UDA There’s an email for you

1. UDA There’s an email foryou

2. AIMS Wehavethoughtthatworking on emailscould help us to focus ourattention on Topics, Grammarforms and Vocabulary, togetherwith the layout of Letters. The Italiantranslation has alsotaughtusthat English and Italian are notalways the sameones in referringfacts and situations, in fact the Italiantranslation is often free from the English structure. P.S. You can click on the lettersforItalianBackversions. Class II M Teachers Alunna: Marilli Cristina Tarquinio Rosalba Cardone Roberta

3. UNIT: A helpinghand • Presentcontinuousforactivities happening now; presentsimple vs. presentcontinuous • Vocabulary: housework • Talkingaboutactivities happening now • Talkingabouthousework

5. Hi Richard! This is just a quick message, because I’m really busy. We’re all getting ready for my grandfather’s sixtieth birthday. There’s a big family party this evening in the garden, with about 40 people . so this afternoon, we’re cleaning an d tidying up. My mother is cooking in the kitchen and my aunts are helping her. Dad is putting up lights in the garden at the moments, and my uncle is organizing the tables and chairs. My cousins are here too, but they aren’t helping much- they’re playing computer games. I must go now. See you on Monday. Peter. Hi Sarah! How are you? I’m stressed, because we’re all getting ready for my mother’s birthday. As every family party, we organize the event at my house! Well, everybody has a role, but because it’s a surprise party will be very difficult to prepare all. So while my father is bringing to shopping my mother, my aunts and I are organizing the tables and chairs. My grandmother is cooking for the party. Unfortunately we will not be many, because my brother is leaving for work and my cousins are on holiday in Sardegna. Sorry. I have to go now. Write me soon. Criss

6. UNIT: Goodintentions • Tobegoingto: intentions and predictions; must/mustn’t • Vocabulary: phrasalverbs • Talkingaboutintentions

7. Hi! Happy New Year! How are you? Did you have a good time last night? We only had a small party here at home, just my family and a few friends. But it was OK, and I didn’t go to bed until 2.00 in the morning. This email is part of my New Year’s resolution- I’m going to write a lot more emails this year! My dad he’s going to give up smoking and go running every morning. He said this last year, but he didn’t keep it up. Have you got any resolutions for this year? We’ve got a holiday this week, so I’m going to real and spend some time with my friends. It snowed here yesterday, so we’re going to do some snowboarding. Write soon! Bye for now Jessie

8. Hi! Happy New Year! I’m fine thanks, and you? How are you? Did you have a good time last night? I stayed here at home with just my family. But we had fun and we went to bed about 3,00 o’clock. I have a few New Year’s resolution. I’m going to go to dancing school this year! My mum says she’s going to practice some physical exercise like running every morning. She says this many times, but she doesn’t keep it up. I hope she doesn’t give it up this time. We’ve got a holiday this week, so I’m going to my grandparent’s farm and spend some time with my family. Write soon! Bye Criss.

9. 1 Explorers • Presentsimple/continuous and pastsimplereview • Vocabulary:guessingmeaningfromcontext • Describingtemporary/permamentactivities; past and presentsituations • Interviewabout free time

10. Hi Luca! How are you? Are you ready for the summer holidays? I hope thatmyholidayswillbefunas the oldones, butlesscomplicated. In fact last summer I spentmyholiday in the mountains. I wentto a travelagency and chose a cottage in a smallvillage. The agencygaveus a photoof the house and the address, but the forgottogiveus the keys. Wegotthere at night and ittookus a long timetofind the place. Wefinallyfound the house in the dark. Wegot up to the house and beganto look forsomeonetounlock the door. Wefeltabandoned. Wethoughtnobodywasthere, so weslept in the car. In the morningwesaw a note on the door. Wereadit. Itsaidthat the keyswere in the lock! Fortunately, after we had a great time, and it was well worth it! How do you spend last summer? It’s all for now. Write me soon. Criss

11. 2 That’s an idea! • Pastcontinuous • Pastcontinuous vs. pastsimple; when/ while • Vocabulary: phraseswithget • Describingpastactvities

12. Dear James, how are you doing? Haven’t heard from you for a long time. Well, yesterday I was going for a walk in a forest. I was walking through the trees when, suddenly, I found a cave. It looked very dark inside. I wasn’t sure if I should go in or not. While I was thinking, I heard a noise in the cave. There was somebody inside! I went into the cave and I saw a small boy. He was sitting on the floor and he was crying. I took his hand and we want outside. I was very worried because the boy didn’t answer my questions. So finally I decided to go to the police with him. Luckily at the end, they found the parents of the boy. What did you yesterday? Write me soon. Criss.

