Cambridge English Empower B1+ READING PLUS

n i t
ULanguages 1
1 SPEAKING 3 READING
a Begin by telling students about some of your own
language learning experiences. Mention which languages
BETTER READING: USING TITLES TO PREDICT CONTENT
you have studied, where, and to what level. Ask a This aims to give students a strategy to help with their
selection of students if they speak or have studied any reading. The title and/or sub-title activates a reader’s
other languages. Put students in pairs, and direct them background knowledge on a topic. This helps a reader
to the questions. Set a short time limit, and monitor, understand as they read. Telling students to consciously
helping with grammar and vocabulary where required. make such predictions can help them understand a text
Ask a selection of students to provide their answers for more easily.
both questions 1 and 2. Note their ideas on the board, Before they read, remind students to read quickly (you
and ask the class as a whole to decide the easiest / most could set a time limit), and tell them it is not important to
important. understand every word.
Students read the title. In pairs, they tick any of predictions
2 VOCABULARY 1–6 that they think the article will be about. You could write
a Explain that the short text here is a quote from a person their predictions on the board and refer to them in feedback.
who speaks a number of different languages for work. They read to check their ideas.
Elicit from students what some of the challenges of this
Answers
might be. Note their ideas on the board. Ask students to
read the quote, paying attention to the words in bold. 1 People who speak many languages (polyglots) ✓
Once students have read the quote, ask them to identify 2 How polyglots speak so many languages ✓
the part of speech for each word (using the sentence 3 How people learn languages generally ✓
context to guide them.) They should then match the words 4 How people learn generally
in bold to the definitions. Check answers as a whole class. 5 The importance of motivation ✓
Answers 6 The importance of talent ✓
1 tricky
2 translate a This activity provides practice in reading more intensively.
3 pronounce Students read the article again and decide if the sentences
4 update are true or false. Ask students to justify their answers by
5 accents
reading the relevant section of the text. This will show
that they really understand and are not simply guessing.
b Ask students to work in pairs and discuss whether
Answers
they agree or disagree with Karen. As they do this
encourage them to use the bold words from the 1 False. They don’t understand other people because people
speak so many languages.
vocabulary set, and some of their ideas from the board.
2 False. They have existed for a long time.
Elicit several opinions from different pairs in a feedback 3 True. There are lots of polyglots in India and some countries in
stage. Ask the class if they agree or disagree with the Africa, for example.
opinions given. 4 True
5 False. Professor Cook doesn’t think this is true. He thinks it’s
about motivation.
6 False. He says you have to study for 15 minutes a day, seven
days a week.

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 Unit 1

b This reading activity requires students to skim read 4 SPEAKING

the text to find the relevant speaker, then read more
intensively to match the information. Explain that the a You may wish to introduce this activity with
information in the text will be the same, but the words your own personal example. Individually, students
used will be different. Explain that paraphrase, saying read questions and make notes. Monitor and help with
the same thing in different ways, is a key skill in writing, language. In pairs, students tell each other their ideas.
and that recognising it in reading texts can help students Monitor and help with language, if necessary. Take
to build their range of language. Explain that paraphrase feedback as a class and ask if any pairs had similar ideas.
is often used in exam questions. Ask students to read Give feedback on language you heard when monitoring –
through statements a–f and underline any key words, e.g. both good examples and errors.
more than … anyone else in a. Once they have done this, b Again, you may wish to introduce this activity by
set a time limit and ask students to complete the task. discussing a personal experience, noting the easy and
Check answers as a whole class. difficult aspects. Ask students to choose at least two of the
Answers skills, and note down their ideas on why it was easy or
1 c 2 a 3 b 4 d 5 f 6 e difficult. Monitor, helping with language where necessary.
Once students have their ideas noted down, ask them
to work in pairs sharing their experiences. Elicit some
examples from the class as feedback.
c For this activity, ask students to work in groups. Set
a brief time limit for them to note their ideas individually,
and then ask them to share ideas. Monitor, noting
interesting ideas or suggestions. Once the discussion has
finished, share these with the class as feedback.

