Course: S4: English

Topic outline

General
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
How to use this book
Welcome to English S4!

Key for icons
UNIT 1: The geography of Rwanda
Key Unit Competence: To use language learnt in the context of
Geography of Rwanda.
Introductory activity: Observation and Interpretation Pictures in
fig 1, 2, and 3.
You will develop these skills
• Use the present perfect tense.
• Use the passive voice.
• Use the present perfect tense with ‘since’.
• Identify and use paragraphs, headings and numbering.
• List and use vocabulary referring to the physical geography, population,
farming and trade of Rwanda.
The land of a thousand hills
When we write a geographical description of a country, we must
give it a title so that readers know what we are writing about. This
is called the main heading. We then group our information into
paragraphs so that similar information is together. This helps the
writing make sense. Each paragraph starts on a new line. We may
also use a subheading for each new section, to show the reader
that it contains important new facts.
Read about the location of Rwanda
Activity 2: Write about your province
Write a description of your province. Use a main heading and paragraphs. Make
sure that you include the names of the province, the main provincial town, the
neighbouring provinces and any mountains, lakes or rivers.
Grammar focus
Use the present perfect tense
The present perfect tense is used to describe something that happened in the
past, but the exact time it happened is not important. We also use this tense
when we want to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and
continue to the present. We use the verbs ‘has’ or ‘have’ + past participle.

Read about the physical features of Rwanda

The vegetation of Rwanda is varied and includes grassland and savannah
as well as steep, forested mountainsides. Rwanda has an abundance of
wildlife including gorillas, hippos, chimpanzees, storks and cranes.
The main rivers of Rwanda are the Mwogo, Rukarara, Mukungwa, Base,
Ruhondo, Akagera, Nyabarongo and the Akanyaru. Rwanda also contains
many lakes. The main lakes are Lakes Kivu, Cyohoha, Muhazi, Ihema,
Rweru, Burera, Ruhondo and Mugesera.
Grammar focus
Using the present perfect tense with ‘since’
When we use the present perfect, we can specify a period of time before now by
using the word ‘since’ and a point in time. For example:
• She has lived here since 1980.
• We have taught at this school since 1965.
• We have been learning English since we were in primary school.
Read about the population of Rwanda
The population of Rwanda was about 12 million in 2014. In 2010 the
population was 10.5 million. It is believed that the population is now
growing at a rapid rate of about 2.6%. Since 2002 the population has
increased by 2% per annum. However, since 1995 the death rate has
fallen by 3% per annum. It is also worth noting that the fertility rate in
Rwanda is very high, since a Rwandan mother has five children on
average. Rwanda is believed to be the most densely populated country in
Africa. By 2015, males represented 49.1% of the total population and
females represented 50.9%
The population is united by homogeneity of language and culture, which
has created a group of people with socio-cultural pride and self-esteem.

Read about the climate of Rwanda
Rwanda is located a few degrees South of the equator. The country is
characterised by moderate temperatures and ample rainfall. The climate
of Rwanda is influenced by the country's diverse physical features. The
most mountainous province is the Northern Province, which is
characterised by low temperatures and relatively high rainfall.
There are two rainy seasons, namely between March and May, and
between September and December. The average rainfall is 110–190 mm
per month. The hottest months are always June, July and August. There is
a dry spell during January and February. The average temperature is
between 25° C and 27° C.
Activity 5: Interpret a graph
The following graph shows Kigali’s average temperature and rainfall. Examine
the graph and answer the questions that follow.
Grammar focus
Use the active and passive voice
The passive voice happens when you make the object of an action into the
subject of a sentence. For example, instead of writing: The seagull caught a
fish, we can write: The fish was caught by the seagull.
In the first sentence, ‘the seagull’ is the subject of the sentence and ‘the fish’
is the object of the sentence. In the second sentence, we have put ‘the fish’ first
and made it into the subject of the sentence.
A way to identify the passive voice is to look for a form of the verb 'to be' +
past participle. If we change ‘the chicken crossed the road’ to ‘the road was
crossed by the chicken’, we can identify the passive voice by ‘was crossed’.
This is the verb 'to be' and the past participle of 'cross'. We use the passive voice
when we put insistence to the action performed, and the Active voice is used to
insist the Subject or Doer of the action.
Read about the economy of Rwanda
Agriculture in Rwanda

Activity 7: Identify the passive voice
1. Identify the sentences in the text above that use the passive voice.
2. Discuss the importance of agriculture in Rwanda, using the passive voice.

Writing and understanding
Activity 11: Write a leaflet for tourists

Activity 8: Practise using the passive voice
Write four sentences about agriculture or tourism in Rwanda, using the passive
voice in your sentences.
Activity 9: Read and understand
Copy and complete this table with information from the texts on pages 7 and 8.
The first question has been done for you.
Vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling

Activity 10: Match words and their meanings
Use your dictionary to look up the words in the left-hand column of the table,
and then match them to the correct description in the right-hand column. Make
sure that you can pronounce the words correctly.
The land of a thousand hills
Rwanda is much known for its varied features. The views of its land from
different sides let both the inhabitat and people from other parts of the world
decide to move around the whole country to visit the beauty ot its attractive
environment. The ever green forests make a better home to stay for lions,
buffalos, gorillas, monkeys, antelopes, giraffes,zebra, …;
birds and reptiles of different types. All these characteristics make soil, lakes and
rivers, over a great range of hills that make its famous name.
The paragraph above makes a good example of a Standard paragraph.
A Standard Paragraph should have four main parts or sentences respectively
arranged in the following way:
1. TheTopical or Key sentence which announces the idea to follow;
2. The Argument(s) support the key sentence by justifying it.
3. The Example(s) which reinforce both the Key sentence and the Argument(s) by
providing proof through practical facts, that is, through illustrations.
4. The conclusion sums up all what was said in the whole paragraph.
Hints:
• Give always a Title to A Standard Paragraph as a Writing Exercise.
• The First and the last Sentences are the most important parts in a standard
paragraph.
• Only the Standard Paragraph has the four parts consecutively arranged in the
way they are. Other forms of paragraphs have either a single part / sentence,
two, three or more sentences.
• All sentences of a Standard paragraph are inter-connected and all of them talk
about the main Heading / title.
Application Activity
The Rwandan Tourism Board has asked you to prepare a leaflet about Rwanda
that can be given to tourists.
• Your leaflet must include information about the geographical features of
interest to tourists, for example national parks, climate, lakes and volcanoes.
You can refer to the map above for the names of important geographical
features.
• Organise you information so that your leaflet is easy to read and understand.
You must make sure that you use headings, paragraphs and numbering.
• Make use of the present perfect tense and passive voice.
Ecotourism and environmental awareness
Rwanda is an emerging ecotourism destination. Ecotourism is
tourism that is directed towards encouraging people to visit exotic
natural environments. It is a fairly new but very important
industry. The money earned from ecotourism helps to support
conservation efforts and protect wildlife. It also provides jobs in
areas where there are often high levels of unemployment. Another
or ‘beautiful Nyungwe’, the project is helping to turn NNP into an
ecotourism destination. This will help to create employment and
provide income for local communities. It will also provide an
economic incentive, in the form of revenue, to conserve the park’s
rich biodiversity.
The NNP is a rainforest located in South-Western Rwanda. It
borders on Burundi in the South and Lake Kivu and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo to the West. The NNP includes
the largest stretch of remaining mountain in East and Central
Africa. It is home to about 310 different bird species, hundreds of
butterflies and orchids, and over 75 different species of mammals
– including 13 primates (about a quarter of all Africa’s primates).
Application Activity 5: Discuss environmental awareness in Rwanda
1. In your groups, find the NNP on a map.
2. See how many other Rwandan national parks you can find and name.
3. Analyse the environmental importance of ecotourism.
4. Discuss what you think would be the long-term outcome if national parks
were not protected and ecotourism was not encouraged.
5. Research and find out how ecotourism helps both the national economy
and local communities.
Text: Read the following passage and answer the questions below
Environment and health
Human health is intimately linked to the health of the
environment. Due to rapidly increasing impacts on our planet,
threats to human health are escalating. Among these threats
are an increasing incidence of cancer caused by pollution of air,
land and water, and outbreaks of infectious diseases caused by
habitat disruption. It was widely thought that tropical forests
and intact natural environment teeming with exotic wildlife
threatened
humans by harboring the viruses and pathogens that lead to
new diseases in humans like Ebola, HIV and dengue.
But a number of researchers today think that it is actually
humanity’s destruction of biodiversity that creates the conditions
for new viruses and diseases like COVID-19, the viral disease that
emerged in China in December 2019, to arise—with profound
health and economic impacts in rich and poor countries alike.
The environmental sector plays a key role in early warning,
detection, and identifying disease risk, as well as in response.
Human activity degrades our environment every day leading to
water, air and soil pollution. Therefore, improving the quality
of the environment in key areas such as air, water and noise can
prevent diseases and improve human health. Noise exposure from
transport sources and industry can lead to annoyance, sleep
disturbance and related increase in the risk of hypertension and
cardiovascular diseases.
Comprehension questions
1. Explain the impact of environment on health.
2. Explain how environment destruction can lead to different diseases and
pandemics.
3. What are the risks of noise exposure from transport sources?
4. List different diseases causes by air pollution and suggest prevention
measures.
Vocabulary
Construct your own sentences using each of the following
words
a) outbreaks
b) habitat
c) exotic
d) viruses
e) pathogens
f) profound
g) annoyance
h) disturbance
i) hypertension
j) cardiovascular
Application activity:
1. Write a 300-word composition on environmental degradation.
2. Debate on the following topic: Life is better in hot areas than in regions
with cold climate.
Assessment
1. Choose the correct option to complete the following sentences in the
present perfect tense:
a) He ________ passed his exam.
have
has
haven’t
hasn’t
b) He ________ studied for the test.
have has
hasn’t
haven’t (2 marks)
2. Fill in the missing word:
a) Carene has been a professional singer ________ 1989.
b) Joseph has been a pupil here ________ March. (2 marks)
3. Rewrite the following sentences using the passive voice:
a) We set the table.
b) You do not write the letter.
c) Does the police officer catch the thief?
d) He opens the door. (4 marks)
4. Rewrite the following using paragraphs, a main heading
and subheadings: (6 marks)
The land of 1000 hills and home of the mountain gorillas.
We offer the following three tours to Rwanda’s national
parks, where you can see Rwanda’s primates. Mountain
Gorilla Safari – 4 Days. This is our shortest safari and
captures the essence of Rwanda. It includes a visit to the
mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Northern
Rwanda. Rwanda Primate Explorer – 7 Days. This safari is a
safari where you trek to the various primates found in
Rwanda. You will see the mighty mountain gorilla,
chimpanzees, the golden monkeys and the colobus, and
there is a chance you will see even more species. Rwanda
Discoverer – 7 Days. This safari includes both a visit to the
gorillas and the chimps, as well as a visit to the savannahs
of Akagera National Park in Eastern Rwanda, where a large
variety of animals and birds are found.
5. Write a brief description of the beauty of Rwanda. Make
sure that you describe its physical features. (6 marks)
Total (20)
UNIT 2: Education and personal development
Key Unit Competence: To Use language learnt in the context of
Education and Personal development.
Introductory activity: Observe the pictures below and tell who
they show.
Ability at school and educational ambitions
Before we leave school, we need to decide on a career path.
Read about educational ambitions

