some people believe that
it is the (8)_of the government to do
something about this problem. However, it is difficult
for even the most (9)_government to stop
people doing what they want to do. One official recently said 'All we can do is put a (10),
on the games, saying that they can harm your health.'
0 PAIN 6 CONTAIN
1 CONSTANT 7 PROBABLE
2 ACHE 8 RESPONSIBLE
3 LOSE 9 POWER
4 EXPLAIN 10 WARN
5 TEND
FOCUS TWO
UNIT 8
61
LISTENING S
SPEAKING
N
You will hear two people, Michael and Fiona, discussing a birthday present. Listen to the tape and answer the questions about what they say. For each question write one of the following letters:
M (for what Michael says)
F (for what Fiona says)
N (for what neither of them say)
Who says it's their birthday soon? Who suggests giving two different presents? Who suggests a computer game? Who points out the disadvantages of buying a computer game? Who is against the idea of an encyclopaedia? Who suggests a present that costs a lot? Who agrees that a light for a bicycle would be a good present?
Problem solving
Carry out the following task in pairs or groups. You are a member of a local committee that has been given a large sum of money. You have been asked to choose the best way of converting an old building in your area so that it can be used by young people. Look at the four proposals in the picture and decide which one you would choose. Don't forget to give reasons for your choice.
]
VOCABULARY
In groups or pairs, read aloud the examples 1-14 below. Each time, decide which of these categories the example belongs to (a-d).
a) making a suggestion
b) asking for someone else's opinion
c) agreeing
d) disagreeing and/or expressing doubt
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
What do you think we should do?
The best thing to do would be to ...
Does that sound like a good idea to you?
I think we should ...
It would be better to ...
Do you agree?
I'm not sure about that.
Why don't we ... ?
That sounds like a good idea.
What about ...ing......?
I really don't think that would work.
We could ...
Mmm... maybe, but...
I don't think we should ...
62
UNIT 8
FOCUSTHREE
LISTENING S
You will hear a young man talking about his work and how he likes to spend his free time. Listen and choose the best answer.
1 What kind of business does he work in? A a delivery service
B a bakery C a cake shop
2 What did the speaker's mother do in the last years before her husband's death?
A She was a nurse.
B She helped to run the business.
C She worked for an accountant.
3 The speaker prefers to relax by A making furniture.
B playing football. C walking or fishing.
4 The speaker lives in A the country.
B a small village. C a small town.
5 The speaker doesn't watch television very much in the evenings because
A he is too tired.
B he prefers to make furniture.
C he is too busy.
LANGUAGE STUDY
used to do or be used to doing! > GS 13.2.2
A What's the difference?
a) My mother used to run the business.
b) My mother is used to running the business.
c) I never used to watch football.
d) I used to watch football.
B Match each of the sentences above with one of the following sentences.
1 I watch football now.
2 Running the business isn't difficult for my mother because she has done it for some time.
3 My mother ran the business before but doesn't any more.
4 I don't watch football any more.
C Work in pairs. One of you reads out the first part of a sentence (1-4). The other reads out the second part of the sentence, choosing from a-e. There is one extra which you don't need.
1 I never used to
2 I used to
3 I'm not used to
4 I'm used to
a) doing this kind of work so it may be difficult for me.
b) do this kind of work but I don't any more.
c) and I still am.
d) do this kind of work but I do now.
ej doing this kind of work so it won't be difficult for me.
D Rewrite these sentences using used to do or be used to doing.
Example: It isn't difficult for me to get up early because I have done it for some time.
> I'm used to getting up early.
1 I'm shocked when I hear bad language. I'm just not used to it.
2 I smoked a lot when I was younger but I don't any more.
3 It isn't difficult for me to travel long distances to work because I have done it for some time.
4 Not so long ago, Julia saw Ronald almost every day but she doesn't any more.
5 I don't work in that shop any more but I did once.
6 Because English people drive on the left, it's difficult for them to drive in other countries.
FOCUSTHREE
UNIT 8
63
Your own opinion	Size/ weight	Age	Shape	Colour	Country of origin	Material	NOUN
	small			blue	German		hair-dryer
beautiful		old		green		glass	bottle
	enormous		round	red	Dutch		cheese
mysterious	large			brown		paper	parcel
WRITING
Informal letter 1
A Look at the following types of adjective. Think of at least five more adjectives for each type except Age.
Age young, old,...
Colour blue, light green, ...
Country of origin Japanese, Greek, ... Shape oval, rectangular, ...
Material cast-iron, wooden,...
Size/weigh t        large, h eavy, ...
B Use the table above to put the adjectives into the correct order.
