UNIT Proficiency

7
Expressing hopes

Who are you going to be? Discussing future plans

READING: Who are you going to be?

A. Discuss these questions with a partner.
1. What is your major?
2. What kind of job or career do you want in the future?
3. How will your major help you in your future career?
4. How long have you had these career plans?

B. S
 am, Ann, and Carlos are talking about their majors and their plans for their future careers.
Read and answer the questions.

Ann: My major is graphic design. I have loved to draw since I was

about four years old! My mother told me that on my 4th birthday my
aunt gave me a set of crayons and a coloring book. Ever since then,
I’ve been drawing just about every day. I’ve wanted to be an artist
for about 7 years now, I guess. My middle school art teacher told me
that I have real talent, and ever since then I have been serious about
art. The problem is my parents. They like my art, but they want me
to study something more practical. Maybe I’ll compromise and do
graphic design, but...that’s not exactly what I want to do. I don’t care
if I struggle financially. I just have to do what will make me happy.

Sam: My major is philosophy. Everyone always asks me what I’m

going to do with a philosophy degree. Most companies don’t have
positions for philosophers! However, I know exactly what I’m doing.
I’m going to go into law school after I get my degree. When you study
philosophy, you study ethics, reasoning, and making arguments. That’s
what lawyers do! I have wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I can
remember. I’ve always thought strongly about law and order. It really
bothers me when there’s injustice. The pay can be good as well, and
that’s important to me. My parents have completely supported me since I first told them my plans.
Nothing is going to stop me from doing it.

Carlos: My major is communications. Do you know what, though?

I have no idea what I want to do. My parents want me to get into
business or politics. When I was younger, I thought I would be like
my father and follow that lifestyle. Ever since I was in high school,
though, I’ve thought that I should do something different with my life.
I just haven’t found the career I want yet. I don’t even know if I want
to have just one kind of career! And...I haven’t told my parents about
this. I’ve kept it a secret. They just wouldn’t understand.

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C. Answer the following questions based on the reading.
1. Which person is motivated by passion more than money? ________________________
2. Which person seems to care the most about money? _____________________________
3. Who do you think is most likely to change majors in the future? __________________
4. Whose career choice is OK with his/her parents? _______________________________
5. Which character do you relate to the most? ____________________________________

VOCABULARY & SPEAKING: Career success

A. Match the expressions in column A with their definitions in column B.

A B
1. ___ keep a secret A. realistic and sensible
2. ___ position B. a specific job in a company or workplace
3. ___ practical C. have difficulty doing something
4. ___ degree D. solving a disagreement by both people giving up something
5. ___ support E. approval and help given to someone
6. ___ talent F. not tell someone about something
7. ___ compromise G. a qualification you get after finishing a university
8. ___ struggle H. a natural ability to do something well

B. Share your answers to the following questions with a partner.

1. Have you ever kept a secret from a family member?

2. What kind of positions are available in your chosen profession?

3. Do your parents think that your hopes and dreams are practical?

4. What university degree(s) do you hope to get?

5. Do your parents support your career goals?

6. What kind of talent do you need to be successful in your career?

7. What kind of compromises do couples often have to make?

8. In the first few years after university, do you expect to struggle financially?

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GRAMMAR: Present perfect-Unfinished activity

Statements: have + past participle Negatives: have not/haven’t has not/hasn’t

I have played piano for about 10 years. I have not seen my childhood friend for 10 years.
You have finished six units so far. We haven’t been abroad since our honeymoon.
We have been married since 2013.
She has not worked here for several weeks.
They have lived here for all their lives.
He hasn’t gone skiing since he broke his leg.
He has been a student here for two years.
She has studied English since she was seven.
It has rained all day.

Have/has been + -ing Has/have not been + -ing

I have been playing piano for 10 years. She hasn’t been playing piano for very long.
I’ve been exercising a lot lately. We haven’t been exercising much these days.