13. 3 Shejumpedwell • Comparative and superlative adjectives • Intensifierswithcomparatives • (not) as … ascomparatives • Adverbs/ Comparative adverbs • Vocabulary: antonyms • Makingcomparisons • Comparingyourselfwithothers • Describing a sport event

14. Hello Amy, how are you? Did you see a dramatic third and last round of the women’s Big Air contest at the Winter X Games at Mount Snow, Vermont? More than 7,000 people saw it. Tara Dakides, a regular winner of the top events, won with the very last jump of the competition. She jumped brilliantly, a 540º turn, and the scores came up quickly on the board. She said ‘It wasn’t easy, but in these competitions you never win easily’. It a fantastic experience! I hope thatyou've seenit! Write me soon Criss.

15. 4 Our world • Will/won’t; might/ may(not): predictions • First conditional; unless • Vocabulary: the environment • Discussingenvironmentalproblems • Predicting future events

16. Hello Paolo how are you doing? Did you know that coral in the sea will de if people cut down more rainforests? It happens like this. If people cut down more rainforests, the world’s temperatures will rise. If the temperature of the sea go up too, the small animals and plants that coral lives on will stare to die. So, the coral don’t get enough food, and then it will go white and die. If the coral died, over 90,000 different kinds of fish will be in danger of dying too. So, as you can see, one natural disaster often causes another one. What do you think about it? Write me soon. Criss.

17. 5 Canada and the USA • Present perfect simple; just/already/yet • Vocabulary: British vs. North American English • Checking information • Talking about recently completed activities • Question tags

18. Hi Mark! How are things with you? Thanks for your email-I got it yesterday. So, here I am on holiday in California- and I’m in an Internet café in San Francisco, writing to you! We’re having a great time. We’ve already been to San Diego and Los Angeles- San Francisco is the last city on our holiday (they say ‘vacation’ here). It’s a great place and the weather’s beautiful. We’ve already done lots of things! Yesterday, we went to Alcatraz prison, on an island- really interesting! We haven’t visited the Golden Gate Bridge yet, but f course I’ve seen it! Oh, but we’ve already travelled on one of the streetcars (tram) here- it was wicked! Well, it’s time for dinner- we’re going to a Mexican restaurant tonight, I can’t wait! Hope everything’s OK with you- write to me again soon, OK? Love, Sarah PS- I’ve already bought a present for you- a San Francisco Giants baseball cap! Hope you like it!

19. Hi Francesca! How are things with you? Thanks for your email-I got it yesterday. So, here I am on holiday in UK- and I’m in an Internet café in London, writing you! We’re having a great time. We’ve already been to London and Oxford- Liverpool is the last city on our holiday (they say ‘vacation here’). It’s a great place and the weather’s beautiful. We’ve already done lots of things! Yesterday, we went to the Oxford’s University-really interesting! We haven’t visited the British Museum yet, but I’ve seen it! Oh, but we’ve already travelled on one of the streetcars (tram) here- it was wicked! Well, it’s time for dinner- we’re going to a Chinese restaurant tonight, I can’t wait! Hope everything’s OK with you- write to me again soon, OK? Love, Criss PS. I’ve already bought a present for you, but it’s a surprise! Hope you like it!

20. Dear Amy! How are things with you? This is just a quick message, because I’m really busy. I’m going on holiday to the UK and I need to do something, for examples I have to but something to wear but I haven’t bought any new clothes yet. Especially I have already bought a guide book of London, so I’ll can visit all part of London. I have already written to the family with I’m going to stay and to the language school, but I haven’t got a letter from the school to say that I’m going to be a student there yet. I haven’t also found out how to get from the airport to the English family. I hope to enjoy there and learn to speak English much better than now. Sorry, I have to go now. Write me soon. Criss

21. 6 Growing up • Present simple passive; by • Let/be allowed • Vocabulary:describing a person’s age • Describing a ceremony • Retelling a story • Talking about permission

22. Hi Amy! How are things? You all right? Sorry I haven’t replied to your last email, but I’ve just finished my exams. Listen, it’s my sixteenth birthday on 17 June and I’m having a party at my place. Can you come? Hope you can! The party will be great, and all my friends going to be there. Let me know, ok? See you! Mike

