Unit 6: Take My Advice

A. Asma is chatting online with Sahar. Complete the conversation. Use the words in the box.

Asma123: I’m looking at an advice website for teens right now. It’s really cool.
Sahar227: Really? What’s the address? I want to check it out, too.
Asma123: www.helpsite-4u.com
Sahar227: Why are you looking at this site?
Asma123: Well, it’s my weight … and junk food. You know …
Sahar227: Wait. So if this is about weight and food, are you looking at the page about (1) fitness?
Asma123: That’s right, and I just found a list here that should help.
Sahar227: Yeah! I see it. The list shows what types of food you shouldn’t eat.
Asma123: Look at the first thing on the list. You should (2) avoid carbohydrates and fat.
Sahar227: Do you eat too much fast food?
Asma123: No, not too much. Normal, quantities. I don’t eat sweets either!
Sahar227: Good. You had better not!
Asma123: I never eat too much at home but something comes over me when
I see a fast food restaurant and I (3) lose control!
Sahar227: Oh Asma, that’s crazy. You spend so much time on fitness exercises and running. Why do you want to throw it all away?
Asma123: I don’t. But when people want to eat and they start ordering burgers and fries I start getting (4) hungry and end up ordering myself.
Sahar227: You should have told me about it sooner. We could have avoided unhealthy fast food. I am not too crazy about it myself. I wouldn’t have trouble eating grilled chicken and salad!
Asma123: I would. I could never (5) turn down a burger and fries, especially when I am under exam (6) pressure.

B. Read the conversations. Choose the more appropriate modal auxiliary. Write it in the blank.

Ahmed: My brother is always going out with his friends. He never has time for me. What (1) (might / should) should I do?
Fahd: I wouldn’t worry about it. My brother does the same thing. Or you (2) (could / had better) could talk to him.
Ahmed: I already have. He says he’s really not interested in spending time with me. He thinks I’m too young. But he said we (3) (had better / might) might watch the football game together tonight.
Patient: I can’t seem to lose more weight. I haven’t been careful about what I eat, but I go to the gym five times a week.
Maybe I (4) (should / shouldn’t) shouldn’t bother going to the gym.
Doctor: Let me explain. If you work out for an hour and then eat a piece of cake, you’re taking in more calories than you burned at the gym.
The gym is important. You (5) (could / should) should go to the gym, but if you do, you (6) (ought to / might) ought to be more careful about your diet.
Mrs. Tanaka: How’s Brian?
Mrs. Jones: OK, I guess. He’s on the school football team. But he’s still on a strict diet. He never eats fast food or any of the food that other kids eat but he is happy because he is fit.
Mrs. Tanaka: It’s great for kids to know what they want!
If Brian is happy he (7) (could /ought to) could continue his diet.
I have an idea. He (8) (might / had better) might explain to the other kids that eating this way helps his football skills. What do you think?

C. Read the situations. Then give your advice. Use the verbs in parentheses.

1. Hameed has invited Ibrahim over to his house to play video games. Ibrahim likes Hameed and would like to be his friend.
But someone else told Ibrahim that the reason Hameed invited him is because he wants to play the new video game that Ibrahim bought last week. What should Ibrahim do?

a. (could) He could ask Ibrahim about this.
b. (should) He should accept Hameed's invitation.
c. (had better not) He had better not listen to that person.

2. Amira could not find her gym shoes so she borrowed her younger brother’s shoes.
They are very comfortable but they are different from girls’ shoes. Amira is happy to have them but she is afraid that her friends will tease her.
What should she do?

a. (might) She might look for her own gym shoes.
b. (should) She should neglect her friend's teasing.
c. (ought to) She should wear her brother's shoes.

3. Paul is the best player on the school basketball team. This year his father is helping the gym teacher to coach the team.
Although this seemed like a good idea, it’s not working out well.
Paul’s father is always yelling at him and telling him he’s not good at basketball.
Paul seems nervous and isn’t doing well. That’s hurting the team.
The other players are worried, especially because some important games are coming up. What should the other players do?

a. (shouldn’t) They shouldn't be worried about that.
b. (should) They should encourage Paul.
c. (had better) They had better talk to Paul's father about this.

D. Write two-word or three-word verbs next to the definitions. Use the verbs, particles, and prepositions in the box. Some are used more than once.

1. stop doing give up
2. postpone put off
3. discard throw away
4. be friendly get along with
5. refuse turn down
6. begin take up
7. accept a bad situation put up with

E. Complete the sentences with two-word and three-word verbs. Use each of the verbs from exercise D once. Put the verbs in the correct form.

A. Raymond is getting very annoyed at himself. Last month he decided to (1) give up smoking.
So he (2) threw away the pack of cigarettes that he’d just bought.
Then his friend told him that this was a bad time to quit because it was a very stressful time at work.
His friend said that he should (3) put off quitting for at least another month.
Raymond decided that there was never a good time to quit smoking, so he (4) turned down his friend’s advice.
Now Raymond hasn’t had a cigarette in three weeks!

B. Paul is tired of work. Every time he goes to work, he never (5) put up with his boss.
Paul thinks that he should find a new job—or maybe (6) take up a completely different career.

