Unit 2: Life Stories

Quick Check

A. Vocabulary. Find words in the text that mean:

1. gave to charity donated.
2. an arrangement to meet appointment.
3. excellent outstanding.
4. supported someone to succeed encouraged.
5. got together/met gathered.
6. a baby infant/newborn.

B. Comprehension. Answer the questions.

1. Why did Trent continue to give blood?

Because he thought it was the right thing to do.

2. How often does Trent give blood?

He gives blood every eight weeks.

3. Why was it difficult for Ahmed to walk?

Because he was born with a crippling disease.

4. Who taught Ahmed to play football?

Ahmed's brother, Ali, taught him how to play football.

5. Why did the employees gather at the beach?

They gathered at the beach for a clean-up operation.

6. When were the twins born?

The twins were born on Monday, June 21.

3. Grammar

A. Make sentences about yourself. Use the phrases, and add some of your own.
Share your sentences with a partner.

I was born in California. I grew up in Los Angeles. I don't remember when I said my first word. I started walking at the age of 18 months. I went to school at the age of five.

I first used a computer at the age of six.

B. List some of the things you used to do/didn’t use to do when you were young.
Then compare and discuss with a partner.

C. Complete the paragraph with the past tense form of the verbs in parentheses.

• Let me tell you how I met (1. meet) my best friend. Yousef and I went (2. go) to the same elementary school.
• Yousef was (3. be) a new 6th grade student, and the teacher asked (4. ask) me to show him around during his first week.
• I agreed (5. agree) to help out, and we spent (6. spend) every day together. Yousef grew up (7. grow up) in Abha, and his family moved (8. move) when his father got (9. get) a new job in Jeddah.
• He didn't know (10. not know) anyone, so I introduced (11. introduce) him to my friends and classmates.
• After school, he came (12. come) with me to football practice. At first, he just watched (13. watch), but then he wanted (14. want) to play.
• He didn't play (15. not play) well at first, but he tired (16. try) very hard. And now Yousef is the best player on the team!

D. Work with a partner. Ask and answer about the first and last time you did the activities.

1. A: When was the first time you used a computer?

B: I really can't remember. I think I was four or five.

A: When was the last time you used a computer?

B: This morning. I check my email every morning before class.

2. A: When was the first time you got your hair cut?

B: I really can't remember. I think I was four or five years.

A: When was the last time you got your hair cut?

B: Last week.

5. Listening

Listen to the biography of Prince Sultan bin Salman. Put the events in chronological order. Number them from 1 to 8.

6 He began helping organizations for the disabled.
2 He completed university and flight training in the U.S.
4 He was on the Saudi Media Committee during the 1984 Olympics.
1 He was born in 1956 in Riyadh.
3 He started working for the Ministry of Information.
8 He became Secretary General of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities.
5 He flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery.
7 He became involved in preserving Saudi architectural heritage.

8. Conversation

About the Conversation

1. How and where did the team members meet?

They met in high school. The coach put a note on a bulletin board asking for players.

2. Were all the players originally on the team?

No, Trevor was not originally on the team.

3. Where did they use to practice?

They used to practice in the school gym.

4. Why did Trevor leave the other team?

He wasn't into the attitude of the players.

5. Why did the team change gyms?

The sports centre has better facilities.

9. Reading

After Reading

A. Match each word with the meaning.

1. e abroad
2. d humanitarian
3. b relief
4. c appoints
5. a metropolis

B. Answer the questions about the reading.

1. Where did King Salman go to school?

King Salman went to the princes school in Riyadh.

2. When was he appointed as Crown Prince of the Kingdom?

He was appointed Crown prince on June 18,2012.

3. For how many years was he the Governor of Riyadh?

He was the Governor of Riyadh for about 53 years.

4. How did he help to change Riyadh?

He attracted a lot of tourism, business, and investment.

5. When did he become the King of Saudi Arabia?

He became the King of Saudi Arabia on January 23, 2015.

C. Write down important events in King Salman’s life. Compare your answers with a partner.

D. What are some of King Salman’s accomplishments? Compare your answers with a partner.

10. Writing

A. Look at the timeline of events in Prince Sultan bin Salman’s life. Then, complete the summary with prepositions and time words.

Prince Sultan bin Salman Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud was born (1) in Riyadh (2) on June 27, 1956.
He was educated (3) in Riyadh. (4) After high school, he went to study communications and aviation (5) at the University of Denver (6) in the U.S. (7) when he was there, he also became a pilot.
He started his career (8) in 1982 as a researcher (9) at the Ministry of Information (10) in Saudi Arabia.
(11) in 1985, Prince Sultan made history (12) when he became the first Saudi astronaut to travel (13) in space.
He flew aboard the space shuttle STS-51-G Discovery (14) From June 17 (15) at June 24.
(16) Then he joined the Royal Saudi Air Force as a pilot, and retired (17) in 1996.
(18) From 2000 (19) at 2008, he was Secretary General of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, and (20) since 2008 he has served as its President.

11. Project

Choose a famous person and research the events and accomplishments in his/her life.
Write a biography of the person. Present the biography to the class.

Yasser Al-qahtani Accomplishment

Saudi Arabia captain Yasser al-Qahtani's won the Asian player of the Year award in 2007.

Biography of Yasser al-Qahtani (excerpt)

Yasser Saeed al-Qahtani (born 10 October 1982) was a Saudi Arabian footballer who played as a striker for Al-Hilal in Saudi Professional League. He was also captain of the Saudi Arabian national team.

He is the best known to be the greatest Saudi Arabian footballer ever since Majid Abdullah's era. In 2005, he moved to Al-Hilal for 23 million Saudi riyal.

He played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup where he scored a goal against Tunisia, which marked his great movement and composure in front of goal.

In 2011, struggling for form following injuries and having lost his place in the Al-Hilal.

Personal life

Al-Qahtani married in 2008 and has a son, Abdulaziz, who was born on 1 January 2010.

12. Form, Meaning and Function

A. Complete the sentences with the correct time phrases. Use the words in parentheses.

1. I’m in grade 9. Last year (last) I was in grade 8, and two years ago (ago) I was in grade 7.
2. I was born in (year) (in). I was born on (date) number (on) years ago (ago).
3. What time did you go to bed last night (last)? What time did you wake up this morning (this)?
4. I went to bed last night (at) last night, and I woke up at (time) (at) this morning.
5. We finished Unit 1 of SuperGoal 5 (a week) ago (ago).
6. I started learning English (a week) ago (when).
7. I didn’t use to read and write when I was (age) (when).
8. I started going to this high school in (year) (in).
9. Ibn Saud founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the 20th century (century).
10. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded 1932 (in) on September 23 rd (on).

B. Put the words in order to make sentences. Start with the word in bold.

1. hosted / in / Beijing / the / Summer Olympics / 2008

Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008.

2. wrote / before / math / a / test / We / day / yesterday / the

We wrote a math test the day before yesterday.

3. graduated / Fahd / when / was / he / 23 / university / from

Fahd graduated from university when he was 23.

4. he / to / morning / was / sick / Ali / so / didn’t / class / this / go

Ali was sick, so he didn’t go to class this morning. / Ali was sick this morning, so he didn’t go to class.

5. ago / ten / Mona / a / started / years / as / working / teacher

Mona started working as a teacher ten years ago.

6. century / didn’t / People / cars / to / the / in / use / drive / 19th

People didn’t use to drive cars in the 19th century.

7. parents / me / cell phone / My / week / bought / a / last

My parents bought me a cell phone last week.

8. friends / new / I / when / started / high school / made / I

I made new friends when I started high school.