The document discusses the British sitcom Fawlty Towers. It provides context that the show is set in a hotel by the English seaside and run by the tense, rude, and stressed owner Basil Fawlty, his bossy wife Sybil, a normal chambermaid Polly, and a disorganized Spanish waiter Manuel. Various demanding guests create improbable circumstances that lead to humorous situations as the characters try to run the hotel.

1. Unit 4 (1) - stories

2. a favourite scene
 What kinds of TV shows did you use to like when you
were younger?
 What about now?
 Do you enjoy watching comedies? Why/why not?
 Have you ever watched any British or American
sitcoms? [A sitcom is a light and amusing television series about a set of
characters.]
 If so, which one(s)?
 What’s it about?
 Have you heard of the British comedy series,
Fawlty Towers, starring John Cleese?
 If so, what do you know about it?

3. Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a series set in a hotel by the English
seaside. The plot is set around a tense, rude and stressed
hotel owner (Basil Fawlty), his bossy wife (Sybil), a
relatively normal chambermaid (Polly) and a disorganized
Spanish waiter (Manuel), who are attempting to run the
hotel in improbable circumstances with a variety of
demanding and eccentric guests.
 What kinds of humorous situations
do you think could occur?

4. Vocabulary:
a hearing aid – an electronic device worn by hearing-impaired people to amplify
sound
grumpy – bad-tempered and easily annoyed
to mime – to act using gestures but no speaking
to get your own back (on s.o.) – to do something unpleasant to someone because
they have done something unpleasant to you
 p. 53, #3A – Listen and answer the questions
 #3B – check the phrases you hear
 Try to summarize the funny scene
described by the woman.
 Watch the scene that the woman described. Is it as you
imagined?
 #3C & D – think of one of your favourite
scenes from a TV show or movie.
 Tell your partner about it, using the phrases
from 3B.