Bridge 5 Student book

2. Reading Link: Ask Aunt Andres “How Desperate R U?”
Dear Aunt Andres,
I’m writing to you because I don’t know who to ask for advice. I read your column every week,
and I think that you give very good advice. It’s obvious that you really understand the problems
that teenagers have.
My problem is quite simple, but it’s running my life. I can’t get along with my parent. They are
driving mw nuts! I have tried to please the, but they never seem satisfied with what I do.
Sometimes it’s get so bad at home that I feel like walking out on them. I’m ding well in school.
So that isn’t the problem.
I really don’t know who is to blame, but I always seem to be arguing with them. I can’t do
anything right. I wish they would leave me alone. Whenever I go out they’re really nosy. They
want to know who I’m going to be with, where I am going, and when I am going to be home. It
isn’t fair! I don’t ask them where they’re going when they go out.
Last night I stormed off because they were interfering in my private life. I’ve been out with my
boyfriend for three months, and everything was fine, apart from my parents, that is!
When we’re on speaking terms, everything is fine, but when we’re argue, they won’t even let
me talk to him on the phone! My boyfriend soon got sick of this, and he drummed me!
Imagine losing your boyfriend because of your parents! I wish I hadn’t told them about him.
Sometimes I wish I was an orphan! I do love my parents, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t know
what I should do to make the situation at home bearable. I can’t go on like this. Please help
me. I don’t what to do!
Sincerely,
Desperate

3. Dear Desperate,
Thank you very much for your letter. I am really sorry to hear that things are bad at home.
However, it you take my advice seriously, the situation will get along better.
Under the circumstances I think we should look at your relationship with your parents. In your
letter you don’t mention whether the problem is mainly with your mom, or your dad, or both.
If you get along better with one parent, try talking to him/her first. You say in your letter that
you can’t please them, but have you asked them what they expect from you?
You must remember that, above all, your parents love you. When they ask you where you’re
going, and who you’re going out with, they are doing this because they care about you. I know
it’s tough; you feel like an adult, but to them you’re still their little girl! So, don’t feel that
they’re not giving your freedom – they’re just showing that they love you!
As for the phone calls, why don’t you try to come to an agreement with your parents? You
could try to explain that it make your life really difficult if you can’t answer the phone, and
perhaps you could agree on a time when you can use the phone. As for your boyfriend, I hate
to say this, but he couldn’t have been very understanding if he stopped seeing you just
because you can’t speak to him on the phone.
To sum up, I think you all agree that things you can’t go on like this. Tyr to talk to your parents
more. If you know what they want, and they know what you want, you should all get along a
lot better.
Best wishes,
Aunt Andres
Reading Link: Ask Aunt Andres “How Desperate R U?”

4. Look at the letter again, and answer the questions.C
1. Why does Desperate want to leave home?
a. She is making her parents mad.
b. She can’t please her parents.
c. She has problems at school.
d. She is running her parents’ lives.
2. When she goes out, her parents don’t ask
a. where she is going.
b. when she will return.
c. who she will be with.
d. what she is going to do.
3. Why this Desperate lose her boyfriend?
a. Her parents never let her use the phone on the weekend.
b. Her parents sometimes stop her from using the phone.
c. Her parents told her that she couldn’t see him anymore.
d. She had been going out with him for three months.

5. 4. Aunt Andrea thinks
a. Desperate’s parents see her as a young girl.
b. Desperate’s parents is an adult with her own mind.
c. Desperate’s parents are interfering.
d. Desperate’s parents don’t love her.
5. What should Desperate do about the phone? She should
a. make her parents let her use it all the time.
b. not use it at all when there is an argument.
c. arrange a time when she can use it.
d. come to an agreement with her boyfriend.
6. What does Aunt Andrea think about Desperate’s boyfriend? She thinks
a. he understand how Desperate feels
b. he can’t speak on the phone.
c. he isn’t caring person.
d. he was right to stop seeing her.
Look at the letter again, and answer the questions.C

