ADAPTED VERSION · B1 · dyslexia friendly

Session 2: Survival choices

Question: What would you choose, and can you justify it?
Step 1

Goals

Step 2
Today's language goal

To imagine a difficult choice and justify my decision, we need the words of decisions (risk, choice, trust, sacrifice, consequence) and the second conditional (If I were you, I would hide).

Warm-up

Desert island game: you can carry only three objects. Which ones and why?

Step 3

Read

Dilemma table

SituationOption AOption BYour choice and reason
A stranger knocks, asking for foodopen and sharestay silent
A friend has a small bitekeep them with the groupisolate them in a safe room
Two routesthe motorway: fast but crowdedthe forest: slow but quiet
Supplies for three dayseat normallyration to make them last a week

Object ranking table

ObjectUseScore /5
first aid kittreat wounds
torchsee at night
ropeclimb, tie
radioget news
bicyclesilent transport

Vocabulary

WordMeaning
riskpossible danger
choicea decision between options
justifygive reasons for
strangera person you do not know
sharegive part of what you have
trustbelieve someone is honest
sacrificegive up something for others
consequenceresult of an action
Step 4

Grammar lesson: the second conditional: If I were..., I would...

To imagine a difficult choice and justify my decision, we need the second conditional: If I were..., I would...
On the board, to copy

Rule

If + past, would + verb. If I were the leader, I would ration food.

Form

  • If + past simple, would + base verb: If a stranger knocked, I would open.
  • If I were (all persons, formal): If I were you, I would hide.
  • could / might instead of would: We could take the forest route.
  • The if-clause can come second, without a comma: I would open if he looked healthy.

Examples from the lesson

  • If I were you, I would hide.
  • If we shared our food, we would have less.
  • We would take the forest route if the motorway were blocked.

Common mistakes

  • Not If I would have a bicycle, I would go faster., but If I had a bicycle, I would go faster.
  • Not If I am the leader, I would ration., but If I were the leader, I would ration.

Quick check (2 minutes, hands up or mini whiteboards)Complete with the second conditional.

  1. If a stranger (knock), I (open).
  2. If I (be) the leader, I (ration) food.
  3. We (take) the forest if the motorway (be) blocked.
Show the answers

1. knocked, would open. 2. were, would ration. 3. would take, were.

Exercises

EntryRecognition. Is the situation real and possible (1st conditional) or imaginary (2nd)?

  1. If the radio stops, we will use the walkie-talkies.
  2. If I were a zombie, I would hate stairs.
  3. If we had a boat, we would cross the lake.
  4. If it rains, we will collect the water.
  5. If my friend was bitten, I would stay with him.
  6. If we leave now, we will arrive before night.
Show the answers

1. 1st. 2. 2nd. 3. 2nd. 4. 1st. 5. 2nd. 6. 1st.

CoreGap-fill. Put the verbs in the second conditional.

  1. If a stranger (ask) for food, I (share) a little.
  2. If I (be) you, I (not / open) the door.
  3. We (go) faster if we (have) bicycles.
  4. If my friend (have) a bite, I (isolate) him in a safe room.
  5. If the supplies (last) only three days, we (ration) them.
  6. I (trust) him if he (tell) the truth.
  7. If you (can) choose one object, which one (you / take)?
Show the answers

1. asked, would share. 2. were, would not open. 3. would go, had. 4. had, would isolate. 5. lasted, would ration. 6. would trust, told. 7. could, would you take.

StretchProduction. Answer three dilemmas of the table in three sentences each: your choice (2nd conditional), the reason, the consequence.

Show the answers

For example: If a stranger knocked, I would share a little food. I would do it because he might be a survivor like us. The consequence would be fewer supplies, so we would ration them.

Words in action

To say it precisely, we need the right words

EntryMatch: risk, trust, sacrifice, consequence.

  1. give up something for others
  2. a possible danger
  3. the result of an action
  4. believe someone is honest
Show the answers

1. sacrifice. 2. risk. 3. consequence. 4. trust.

Tasks

Task a. Complete the dilemma table alone, then compare in groups.
Task b. Grammar: If I were you, I would hide. If we shared our food, we would have less.
Task c. Debate in groups of four: agree on one answer for each dilemma.
Task d. Extension B2: use mixed conditionals: If we had gone earlier, we would be safe now.
Step 5

More tasks

Exercises
  1. If a stranger ______ (knock), I would open.
  2. If I ______ (be) the leader, I would ration food.
  3. We ______ (take) the forest route if the motorway were blocked.
  4. Give two reasons to share food.
  5. Correct: If I would have a bicycle, I would go faster.
Corrigé of the exercises
  1. knocked
  2. were
  3. would take
  4. to make an ally, because it is humane
  5. If I had a bicycle, I would go faster.
Step 6

Sentence starters

  • If I were in that situation, I would...
  • I would rather... than...
  • The main risk is...
  • That is why I would...
Step 7

Role play

Groups of three: each student defends a different option for the same dilemma, then the group votes.

Step 8

Figures of speech in the documents

Antithesis in the dilemma table

Dilemma table: “the motorway: fast but crowded” / “the forest: slow but quiet”

fast and slow, crowded and quiet: opposite words. This is an antithesis.

EntryFind the two pairs of opposites.

Show the answers

fast / slow; crowded / quiet.

Gap-fill worksheet

QR code to this worksheet
Word bank: risk · choice · justify · stranger · share · trust · sacrifice · consequence
  1. Every option has a .
  2. You must make a .
  3. Always your answer.
  4. A knocks at the door.
  5. Will you your food?
  6. Can we him?
  7. Giving up something for others is a .
  8. Every decision has a .
Answer key
  1. risk
  2. choice
  3. justify
  4. stranger
  5. share
  6. trust
  7. sacrifice
  8. consequence
Step 9

Expression task

Now say it

Debate in groups of four: agree on one answer for each dilemma, then present your choices.

EntryOne dilemma: your choice with “If I were ..., I would ...” and one reason.

Tools to use:

  • risk, choice, trust, sacrifice, consequence
  • If + past, would + verb; I would rather
  • but, because, so

Sentence starters:

  • If I were in that situation, I would ...
  • The main risk is ...
  • I would rather ... than ...
Show a model answer

If a stranger knocked, we would open, but only through the window, because he might be a survivor. If our friend had a small bite, we would isolate him in a safe room: it is hard, but it would protect the group. We would rather take the forest than the motorway: slow and quiet is better than fast and crowded. Finally, we would ration our supplies, so they would last a week.

Assessment grid

CriteriaLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4
Comparison of optionsRarelySometimesMostlyAlways and precisely
ConditionalsMany errorsSome errorsMostly correctCorrect and varied
JustificationNo reasonOne reasonTwo reasonsDeveloped and nuanced

Homework

Choose one dilemma and write your answer (120 words, three conditionals).

Step 10

Links reminder