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Cambridge English Empower B1+ READING PLUS

n it
UGet a job! 2
1 SPEAKING 3 READING
a Before starting, ask students if any of them have a Set a brief time limit and ask students to skim through the
ever had a job interview. Ask them what job it was for, text checking the ideas in 1a. Elicit from the class whether
and where the interview took place. Ask them how many this changes their views.
people were at the interview, and some of the common
questions people are asked. If students don’t have job BETTER READING: PRONOUNS
interview experience, provide an example from your own Pronouns can confuse students when reading. The aim of this
experiences, or elicit general ideas about job interviews exercise is to help them understand the pronoun they better
and the questions asked. For example: What are your and thus improve their reading overall.
strengths and weaknesses? Do you enjoy being part of team?
1 Write these lines of the text on the board:
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? Explain that in
the reading students are going to look at less traditional At online retail specialist Summit, the candidate paints a mural
approaches to job interviews. Explain that some of these in their interview. Everyone decides if they get the job, not just the
are listed below, 1–5. Ask students to read through the boss.
items, checking any vocabulary. Set a short time limit and Underline they and ask students what it refers back to,
ask students to rank the ideas from best to worst, giving establishing clearly that it refers to the candidate. You could
reasons for their choices. draw an arrow from ‘they’ to ‘the candidate’ to help clarify this.
This could be done as a ‘pyramid discussion’. Students Tell students that they can refer to a person when the gender is
agree on the order in pairs rather than groups. Then pairs unknown or unspecified.
are put into groups of four and agree on the same order.
Explain that pronouns can be confusing when reading and this
They are then put in groups of eight, and so on, until they
exercise provides help with this. Tell students to decide if the
whole class is discussing the order.
remaining examples of they in the text refer to A, B, C or D.
b Put two groups together, and ask them to share their
ideas. Monitor, noting down any interesting reasons given. Answers
Present these to the class in a feedback stage. Ask the class Paragraph 1: A, B    Paragraph 2: C    Paragraph 5: D
as a whole if they agree on the order. 2 This encourages students to notice uses of they outside
this lesson’s text. Students work in pairs. Monitor closely and
2VOCABULARY: Words connected to answer any questions as needed.
work and employment b Direct students to read the magazine article again and
a Tell students to work individually, matching the words to answer the questions individually. Ask for volunteers to
the definitions before comparing in pairs. Go over answers give answers and explanations, and see if the class agrees.
with the class and monitor for correct pronunciation. Answers
Answers 1 He wanted a recruitment exercise which was fun and creative
1 f 2 a 3 d 4 b 5 c 6 e and involved candidates and staff.
2 He had an interview in a coffee shop, but it was too busy, so they
b Give students two minutes to think of three other went for a walk.
3 The interview went well, so they continued.
words they know connected to work and employment.
4 It can predict personality and IQ with 50% accuracy.
Help them to use dictionaries to check spelling and 5 Because it’s harder to build a team than it is to recruit an
pronunciation if necessary. Students test each other in individual, so they do both together.
pairs. 6 number of phone calls, number of breaks and customer ratings
for each call

4 SPEAKING
a This gives students a chance to respond to the topic
of the lesson and have some speaking practice. Students
discuss the questions in groups. In feedback, ask two or
three students to share their ideas.

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Cambridge English Empower B1+ READING PLUS