6. the words in the box are from the letters. Use them to
complete sentence
D
1. Don’t speak to Sam like that. You know he’ll storm off again.
2. I know it’s tough when you’re the new boy at school. Don’t worry, though;
I’m sure you’ll make lots of new friends soon
3. I never interfere in your business, so leave me alone!
4. Under the circumstances, it’s not surprising that they fell out!
5. It’s almost bearable at home now that my big sister has moved out!
6. I don’t know what you expect the new teacher to be like. I bet she’s a real
dragon!
7. My parents are satisfied with my school work, thank goodness!
8. The situation at home is awful. My mom and dad argue all the time.
Vocabulary Link

7. E Can you match the expressions from the letter with their
meaning ?
1. Drive somebody nuts d. make some body very angry
2. Be on speaking terms c. be talking to somebody
3. Get sick of a. become bored with
4. Dump some body e. stop having a relationship with someone
5. Be nosy b. want to know what others are dong

8. Now match the phrasal verbs with their meanings.F
1. Get along with some body e. make progress
2. Walk out on some body b. leave somebody suddenly
3. Get along d. have a friendly relationship with
4. Fall out with some body c. quarrel or argue
5. Care about somebody/something a. be concerned or worried

9. G Use some of the expressions and phrasal verbs from take E and F
to complete these sentences. Make sure you put them in the
correct from!
1. My neighbors and I are not close friends yet, but we are on speaking time.
2. I asked my mother to stop being nosy. She keeps reading my diary.
3. Most of my friends are getting along well with their parents.
4.Mary is falling out with her best friend in the summer and they haven’t
spoken since.
5.Helen and Tracy are getting along well at school since they got a new teacher.
6.Why care about something what your friends think of you? Their opinion is
important.

10. H Use the verbs in parentheses to complete the following
sentences. Make sure the verb is in the correct form:
affirmative or negative.
1. She wishes she hadn't chosen (choose) the red dress yesterday. Her mother
says it makes her look ridiculous.
2. I wish I thought (think) of that. It’s a great idea to invite brother to stay.
3. I wish you wouldn't drink (drink) your water so noisily. It’s so annoying.
4.I wish I had (have) some money. I would really like to go to college.
5. I wish you would keep (keep) your room clean and tidy. It’s always in a
terrible mess!
6.He whishes he lived (live) so close to a busy street. Visitors always have
trouble finding parking when they go to his house.

11. Grammar Link : Wish
Read this example from Desperate's letter.
sometimes I wish I was an orphan!
Is this a wish about something in the present or the past? This is a wish about
something in the present.
What verb form follows wish? The verb form follow wish is part form
_________________________________________________________________
Now read this sentence.
I wish I hadn't told them about him!
Is this a wish about something in the present or the past? It is a wish about
something in the past.
What verb form follows wish? The verb form follows wish is past perfect form.
Did Desperate tell her parents about her boyfriend? Yes, she did.
_________________________________________________________________
In one part of the letter, Desperate complains. Read this sentence.
I wish they would leave me alone.
What verb form follows wish? The verb form follows wish is would and a base
form of a verb.

12. Grammar Link : Wish
Now complete the rule.
Wish is followed by a Past verb form whem we talk about something in the
past. When we use wish to talk about things we don't like other people doing,
wish is followed by would and the base form of a verb.
Study the Grammar Reference for Unit 14 on page 115 before you do the task.

13. Writing Link
Dear Paula,
I’m writing to apologize (1) for shouting (2) at you last weekend. I’m terrible sorry (3) for
the argument we had, and I have been feeling so awful that I had to write to you.
I know I upset you, but I didn’t meant to. It was stupid of me to get so angry (4)with a
silly shirt. You know that I don’t mind people borrowing my things. Recently though,
when I have lent different things (5) to friends, they have give them (6) back damaged.
Instead (7) of saying anything to them, I got angry with you. I wish I had kept my mouth
shut!
You’re my best friend, and I know it wasn’t your fault at someone (8) in the party spilled
coffee all over the shirt. I don’t know why I allowed myself to get so angry with you. I
want to know that you’re welcome to borrow anything you want, even my leather jacket!
I really am sorry, and I hope you can forgive me. Do you think we could meet the next
time you come (9) back from Seattle?
Love,
Julia
K The last time you saw your friend, who is studying in Seattle,
you had a terrible argument and you want to apologize. You
decide to write your friend a letter to say that you are sorry.
Read the letter and fill the blanks with a preposition.