SHAPE YOUR CLASSROOM. SHAPE THEIR FUTURE.
Elements is a dynamic, seven-level American English course designed for university students and teachers. Its unique shape system gives educators the flexibility to customise lessons and materials to suit the needs of their students , while also giving them an adaptable framework that makes lesson planning and classroom delivery more effective. At the same time, Elements uses insights from Harvard Business Review to help students develop the workplace skills and professional competences needed to succeed globally . Through real-world content and strategies from leading thinkers, the course prepares learners to think critically, collaborate effectively, and adapt to modern careers. Inspired by Kandinsky’s colour theory and Bauhaus design principles, Elements employs a unique visual system of shapes and colours to make learning English more intuitive, memorable, and enjoyable.
STUDENT’S BOOK WITH DIGITAL PACK
STUDENT’S BOOK WITH DIGITAL PACK
STUDENT’S BOOK WITH DIGITAL PACK
STUDENT’S BOOK WITH DIGITAL PACK
STARTER
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Featuring content from
Featuring content from
Featuring content from
DAVID BOHLKE
LINDSAY CLANDFIELD
DAVID BOHLKE
JENNI SANTAMARIA
STUDENT’S BOOK WITH DIGITAL PACK
STUDENT’S BOOK WITH DIGITAL PACK
STUDENT’S BOOK WITH DIGITAL PACK
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 5
LEVEL 6
Featuring content from
Featuring content from
Featuring content from
ETHAN MANSUR
DOROTHY ZEMACH
TANIA PATTISON
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1. S HAPE SYSTEM FOR FLEXIBILITY
Elements features a unique modular system that gives teachers the flexibility to tailor each lesson to meet the diverse needs of their students. Every activity in both the Student’s Book and Workbook is marked with one of the three shape icons, making it easy for teachers to see the focus of each activity at a glance and plan, adapt, and balance lessons according to their students’ needs.
Themes, Skills, and Content: The Elements System
The yellow triangle represents contextualised themes and real-world interaction . It highlights opportunities for discussion, projects, and communication that connect the course to authentic contexts.
The blue circle symbolises deep understanding of English, marking the development of skills such as Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing . Blue circles highlight instructional content and activities focused on these skills.
The red square marks the core content of the course, such as grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation .
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3
2. S TRONG VOCATIONAL FOCUS
Vocational Skills
Every unit includes a vocational skills lesson * , which features authentic material from Harvard Business Review , bridging the gap between academic English and the skills students need for the global workforce.
A Work in pairs. Discuss the questions. • What is small talk?
• How often do you make small talk?
• What can be difficult about small talk?
HOW TO MAKE SMALL TALK WITH ANYONE FROM ANYWHERE by Melissa Hahn and Andy Molinsky © 2024 Harvard Business Review Imagine that you’re attending your first international conference. You are all set to meet new global colleagues in your industry, but you realize that there’s just one problem: You aren’t sure how to strike up a conversation with a stranger from a different culture. In this article, we’ll present a mindset for how to think about small talk and a series of behaviors for how to do small talk. Mindset: How to think about small talk 1. Your country’s norms aren’t universal—but neither are anyone else’s. Our interviews revealed a broad spectrum of norms around who could make small talk with whom, which topics are considered appropriate to discuss, and how long a conversation should last. 2. Aim for a human connection. Remember that you aren’t networking with countries, you’re networking with people. As a result, the person you’re interacting with may turn out to be exactly what you expected, or the complete opposite. Behaviors: How to Do Small Talk 1. Commonalities are like the bricks that build a bridge toward another person. For example, in our opening story, you have something very specific in common with everyone else: You are all at the conference. Given this basic commonality, you might break the ice with a stranger by asking them questions
about the conference: What brought them to the event, what sessions they are interested in attending, do they plan to listen to the keynote later? 2. A closed-ended question would be: “Do you like the conference?” The person could elaborate, but they could also simply say yes or no, and while that’s not terrible, you haven’t made progress. In contrast, imagine asking them: “What do you think of the conference so far?” This change in phrasing opens up a wide range of potential answers. 3. When you share semi-personal information, you allow them to feel like they’re getting to know you. (Remember, they’re trying to figure out how to talk to you, too.) Reveal some “likes” or “dislikes,” or sprinkle in biographical details (like that you’re originally from Jamaica)—this can bring the conversation to life and encourage reciprocation, where the other person can feel comfortable sharing something as well. 4. While the above approaches suggest ways to initiate a conversation, a final tool is to simply say hello, especially if you find small talk hard to navigate. LOST FOR WORDS? break the ice (phr) make people who have not met before feel relaxed commonalities (n) things you have in common elaborate (v) to add extra information mindset (n) the way someone thinks network (v) to meet people, especially professional contacts reciprocation (n) giving somebody something because they gave you something
The original article by Harvard Business Review excerpted by Macmillan Education under license. All rights reserved.
