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INTERMEDIATE UNIT 8
1 OVERVIEW: Watch the video. Which opinions do you most agree with?
2 Read and complete Val’s introduction with the words from the box.
Then watch the video from 0:10–0:26 and check your answers. Val

block well neighbors quite a few similar

Hi. I live in a 1block of flats, and I know 2_____________ of my

neighbors really 3_____________ . We like 4_____________ things,
so we socialize 5_____________ a lot. Today, I’m going to ask people
about their 6_____________ . How well do you know your neighbors?

Glossary: socialize = spend free time with

3 How well do you know your neighbors? Look at the people below and read the questions. Then watch the video from
0:26–1:22 and match the people to the questions. There are TWO questions for two of the people.

A B C D E

Jane James Rosie Eddie Dawn

Who …

1 knows one or two of his neighbors really quite well? B

2 doesn’t get on with all of his neighbors?
3 shares a garden with the neighbors who live in the flats above and below?
4 doesn’t even know what some of his neighbors look like?
5 has never even seen her neighbors?
6 moved in to a flat about six months ago, but hardly knows her neighbors at all?
7 lives in a house that has been divided into three flats?

4 What makes a good neighbor? Look at the people in Exercise 3 again and read the list of their responses in the
table. Then watch the video from 1:22–2:05 and check (✓) the responses given by each person. Some speakers have
more than one response.

Jane James Rosie Eddie Dawn

1 feeds your cat
2 is considerate
3 isn’t noisy
4 doesn’t cause you grief
5 looks out for you ✓
6 keeps up their property
7 you can leave your key with them
8 isn’t intrusive
9 you can trust them
10 doesn’t leave trash around

Glossary: considerate = always thinking of what other people need or want

look out for someone = make sure someone is safe/treated well
keep up (your) property = keep (your) house/home clean inside and out
trash = garbage
cause (you) grief = cause problems for (you)

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5 What makes a bad neighbor? Look at the people and read their answers. Then watch the video from 2:05–2:41 and
underline the words you hear.

A bad neighbor is someone that 1forgot/forgets that you exist 2also/as well and has
loud music until 3six a.m./six o’clock.

Rosie

Not respecting privacy, 4intruding/interfering. Not understanding what your neighbor

wants and not 5just/only in that sense, but in the sense of not 6caring/participating,
not doing things when a neighbor needs help.

James

Someone who is not considerate, who, whether it’s a lot of 7noise/noisy or a lot of trash,
doesn’t 8upkeep/keep up their property, who’s not really 9a friend/friendly.

Dawn

6 Who’s the best or worst neighbor you’ve ever had? Look at the people and read the statements about Dawn's, Jane's
and James’ neighbors. Then watch the video from 2:41–3:36 and check (✓) the correct option, a, b or c.

A A A

Dawn Jane James

1 Dawn’s neighbor … 3 The worst neighbor Jane ever 5 One night, James …
had …
a) lived downstairs a) heard a noise outside.
b) wasn’t very nice. a) was a woman. b) opened the door.
c) was very quiet. ✓ b) was very noisy. c) saw a policeman outside.
c) lived in the last house in
2 The neighbor … 6 The policeman wanted James to …
the street.
a) often went to see if Dawn a) shoot three people.
was OK. 4 Jane … b) stay in the garden.
b) didn’t chat much. a) was scared of her neighbor. c) crouch down.
c) was very pretty. b) argued with her neighbor.
7 The man next door was …
c) could hear her neighbor all
a) the number 1 in a criminal gang.
the time.
b) arrested and taken away.
c) shot by a policeman.

Glossary: oftentimes = often

chat = have a light conversation
crouch down = bend your knees and almost sit on the ground
to shoot/shot = shoot a gun/to have shot a gun

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7 THE WAY WE SPEAK: The people below tell us how well they know their neighbors. Read what they say and try
to complete their responses with the phrases from the box. Then watch the video from 0:26–1:22 and check
your answers.

quite well even seen not look like very typical varies at all really quite

I know my neighbors 1quite well.

Rosie

It 2_____________ enormously. One or two 3_____________ well; some very close,

I don’t even know what they 4_____________. And that is very typical of this area.
I live just round the corner from here, 5_____________ of inner city, urban London.

James

_____________at all. I’ve never 7_____________ them. No, I don’t know them
6

_____________, quite honestly.

8

Dawn

Glossary: vary = to change

enormously = a great deal
inner city = the middle of the city

9 PERSONALIZATION: Write your answers to the questions.

1 How well do you know your neighbors?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2 What makes a good/bad neighbor?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3 Who’s the best or worst neighbor you’ve ever had?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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