Looking back at this academic year, I can say that I’ve learned and improved. All the classes gave me new knowledge. This year in our English classes, we focused a lot on preparing for English exams, which was important for some students in our class. We also wrote essays about anything we wanted, which helped us share our ideas and opinions on topics that interest us. We did a lot of exercises from books to improve our grammar and vocabulary. I think my writing and speaking skills got better during the year. One of my favorite parts was writing freely about topics I care about. Overall, this class helped me become more confident in English.

Navigate- Upper Intermediate Grammar slide 159, ex-es 1,2, slide 160 ex-es 1,2,3
Navigate- Upper Intermediate Vocabulary slide 120 Top Regrets /ex 4 a, c

1. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense or form.

1. A If we didn’t have children, we would have a lot more free time.
   B You would have a lot more money as well!
2. A Where would you live if you could live anywhere?
   B I’m not sure, but ideally it would be somewhere by the sea.
3. A We called at your house earlier, but you weren’t at home.
   B That’s a shame. If I knew you were coming, I would stay in.
4. A How many children do you think you’ll have?
   B Well, if I could choose, I would have two girls and a boy.
5. A Did you hear that Chris failed his final exams?
   B Well, if he spent more time studying instead of partying, I’m sure he would pass them.
6. A A colleague at work is really getting on my nerves. What would you do if you were in my position?
   B If I were you, I would talk to him or her about it.

2. For each situation, write a conditional sentence to say how the situation could be or could have been different.

1. I missed the bus, so I was late for work.
   If I hadn’t missed the bus, I wouldn’t have been late for work.
2. You’re feeling tired now because you went to bed late last night.
   If I hadn’t gone to bed late last night, I’d be feeling better now.
3. Alina isn’t here tomorrow, so she can’t help us.
   If Alina was here tomorrow, she could help us.
4. We can’t get in the house because you lost the key!
   If you hadn’t lost the key we would get in the house.
5. Gabby didn’t go to the meeting because she didn’t know about it.
   If Gabby knew about the meeting, she would go there.
6. You weren’t listening, so you don’t know what to do.
   If you were listening, you would know what to do.
7. I don’t have your number, so I couldn’t call you last night.
   If I had your number I would call you last night.
8. The internet isn’t working, so I can’t send them the photos.
   If the internet worked I would send them the photos.

1. Choose the correct options to complete the wishes and regrets.

1. I imagine they wish they had a bigger house.
2. I wish I had the courage to ask Rachel out on a date.
3. I wish it would stop raining. I want to go outside.
4. I hate my job. If only I had chosen a different career path.
5. I wish my sister would settle down and have kids soon.
6. If only I hadn’t turned down that job offer last week.

2. Jane is in a boring lecture at university. Write what she is thinking using I wish and the words given.

1. I wish the lecture was more interesting.
2. I wish I wasn’t here.
3. I wish I could go home.
4. I wish the lecturer involved the students more.
5. I wish I enjoyed being a student.
6. I wish I hadn’t chosen to study this subject.

3. Rephrase the sentences so the meaning is similar, using the word(s) in italics.

1. She regrets not speaking to Michael last night. (wish)
   She wishes she had spoken to Michael last night.
2. It’s a real shame that you can’t come with us. (if only)
   If only you could come with us.
3. It would be great to have a bit more money. (wish)
   I wish I had a bit more money.
4. I imagine Karl regrets saying all those things. (wish)
   I wish Karl regrets saying all those things.
5. It’s a pity we don’t know his address. (If only)
   If only we knew his address.
6. I really want him to call me. (wish)
   I wish he would call me.

4a. Match the common regrets, a-m, to the categories mentioned in the article in exercise 3.

a. not having the courage to ask someone on a date — romance
b. not making up after a family row — family issues
c. settling down with a partner too soon — romance
d. missing out on an investment opportunity — money
e. having been mean to a sibling as a child — family issues
f. choosing the wrong career path — work
g. not giving quality time to your children — parenting mistakes
h. buying a property which has decreased in value — money
i. taking up smoking — health
j. turning down a job offer — work
k. not taking studies seriously — education
l. not paying into a private pension plan early enough — health
m. not standing up to bullies at work — work

Navigate Upper-Intermediate / Life Stages / slide 118, ex 10, ex 11a
Watch the Vox Pop Life Stages and answer the questions in written form
Navigate Upper-Intermediate Reading: Our greatest regrets of all. slide 119

10. Complete the second sentence in each pair so that is has the same meaning as the first.

1. My brother emigrated to New Zealand, so our kids don’t see each other much.
   If my brother hadn’t emigrated to New Zealand, our kids would be closer now.
2. I had no idea how physically exhausting bringing up kids was, and I had them late.
   If I knew how physically exhausting bringing up kids was, i would have had them earlier.
3. I didn’t have children because I really value my independence.
   If I didn’t value my independence I would have children.
4. We need a big house because we’re such a large family.
   If we weren’t such a large family we wouldn’t need a big house.
5. Maybe having no siblings has made me an independent person.
   If I’d had siblings I wouldn’t be as independent as I am.

