1. Cut out some pictures of people of different height and appearance. Number the pictures or give familiar names to each person in the pictures (Mary, Tom, Peter, ect.). Stick the pictures on the board. Describe one of the people without pointing or even liking at his/her photo. Invite students to guess the person you have described. (That’s picture number five./ That’s Mary.) Then ask individual students to do the same while the rest of the class guess the person.

3. Explain the context of Part B2 and ask students to find each description in the corresponding letter. Point to the photos in Part B2 and ask more able students to briefly describe each person. For weaker classes, read the sentences to the students and ask them to match them with the correct photos. Students could work individually or in pairs.

Game

2. Ask students to do Part B1 on their own. Tell them that they need to look for specific details, which fit each of the persons described in the articles. Encourage students to check their answers with a partner. Then ask students to read out the completed captions one at a time.

1. Explain the context and check that students understand what an editor of magazine or newspaper does. Then review the adjectives and nouns in the box in Part B1. Ask students to find the words in the articles on page4.

4. Write the following questions on the board for students to copy in their books.

　 What does he/she look like? (For appearance)

　 What kind of person is he/she? (For personality)

　 What does he/she do or want to do in the future? (For future plan)

　Invite students from each group to ask and answer these questions and describe the teenager in each article.

Part B

Teaching procedure

3. On the board, write the headings ‘Appearance’ and ‘Personality’. Ask each group to go through their letter again and find words or expressions to match each heading. Invite students from each group to come forward and write their words and expressions under the correct heading.

2. Divide the class into three groups and allocate one article to each group. While students skim the text on their own, ask them to underline the words they do not know. Then go through the words students have underlined.

1. Review key vocabulary according to the general ability of the class. Tell the class about a friend or relative. If possible, show his/her photo. Say,

　 e.g.: My best friend is small and thin with long hair. She is very smart and helpful.

　Then ask questions to check understanding. (Is my friend tall? Is her hair short or long? Is she willing to help?)

5. To recognize the use of comparatives and superlatives

Part A

Background information

This section presents three letters about ‘best friends’ for a writing competition held by ‘Teenagers’ magazine. The context invites students to think about qualities in their friends.

Teaching procedures

4. To use adjectives to describe people’s appearance and characteristics