n it
UHappiness 3
1 SPEAKING BETTER READING: PATTERNS OF ORGANISATION
This task aims to raise students’ awareness of the general
a Before beginning the task, ask students what makes
organisation of ideas in an opinion-giving newspaper
them happy. Elicit ideas and note some of these on the
board. Ask students if they think that happiness changes article. Explain that this will help them to anticipate what
over time, or that there are times in their life when information will appear in different parts of the text and will
they are happier. Again, note their ideas. Put students help them to more quickly comprehend the text.
into groups and ask them to read through the options, 1 Ask students to look at the two patterns, and decide
deciding which of each pair is happier. Explain that which matches that used in the article.
they should give reasons for their choices. Once students
have discussed all the options, ask one or two groups to Answer
summarise their views, and provide the reasons for their A
choices. Alternatively, you could conduct a class vote, and Explain that in opinion-focussed texts the author’s opinion is
note the consensus on the board. given the most prominence – although there will be reference
to the ideas of others, and possibly research, this is unlikely
2 READING to be summarised in the conclusion as the author wants to
a Explain that the focus of this task is on reading for gist. emphasise their own role.
Ask the students to quickly read the text, noting down the 2 Explain that a useful process in understanding patterns of
answers to the pairings in 1a. Tell them that at this point organisation is to identify the purpose or function of each
it is not important to understand every word. To ensure paragraph. Explain that as students read a longer text
students read quickly, set a time limit. they could note down their ideas about the function in the
Answers margins. This will help them identify key areas in reading
1 women tests, and also assist in structuring their own written
2 older people work. Ask students to read the functions, and the text, and
3 extroverts then match. Check answers as a class.
4 employed people
5 richer people Answers
6 married people 1 Paragraph C
7 people who focus on relationships 2 Paragraph E
3 Paragraph G
4 Paragraph D
5 Paragraph B
6 Paragraph A
7 Paragraph F

b Explain that this task requires students to read the

text in more detail. Explain that as they now have an
understanding of the organisation of the text that they
should be able to more quickly navigate the article and
identify the paragraphs where the information is likely to
occur. Set a time limit and ask students to complete the
table. Check answers as a whole class.

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Answers 3 SPEAKING
happiness 1 women are happier than men
Ways the author’s life and 2 extroverts are happier than a Explain that the questions in this section provide an
research match introverts opportunity to respond personally to the text. Explain that
3 people without children this is generally the outcome of an opinion-focussed piece
are happier than those with of writing – readers are encouraged to reflect on the topic
children and think about how it is relevant to them. Ask students
4 people with strong to first read through the options, and note down their own
relationships are happier
ideas. Monitor, helping with vocabulary where necessary.
than those without them
Ask students to then work in small groups, and discuss
unhappiness 1 people who are married are their views. Monitor, noting any interesting ideas. Ask
Ways the author’s life and happier than unmarried a selection of groups to summarise their discussion and
research match people present their ideas to the class.
2 unemployed people are
unhappier and the author’s
job is unstable

Points the author thinks 1 18-year-olds are happier than

are wrong people in their twenties
2 18-year-olds are less stressed

c Explain that this task focuses on reading for detail.

Remind students that they should use their knowledge of
the pattern of organisation to identify where to find the
answers quickly. Set a time limit, then check answers as a
whole class.
Answers
1 She wanted to ensure that her current happiness would
continue through life.
2 The research states that old people are happier than young
people, but the author believes young people are healthy, and
life is full of excitement and possibility when you’re young. So
she is surprised that younger people are less happy than older
people.
3 She thinks she should concentrate more on her relationships
than her career.

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Cambridge English Empower B1+ READING PLUS

n it
UBirth order 4
1 SPEAKING Answers
1 F
a Before beginning the lesson, write success on the 2 M
board. Elicit from the students the different factors which 3 M
they think help to contribute to success, e.g. luck, money, 4 L
good timing. If birth order is mentioned, ask students why 5 M
they think this is important. If it is not mentioned, note it
on the board and ask students whether they feel it should c Ask students to read the article again, and decide whether
be included and why / why not. the statements are true or false. Ask them to note down
any evidence that helps them with their answers. Check
Explain that in this lesson students are going to read
answers as a class.
about birth order, and discuss what effect it can have on
personality. Draw attention to the words and phrases in Answers
the quiz. Check for meaning and pronunciation. 1 False. They can be anxious because they had their parents’
attention early in their lives, but then partly lose it if another
Students do the quiz in groups and then discuss whether child is born.
they agree with the answers. Some may find the quiz is 2 False. They like travelling and dangerous sports less than their
accurate, while others won’t. younger siblings.
3 True
2 READING 4 False. They tend to take up jobs where communication is
important.
5 True
BETTER READING: TOPIC SENTENCES
Topic sentences introduce the topic of a paragraph. They can
d Explain that many articles online have below the line
occur at the start, middle or end of a paragraph. Identifying
comments where readers offer their own views of the
topic sentences, and knowing their function, can help content. Explain that often these disagree with the articles,
students to understand the gist of a paragraph. and provide evidence to do so. Explain that this evidence
Students underline the first sentence of each paragraph and is usually from personal experience. Ask students if any
match 1–6 with a–d. of them have ever responded to an article online. Elicit
what the topic was, and whether they agreed or disagreed
Answers with the author. Ask students to read through the
a 2, 3 comments here and decide on the commentator’s opinion
b 4
and strength of opinion. Remind students that opinions
c 5
supported by evidence tend to be stronger. Check answers
d 1
as a class and ask the students to decide whether the
arguments are strong enough. As they do this they should
Students could look at a reading text from a previous provide reasons.
lesson and try to identify the topic sentences in it.
Answers
Agree – Maria, Kuba
a The famous people cited in the article do not Disagree – Justine
necessarily exemplify all the traits of first-borns, middle
children or last-borns. This question gives students an
opportunity to respond to this. You could ask students to 3 SPEAKING
say in what way the famous people exemplify the traits
and in what ways they think they don’t. a This gives students a chance to respond personally
to the text. Students discuss the questions in groups. Ask
b Explain that the focus of this task is on more intensive one or two groups to share their ideas with the class
reading. Ask students to read through options 1–5 and afterwards.
predict whether first, middle, or last-born children would
be the most likely match. Once they have done this, ask
them to read the text again, and check whether their
predictions are correct. Check answers as a whole class.

