NC BOOK 3 U12

UNIT 12

1


GETTING READY
Task I
Listen to the audio. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the words provided.
radiant

sophisticated

outfit

Brazil

neutral

staple

France

exotic

stylish

Denmark

Miss World & the Fashion Factor
Last night’s feature event of the Miss World competition was the stressful interview.
outfits I saw were

All the contestants gave polished responses, and the 1. _________
stunning. Here are some of my favorites:
Denmark showed off a few 3. ____________
staple
★ Miss 2. ____________
pieces of her
stylish black
country’s wardrobe, wearing a long loose-fitting sweater and 4. ___________
boots.
Brazil
radiant
★ Miss 5. ____________,
who looked bright and 6. ____________,
represented the
7. ____________
style of her people. She was wearing a fashionable shirt and—
exotic
believe it or not—jeans!
sophisticated fashion sense,
France
★ Miss 8. ____________,
renowned for her 9. ____________
neutral
exceeded my expectations. Her clothing was characterized by 10. __________
colors. She had also applied the perfect amount of cosmetics, so her skin
appeared flawless.
Overall, the event was a smashing success! Both the clothing and the answers were
extraordinary.

2

GETTING READY
Audio Transcripts:
Carole: I really enjoyed Paris Fashion Week, Dad.
Dad: Me too. Watching designers present their collections was fun.
Carole: Yeah. The French are stylish, with scarves and complementing handbags. Plus,
the neutral color schemes of browns and creams add to their sophisticated looks.
Dad: I don’t dress anything like them, do I?
Carole: Nope. But other countries are renowned for fashion too, and their outfits are more
casual.
Dad: Really?
Carole: For example, Brazilians’ exotic style includes bold patterns, focusing on color and
comfort. Jeans are a wardrobe staple.
Dad: Brazilian women are stunning.
Carole: They spend 11 times more on makeup than the British, so I bet they are!
Dad: That’s strange because they attempt to achieve a natural look. They wear light
cosmetics and want to be complimented on their radiant skin.
Carole: Interesting. I have to say though, Denmark is my favorite fashion center. The
winter weather there is chilly, so warmth is essential. Yet, Danes look so trendy!
Dad: I’ve never noticed Danish fashion before.
Carole: Everyone has an extensive scarf and sweater collection. Long tops, leggings, and
knee-high boots are common with girls.
Dad: I’ve sure learned a lot from you today!

3


GETTING READY
Task II

Correct the words in italics by using those in bold as hints.
1. The view from the mountaintop was stunning. Everything
looked so unpleasant.
beautiful
2. Evelyn is the most stylish woman I’ve ever known. She dresses
casually for every single occasion. fashionably
3. Shiela appeared radiant after Harris proposed. You could tell
she was annoyed! excited
4. Maria’s exotic dark hair and tanned skin are common among the
locals, who have light hair and skin. unique
5. The Grand Hotel is renowned in our city for its lovely rooms and
first-rate service, so the place is unknown. popular
6. The atmosphere at La Crêpe is quite sophisticated, making it a
great place to take your neighbors to. date

4


VOCABULARY DRILL
A. Listen Up
Listen to the audio. Write a description for each popular trend using the suggested words.

Flo-yo is an exciting new yoga sensation that
mixes standard yoga practices with paddle
boarding. It may sound eccentric, but Jennifer
Aniston is a big fan.

Men’s skin care would have been considered
taboo in the 1800s. But now, in the world of
beauty and hygiene, it’s popular for men to take

care of their skin and remove excessive hair.

While piercing has always been practiced,
earlobe stretching is a new trend. Plugs
expand the ear’s tissue to make it bigger.

5


VOCABULARY DRILL
Audio Transcripts:
Yoga
With benefits for everything from improving posture to relieving stress, it’s easy to see why
people love yoga. Jennifer Aniston is a fan of flo-yo. It combines yoga and stand-up paddle
boarding, so part of the class takes place on water! Another current yoga fad is doga. Usually,
bringing your dog along to a workout is taboo, but in doga, owners and their dogs perform
stretches together. It may sound eccentric, but owners claim it strengthens the bond between
them and their pets.
Male Beauty
In the past, men spent enormous amounts of money on perfumes and cosmetics. After
Alexander the Great defeated the Persian King Darius, he punished him by destroying his
makeup box! Tending to one’s appearance hasn’t been considered masculine since the 1800s,
but now it’s back in style. There has been a recent increase in focus on men’s skin care. It’s
also in vogue for men to remove excessive body hair.
Body Piercing
Body piercing has been practiced since ancient times. Ötzi the Iceman is the oldest
preserved body discovered, and he wore an earring that measured a half inch around! Earlobe
stretching is popular in African tribes, and it has recently reached trend status in Western
culture. People insert plugs into a standard-sized piercing to expand the hole. Plugs are only a
few of the many jewelry pieces Elaine Davidson wears. She holds the Guinness World Record

for most piercings. Reports say she has a total of 6,925!