For: Number of years, months, Since: A specific time or time period

days, etc. in the past
I have waited in line for over 40 minutes! I have been a professional dancer since 2008.
The weather has been bad for three days. He has loved her since the day they met.
He has lived here for seven months. We have been friends since middle school.
We have been married for 42 years. It has rained since yesterday.

A. Complete the sentences with for or since.

1. We’ve worked in this company ________ 17 years.

2. She has exercised in that gym ________ January of this year.

3. Olivia and Jason have been engaged ________ almost 4 years!

4. I have been into weight lifting ________ I was in high school.

5. We have only been married ________ two days.

6. He’s lived in St. Louis ________ all his life.

7. She’s lived in San Diego ________ she was born.

8. I have been working _____ 5 o’clock this morning.

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GRAMMAR: Simple past vs. present perfect—Finished vs. unfinished

Present perfect: Activity is not finished yet. Simple Past: Activity is finished

I have worked here for two years. I love it! I worked in that company for two years
before I found a new job.

She’s been a practicing lawyer since 2009. He was a lawyer for 35 years before he retired.

A. Complete the dialogue with the simple past or present perfect form of the verbs.

have
Pete: How long ______________ worked
you ______________ (work) at the coffee shop?

worked
Rachel: Actually, I don’t work there anymore. I ______________ (work) there for about a

year, and then I quit.

Pete: Oh, I didn’t know that. Where do you work now?

Rachel: I work at the bookstore in the mall. I ______________ (be) there for about six

months. Do you know it?

Pete: I do, but I _________________ (be, not) there since I moved out of my parents’ house.

I______________ (live) pretty close to the bookstore when I lived at home.

Rachel: How long ______________ you ______________ (live) in your apartment?

Pete: I ______________ (live) there for about nine months now.

Rachel: _____ Ron always ______________ (be) your roommate?

Pete: He has. I also ______________ (have) another roommate for the first three months, but

he ______________ (move) out six months ago. Ron ______________ (be) in that apartment

for more than a year now.

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SPEAKING: How long have you...
A. Answer the following questions in complete sentences using the present perfect. Use for or
since. Share your answers with a partner.

How long have you _______________?

Example:
1. studied English?
I have studied English for 8 years. Or I have studied English since middle school.

1. studied English?________________________________________________________________ .
2. been a student at this university?__________________________________________________ .
3. been at school today?___________________________________________________________ .
4. lived in your current house or apartment?__________________________________________ .
5. had your best friend?____________________________________________________________ .
6. been interested in a current hobby you have?_______________________________________ .
7. played your favorite sport?_______________________________________________________ .
8. been a fan of one of your favorite teams or celebrities?_______________________________ .

LISTENING: The Life of Rachel

A. Listen to Rachel talk about her life. Complete the timeline by filling in the blanks.

Activity/Event 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Now

lived in Denver

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B. For each activity, write a ‘How long…?’ question and then give the answer. Make sure you use
the proper tense (simple past or present perfect). Follow the examples.

Violin How long did she play the violin?

She played the violin for 5 years.

Lived in this city How long has she lived in this city?
She has lived here since 2013.

1. Lived in Denver How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

2. Ballet How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

3. Guitar How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

4. Blog How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

5. Coffee shop How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

6. Car How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

7. Cashier How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

8. University student How long__________________________________________________ ?

_______________________________________________________________________________ .

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UNIT 7
READING: Why It Is (Theoretically) Easy to Succeed in Life
A. Discuss your answers to the following questions with a partner.
1. Think of the job you have now (or your most recent job). Which of the following best
matches your attitude for that job?
a. You hate the job. It is a terrible place to work. There is no reason to try hard.
b. It is just another job. You do what they ask you but not more.
c. You like the job and do everything you can to be the best in your position.
2. What kind of career do you want in the future?
3. How difficult is it to enter that career?
4. H
 ow successful do you want to be in your future career? Are you optimistic about
achieving your goals??

