Episode 30: Love Hurts

Annie and Hector are having a romantic meal for two in a restaurant. Annie seems rather stressed. She is still jealous, because she thinks that Hector has another girlfriend. Bridget is suspicious too. She has been promoted and is now an editor at Channel 9. Annie is in the flat cutting up photos of her and Hector as she is convinced that he is having an affair. Nick is practising his new acting technique, ‘Total Being’. Hector wants to talk to him about Annie’s concerns. Hector says he is not having an affair with anyone. At work, Annie gives a parking ticket to a cute guy called Zeus. When she tells Nick, he doesn’t react because he is ‘being’ pain. Hector continues to get calls from someone called Lola. The next day, Zeus has parked in the same place so Annie sees his van again. Annie gives Zeus her phone number. Nick comes in with some new glasses. Bridget surprises him by saying that they suit him. Bridget is unhappy in her new job, but Nick reassures her. Annie is convinced that Hector is going out with Lola, but then she receives a call from Zeus. Annie brings him back to the flat. Bridget is very impressed. Hector comes in saying he must talk to her. He announces that Argentinian television want him to go back to South America and present their top show. So, does he stay – or does he go?

Making the most of extr@ in the classroom

Further ideas for exploiting extr@ to improve speaking and writing skills include:

• Freeze-frame for descriptions and prediction

• True or false

• Who says what? (also without sound)

• What can you see in the kitchen, bedroom, living room?

• Put the people / objects in order of appearance

• What would you do if you won the lottery?

• When you have watched the programme, you could play the video at any point and ask the students what has just happened or predict what is going to happen

• Write the diary of a character in the first person

• Interview one of the characters eg: interview Annie about her relationship with Bridget

• Make a magazine-style star profile

• Act out a scene

• Fill blanks in a part of the script*

• Write a new scene

• Write scripts for adverts or news items; write out and answer the letters, notes, emails and text messages, all of which appear in the series

• Re-arrange a transcript that has been mixed up: students either number the sections in the right order or write out the complete text. This can be done either from memory or as they listen*

• Play a section of the video with the subtitles turned off. Students write down the subtitles (in English) and compare with those provided

• Group discussion: ask your students to imagine what it would be like living in London / with Nick and Hector (for practice of hypothetical conditionals)

• Jigsaw listening skills: students are divided into groups, each set hearing a part of a programme, and must then confer to piece it together. Alternatively, one group watches a programme with the sound turned down, another group hears the soundtrack but doesn’t see the programme; again they confer to reconstruct the complete programme

*(Teachers can edit the Word document version of the script provided on the extr@ English website to create this activity)

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 881