6


VOCABULARY DRILL
B. Word Focus: Fashion Vocabulary
Finish the chart with these vocabulary words: sensation, fad, vogue, conventional,
staple.

WHAT’S IN RIGHT NOW!
Technology

PDAs were a passing 1. ____________,
and smartphones have
fad
since taken over the world.

Life

vogue
Going green has come into 2. ____________
during the past few
years. Everyone should take an active role in protecting Mother
Earth.

Entertainment

staple
Martial arts are a 3. ____________

element of Asian entertainment.
This film genre appeals to both Eastern and Western audiences.

Medicine

More and more people are starting to choose alternative therapies
instead of 4. ____________
conventional medical practices.

Food

Cupcakes are a 5. ____________
sensation now. People are crazy about their
sweet taste!

7


VOCABULARY DRILL
C. Speak Out Loud
Break into small groups and discuss which of the below practices are fads,
trends, or here to stay. Present your decisions to the class.

8


CONVERSATION CORNER

9

CONVERSATION CORNER—REVIEW
A. Understand from the Context
Match the sentence with its meaning.

Sentence

Paraphrase

b 1. That seems far out for Americans.
___

a. I’d enjoy dressing up like the character.

___
d 2. It’s becoming all the rage!
___
c 3. That’s because you’re an eccentric
science fiction freak.

b. People from a certain culture may find
that idea too strange.

___
e 4. Costumes from series like Star
Wars and Harry Potter are run of
the mill.
___ 5. I want to get all decked out as
a
Hermione then.

c. Your enthusiasm makes you seem
peculiar.
d. It’s starting to be considered very
fashionable.
e. Those ones have been used a lot and
are pretty typical choices.

10


CONVERSATION CORNER—REVIEW
B. Complete the Sentences
Fill in the blanks with words from the conversation. Use the hints to help you.
There may be more than one possible answer.

genders
1. Both _________
wear skirt-like garments at traditional Scottish
events. (sex)
motivation for changing her hairstyle was that she wanted
2. Her _________
to look professional. (reason)
visualizing winning the game is an
3. The coach says that _________
important part of training. (picture)

handicrafts
/ crafts
4. Elderly people benefit from learning _________,

as it helps to

keep them active. (manual skills)
duplicate their results, so they
5. The scientists were unable to _________
had to start from scratch. (copy)

11


CONVERSATION CORNER—REVIEW
C. Multiple Choice
Circle the answers.

1. What is the purpose of the party?
a. Ben is overwhelmed by school and wants to take a break.
b. Jami is throwing a surprise party for her sister.
c. It will be Ben’s birthday soon, and he wants to have a party.
d. Ben and Jami are getting ready for the cosplay competition.
2. Which statement is TRUE?
a. Cosplayers only dress up as characters of their own gender.
b. Although cosplay is new in America, it is starting to catch on.
c. Only Japanese characters are suitable forms to be copied by cosplayers.
d. Most cosplay costumes are purchased from specialty shops.

12


CONVERSATION CORNER—REVIEW
C. Multiple Choice

Circle the answers.

3. What cosplay trend is Jami excited about?
a. Men can dress up as female characters, and vice versa.
b. Cosplayers come from countries all over the world.
c. The popularity of cosplay is growing.
d. Every cosplayer watches Japanese animation.
4. How does Jami first feel about making one’s own costume?
a. She feels inspired to sew her own outfit.
b. She believes that a purchased costume would be more authentic.
c. She thinks it sounds time-consuming.
d. She feels that the idea is old-fashioned.

13


EXPRESSION PLAZA
A. Talking About Unusual and Common Things
Unusaul

Common

• be far out
• be something else
• be out in left field

• be run of the mill
• be a dime a dozen
• be nothing out of the ordinary

Pair up with a classmate and discuss what you consider unusual and
common about the following topics using the expressions above.
cosplay

experiments on animals

online shopping

bullying in schools

makeup for men

human cloning

Example:
A: Did you hear about that comic book convention downtown?
B: Yeah. Those people who dress up like the characters from the
comics are really far out.