12 UNIT 1
* Not included in Starter level.
3. G RAMMAR VIDEOS FOR INTERACTIVE LEARNING
Each unit contains motion graphic grammar videos that help students understand grammar in context and encourage active participation. These videos also allow teachers to flip instruction, freeing up class time to focus on speaking activities.
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4. A UTHENTIC COMMUNICATION FOR GLOBAL TEAMWORK
Situational videos and scaffolded speaking activities bring language to life, helping students build practical communication skills. The Global Schools initiative connects classes with partner schools abroad, promoting real-world collaboration and cultural exchange.
5. T OOLS FOR PROGRESS, AUTONOMY, AND EXAM READINESS
Elements encourages students to take an active role in their own learning. A comprehensive range of support materials helps learners track progress, build independence, and prepare confidently for exams and future academic challenges. These include:
• Communicative activities • Self-reflection statements • Speaking cards
• Test Yourself! pages • Exam taster pages • Wordlists • Two practice tests • Audio scripts
Together, these resources strengthen students’ sense of ownership and progress — turning every lesson into a step towards greater confidence and real-world readiness.
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FOR TEACHERS
And while students develop autonomy and motivation, teachers benefit from a system designed to make their work more flexible, effective, and rewarding . Elements adapts to different teaching contexts and student needs. It helps university teachers equip their students not only with English language proficiency but also with the academic and professional competencies required for success in the global workplace. Key Focus Areas for Teachers
• Finding and selecting suitable materials for university-level students
• Encouraging and boosting student participation and engagement
• Managing large class sizes and optimising limited IT resources
• Preparing students effectively for Cambridge certification and exams
• Supporting all students to learn in every lesson and progress confidently
6
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
Culture 1
Look at the photo. Discuss the questions. · What can you see in the photo? · Where was the photo taken? · What is the celebration? Work with a partner. Discuss the questions. · What is the next holiday in your country? · When is it? · How are you going to celebrate?
Opening questions linked to the main photo and unit topic.
In this Unit
SKILLS skimming and scanning identifying a speaker’s opinion linking sentences talking about similarities and differences
THEMES a movie review a trip to San Antonio customs around the world small talk
SYSTEMS adjectives for expressing opinions comparatives with ( not ) as ... as cultural activities adjective stress superlatives
1
Clear learning objectives defined using the shape system.
7
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
Focus on Reading, Listening, or Vocabulary; with specific skill boxes.
A movie REVIEW
READING
A Skim the movie review. Would you like to watch this movie? SKIMMING AND SCANNING When you skim a text, you read it very quickly to get a general idea of what it’s about. When you scan a text, you look for specific information. This means moving your eyes quickly over the text to find only the information you need. You don’t read every word when you skim and scan. Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom by Gabriela López
The movie Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is from Bhutan, a country north of India in the Himalayan Mountains. It tells the story of a young teacher named Ugyen. He goes to teach in a mountain village called Lunana. It’s his first teaching job. It takes eight days to get to Lunana. It’s a very pretty place, but has no electricity. There isn’t even a blackboard at his school, so he writes on the walls. The people there are very friendly and welcome Ugyen. He finds everything strange at first and wants to leave, but he slowly starts to feel at home in Lunana. I think this movie is fantastic. It has an interesting story that I feel
is never boring. Ugyen learns new things and makes lots of friends, even with a yak in his classroom! The children love Ugyen as their teacher and ask him to stay, but he goes back home in the end. The movie’s message is that we sometimes find great things in unexpected places. I like this movie because it says that anyone can experience culture shock, even in your own country. This is true for Ugyen. In my opinion, the best thing about the movie is the acting. The man who plays Ugyen isn’t an actor, but he’s as good as any professional actor. I hope everyone can watch and enjoy this movie.