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 Cambridge English Empower B1+ READING PLUS

n i t 5
UCurious creatures
1 READING c Tell students they are going to have more practice in
scanning the text. They answer questions 1–5 alone. Set
Before beginning the lesson ask a selection of students a time limit. They check in pairs afterwards before whole
about the most unusual creature they have seen. Ask them class feedback.
where they saw it, and what it looked like. Alternatively,
you could choose a creature that you have seen yourself Answers
and describe it. Ask students if they can guess the animal 1 hoatzin
2 hoatzin
from the description, and also guess where you might
3 chameleon
have seen the curious creature.
4 chameleon
a/b This aims to engage students in the topic of the 5 x-ray tetra
lesson and create interest in the text. Before they start,
pre-teach ‘fishing rod’. You could do this by drawing one d Students then answer the next set of questions. Explain
on the board or by doing a mime of someone fishing. that when we read, we often scan a text for particular
information and then read that section more carefully.
Students match the photographs and the facts in pairs.
Write some of their predictions on the board. Students Explain that each question here relates to the information
read the text to check their predictions. This provides they have already found in exercise c.
practice in reading for gist. Answers
Answers 1 to climb trees
A 3 2 to escape when they’re attacked – they can’t fly well, so they
B 1 jump in the water and try to swim away.
C 4 3 they can move independently of each other.
D 2 4 to catch prey
5 they are easy to keep.

BETTER READING: FINDING INFORMATION QUICKLY

In the academic and business worlds, it is often important to
2 SPEAKING
scan reading texts for specific information. This task provides a This allows students to respond to and personalise
students with a strategy for this, as well as providing the topic of the text. Students discuss the questions in
meaningful practice. groups. One or two groups could share their ideas with the
Scanning a text quickly for information is often accompanied rest of the class afterwards.
with reading more carefully. For example, a student might
scan a book chapter for a mention of a particular person and
then read that paragraph more carefully to fully understand
the information about them. Exercise 1c provides practice of
this.
Do the first one as an example together. Write the first
question on the board.
1 Which animal has scales?
Tell students to scan the text for the word scales. Set a time
limit of a minute.
Students do the rest of the task alone. To add a competitive
element, tell the first student to finish to raise his/her hand.