14


EXPRESSION PLAZA
B. Discussing Fashions
Fashionable

Old-fashioned

• be all the rage
• be in vogue / fashion / style

• be the latest thing

• be out of date
• go out of vogue / fashion / style
• be behind the times

Improve the parts in bold using the expressions above.
A: Did you see Karen’s dress last night? It was stunning! 
Did you see Karen’s dress last night? It was the latest thing!
__________________________________________________
B: I know. She always wears sensational clothes. 
I know. Her outfits are always in vogue.
→ ___________________________________________________
A: Definitely. Compared to her, I feel like I look unfashionable. 
Definitely. Compared to her, I feel like I look out of date.
→ ___________________________________________________
B: That’s not true! You wear lots of trendy stuff. 
That’s not true! Your clothing is all the rage.
→ ___________________________________________________

15

→


EXPRESSION PLAZA
C. Getting Dressed Up

• get all decked out
• dress to impress

• make (oneself) presentable

• put on (one’s) Sunday best
• slick up (used by men)
• doll up (used by women)

Fill in each blank with the appropriate expression.
puts on his Sunday best
1. Felix is normally a casual dresser, but for weddings and funerals, he _________________.
dress to impress
2. My meeting this afternoon is with an important client, so I need to ___________________.
dolled up because she’s going out with Craig to a nightclub tonight.
3. Starla is getting _____________

16


EXPRESSION PRACTICE
A. Fill Out the Chart
Listen and indicate Linda’s and Nathan’s opinions of the jobs. Give your
reasons.
Job

Exciting

Lab Technician

Boring

Reason

L/N

Both think lab work is nothing out of
the ordinary.

Flight Nurse

L

N

Linda believes that tending to patients
on flights would be something else.

Underwater
Welder

N

L

Nathan says the high pay that
these workers get is far out.

L

Although she likes tea, Linda says the
job would be run of the mill.

Teahouse Owner
Tea Taster

N

Nathan finds being responsible for the
quality control of tea out in left field.

17


EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
Linda: I’ve been thinking about my future career. I’m not sure what job I want, Nathan,
but it can’t be boring!
Nathan: I agree, Linda.
Linda: What about a position in medicine? That could be exciting.
Nathan: Working as a lab technician wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary.
Linda: True, but being a flight nurse would be out in left field.
Nathan: What does that entail?
Linda: A flight nurse ensures that patients who become ill abroad are comfortable
during their journey home.
Nathan: That doesn’t sound great. How do you feel about manual labor?
Linda: Construction and manufacturing jobs are pretty run of the mill.
Nathan: Yes, but underwater welders earn high salaries because they need to have both
diving and welding skills. It’s something else!
Linda: Hmm. I think I’d prefer something indoors.
Nathan: You enjoy drinking tea, so why not run a teahouse?
Linda: Teahouses are a dime a dozen.
Nathan: Well, tea testers determine if the taste of tea meets a certain standard. That

responsibility would be far out. Maybe that’s what I’ll do then.

18


EXPRESSION PRACTICE
B. Complete the Ads
Listen and explain why the companies’ organic products are better
using the words given.

Organic cotton is better for the environment because no bleach
or dye is used.

Synthetic materials, like nylon, are damaging to the
environment. Wearing wool jackets that are made out of allnatural fabric can help to save the planet.

Fabulous Fur solves your ethical concerns with fake fur. Its
production doesn’t kill animals or use toxic chemicals.

19


EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
Cozy Cotton
Cozy Cotton has all your organic cotton needs! Regular cotton is behind the
times due to its damage to the environment. Over 16 percent of the world’s
pesticides are sprayed on cotton fields; that’s more than any other single crop.
Organic cotton is not bleached and colored with plant dyes. So remember, if your
cotton item isn’t labeled organic, it’s out of style!

Wool Obsession
Can your wardrobe handle the frosty winter months? If not, come in to Wool
Obsession, which makes all-natural, earth-friendly wool. Wool jackets are all the
rage for winter fashion. Synthetic fabrics that other jackets are made out of, like
nylon, are environmentally destructive and out of vogue. Visit us before October
15 and receive a ten percent discount!
Fabulous Fur
Love animals but also love wearing fur coats? Fabulous Fur solves your
ethical concerns with fake fur. It is the latest thing because its production doesn’t
harm animals or involve the use of chemicals. Real fur is treated with harsh, toxic
chemicals before being made into a coat. Here at Fabulous Fur, loving animals
and looking good are always in fashion!