RATING
B Skim the review again. What does Gabriela think of the movie? a She loves it. b She likes most things, but doesn’t like some things. c She doesn’t like it. C Scan the review. Choose the correct option to complete the sentences. 1 The review is about a movie from India / Bhutan . 2 It takes Ugyen less / more than a week to reach Lunana. 3 When Ugyen arrives in Lunana, he wants to go home / buys a yak . 4 The author thinks Ugyen experiences / doesn’t experience culture shock. 5 The man who plays Ugyen is / isn’t a professional actor. D How can you make someone feel welcome in a new community?
LOST FOR WORDS? culture shock (n) the feeling of confusion someone has when they go to a new place message (n) the most important idea in a book, movie, or play yak (n) a type of cattle with long hair and long horns
2 UNIT 1
Lost for Words glossary feature to support text comprehension.
8
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
Adjectives for expressing OPINIONS
VOCABULARY
A Choose the correct word to complete the definitions. 1 A story that’s boring is surprising / not interesting . 2 A delicious meal is one you want / don’t want to eat. 3 A fantastic movie is long / excellent . 4 People who are friendly are horrible / kind to you. 5 Someone who’s funny makes you laugh / cry . 6 Another word for very pretty is high / beautiful . 7 Something that is strange is normal / unusual . 8 If something is terrible , it’s very good / bad . B Complete the chart with the words in bold from Exercise A. POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Vocabulary games such as Play with Words to reinforce learning.
C Complete the sentences with the words in bold from Exercise A. 1 A: This book is . The story is really
PLAY WITH W ORDS Which of the adjectives are similar in your language? Which of the adjectives are different? Complete the sentences: is boring. is delicious. is funny.
. Nothing happens!
B: Well, do you want to watch a movie instead? 2 A: This fish looks good, but it tastes a little
. Is it OK?
B: Yum! It’s
! I think it’s just something new to you.
3 A: This painting is really
. The mountains have such nice colors.
B: I agree. I know the painter. I like her a lot—she’s really
.
4 A: I think Dr. Field’s lecture was
in every way. I loved it!
B: Me, too, but I didn’t know he was so
. I laughed and
laughed. D Which movies, TV shows, songs, and singers do you like? Write an answer for each. Then join a group and ask for their opinions. MOVIE TV SHOW SONG SINGER
is strange. is terrible.
QR code links for personalised practice on MEE Air.
Game
Adaptive Practice
What do you think of the movie …?
I think it’s …
I really like listening to … What do you think of …?
Culture 3
9
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
Grammar is always presented across a double-page spread and introduced in context, often as part of a conversation, helping teachers show students how grammar works naturally in real communication.
Comparatives with ( NOT ) AS … AS
GRAMMAR 1
A
1.1 Listen to a conversation between two friends. Then answer the questions. 1 Which carnival would you prefer to visit—Venice or Rio? Why? 2 What’s special about Venice’s carnival? 3 Is Venice’s carnival bigger than Rio de Janeiro’s carnival?
Celia: What are you watching? Ana: Oh, it’s a documentary film on the carnival in Venice, Italy. Celia: There’s a carnival in Venice? Ana: Yeah, it’s huge, but it’s not as big as the carnival in Rio de Janeiro. I think it’s probably just as interesting
as the one in Rio. Celia: Why’s that?
Ana: They have a lot of the same things—colorful costumes, street performances, and contests. But what makes the carnival in Venice really special is its masks. Most people wear them. Here, let me show you some. Celia: Wow! There are so many different kinds! Ana: The most popular ones are these—the simple white ones. Celia: Those are nice, but not as nice as the more colorful ones. You know, I’d love to see Venice someday, but it looks really busy during the carnival. Ana: I know. It isn’t as crowded as the carnival in Rio, but it still attracts about three million people.
