UNIT 1. WONDERS OF THE BRAIN Grammar focus – Modals: speculation and deduction Theme/Lexical focus – Wonders of the brain/Verbs of thinking Functional focus – Reminding someone to do something Writing task – Write a story about a time when you forgot to do something very important. UNIT 2. MUSIC TO MY EARS Grammar focus Countable and uncountable nouns Articles Theme/Lexical focus – Music/ Types of music Functional focus – Expressing preferences Writing task Write a review of either a concert that you have been to recently or a CD that you have bought recently. UNIT 3. NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS Grammar focus Reported speech Linking words Theme/Lexical focus – The news/The media Functional focus – Interviews Writing task – ‘Over fifty percent of what is in the news is unimportant.’ Do you agree? UNIT 4. CRACKING THE CODE Grammar focus – Relative pronouns & clauses Theme/Lexical focus – Codes & Puzzles/Games Functional focus – Expressing agreement and disagreement Writing task – What are the pros & cons of playing computer games? UNIT 5. RIGHT AS RAIN Grammar focus – Modals: advice and suggestions Theme/Lexical focus – Healthy living/Being healthy Functional focus – Giving and responding to advice Writing task – Describe the pros and cons of being a vegetarian. UNIT 6. PARTY ON! Grammar focus – Gerunds & infinitives Theme/Lexical focus – Celebrations & festival/verbs Functional focus – Making & responding to invitations and arrangements Writing task Write an email to a penfriend in another country describing a local festival where you live. UNIT 7. HOBBIES OR PASTIMES? Grammar focus Mixed conditionals Third conditional Theme/Lexical focus – Hobbies Functional focus – Showing interest Writing task – Write a letter to a friend persuading them to come on an activity weekend with you. UNIT 8. THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM Grammar focus – Concessive clauses and complex sentences Theme/Lexical focus – Wild weather/ Natural disasters Functional focus – Asking for clarification Writing task – Write a covering letter for a NGO UNIT 9. ON THE RUN Grammar focus Quantifiers as determiners Causative structures Linkers Theme/Lexical focus – Crime/Crimes (nouns & verbs) Functional focus – Expressing regrets Writing task – Write a report suggesting ways of reducing levels of crime in your town. UNIT 10. KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Grammar focus – Phrasal verb focus Theme/Lexical focus – Family and history/Family phrasal verbs Functional focus – Expressing congratulations Writing task – Write an article describing the person who has most affected your life.