Lesson_9

1.

MODULE 2
Relationships.
Human nature
Family ties

2.

#30–36: practice
State exam reading & vocabulary

3.

30–32
Diana
Read the text. Choose the correct option for each gap.
Diana had been hoping to get away by 5:00, so she could be at the farm
in time for dinner. She tried not to show her true feelings when at 4:35
her deputy, Phil Haskings, presented her with a complex twelve-page
document that (30) ________ the signature of a director before it could
be sent out to the client. Haskins didn't hesitate to (31) ________ her
that they had lost two similar contracts that week.
To (32) ________ the truth, it was always the same on a Friday. The
phones would go quiet in the middle of the afternoon and then, just as
she thought she could leave, a new document would land on her desk.
Diana looked at the document and knew there would be no chance of
escaping before 6:00.
30
1) compelled 2) obliged
3) required 4) demanded
31
1) remember 2) remind
3) recall 4) recollect
32
1) say 2) talk
3) speak 4) tell

4.

33–36
Diana
Read the text. Choose the correct option for each gap.
Diana adored her children. At first (33) ________ she looked happy. The
demands of being a single parent as well as a director of a small but
thriving City company meant there were (34) ________ moments left in
any day to relax. When it came to the one weekend in four that James
and Caroline spent with her ex-husband, Diana would try to leave the
office a little earlier than usual to avoid the weekend traffic.
She read through the first page slowly, aware that any mistake (35)
________ hastily on a Friday evening could be (36) ________ in the
weeks to come. She glanced at the clock on her desk as she signed the
final page of the document. It was just showing 5:51.
33
1) look 2) view
3) sight 4) glimpse
34
1) little 2) few
3) many 4) much
35
1) made 2) done
3) held 4) took
36
1) apologized 2) disappointed
3) regretted 4) dissatisfied

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Lesson 9
Family ties

13.

1.1
Do You Remember Alex?
Before reading, complete the sentences about Alex's exam preparation with the expressions in the box.
fall behind
feel under pressure
follow a study plan
keep up with
manage his time effectively
revise regularly
focus on his weak areas
stay on top of his workload
1. At the beginning of the school year, Alex was struggling to ________.
2. He decided to ________ rather than study without a clear routine.
3. To improve his exam results, he needed to ________.
4. When students leave revision until the last minute, they often ________.
5. Alex realised he had to ________ instead of revising only before tests.
6. He sometimes found it difficult to ________ because of his packed schedule.
7. When he had too many assignments, he started to ________.
8. He wanted to ________ his classmates and avoid losing motivation.

14.

Read the conversation.
1. What do Alex and Sophie have in
common?
2. How are their problems different?
You've got a
message!

15.

16.

1. Why is Sophie frustrated with her
parents?
2. Do you think her parents' concerns are
reasonable?
3. What do you think Sophie should do
next?
Discuss

17.

18.

1.5
Meet the Characters
Look at the four profiles. Which family story do you think belongs to each person? Make a guess, then read and
check.
A. An only child who sometimes wishes for a
sibling.
B. A teenager who sometimes argues with an
older sister.
C. A teenager who belongs to a large blended
family.
D. A teenager who was adopted as a baby.
Choose one profile. What might be an advantage
and a challenge of their family situation?

19.

1.5
Family Ties: The Online Thread
Read the online discussion. Are the families more similar or different?
J
Jenny
Original post
Hi, everyone! We're doing a school project about families around the world. Does your family look like the ones we see in
films? Who do you live with, and do you all get on? Tell us your story in the comments!
G
Gokhan
Ankara, Türkiye
There are just three of us at home: my mum, my dad and me. I'm an only child. My grandparents live in the same building,
so I see them a lot, and my other grandparents live nearby. I love having my own space, but sometimes I wish I had a
brother or sister to spend time with. Then again, some of my friends are always arguing with their siblings, so maybe I'm
lucky!
M
Masha
Novosibirsk, Russia
I live with my parents and my older sister, Natalia. We're quite close, but we don't always see eye to eye. She says I play my
music too loudly, and I get annoyed when she borrows my things without asking. We argue about little things, but we
usually sort them out. I wouldn't swap her for anyone.

20.

1.5
P
Family Ties: The Online Thread
Pete
California, USA
My family is a bit complicated. My parents are divorced, and they have both remarried. I live with my mum and stepfather,
and I regularly spend weekends with my dad and stepmother. I also have a stepsister, Angie, who's older than me, and a
younger half-brother. We don't all live in one house, but we make an effort to keep in touch. My family may not be
traditional, but I feel lucky to have so many people who care about me.
A
Alicia
Lublin, Poland
My parents adopted me when I was a baby. I live with them, my brother, my sister and our dog, Cassie. My parents treat all
of us equally, and I'm very close to them. People sometimes ask whether I want to meet my biological parents. I'm not
looking for them at the moment. I love the family that has brought me up, and that's what matters to me.
A
Alex B.
Brisbane, Australia
I live in Australia, but a lot of my extended family live in Greece. My mum stays in touch with our relatives online. I've met
some of them, but there are others I only know from photographs and video calls. I hope to visit them one day.