11a. You are going to ask your partner the questions. Complete the questions with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1. How would your life be different if you have had 3 siblings?
2. If you had been brought up in Egypt how would your life had been different when you were a child, and how would it be different now?
3. What would you do in your free time if you lived in 16th century?
4. If you were a member of the opposite sex, would people treat you differently as a child? Would you have a different job now?

Who do you take after most in your family? In what ways?

I’m not sure I take a lot after someone in my family, but I think I take after my parents. We have similar interests like biology and everything linked to that. Also I have some personality traits that are similar to theirs.

What do you think is the ideal family size? Why?

I’d say the ideal family size is with two kids. Growing up the only child can be boring, so this way you can have a sibling to interact with and play. The parent’s attention is only directed on two people. But for me personally the ideal family is without children.

Watch the video Going Viral and do the exercises 1, 3, and 4 on slide 115/ Navigate Upper-Intermediate
Navigate Upper Intermediate Review slide 116, 2a, 3a, 5a 6a

1. Match the words in the box to the definitions.

1. a newspaper with short articles and lots of images, often considered less serious than other newspapers — tabloid
2. with a lot of decoration — ornate
3. the number of copies of newspapers sold — circulation
4. making news seem much bigger, better or worse than it really is — exaggerated
5. website for social networking, e.g. Facebook, Twitter — social media site

3. Watch the video. Choose the correct options to complete the sentences.

1. Fleet Street used to be centre of British news industry.
2. The newspaper The Sun has a circulation of over four million..
3. 64% ofadults in the USA use Facebook.
4. In 2013, a news story broke about a ship with rats.
5. The story was reported in The Sun.

Watch again. Decide how true sentences 1-6 are:
a) definitely true, b) probably true, c) possibly true, d) probably false, e) definitely false.

1. The UK’s first daily newspaper was published in 1702. definitely true
2. The Daily Mirror sells more copies than The Sun. definitely true
3. In 2013, a ship got lost in the Atlantic Ocean. definitely true
4. The ship had a Twitter account. definitely true
5. The ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean. possibly true

2a. Put the sentences into reported speech using a reporting verb from the box.

1. ‘Your shoelaces are undone.’ She pointed out
2. ‘It’s true. I did cheat in the exam.’ He admitted
3. ‘I won’t tell anyone.’ She promised
4. ‘Don’t forget to take pills.’ He reminded
5. ‘I didn’t read you diary.’ She denied

3a. Add vowels to make phrases to desgribe things you can watch on TV.

1. current affairs
2. news analysis
3. home improvement programme
4. match highlights
5. drama series
6. celebrity chef
7. TV commercial

5a. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets.

1. Reading a newspaper in English is perfectly manageable for me.
2. I find the news quite addictive.
3. I enjoy watching amusing videos that have gone viral and often share them on social media.
4. I think very few online news sites provide reliable and objective news.

6a. Choose the correct options to complete the phrases.

1. From what I understand …
2. According to an article I read …
3. What’s strange about it is…
4. Something like ten people …
5. His name is Pavel something or other…

Navigate Reading/slide 112, ex 11a, slide 113, ex 3a,
Navigate. Read the text on slide 114, and discuss the topic “The internet has improved the quality of journalism.”

11a. Match adjectives 1-8 from the listening to meanings a-h in this context.

1. addictive — f. difficult to stop doing
2. objective — e. considering only facts, not personal opinion
3. actual — a. real
4. unmanageable — b. too big or difficult to deal with
5. reliable — c. that you can trust
6. informative — g. giving useful knowledge
7. mental — h. of the mind
8. relevant — d. important and useful

3a. Complete the sentences with words from the box.

1. .. she’s the oldest person who has ever lived, supposedly ..
2. .. according to the article, she claims she was born in 1887 ..
3. .. she’s got something like seventy-three great-grandcholdren ..
4. The sad thing is that several of them have already died before her.
5. This suit was incredibly heavy, around fifty-nine kilos or something.
6. It took him six days, apparently.
7. His name’s Lloyd something or other.
8. What’s amazing about him is that he was diagnosed with leukaemia several years ago.