B Watch the grammar video and read the explanation. What type of word do we use with ( not ) as ... as — a noun, verb, or adjective? COMPARATIVES WITH ( NOT ) AS … AS We use as ... as to say that two things are equal in some way. We use not as ... as to say that one thing is more or less than the other thing. Affirmative The carnival in Venice is as interesting as the carnival in Rio. The carnival in Venice is just as fun as the carnival in Rio. The people of Venice are just as friendly as the people of Rio. Negative The carnival in Venice is not as big as the carnival in Rio. The carnival in Venice is nʼt as crowded as the carnival in Rio. The white masks are nʼt as nice as the more colorful masks.
Motion graphic grammar videos to visually support learning.
4 UNIT 1
10
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
GRAMMAR 1
C Choose the correct option to complete the sentences. 1 The morning radio show is just as popular as / as popular like the afternoon show. They have the same number of listeners. 2 The craft market isn’t as interesting than / as interesting as usual today. There aren’t many stalls. 3 This movie is no as funny as / isn’t as funny as the original. The original is absolutely hilarious. 4 I don’t think the new exhibit at the art museum is as stranger / strange as the critics say. 5 The desserts are as pretty / prettier as paintings. D Complete the sentences with as ... as or not as ... as and the adjectives in parentheses. 1 Her acting in comedies is ( good ) her acting in dramas. She can do both equally well. 2 The food at street fairs is ( expensive ) the food in nice restaurants. It’s cheaper. 3 I think Mexico’s Day of the Dead costumes are just ( interesting ) Rio’s Carnival costumes. 4 New Year’s Day is ( fun ) New Year’s Eve. In fact, New Year’s Day is quite boring. 5 Do you think that Spanish food is ( delicious ) Mexican food? I’m not sure. 6 The author’s second book was just ( strange ) her first one. I didn’t really enjoy it. E Correct the four errors with ( not ) as ... as in the text. I love art. My favorite painting is The Night Café by Vincent van Gogh. It isn’t as more famous as some of his other paintings, but I love it. I think it’s just as beautiful than The Starry Night . I like Paul Gauguin as well. They have very different styles, but I think Gauguin is as just talented as van Gogh. Another artist I like is Frida Kahlo. Her paintings are as old as van Gogh’s and Gauguin’s. They are newer and more modern.
F Write sentences comparing these things with as … as or not as … as and the adjectives in parentheses. Then compare sentences in a group. Who has the same opinions? 1 action movies / animated movies ( interesting )
2 hip-hop music / rock music ( popular )
3 modern dance / ballet ( difficult )
Adaptive Practice
4 the guitar / the piano ( easy to play )
Culture 5
The QR codes link to adaptive exercises
tailored to each grammar point.
11
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
VOCABULARY
Cultural ACTIVITIES
A Look at these cultural activities. Choose the word or phrase that doesn’t belong. 1 go to a sports event / a painting / a local festival 2 take a cooking class / a dance performance / a boat ride 3 see a comedy show / live theater / an amusement park 4 visit a concert / an art museum / an outdoor market 5 learn to make pottery / jewelry / another language B Work with a partner. Write activities from Exercise A under the pictures.
PLAY WITH W ORDS Think of one more example for each of the verbs. Cover the words. Test your partner.
Game
2
3
1
4
5
6
C Work with a partner. Imagine you’re free this weekend. Which activities in Exercise A would you like to do? Which wouldn’t you like to do? Give reasons.
Adaptive Practice
I’d like to learn to make jewelry because I can give it to my friends as gifts.
Not me. I’d like to visit an art museum because I want to learn about modern art.
PRONUNCIATION
Adjective STRESS A
1.2 Listen to four people give their opinions about modern art. Notice that the stress is on the adjective, not on as ... as. B Choose four adjectives from the box and write sentences with (not) as ... as . Compare your ideas in a group.