It is not a coincidence that the subjects we do well in at school are usually
the ones we like best. These are the subjects that are easiest for us to
master and to get good grades in. Sometimes we have to work really hard
at a subject because we know we need to get a good grade in that
subject to be able to study for our chosen career.
It is important to make plans for the future while you are still at school. If
you do not make plans, you will have no direction.
Activity 1: What are your favourite subjects?
In pairs, talk about your favourite school subjects. Your conversation will go
something like this.
Read about skills and talents
The following table shows the subjects needed for different career fields
and some of the careers available within each career field.
Activity 2: Compare your subjects and career fields
In which subjects do you perform best? Which subjects do you enjoy the most?
Make a list of these subjects and then compare your subjects to those in the
table above to see which field you might consider going into.
Grammar focus
The first conditional with ‘if’
Conditional sentences are used to speculate about what could happen. They
are used to refer to a possible condition and its probable result in the present or
future where the situation is real. For example: If it rains today, you will get wet.
The ‘if’ clause (if it rains today) is in the simple present tense, and the main
clause (you will get wet) is in the simple future tense.
First conditional sentences are based on facts. Most conditional sentences
contain the word ‘if’. We do not normally use ‘will’ or ‘would’ in the conditional
clause, only in the main clause.
Examples:
• If you help me with the dishes, I will help you with your homework.
• If I have enough money, I will go to Kigali.
Activity 3: Write conditional sentences
Complete the following first conditional sentences.
1. If you work hard, you will ______.
2. If you invite her, she will ______.
3. If I am late, I will ______.
4. If I win first prize, I will ______.
5. If you need me, you can ______.
Read a conversation about leaving school
Listen to the following conversation among three Standard 4
pupils at Green Hills Academy. Three pupils can each read a part
of the dialogue.
Keza: My teacher says that I must start thinking about what I want to do
when I leave school. I’d like to become a doctor. If I get good
grades, I will go to university. What jobs are you interested in
doing, Mihigo?
Mihigo: I like writing, so I’d like to work as a journalist.
Ngabo: That sounds interesting. If you go to university, what will you
study?
Mihigo: I will have to study English and Journalism and then try to get a
junior job with a local newspaper. It is difficult to get a job as a
journalist. What about you, Ngabo? What would you like to do
professionally?
Ngabo: I would like to get experience in banking. If I go to university, I will
study finance.
Keza: If you want to study finance, you will have to get good marks in
Mathematics. It sounds like we all have to work very hard to get the
right grades we need!
Activity 4: Describe your ambitions

The following case study is an example of a young woman who made a
successful career out of handcrafts.
Activity 5: Write about technical skills
Write sentences about technical skills, using the sentence: If you learn ______ ,
you will ______ . For example: If you learn plumbing, you will be able to fix
leaky sinks.
Read about salaries
When you are deciding on a career, you will also have to consider what
you could expect to earn in a particular career. In general, the longer you
study, the higher your salary will be. This is because you will have gained
more knowledge and learned more skills.
The following table shows some average salaries earned per annum in
different occupations, as well as the level of education required.

Activity 6: Do research about careers
1. Research and find out what people earn in the following occupations:
• teacher • farmer
• shop assistant • dentist.
2. Make a table similar to the one above and fill it in with your findings.
3. Discuss different career options with your class.
Read a conversation about education
Read this conversation between a doctor (Dr George), a lawyer
(Joan) and a teacher (Clever).
Dr George: Hello, Joan. Clever, meet Joan. Joan is the best lawyer we have in
town. Joan, this is Clever, he is a teacher at Leafy Wood Academy.
Joan: Nice to meet you, Clever. What do you teach?
Clever: I teach Physics and Mathematics.
Dr George: Clever has been reminding me of our school days. He says that the
education system has changed quite a bit since our school days.
Joan: Oh really? I don’t see any changes in the system. The country is still
producing the same types of professionals: teachers, lawyers,
doctors, engineers, nurses, counsellors … Mind you, there are a few
new professions that have developed in recent times.
Clever: You mean information technologies? Good observation, Joan! I
must tell you, teaching these new technologies is demanding; it has
taken over much of the time that we used to use for informal
activities. Do you remember how we used to have time for a lot of
handwork, cultural activities and a wide range of sports and art? We
now have very limited time for these activities.
Joan: Yes, of course I remember. At my school, we used to spend a lot of
time knitting, having lessons in home management and also doing
sports, music, dance and drama. You know what, if it were not for
my parents’ insistence, I would be a chef right now. I was very
much in love with the kitchen and catering.
Dr George: You don’t say! Do you regret having taken a different career path?
However much I loved football, I never thought of taking it to a
professional level. It just helped me to keep active and healthy. You
cannot excel at school if you do not have a clear mind.
Joan: Come on, George, I do not regret anything. I love the courtroom,
and I also enjoy compiling all the evidence needed to win a case.
Now, Clever, tell me – I hear that the arts are being neglected. Is
this true? If so, how are you going to produce more professionals?
Clever: That is not correct. Art subjects have not been neglected, but with
the increase in technology, we need to equip the youth with more
practical skills. Besides, there have been high rates of
unemployment all over the world, and teaching technical and
entrepreneurship skills will help to create more job creators.
Dr George: I completely agree with that. Our children need a great many
technical and vocational skills in the competitive society of today.
Clever: Well, I have to go now. You both know that teachers have to be
very time-conscious because of our busy schedules.
Dr George: Not very different from a doctor. I have an appointment with a
patient in about an hour’s time. We can leave together. I will give
you a ride.
Joan: Do not mind me. I have a free afternoon. I am going to the museum.
Activity 7: Answer comprehension questions
1. What are extra activities in schools?
2. Why do you think these activities are referred to as ‘informal’ in the
conversation?
3. What has caused limited time for informal activities in schools?
4. Why do you think Joan is not a chef right now?
5. What academic subjects do you think Joan liked during her school days?
6. Who are job creators? What skills do you need to be a job creator?
7. Among the three, who is going to be resting after their departure?
8. Explain what Clever means when he says, “Teachers have to be very time
conscious”.
Activity 8: Practise using the second conditional with ‘if’
Complete the following sentences.
1. If I got a pay rise, ______ .
2. If you left your job, ______ .
3. If you were nicer to him, ______ .
4. If we had gone out earlier, ______ .
5. If I had revised, ______ .
Applying for jobs
Read about job advertisements
One way of looking for a job is to read job advertisements. These can be
found in newspapers and on the Internet. When you read a job
advertisement, you will see that it has two parts to it: the job
description and the job specification.

The job description refers to the content of the job itself and sets out the
duties and responsibilities required of the person employed to do the job.
It specifies:
• the title of the job
• the location of the job
• the duties of the job.

Activity 9: Work with job advertisements
1. In your group, discuss whether Nadege is suitably qualified for the job and
advise her as to whether or not she should apply.
2. Write an advertisement for a new teacher at your school. Your advertisement
should include both a job description and a job specification.
Lifelong learning and career development
Read about personal development

Modern technology helps you to do your job more efficiently, so make sure
you have the proper skills to use this technology. Often, your boss or your
co-workers will show you how to use this equipment.

If you become involved in different tasks, you will start to understand
what the company you work for is trying to achieve. You will also
enhance your efficiency and abilities, and increase your confidence and
self-esteem. With each new aspect of the job, you will learn new skills and
all these skills will help you to move up the career ladder. Opportunities
often arise in the workplace where you can exhibit your skills and talents,
and you can then move into a totally different branch of your career.

Vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling

Activity 10: Match words and their meanings

Use your dictionary to look up the words in the left-hand column of the table,
and then match them to the correct description in the right-hand column. Make
sure that you can pronounce the words correctly.
Writing and understanding

To write a Report is to give information about something you
have heard, seen, done or plan to do, etc. So, the writer exposes
or explains facts in an organized way to make his readers live with
the circumstances.

