CHILDHOOD – is the best time of your life

1 Some people say that childhood is the best time of your life. However, being a child has both advantages and disadvantages.

2 On the plus side, you have very few responsibilities. For example, you don’t have to go to work, pay bills, or do the shopping, cooking, or cleaning. This means you have plenty of free time to do whatever you want – watch TV; play on the computer; go out with friends; play sports, or purpose other hobbies. On top of that, public transport, cinema, and sports centre cost much less for children. All in all, being a child is an exciting, action-packed time in life.

3 However, for every plus there is a minus. For one thing, you have to spend all day, Monday to Friday, at school. Studying usually means you have to do homework, and you have to take exams. What is more, you may have a lot of free time, but you are rarely allowed to do whatever you want. You usually have to ask your parents if you can do things, from going shopping in town to staying out late or going to a party. Last of all, although there are still expensive – and parents are not always generous with pocket money. There’s never enough to do everything you want. The reality is that sometimes there’s not enough to do anything at all!

4 To sum up, although some people see childhood as the best time in life, I think that children have no real choice, independence, or money. Nevertheless, it is true that choice, money, and independence all bring responsibilities and restrictions – which increase with age.

2. Match the pros with the cons.

Pros	Cons
1. don’t have to go to work	__ are never given enough pocket money
2. can go out to parties with friends	__ have to do homework and take exams
3. don’t have to cook and clean	__ have to go to school Monday to Friday
4. costs less to do things	__ need to ask your parent’s permission

3. You are going to write a ‘for and against’ essay. Write a list of pros and cons for one of these topics.

Getting older

Having a university degree

Having children while young

4. Use your ideas from ex.3 to write four paragraphs. Write about 250 words.

A letter of reservation

1. Janet Cooper wants to go on holiday with her family. She faxes the Sea View B&B to see if they have the accommodation she wants. Look at the advert for the Sea View B&B and fill the details at the top of the fax. Put the words in order, and write them into the message part of Janet’s fax.

SEA VIEW B&B www.seaviewb&b.com Get away from the city. Escape to the peace and quite of Cornwall For reservations and enquiries contact Anna Westcombe: Phone/fax: [phone] Email: reservations@seaviewb&b.com

 

FAX TRANSMISSION

To: From: Janet Cooper Subject:   Page 1of 1. Date: To fax no: From fax no: 01259 67821

a) two / rooms / bed and breakfast / I / do / would like / reserve / at / your b) 27 August / We / on / are / arriving c) six / hope / stay / to / We / for / nights / departing /2 September/on d) and / husband / would like / room / I / My / double / with / en suite bathroom / an / preferably / a e) also / reserve / two / to / I / a / room / for / would / like / teenage / our / daughters f) should / non-smoking / rooms / be / Both g) see / the / possible / Would / have / it / rooms / to / facing / be/? h) available / for / you / Do / have / dates / these / rooms /? i) also / me / you / Could / tell / room / each / price / the / of /? j) from / I / forward / look / you / to / hearing

2. Write a reply letter or fax to Janet. Include the following information:

· thank her for her enquiry

· say you are pleased to confirm her reservation for the rooms she wants and for the dates she wants

· tell her that all the rooms come with en-suite and a sea view

· each room is £50 per night

· end the letter saying that you look forward to welcoming her family to the B&B

· finish with Yours sincerely, Ann Westcombs

Writing a description

1. Read the description and complete it using these relative clauses:

a) which tells the story

b) that we’re going to next Saturday

c) where we cook and eat

d) whose family have all emigrated

e) which is the focal point of the room

f) which means

g) we haven’t seen

h) I like best

i) who are cross and sleepy

j) where family and friends come together

MY FAVOURITE ROOM

The room in our house (1) ___ is our kitchen. Perhaps the kitchen is the most important room in many houses, but it is particularly so in our house because it’s not only (2) ___, but it’s also the place (3) ___.

I have so many happy memories of times spend there: ordinary daily events such as making breakfast on dark, cold winter mornings for children (4) ___, before sending them off to school; or special occasions such as homecomings or cooking Christmas dinner. Whenever we have a party, people gravitate with their drinks to the kitchen. It always ends up the fullest and noisiest room in the house.

So what does this special room look like? It’s quite big, but not huge. It’s big enough to have a good-sized rectangular table in the centre, (5) ___. There is a large window above the sink, looking out onto two apple trees in the garden. There’s a big, old cooking stove at one end, and at the other end a wall which a huge notice board (6) ___ of our lives, past, present, and future: a school photo of the kids; a postcard from Auntie Nancy, (7) ___ to Australia; the menu from a take-away Chinese restaurant; an invitation to a wedding (8) ___; a letter from a friend (9) ___ for years. All our world is there for everyone to read!

The front door is seldom used in our house, only by strangers. All our friends use the back door (10) ___ they come straight into the kitchen and join in whatever is happening there. The kettle goes on immediately and then we all sit round the table, drinking tea and putting the world to rights! Without doubt some of the happiest times of my life have been spent in our kitchen.

2. Link these sentences with the correct relative relative pronoun: who, which, that, where, whose.

The blonde lady is Pat. She’s wearing a black dress.

There’s the hospital. My sister works there.

The postcard arrived this morning. It’s from Auntie Nancy.

I passed all my exams. This made my father very proud.

Did you meet the girl? Her mother teaches French.

3. Complete the sentences with a word from the box in the present or past participle.

Play give stick listen arrange

1) I spend hours in my room, _______ to music.

2) I have lots of prospects _______ on the walls.

3) My brother is in the bedroom, _______ on his computer.

4) There are photos of my family _______ on my shelves.

5) I also have a colour TV _______ to me on my last birthday.

4. Write a similar description of your favourite room in about 250 words. Describe it and give reasons why you like it. Use relative pronouns and participle to link your sentences.

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