In the 21st century, social media has reshaped how we connect, becoming a major part of everyday life. Yet, while it offers convenience, it has also deeply affected real-life communication.

People are becoming less comfortable with face-to-face interactions as they depend more on digital communication. Even having a phone nearby during a conversation can make it feel less meaningful.

Online, it’s harder to understand emotions because we miss facial expressions and body language, which makes empathy harder to develop.

Misunderstandings happen often due to the lack of tone and context in texts and emails, sometimes leading to conflicts.

Social media also shortens our attention spans since it’s built for quick, constant content, which weakens our ability to stay present in deeper conversations.

But, of cource, there are still good sides to it. Social media connects people across distances, helping relationships survive, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also spreads information and awareness of some important topics. And, it offers spaces for individuals to share experiences and find support, creating communities.

UCLA research shows that we have around 70,000 thoughts a day, with 80% of them being negative, and many of these thoughts carry over to the next day. The media, music, and movies we consume often emphasize negativity, shaping our mindset. Our brains are wired to focus on negative information as a survival instinct, making us more likely to engage with distressing headlines. This constant exposure to bad news not only grabs attention but can also lead to stress and anxiety, distorting our perception of the world. While negativity sells and dominates our screens, it’s important to remember that life is about balance—there’s always positive news to report as well.

Navigate Upper-Intermediate slide 109/ And now for some good news

Creative writing. Imagine that you are a TV presenter and deliver some news / good or bad, /on the news

Just over a week ago, Colossal Biosciences announced they’ve successfully birthed three dire wolf puppies — Remus, Romulus, and Khaleesi — using ancient DNA. These wolves went extinct around 13,000 years ago.

Some scientists are thrilled, calling it a breakthrough in de-extinction. Others criticize it, saying these are genetically modified gray wolves, not true dire wolves. Colossal says the pups share 99.5% of the same DNA and were created to help fight biodiversity loss.

While the debate continues, one thing is clear: science has taken a huge step toward bringing extinct creatures back to life.

Navigate Upper-Intermediate Reading slides 107 -108 Binge watching, ex 3, slide 107,
Grammar Reported speech slide 157 ex-es1,2, slide 158, ex-es 1,2,3,

3. Work with a partner. Look at the highlighted words in the article and guess what they mean. Then use them in the correct form to complete the sentences.

1. The internet has transformed our way of viewing TV.
2. I like dramas with complex characters, not two-dimensional ones.
3. We watched three movies bock-to-back on Saturday afternoon.
4. The figures indicate that fewer people watch live TV than before.
5. The company did a survey to find out what customers wanted.
6. Most DVRs have a feature which enables you to skip the commercial breaks.

1. Report the comments and questions. Add an indirect object where necessary and use an appropriate tense for the words you report.

1. ‘I’m from Washington.’
   She said she was from Washington.
2. ‘There are too many commercial breaks on TV.’
   He says that there are too many commercial breaks on TV.
3. ‘I’m going to Moscow next week.’
   Harold told us that he was going to Moscow for the following week.
4. ‘My plane has been delayed.’
   Jasmina says her plane has been delayed.
5. ‘I’ll call you later.’
   Vera says she’ll call me later.
6. ‘I’m going to be late for work tomorrow.’
   Karen said she was going to be late for work the next day.
7. ‘What time does the film start?’
   Charles wants to know what time the film starts.
8. ‘Will you help me later?’
   Milos asked if I would help him later.
9. ‘How long have you worked here?’
   She wanted to know how long I had worked there.
10. ‘What are you going to say to him?’
    Renata is asking what I’m going to say to him.

2. Report these questions and answers from an interview with actor James Jones. Add an inderect object and change the tense of the words you report.

1. Where are you from?
   She asked where I was from.
   I’m originally from Texas.
   He said that he was originally from Texas.
2. Have you always wanted to be an actor?
   She asked me if I had always wanted to be an actor.
   Yes. For as long as I can remember.
   He said yes, as long as he could remember.
3. Is acting your only job?
   She wanted to know if acting was my only job.
   I’ve been a full-time actor for about five years now.
   He told me he had been a full-time actor for about five years then.
4. What kind of roles do you prefer?
   She wondered what kind of roles did I prefer.
   I’m happy to play all different kinds of roles.
   He said he was happy to play all different kinds of roles.
5. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
   She wondered where I saw myself in five years’ time.
   In five years’ time, I’ll be a household name.
   He said that in five years’ time, he’d be a household name.