Example: A football coach, a businessman, a school master can
write a report about his activity.
Activity 11: Write a report
Write a report about your ambitions and how you plan to further your education.
Jobs and gender
In many countries, women still do not have the same job and pay
opportunities as men. In Rwanda, gender equality is written into
the Constitution; Article 11 of the Constitution states that all
Rwandans are equal regardless of gender, race or religion. In the
past, many women only held jobs at the level of receptionists and
personal assistants but this is changing rapidly, although women
still find it difficult to access finance to start their own business.
In Rwanda, the government has made a commitment to
promoting gender equality. According to the 2009 Social Watch
Gender Equity Index, Rwanda was equal second in the world in its
efforts towards gender equality. Only Sweden had a higher score.
Rwanda was the first country in the world to have more than 50%
female members of parliament. The government has set a target
for women to make up 40% of all those in decision-making
positions by 2020.
These goals are in line with the United Nation’s third Millennium
Development Goal, the promotion of gender equality. This covers
many aspects that affect women’s lives, from access to education,
to accessing finance, to participation in decision-making
processes, to reducing gender-based violence.
Activity 12: Discuss women’s roles in Rwanda
In your group, find answers to the following questions.
1. What are the United Nations’ eight Millennium Development Goals?
2. Discuss the business world in your district. How many women entrepreneurs
can you think of?
3. In a traditional society, what are the roles of women?
Assessment
1. Complete the following sentences, using the correct modal verb.
a) If I get home late tonight, I ______ not eat.
b) If Jan could run 100 metres in 10 seconds, he ______
be an athlete.
c) If Simon catches a fish today, we ______ eat it.
d) She ______ buy a new car if she won the lottery.
e) If it rained in the Sahara Desert, everyone ______ be
very surprised.
f) If it rains tonight, we ______ go to the cinema.
g) If your dog spoke, you ______ sell it to the circus.
h) If we play football on Saturday, I ______ be tired on Sunday.
i) You ______ become fat if you eat too much.
j) If I ______ you, I wouldn’t accept that job. It sounds
terrible!
(10 marks)
2. Explain briefly why some jobs command higher salaries
than others.
(5 marks)
3. Analyse your talents and describe what careers you
believe would suit you. (5 marks)
Total (20)
UNIT 3: Ancient Egypt
Key Unit Competence: Use language used in the context of
Ancient Egypt.

Introductory activity: Look at the given pictures and tell which
civilization they belong to.
The study of Ancient Egypt is a fascinating one. It is the study of a
civilisation that began over five thousand years ago and lasted for
over three thousand years. Although the beginnings of Egyptian
history are usually given as about 3100 B.C., remains have been
found of nomadic people from many thousands of years before
this date.
When we study Ancient Egypt, we are studying a civilisation that
lived in the past and no longer exists today. Therefore, we need to
make use of the past tenses to discuss and write about it. We will
also need to learn some new vocabulary to equip us on our
journey of discovery.
Did you know?
Historians use the abbreviations B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini i.e.
‘Year of our Lord’) to distinguish dates.
Who were the Ancient Egyptians?
Read about prehistoric Egypt
Even before the beginnings of the Egyptian civilisation as we know it, the
early Egyptians had been farmers. They had herded cattle. Before they
developed agriculture, they fished in the Nile River. They had made stone
tools. They made pots. Until the Egyptians built their palaces, the
prehistoric Egyptians did not have any large buildings.
Activity 1: Hold a debate about climate change
Hold a debate about the statement: Climate change was an important factor in
the development of Ancient Egypt. Elect two teams, one to argue for the
statement, and one to argue against the statement.
Grammar focus
Use the past simple tense
We use the past simple tense to talk about an action that was completed in a
time before now. The length of time of the action is not important. The
important thing is that the action is over. The action could have happened in
the recent past or in the distant past.
Examples:
• My father died last year.
• Jean-Paul caught the train to South Africa in 2012.
• We lived in Kigali until 2013.
You always use the simple past tense when you say when something happened,
so it is associated with certain past time expressions. We usually make the
positive by adding ‘-ed’ to the infinitive. For example, ‘walk’ becomes ‘walked’.
We make the verb negative by adding ‘did not’ (didn’t).

Some verbs are irregular. You will need to learn each one separately. For
example, ‘be’ changes to ‘was’, ‘have’ changes to ‘had’, ‘go’ changes to ‘went’
and ‘do’ changes to ‘did’. The following table shows the past simple tense of
the verbs ‘be’, ‘have’ and ‘do’:

Activity 2: Practise the simple past tense
Put the following sentences into the past simple, using the correct form of the
verb in brackets:
1. We ______ (talk) on the phone yesterday.
2. The two boys _______ (do) not eat the cake.
3. They __________ (be) very hungry by lunchtime.
4. He _________ (walk) all the way home alone.
5. She _________ (do) her homework on Tuesday.
Read about the beginnings of the Egyptian civilisation

The history of Ancient Egypt is divided into different periods of time. The
most important of these were the Old Kingdom (3100–2180 B.C.), the
Middle Kingdom (2055–1650 B.C.) and the New Kingdom (1550–
1069 B.C.) Towards the end of each of these periods, the authority of the
king broke down and Egypt fragmented into many small kingdoms, only
to be reunited when a strong ruler became pharaoh.

Grammar focus
Past simple tense
1. The past simple tense indicates historical events/completed actions.
For example: Egypt fragmented into many small kingdoms.
2. We use the past perfect tense most often for the following:
• To show first event before another in the past. The second / last event to
happen may be known or understood.
For example:
• The Pharaoh had left big pyramids to Egypt
• When I got home yesterday, my mother had already cooked dinner.
• Reported speech.
For example:
• My father told me that he had cooked dinner but he had not.
• ‘If’ (conditional) sentences.
For example:
• If I had known that my mother had already cooked dinner, I would
have been home earlier.
The past perfect tense in English is made up of two parts: the past tense of the
verb ‘to have (had)’ + the past participle of the main verb.
Can you pick out other examples of sentences in the past simple tense in the
reading above?
Use the past perfect tense.
Activity 3: Use the past perfect tense
Complete the following sentences:
1. I got home very late last night. Everyone ________ ______ to bed.
2. Before coming to Rwanda, I ________ never _________ gorillas.
3. As soon as he _______ ________ his homework, he went to bed.
4. The film was not very good, but I didn’t want to leave until it _________
__________.
5. She ______ just _______ into the bath when the doorbell rang.
6. Now reread the first paragraph about prehistoric Egypt and see how many
past perfect sentences you can find.
Read about the pharaohs
Activity 4: Answer comprehension questions on Ancient Egypt
1. Look at the map of Egypt and name one city in Upper Egypt and one city in
Lower Egypt.
2. Name the three main periods of time used to describe the Ancient Egyptian
civilisation.
3. What is meant by the word ‘dynasty’?
4. Briefly describe the role of the pharaoh.
5. What effect did the rise of the Greek and Roman civilisations have on Egypt?
Read about the economy of Ancient Egypt
The early Egyptians were farmers. The annual flooding of the Nile River
made the soil very fertile and Egypt was able to grow better harvests than
her neighbours. The main crops of Egypt were wheat, barley, lettuce,
beans, onions, figs, melons and cucumbers. Many farmers also grew flax,
which was used to produce linen.

There was no money system. Products were bartered and workers were
paid in wheat, barley and craft products such as pottery and clothes.
Crafts were produced in small workshops.
Trade was important to Egypt. They traded with countries around the
Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Aegean Sea. The main exports
were gold and other minerals, wheat, barley and papyrus sheets. The
main imports were silver, iron, ivory, cattle and spices. Egypt also had
deposits of minerals, such as limestone, copper, gold, tin and sandstone.
Read about the religious beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians

Activity 5: Write sentences in the past perfect tense
Use the information on the religious beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians to write five
sentences about their beliefs, using the past perfect tense.

Sometimes we use the passive voice because it is more polite than the active
voice. For example: A mistake was made. This is gentler or more polite than
saying: He made a mistake.
If we want to say who or what performs the action while using the passive voice,
we use the preposition ‘by’. When we know who performed the action and are
interested in him, it is always better to switch to the active voice instead. For
example: This house was built by my father. The same sentence in the active
voice would be: My father built this house.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, it is important to note the
following:
• The passive sentence starts with the object.
• The finite form of the verb is changed (‘to be’ + past participle).
• The subject of the sentence follows the verb (or is dropped).
• If a subject is used, it is preceded by the preposition ‘by’.
Activity 6: Change the active voice to the passive voice
Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice:
1. Jean-Marc is writing a letter.
2. My mother is baking a cake.
3. My friend is mending his bicycle tyre.
4. My friend is having a birthday party on Saturday.
5. Our cat caught a large rat.
Read about building the pyramids

The tombs contained decorations of the pharaoh’s journey in the afterlife
and texts from the Book of the Dead. The pharaohs were buried with
treasures made of gold and jewels. Later, to avoid grave robbers, the
pharaohs were buried in secret tombs cut into rock. Many of these can
still be visited in the famous Valley of the Kings.
Grammar focus
Past simple passive
The past simple passive is used to insist or emphasize that a specific action was
done sometime in the past. For example: The walls were made of highly
polished limestone. (Here, it is not known who performed the action. The stones
for the pyramids were dragged by the labourers. (Here, the subject – the
labourers – is preceded by the preposition ‘by’.)
Activity 7: Write a report about the building of the pyramids
Research and write a short report of under 200 words about the pyramids. Your
report should explain when the pyramids were built, whom they were built for,
and how they were built. Include diagrams wherever possible. Make sure you
use the past simple passive wherever possible.
Read about the achievements of the Ancient Egyptians
The Egyptians kept the process of making the parchment a secret so that
they could sell it to other civilisations, such as Ancient Greece.
The Ancient Egyptians were very knowledgeable about medicine. They
had a wide variety of medicines and cures. Some of their medicines were
strange. For example, they used honey and human brains to cure eye
infections. Many of their medicines were accompanied by spells to ward
off the evil spirits making the person sick.
Because the Nile River was so important in the lives of the Egyptians, they
were very good shipbuilders. They originally built small boats from
papyrus reeds, but later began to build large ships from cedar wood
imported from Lebanon.
The Egyptians had a good understanding of engineering, mathematics
and geometry. This enabled them to build the pyramids and other large
buildings. Mathematics and numbers allowed them to keep track of
business transactions.
One of the amazing achievements of the Egyptians was inventing the
calendar. This enabled them to know at what time of the year the Nile
River would flood. Another scientific achievement was inventing the
Nileometer. Nileometers were very important to the Egyptians. With a
Nileometer, the Egyptians could measure the rising water levels of the Nile
River so that they could predict a possible flood and take action before
lives or crops were endangered.
Grammar focus
The third conditional
The third conditional is used to talk about something in the past that did not
happen, and which may not happen at all. We make it by using the past perfect
tense after ‘if’ or by inverting the Auxiliary HAD and its subject.
Examples:
• If they had not had a problem with grave robbers, the Egyptians would
have kept on building pyramids.
• The Egyptians would not have had paper if they had not learned how to
make it from papyrus.
Activity 8: Discuss the achievements of the Ancient Egyptians
1. Discuss the achievements of the Ancient Egyptians.
2. How important was the relationship between knowledge and achievement?
3. Try to use the third conditional in your discussions with each other.
Activity 9: Write about the achievements of the Ancient Egyptians
Write a paragraph about the achievements of the Ancient Egyptians, making use
of abstract nouns with ‘allowed to’ and ‘enabled to’, as well as ‘could’.
Vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling
Activity 10: Use your dictionary