Pronunciation appears in a dedicated section.
dangerous
delicious
expensive
famous healthy
fun
funny
good
6 UNIT 1
12
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
All four skills are featured in every unit.
LISTENING
A trip to SAN ANTONIO A 1.3 Listen to Marcus and Sarah discussing a trip. Put the things Marcus did in order (1–5). One activity is extra.
LOST FOR WORDS? guide (n) a person who shows a place, thing, or route to other people influence (n) the power to have an effect on people or things
Words that helped you understand his opinion
Activity
Enjoyed?
Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No
went to a local festival visited an art museum took a cooking class
Audio scripts are available at the back of the Student’s Book.
rich (adj) having a lot of something, e.g., money
went to an outdoor market ate at a Mexican restaurant learned to make jewelry
B Listen again and complete the chart in Exercise A. Did Marcus enjoy each activity? Use the audio script at the back of the book. IDENTIFYING A SPEAKER’S OPINION To understand a speaker’s opinion or attitude, listen for positive and negative adjectives, such as fantastic or terrible . Also, listen for verbs such as like and don’t like . Sometimes a speaker’s tone (excited, bored, upset, etc.) can help you know what their opinion is. A friendly EMAIL LINKING SENTENCES: BECAUSE AND SO We use the words because and so to link ideas. We use because to give a reason, and so to give a result. Nice to hear from you. You asked me about interesting things to see and do in my city. Here are some ideas. I suggest you go to a soccer match 1 I know you love sports. Buy tickets online before you arrive 2 they aren’t as expensive as on the day of the match. Also, try to visit the National Museum 3 you can learn about our history. And, finally, take a boat ride on the river. Go in the evening 4 you can enjoy the city lights. It’s a fantastic way to end the day. Those are just three ideas. I have more if you want them. Chen B List some interesting things to see or do in your town or city. Write why you recommend them. C Write your own email to Louisa. Give your ideas. Link the ideas with because or so . • I liked it because it was real Mexican food. • The dresses were pretty, so I took photos. A Complete the email with because or so . Hi Louisa,
Listening and Writing lessons include separate skills boxes for clarity.
WRITING
Culture 7
13
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
SUPERLATIVES A Read the article. Which changes faster, Big C or Little C culture? Big C and Little C Culture When we talk about culture, we can talk about "Big C" culture and "Little C" culture. Big C culture is the culture that we can see. It’s what we learn in school. What’s the most popular book of all time? Who’s the greatest singer of all time? It includes art, food, clothes, holidays, music, dance, books, movies, and TV. These are things that large groups of people share. Big C culture changes slowly over time. Little C culture is the culture that we can’t see easily. It focuses on smaller groups within a larger group, such as youth culture, ethnic communities, or online groups. Little C culture includes things like language, beliefs, humor, work ethic, and behavior. What’s the most common way to greet people? How do young people act around their parents? This type of culture can change quickly. It can be useful to think of culture like an iceberg, with Big C culture above the surface for all to see, and Little C culture under the surface. When you understand both, you can understand how different groups of people live. In short, you can appreciate cultural differences. B Which is more important to you, Big C or Little C culture? C Watch the grammar video and read the explanation. Do we use superlatives to compare two things or more than two things? SUPERLATIVES We use superlatives to compare three or more things. Notice the different ways to form the superlative.
GRAMMAR 2
food
clothes
holidays
art
beliefs
language
behavior
humor
work ethic
Who’s the greatest singer of all time? What’s the biggest festival in the world? Which is the happiest age group? What’s the most common way to greet people? What’s the most popular book of all time? What are the best shows on TV right now? What’s the worst type of music?
8 UNIT 1
The second grammar spread in each unit reinforces the same concept as the first spread. Following the same format, students watch the animated grammar video before reviewing the explanation box.