Answers
1 chameleon
2 red-lipped batfish
3 hoatzin
4 x-ray tetra
5 red-lipped batfish

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n i t 6
UWhere shall we eat?
1 SPEAKING c This provides practice in scanning (students find the
numbers or keywords in the questions in the text) and
a To introduce the topic of the lesson, tell students that reading for detail (students read a particular sentence or
this lesson is about eating/dining out. Ask the class if they sentences more carefully to check the answer).
sometimes eat out and how often (every day/once a week/
Answers
month). You could ask for a show of hands. Put students
1 Monica’s
into groups and direct them to exercise 1a. Students 2 Kuba’s
discuss the questions in groups. Ask students to share their 3 Kuba’s
views as a class afterwards.
d Ask students to read the options, and answer the questions
2 READING individually before checking as a class. Remind students
that they need to look for paraphrase, as the exact words
BETTER READING: READING FOR GIST in the text and questions may differ.
This section helps students read more quickly and with more
Answers
confidence. Often students read slowly, trying to understand
1 c 2 a 3 b 4 c 5 c 6 c
every word before moving on to the next. They can be
dependent on a dictionary when they read too. As a result, a
e Explain that a testimonial is like a review or
reading task becomes partly a vocabulary learning/checking
recommendation. Elicit from students any websites where
task. It is a good idea for students to develop a tolerance for
they may have seen similar comments, e.g. TripAdvisor.
ambiguity instead. Ask students to read the testimonials and underline the
Explain that the best way to improve reading is by reading, key points. Then they should match the customer to the
not by trying to understand every word. Add that in many testimonial. Check answers as a whole class.
situations it is important to read quickly to get the general Answers
idea. 1 Ahmed
Set a time limit so that students can’t read too slowly. 2 Sanjit
Remind them of the time limit halfway through, so they keep 3 Aiko
reading at the right speed.
Students check their answers in pairs before whole class
feedback. Ask students how they found reading quickly
3 SPEAKING
for gist, and remind them that it something they need to a/b Students work in groups and create their own place
practise in order to improve at it. and menu to go on the website. Write the following
categories on the board:
Answers
Meal:
1 People who are travelling and/or would like to try local
authentic food in someone’s home. Duration:
2 Choose a menu from the city you are visiting and book a meal
on a specific date. Cuisine:
Group size:
a/b This also practices reading for gist. Ask students to apply
the same tips as they did in the previous task. Set a time Location:
limit again and remind them of it halfway through. Ask Menu:
students to share their ideas as a class afterwards.
Ask students for an example of each to make it clear what
Answers they have to do. Put students in groups and tell them they
Students’ own answers have to agree on each of the points on the board. Add that
the place can be real or imaginary.
Ask each group to present their ideas to the class. The
class can then vote for their favourite with a show of
hands.

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Cambridge English Empower B1+ READING PLUS

n i t 7
UHouses and homes
1 SPEAKING 3 READING
a Begin by telling the class about a house that is special
for you. In pairs, students discuss the questions. Monitor
BETTER READING: USING IMAGES TO MAKE
and help with language if necessary. PREDICTIONS
Pictures can activate students’ background knowledge
b Ask students to join pairs to form small groups. Ask on a topic, which in turn can help them understand a text
them to compare houses, and then come to a decision on when they read it. However, often students don’t look at the
which they would prefer to live in. Ask groups to feedback
pictures carefully before they read, and so they have to over-
to the whole class.
rely on their language knowledge to understand the text.
2 VOCABULARY This section provides students with a simple strategy to use
pictures to predict the content of a text before they read.
a Individually, students match the words to the 1 Students make the predictions in pairs. Encourage them
definitions then check their answers in pairs. Check
to think about aspects such as size, location, decor, or
answers as a class.
who might live there.
Answers
2 This provides practice in reading for gist. Students read
1 column
the text quickly to check their predictions.
2 designed
3 client
a Explain that this task requires students to read in detail.
4 supported
Ask them to look at the table and underline any key
5 architecture
6 inspired information. When students have done this, set a time
limit and ask them to read the text again, correcting the
mistakes. Check answers as a class.
Put students in different pairs from those in exercise 1a.
Tell them to use the adjectives to describe different houses Answers
they know. Take feedback as a class, and get one example 1 The flower house was inspired by nature.
for each word from different pairs. 2 The flower house lights up the surrounding area.
3 The hobbit house was inspired by The Hobbit.
4 The polystyrene keeps the house cool in summer and warm in
winter.
5 The tree house was built using recycled rubbish and wood.
6 You need to climb a ladder to enter the tree house.
7 The eco houses were built of mud and straw.
8 The houses weren’t knocked down by the council.
9 The architect Frank Lloyd Wright built Fallingwater for a client.
10 Fallingwater is a museum at the moment.

b Ask students to read the comments and match them to the

correct home. Check answers as a class.
Answers
1 e   2 a
3 d   4 c
5 b

4 SPEAKING
a Students discuss the questions in groups. This is a
chance for them to respond to the topic and the text of the
lesson.
b You could ask students to draw their dream homes or
prepare a Powerpoint presentation. Either of these could
form the basis of the class presentations.