20


EXPRESSION PRACTICE
C. Finish the Invitation
Fill in the blanks with words or expressions from the audio.

YOU’RE INVITED!!!
We will be celebrating Rick’s special day on the 12th. Feel free to
publicize the celebration and bring your friends. Just don’t let Rick find out!
1. _________
Time: The party is from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, but I might prolong the fun if
everyone is having a good time!
put on your Sunday best but do not
Dress Code: You’re not obligated to 2. ____________________,
get all decked out in cowboy
casually Please try to 4. __________________

dress too 3. ___________.
Accessories like boots will make your costumes look
and cowgirl outfits. 5. ___________
authentic.
Heed
Location: The party will be in my backyard. 6. ___________
the signs that
instruct you where to park.
dolled up
I can’t wait to see all you girls 7. _____________
and all you guys
slicked up
8. __________________!

Allie
21


EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
Allie:
Hey, Chelsea. This is Allie.
Chelsea: Oh, hi! What’s going on?
Allie:
Would you like to come to the surprise birthday bash I’m throwing for Rick next
Saturday?
Chelsea: Sure! I love partying.
Allie:
He’s been really stressed over his schoolwork, so I’m hoping the
celebration will divert his attention. Can you publicize the party at school?

Chelsea: Definitely! What’s the theme?
Allie:
It’s going to be Western style. You know how much Rick adores all those old
cowboy movies.
Chelsea: Wow. So I’m guessing the guests should get all decked out?
Allie:
Yes. No one needs to go to the trouble of putting on their Sunday best,
but it would be preferable if everyone would wear Western gear and
accessories, like cowboy boots and hats.
Chelsea: So the guys should get slicked up, and the girls need to doll up in stylish
costumes, right?
Allie:
That would be terrific.
Chelsea: All right. Are you inviting my roommate Erin?
Allie:
Of course.
Chelsea: She dresses casually and never heeds dress codes though.
Allie:
I know. But try to persuade her to make herself presentable, just this once.

22


GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT
Past Perfect Continuous__________________________________________
The past perfect continuous tense is used to talk about events that took place in the past
for a long time before other past events occurred.

A. Usage
To show that something

was in progress until
another time in the past

‧ I had been cosplaying until I had to take a break because
of my heavy school load.

To talk about causes in
the recent past

‧ Mary purchased a new jacket because she had been
needing one since the previous winter.

To report something said
in the past

‧ Liz said her husband had been verbally abusing her for a
long time.

To form third conditional
sentences

‧ If you hadn’t been sending text messages on your phone,
we wouldn’t have gotten into this accident.

‧ People had only been taking part as characters of their
own gender before, but now it’s common to wear
costumes of either sex.

23

GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT
B. Tense Comparisons
Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

Used for events that began in the past
and continue in the present

Used for events that began in the past
and ended just recently

• The award-winning director has been
making films since the 1960s.
(He’s still making films.)

• The award-winning director who had been
making films since the 1960s retired this
week.
(He made films until recently.)

Past Perfect

Past Perfect Continuous

Used for non-continuous events that
occurred before another past event

Used for events that lasted for a while

before another past event

• James had failed to gain admission to
the university three times before he was
accepted.

• The girl had been groaning in pain for
30 minutes before she was taken to the
hospital.

Past Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

Used for events that lasted for a while in
the past

Used for past events that lasted for a
while and caused something to happen

• He was practicing for his presentation
all night.

• The reason he did so well during his
presentation was because he had been
practicing every night.

24

GRAMMAR WORKOUT
A. Match
Fill in the correct tenses and match the sentence parts.
had been playing
1. I _______________________
(play)
the saxophone for years d

a. in preparation for the
tournament today.

hadn’t taught
2. As he ___________________
(teach)
his children good manners, e

b. before the riot police
cleared the area.

3. The soccer team _________________
has been practicing
(practice) intensely all week a

c. until he finally reached
him.

4. Louis _______________________
(try) d. before I thought about
had been trying
joining a band.

to contact his client all day
c

5. The protesters ___________________
had been demonstrating
(demonstrate) for two days
b

25

e. they embarrassed him in
front of his friends.