14
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
GRAMMAR 2
D What do you know about cultural landmarks? Match the sentence parts. Then compare with a partner. 1 One World Trade Center
2 The Eiffel Tower 3 The Great Wall
4 I think Sydney’s opera house 5 In my opinion, Machu Picchu 6 Stonehenge a … is the most romantic place in Paris.
b … is the most fascinating place to visit in China. c … is the most interesting building in Australia. d … is one of the oldest monuments in Britain. e … is the tallest building in New York City. f … is the most mysterious place in the Andes Mountains. E Write the superlative form of the adjectives in the correct column of the chart. bad / worst friendliest good / best
highest prettiest thinnest
most beautiful
most boring most comfortable
saddest
smallest
sunniest
add -est
double final letter, add -est
c hange the y to i , add -est
add most after the
irregular adjective
F Complete each sentence with the superlative form of the adjective in parentheses. 1 Who is the ( funny ) person in the class? 2 My grandmother makes the ( interesting ) gifts for her family. 3 The ( bad ) thing you can do is come to class when you are sick. 4 My brother has the ( strong ) work ethic in our family. 5 Is the fist bump the ( common ) way that young adults greet each other? 6 I think the ( good ) thing to take to someone’s house is a box of chocolates. 7 What is the ( big ) compliment you can give someone? 8 I think turkey is the ( delicious ) part of the American Thanksgiving Day meal. G Work in a group. Discuss the questions in the grammar box in Exercise C. Do you agree on any of the answers? Who’s the greatest singer of all time?
Adaptive Practice
That’s a difficult question. I’d say it’s ...
Do you think so? I would say it’s ...
Culture 9
This grammar spread usually ends with a collaborative task for the group or class.
Adaptive Practice focuses on grammar and vocabulary. Skills practice is included in the Workbook.
15
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
The two-page Speaking spread always appears in the same place in each unit.
SPEAKING
Talking about CULTURE A Complete the mini-quiz about culture where you live.
A situational video in every unit showcases the target language in action.
1 Do people greet each other with a hug?
2 Do grand- parents live
3 Do people
4 Is it ever OK
have dinner late?
to arrive late?
with the family?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
B
Watch and listen. Why does Becky need advice? Becky: So my boyfriend’s parents fly in from the UK tonight. Sandra: That’s great. I bet you’re so excited. Becky: Yes, except … I’m so nervous. What if they don’t hug and kiss like we do here? Sandra: Yeah, true, sometimes the customs there are different from here. Lots of British people shake hands or just wave when they greet you. Becky: And what about dinner? We eat quite early here. Sandra: Oh, don’t worry. That’s the same as here. They won’t want to eat really late. Becky: Do they know we tip in restaurants—we tip everywhere! Sandra: That’s just like in the UK. You’ll be fine. Becky: I hope so. I really want them to have a nice time here. C Watch and listen again. Which things are the same and which are different?
LOST FOR WORDS? custom (n) a way of behaving nervous (adj) feeling worried or anxious tip (v) to give a small sum of money for good service
2 meal times a same b different
3 tipping a same b different
1 greeting someone a same b different
D Work with a partner. Complete the culture quiz on page 11. E Work in groups. Talk about what you learned in the quiz and say what’s the same or different in your country. Use these phrases. DISCUSSING SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
like … just like … similar to … the same as … not the same as … different from …
Thatʼs …
10 UNIT 1
Reminder of the Global Schools initiative – encouraging class connections with partner schools abroad.
16
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
The second page usually features a final output task—such as a quiz or role play—to practise the language from the lesson.
SPEAKING
What a wonderful world!
1 In which country is it impolite to arrive at someone’s home an hour late?
b Brazi l
a Switzerland
c Greece
2 When you have dinner in Argentina, when is the best time to talk about business?
a soon after you sit down
c after some polite conversation
b after the meal
3 A family in Egypt invites you to their home for dinner. You eat and get full, but the host offers you more food. Do you accept?
b Yes, but you only eat a little.
c Yes, and you eat everything on the plate.
a No.
4 At a business meeting in South Korea, you give your host a small gift to say thank you, but he refuses it. What do you do?
b You insist he take the gift.
a You say you are sorry.
c You keep the gift.
