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lingua house
Innovation in Learning
A A GENERAL ISSUES
King of chess
Lesson code: H92V-328A-8LS7 INTERMEDIATE +
1 Warm-up
Which sports do you enjoy playing or watching? Why?
2 Key words
Match the following words with their correct definition:
1. an opponent a. a person, especially a child, with an exceptional talent
2. focus b. a person who has the highest level of skill at playing chess
3. a Grandmaster c. a person who you compete against in a sports event or other
contest
4. hesitant d. concentration
5. join e. energetic interest in a particular subject or activity
6. upset f. nervous or uncertain (about doing something)
7. a prodigy g. to become a member of (a team, etc.)
8. enthusiasm h. to choose someone (e.g. for a team)
9. pick somebody i. worried, unhappy or angry
3 Find the information
Read the article below and find the following information:
1. How old is Shane Melaugh?
2. Which country does he represent?
3. When did he learn to play chess?
4. How many Irish Grandmasters are there?
5. How many young people in Ireland are involved in chess?
6. At what age do pupils usually join the chess club at Shane's school?
7. How often does Shane play chess?
8. How old was Shane when he learnt how to set up a chess board?
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King of chess lingua house
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES
Ireland's youngest king of chess takes
on the world
A player so young he cannot read or write is shocking the chess scene in Ireland.
1 At the age of five, Shane Melaugh has already 9 His primary school was at first hesitant about
become the youngest person to represent Ireland accepting him into the chess club because he was
as a member of the under-12s team. so young, and players generally join at around the
age of eight. But after a few games, teachers
2 Shane, who has just finished his first year at
noticed his talent.
primary school, has attracted a lot of attention for
his exceptional talent for playing chess. 10 His mother says he is not upset at losing a game.
3 The boy, who was taught to play at the age of "He's very competitive. If he loses the first thing
three by his grandfather, quickly showed both a out of his mouth is - I'll play you again.
passion for the game and a natural talent. Experts
who have observed him predict he will become 11 "He doesn't want to play all day every day but he
very successful in the future. won't go to bed until he has a game of chess. He
can beat me easily, and now he can beat his
4 According to his chess coach, Alan Turnbull: father. He can't even read or write and he has
"Shane is very talented for his age and has beaten been picked to play chess for Ireland."
much older pupils. In terms of his talent, he is
very much above anyone I have taught." 12 Mrs Melaugh recalled: "When Shane was a baby
5 Mark Quinn of the Irish Chess Union said that the he used to pick up chess pieces and play with
boy had exceptional focus and concentration. them. And then when Shane was about three my
"He's a completely normal five-year-old," he said. dad taught him how to set up the board and he
"But he's completely obsessed with the game at learnt how to play."
the moment. He loves it."
13 According to chess experts, the careers of young
6 An Irish chess prodigy is very unusual because the prodigies are difficult to predict, and some talented
country has produced no internationally-known players may lose enthusiasm after some years.
players and is normally associated with physical
sports such as rugby and football. 14 At the moment, however, Shane shows no signs
of losing interest. According to his grandfather,
7 The only Grandmaster in Ireland is a Russian who
Peter Mc Grath: "I never force him to play - he is
moved to the country some years ago. But chess
always forcing me to get the board out. Instead of
is popular at school level, where about 10,000
his breakfast, he wants a game."
young people are involved in the game.
8 Shane's mother Linda said: "He's very, very 15 Shane himself, when asked why he plays chess,
smart. He learnt to play quite fast, he has a natural replies, "I just do. I love it up to heaven."
talent. He's just a normal kid, but as soon as you
put the chessboard in front of him he's a genius." Adapted from The Independent, 18 June 2007
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King of chess lingua house
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES
4 Checking understanding
Choose the best answer according to the text:
1. A chess talent from Ireland is surprising because...
a. chess is not popular in Ireland
b. Ireland is associated with other sports
c. there was a Russian player in Ireland
2. Shane learnt so fast because...
a. he has a natural b. his father coached c. he joined a chess
talent him well club
3. Shane's school didn't want to accept him into the chess club at first because...
a. he was a normal kid b. he was too young c. he was a genius
4. When Shane loses a game, he...
a. wants to play again b. becomes upset c. goes to bed
5. Careers of young chess prodigies are unpredictable because...
a. they can lose their talent as they become older
b. they can start to lose interest in the game
c. they can become too obsessed
6. According to his grandfather, Shane hasn't lost interest in playing chess because...
a. he always wins
b. he doesn't eat breakfast
c. nobody forces him to play
5 Prepositions
Complete the phrases from the text with a preposition and write a sentence for each expression:
1. obsessed something
2. associated something
3. involved an activity
4. hesitant doing something
5. upset losing a game
6 Talking point
Are there any young sporting talents in your country? Who is your country's greatest sportsman or
sportswoman?
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King of chess lingua house
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES
7 Grammar - Tense review
Look at the following underlined structures and match them to the correct tenses and rules below:
1. He doesn't want to play all day every day.
2. The country has produced no internationally-known players.
3. When Shane was a baby he used to pick up the chess pieces and play with them.
4. My dad taught him how to set up the board and he learnt how to play.
5. Shane, who has just finished his first year at primary school, has attracted a lot of attention for his
exceptional talent for playing chess.
a. We use used to + infinitive to talk about a past routine or state that doesn't happen or exist now.
b. We use the past simple to talk about completed events in the past.
c. We use the present perfect simple to talk about recently-completed events or changes that have
a connection with the present.
d. We use the present perfect simple to talk about something that happened or didn't happen at an
unspecified time before now.
e. We use the present simple to talk about a present routine or state.
What is the negative form of `used to'? How do we form questions with `used to'?
8 Practice
Complete the sentences below with the past simple or present perfect simple.
1. He (go) to the party a few minutes ago.
2. The film (not/start) yet.
3. I (be) ill since Monday.
4. I (visit) Hong Kong last year.
5. This is my friend Michael. (you/ever/meet) him?
6. I (give up) smoking last year.
7. I (not/see) you for ages. How are you?
8. I (go) to the cinema last night.
9. I (just/finish) my work. I'm coming home.
10. He (die) during the war.
11. She (find) a new job last week.
12. Silvio (go) to France five times in his life.
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King of chess lingua house
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES
Now do the same with the present simple or `used to' + infinitive.
1. I'm a university student. I (attend) lectures every day.
2. I (attend) lectures every day during my student years.
3. I (travel) to Rome every month. It's part of my job.
4. I (travel) to Rome every month. It was part of my job.
5. Peter lives a very healthy lifestyle now. He (smoke) every day.
6. Peter lives a very unhealthy lifestyle. He (smoke) 40 cigarettes a day.
7. I (go) to the cinema all the time. I don't have much time for that these days.
8. I (go) to the cinema all the time. I have a lot of free time.
9. I (not/eat out) very often these days.
10. I (not/eat out) very often. I preferred to cook at home.
11. Joanne is a musician. Which instrument (play)?
12. (you/play) an instrument in your childhood?
Work in pairs. Tell your partner four things about yourself using the present simple, present perfect
simple, past simple and `used to' + infinitive, for example:
I used to get up at 6am every morning.
Four years ago, I changed my job.
I have been to Italy five times.
I don't go out very often these days.
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Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
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