Writing and understanding
Activity 11: Write about life in Ancient Egypt
Write a short essay of about 200 words entitled, ‘If I had lived in Ancient Egypt …’.
Religious tolerance: What can we learn from
the Ancient Egyptians?
We have learned that the Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic and
worshipped many different gods. One home might have had a
shrine to a particular god or goddess, such as Isis, and the
neighbouring home might have had a shrine to another deity,
such as Horus. There was no conflict over differences of worship.
Activity 12: Discuss religious tolerance
1. In your groups, brainstorm and list all the different forms and places of
worship in your district.
2. Why do you think we should respect each other’s religious beliefs?
Text: Read the following passage and answer the questions
bellow
Ancient Egyptian medicine
The art of medicine of the ancient Egypt is extensively
documented from the 33rd century BC until 6th century BC.
Ancient Egyptians suffered from diseases like headache and
emotional stress especially among tomb builders; various
infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and worm infection;
kidney stones; snake or scorpion bites; poliomyelitis; leprosy,
and plague.
Egyptian doctors were the first to discover how the human body
works and they knew that the heart, pulse rates, blood and air
were important to the workings of the human body. A heart that
beat feebly told doctors that the patient had problems.
The ancient Egyptians practiced medicine with highly professional
methods. They had advanced knowledge of anatomy and surgery.
Also, they treated a lot of diseases including dental, gynecological,
gastrointestinal, and urinary disorders. They could diagnose
diabetes and cancer.
Surgery was performed on a routine basis in ancient
Egypt. Egyptians used antiseptic to aid the healing process,
another major development in medical practice. The earliest
known form of surgery was performed in Egypt around 2750 BC.
It is now known that Egyptian medicine contributed greatly to
modern medicine. Many of the therapies used today are similar to
those used in ancient Egyptian times such as the method of
treating a fractured bone. Indeed, they were the first to use
electrotherapy to cure pain… More than 3,500 years ago, the
ancient Egyptians used willow bark as a traditional medicine for
pain relief.
Comprehension questions
1. How could doctors diagnose whether a patient had cardiovascular
problems?
2. Since when did ancient Egyptians start performing surgery?
3. Explain how ancient Egyptian medicine contributed to modern
medicine.
Vocabulary
Construct your own sentences using each of the following words
a) emotional stress
b) kidney stones
c) scorpion
d) poliomyelitis
e) pulse rates
f) feebly
g) gastrointestinal
h) antiseptic
i) electrotherapy
j) willow bark
Application activity
1. Write a composition describing ancient Egyptian medicine.
Assessment
1. Choose the correct words or phrase from the following to complete
each sentence:
could, be able to, lead to, allow to, enabled to
a) I need to get good grades in Science so that I will ____
____ ____ study medicine.
b) My friend asked if she _______ come to the cinema
with us.
c) The annual flooding of the Nile _______ the Egyptians
_______ grow crops.
d) Smoking cigarettes can ____ ____ lung cancer.
e) I do not know if my parents will _______ me _______
go out tonight.
3. Use the correct past simple form of the verb in brackets
to complete the following sentences:
a) They _______ (walk) to the shops yesterday.
b) He told me that he _______ (do not) use your bicycle
without asking.
c) The sunset _______ (be) beautiful last night. (3 marks)
4. Use the correct past perfect form of the verb in brackets
to complete the following sentences:
a) I did not have any money because I ____ ____ (leave)
my wallet at home.
b) Eugenie ____ ____ (wanted) a guitar, but she received
a book.
c) My father ____ ____ (own) this house for ten years
before he sold it. (3 marks)
5. Change the following sentences from the active voice to
the passive voice:
a) Harry ate six mangoes at dinner.
b) Magnificent gorillas roam the mountainous
highlands of Rwanda.
c) My mom read the novel in one day.
d) Who taught you to ride a bike? (4 marks)
Unit 4:Ecology and Mathematics
Key Unit Competence: To use language learnt in the context of
Ecology and Matematics.
Introductory activity: Brainstorm names of people and things we
cannot sense.
interdependent when two or more organisms or people are dependent on each
other
organisms any life forms
transmit to send or pass something on
larvae the immature form of an insect, e.g. a caterpillar
essential absolutely necessar
The composition and contents of soil
Read about the composition of soil

Factors that help to form soil include:
• Living organisms: This includes organisms such as plants, animals,
fungi and bacteria.
• Topography: This is the shape or slope of the surface of land where the
soil is forming.
• Climate: The climate and weather forming affect how the soil forms.
• Core material: The core material is the minerals and rocks that are
slowly disintegrating to form the soil.
Grammar focus
Abstract nouns
Nouns can be abstract or concrete. Concrete nouns are tangible. This means
that you can experience them with your five senses: you can touch them, hear
them, feel them, taste them or smell them. Abstract nouns refer to intangible
things, such as feelings, ideals, concepts and qualities.
Example: I have a dream. ‘Dream’ is an abstract noun because you cannot taste
it, see it, feel it, hear it or smell it.
Here are other examples of abstract nouns:
• beauty   • bravery
• courage   • enthusiasm
• hatred • intelligence
Activity 1: Change adjectives to abstract nouns
Complete the following sentences by changing the adjective in brackets into an
abstract noun.
1. He is a man of ______ . (courageous)
2. The people in this part of the country live in ______ . (poor)
3. ______ to animals is a punishable offence. (cruel)
4. The man showed great _____ of character. (strong)
5. I have great ______ in welcoming you. (pleasing)
Activity 2: Label a diagram
When we draw a diagram to explain something, we must make sure that the
diagram is easy to understand. Using labels helps the reader to identify the
different parts of the diagram.
1. In your group, use the diagram on page 44 to discuss the composition of
the Earth’s surface.
2. Working alone, do research and draw a diagram to show the different parts
of the Earth’s crust.
3. Label your diagram.
Read about the composition of soil
When plants decay, they break down in the soil to form rotting organic
matter called humus. This increases the nutrients available for more
plants to grow.
Grammar focus
Passive voice
We use the passive voice to show interest in the person or object that is
experiencing an action, rather than the person or object that is performing
the action. In the reading on the composition of soil, there are several sentences
where the passive voice is used, for example: Soil is made up of several things. In
the active voice, this sentence would be: Several things make up soil. Can you
find more sentences in the passive voice?
Activity 4: Write a description of the composition of soil
Copy the following paragraph into your exercise book and fill in the blanks.
Plants obtain _______ from the soil. Soil is the outer, loose layer that covers the
surface of the _______. Soil quality depends, not only on the chemical
composition of the soil, but also on the _______ (regional surface features) and
the presence of _______ organisms. The four major components of soil are
_______ mineral matter, _______ matter, water and air. Soil is the base of life on
Earth because it has most of the important _______ in which plants need to
grow. Those plants in turn feed animals and _______. Soil is also where much of
our fresh _______ is stored. Fresh water travels through the soil being _______ as
it goes. It often ends up in underground _______ called aquifers, where we can
get it when we need it.
Soil erosion
Read about soil erosion
Soil erosion occurs when the topsoil disappears for some reason. Erosion
can occur naturally as a result of wind or water, or as a result of human
activities. It becomes a problem when human activity causes erosion to
occur much faster than under natural conditions.
Soil plays a very important role in supporting life on Earth. When soil is
eroded, it affects the ecology of the area where erosion has occurred.
Plants use soil, not only for nutrients, but also to anchor themselves in the
ground using their roots. Many animals, fungi and bacteria rely on soil as
a place to live.
The atmosphere is affected because changes in the soil affect the rate at
which gases, such as carbon dioxide, are released into the air. The quality
of water is affected because the soil helps to filter and clean our water
Activity 5: Describe the process of soil erosion
Write sentences about what will happen if too many goats are allowed to graze
on a hillside. Make sure you organise your sentences in the right order.
erosion gradual wearing away; ecology the branch of biology that deals with the
relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings
Read about the effects of soil erosion
When the topsoil is eroded from an area, the area loses its most nutrient
rich layer, and therefore the ability of the soil to produce crops is reduced.
When the organic matter that is found within the top layer of soil is
removed, the soil can no longer ‘hold’ water. This means that the area is
more susceptible to extreme weather conditions such as droughts. As the
soil is eroded and runs down to waterways, river banks can be eroded,
causing rivers to break their banks during heavy rains. This causes
flooding and more damage to the surrounding area.
Wind can also cause soil erosion by moving topsoil. Wind can also
damage young seedlings by blasting them with sand and other small
particles. Wind can uncover and expose some seedlings, while at the same
time covering other seedlings with too much soil.
Soil erosion can be caused by human activities such as over-farming and
overgrazing, or by natural phenomena such as wind. Over-farming occurs
when farmers use their land too extensively without giving it time to rest
and replenish. Instead of rotating crops so that the nitrogen is
replenished in the soil, some farmers exhaust the land.
Overgrazing occurs when farmers keep too many animals for the
available vegetation. All the vegetation is eaten by the animals. There are
no roots left to hold the soil together, and no leaves to make humus. This
leaves the land bare and exposed to wind and rain. In East Africa this is a
serious concern, especially in the highland areas of Rwanda and Burundi.
Activity 6: Identify the stages of soil erosion
Look at the pictures below and then match each one to the correct sentence.

1. All the vegetation has been eaten, the land is overgrazed and there is
nothing to stop soil erosion. The land becomes a desert.
2. When the land cannot sustain the cattle, sheep and goats are grazed there
instead.
3. The soil is fertile and lots of plants grow in it.
4. Cattle are grazed and the smaller plants are eaten.
Plants
In the next section, you will learn more about plants.
Activity 7: Identify the ratio of plants to other species on Earth

Read about the parts of a plant

Grammar focus
Word formation
When we make sentences, we use words. In English there are two main ways of
creating new words, borrowing and derivation.
Borowing: through this process, English entered complete words from other
languages without making any change on them.
Example: voyage, souvenir, kimono, pinjama, fiancée, …
Derivation: through derivation, English create new words after making some
changes on them. The process of derivation uses two techniques,
composition and Affixation.