Why It Is (Theoretically) Easy to Succeed in Life

Will you be successful in your career? Can you rise to the top of your professional field? Or will
you be one of the many people who simply ‘gets by’ in their career? It might seem difficult to be
more successful than most others in a profession. However, the educators Harry and Rosemary
Wong suggest that with the right attitude, it is not so difficult to find a high level of success in any
profession.

The Wongs claim that there are three types of behaviors found in nearly all workplaces:
• Maintenance Behavior
• Protective Behavior
• Enhancement Behavior

The Wongs believe that the majority of workers in most fields, about
60%, have Maintenance Behavior. These workers simply make the
minimum amount of effort to get by. They don’t cause problems in the workplace, but they don’t
do anything impressive either. They are passive in meetings and workshops. They watch the clock
until it is time to go home.They look to others to improve the workplace and their lives. They
hope for things to get better, but they do nothing to change their environment.

People who engage in the Protective Behavior category simply refuse to improve. They spend
more time complaining and making excuses than actually working. They think that meetings and
workshops are a waste of time. They believe there is no point in trying
because some external factor (their bosses, the customers, the
economy, etc.) makes it impossible for things to get better. They use
these reasons as an excuse not to make any effort. The Wongs estimate
that people with this attitude make up about 20% of the workforce.

This leaves the remaining 20% of workers who engage in Enhancement

Behavior. These individuals see their work as a profession and not just a job. They take initiative
and look for ways to improve their entire department or company. They keep learning and trying
new things. They come to meetings with ideas for improvement rather than just waiting to be

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assigned duties. They continually read and go to conferences to
enhance their skills and knowledge. These active workers ask for and
share ideas with their peers and supervisors. They are always on the
lookout for opportunities and usually find them.
In most workplaces, Enhancement Behavior workers are the minority, so
they easily stand out among their peers. They become leaders in their com-
pany and perhaps even in their entire field. They are rewarded both financially and spiritually. Their
lives are great because they choose to make it that way.

Will you?

B. Read the following summary of the reading. Each sentence has one or two content mistakes.
Correct each mistake. There is often more than one way to correct each sentence.

1. Harry and Rosemary Wong believe it is difficult to become successful in a career.

Harry and Rosemary Wong believe it is easy to become successful in a career.

→___________________________________________________________________________

2. There are two types of behaviors in most workplaces: Protective and Enhancement Behavior.

→___________________________________________________________________________

3. People with Protective Behavior only do what is required by their jobs and not much more.

→___________________________________________________________________________

4. Most people in the workplace have Enhancement Behavior.

→___________________________________________________________________________

5. Enhancement Behavior workers know that they do not need to improve their skills.

→___________________________________________________________________________

6. As only 80% of workers have Enhancement Behavior, it is not difficult for these workers to
succeed in their company or field.

→___________________________________________________________________________

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C. Discuss these questions with your partner.
1. What career will you have in the future? What kind of things would an Enhancement
Behavior person do in your field?

2. Do you think you can have an Enhancement Behavior attitude? Do you have it already?

3. These categories of behaviors also apply to students:

• Protective Behavior: Spending more time complaining than actually studying
• Maintenance Behavior: Doing the minimum work required to get a passing grade
• Enhancement Behavior: Wanting mastery of the content and skills taught in the class

Which kind of student are you in most of your classes? Does it depend on the class?

SPEAKING AND LISTENING: Life priorities

A. Which of the following are among your highest priorities? Select three that you would not
sacrifice for any of the other priorities. Also, select one as your lowest priority. Discuss your
answers with a partner.

________ being rich (among the richest 10% in your country)

________ having a rewarding career intellectually and spiritually (you love your job)

________ being a good parent

________ having plenty of leisure time to relax, pursue hobbies, travel, etc

________ being true to your religion or philosophy

________ becoming well known in your career; becoming famous to some degree

________ finding a “soulmate” (romantic love)

________ owning prestige possessions (expensive cars, a big house, luxury items, etc)

________ maintaining your health (exercising regularly, follow a healthy diet, etc)

________ making the world a better place

________ maintaining your physical appearance

________ maintaining good relationships with your parents and siblings

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B. Listen to Diana, Sam, Carlos, and Ellen talk about their top priorities. Fill in the chart with
their information. Note that one character gives only two top priorities.