5 In India a friend invites you to have a curry at her home. What’s the best way to eat it?
a with your right hand
b with your left hand
c with both hands
6 In which country do students sometimes knock on their desks to show that they enjoyed a lecture?
a Vietnam
b Germany
c South Africa
7 What do people throw during Thailand’s New Year Songkran festival?
a flowers
b money
c water
8 In Bulgaria, what does it mean when someone nods their head?
a yes
b no
c I love you.
9 In China, what’s the most polite way to point?
a with a closed fist
b with an open hand
c with a thumb
Culture 11
17
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
All levels include material from Harvard Business Review, except for Starter. This content appears within a double-page Vocational Skills lesson, giving students meaningful real-world context.
Vocational Skills
A Work in pairs. Discuss the questions. • What is small talk?
• How often do you make small talk?
• What can be difficult about small talk?
HOW TO MAKE SMALL TALK WITH ANYONE FROM ANYWHERE by Melissa Hahn and Andy Molinsky © 2024 Harvard Business Review Imagine that you’re attending your first international conference. You are all set to meet new global colleagues in your industry, but you realize that there’s just one problem: You aren’t sure how to strike up a conversation with a stranger from a different culture. In this article, we’ll present a mindset for how to think about small talk and a series of behaviors for how to do small talk. Mindset: How to think about small talk 1. Your country’s norms aren’t universal—but neither are anyone else’s. Our interviews revealed a broad spectrum of norms around who could make small talk with whom, which topics are considered appropriate to discuss, and how long a conversation should last. 2. Aim for a human connection. Remember that you aren’t networking with countries, you’re networking with people. As a result, the person you’re interacting with may turn out to be exactly what you expected, or the complete opposite. Behaviors: How to Do Small Talk 1. Commonalities are like the bricks that build a bridge toward another person. For example, in our opening story, you have something very specific in common with everyone else: You are all at the conference. Given this basic commonality, you might break the ice with a stranger by asking them questions
about the conference: What brought them to the event, what sessions they are interested in attending, do they plan to listen to the keynote later? 2. A closed-ended question would be: “Do you like the conference?” The person could elaborate, but they could also simply say yes or no, and while that’s not terrible, you haven’t made progress. In contrast, imagine asking them: “What do you think of the conference so far?” This change in phrasing opens up a wide range of potential answers. 3. When you share semi-personal information, you allow them to feel like they’re getting to know you. (Remember, they’re trying to figure out how to talk to you, too.) Reveal some “likes” or “dislikes,” or sprinkle in biographical details (like that you’re originally from Jamaica)—this can bring the conversation to life and encourage reciprocation, where the other person can feel comfortable sharing something as well. 4. While the above approaches suggest ways to initiate a conversation, a final tool is to simply say hello, especially if you find small talk hard to navigate. LOST FOR WORDS? break the ice (phr) make people who have not met before feel relaxed commonalities (n) things you have in common elaborate (v) to add extra information mindset (n) the way someone thinks network (v) to meet people, especially professional contacts reciprocation (n) giving somebody something because they gave you something
Speaking activities designed to build student confidence.
Communication
B Read the article Match the headings below to paragraphs 1–4 in the text. a Just say “hello.” b Use commonalities and your environment. c Ask open-ended questions. d Share something about yourself.
C Read the article again. Choose Do or Don’t for the advice. 1 Do / Don’t expect the same norms in every country.
2 Do / Don’t think of people as countries. 3 Do / Don’t ask open-ended questions. 4 Do / Don’t reveal biographical details.
The original article by Harvard Business Review excerpted by Macmillan Education under license. All rights reserved.
D Read the dialogue between Karla and Luis at a career event. Check ( ) which topics they discuss. The weather The event they’re at What they study The time
12 UNIT 1
Karla: Hey, do you know what time the lunch break is? Luis: Hi. I think it’s at one thirty, so in ten minutes. Karla: Oh thanks! I’m so hungry. Luis: Me too! I’m Luis, by the way. Are you enjoying the event so far? Karla: I’m Karla. Nice to meet you. Yes, It’s really interesting. How about you? Did you see the presentation about choosing your career? Luis: Yes, I did. I’m graduating from college soon, so it was really useful for me. Karla: Ah! So am I! Do you go to college near here? Luis: Yes, I do. I’m studying Marketing at ….
