To illustrate the point, here is a simple experiment for right-handed people: grab a tin

opener and try to open a tin with your left hand turning the knob. If you try and

operate most household gadgets with your left hand, you’ll find that they are impossible

to use. As long as you use your right hand, you won’t have a problem.

Why are some people left-handed? No one knows for sure, but genetics is certainly

a factor. Research has shown that 50% of children of two left-handed parents are

left-handed. It’s also interesting to note that far more men than women are

left-handed. In any case, left-handers are a minority – only 13% of the

population.

In my family, one of our three kids – our musician son, Bill – is also

left-handed. When Bill decided to take up the guitar, we went out to

buy one. We live near one of the biggest shopping centres in the

country. It has five music shops and not one of them had a left-

handed guitar for Bill. I decided right there and then to open a

shop for left-handers. So I started my own shop in that same

shopping centre and filled it with goods especially designed for

left-handers. Left-handed people (and their friends

and relatives) come from miles around to buy gifts, household

items and musical instruments! Customers are grateful to

find things that are convenient to use. Actually, it’s Bill they

should thank. If he weren’t left-handed, there would be no

Lefties.

Happily, new shops that sell products designed for left-

handed people have begun to spring up all over the place

and their products are in demand. In addition,

there are now organisations such as the Left-Handers

Club that campaign around the world to promote

awareness and empathy for left-handers. Hopefully,

these efforts will encourage designers to create a

range of products which can be used by both right-

and left-handers. Maybe someday left-handers like

Harry and Bill won’t even need a special shop!

Read the text on page 79 about being left-handed. Five sentences have been removed from it. Choose one sentence for each gap (1-5)from the sentences A-F below. There is one extra sentence that youdo not need to use.

READINGREADING

Let’s Go

A I called it Lefties and it has been a huge success.

B It’s extremely difficult because the blade is now on the bottom facing up!

C Hundreds of items can be ordered online as well.

D For example, if a left-hander tries to use an ordinary chainsaw with his left hand, he will probably lose it (his hand, not the chainsaw) unless he is very careful!

E Only 9% of left-handed children have two right-handed parents and 25% of children with one left-handed parent are left-handed.

F Their children are all right-handed.

1

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

4

How much do you know about left-handers? Try to answer the questions below.

What did these three left-handers have in common? Ronald Reagan George Bush, Senior Bill Clinton

In which of the following sports are left-handers believed to have an advantage? judo baseball football cricket fencing

From which of the following sports have left-handers been banned?rugby polo tennis

Which of the following statements is true?More women than men are left-handed. More men than women are left-handed.

Which two of the following household tools would a left-hander find most difficult to operate? a tin opener a chainsaw a hammer

Which of the following musical instruments would a left-hander find most difficult to play? drums a guitar a mouth organ

Which two of the following products can one buy that have been specially designed for left-handers? scissors a computer mouse a pocket calculator socks

Answers: 1. all US presidents 2. baseball, cricket, fencing 3. polo 4. more men 5. a tin opener, a chainsaw 6. a guitar 7. scissors, a computer mouse

FOR LEFT-HANDUSE ONLY

2

3

THE TEXT

AND YOU

Which of the problems of

left-handers were you familiar with? How?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Shopping!

5

I had no idea of the difficulties left-handed people come up against until I met my husband Harry. Harry is talented and he loves building things, but he constantly has to deal with products made for right-handed people. Harry always jokes that there’s no

such thing as a left-handed chainsaw because if there were, it would be too dangerous for right-handed people to

use! In addition to power tools, left-handers have to cope with computer mice that are on the right and scissors which

are uncomfortable to use. Left-handers often just have to manage with whatever’s available.

Fill what you think are the easy gaps first and leave the problem areas till last.

Gapped Texts

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VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

GRAMMARGRAMMAR

FROM THE TEXTA How does the text say the phrases in bold?

1. It has been very successful.

2. I didn’t know anything about left-handers’ difficulties.

3. It doesn’t exist.

4. These shops are opening everywhere.

B ADJECTIVES + INFINITIVES Complete the sentences using the phrases below. You will find some of them in the text on page 79.

amazing to hear dangerous to use interesting to note impossible to use uncomfortable to use encouraging to know convenient to play on

1. Left-handers have to cope with computer mice and scissors which just don’t feel right. They are ................................................ .

