Cambridge University Press

978-1-107-60156-7 - V i e w p o i n t T e a c h e r ' s E d i t i o n 2
Michael McCarthy, Jeanne McCarten and Helen Sandiford
Excerpt
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Unit
A great read
1 In Unit 1, you . . .
.talk about literature, reading habits, and favorite authors.
.avoid repeating words by using auxiliary verbs, to, and one(s).
.use auxiliary verbs for emphasis.
.use if so and if not instead of repeating ideas.

Lesson A Memoirs
1 Grammar in context
A Read the six-word memoirs below. Can you guess the story behind each memoir?

Who are you – in six words? Our readers wrote their autobiographies in just six words.
a Lindsay c Yoshio e Tim
Former accountant Traveled everywhere. Every 10 years,
now wears chef’s Saw everything. I reinvent myself.
apron. Sadly, broke.

b Dave d Sasha f Stella

Happily raising three Studied hard. Good The good child –
beautiful kids. degree. No job. until I wasn’t!
Exhausted!

B CD 1.02 Listen. Which memoir is each person talking about? Write the letters a–f.
1. “Like me he seems family oriented. He’s obviously enjoying family life – as I am. But he
finds it hard. Most people do. I know my sister does. She has three children – all under six!”
2. “Well, she obviously changed careers – a lot of people do these days. But it sounds like
she took a risk by choosing a career that’s not as lucrative, which is what I did, too. I hope it
works out for her. It did for me, but for some people it doesn’t.”
3. “I’d say this person worked hard in college, which most students do. But it’s too bad he
or she hasn’t gotten any work. I know a lot of graduates who haven’t. It’s so discouraging.”
4. “Sounds like me. I was the perfect kid – made my bed, ate my vegetables, and my
brothers never did. At college I went wild, as a lot of kids do. Dyed my hair pink . . .”
5. “This person clearly likes change. Actually, I’m thinking of making a big change in my life.
I’m contemplating volunteering. I think it’s a great idea, but my family doesn’t for some reason.”
6. “He must have traveled all over. I’d love to do that. I haven’t been abroad once. Most of
my friends haven’t either. I’m saving up for a trip, and so is one of my friends. So maybe soon.”
About C Pair work Discuss the questions below. Do you agree?
you
Which memoir writer in your view . . .
seems happiest? has had the best education?
might be least satisfied? is the most successful?
has had the best experiences? seems the most interesting person?
has taken the most risks? is most like someone you know?
10 Unit 1: A great read

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Cambridge University Press
978-1-107-60156-7 - V i e w p o i n t T e a c h e r ' s E d i t i o n 2
Michael McCarthy, Jeanne McCarten and Helen Sandiford
Excerpt
More information

2 Grammar Avoiding repetition 1

Figure A How do the speakers in Exercise 1B avoid repeating the same or similar words? Rewrite the
it out
underlined parts of the sentences. Then read the grammar chart.
1. Well, she obviously changed careers – a lot of people change careers these days.
2. I hope it works out for her. It worked out for me, but for some people it doesn’t work out.
3. She still hasn’t gotten any work. I know a lot of graduates who haven’t gotten any work.

Grammar extra
Auxiliary verbs See page 144.

You can avoid repeating words by using auxiliary verbs (e.g., be, have, do).
The auxiliary can be in He’s obviously enjoying it – as I am. (= am enjoying it)
the same tense as the I think it’s a great idea, but my family doesn’t. (= doesn’t think it’s a great idea)
first verb. She took a risk, which is what I did, too. (= took a risk)
I haven’t been abroad. My friends haven’t either. (= haven’t been abroad)

The auxiliary can also She obviously changed careers – a lot of people do these days. (= change careers)
be in a different tense I hope it works out. It did for me. (= worked out)

B Complete the conversations. Use auxiliary verbs. Then practice with a partner.
1. A Have you ever taken any risks in life?
B No, I suppose I haven’t really. I went to college, as my brother . It was expected,
I guess. And I went into dentistry, which is what my dad , too. I guess I don’t like
taking risks. My brother , though. He gave up a good career to go into music.
2. A So, what’s one of the best experiences you’ve had in life?
B Well, I guess I’ve been lucky. I met the perfect guy. And you know, a lot of people .
And we don’t have any financial worries. That’s nice. Many couples these days.
3. A Have you ever made a decision you regret?
B Well, let’s see. I had the opportunity to go to China on a school trip, but I didn’t go. Some of my
friends , either. But I wish I had. I think they’re planning a trip for next year – I
hope they , anyway. I won’t say no next time.
4. A Have you traveled much? I mean, where have you been?
B Well, I haven’t traveled much, though all my friends . I think it’s good to travel, but
my parents . They worry about me being safe.
About C Pair work Ask and answer the questions in Exercise B. Give your own answers.
you

3 Viewpoint My life
Group work Write your own six-word “memoir” on a piece of paper. Then mix up the papers
and take turns reading each one aloud. What can you guess about the writer? Make
comparisons with other people. Can you guess who wrote it?

In conversation . . .
Loving life. School. Family.
You can use -ly adverbs to show your attitude to what you say.
Friends. Basketball.

“This person is obviously enjoying life – as I am.”

Unit 1: A great read 11

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978-1-107-60156-7 - V i e w p o i n t T e a c h e r ' s E d i t i o n 2
Michael McCarthy, Jeanne McCarten and Helen Sandiford
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Lesson B Favorite books

1 Vocabulary in context
A What are some classic works of literature? Who wrote War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
them? Make a list. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
Iracema by Jose de Alencar
B CD 1.03 Listen to people talk about their reading
habits. What does each person like to read?