Top priority Top priority Top priority Lowest priority

Diana

Sam

Carlos

Ellen

C. Share your top three life priorities from exercise B with a new partner.
Explain your reasons.

D. In what ways are you and your partner alike? In what ways are you different?
Complete the following sentences.

One thing we have in common is that we both value _________________________.

However, we are different in that I value/don’t value ____________________highly,

but my partner __________________________________________________.

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E. Reality check: How much time do you spend during the average day or week on your top
priorities? What do you spend a lot of time on that is NOT one of your top priorities?
Discuss your answers with your partner.

Example sentences:
I put “maintaining my health” as a top priority. However, my actions in regard to health (eat-
ing junk food, not exercising much) indicate that in reality, it is not a high priority for me.

In regard to maintaining good relationships with parents/siblings, I selected it as a top

priority, but my actual actions suggest it is not.

I didn’t select “having plenty of leisure time” as a top priority, but in reality, I act as if it is.
I spend more time playing on the computer than anything else.

SPEAKING: Typical priority conflicts

A. What happens when priorities conflict? Which priority will win?

The following are priority conflicts that many people face in their
lifetimes. If you have such conflicts, what will you choose? Share
your answers with your partner.

Money/career vs. Family (being a good parent and spouse)

Money/career vs. Love

Money/career vs. Living a moral life

Romantic love vs. Maintaining a good relationship

with parents

Romantic love vs. Friendship

B. A
 fter listening to your partner, be prepared to share
with the class your partner’s most interesting answer.

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GRAMMAR: Frequency adverb review
A. Complete the following sentences with your own information. For each sentence, use a
frequency adverb: always, often, usually, sometimes, rarely, never.

Share your answers with a partner.

Example: When I was a child, I often watched cartoons on TV, but now I rarely do.
When I was a child, I never watched movies with violence, but now I sometimes do.

When I was a child, I often ____________________________, but now I never do.

When I was a child, I rarely _________________________________, but now I often do.

About five years ago, I ______________________________, but now I ___________________

About five years ago, I ______________________________, but now I ___________________

Last year, I ___________________________________, but now I ________________________

Last year, I ___________________________________, but now I ________________________

READING: A Life Story

A. How much do you know about your grandparents and
their life stories?
A. I know a lot about them. We talk (or talked) often.
B. I know a little.
C. I don’t know very much.

B. If you interviewed your grandparents to know more about

their lives, what would you ask? Write your questions below.

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________

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C. Ann is interviewing her grandmother about her life. Read the grandmother’s answers
and try to guess the questions. Then listen and check your answers.

Ann: Thank you for agreeing to do this interview, Grandma.

Grandmother: You know I’m happy to help you, Ann. But I don’t know if I’m a really good person to
interview. My life hasn’t really been that remarkable.
Ann: Our professor says we should interview a grandparent or other older relative to find out more about their life.
You’re my choice.
Grandmother: Well, whatever will help you, dear.
Ann: OK, here’s my first question. ________________________________________________________?
Grandmother: Hm. Well, I like to think that I’m a kind and thoughtful person. I’m certainly not perfect. I can sometimes
be impatient, but I try to be good. Your grandfather might have a different opinion, but that’s the kind of person that I
think I am.
Ann: That sounds right to me. ___________________________________________________________?
Grandmother: I’m passionate about my family.
Ann: That’s for sure, but are there any personal things you are passionate about?
Grandmother: You might not know this, but when I was younger, I was a good student. I loved to read. I wanted to go
to college and become a scientist.
Ann: Are you serious?
Grandmother: I am. I was interested in chemistry.
Ann: I had no idea! Why didn’t you do it?
Grandmother: It was different then. In the small town we lived in, people didn’t think girls should do that kind of thing.
Anyway, I still have a passion for reading.
Ann: That’s too bad you didn’t go to college. Well, I should get to my next question. In your opinion, ________________
____________________________________?
Grandmother: I think it’s important in life to find out who you are and be true to yourself. And of course, it’s important
to be good to the people around you.
Ann: _______________________________________________?
Grandmother: The birth of your mother was the most important experience in my life. I knew she would become someone
special. I spent a lot of time teaching her. I wanted her to have the opportunities that I never had.
Ann: _____________________________________________________?
Grandmother: I got married in 1968. I was just 20 years old!
Ann: Wow! That’s almost my age! That seems really young.
Grandmother: It was about normal back then. But yes, it is a little young.
Ann: Do you have any advice for marriage or relationships?
Grandmother: Advice for relationships? Find someone who is patient and truly kind. Try to be that kind of person yourself.
Ann: That seems like good advice. __________________________________________________________?
Grandmother: Well, I’m happy to say it wasn’t my marriage! The biggest mistake I’ve ever made was not going to
college. No one around me thought it was a good idea. No one in my family, male or female, had ever gone to college.
Without anyone supporting me, I guess I just got scared. I wish I had believed in myself a little more.
Ann: I think I know exactly what you mean. OK, last question: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________?

