While I
was playing
baseball …
1 SHARE YOUR IDEAS
Do you know any twins? Would you like to have a twin brother or sister? People say that twins are often telepathic. Do you think that’s possible?
2 PRESENTATION
While I was playing baseball …
A What can you say about the pictures?
B Listen to the conversation. How many strange coincidences does Toby describe?
C Listen again and follow the text. Then ask and answer the questions.
Toby and Chris Porter are twins. Clare is asking Toby about being a twin.
Clare: They say that twins are often telepathic. Is that true?
Toby: Yes, I think it’s true. I always know when Chris is in trouble.
Clare: Really?
Toby: Yes, and it’s the same for him. For example, I remember one day when we were about eight. I was playing baseball in the garden with some friends. Chris wasn’t playing. He was watching TV inside. Anyway, I was looking at my watch when the ball hit me in the face. Then Chris ran out of the house. He was crying and his nose was bleeding.
Clare: That’s strange! What a coincidence!
Toby: Things like that happen all the time. Last week, while Dad and I were driving home, I smelt smoke. Dad stopped the car, and everything seemed fine. But when we stopped, I suddenly thought about Chris. So I rang him. He said, ‘I can’t talk now. The house is full of smoke! The pan caught fire when I was cooking some chips.’
Clare: You’re joking! How weird!
3 GRAMMAR
Past continuous and past simple
Look at the examples and complete the explanations.
4 PRACTICE
A Make complete sentences. Use the past simple and past continuous.
B Test a friend Say the first part of a sentence beginning While I was …ing … . Can your friend complete it?
5 EXPRESSIONS
Expressing surprise
Look at the examples.
Really?
How weird!
You’re joking!
That’s strange!
What a coincidence!
Make five dialogues. For each sentence, choose a response. Use each expression once.
6 LISTENING AND SPEAKING
What a coincidence!
A Dave, Karen and Steve are talking about coincidences. Listen and match the names with the pictures.
B Listen again, then ask and answer the questions.
7 WRITING AND SPEAKING
A strange coincidence
Use what you know
Write about another coincidence, then tell a classmate about it.
Listen to your classmate’s story and give your reaction.
I was travelling on a ... to ... when a girl/boy came and sat next to me. We started talking and we found out that ...