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n i t 8
UMaking news
1 SPEAKING BETTER READING: CONNECTORS
Connectors are words or expressions which link ideas in a
a Before beginning, ask students which stories are in
text by showing their relationship. They are more frequent
the press today. Note their ideas on the board. Ask them
where the best coverage of the news stories is – online, in in writing than in speech and understanding them can help
print, on TV, or on radio. Ask students to work in pairs to students with their reading.
discuss the questions. Monitor, helping where necessary Answers
and noting interesting ideas. Ask a selection of pairs to 1 B
present their ideas to the class. Conduct a class vote on the 2 D
most popular way to receive the news. 3 A
4 C
2VOCABULARY: words connected to the
media b Ask students to complete the profile of Evelyn
Cunningham. Check answers as a class.
a Ask students to individually match the definitions. If Answers
necessary, provide dictionaries to assist.
Cunningham had a successful career in journalism. 1 To start
Answers with, she was a successful journalist for the Pittsburgh Courier,
1 c 2 f 3 e 4 b 5 a 6 d an African-American newspaper which played a big role in the
Civil Rights Movement. 2 In addition, she worked as an editor on
b Ask students to note down three more words the newspaper. 3 As a result of her interests, she met many of
connected to the media. They should then ask their the most famous figures in the Civil Rights Movement. She wrote
partner to define them. Provide dictionaries to check. many important stories. 4 However, the mainstream media rarely
showed interest in these pieces.
Elicit some examples from the students and note these on
the board. As you do so, check pronunciation.
c This task provides practice in reading more intensively.
Students answer the questions alone before checking in
3 READING pairs to build confidence before whole class feedback.
a Students discuss the statements in groups and decide if Ask students to justify their answers by saying where they
they are true or false. Tell students to read quickly and not found the answer in the text.
to worry if they don’t understand every word. Students Answers
read the article to check their predictions. 1 Ethel Payne
Answers 2 Nellie Bly
1 False. She was pretending to be mentally ill to gain access to the 3 Nellie Bly
hospital wards. 4 Joan Didion
2 False. She was writing about the Second World War. 5 Martha Gellhorn
3 True
4 False. She appeared on national TV.
4 SPEAKING
a This provides speaking practice and a chance for
students to discuss the topic of the lesson and text.
Students discuss 1 in groups.
For 2, tell students they are editors for an online news
website. They have to decide what the main story or
photo will be. They discuss ideas A–B and choose one.
Ask groups to share their decision with the rest of the class
afterwards.

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ni t
UFilmmaking9
1 VOCABULARY: Words connected to BETTER READING: UNDERSTANDING UNKNOWN WORDS
filmmaking This gives students a strategy to understand unknown words
in a text. Tell students that this can only help them. It will not
a Ask students to individually match the jobs to their always lead them to a clear meaning.
definitions. Check as a whole class.
Students work in pairs and answer the questions about
Answers upside down and green screen. As a follow-up, you could
1 b ask students to choose an unknown word themselves from
2 d the text, and answer the same questions to try to infer
3 f
the meaning. To check their guesses, you could give them
4 e
5 a dictionaries or let them use their phones or tablets.
6 c
Answers
a) upside down. Adj. the top part is where the bottom part
b This aims to engage students in the topic and text of
should be
the lesson. Students discuss the questions in groups. Ask b) green screen. Noun A green background. A film is sometimes
two or three groups to share their ideas with the class as made in front of it. A different background film is added later.
feedback.
c This provides practice in reading for gist. Students read
the opening paragraph of the article and decide which job
3 SPEAKING
in 1a the person does. a This is a chance for students to have some speaking
Answer practice and give their views on the lesson topic and text.
An extra Put them in groups and ask them to discuss the questions.
Ask them to share their opinions with the class afterwards.