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Grandmother: The future? Well, I’m not sure how much time I have left, but there is one thing I want to see. I want to
see you follow your dream. Your mother has a great life. I’m so proud of her. But you dream bigger than your mother.
You dream like I used to dream. If you live the life that is right for you, nothing will make me happier.
Ann: It’s not easy, Grandma. I love art, but not many people are successful as artists.
Grandmother: Of course it isn’t easy. Only small dreams are easy. But it’s what you love, and you have talent. You will
never forgive yourself if you don’t try.
Ann: Thanks, Grandma. I think I will.

D. Answer the following questions:

1. Why is Ann interviewing her grandmother? _______________________________________
2. What was her grandmother’s dream when she was younger? _________________________
3. Why didn’t she follow her dream?________________________________________________
4. What does the grandmother want to see happen in the future? _______________________

SPEAKING: Your life (so far)

A. Choose five of the following questions that you want to answer. Write three or four sentences
to answer each question. Be careful with verb grammar:

A. What kind of person are you? (simple present)

B. What are your passionate about in life? (simple present)
C. What do you believe is important in life? (simple present)
D. What happened when you were young that shaped your goals? (simple past)
E. What was one of the most important experiences in your life? (simple past)
F. When did you ________________________________? (simple past)
G. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made? (present perfect; simple past for details)
H. What else in life do you want to see or accomplish? (simple present or simple future)

1. ______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

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3. ______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

B. Discuss your answers with a partner.

WRITING: A successful life

A. What are your goals for the following areas of your life? Discuss your answers with a partner.

Family/relationships Career Lifestyle/interests

B. I magine the year is now 2030. Imagine that you have achieved ALL of the goals you made for
the topics in part A. Write two paragraphs about your life in 2030. Answer the following
questions in each paragraph:
Paragraph 1: What is your life like in 2030? What are you now? How long have you had
your current position? Where do you live? Tell us about your family. What do you do in your
free time? Write your sentences in the simple present and present perfect.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: Tell us how you accomplished all of your goals. What did you do? What experiences
did you have? What was the biggest challenge that you overcame? Write your sentences in the
simple past.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

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SPEAKING: Find someone who

A. For each topic below, find a different student who answers ‘yes.’
Write the name of the student, and then get a little more information for the comment section.
Be careful with your grammar when asking the questions.

Name Comment
Example:
Has the same hobby as you
Monica She mostly plays Fortnite.
Do you like playing computer games?

Is from the same hometown as you

Is a full-time worker

Has the same hobby as you

Likes the same music group or

singer as you

Lives away from parents

Was in an accident this or last year

Worked full-time last year

Traveled abroad last year

Has traveled abroad before

Has lived in the same house or

apartment for more than 15 years
Has met a celebrity face-to-face
before.

Has done an extreme sport before

Will look for a new job this year

Is going to start a business someday

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