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1.- Reading.

Read the text aloud and translate it orally. Pay attention to the pronunciation of words.


- What's this, uncle George?
- This is my PC, Johnny.
- Your PC? What's that?
- It's a computer.
- What colour is it? Is it white?
- No, it's light grey, actually.
- And what's that black thing? Is it another computer?
- Yes, but that is a different kind of computer. It's a laptop.
- Isn't the other computer a laptop, then?
- No, the other is a desktop, or a personal computer
- And which computer is better?
- Well, it depends on what it is for. A PC is better to work at home. A laptop is better for working in different places.
- Why is a PC better, then? Isn't it easier to move a laptop?
- Well, yes, a PC is heavier, and more difficult to move, but it's more powerful, too. PCs are also faster and cheaper than notebooks.
- I see. So, a laptop is easier to move because it's lighter, but it's slower, and less powerful, and more expensive, isn't it?
- That's right, Johnny.

2.- Vocabulary homework. Read the text and make a glossary (a list in alphabetical order) of all the words, with their meaning in Spanish. Make four lists: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other words - some words can be two or three different parts of speech: light (n.) = luz light (adj.) = claro (color); ligero (que pesa poco); ligero (= bajo en calorías) light / lit / lit (v.) = encender (un fuego, un cigarrillo) A vocabulary book can help you learn new vocabulary. Read instructions to use it here: how to use vocabulary books

3.- Language work.

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4.- Grammar practice a) Write these sentences in negative form. b) Write these sentences in interrogative form. c) Fill in the gaps with am/is/are. d) Wh- words e) Ask questions for the underlined information.

5.- Grammar homework Write 6 affirmative sentences using the three present simple forms of BE (one sentence with AM, two with IS, three with ARE). Then write them in negative and interrogative form. Example: I am the best student in the class. I am not the best student in the class. Am I the best student in the class?

6.- Grammar homework Choose 6 wh-words from the list below. Write 6 questions using them and the three present simple forms of BE (one question with AM, two with IS, three with ARE). Then answer the questions, and underline the information they refer to. Example: Where am I? You are in hospital. WH- words: who, what, which, where, when, why, whose, how, how old, how much, how many, how often

7.- Language work: other / another.

We use ANOTHER to refer to something new or additional, which is not identified yet, in the singular:


• There is another message for you on the answering machine.
  
  
ANOTHER can be an adjective (followed by a noun) or a pronoun:


• If you need another mouse, tell me.
  
• If you need another one, tell me.
  
• If you need another, tell me.
  
  
We use OTHER for the plural:


• Are there any other computers? These are too expensive.
  
• There are some other things that we need to discuss.
  
  
OTHER is always an adjective, followed by a plural noun, but it can have a different adjective in front of it:


• Other computers are more powerful.
  
• Some other computers are lighter.
  
• My other car is a Porsche.
  
• Those other computers are cheaper.
  
  
OTHERS is a pronoun (adjectives do not have a plural form in English):


• Others are more powerful.
  
  
We use THE OTHER to refer to something previously mentioned or identified;
it can be a singular or plural adjective, and a singular pronoun:


• Where is the other computer? / Where is the other?
  
• Where are the other messages?
  
  
THE OTHERS is a plural pronoun:


• Where are the others?

See an alternative explanation here.

8.- Language work - practice a) Fill in the gaps with OTHER / ANOTHER / THE OTHER.

9.- Vocabulary homework. Write 6 examples with ANOTHER, (THE) OTHER(S).

10.- Language work: many / much / very / too.

• MANY means "muchos / muchas"; it is always plural; it is used in front of a noun:
  
  Many computers are infected by a virus every day.
  
  
• MUCH means "mucho / mucha"; it is always singular; it is used in front of a noun (not normally in affirmative sentences):
  
  20 Gb hard disk space isn't (very) much for a modern computer.
  
  
• VERY means "muy"; it is used in front of an adjective:
  
  This computer is very old.
  I like this laptop very much.
  
  
• REALLY can be used instead of VERY to emphasise an adjective which is not gradable:
  
  Computer sales this month are really disastrous.
  
  
• TOO means "demasiado"; it is used in front of an adjective:
  
  This computer is too old to run this program.
  Those files are too large for my pendrive.
  £150 is too much for a second-hand computer.
  Too many open programs can make you computer too slow.
  
  NB: TOO can also mean "también", but then it is always at the end of the sentence:
  
  This mouse is too expensive, too.

11.- Language work - practice a) Fill gaps with other, another, others, the other, much, many, very, too. b) Fill gaps with other, another, others, the other, much, many, very, too. c) Fill gaps with other, another, others, the other, much, many, very, too, am, is, are. d) Fill gaps with other, another, others, the other, much, many, very, too.

12.- Vocabulary homework. Write 3 examples with MANY, MUCH, VERY, and TOO (12 examples in all).

13.- Writing homework. Write a similar dialogue to the one in activity 1 comparing the keyboard in a PC and that of a laptop. (Click on the images to see them bigger.) Useful links: Prepositions of place Compararative adjectives

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