Example: a hair-dryer German blue small
>■ a small blue German hair-dryer
1 a leather flat black small wallet
2 a Japanese fountain-pen beautiful red
3 an Pakistani writing-desk mahogany old
4 a china white round table-lamp
C What do you think it is?
Example: It's small and round, made of china and you drink out of it.
>■ a cup
In pairs, without naming the item, describe as fully as you can
1 an article of clothing someone is wearing
2 an object in the room
See if your partner can guess what it is.
D Which adjectives would you use to describe these things? Use at least three and no more than four.
E Complete the following letter by filling in the spaces with adjectives. Describe EITHER a very enjoyable holiday OR a terrible holiday.
This is just a quick note to tell you how the
holiday is going. We're staying in a__
hotel in a__part of town, so you can
imagine how we feel. As you know, this is a_
_city, and the people are very_and_.
We have had some_weather since we got here,
so we are feeling very_        _. We have seen some of
the_sights and a few_museums, and we
_. Yesterday we decided
thought they were very to go for a swim, and we went to a.
beach where the water was_and_.
Last night we had a__meal in a__
_restaurant. It was quite an experience. We
were served by a___waiter, and the
food and the service were_. When the bill came,
we could hardly believe it, as it was so_.
Anyway, I'd better stop and catch the post, but I'll write again soon.
Lots of love, Marianne
F Writing task
You are about to return home after three months abroad at a language school. Write a letter to an English-speaking friend describing some of the presents you have bought for your friends and family.
G Use the following notes to help you.
1 Introduction - say why you are writing and say that you have been shopping.
2 Give details of what you have bought, eg clothes, food, souvenirs, books, etc.
3 Finish the letter in a suitable way, saying you hope to see your friend before you leave.
Include some adjectives describing the things you have bought. Do not use more than three adjectives in front of any noun.
This is an informal letter, so use contractions like I've, it's, etc. You can also use some of the more conversational adjectives like nice, great, etc.
Write your letter in 120-180 words.
64
UNIT 8
FOCUS FOUR
REVISION AND EXTENSION
Choose the best answer, A, B, C or D.
A new VR (virtual reality) headset for the home user
will be in the shops soon. The makers (1)_that
it will change the way that computer games are played. Unlike the heavy VR headsets that people
have been using in arcades (2)_the last few
years, the new sets look more like a pair of sunglasses
than a fireman's (3)_. A spokesman for the
company said 'A lot of people had (4}_with the
old headsets. They were (5)_heavy that if you
wore them (6)____for more than an hour or so,
they could cause quite a lot of (7)_. Our new
headsets are very comfortable, and will be perfect for games, as well as in education.'
Some scientists, however, are (8)_about the
effects of VR. Child psychologist Brenda Smith
explained 'There have (9)___been several cases of
violence among young children where computer
games were to (10)____. With VR, we will soon
have children who are not (11)_to playing with
other people. (12)__your life in a constant battle
with aliens and monsters is not really a (13)_
environment for someone young. We (14)_that
a child should experience actual reality, not virtual
reality, and it would be a great (15)_for parents
to bring this sort of technology into the home.'
8	A	afraid	C	scared
	B	worried	D	threatened
9	A	yet	C	still
	B	ever	D	already
10	A	fault	C	defect
	B	error	D	blame
1 1	A	used	C	allowed
	B	made	D	interested
12	A	Spending	C	Making
	B	Doing	D	Passing
13	A	convenient	C	real
	B	suitable	D	right
14	A	recommend	C	offer
	B	tell	D	speak
15	A	defect	C	mistake
	B	fault	D	blame
LISTENING S
Listen to the news report about a robbery, and then complete the notes from the detective's notebook.
Time of robbery: 9(1)_
Place: Halifax building Society,
(2)_Street.
Amount stolen: (3) £
MAN
Height: (4)_
Eye colour: (6) Hair: (7)_
Age: (5)
Clothes: (Ö) (9)_
_, green sweater,
Name: (10)_
1	A	claim	C	offer	
	B	threaten	D	recommend	
2	A	since	C	among	
	B	ago	D	for	
3	A	hat	C	helmet	
	B	cap	D	hood	
4	A	mistakes	C	problems	
	B	faults	D	errors	
5	A	very	C	so	
	B	too	D	such	
6	A	continuously	C	always	
	B	throughout	D	regularly	
7	A	hurt	C	pain	
	B	ache	D	suffering	
Accent: (11)
WOMAN
Height: (12)_
Eye colour: (14) Hair: (15)_
Age: (13)
Clothes: (16)
CAR
07). (10)
Ford Escort, number G595 ER1
Headlight (19)
FOCUS FIVE
UNIT 8
65