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GENERAL ENGLISH · VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

FAMOUS
FIRSTS
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13N2-A119-1N2R

1 Warm-up

Do you know when the first person walked on the moon?

2 Key vocabulary

Match the words on the left to the definitions on the right.

1. a battle a. a fight between soldiers

2. invent b. a machine that uses energy to move something, e.g. a car

3. a tyre c. a person who travels to places to find out what is there

4. reach d. a rubber ring that goes on the outside of a wheel

5. an engine e. a unit used in the UK and US equal to 1.6km

6. an explorer f. to arrive at a place

7. a mile g. to create something that wasn’t made before

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PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

FAMOUS FIRSTS

3 Before you listen

Audio
You are going to hear about some important ‘firsts’ in history. Before you listen, match the events
below to the correct years. Then listen to the audio to confirm or correct your answers.

1. The first marathon: a. 105 AD

2. A man made paper for the first time: b. 1887

3. A tyre with air in it was used for the first time: c. 1903

4. The first flight of a plane with an engine: d. 1932

5. The first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic: e. 1961

6. The first man to go into space: f. 1969

7. The first man on the moon: g. 490 BC

4 Checking understanding

Read the transcript on page ‘i’ and put ‘T’ (True) or ‘F’ (False) next to each of the statements below.

1. The first man to start making paper was from China.

2. The first man to swim the English Channel did it in just over a day.
3. The first flight of a plane with an engine lasted twenty seconds.
4. The first person to get to the South Pole was from Scandinavia.
5. Tyres filled with air were first used on bikes after 1900.
6. There was a woman prime minister in the UK before this century.

5 Irregular verbs

Look at the irregular verbs underlined in the transcript. What are the infinitives and past participles?

Example: infinitive: become / past simple: became / past participle: become

1. / ran /
2. / won /
3. / died /
4. / swam /
5. / flew /

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PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

FAMOUS FIRSTS

6 Time expressions with ‘in’

The preposition ‘in’ can be used in many time expressions.

Complete the phrases with the correct words below.

a time less more over ten minutes under

1. In 2009, Usain Bolt ran the 100m in of 9.58s. This is still the world record.
2. It’s too late to get a coffee now. The train is going to arrive in than a minute.
3. It’s 2.55pm now. We need to be at the airport at 4pm, in just an hour.
4. Do you think you can finish your homework in ? We have to leave soon.
5. I haven’t seen Alan in than ten years! It’ll be nice to meet up.
6. You need to finish the race in 40 minutes to win.

7 Personal firsts

Complete the sentences so that they are true for you.

Example: I went on holiday for the first time when I was 8. I went to France with my family.
1. I flew for the first time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. I cooked for the first time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. I went to a wedding for the first time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. I used a credit card for the first time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. I rode a bike for the first time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. I got a job for the first time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Now ask a partner about three of their answers. Use the question: When did you first .......?

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TEACHER MATERIALS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

FAMOUS FIRSTS

Transcripts

3. Before you listen

Famous firsts:
The first marathon took place in 490 BC. The story says that a Greek messenger ran from the battle
of Marathon to Athens to say that Greece won. He died shortly after.
In 105 AD a Chinese man, Cai Lun, started the paper-making business.
In 1440, the German Johannes Gutenberg invented a printing machine.
In 1875, Matthew Webb from Britain swam the English Channel in less than 22 hours.
John Dunlop invented the first tyre with air in it in 1887. It was used on bicycles and later on cars.
In 1903, The Wright Brothers flew a plane with an engine for the first time for 12 seconds in North
Carolina, USA.
In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole.
American Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic in 1932. She flew
from Ireland to Canada in 15 hours.
In 1954, Briton Roger Bannister became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, in a
time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds.
In 1961, Russian Yuri Gagarin was the first man to travel into space.
In 1968, American Jim Hines was the first person to run 100 metres in under 10 seconds, in a time
of 9.95 seconds.
In 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon.
Margaret Thatcher became the first female prime minister of the UK in 1979.

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TEACHER MATERIALS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

FAMOUS FIRSTS

Key

1. Warm-up

The first person walked on the moon in 1969.

2. Key vocabulary

Use example sentences or pictures to help with explanations if necessary after the activity.
1. a 2. g 3. d 4. f 5. b 6. c 7. e

3. Before you listen

Play the audio file for students to check their answers. Play it twice if they request it. Use your mobile device to
scan the QR code if you prefer this option. (Make sure you have installed a QR code reader app and can access
the internet on your device).
1. g 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. d 6. e 7. f

4. Checking understanding

1. T
2. F - He did it in less than 22 hours.
3. F - It lasted twelve seconds.
4. T - He was Norwegian.
5. F - They were first used in 1887.
6. T - Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979.

5. Irregular verbs

This can be done as a class or individual activity.

1. run/run 2. win/won 3. die/died
4. swim/swum 5. fly/flown

6. Time expressions with ‘in’

Students can work in pairs and then check answers with the teacher.
1. a time 2. less 3. over 4. ten minutes 5. more 6. under

7. Personal firsts

Students should complete their own answers, then work with a partner to find out about theirs.

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