13 Preview

Street performers
1 CULTURE
Visitors to Boston, Massachusetts should not miss Faneuil (fan-yule) Hall
Marketplace. It is one of the United States’ top tourist sites. This historic
marketplace opened in 1742 and was a market and the site of famous
meetings. It is near the water, and there are many restaurants and
shops for people to enjoy. What makes the marketplace really exciting,
though, is the free entertainment. Every day the marketplace fills with
street performers and the people who come to watch them.

1.Are street performers popular in your country?

2.Would you stop to watch a street performer?
3.Do you think people should give money to street performers?

Why or why not? 1. They are not Faneuil Hall Marketplace

2. Only if they catch my attention
3.1 think they looking for ahead.
so because are a way to
yet
2 VOCABULARY Street performers
A PAIR WORK Write the correct word(s) under each picture.

✓an acrobat an accordion player a balloon man a clown a dance troupe a magician

1. a clown 2. an acrobat 3. an accordion player

4. 5. dance troupe 6. balloon man

magiclan a
a a

B Can you think of four more types of street performers? Write them below.
1. a
Singer 2. a mime 3. a Painter 4. a dancer

50 Unit 13 Interchange VRB 2 © Cambridge University Press 2012 Photocopiable

9781107651807_VRB_02_U13_WS.indd 50 10/17/11 9:11 PM

 3 GUESS THE FACTS
Watch the first minute of the video with the sound off. Who is the host?
a reporter a tour guide a tourist

Watch the video

4 GET THE PICTURE

Write the type of performer under each picture. Which performers did the host talk
to or talk about? Check (✓) the correct answers. Then compare with a partner.

an accordian player a balloon man

a dance troupe a mime

5 WATCH FOR DETAILS

What are these people’s opinions of the performers? Write at least two words.
Then compare with a partner.

She thinks it's amazing how much She found it very exciting She thinks it's fascinanting
you can do with balloons and its for her daughter, and she feltthatitwas great that he did

exciting to see whatthey do, and alive and full of joy a good job and loved it.
she thinks the balloon man IS

very talented
Interchange VRB 2 © Cambridge University Press 2012 Photocopiable Unit 13 51

9781107651807_VRB_02_U13_WS.indd 51 10/17/11 9:11 PM

 6 WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?
A What do you think of the performers? Rate each performance from 1 (very good) to 5 (poor).
Circle the numbers.

1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5

B PAIR WORK Compare opinions. Choose words from the box or use
words of your own.

amazing energetic great surprised

amusing entertaining interesting talented
boring excellent fascinating unbelievable
creative fun silly

A: What did you think of the balloon man?

B: I thought he was creative. I gave him a 2. How about you? . . .

Follow-up

7 HIRE A PERFORMER
GROUP WORK Imagine you are planning a party and want to hire a performer
or group of performers. Which of these performers would you like to hire? Why?
A: I think it would be great to hire a magician. R/ I think it’s would be great to hire a magician and a mime, because
B: Why? I think that they are entertaining and very amusing, it would be a
A: Well, because magicians are entertaining. . . . good party.

a mime a guitarist a magician a pianist a rock band

52 Unit 13 Interchange VRB 2 © Cambridge University Press 2012 Photocopiable

9781107651807_VRB_02_U13_WS.indd 52 10/17/11 9:11 PM

 Language close-up

8 WHAT DID THEY SAY?

Watch the video and complete the interview. Then compare with a partner.
The host asks a woman what she thought of a street performer.

Host: So what did you think about his acT ?

Woman: I was amazed by what he could do, and all the things he Could make
out of balloons! This man is really talented . It makes you feel like you’re a
child again. I think adults and children both really enjoy
what he’s doing. It’s exciting to Walk by someone on the street, and
suddenly , they’re just making something Creative out of a balloon .

9 PARTICIPLES Giving opinions

A Rewrite these sentences using present and past participles.
Then compare with a partner.

1. The balloon man entertained me.

The balloon man was entertaining.
I was entertained by the balloon man.
2. The musician surprised me.
The musiclan was surprising
I was surprised by the musiclan

3. The dance troupe energized me.

The dance troupe was energizing
I was energized by the dance troupe

4. The host amused me.

the host was amusing

I was amused by the host.

B Now change your sentences to give your true opinions. Read them to a partner.

C Complete the chart. Then compare with a partner.

Something you find entertaining Something you find boring

I find watching movies entertaining. find going to mass boring

Something you find amusing Something you find surprising

I find going to gum amusing, find the acts of magic surprising

Interchange VRB 2 © Cambridge University Press 2012 Photocopiable Unit 13 53

9781107651807_VRB_02_U13_WS.indd 53 10/17/11 9:11 PM

 Unit 13: Street performers Woman 2: Uh, exciting, amusing for Kate!
Host: Amusing?
People give their opinions of street performances in Boston, Woman 2: Yeah!
Massachusetts. Host: Yeah! . . . How do you think she felt?
Woman 2: Oh, she loved it. . . . I was amazed by the
Host: Here I am in Boston. My trip has been really talent – I didn’t realize that there was so much
fun and interesting so far. I’ve gone on walking talent among the street performers in Boston.
tours, which taught me a lot about the history. I It definitely made me feel alive and energized.
ate some really good clam chowder. I went to a * * *
baseball game. But I think the best thing about Host: So what’d you think of his act?
Boston: the street performers. Woman 3: Well, I thought it was fascinating.
* * * Host: How did you feel about his performance?
Host: So what did you think about his act? Woman 3: I thought it was great. I thought he did an
Woman 1: I was amazed by what he could do, and all the excellent job.
things he could make out of balloons! This man Host: Did you enjoy it?
is really talented. It makes you feel like you’re Woman 3: I loved it.
a child again. I think adults and children both * * *
really enjoy what he’s doing. It’s exciting to Host: What is it like playing for the general public?
walk by someone on the street, and suddenly, Musician: I like it. I enjoy it. It’s satisfying.
they’re just making something creative out of a Host: Could you play us something of your own?
balloon. Musician: I’d love to. Sure.
* * * * * *
Host: What do you think about street performers? Host: This has been such an amazing day! These
Woman 2: I was pleasantly surprised to come to the park performers were so talented! . . . I want to be
and find street performers here. one! I don’t know, you tell me, I don’t know. . . .
Host: What words would you use to describe that [beat boxes] Come on, what do you think?
performance?

Interchange 2 Video transcripts © Cambridge University Press 2012 Photocopiable Unit 13 133

651807_VRB_2_U01-U16_TS.indd 133 10/17/11 1:41 PM