23. Hi Mike How are you? Hope you’re well and your exams were OK! Thanks a lot for your email-it was good hear from you. Thanks too for the invitation to your birthday party on the 17th, but we’re going on holiday on the 10th and we aren’t coming back until the 20th, so I’m afraid there’s no way I can go. But I hope you have a really good time and enjoy the party. I’m really excited about our holiday ‘cos were going to the Bahamas! Can’t wait-it’s my first time! Lots of sun and swimming, I hope-it’ll be great! You won’t get a postcard from me, of course- you know I’m too lazy! Well, I’ve got loads of other emails to write so I’ll finish here. Take care and write again soon Love Amy

24. Hi peter! How are you? Hope you’re well! Thanks a lot for your email- it was good hear from you! Thanks too for the invitation to go and stay there with you. Would be great! But we have just planned to spend our summer somewhere else. We’re going to Paris! I’m really excited about our holiday ‘cos it’s my first time. I go to Paris. Lots of monuments and museums, but especially I hope to see the Tower Eiffel. You won’t get a postcard from me, you know I’m too lazy! Well’ I’ve get loads of other emails to write, so I’ll finish here Take care and write me soon. Love, Criss

25. 7 Have a laugh! • Presentperfectsimple; for vs. since • Vocabulary:verb and nounpairs • Talkingaboutunfinishedsituations

26. Hi there! How are you doing? Haven’t heard from you for a long time! Where have you been? Listen, we’re doing a project at school about how different teenagers around the world have fun. I’d really like you to help me, if you can! So, can you tell me: -what kinds of things make you laugh? -what things you do to have a good time? -how often you do them?! -how long you’ve done them for?! -why you think having fun is important? If you can think of anything else to write, please do! In return I’ll send you some great photos of me and my friends in California. Thanks very much, and write soon! Brad

27. Hi Brad Thanks for your email. Sorry I haven’t written sooner, I’ve to study for an exam. Anyway, you want to know how I have fun: for example when I stay with my friends in the afternoon or when I go to the dancing school: it’s my passion! Also lots of thing make me laugh, for example when my brother makes silly faces. Having fun is very important because the life I very difficult, so sometimes it’s important laugh: everybody needs to have fun. Take care and write again soon. Criss

28. 8 A great film! • Verbs+ing/ Verbs+to+baseverb • Vocabulary: films • Expressinglikes/dislikes and preferences • Talkingabout film

29. Dear Lucia, how are you? Yesterday I went to the cinema with my friends to watch the film ‘Gangs of New York’. The film, directed by Martin Scorsese, was almost three hours long. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Daniel Day-Lewis and Liam Neeson. It was about gangs of men in the street of New York, in the middle of the nineteenth century. DiCaprio plays the role of Amsterdam, a boy who saw his father killed by Butcher Bill, played by Day-Lewis. Amsterdam comes back to New York many years later, looking for a way to kill butcher bill when he is in New York he falls in love with Jennie, played by Cameron Diaz. Have you ever watched this film? If yes, did you like it? Tell me something about it. Bye. Criss

30. 9 Disaster! • Pastsimple passive • A, an or the • Vocabulary: disasters • Exchanging information • Describing a dream

31. Hello Jake, how are you? Well, last night I dreamed that I was somewhere in a wood. In the wood there were lots of strange things. First I saw a house. The house was made of chocolate. When I walked closer, a woman opened the door. The woman was very old and she was wearing big glasses. She said, ‘You can eat some of the chocolate, but you have to give me a present’. I didn’t know what give her. But then I remembered. I had a photo of my dog in my pocket. I gave it to the woman and she looked at it. Suddenly, I saw a giant cat. The cat was bigger the an elephant. I was so scared that suddenly I woke up… Have you ever had a strange dream? Write me soon. Criss

32. A placeto stay 10 • Toomuch/many; notenough • Will/won’t vs. tobegoingto • Vocabulary: homes • Describingquantity • Talkingaboutyour home

33. Hi John! Well, I’m back! I had a great time in Borneo, really fascinating. Kuching was interesting, but I don’t think we spent enough time there. When we left to go on the river, there were too many people for the longboat, so we travelled to the village in a bus. The village was fascinating. I loved the longhouses, but there weren’t enough rooms for all of us to sleep there, so we had   to sleep in tents. The first night was great, but I ate too much delicious Iban food, I felt ill the next morning!   The second night wasn’t as good because there wasn’t enough food for everyone. After that, there was a jungle trek- lots of interesting thing there, but not enough time to see everything. Anyway, I’ll see you next weekend and show you all my photos. See you then! Annie

34. 11 UNIT: Your mind • Determiners (everyone/ no one, etc.) • Must/ mustn’t vs. don’t haveto • Vocabulary: remembering and forgetting • Discussingmemory

35. Dear ClaireI get bad grades at school, especially in Maths. My dad says I must try harder, because he wants me to go to university. He thinks I’m lazy, but it’s not true, I work really hard! I’ve tried to talk to my mother- but she says I have to work as hard as my brother does. But my brother doesn’t have to study hard and he always gets excellent grades. It’s not fair!The only thing I like is Art. My teacher says I’m the best student she’s had for years. When I told my dad, all he said was, 'You mustn’t waste your time on Art and you must work harder! ‘Please help me, I don’t know what to do!Lisa Dear Lisa You mustn’t think that your parents are wrong and you’re right. Remember that you’re younger than they are and they want the best for you. So you must listen to your parents and try harder. Claire.