2. It’s ................................................ that far more men than women are left-handed.

3. Right-handed people could injure themselves seriously if they use a left-handed chainsaw. It’s ................................................ .

4. It’s ................................................ what items left-handers look for. You wouldn’t believe it.

5. For Bill, the left-handed guitar is much more ................................................ .

6. It’s ................................................ that designers may create more products that are suitable for left-handers.

7. For left-handers, most household tools are .............................. . They can’t manage with them at all.

C Use the word given at the end of each sentence to form a word that fits in the space.

1. Do you have a bottle ...................... in that drawer? OPEN

2. Buy your brooms, buckets and other ...................... items here! HOUSE

3. There are five left-handed ...................... in the orchestra. MUSIC

4. Do you have the ...................... to carry all those suitcases? STRONG

5. Public ...................... of the dangers of sunbathing has increased in recent years. AWARE

D Complete the text using the words below.

far ★ constantly ★ point ★ difficultiesencourage ★ operate ★ minority ★ talented

E DO THE QUIZ What is it? The words below will help you guess but first try to do the quiz without looking at them.

★ product

★ tin opener

★ blade

★ musical instrument

★ scissors

★ household item

A FIRST CONDITIONAL AND TEMPORALS Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verbs given.

1. Go and get your books! If you ................................. (not study), you ................................. (fail) the exam.

2. Hurry up! We ................................. (miss) the train unless we ................................. (leave) immediately!

3. I ................................. (share) my secret with him as long as he ................................. (promise) not to tell anyone.

4. When I ................................. (go) on holiday next summer, ...................... you ...................... (feed) my cat for me?

5. If Jenny ................................. (have) a good night’s sleep, she ................................. (feel) better tomorrow.

6. ...................... you ...................... (come) with us if we ................................. (decide) to go to the cinema?

7. If Jane ................................. (not win) the race, she ................................. (be) disappointed.

There are fewer left-handed than right-handed people.

Left-handers have always been a (1) ...................... .

They have to deal with (2) ...................... like trying to

(3) ...................... right-handed tools with their left hands.

But in the past, left-handers had a (4) ...................... harder

time than they do today: they were considered strange or

even bad. School children who preferred to write with their

left hand were punished and (5) ...................... reminded or

even forced to use their right hands.

However, being left-handed may be an advantage! Some

of history’s most creative and successful people were left-

handed. This should (6) ...................... left-handed people!

Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso and Beethoven

certainly illustrate this (7) ...................... . Albert Einstein was

a leftie, and so are (8) ...................... stars like Oprah Winfrey,

Julia Roberts and Tom Cruise, to name just a few. As for

former presidents of the USA, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan

and George Bush, Senior were all left-handers.

PICASSO

JULIA ROBERTS

BILL CLINTON

SEE THE GRAMMAR

APPENDIX, PAGE 152.

1 If this part of your knife is not sharp, it won’t cut well.

2 You won’t be able to eat your can of tuna if you don’t have this.

3 You need these to cut paper.

4 A guitar or a piano is an example of this.

5 We use this phrase to refer to anything connected to the home.

6 This is something that is made and sold in large quantities.

QUIZQUIZUNIT 10

SENTENCES A-F

LINES 1-5

LINES 1-5

LINES 30-35

Look at the sentences (1-3) below and match them to their uses (a-c).

First conditional

1. If you try and play a guitar with your left hand, you will find it very difficult. (If + Present Simple, will + verb)

Second conditional

2. If I were left-handed, I would try to find left-handed gadgets. (If + Past Simple, would + verb)

Third conditional

3. If I had known you were ill, I would have visited you. (If + Past Perfect, would have + past participle)

...... a. a past situation which cannot be changed

...... b. a possible future situation

...... c. an impossible or imaginary situation

Notes:1. Unless means if not.

He won’t come to the party unless you phone him. (= if you don’t phone him)

2. In second conditional sentences, we often use were instead of was for the verb be.

3. In conditional sentences, modals (can, may, could, might) can sometimes be used instead of will or would.

If you try using this tool with your left hand, you may hurt yourself.

If I knew what was wrong, I could help her.