E Read the questions and decide if they would be appropriate ( ) or inappropriate ( ) for small talk. Compare your answers. Do you live near here? Do you know any good restaurants near here? How much did your shoes cost? How much do you weigh?
USEFUL LANGUAGE
Finding commonalities: Me too!
Neither do I! Yes, I agree!
So do/am I!
Ending the small talk. Anyway, it was lovely to meet you. Hope to see you again. I’ve got to go now, but it was great to talk.
Is it going to rain this afternoon? Is this your first time at this event? What are your political beliefs? What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
F You go to a conference and meet these people. With a partner, decide which questions from Exercise E you could ask each of them to make small talk. What other questions could you ask?
Someone you used to go to school with
The organizer of the event
A famous journalist
The CEO of a major company
G Work with a partner. Imagine you are at the conference. Choose one of the people in Exercise F and take turns making small talk with your partner.
Culture 13
18
UNIT WALKTHROUGH
Kahoot! quizzes are available for the course.
The review sections focus on the lesson’s grammar and vocabulary.
REVIEW
A Choose the correct words to complete the conversation. Adam: I loved this movie! It was 1 terrible / fantastic in every way. I like how the main character was so 2 friendly / delicious to everyone, even to people he didn’t like. That was 3 pretty / funny . Chloe: You liked it? The costumes were 4 boring / pretty , but that’s all I liked. I thought the story was 5 delicious / boring . The ending was 6 friendly / strange , too. Maybe I didn’t understand it. B Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is not used. cooking event jewelry live museum pottery 1 I want to go to a sports tomorrow, probably a soccer match. 2 This paella is absolutely delicious. Did you take a class to learn how to make it? 3 I want to see theater this weekend. There are two plays that look interesting. 4 Every time I visit an art , I spend a lot of time in the gift store! 5 I want to learn to make . Maybe I’ll make you some earrings for your birthday. C Complete the opinions with as ... as or the superlative form of the adjective in parentheses. 1 I think Florence is ( beautiful ) city in Italy. I like Rome, but I don’t think it’s ( pretty ) Florence. And ( delicious )
thing to eat there is gelato ! 2 Getting news from TV isn’t
( convenient ) getting it from my
phone.
( bad ) thing is the commercials. They aren’t
( funny ) the ones from my childhood.
3
( tasty ) food in Mexico is, of course, local food. I like
enchiladas, but they aren’t
( good ) street tacos.
( good ) city to get them is Mexico City.
4 The people in Spain are just
( friendly ) the people in Greece.
( pretty ) beaches in Europe, but Spain has
I think Greece has
( exciting ) cities.
Wordlist
PLAY WITH W ORDS Test your partner. Cover the words. How many can they remember? Work in groups. Mime the verb phrases. Can your group members guess what you’re doing? Level-up challenge. Do you know the opposites of any of the adjectives?
boring (adj) delicious (adj) fantastic (adj) friendly (adj) funny (adj) pretty (adj) strange (adj) terrible (adj)
go to a local festival go to a sports event learn to make jewelry learn to make pottery see a comedy show see live theater take a cooking class take a boat ride visit an art museum visit an outdoor market
14 UNIT 1
Each Review page ends with a wordlist and an interactive Play with Words activity to practise and consolidate new language from the unit.
19
COURSE COMPONENTS
Elements combines print and digital resources to support personalised learning. On the MEE Air platform, students can access a range of interactive materials, exercises, and additional practice designed to reinforce language skills and motivate independent learning . QR codes throughout the Student’s Book link directly to Adaptive Practice, providing gamified activities that adjust in real time to each student’s level, helping to reinforce learning independently. Teachers can access all resources in one place via the Teacher Zone, including editable lesson plans, course materials, Dynamic Resources, and professional development content such as expert-led videos and webinars . Together, print and digital components allow educators to plan, adapt, and deliver lessons confidently, while students gain personalised, interactive practice that builds academic and real-world communication skills.
Level 6 Available in 2027
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