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Unit 30: Linking words of contrast
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  1. 1 Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
  2. 2 Reported speech in 90 seconds!
  3. 3 If or whether?
  4. 4 5 ways to use 'would'
  5. 5 Let and allow
  6. 6 Passive voice
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  8. 8 Mixed conditionals
  9. 9 The zero article - in 90 seconds
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  11. 11 The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
  12. 12 The continuous passive
  13. 13 Future perfect
  14. 14 Need + verb-ing
  15. 15 Have something done
  16. 16 Wish
  17. 17 Word stress
  18. 18 Different ways of saying 'if'
  19. 19 Passive reporting structures
  20. 20 The subjunctive
  21. 21 When and if
  22. 22 Inversion
  23. 23 Phrasal verbs
  24. 24 The future
  25. 25 Modals in the past
  26. 26 Narrative tenses
  27. 27 Phrasal verb myths
  28. 28 Conditionals review
  29. 29 Used to - review
  30. 30 Linking words of contrast

Session 5

In the final episode of The White Elephant, the restaurant might have to close. Will pizza be the answer to saving it and will Gordon, the chef, actually get the job he deserves?

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

Drama: The White Elephant

Episode 30: Hope 

The White Elephant restaurant has always struggled to stay in business and the future is not looking good. They desperately need customers - and when they finally get one, Gordon's skills in the kitchen must keep them there. Find out if he can do it in this final episode and learn some hope-related phrases.

Watch the video and complete the activity

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Peter
It's quiet tonight.

Mary
I know. It's a bit of a worry - Ceilia said tonight was our last hope. If we don't get any customers we might have to close.

Gordon
Well, don't get your hopes up. This place has been on its knees ever since it opened. We've all had a laugh but I need to get a job at a proper restaurant, where the customers are queuing up to eat my food.

Mary
Don't pin your hopes on it. It was your cooking that scared the customers away anyway. Hang on, did I just hear somebody come in?

Peter
I'll go and check.

Gordon
To be honest, I might be able to take you with me, to my new job - but Peter - not a chance.

Mary
I can only live in hope!

Peter
Yes, we've got two customers! And they want... a cheese and tomato pizza. Can we do pizzas?

Gordon
Can we do pizzas? Not a hope in hell! Do I look like a chef who cooks 'pizzas'?!

Mary
Come on Gordon. We're pinning our hopes on keeping these customers... you do know how to cook a pizza don't you?

Gordon
Yes... well... it's just a little bit beneath me... but I suppose I can give it a go.

Mary
Good. I'll tell Ceilia the good news. 

Gordon
Peter. Here's £10 - run to the supermarket and buy some frozen pizzas. But shhh, it's our little secret.

Peter
OK.

10 MINUTES LATER

Ceilia
Mmmm, something smells good. Great news about getting all the customers in - even though they only like pizza! It seems like there's a glimmer of hope for the business.

Ceilia
Looking good. Maybe pizzas are our future? 

Peter
Yes, they're not bad for frozen pizzas are they?

Ceilia
Frozen?! Oh you've dashed my hopes. This is the last straw... I'm going to have to find a real chef... and not one that is as arrogant as you!

Gordon
But what am I going to do? I can't just get a new job just like that.

Ceilia
There might not be hope for you but I think I might have the perfect answer.

LATER...

Mary
How's your new job Gordon? Can I borrow your hat? Thank you!

Download

You can download the drama from our Unit 30 downloads page.

Vocabulary

last hope
final chance (to do something)

don't get your hopes up
what you expect to happen probably won't

on its knees
struggling; in a bad condition

pin your hopes on it
expect or hope it will happen

to be honest
what I really think

live in hope
hope that what you want to happen will eventually happen

not a hope in hell!
absolutely no chance of succeeding

a glimmer of hope
small chance of something succeeding

dashed my hopes
let me down; stopped me expecting something good

the last straw
the last of a number of events that has gone wrong

White Elephant quiz

3 Questions

How much did you understand in The White Elephant: Episode 30?

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End of Session 5

That's the final part of The White Elephant. We hope you've enjoyed the story and have learnt some useful phrases too. Let's hope you never get to eat at this restaurant!  You can revisit all the episodes here.

Session Grammar

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Session Vocabulary

  • last hope
    final chance (to do something)

    don't get your hopes up
    what you expect to happen probably won't

    on its knees
    struggling; in a bad condition

    pin your hopes on it
    expect or hope it will happen

    to be honest
    what I really think

    live in hope
    hope that what you want to happen will eventually happen

    not a hope in hell!
    absolutely no chance of succeeding

    a glimmer of hope
    small chance of something succeeding

    dashed my hopes
    let me down; stopped me expecting something good

    the last straw
    the last of a number of events that has gone wrong

View full vocabulary reference

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