If I’d known he was left-handed, I could have bought him a special guitar.

Temporals

Time expressions such as after, before, by the time, when, until, as long as and as soon as are followed by a verb

in the present tense even when we refer to the future (similar to if in first conditional).

You can borrow my car as long as you are back in an hour.

FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD CONDITIONALS; TEMPORALS

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B SECOND CONDITIONAL Complete the sentences below about yourself using the second conditional.

1. If I won the lottery, I ..............................................................................................................................

2. If I could visit any country in the world, I .............................................................................................

3. I would be fitter if I ................................................................................................................................

4. My English would improve a lot if ........................................................................................................

5. If school were cancelled today, I ..........................................................................................................

C THIRD CONDITIONAL Rewrite the sentences below, using the third conditional.

1. I didn’t say hello because I didn’t see you.

I ............................................... if I ............................................... you.

2. We didn’t send flowers to Joan because we didn’t know she was in hospital.

If we ............................................... in hospital, we ............................................... her flowers.

3. We missed the plane because we left so late.

If we ............................................... so late, we ............................................... the plane.

4. I didn’t call you because I didn’t have your phone number.

I would ............................................... you if ............................................... your phone number.

5. The accident happened because the driver didn’t see the red light.

The accident ............................................... if the driver ............................................... the red light.

D Complete the text below. Use only one word in each space.

E Complete the second sentence so that it has asimilar meaning to the first, using the word given.

1. If Bill doesn’t pass his exams, he won’t be able to go to university. p UNLESS Bill won’t be able to go to university ...................... ................................. his exams.

2. We won’t get home until after dark. p TIME It’ll be dark by .......................................................... home.

3. I can’t understand this article because my English isn’t good enough. p ABLE If my English were better, I ..................................... understand this article.

4. I wanted to do my homework but I didn’t have the time. p HAD I would have done my homework if ....................... ................................. the time.

5. I think you should get a haircut. p IF I would get a haircut ........................................ you.

At Christmas TimeAs (1) as it starts getting cold, the shops fill up with gifts for Christmas. I love Christmas, but I (2) like it a lot more if I (3) not have to think of presents to buy for everyone. I just have (4) idea what to give my friends and family! Of course, (5) doesn’t help that I always leave my Christmas shopping until the last minute. If I (6) more time to look, perhaps I (7) find a suitable gift for everyone – I’m not sure. Or maybe if I (8) more imaginative (or richer!), it would help! After all, I once found the perfect gift for my mum and if it hadn’t (9) so expensive, I would (10) bought it. The trouble was, it was a diamond ring!

SPEAKINGSPEAKINGA EXPRESSING AN OPINION

1 Do you enjoy shopping? Why? / Why not? Where do

you like to shop?

2 Read the advertisement for a shopping centre on the right and fill in the blanks. Use the Topic Vocabulary in the Speaking Guide below to help you. Then listen and check your answers.

B PAIRWORK A new shopping centre is opening in your town. Below are some suggestions for shops and attractions it could have.

1 With your partner discuss whether each of these things would attract young customers.

2 Choose one suggestion which would make the shopping centre attractive to young people.

Expressing an opinion • I think young people would prefer ... because …

• I think a ... is a good / the best suggestion / idea because ...

• In my opinion, a … would definitely attract young customers because …

• Personally, I don’t think a ... would attract young people.

Topic Vocabulary• department stores

• bargains

• a wide variety

• a quick snack

• available in one place

• convenient

RIVERPORT SHOPPING CENTRECOME TO RIVERPORT SHOPPING CENTRE FOR THE BEST IN SHOPPING! With over 50 top-name shops and two large (1) .......................... , you are sure to find what you’re looking for. Whether you’re looking for (2) .......................... or searching for a high quality item, RIVERPORT has it all (3) .......................... . RIVERPORT is much more than just a (4) ........................... place to shop. Feeling hungry? There is a (5) ........................... of fast food restaurants for a (6) ........................... . There’s also a riverside restaurant and a café for more relaxed dining.

That’s not all! RIVERPORT has a 20-screen cinema, open 24 hours a day. Look for our craft and jewellery market every weekend from 9-9!WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? VISIT RIVERPORT SHOPPING CENTRE NOW!

WE PROMISE YOU WON’T REGRET IT!

