Unit 7: Then and Now

Quick Check

A. Vocabulary. Mark the information about the buildings, materials, and size of each city.

Riyadh:

Modern building complexes and skyscrapers like the Kingdom Center, the Al-Faisaliya Center, and the Riyadh TV Tower are now attractions of the new city.

More than 1,500 square kilometers.

Population of almost 5.5 million.

B. Comprehension. Answer yes or no.

1. no The walls of the old city of Riyadh were made of concrete.
2. no Most of the buildings in Balad had two stories.
3. yes More than 5 million people live in Riyadh.
4. no The Al-Masmak fort is in ruins.
5. yes Majed was a member of the Saudi national team.

2 Pair Work

A. Ask and answer about the cities and Majed.

What is the size of old Riyadh?

The old, oasis town of Riyadh was an area of about one square kilometre.

What do the buildings Looke like in old Riyadh?

There were many mud-brick houses, mosques, and other buildings inside the walls of the city.

What do the buildings Looke like in Modern Riyadh?

Modern building complexes and skyscrapers like the Kingdom Center, the Al-Faisaliya Center, and the Riyadh TV Tower are now attractions of the new city.

Did Majid go to the high school?

Yes, he did.

3 Grammar

A. Complete the conversations. Use was/wasn’t or were/weren’t.

1. A: Was your father born in the States?
B: No, he wasn't. He was born in Europe.
A: Where in Europe was, he born?
B: He was born in Poland.

2. A: What was your father’s first job?
B: He and his brother were waiters.
A: How old were they?
B: They weren't very old—17 and 15.

3. A: How was the graduation party?
B: It was great.
A: Who was there?
B: All our friends were there.

4. A: What was Oscar like?
B: He was very smart.
A: Were his grades good?
B: No, they weren't.

5. A: Were you late for school?
B: Yes, I was.
A: Why?
B: The bus was late.

6. A: Was the hotel comfortable?
B: Yes, it was OK.
A: What was the weather like?
B: It was terrible.

B. Work with a partner. Imagine you went on vacation to these places. Ask and answer about your vacation.
Use the adjectives in the box.

A: How was your vacation?

B: It was great.

A: That's good!

A: How was your vacation?

B: It was boring.

A: That's too bad!

4 Listening

Listen to the description of the life of Majed Ahmed Abdullah.
Complete the information.

6 Conversation

About the Conversation

1. Were Leo and Neil in the same class? What grade?

Yes, they were. It was in ninth grade.

2. Does Leo see his old classmates often?

No, he doesn't.

3. What was Keith Anderson like?

He was always the winner of school competitions.

4. What does Derek Adams do now?

He is a successful businessman and Neil's boss.

7 About You

1. Were your grades good in elementary school? Yes, they were.
2. What was your favourite subject? English.
3. What was your favourite after-school activity? Playing tennis.
4. Who was your favourite teacher? Miss, Hala.
5. Who was your best friend? Nada.
6. Where is he/she now? What is he/she doing? She is with me at school.

8 Reading

After Reading

1. Where was Yao Ming born? Shanghai, China.
2. Were his parents short? No, they were tall.
3. When was Yao first serious about basketball? By the age of twelve.
4. What was the name of his team in the U.S.? The Houston Rockets.
5. What does he like to do in his free time? He likes to go home to China and enjoy his mom's cooking.

9 Writing

A. Look back at the Reading on page 61. Who do the pronouns or adjectives refer to?

1. him (line 2) Yao Ming.
2. their (line 6) his parents.
3. His (line 11) Yao Ming's.
4. he (line 15) Yao Ming.
5. his (line 21) Yao Ming's.
6. He (line 25) Yao Ming.

B. Circle the pronouns and possessive adjectives in the text. Who do they refer to?

• Paragraph 1: He = Khaled.
• Paragraph 2: His/his = Khaled's; they = his family; He/he = Khaled.
• Paragraph 3: His = Khaled's; they = Khaled and his horse; their = Khaled and his horse's.

C. Write about a celebrity in your country.

• Eid al-Fitr is a special day marks the end of Ramadan. My family and I go to pray at the morning. After finishing, we congratulate other prayers.
• The important on this Eid is when we go home; we meet our relatives and friends.
• We offer many kinds of deserts.
• I like meeting with my friends and playing all the time with them.
• I wear a new traditional wear at Eid al-Fitr.

11 Form, Meaning and Function

A. Ten years ago, Lee was a poor student. Now he is a successful architect. Look at his apartments then and now.
Describe his old apartment. Use There was, there wasn’t, there were, and There weren’t.

1. There was only one room.
2. There weren't any other rooms.
3. There was an old sofa.
4. There were holes in the sofa.
5. There wasn't a comfortable bed.
6. There wasn't a balcony.
7. There weren't any windows.
8. There were some books on a shelf.
9. There was a light on the ceiling.
10. There wasn't a television.

B. Work with a partner. Take turns asking and answering questions about Lee’s old apartment.
Use Was there…? and were there…?

A: Were there holes in the sofa?

B: Yes, there were.

A: Was there a light on the ceiling?

B: Yes, there was.

A: Was there a balcony?

B: No, there wasn't.

A: Were there some books on a shelf?

B: Yes, there were.