IV. Perform the following pre-writing tasks

PART 1

Pre-writing task 1

Read the following film review and fill in the gaps with the verbs from the list. Use correct active/passive tense forms.

decide, become, play, fill, find out, teach, set, develop, meet

A Film Review

Free Willy, directed by Simon Wincer, is a fascinating and moving adventure. It 1) ………… on the west coast of North America. The film is about the relationship between a boy and a whale, called Willy. Jason James Richter 2)……………. Jesse, a young street child who 3)…………… the meaning of love and friendship.

Jesse first 4)…………….. Willy in the sea park where the whale is kept. They 5)……………. good friends as they have been both separated from their families. As the story 6)………… Jesse becomes so fond of Willy that he 7) ……………. to try and free him

All the actors, especially Lori Petty and Michael Madsen, are excellent. The film 8)………….. with suspense and emotion. The scenes involving Jesse and Willy 9)…………… us how close animals and human beings can be to each other.

This is a wonderful film for the whole family. Don’t miss it as it will change the way you see life and relationships forever.

Pre-writing task 2

The people below all want to buy a book. Decide which book would be most suitable for the following people:

1.

Jan is sixteen and she loves shopping for clothes and reading stories about people and things in the news. She wants to read some entertaining light fiction.

2.

Paul is nineteen and he is very keen on sport. He doesn’t enjoy fiction much, but does like reading about the lives of sporting heroes of the past

3.

Susan is eighteen and she enjoys good reading..She would like something which offers information as well as entertainment. She’s interested in history and plans to travel round Europe this summer.

4.

Michael is twenty three, a computer expert, whose interests include travel and sport. He has to go abroad for work and wants a novel to read on his journey with plenty of action and excitement.

5.

Sonia is twenty four and works for an international airline. She enjoys love stories of the past, especially if they contain descriptions of beautiful houses, clothes and parties.

Recommended New Books

 

A The Beauty by Sophie Harper

The lovely Emmaline Barton was an American girl who came to Europe in the nineteenth century and won the hearts of young men in every great city. This entertaining novel shows us the wonderful silk dresses, the beautiful rooms and Emmaline’s sparkling eyes in a well imagined world of palaces and gardens.

B European Hotels and Guesthouses by Andrew Peters

A very clear and helpful book which lists accommodation in most main European cities, with brief descriptions and a good price guide. Its small size makes it easy for the traveler to pack, and the organization of the pologizing makes it quick and easy to use.

C Getting There by Will Jenkins

This is the first part of the autobiography of the international gymnastic star. He writes his own story well, hiding none of the difficulties that he has to face, and he brings to life the heartaches, as well as the joys, of young sportsmen and women who really want to find success.

D Trains and Boats and Planes by Rachel Bryant

Sometimes funny, sometimes exciting, occasionally sad, this beautifully written little book describes the adventures of a group of American students who spent a year working and studying in Europe. There are lively descriptions of some of the great cities and their inhabitants, past and present.

E What People Wore by Annabel Stoneman

An extremely interesting history of clothes, written by a history teacher, It will be a very useful book for anyone who needs to design clothes for the theatre or who is interested in the everyday lives of people in the past. There are not many pictures, but lots of detailed notes.

F Future Pop by Terry Orpen

The pop music industry has changed enormously in the past few years. With electronics and computers in the studio and at concerts, what is the future for the human musician? This book is by one of the top performers of computer pop music, and he discusses the way it will probably develop in the future.

G Good Posts by Simon Brown

A very-well written and fast-moving adventure story, set in an imagined world of international football stars. The matches are well described, as well as the problems of the players as they fight for their careers, on and off the pitch. A great read for sports fans.

H The Fashion House by Julia Davis

This amusing novel is just right for reading on holiday. It reveals the lives and loves of the designers, models and customers of a famous fashion house. It’s written by a former model and gives away many of the modern fashion world’s secrets.

Pre-writing task 3

Read short reviews. Choose the appropriate headings. Write a short review of a film that you’ve seen, a book that you’ve read, a record you’ve heard, a television programme that you‘ve seen.

 

A Last of the Eagles?

B Songs of the City

C Monsters of the Deep

D Atlantic Crossing

This documentary was first shown on BBC last year and will be repeated next week. The golden eagle is now found in only a few remote places in Scotland. In recent years nests have been robbed and eggs have been stolen. Eagles are protected by law, but they are threatened with extinction. Barbara Anfield spent a year making this programme. The everyday habits of the eagles have been recorded for future generations.

This book tells the story of Eric Redwood who crossed the Atlantic ocean alone in a small wooden boat. The boat was made in Ireland, and was designed like the boats which were used by Irish fisherman one thousand years ago. Redwood thinks America was first discovered many years before Columbus was born. The designs for the boats were taken from old books which had been found in an Irish monastery. The book is beautifully illustrated with many colour photographs and maps. The photos were taken by Redwood himself during the voyage.

The film which is now being shown at the Odeon, Leicester Square, is one of the most exciting films I’ve ever seen. It was made in Hollywood last year, but the sharks were filmed on location off the coast of Florida. Steve Newman is brilliant as the shark hunter, but the real stars are the sharks themselves. It can be seen at cinemas in the provinces next week. Don’t miss it!

They were written by Lisa Francis recorded live during her recent concert tour. She is accompanied by several well-known musicians, Elton Cash, Ken Thompson and Tony Lloyd. There is a great variety of music on the album – gentle romantic ballads, soul music, and exciting rock songs, The words to all the songs are printed on the back of the cover

Pre-writing task 4