• Composition: word creation by composition is made by adding a word to
another. We find this in many compound words. Example: facebook,
chalkboard, roothairs, taproot, sunlight, …

• Affixation: word creation though affixation is done by adding a preffixe
and/ or a suffixe to a word or fraction of word called Root. Like plants,
words have roots, the basis which they are built. Prefixes are just
introductory words or particle; and suffixes are ending words or particles.
Example:
• product (root): re-product, product-ion, re-product-ion.
• trans- pirat-ion
• photo-synthes- is
• pollin-ation, pol-ar
Some common affixes:
Prefixes: pre-,mono-, di-, re-, photo-, multi-, trans-, dis-, im-, ex-, …
Suffixes: (-ation)-ion, -al, -er, -ar, -iar, -om, -en, -sis, -gy, -ment, …
Identifying affixes and roots help us understand the meaning words.

Activity: Pick five words to illustrate Word Borrowing and five other words
from derivatives in the text below about “Label a plant “; then explain parts of
the formation.
Activity 8: Label a plant
Go into the school grounds or surrounding area, and pick a small plant. Bring it
back into the classroom, draw it and label it. Make sure you include the
functions of each part.
Read about the importance of plants
The production of food for the plant is done by the leaves through the
process of photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide from the air is taken into the
plant by the leaves. The carbon dioxide mixes with water that has come
from the air and the roots. Energy from the sun helps this process and
turns the water and carbon dioxide into glucose. Glucose is the plant’s
food and gives it energy to grow. During the process of photosynthesis,
the plant breathes out oxygen into the atmosphere. This is very
important, because oxygen is needed by human beings in order to
Activity 9: Ask and answer questions
Take turns to ask each other the following questions and supply the correct
responses.
Q. What are the functions of the roots of a plant?
A. The functions of the roots are _______ .
Q. What is the function of the stem of a plant?
A. The function of the stem is _______ .
Q. What is the function of the leaves of a plant?
A. The function of the leaves is _______ .
Q. What is the function of the flower of a plant?
A. The function of the flower is _______ .
Activity 10: Explore your environment
Reread the texts about plants and their importance to humans.
1. Make a list of plants in your environment at school.
2. Why do you think we need plants in our lives?
3. Do you think plants can be harmful to humans? Explain your answer.
4. Describe the relationship between plants and the environment.
5. Compare your answers with those of your friends. Discuss your answers with
the rest of your class.
Activity 11: Identify sentences in the passive voice
There are a number of passive sentences in the readings about plants. For
example: Transpiration of water and nutrients from the roots is done by the stem.
The underlined words show the object being used to start the sentence. Find
three more sentences from the passage that are written in the passive voice.
Grammar focus
Countable and uncountable nouns
Countable nouns are things we can count using numbers. They have a singular
and a plural form.
For example: one dog, two dogs.

Uncountable nouns are the things that we cannot count with numbers.
For example: rice, tea, water.

We always refer to these nouns in the singular. We do not talk about many rices!
Read about types of plants

There are over 280 000 different plants on Earth, but we can divide these
into 4 main groups: mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants.
Mosses are land plants, but they do not have seeds or flowers. Mosses
reproduce with spores. Mosses do not have stems or large roots to
transport water and nutrients, so they live in moist environments and are
smaller than other land plants.
Flowering plants represent the most widespread group of plants on Earth.
Flowering plants are found in most habitats, from deserts to the polar
regions. Flowering plants include species of trees, grasses, shrubs and
herbs. The flower attracts many animals which assist in pollination,
making the process of pollination more efficient. The seed develops in an
ovary, which becomes a fruit. The fruit serves to help seed dispersal, as
animals eat the seeds. Birds and mammals may deposit the seeds a long
way from the original plant.
There are 8 000 species of grasses, which are plants with small flowers.
Grasses provide food for many grazing animals, including buffalo and
zebra. Grasses can provide food such as grains like rice, wheat and corn.
Activity 12: Make notes
When we are studying information, it is useful to make notes. Using words,
when we make notes, we write a brief phrase about the most important points
of what we are reading. This helps us to know what is important and must be
learned.
Reread the passage ‘Read about types of plants’ and make notes on the most
important information. Include any mathematical information that is relevant.
Activity 13: Discuss plants that are useful to humans
In your group, discuss the different plants that are useful to humans. See if you
can group them into trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses and herbs.
Activity 14: Classify plant types
Look at the following pictures and answer the questions that follow.
1. Classify each of the plants as a tree, a flowering plant, a shrub, a herb or a
grass.
2. Match the following names of the plants with the correct description.
Activity 15: Conduct a survey
Do you know the answers to the following questions?
• How many kinds of plants live around you?
• Which plants are common and which are rare?
• What is the average tree size?
• When do the plants flower?
You can answer these questions by conducting a plant diversity survey. In order
to do this, you will need to complete the following steps:
1. Choose an area of your neighbourhood in which to conduct the survey.
2. Mark out the area to be surveyed. An area of 2 m by 2 m is sufficient.
3. In your notebook, write down the names of all the different types of plants
in your survey area. Count how many of each species there are, and make a
note of your findings.
4. Create your statistics. Add up the total number of plants and then calculate
each type of plant as a percentage of the total.
5. Calculate the average number of each plant type.
6. Draw a table showing the different classes and species of plants found.
7. In class, discuss your findings and describe any interesting facts that
emerged from your survey. Talk about what types of plants you saw and also
what you did not see. Use ‘why’ questions to get answers from each other.
Vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling
Activity 16: Use your dictionary
Look up the following words in your dictionary. Write the word and its meaning
in your exercise book. Practise saying the words with a partner or in a group.
organism   decayed topography
inorganic   nutrients erosion
habitat   susceptible humus
transpiration   photosynthesis reproduction
to harbour   multicellular   pollination
Assessment
1. Find at least five abstract nouns in this unit, for example ‘cultivation’
(from the verb ‘cultivate’) and ‘importance’ (from the adjective
‘important’). (5 marks)
2. Choose the most appropriate meaning for each of the following words.
a) cultivate
to grow plants
to plant
to have crops for food
to grow plants and animals for food
b) root crops
stems rich in carbohydrates
substitute for cereals
underground crops
crops with roots
c) harbour
bring
shelter
cause
train (3 marks)
3. Explain the importance of humans to both plants and soil. (2 marks)
4. In your own words, describe how human activities cause soil
erosion. Use examples and illustrations. (10 marks)
Total (20)
Unit 5: Friendship
Key Unit Competence: To use language learnt in the context of
Friendship.
Introductory activity: Observe this picture and tell the
relationship between these persons.
You will develop these skills
• Use formal and informal language.
• State the vocabulary of politeness: describing people, safe sex.
Quick check
Do you enjoy being with your friends?
Human beings are social creatures. This means that we like to be
in groups and to relate to each other. Our relationships are
important to us. We have many different kinds of relationships,
for example those between family, friends and people whom we
work or study with. Friendships are among the most important
relationships in our lives. Many of our favourite memories include
times we have spent with friends. Research has recently shown
that having friends increases our chances of being happy and
healthy.
What do we mean by friendship?
Of all the things that wisdom provides to help one live one’s entire life
in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship.
(Epicurus 306 B.C.)
Friendship is a relationship between two people who care about
each other and who are not related. Some friendships last a
lifetime, but it is possible that friendship can exist between two
people at one stage of life and not at another.
Read about being a good friend
unconditional something that does not have conditions under which it will
change
Activity 1: Describe being a good friend
1. Do you agree or disagree with the statement: ‘To have good friends, you
must be a good friend’?
2. Think of ways that good friends treat each other. Write your answers in your
exercise book.
Grammar focus
Writing descriptions of people
When we write descriptions of people or protrait, we need to make them so
vivid that the person reading our description can picture the person clearly in
their mind. We need to use descriptive words. For example, here are some
descriptive words for face shape:
When someone is being described to us, we want to be given certain
information such as their age, their sex, their height and what colour their eyes
are. This helps us to picture the other person in our minds.
Activity 2: Describe a face

Activity 3: Describe someone using a photo
You will need to bring a photo of yourself in to school before doing this activity.
In your groups, look at photos of each other. Take turns in describing each other
from the photos. Try to describe as many aspects, such as age, height and
appearance, as you can.