F. Complete the conversation with the correct two-word or three-word verb. Put the pronoun object in the correct position.

Sam: I hate cleaning the garage! I always (1) (put off / it) put it off as long as I can.
Mel: There’s a lot of junk in it! How do you (2) (put up with / it) put up with it? Do you really need it all? Why don’t you (3) (throw away / it) throw it away?
Sam: That’s not easy to do.
Mel: Sure it is. Just (4) (throw away / it) throw it away. It’s simple. Look at all the footballs you have.
Sam: I can’t (5) (throw away / them) throw them away. They remind me of all those games.
They’re important for me.
Mel: Hmmm. You can really be difficult sometimes. I don’t know how your footballs (6) (put up with / you) put up with you!

G. READING

Read the article.

Complete the sentences.

1. “Ann Landers” was really Eppie Laderer.
2. “Abigail Van Buren” was really Pauline Philips.
3. Jeanne Philips helped her mother write a column.
4. Margo Howard, who is Laderer's daughter, writes an advice column called “Dear Margo.”

H. Read the emails and reply with advice.

Hello,
Please help. I don’t know what to do. I lent my book to a friend of mine and we have a test tomorrow.
It’s too late to get it back and I only have my notes from class.
How am I going to study? Any ideas?

Try to depend on your notes. You can use the internet to download the book.

Hi,
I am having some difficulty with the math homework.
I would ask my father but he is away on a business trip.
I am really not good at math, as you know.
I know you are in a different group so we don’t do the same things.
Should I call someone or do as much as I can and then ask for help tomorrow?
What would you do?

I advise you to hire a tutor or ask the help of a friend.

Hello,
I am desperate. I think I have lost my cell phone.
I remember putting it in my bag but it’s not there.
I am trying to remember if I let anyone borrow it this morning.
Do you remember? We were talking when Sabah interrupted us and I don’t remember what
I did with it.
I am afraid to tell my parents. I have already lost two cell phones!
I had promised to be careful with this one.

I advise you to ask your friends about it, and tell your parents the truth.

I. Look at the picture. The younger man is asking his father for advice. Decide what the advice is about (e.g. choosing a university, changing jobs, buying a new car/house).

1. Complete the chart with as many words as you can under each heading.

2. What advice does the father give his son? Write sentences using some of the words that you listed.

• My son, you should choose the branch of study that is suitable for you.
• You ought to think about your future and consider your abilities and skills. I hop you would choose the best.

J. WRITING

Imagine that a friend has written to you for advice about a problem that he/she has at school or work.
Complete the chart with the information required. Use it to write a reply to your friend.

Dear Desperate Friend

Concerning your problem at school, first of all I advise you to stay away from the students how try to distract you from doing homework and concentrating on your studies.

About your teachers, you had better apologize to them and promise them to do your best.

You can make your future.

K. Complete the conversation. Use much, many, often, lot, lots, few or little.

Scott: Hi Ahmed! You look well. I think you’re (1) much thinner than you were, too. Have you lost a (2) little weight?
Ahmed: Hi, Scott. Nice to see you’re back in Riyadh. Yes, I did lose a (3) few kilos this year.
Scott: Were you on a diet or something? You were eating a (4) lot of junk food last time we went out.
Ahmed: Well, I’m not really on a diet, but I’m more careful about what I eat, and I feel (5) much healthier these days. I don’t eat (6) much junk food now.
I eat a (7) lot of fruit now, too.
Scott: How (8) much fruit do you eat?
Ahmed: About two pieces of fruit at day, or more. I always have a (9) little bit in the morning and take some with me when I go running.
Scott: How (10) often do you go running?
Ahmed: Every day. I’m doing a (11) lot of training for the marathon, so I run for at least an hour before work. What about you? How (12) many hours of
exercise do you get?
Scott: Oh… I don’t exercise (13) often here. I go to the gym a (14) few times a week when I’m back home in the States.
But it’s so hot here! I have to drink (15) lots of water all the time.
Ahmed: How (16) many glasses of water do you drink every day?
Scott: I don’t think about it (17) often, but I know I need a (18) few!
How (19) often do you have to stop for a drink?
Ahmed: When I’m running, I don’t drink (20) much. But I have a (21) few drops when I stop.
Scott: Hey! You’re making me thirsty. Let’s have a (22) little break and have a refreshment together now.

L. Write the possible solutions for each problem. There may be more than one possible answer.

1. sore throat drink warm tea or milk / take cough syrup
2. rash use a skin cream
3. flu take vitamins / take medicine
4. stress relax
5. toothache take painkillers
6. feeling tired stay in bed

M. Write the adjectives for feelings on the chart below. Add any other feelings adjectives you know.

N. Answer the questions.

1. What do you do when you have a headache?

I take some painkillers.

2. What do you do when you have a toothache?

I go to the dentist.

3. What do you do when you feel anxious and stressed?

I go to the dentist.

4. How do you feel when you have the flu?

I feel tired and have a headache.

5. How do you feel when you exercise?

I feel strong and excited.

6. How do you feel when you meet new people?

I feel glad.