1. Complete the news extracts using the past tense of the reporting verbs in the box.

1. The prime minister’s advisors suggested holding the elections in May.
2. Gareth’s parents persuaded him to hand himself in to the police.
3. The hospital reassured Miss Williams that she would make a full recovery.
4. The judge reminded the witness that lying in court was an offence.
5. The court was told that Harry Palmer insisted on paying for everything.
6. Susan Evans admitted stealing the coat and was fined $500.
7. Ashley predicted that Potherham United would win 2-0.
8. The minister warned Mr Jones against saying too much.

2. Report the comments, beginning with the words given.

1. ‘Don’t forget to watch the news this evening.’
   She reminded me to watch the news that evening.
2. ‘I’ll pay you back tomorrow. I promise.’
   He promised he would pay me back the next day.
3. ‘I’m really sorry I missed the meeting.’
   Maya apologized that she had missed the meeting.
4. ‘I’m not going to do it!’
   Magda refused to have done it.
5. ‘I can have a look at your computer if you like.’
   Diana has offered me a look at my computer if I liked.
6. ‘Your tickets will arrive in time. Don’t worry.’
   She assured that my tickets would arrive in time.
7. ‘You should do it. You won’t regret it.’
   Dina tried to convince me by saying I should do it and that I wouldn’t regret it.
8. ‘I didn’t tell anyone about it.’
   Yvette completely denies having told anyone about it.

3. Report these famous quotations. Change the tense of the verbs.

1. ‘I never turn on the news over the weekend.’
   Us entertainer Rush Limbaugh claime he never turned on the news over the weekend.
2. ‘There’s no such thing as good news in America.’
   Pop singer Morrissey once suggested that there were no such things as good news in America.
3. ‘I never think about the future.’
   Albert Einstein once admitted that he never thought about the future.

Navigate. Watch the video. Why we see colours, /do the ex-es 1a, 2. 3a / in 3a please prepare a one -minute talk, slide 105
Navigate. Review slide 106, ex-es 2. 3a, 5a

1a. Match sentences 1-3 to photos a-c.

1. In China, red is a very ;ucky colour and symbolizes good fortune and happiness. c
2. Red is considered a spiritual colour in India, signifying purity and commitment. a
3. In the West, red is often used as a warning, to alert people to possible dangers. b

2. Match the interviewer’s questions 1-6 to Beau Lotto’s answers a-f.

1. What first got you interested in colour? — b. Seeing colour is a key function of the brain.
2. How do we see or make sense of what we are seeing? — e. No one really knows exactlyhow the brain helps us to see.
3. What is colour for? — a. Seeing colour helps us to distinguish different surfaces.
4. Is it true that we only see in four colours? — f. We can make lots of subtle distinctions, but everything is basically red, green, blue and yellow.
5. What is your research descovering about our perception of colour? — d. Colour doesn’t really exist outside of our brain.
6. What is a practical outcome of your research? — c. If people realize that we all see colour differently, this could help them see other aspects of life differently, too.

3a. You are going to talk about your favourite colour.

My favourite colour is green. I like seeing it everywhere, because I think it brings balance with other colours. I don’t really like it in clothes, but I like it at homes, when decorating the space. I really like when people decorate with plants. Green reminds me of nature — grass, trees, even some animals.

2. Put the adjectives in brackets in the right order.

1. I bought a rare old silver teapot.
2. He was wearing a red and white woollen scarf.
3. In the window was a large green and red flag.
4. He looked like a handsome young film star.
5. She was beautiful tall and young.
6. A large grey Indian elephant trod on his toe.

3a. Complete the text with conjunctions from the box. Sometimes more than one conjuction is possible.

How shops use your senses to get you to spend more

As soon as you walk into almost any shop you’re immediately overwhelmed with sights, sounds, smells and thinngs to touch.

Supermarkets know what their most popular items are. So they don’t put them at the front of the shop in caseyou just come in and buy a carton of milk. They put them at the back so that you have walk through and see everything else. When you keep your eyes down, you will probably buy things that you hadn’t planned to get. Some shops are even designed so you have to walk around until you have seen everything.

People are more likely to buy something if it’s on the centre shelf. So shops put the most expensive items there.

They also try to stimulate your other senses with the smell of fresh baking, or by getting you to touch things because they know that unless you touch something, you are more likely to buy it.

5a. Choose the correct options to complete the statements.

1. The average American child watches around six hours of TV a day.
2. A newborn baby starts to learn his first language before he is born by hearing his mother’s voice.
3. Research shows that being able to touch an interactive screen while reading makes boys more interested in reading.
4. Babies cannot see faces when they are first born.
5. Listening to Mozart’s music will make a young child more intelligent.
6. Around 45% of US companies look at the social networking profiles of job applicants.