Read a description of a friend
My best friend Anitha
I want to tell you about my best friend Anitha. I am so lucky to have her
as a friend. Without her, I would not be as happy as I am now. We have
the same hobbies and sometimes share the same opinions. We are really
close to each other; she can tell if I'm lying, even if I am keeping a straight
face! I don't know how she does it.
I have known Anitha for my whole life. We live next door to each other, so
I see her often. She is small and slim, with an oval face with dark brown
eyes and a big mouth. She has long, black, wavy hair, which she usually
wears in a ponytail. She is quite beautiful, especially when she smiles.
Anitha is like a part of my family. I trust her as much as I trust my family
members. She is very honest and she always says what she thinks. This
can be very useful. For example, when we go shopping, she always tells
me truthfully what suits me and what does not. Anitha always seems to
be in a good mood. She always brings out the best in me by being
positive and cheerful.
I don't know how it is possible, but I am never bored with her. We have
never argued, but sometimes she can be stubborn. She never admits her
faults.
I hope our friendship will last and never end.
Activity 4: Use words to describe appearance
1. Write down all the words used to describe Anitha’s appearance.
2. Write down as many similar words as you can.
Activity 5: Describe your friends
1. In pairs, take turns to talk to each other about a friend. Think about what
you want to say before you start speaking, and then speak for about a
minute.
2. While the other person is describing their friend, make notes about what
they have said.
Activity 6: Write about another person
Write a description of a friend. You can use about 200–250 words.
Grammar focus
Recounting events and activities
When we recount an activity, we are telling another person about an activity or
event that has happened. It is important to structure the story in a way that
makes sense, while using language that matches the same purpose. Consider
the following before you start:
• Are the events in the correct time order?
• Is your recount in the past tense?
• Is it in the first or third person?
• Does it use time connectives such as next, meanwhile, within hours, soon
afterwards, weeks later?
Example:
Last Thursday, Aimable and I played a game of football. After we had finished
playing, I went with him to his house for a snack. Soon after we had finished
eating our snacks, we decided to go and see a movie.
Activity 7: Recount an activity at school
Write a paragraph recounting something that has happened at school in the
past week.
Listen and recount
Listen while your teacher recounts the following story.
“Hah,” he thought to himself. “No one else has such a fine home!”
One day, as he looked out from the entrance of his cave, he was horrified
to see a huge lion stealthily stalking towards him. He started to back
away, but because he had made the entrance to his place so grand, the
lion would have no difficulty in following Warthog right in.
“Ahhhh,” panicked Warthog. “Bhubesi will eat me in my own lounge!
What will I do?”
Warthog decided to use an old trick he’d heard Jackal bragging about.
Warthog pretended to be supporting the roof of his hole with his strong
back, pushing it up with his tusks.
“Help!” he cried to the lion. “I am going to be crushed! The roof is caving
in! Flee, oh mighty Bhubesi, before you are crushed along with me!”
Now Lion was no fool. He recognised Jackal’s old ploy straight away and
he wasn’t going to be caught out again. He roared so fiercely that
Warthog dropped to his knees, trembling.
Warthog begged for mercy. Luckily for him, Lion was not too hungry, and
so he pardoned the warthog and left, saying: “Stay on your knees, you
foolish beast.”
Lion laughed to himself and shook his shaggy head as we walked away.
Imagine, slow-witted Warthog trying to copy Jackal’s trick!
Activity 8: Recount a story to another person
Recount the story of Warthog and Lion to each other then check to see if you
got the events in the right order.
Grammar focus
Reported speech
We use reported speech when we want to repeat what someone has previously
said. There is a difference between direct speech and reported speech: in direct
speech, the talking is actually happening, and in reported speech, we are telling
someone else about what was said.
Example:
• Dinah said, “I am tired.” (direct speech)
The following are some of the important verb changes we use when making
reported speech.
Activity 9: Change from direct to reported speech
Change the following sentences form direct speech to reported speech.
1. John said, “I can ride a horse.”
2. John said, “My mother does the cleaning.”
3. “I’m going to the cinema,” he said.
4. “My name is Lela,” she said.
5. She said, “What shall we learn today?”
Grammar focus
Making offers and requests
When we are making polite offers and requests, we make use of the verbs
would, could, may, will and can. To ask questions in a very polite way, we use
‘would you’ or ‘could you please’ plus the simple tense of the verb.
Don’t use ‘may’ in polite question when ‘you’ is the subject.
This is incorrect: May you please close the window?
‘May’ goes best with ‘I’ and ‘we’ in polite questions.
This is correct: May I help you with the washing?
The word ‘please’ makes the request more polite and less direct. For example:
• Please would you return the book you borrowed last week.
We can express an offer using ‘would’, ‘could’ and ‘may’. For example:
• Would you like a cup of tea?
• May I serve you some fruit?
• Could I give you one of my beautiful suits?
• Would I serve hot milk and bread for dinner?
Activity 11: Role play being polite
In your groups, make up a role play about a situation where you use polite offers
and requests, for example dinner with your family.
Grammar focus
Direct speech
When we use direct speech, we are reporting something that was said exactly as
it was spoken. We use quotation marks to enclose the words that were spoken.
For example: June said, “It is going to rain today.”
We can use direct speech to report things as they are said (the present tense) or
as they were said some time ago (the past tense).
Examples:
• He says, “I am happy.” (present tense)
• He said, “I am happy.” (past tense)
Activity 12: Practise direct speech
Change the examples of polite offers into direct speech:
1. Would you like a cup of tea?
2. May I serve you some fruit?
3. Could I give you one of my beautiful suits?
4. Would I serve hot milk and bread for dinner?
Grammar focus
Formal and informal ways of asking and offering
‘Could’ and ‘would’ are used to make requests in a formal way. They soften
requests and make them more polite.
Examples:
• Would/could you please serve me a cup of tea? (But not: Serve me a cup of
tea, please.)
• Would/could you please repeat what you said? (But not: Repeat what you
said, please.)
• Do/would you mind closing that window?
When talking to friends, we may want to be less formal. Using ‘can’ and ‘will’ is
less formal, but still polite.
Examples:
• Can I borrow your ruler, please?
• Will you stop shouting, please?
Activity 13: Make informal requests
Change the following sentences into informal requests:
1. Would you please pass me a cup of tea?
2. Could you help me with my homework?
3. Would you tidy the house for me?
4. Would you like me to pass you a banana?
5. Would you like to come to the cinema with me?
Activity 14: Plan an outing
1. In your group, plan an outing to somewhere nice.
2. Write down your plan.
3. Now pretend that you have been on the outing and write a report telling
your friends what happened.
4. Read over your report and notice any grammar changes that happened
when you wrote about it.
Activity 15: Read a dialogue
In pairs, read the following dialogue.
Peter: Would you mind if I served you a glass of juice, Rhonah?
Rhonah: No, I wouldn’t mind. I am rather grateful. Could I help you
with the cooking, Peter?
Peter: Yes, please. Thank you very much. Would you like another set
of clothes to work in?
Rhonah: Well, thank you. I could still work in these. By the way, do you
mind if I clean the kitchen?
Peter: Before you do that, may I give you another glass of juice or will
that one do?
Rhonah: This will do. Would you like to play tennis with me later?
Peter: Wonderful! I would like that.
Talking about boyfriends and girlfriends
Read about romantic relationships

Loving and being loved adds richness to our lives. When
people feel close to others they are happier and even healthier. Love helps
us feel important, understood and secure.

• Attraction is the ‘chemistry’ part of love. It’s all about the physical –
even sexual – interest that two people have in each other. Attraction is
responsible for the desire we feel to kiss and hold the object of our
affection. Attraction is also responsible for the flushed, nervous-but excited
way we feel when that person is near.

• Closeness is the bond that develops when we share thoughts and
feelings that we don’t share with anyone else. When you have this
feeling of closeness with your boyfriend or girlfriend, you feel
supported, cared for, understood and accepted for who you are. Trust
is a big part of this.

• Commitment is the promise or decision to stick by the other person
through the ups and downs of the relationship.

