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1. SPEAKING Read the task. In pairs, think of three possible things you could spend the money on.
If you had €1 million to spend but couldn't spend any of it on yourself, what would you do with it? Write an essay and include three ideas. Give reasons for your choices and say what effect the money would have.
I'd give money to a charity which helps ...
I'd buy ... for ...
I'd give money to ... so they could ...
2. Read the essay. Does it mention any of your ideas from exercise 1? Which of the ideas in the essay do you think is best? Why?
If I had €1 million, it would be easy to find three good ways to use the money and help people who deserve it.
First of all, I would donate half of the money to the children's hospital in my town. They’re raising money to build bedrooms for visiting families.
Secondly, I would make a donation to my local primary school to buy sports equipment. As I see it, more sport at school would mean healthier children. Furthermore, the teachers would find it far easier to teach sports and PE if they had new equipment.
Finally, I would buy a new bike for my brother. He borrows mine all the time, even though he’s got one, because mine is better. If he had a new bike, he wouldn’t do that!
To sum up, I would use the money to make life better for the families of children in hospital, to improve facilities at my school and to buy a gift for my brother.
3. Answer the questions about the essay.
1. How many paragraphs are there?
2. In which paragraph does the writer mention all three ways of spending the money?
3. In which paragraph does the writer explain who would get half the money?
4. In which two paragraphs does the writer explain who would get the rest of the money, and why?
5. In which paragraph does the writer paraphrase the main point of the essay?
Writing StrategyIn your writing, avoid starting too many sentences which repeat the same words. Remember that you can: • use a variety of expressions for introducing opinions (It seems to me ... , In my opinion ... , etc.) and for making additional points (Moreover ... , Furthermore... , etc.). • start conditional sentences with the if clause or the main clause. • use concession clauses (although ... / even though ...) at the beginning or end of a sentence. |
4. Read the Writing Strategy. How well does the writer in exercise 2 follow this advice? Can you find ...
1. an expression for introducing an opinion?
2. an expression for making an additional point?
3. a conditional sentence beginning with the if clause?
4. a conditional sentence beginning with the main clause?
5. Imagine you had €1 million to spend but could not spend any of it on yourself. Think of three ways to spend it. Make notes in the table below. Then compare ideas in pairs.
| Choices (1–3) | Effect the money would have | Reason(s) for choice |
| 1. (50%) | ||
| 2. (25%) | ||
| 3. (25%) |
| ⇒ Vocabulary Builder 6H Money prepositions: page 127 |
6. Write an essay (120–150 words) using your plan from exercise 5. Include an introduction and a conclusion like the model in exercise 2.
• Say what you would spend half the money on.
• Choose two more ways to spend the rest.
• Explain what effect the money would have.
• Give reasons for your choices.
CHECK YOUR WORKHave you ... • checked the spelling and grammar? • followed your plan carefully? • used a variety of different ways to begin sentences? |
