●Task writing a biographical article

This section consists of a series of activities which provide opportunities to learn and practice language skills. Each of the three steps is preceded by a skills building activity. Try to learn how to write a curriculum vitae and a biographical article.

Skills building 1: listening for figures

In this part you will learn when to use cardinal numbers or ordinal numbers and how to identify specific numbers when listening. You will also learn what words or phrases can be used to express an approximate number or to modify a number. Listen to an interview and fill in the figures you hear.

1. First let's review different forms of numbers. Please give the ordinal form of the numbers below.

① 1-12

Cardinal numbers Ordinal numbers formation

one first/1st 1. 序数词1-3为特殊变化

two second/2nd 2. 4-12在基数词词尾加-th构成。

three third/3rd 注意fifth, ninth, twelfth的词形变

four fourth/4th 化。

five fifth/5th

nine ninth/9th

twelve twelfth/12th

② 13-19基数词在数词3-9后加-teen构成，其中13和15发生拼写变化，分别为thirteen, fifteen

13-19序数词在基数词后加-th构成。如：thirteen--thirteenth

③ 20-90整十位数在基数词2-9之后加后缀-ty构成，其中20，30，40，50拼写发生变化，分别为twenty, thirty, forty, fifty; 构成序数词时，将词尾y变成i加eth, 如：sixty-sixtieth/60th

十位数之间的数，由十位数加个位数构成，中间用连字符号。构成序数词时，十位数用基数词表示，个位数用序数词表示。如：21/ twenty-one→twenty-first/ 21st Note:

When we talk about the date or want to talk about something in order, we use ordinal numbers, for example, 1st January, on the third floor, the second one on the left, etc.

We can use numbers to talk about time, date, age, price, street number, percentage, etc.

2. Go over Points 1 to 3 on page 52. Pay special attention to the word stress when listening to the numbers, such as fifteen and fifty, eighteen and eighty.

3. Look at Point 4 to learn how to express an approximate number or modify a number.

1. Listen to the tape and fill in the figures you have heard.

Tapescript

Interviewer: Welcome to Spotlight. Today's interview is with the famous balloonist, Steve Fosssett. Welcome, Steve.

Steve: Hello.

Interviewer: So when did you first become interested in balloons, Steve?

Steve: I started becoming interested in balloons quite late in life. It was in my late thirties.

Interviewer: How long have you been a balloonist?

Steve: For ten years.

Interviewer: You've only just recently managed to achieve your dream of flying around the world, at the age of fifty-eight, haven't you?

Steve: Yes. I have, finally. That was the sixth time I tried.

Interviewer: I also know that you're quite a good swimmer too. Would you like to tell us something about that?

Steve: Sure. I swam across the English Channel between France and England in nineteen eighty-five.

Interviewer: And you've broken fourteen world records too. How do you do it?

Steve: Just the usual hard work and practice, like everything in life.

Interviewer: Thank you, Steve. That's all we've got time for today. Goodbye.