Activity 16: Comprehension
1. List some of the ways that love can make us feel.
2. Define romantic love.
3. Analyse the ‘chemistry’ of love.
4. Discuss the meaning of commitment and how it applies to romantic love.
Activity 17: Talk about relationships
In your group, discuss what is good or not good in relationships between the sexes.
Read about being ready for sex
Young people can feel a lot of pressure to have sex. Friends may tell you
they’re all doing it (sometimes even if they’re not). You see it on the TV
and in the movies. You might also feel pressured by a particular person.
Or you might feel that it’s expected of you from a girlfriend or boyfriend.
When we love someone, we respect them and we do not try to make
them do something they feel uncomfortable about.
Sex is never an obligation – each partner has the right to say no. If your
partner asks you to stop, you must respect this.
It’s important to know about the physical and emotional dangers of early
sex and it’s also important to be able to identify the benefits of saving sex
for when you are really ready
What is safer sex?
Safer sex means sexual contact that does not involve any blood, semen
or vaginal fluids being passed between partners. We say ‘safer sex’
rather than ‘safe sex’ because sex can’t be guaranteed 100% safe.
The best way to have safe sex is to be in a relationship where neither of
you has sex outside the relationship, and where you are both free of any
STDs. You should also use contraception if you are not ready to have a
child. Some people say the only form of safe sex is to abstain totally (not
have sex at all), but most people would see this as being unrealistic.
Writing and understanding
Activity 19: Write about romantic relationships
Write a short text (250–300 words) about relationships between the sexes.
Talking about HIV and Aids
In Rwanda, it is estimated that 3.1% of adults in the 15–49 age
group are HIV-positive. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency
Virus and is an illness that alters the immune system, making
people vulnerable to illnesses and infections. HIV leads to Aids
(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). People can live with the
virus in their bodies for many years before they develop Aids, but
Aids cannot be cured and eventually leads to death.
The virus is passed from one person to another through contact
with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. The main
ways in which people contract HIV are:
• having unprotected sex with an infected person
• multiple sexual partners; polygamy can spread the disease
• babies drinking the breast milk of an infected person
• infected blood transfusions
• infection from mother to foetus during pregnancy
• drug users sharing dirty needles.
Activity 20: Share your HIV/Aids knowledge
1. Discuss the ways that HIV can be contracted.
2. Talk about how to have a romantic relationship and avoid contracting HIV.
3. Discuss the impact of HIV/Aids on society. How does it affect the family, the
community and the economy of Rwanda?
Vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation
Activity 21: Match words and their meanings
Look up the words in the left-hand column and then match to the correct
meaning in the right-hand column. Make sure that you can pronounce the
words correctly
Text: Read the following passage and answer the questions
bellow
The nurse-patient relationship
Working as a nurse can be an exceptionally rewarding career
path. However, that’s not to say it doesn’t have its downsides. In
fact, nurses are both physically and emotionally pushed on a daily
basis, which can be hard on an individual working in this field. For
these healthcare workers, it is vital that they know how to establish
healthy relationships with the patients they interact with day
in and day out. Not only is it good for the patient, but it can also
benefit the mental health of the nurse as well. For nurses, finding a
balance between compassionate care and professionalism is key
in order to connect with the individuals they are treating.
A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is defined as a helping
relationship. This means that it is based on mutual trust and
respect, the nurturing of faith and hope. It is also about being
sensitive to self and others, and assisting with the gratification
of your patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through
your knowledge and skill.
The nurse-patient relationship enables nurses to spend more time,
to connect, to interact with their patients as well as to understand
their patient’s needs. It assists nurses to establish a unique perspective
regarding the meaning of the patient’s illness as well as
beliefs, and preferences of patients and their families.
Comprehension questions
1. What do you understand by the following words and expressions in the
context of the above text:
a. a rewarding career path
b. downsides
c. day in and day out
d. compassionate care
e. mutual trust
f. a unique perspective
2. How does good relationship with patients benefit the nurse?
Vocabulary
Construct your own sentences using each of the following words
a) rewarding career path
b) downsides
c) vital
d) day in and day out
e) compassionate care
f) therapeutic
g) mutual trust
h) nurturing
i) gratification
Application activity
Write a composition describing a day in the life of a nurse.
Assessment
1. Change the following sentences into reported speech. They have been
started for you.
a) “Don’t waste your money,” she said.
She told the boys________________________ .
b) “What have you decided to do?” she asked him.
She asked him __________________________ .
c) “I always wake up early,” he said.
He said __________________________________ .
d) “You should revise your lessons,” he said.
He advised the students ____________________ .
e) “Where have you been?” he asked me.
He wanted to know __________________________ . (5 marks)
2. Change the following sentences into direct speech.
a) Carene said that she might come.
b) Jean-Paul said that he could fail.
c) Olive said that David should stay in bed.
d) Thierry said that he used to have a car.
e) Josiane said that she wished they were in South Africa. (5 marks)
3. Fill in the blanks in the sentences below to make them
into formal requests.
a) _________ I speak to Mr Mugabo, please?
b) ___________ you open the window, please? It’s hot in here.
c) Would you mind if I _________ come to your party?
d) Would you mind if I _________ your dictionary for an
hour or so?
e) Could I stay here for a while? Yes, you __________ . (5 marks)
4. Write a short report explaining the dangers of teenage sex. (5 marks)
Total (20)
Unit 6: Study skills and writing
Key Unit Competence: To use language learnt in the context of
Study Skills and Writing.
Introductory activity: Observe and interpret the picture below.
In Unit 2, we discussed educational ambitions and career choices.
We discovered that, if you want to study further after you leave
school, you need to choose the correct subjects for your career
choice. You also have to get good grades.
Many people work very hard but do not achieve good grades
because they do not have the right study skills. They also do not
always know how to write correctly and answer examination
questions in the right way.
Grammar focus
How to write a summary
When you write a summary, you must remember to keep it very short and to
the point.
• Do not rewrite the original piece.
• Use your own wording.
• Make sure you refer to the central and main ideas of the original piece.
• Do not put in your opinion of the issue or topic discussed in the original
piece.
• Write it always in the form of a ‘prose”.
• Give it always an individual title.
Read about storks
Read the following text silently on your own.
Storks do not sing. They make a noise like someone clapping their
hands together because they feel happy. I think storks clap their bills
to make the same happy sounds. They clap their bills almost all the
time, except when they are hunting in the marshes and ditches for
frogs and little fishes. Then they are quiet. When they are on your
roof, they are noisy, but it is a happy noise and I like happy noises.
That is all I know about storks; but my aunt in the village of Nati
knows a lot about storks because, every year, two big storks come and
build their nest right on her roof. Storks never come to Shora; they go
to all the villages roundabout, but they never come to Shora.
After Lina had finished reading her story, the room was quiet. The teacher
stood there looking very proud and pleased. Then he said, “That was a
fine story, Lina. A very fine composition, and you know quite a lot about
storks!”
He turned to big Jella. “Jella,” he said, “what do you know about storks?”
“About storks, Teacher?” Jella said slowly. “About storks – nothing.” He
looked surly and stubborn, because he felt stupid. He thought he ought to
explain.
“You see,” he told the teacher, “I can’t bring them down with my
catapult. I’ve tried and tried, but I just can’t seem to do it.”
The teacher looked startled. “But why would you want to shoot them
down?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Jella said. He wriggled a little in his seat. He looked
unhappy. “Because they move, I suppose.”
“Oh,” the teacher said. “Pier,” he said, “what do you know about
storks?"
“Pier," the teacher said, “if I had asked Dirk first, what would your answer
have been?”
“The same as Dirk’s,” Pier answered promptly.

“Teacher, that’s the trouble with being twins, if you don’t know
something, you don’t know it double.” The teacher and the room liked
that. It made everybody laugh.
“Well, Auka,” the teacher said, “how about you?”
Auka was still chuckling and feeling good about what Pier had said, but
now he looked serious. “All I know is that, if storks make happy noises
with their bills, like Lina said in her story, then I will also like storks.”
The teacher looked around and said, “Well, Eelka, there in the corner,
that leaves only you.”
Eelka thought a while. “I’m like Lina, Teacher; I don’t know much about
storks. But if storks would come to Shora, then I think I would like to learn
a lot more about storks.”
“Yes, that is true,” the teacher said. “But now, what do you think would
happen if we all began to think a lot about storks?”
Adapted from ‘The Wheel on the School’ by Meindert De Jong
Activity 1: Write a summary
After reading the passage, do the following:
1. Pick out the main points from the text and write them down.
2. Write down the features of storks.
3. Write a few notes under each of the following headings:

Activity 2: Write a short composition
The previous text used a lot of punctuation. The writer used direct speech,
which contains a number of commas, question marks, inverted commas and full
stops. For example:
• “About storks?” Pier asked. “Nothing.”
• “Dirk?” the teacher said.
• “Just the same as Pier,” Dirk said.
1. Write about 200 words on an interesting lesson that you have attended. You
can use both direct speech and dialogue.
2. Compare your work with that of your classmates to see who has used
punctuation and grammar correctly.
Making notes when reading classic literature
Ours was the marsh country, down by the river, within, as the river
wound, twenty miles of the sea. My first most vivid and broad
impression of the identity of things seems to me to have been gained on
a memorable raw afternoon towards evening. At such a time I found out
for certain that this bleak place overgrown with nettles was the
churchyard; and that Philip Pirrip, late of this parish, and also
Georgiana wife of the above, were dead and buried; and that Alexander,
Bartholomew, Abraham, Tobias, and Roger, infant children of the
aforesaid, were also dead and buried; and that the dark flat wilderness
beyond the churchyard, intersected with dikes and mounds and gates,

"Hold your noise!" cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from
among the graves at the side of the church porch. "Keep still, you little
devil, or I'll cut your throat!"
"Once more," said the man, staring at me. "Give it mouth!"
"Pip. Pip, sir."
"Show us where you live," said the man. "Point out the place!"
I pointed to where our village lay, on the flat in-shore among the alder-trees
and pollards, a mile or more from the church.
Activity 3: Make notes on an extract from classical literature
In your pairs, carefully reread the extract from ‘Great Expectations’ and make
notes under the following headings:
a) The countryside where Pip met the man
b) The appearance of the fearful man
c) How Pip felt when he met the fearful man.
When you work in groups you will be able to:
• Split tasks into parts and steps.
• Plan and manage time.
• Improve your understanding through discussion and
explanation.
• Give and receive feedback on performance.
• Challenge assumptions.
• Develop stronger communication skills.
Read about wanting to be head girl
My name is Penny Izabayo. I am in Standard 4. I have never been
punished, or suspended from school because I am always willing to obey
the school rules and regulations.
When you are always punctual, never miss any lessons, wear your school
uniform and respect teachers, you are regarded as a model student.
Besides, my academic progress has always been good.
Next term, my school will be electing a new prefect body. I’d like to
compete for the position of head girl. My grades are good and, in
addition, I am a very confident girl and am used to speaking in public.
Because of this, being screened by the staff won’t be a problem. On the
student body side, I am very popular; I help students when they need help
and I welcome newcomers and assist them to settle in.
I should not tell you this, but the other day, a student informed me that I
was wanted in the principal’s office. I went there immediately. When I got
there the principal was not alone, the director of studies, and the head of
the languages department were also there. My heart starting beating very
fast because I could not guess the reason for such a meeting.
Activity 4: Follow instructions
1. Get into groups of three or four.
2. You will have 15 minutes to complete the activity. Elect a timekeeper. The
timekeeper must tell you when your 15 minutes are up.
3. Read the passage about Penny in your group.
4. In your group, answer the following questions. One person should write
down the group’s answers.
a) What do you learn from Penny?
b) If you were a student in Penny’s school, would you vote for her as your
head girl? Give your reasons.
c) Identify some words or phrases that Penny uses which are also common
in your school environment.
d) Write down some of your school rules and regulations and explain why
they are important.
For example: Missing a lesson without justification is punishable. This
rule helps to make learners attend classes regularly. Therefore, this will
eventually improve the students’ academic performance.
5. At the end of the time, choose a member of your group to report your
answers to the class.
6. Compare your group’s answers with those of the other groups.
Reading, interpreting and using instructions
It is important to read instructions and interpret them correctly. If
you do not follow the instruction in an examination question,
you will lose marks, no matter how well you know the subject.
For example, you may be given the following instructions:
• Answer in short sentences. • Work with a partner.
• Answer the questions. • Choose a group leader.
• You have five minutes.   English.
• Tell the class what you said. • Get ready to report in
Grammar focus
Using headings and numbers
If we are given a page of information with no headings and no numbers, it can
be very difficult to read and understand. We use headings and numbers to make
it easier to sort out information and put it into order. The headings are a kind of
map that helps us to find our way through the information. We can also use
subheadings to break information into more manageable amounts.
Read about frogs

