Welcome to Think and Write
Guide to Think and Write
1. How often do you find yourself waiting for something?
2. What kinds of things do you usually wait for?
3. When you know you will have to wait for something, how do you pass the time?
Circle the best words.
A Reading Comprehension
1 Faster elevators are expensive and unsafe / slow / boring .
2 Mirrors in elevators gave the buildings / mirrors / passengers something to do.
3 Mirrors in elevators made the ride / motor / comb to the top less boring.
1. How often do you find yourself waiting for something?
2. What do you usually wait for?
3. When you know you will have to wait for something, how do you pass the time?
Sometimes when we go into tall buildings, there are mirrors inside all of the elevators. Why are mirrors installed in elevators?
When buildings became taller and more people started using elevators, people began
to complain about how slow they were and how long it took to get to the top floors. Engineers could not make their elevators much faster. It was expensive to make faster elevators. They also said that if elevators got too fast, they would not be safe.
One engineer suggested an idea. Instead of making faster elevator motors, he suggested they think about the passengers who ride the elevators. His idea was that by having mirrors put inside elevators, people would have something to do while riding and waiting. While standing in the elevator, people would think, “Did I comb my hair properly?” or, “Does my make-up look okay?” Often people look at themselves when they are alone in an elevator.
By spending time while waiting, far fewer people complained about the slow rides. The
mirrors gave people something to do. People became less bored on the ride up.
People used to __________________ that elevators in tall buildings were too slow. Engineers tried to __________________ the problem, but could not make elevators faster without expense and risk to __________________ . Instead of making the ride shorter, thought one engineer, why not make it so passengers could do something while waiting and riding? Mirrors were __________________ in elevators, and passengers began to find ways to __________________ the ride.
Complete the summary with the words below.
Match the words with the right definitions.
safety comb solve installed
enjoy passengers complain alone
People used to ____________________ that elevators in tall buildings were too slow. Engineers tried to __________________________ the problem, but could not make elevators faster without expense and risk to _________________________ . Instead of making the ride shorter, thought one engineer, why not make it so passengers could do something while waiting and riding?
Mirrors were __________________________ in elevators, and passengers began to find ways to
__________________________ the ride.
B Vocabulary Practice
_____ install
_____ complain
_____ expensive
_____ passenger
_____ properly
_____ ride
1 Can you ________________________ my new computer for me?
2 My new backpack was a little _______________________________ . 3 There is a new ________________________ at the amusement park!
4 She _______________________________ about the lunch menu everyday.
5 The strange _______________________________ boarded the plane.
6 Susan answered the difficult question _______________________________ .
Complete the sentences with the words above. Change the form if necessary.
C Summary
1 2 3 4 5 6
install a
a costing a lot of money b correctly doing something
c to move from one place to another on a vehicle or animal d to say you are not happy with or about something
e a person who is riding on a vehicle
f to put something somewhere and ready it for use
complain
Waiting Fun
I made an appointment with my friend to see a movie. I got to the movie theater on time.
I waited for ten minutes. Then my friend called me. She said she would be about 50 minutes late because she took the wrong bus. When I heard that, I was annoyed. We were going to miss the movie, but I had to wait.
I looked around for something to do. There was a book store.
I found a funny book inside, so I sat on the floor to read. By the time I had finished reading, 40 minutes had gone by. I stood up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I looked in the mirror to
check that I looked nice and clean, and I started singing a song. While I was singing, someone suddenly came out from the toilet. I was so embarrassed. I quickly walked out of the bathroom.
Still, even though I was embarrassed and had to wait a while, I did have a good time reading.
Circle the best words.
A Reading Comprehension
Linda
1 Linda’s best friend took the wrong movie / bus / mirror .
2 When Linda had to read / freshen-up / wait , she went to the book store.
3 Linda waited 10 / 40 / 50 minutes before her friend called.
4 Linda looked in the toilet / book store / mirror to check how she looked.
I made an appointment with my friend to see a movie.
1 a movie / an appointment / to see / I made / friend / with my / .
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2 movie / on time / I got / theater / to the / .
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3 50 / she would / She said / minutes late / be about / .
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4 going to / We / the movie / miss / were / .
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5 to wait / embarrassed / and had / I was / a while / .
on time a few minutes late miss the train
found a great deal by the time freshen up
If he’s not quick, he’s going to
____________________________________________________ .
I got in trouble because I was
___________________________________________ for class.
I want to _____________________________________ after exercising.
We __________________________________________________
on notebooks.
1 2
3 4
Unscramble the words to write the correct sentences.
C Sentence Practice
Complete the sentences with the expressions below.
B Picture Description
miss the train
Let’s plan our writing for “Unexpected Free Time.”
A Writing Starter
Why do you meet there?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
.
If your friend calls to postpone for an hour, would you wait?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
. We meet there because
If my friend asks me to wait for one hour, I would
When you have unexpected free time, what do you usually do?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
. I usually like to
What would you do while you were waiting?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
. I would
Would you arrange to meet another time?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
. I would
How would you feel while you were waiting?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
. I would feel
When would you cancel a meeting with your friend?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
. I would cancel a meeting if
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::
::
: :
: : : :
: :
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When you meet your friends, where do you usually meet?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