2 READING
a This aims to create further interest in the rest of the
article. Working in pairs, students predict what the life of
an extra might be like by deciding if the statements are
true or false.
b Students read the rest of the article to see if their
predictions are correct.
Answers
1 False 2 False 3 False 4 True 5 False

c This provides practice in reading for detail. Students

answer the questions alone, then check in pairs before
whole class feedback.
Answers
1 She doesn’t believe her character would be in a situation like
this (i.e. hanging upside down).
2 The extra isn’t allowed to take off their costume which makes it
difficult to eat.
3 He has to act with a character (an alien) who isn’t really there.
4 You can’t talk to the actors. You can’t eat the same food as the
actors.
5 No. Because the actors couldn’t remember their lines.

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it
UMistnakes 10

1 SPEAKING BETTER READING: PATTERNS OF ORGANISATION 2

The objective of this is to raise students’ awareness of the
a Before beginning tell the class about a mistake
which you have made that had an important outcome. typical organisation of ideas in a text like this. This will help
Ask students if they often make mistakes. Ask students them to anticipate what information will appear where in the
to work in groups and to discuss the questions. Monitor, text and will help them gain a better grasp of the text more
helping with vocabulary where necessary. Once students quickly.
have discussed all the points, ask them to summarise their Write the following on the board, telling students this is how
discussion in note form. ideas are typically organised in this kind of text.
b Put students into new pairs and ask them to share the general idea ➜ more information ➜ comment or
the key points from their discussion with each other. Ask consequence
students to note any similarities or differences. Ask a Students then underline the different sections of the text.
selection of students to present their ideas to the class.
Answers
2 READING 1A Everyone knows the story of the Titanic. Everyone thought it
could never sink. People are still debating why this famous
a This exercise is to engage students in the reading text. tragedy actually happened. Some people think the ship sank
Students match 1–3 with A–C in pairs. because of a lost key.
Answers 1B After the ship sank, there was an inquiry. Everybody wanted
to understand what happened. Only a small number of the
1 C 2 A 3 B
ship’s crew survived. Fred Fleet was one of them. His job on
the Titanic was to look out for icebergs. At the inquiry he said
b Students read the text alone to check their predictions. he didn’t have any binoculars. If he’d had binoculars, he would
This provides practice in reading for gist. Students should have seen the iceberg earlier.
skim the text quickly to get the general idea. Set a time So why didn’t he have any binoculars with him? There were
limit so they don’t try to understand every word. binoculars on board the Titanic, but they were locked away in
a drawer, and there was no key on the boat. Before the Titanic
c This is further reading practice, combined with practice of set sail, the ship’s second officer, David Blair, was replaced by
the third conditional, which is the grammar focus in unit someone else. David Blair made a small but terrible mistake:
10 of the Empower course book. he forgot to give the keys to the new second officer.
Students read alone and match 1–5 with a–e. They check 1C If he’d remembered the key, perhaps the Titanic wouldn’t have
sunk.
in pairs before whole class feedback.
2A In 1945, engineer Percy Spencer invented the microwave oven.
Answers And it was all because of a peanut butter bar in his pocket.
1 b 2B He was working in a laboratory, doing some tests. During
2 e one experiment, he produced some microwaves and noticed
3 c that the peanut butter bar in his pocket was melting. But his
4 a clothes weren’t hot. And neither was he.
5 d He got some popcorn. It began popping all over the place.
Next he got an egg, and it blew up. Spencer was already on his
way to inventing the microwave oven.
2C But it wouldn’t have been invented if a peanut butter bar
hadn’t melted in his pocket.

Cambridge English Empower B1+ © Cambridge University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE 1

 Unit 10

d Ask students to look at the notes which they have made, 3 SPEAKING
and use them to answer the questions. Check answers as a
class. a This provides speaking practice and allows students
to respond personally to the ideas in the text. Students
Answers discuss the questions in groups. Ask one or two to share
1 In a public enquiry their ideas and stories with the class afterwards.
2 Eyewitness accounts
3 To congratulate them on their acceptance.
4 Staff had to correct the error, parents and students were
confused and angry.
5 Radar systems
6 To test his theory

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