They say young people don’t read literature

anymore, so we interviewed people to find out.
Who’s your favorite author? What’s your favorite piece of literature?
“Well, let’s see. . . . I love Isabel Allende’s novels. Her best “Interestingly enough, it’s actually a poem. It’s one I learned
one was . . . oh, wait. It’s on the tip of my tongue, um, . . . by heart when I was a kid. It’s about cats, and I can still
The Stories of Eva Luna. I would love to write like her, but recite the whole thing. I can’t remember who wrote it,
I’ll never be able to. She’s so talented, and she tells these though. As kids we used to love reading poems out loud. I
amazing, magical stories. I’ve read every book she’s ever still like to, actually.” – Anita
written. I hope she writes a new one soon.” – Michael What did you read most recently?
What classic literature have you read? “Off the top of my head, I can’t think of anything. Um, let’s
“I enjoy reading Shakespeare. We had to read his plays in think. No, nothing comes to mind. I don’t read a lot of books,
college – well, we were supposed to – but they were too but the ones I like tend to be things like biographies, um,
difficult, and I couldn’t make heads or tails of them. It can nonfiction, where you learn something and get something
be hard to get your head around the language. But actually, out of it. I don’t see the point of reading stories that are just
once you come to grips with it, you can see how the plots made up.” – Carlos
and characters are still relevant today.” – Maiko Is it important to read classic literature?
“Not really. It’s beyond me why people think you should read
the classics. You don’t have to. I know I probably shouldn’t
read trashy novels, and I try not to, but some of my favorite
books are just cheap romance novels by unknown authors.
They’re the ones that stick in my mind.” – Sierra
What are you reading right now?
“Actually, to tell the truth, I don’t read much nowadays. I
used to. In fact, I was an avid reader; I used to read a lot, but
these days I prefer not to. I listen to the radio more, or
podcasts, because with, um, sorry . . . I lost my train of
thought. Um, yeah.” – Jackson

Word C Complete the idioms in the chart. Use the interviews above to help you. Then ask and
sort
answer the questions in Exercise B. Use at least six idioms in your answers.

Understanding Remembering

I can’t make heads or tails of it! It’s my tongue.

It’s hard to get your around it. We have to learn it by .
You have to come to it. I don’t know off my head.
You want to get something it. Nothing comes .
It’s me. Sometimes I lose my .
I don’t see it. Her stories in my mind.

“I have lots of favorite authors, but one that comes to mind is Paulo Coelho.” Vocabulary
notebook

12 Unit 1: A great read See page 19.

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978-1-107-60156-7 - V i e w p o i n t T e a c h e r ' s E d i t i o n 2
Michael McCarthy, Jeanne McCarten and Helen Sandiford
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2 Grammar Avoiding repetition 2

Figure A How might the people in the interviews continue this first sentence without repeating
it out
words? Choose words to delete or change. Then read the grammar chart.
I used to read a lot of trashy novels, but . . .
these days I’m not able to read a lot of trashy novels. I haven’t read a trashy novel in ages.
I wasn’t supposed to read a lot of trashy novels. the trashy novels I like have gotten too trashy.
I prefer not to read a lot of trashy novels nowadays.

Grammar extra
Infinitive verb phrases; one, ones See page 145.

You can avoid repeating infinitive verb phrases by using to when it is clear what you mean.
I would love to write like her, but I’ll never be able to. I mean, I’d like to, but . . .
We had to read Shakespeare’s plays in college. Well, we were supposed to.

Notice the negatives with try and prefer.

I shouldn’t read trashy novels, and I try not to, but . . .
I used to read a lot, but these days I prefer not to.

You can use one or ones to avoid repeating countable nouns. Don’t use them after my, your, his, etc.,
some, any, or both unless there is an adjective.
eaten but Common errors
I’ve read all her books. Her best one is . . .
Of the books I read, the ones I like best are nonfiction. You can omit one / ones after first, second, next,
best, but not after new, big, small, long, etc.
I hope she writes a new one. ( NOT . . . a new.)
B How can you avoid repetition in some of these
sentences? Delete words or use one / ones. Write
one or ones in parentheses where they are optional.
1. These days I hardly ever pick a book up. Well, I tend not to pick up a book. I’d rather read a magazine.
2. There’s a lot of literature I haven’t read. I’ve never read Moby Dick, but I’d like to read Moby Dick one day.
3. I read plays, especially modern plays. My favorite playwright is Arthur Miller.
I’ve read all his plays. His best play is The Crucible. Though you have to see it
performed to really get something out of it.
4. In elementary school, we had to learn poems by heart. At least we were
supposed to learn poems by heart.
5. I read for half an hour in bed every night before I go to sleep. Well, I try to read
for half an hour in bed every night.
6. I can’t see the point of going into bookstores to buy print books. I tend not to go
into bookstores to buy print books. My books are all downloaded onto a tablet.
It’s cheaper.
7. It’s beyond me why people don’t listen to audio books more. I love
autobiographies, and it’s a great way to “read,” especially long autobiographies.
I always get new audio books if I’m able to get them.
8. I still go to the library to borrow books. The books I get are usually historical
novels. They’re the best books.
9. I haven’t read much classic literature, but I like the work of Jane Austen. Some
of her books are also movies, like Emma and Pride and Prejudice. Both movies
are good, but the best movie is Emma. That sticks in my mind.
About C Pair work Discuss the sentences in Exercise B. Are any of them true for you?
you

Unit 1: A great read 13

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