36. 12 Musicmakers • Presentperfectcontinuous/ Presentperfectcontinuous vs. simple • Vocabulary: music • Describingrecentlycompleted and unfinishedactions • Talkingaboutmusic and instruments.

37. Hi Luca, How are you? Is all right? Well, yesterday while I was playing on the computer, I saw a photo of a young winner, but I didn’t know who she was. The I found her on the Internet, and I know that her name is Jennifer, and she is from Cheshire. But why is she a young winner? She is a young winner because she won the BBC television’s Young Musician of the Year competition. She has been playing the violin since she was five years old. She has been playing classic music but she likes pop music too. I was very impressed. What do youthinkabouther? Sorry, now I have to go. Write me soon. Bye, Criss Jennifer Pike

38. Doctor’s orders 13 • Defining relative clauses • Used to • Vocabulary: medicine • Exchanging information • Expressing past habits

39. Hi Maria, how are you? Yesterday I had to find something about the medicine in the past and I found really interesting things. People had always had headaches and in some cultures, people use special herbs. For example, Native American Indians use plants which contain a chemical found in aspirins. Instead, thousands of years ago, for example, medicine men used to make holes in the head of people with headaches, because they believed this would let the headache out. In Ancient Egypt, medicine men used to lie a ceramic crocodile, which was filled with herbs, to the head of the patient. The reasons for this are not clear to us today. In the Middle Ages, the people that did go to doctors were usually treated with leeches. Whowouldhavethought! What do youthinkaboutit? Write me soon Criss

40. If I had … 14 • Second conditional • Conditionals: zero, first and second • Vocabulary: information technology and computers. • Giving advice • Talking about unreal situations; computers and the Internet

41. Dear Anna Do youlike computer? I can not do without the computer! I use it everyday. At school we’ve got computers, of course, but we don’t have IT lessons- I enjoy learning how to use some to the software. There are brilliant programs for drawing and designing. I love looking for information on the Internet, it’s really interesting. So I think computer are 99% important in our lives. I also have got one at home. Especially I think the Internet’s amazing and I use my computer for chat. Do you have a computer? And when do you use it? Write me soon. Criss.

42. 15 Lostworlds • Past perfect • Vocabulary: noun suffixes (-r,-er,-or and –ist) • Describing events in the past and earlier past • Telling a picture story

43. Hi John, how are you? I’m so worried about what happened yesterday with my friend. When we got home yesterday, we found a terrible mess in our living room. We were afraid, so we immediately phoned the police and asked them to come to our house. When the police arrived, they found something very strange: the man who had broken into the house was asleep in one of the bedrooms! The thief had gone in to our house, and had started to put some thing into a big bag. But then he had found some food in the kitchen, and, because he was hungry, he had eaten it all. Feeling sleepy, he had gone into a bedroom, and he had fallen asleep! Fortunately, now everything is fine, but I‘m not feel very well. Now I have to go, write me soon. Criss

44. 16 Good or bad luck? • Reported statements in the past • Reported questions • Third conditional • Vocabulary: noun suffixes (-ation and –ment) • Reporting statements and questions in the past

45. Dear Sirs, Last week I read Philip Lawrence’s review of the Brazilian film ‘Central Station’ and I am writing to say that, in my view, Mr. Lawrence was wrong in everything he said. First of all, he said that the film was not good enough to be nominated for an Oscar, but I thought the film was an excellent production, with very high quality acting and directing, and I enjoyed it enormously. Secondly, Mr. Lawrence said that the young actor Vinicius de Oliveira was not a good choice because he ‘was not a trained actor’. Personally, I think that de Oliveira gave an excellent performance, even without any acting experience. The film would not have been better if the director had chose a trained teenage actor. Finally, Mr. Lawrence said that the Brazilian film industry has a long way to go before it is as good as cinema in the USA or Europe. Hasn’t he seen some of the awful films that come out of Hollywood? In my opinion, the money for a cinema ticket is much better spent on films like ‘Central Station’. Yours, James Singleton