21.

1.6
Who Said It?
Match the descriptions to the people.
Gokhan
Masha
Pete
Alicia
Alex B.
1. This person is grateful for having a loving family, even though its structure is complicated.
2. This person sometimes wishes they had a brother or sister.
3. This person's relatives live in different countries.
4. This person sometimes gets annoyed when a sibling borrows their belongings.
5. This person is not currently interested in finding their birth parents.

22.

1.7
True, False or Not Stated?
Read the thread again. Decide whether the statements are True, False or Not Stated. Find evidence.
Statement
1. Gokhan's grandparents all live in the same flat as he does.
2. Masha and her sister never disagree.
3. Pete spends weekends with his biological father.
4. Alicia has a brother and a sister.
5. Alicia plans to contact her biological parents when she turns eighteen.
6. Alex B. has relatives living in Greece.
T
F
NS

23.

1.8
Family Words: Vocabulary Bank 1
Study the expressions. Notice the difference between family structure and relationships.
Family structure / people
Relationship / action
an only child — a child with no brothers or sisters
get on well with — have a good relationship with
siblings — brothers and sisters
be close to — have a strong personal connection with
a stepfather / stepmother — a parent's new spouse
keep in touch with — stay in contact with
a stepbrother / stepsister — a child of one's stepparent
bring up a child — raise a child
a half-brother / half-sister — share one biological parent
take after someone — resemble a relative in looks or personality
biological parents — birth parents
get divorced — officially end a marriage
adopt a child — legally become their parent
get remarried — marry again
a blended family — a family with children from earlier
relationships
grow up in a family — spend one's childhood there
extended family — relatives beyond the immediate household
have a lot in common — share interests or characteristics
Note: ‘stepsibling’ and ‘half-sibling’ are not interchangeable.

24.

1.9
Who's Who?
Complete with the correct family words.
adopt
stepmother
divorced
extended family
half-sister
only child
siblings
stepsister
1. I have no brothers or sisters. I'm an ________.
2. My mum has married a man who has a daughter from his previous marriage. That girl is my ________.
3. My sister and I share the same father but have different mothers. She's my ________.
4. My cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents are my ________.
5. They decided to ________ a child.
6. My parents officially ended their marriage. They got ________.
7. My dad's new wife is my ________.
8. My brothers and sisters are my ________.

25.

1.10
Build the Collocations
Match 1–6 with A–F.
1 bring
A on well with somebody
2 keep
B close to somebody
3 get
C up children
4 be
D in touch
5 take
E after somebody
6 grow
F up in a large family

26.

1.11
Welcome to the Thread, Sophie!
Imagine Sophie has joined the conversation. Complete her post using expressions from today's lesson.
S
Sophie
New comment · just now
Hey everyone! I'm Sophie, and I'm 17. My family isn't particularly unusual, but things have been a
bit complicated lately. I used to ____________________ with my parents, but recently we've been
having arguments about ____________________. I know they ____________________, but I
sometimes wish they would ____________________. Reading your stories has made me realise
that ____________________.
Peer check: Can your partner find at least three topic expressions in your post?

27.

1.12
Relationship Hotline: What Can Go Wrong?
Rank the issues from 1 (most serious) to 5 (least serious). Justify your top choice.
Parents invading teenagers' privacy.
Adults expecting perfect exam results.
Family members saying hurtful things during arguments.
People refusing to listen to different opinions.
Brothers and sisters taking each other's things without asking.
1.13 Discuss: Which situations are connected to the generation gap?

28.

WHY DO WE HURT THE PEOPLE
WE LOVE?
Read the blog post and identify three
practical pieces of advice.
Relationship Hotline

29.

1.14
Why Do We Hurt the People We Love?
1 Family relationships can be surprisingly complicated. The people closest to us are often the ones who
see us at our best — and our worst. When we're stressed or upset, we sometimes take our frustration
out on family members, even though they aren't responsible for our problems.
2 Another common difficulty is unrealistic expectations. Parents may expect their children to behave
responsibly all the time, while teenagers may expect complete freedom. As a result, family members
may go through a rough patch when neither side is prepared to listen to the other.
3 But a disagreement doesn't necessarily mean that a relationship is failing. Nobody is perfect, and we
all make mistakes. Sometimes the problem isn't what the other person has done, but what we demand
of them. If we want to make a relationship work, we need to accept that people have different
opinions, needs and priorities.

30.

1.14
Why Do We Hurt the People We Love?
4 Timing matters, too. When emotions are running high, it's easy to say something hurtful. Instead of
reacting immediately, it may be better to wait until everyone has calmed down. Then you can explain
how you feel without blaming the other person.
5 Finally, remember that a relationship involves two people. It's rarely useful to focus only on who is to
blame. A better approach is to understand each other's point of view and sort things out together.
Strong relationships don't mean never arguing. They mean learning how to deal with disagreements.

31.