1. MUSIC STORE 2. BOWLING ALLEY 3. FAST FOOD RESTAURANT

4. HAIRDRESSER

6. INTERNET CAFÉ5. DEPARTMENT STORE SPEAKINGGUIDE

SPEAKING expressing an opinion LISTENING for detail

WRITING a descriptive article

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Listen to eight dialogues. Each dialogue will be followed by a question. Choose the picture which provides the correct answer.

LISTENINGLISTENINGA The announcement below appeared in an international student magazine. Read it and underline four things the article for the competition must cover.

A DESCRIPTIVE ARTICLEWRITINGWRITING

B Read the article below. Did the writer cover all four things asked for in the announcement?

D ORDER OF ADJECTIVES When you use two or more adjectives together, you need to put them in a certain order. For example, an opinion adjective (unusual, lovely, beautiful, etc.) comes before a fact adjective (blue, large, round, etc.). The shoe has an unusual blue design.

If we use two or more fact adjectives, the order is: size + shape + age + colour + material

They have huge, black rubber wheels.

In some of the sentences below the adjectivesare in the wrong order. Make corrections where necessary.

1. I bought an attractive canvas bag.

2. He was wearing a leather black old jacket.

3. My grandmother gave me a small glass doll.

4. The hat is decorated with blue velvet beautiful flowers.

E Think of a present you’ve received which you really liked. Tick (✓) the words below that can be used to describe it.

.... attractive

.... good quality

.... brand new

.... old-fashioned

.... well made

.... the latest model

.... fantastic design

.... soft and cuddly

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C Complete the plan for the model article on page 84.

A B C

A B C

A B C

A B C

A B C

A B C

A B C

A B C

MODEL

Par 1give basic description of object

Par 2give more details – where you got the object and why

Par 3sum up and say how you feel about object

.........................................

.........................................

.........................................

.........................................

.........................................

.........................................

$30 $20 $15

F YOUR TASK The notice below appeared on your school noticeboard. Read and do the task. Use the Writing Guide to help you.

Useful Phrases • When asked to describe / write about ... ,

I immediately thought of ...

• What I like (most) about ... is that …

• The best / most unusual thing about it is ...

STEPS for writing your descriptive article1. Read the task carefully and underline all the

points you need to cover in your article.

2. Decide which present you’re going to write about and make notes for each point you underlined in the task.

3. Begin your article in an interesting way, giving a basic description of the object. Follow the plan in Exercise C to complete your article. Use the phrases and Topic Vocabulary in this box.

4. Remember to use adjectives to make your description more interesting.

Topic Vocabulary • It was an excellent present because ...

• It was something I had always wanted.

• It was given to me by …

• The present has given me hours of enjoyment.

• It has sentimental value because ...

• attractive

• of good quality

• well / beautifully made

• expensive

• well designed

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

PLAN

.........................................

.........................................

.........................................

WRITING COMPETITION!Write an article with the title:

The Best Thing I Have Ever Bought Briefly describe what you have bought. Say where and why you bought it and

explain why you were so pleased with it. The best articles will be printed in

next month’s edition of the magazine.

The Best Thing I Have Ever BoughtThe best thing I have ever bought is my pair of rollerblades. They are the Pegasus 2000model, and I have had them for two years. They have an unusual blue design and huge, blackrubber wheels.

I was dying to try rollerblading as my best friend is an expert. Rollerblades are quite expensive and I had to save my pocket money for months so I could buy them. I had to travel to a big sports shop in London especially to find the rollerblades I wanted. I chose this pair because I had heard that they were good forbeginners.

The best thing about my rollerblades is that they look really cool and everyone who seesthem admires them. From the first day I usedthem, they felt great. What’s more, they are really comfortable. They have lasted extremelywell and have helped me become a very goodrollerblader. Although they were expensive, Ithink that they were worth it.

WRITE AN ARTICLE!We are looking for articles for the

next issue of our English school magazine.

Send in your article with the title: The Best Present I Have Ever Received

Describe the present. Say who gave it to you and on what occasion, then explain

why it was such a successful present.

WRITING GUIDE

UNIT 10 REVIEW PAGE 129. FUN CHOICES PAGE 20. 84CHOICES

85CHOICES