1.15
What's the Main Idea?
Match headings A–F to paragraphs 1–5. One heading is extra.
A. Nobody can meet every expectation.
B. Family members sometimes become the targets of our negative emotions.
C. Parents should always have the final say.
D. Choose the right moment to discuss a problem.
E. Finding solutions matters more than finding someone to blame.
F. Different expectations may lead to disagreements.
1 — ___
2 — ___
3 — ___
4 — ___
5 — ___

32.

1.16
How Closely Did You Read?
Decide whether the statements are True, False or Not Stated. Find evidence.
Statement
1. People sometimes behave unfairly towards family members when they are
stressed.
2. The article says that only parents, not teenagers, can have unrealistic expectations.
3. A family disagreement always means the relationship is failing.
4. Waiting until people calm down may help avoid hurtful comments.
5. The writer recommends focusing on solutions rather than blaming people.
6. The writer says that every teenager should discuss serious problems with a
therapist.
T
F
NS

33.

RELATIONSHIP LANGUAGE
Expression
Example
get along with / get on well with
someone
Sophie used to get along with her parents.
have an argument with someone
She had an argument with her father.
see eye to eye (on something) ★
They don't see eye to eye on screen time.
a generation gap
A generation gap can cause
misunderstandings.
put pressure on someone ★
Her parents put pressure on her to study.
meet someone's expectations ★
She feels she has to meet everyone's
expectations.
go through a rough patch ★
Her family is going through a rough patch.

34.

RELATIONSHIP LANGUAGE
Expression
Example
take something out on someone ★
Don't take your stress out on your sister.
hurt someone's feelings ★
He hurt her feelings during the argument.
blame someone for something ★
Don't blame Sophie for everything.
sort things out ★
They should talk and sort things out.
make a relationship work
Both sides need to make an effort.
accept someone for who they are
Accept people for who they are.
reach a compromise ★
Try to reach a compromise about free time.
★ = active core

35.

1.18
Complete the Advice
Complete each sentence with an expression from the box. Change the form when necessary.
blame … for
generation gap
make a relationship work
sort things out
go through a rough patch
meet expectations
hurt someone's feelings
reach a compromise
take it out on
1. When you're angry with a teacher, don't ________ your parents.
2. Sophie and her father don't ________ on how she spends her free time.
3. Teenagers sometimes struggle to ________.
4. It's unfair to ________ someone ________ something they didn't do.
5. Even close families sometimes ________.
6. Sophie and her parents should try to ________.
7. Everyone needs to make an effort to ________.
8. Angry comments may ________.
9. They should sit down and ________.
10. Parents and teenagers often misunderstand each other because of a ________.
see eye to eye

36.

1.19
Fix the Collocations
Each sentence contains one mistake. Write the corrected phrase.
1. Sophie and her parents are going through a rough path.
2. They put too many pressure on her.
3. Sophie and her dad don't see eye by eye.
4. They should reach to a compromise.
5. She takes her frustration out at her brother.
6. Sophie doesn't want to let off her parents.
7. Both people need to make a relationship working.
8. Her father blamed Sophie about the argument.

37.

1.20
Relationship Hotline Challenge
For each situation: (1) identify the problem, (2) explain why it happened, (3) propose a realistic solution. Use at
least TWO expressions from today's banks.
Person
Situation
Sophie
Her parents insist she should study all
weekend and don't trust her study plan.
Masha
Her older sister borrows her belongings
without asking.
Gokhan
He sometimes wishes for a sibling, but he also
loves having space to himself.
Pete
In this imaginary new situation, different
relatives want him to visit them on the same
weekend.
What's gone wrong?
What should they do?

38.

1.21
Pick the Best Advice
Choose TWO suggestions for Sophie and explain how each could help.
A. Set clearer boundaries and explain why privacy matters.
B. Accept that relationships involve different expectations.
C. Find a practical compromise that works for both sides.
D. Explain how you feel without blaming the other person.
E. Appreciate positive aspects of your family situation.
F. Avoid discussing sensitive problems when emotions are running high.
Success criterion: Use two lesson expressions in your explanation.

39.

Imagine you are taking part in an interview. Answer all
five questions, giving full and relevant answers.
1. What makes a strong family relationship?
2. Why do teenagers sometimes argue with their
parents?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
growing up in a large family?
4. How can family members avoid
misunderstandings?
5. Should parents allow teenagers to make more
decisions independently? Why or why not?
EGE Speaking Task 3:
Family Interview
Self-check: Did I answer directly? Did I develop my answers? Did I use
accurate collocations? Did I give examples? Was my speech clear?

40.

What do you think will happen next
between Sophie and her dad?
To Be Continued…

41.

42.

1.24
Exit Ticket
Choose or complete.
1. My aunt, cousins and grandparents belong to my ________.
2. A boy who shares only one biological parent with you is your ________.
3. ‘We don't see eye to eye’ means ________.
4. Correct the error: ‘Don't take your anger out at your mum.’ → ________
5. Write ONE realistic sentence of advice for Sophie using reach a compromise or sort
things out.