Amphibians are cold-blooded animals. This means that their body
temperature is the same as the surrounding temperature. Their skin absorbs
water into their body so they do not have to drink water to survive.
Frogs are special. They can breathe by means of their lungs and also
through their skin. This is because of the way their heart is formed. It has
three chambers instead of the normal four. Frogs have strong hind legs to
enable them leap great distances. The front legs or arms are short. They
are used to prop the frog up when it sits.
How big is the biggest and how small is the smallest?
The largest frog is the giant or Goliath frog of West Central Africa. It can
grow to more than 30 cm long. The largest frog in America is the bullfrog.
It can grow to more than 8 cm long.
The smallest frog in the Southern Hemisphere is the Brazilian Gold Frog at
9.8 mm long. In the Northern Hemisphere, the smallest frog is the
Monete Iberia Eleuth, discovered on a mountain in Cuba in 1996. They
measure about 9.6–9.8 mm long.
Where do frogs live?
Frogs can be found almost anywhere, except in Antarctica. However, most
species are found in tropical regions. More frogs are found in warmer
countries.
You can find frogs in water or near places that have water, like ponds and
streams. Some frogs never enter the water. They live mainly on land and
only go to the water to mate.
Then, there are some kinds that live in trees. These frogs have tiny sticky
pads on their fingers and toes to help them cling to the tree trunk as they
climb.
Activity 5: Make notes on frogs
1. There are three subheadings under the main heading of the reading. Write
down the main heading and the subheadings.
2. Make notes of the important information under each subheading. Use
numbers.
3. Compare your notes with the rest of the class.
Activity 6: Use numbers to put facts in order
Here is a simple recipe for a beef burger. The instructions are all mixed up. Put
them in the right order and number them. Compare your answer with the
person sitting next to you.
Instructions
• Place the onions in the centre of each foil piece. Fold foil over onions so that
the edges meet, and place on the coals.
• Cut the bread rolls in half and place the patties on the rolls with the onions
on top.
• Grill the onion packets and beef patties for 10 to 15 minutes, turning the
patties and rotating packets once or twice.
• Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.
• Spray two 30 × 45 cm sheets of heavy-duty foil with cooking spray.
• Brush beef patties with steak sauce.
Grammar focus
Recounting
Recounting is a way of retelling an important event, or describing an experience.
When we recount an event, it is usually written in the order in which things
happened. This is called chronological order.
To do this, you will have to use time connectives such as:
firstly next
then after that
meanwhile eventually
later finally
Example:
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted
from 1939 to 1945. Firstly, Adolf Hitler invaded Poland in 1939. After that, the
war dragged on for six deadly years. Finally, the Allies defeated both Nazi
Germany and Japan in 1945.
Activity 7: Recount an event that happened last week
Write four lines recounting an event that happened last week.
Activity 8: Explain how to play a sport
In pairs, take turns to explain to each other how to play your favourite sport.
You should tell each other whether the explanation was easy or difficult to
understand.
Activity 9: Practise definitions
Grammar focus
Defining Words/ Expressions
Defining means making something very clear or explaining what it means. It can
be used as an instruction in a question set by your teacher, for example:
• Define photosynthesis.
• Your tasks are defined in the instruction at the top of the page.
The word ‘defining’ can also be used to pinpoint an action or event that was
very important. For example:
Winning the triathlon was the defining moment of his school career.
Other ways of defining Word and expressions:
• Use of “Be”, consist, mean, ..: eg. Business is taking risks.
• Use of defining clauses: - eg. A pen is a tool that we use to write with.
• Use of Aposition:
• Rwabugiri, a recent Rwandan traditional leader, conquered big territories.
• Gacaca, civil court of Rwandans by rwandans, reconciled many people.
• Use of some punctuations: colon(;), semi-colon(;), comma(,), Full Stop(.)
Frog: small amphibian
People like music. It stirs their hearts
• Use of words expressing reason: because, as, for, for example, …
Eg. People like music because stirs their hearts.
Reread the text on frogs, then complete the following questions.
1. Define the word ‘amphibian’.
2. Define ‘vertebrates’.
3. Complete the following sentence: A defining moment in my life was when
Grammar focus
Giving examples
When we are explaining new information, it is useful to give examples of what
we are describing. Throughout this book, examples are given to you of grammar
that you need to learn. When you are writing an examination, it is a good
practice to give examples of any facts or statements that you make. This proves
to the marker that you understand what you are writing about.
Example:
Amphibians are animals that live part of their life in water. An example of an
amphibian is a frog.
Activity 10: Give examples
Complete the following sentences:
1. Rwanda has many mountains, one example of which is ______________ .
2. Examples of foods eaten in Rwanda are ______________ and
______________.
3. An example of a team sport is ______________ .
4. There are many birds in Rwanda; two examples are ______________ and
______________ .
5. I have many friends, for example ______________ .
Grammar focus

Contrasting means comparing one thing with another thing that is very
different. Contrasting clauses make two statements, one of which contrasts with
the other, or makes it appear unexpected or surprising.

In the examples below, notice the differences in meaning between the clauses in
each sentence.
• Kim and Tom do not like the same music but they both like to dance.
• Wool is not man-made, but human beings make rayon.

Some contrasting clauses are introduced by conjunctions such as ‘although’,
‘yet’, ’even though’ or ’while’.

Example:
• Although Mrs Sims had lived in China all her life, she knew very little
Chinese.
• George runs three kilometres daily, yet his brother Paul hates to exercise.
Activity 11: Make contrasting sentences
Use the clauses in brackets to make contrasting sentences:
1. (The summer season is wet and hot), _____ (the winter season is cold and
dry).
2. (Some dogs are well-behaved) _____ (others drag their owners down the
block, yapping all the way).
3. ______ (the boy was injured), (he didn’t give up).
4 (There was little chance of success), ________ (we didn’t give up).
5. (He is overweight) _____ (he still runs very fast).
Grammar focus
Listing
When explaining or describing, examples often need to be listed. If you look
back at Activity 6, you will notice that you had to list the instructions in the
correct order. In listing, we make use of commas and words such as ‘firstly’,
‘secondly’, then' and ‘finally’, or we can just use ‘first’, ‘second’, ‘third’, and
so on.
Example:
We went to the shops today. First, we bought apples. Next, we bought new
shoes and then we bought pencils and pens. Finally, we bought coffee.
We could also use a colon and combine the sentences.
Example:
We went to the shops today and bought the following: apples, new shoes,
pencils, pens and coffee.
Activity 12: Make lists
Make listing sentences out of the following:
1. I grabbed a spoon. I ate the cereal. I drank the milk. I tossed the bowl in
the sink.
2. We learn how to cook. We learn how to clean.
3. How to become a political leader: ______, you need to become a leader of a
political party. ________, you need to win a seat in Parliament. _________,
your party must have a majority of seats.
4. Buying organic fruit and vegetables is a better choice. ________, they are less
contaminated by chemical pesticides. __________, they are not genetically
modified. ____________, they are allowed to mature or ripen fully.
5. Soil has three main layers. ________, there is the surface layer. ____________,
there is the topsoil. _________, there is the subsoil.
School language functions
A language function is the purpose for which a certain phrase or
sentence is being used. At school, we use language for different
purposes or functions.
1. There are common phrases used for purposes of greeting, like:
Good morning.
How are you?
2. For purposes of apologising, we use:
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
3. For introducing ourselves, we can say:
My name is _______ .
How do you do?
4. To give warnings and instructions, these sentences can be used:
Do not speak while the teacher is speaking.
Never go out without permission.
5. For interruptions and making requests, we can say:
Excuse me.
I beg your pardon.
6. During assessment or examination, these words could be used:
Describe ______ .
Discuss ______ .
7. When the teacher wants a response, he or she could say:
Class, do you agree?
What do you think about _____ ?
8. Common instructions from the teacher are:
Sit down.
Be attentive.
9. When the teacher is encouraging you, he or she might say:
That’s very good.
Good work.
Activity 13: Practise common school language
Activity 14: Comprehension
Reread the text ‘Read about wanting to be head girl’ and answer the following
questions.
1. What are the words Penny uses before she enters the principal’s office?
2. How does the principal respond?
3. Write down a greeting that your teacher could use with a class at the
beginning of the school day.
4. What would be a polite thing to say if you bump into someone?
5. How would you introduce yourself to a new class member?
Vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation
Activity 15: Use the glossary
Use the glossary to look up the following words and write them in your exercise
book with their meaning.
evaluate assumptions
summary fictional
abbreviation chronological
Assessment
1. Fill in the blanks:
There are good reasons why some people feel the need to make
significant changes in their lives from time to time. _______, any
new situation that a person encounters can be an opportunity to
learn and grow as a person. A new job, for instance, might present
challenges that push the person to adapt, acquire new knowledge, or
add to his or her skill set. ________, a change can represent a break
with the past and an old routine, which has become boring and
predictable. _______, as well as making life more fun and interesting,
new experiences can be good for our physical and mental health.
(3 marks)
2. In Unit 6, we have learned about the following eight study skills:
listing, describing, recounting, giving examples, making notes,
using instructions, contrasting and defining. Make eight sentences,
giving an example of each one. (8 marks)
3. Give three reasons why group work is a useful exercise. (3 marks)
4. Rewrite the following paragraph using the correct grammar and
punctuation:
too many pupils look at studying as something they have to do not
as an enjoyment or opportunity to learn That's fine but researchers
have found that how you approach something matters almost as
much as what you do Being in the right mindset is important in
order to study smarter (6 marks)
Total (20)
Unit 7: Leadership and famous people

Key Unit Competence: To use language learnt in the context of
Leadership and famous people.
Introductory activity: Observe the images below and give answer
to the related question.
You will develop these skills
• Identify when to use the past simple tense.
• Use ‘and’ clauses.
• State the vocabulary of leadership styles, character.
Quick check
Do you think our national football
team could win matches without a
good team captain to lead them?
Leadership is a very interesting subject. Throughout history, there
have been many famous leaders. Some have inspired their
followers to do great things. Others have been cruel or unkind.
Leadership has been the topic of many studies. Good leadership is
invaluable, for countries, businesses and organisations such as
schools and sports teams. In this unit, we will examine the
qualities of leadership and read about some well-known leaders
and famous people.
Read what people say about being a leader
“Leadership is an action, not a position.” – Donald McGannon
“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t
blow an uncertain trumpet.” – Father Theodore M. Hesburgh
“Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily, even if
you had no title or position.” – Brian Tracy
Activity 1: Identify the qualities of a good leader

Activity 2: Write a definition of leadership
In your own words, explain what being a leader means to you.

During the reign of Mwami Rwabugiri, the state became more
centralised. This means that more of the administration and organisation
was under the control of the king. The country expanded right up to the
shores of Lake Kivu.
The expansion process was due to both military conquest and migration.
This spread Rwandan agricultural techniques and social organisation and
extended the king’s political control. Camps of warriors were established
along the vulnerable borders to prevent any incursions.
In traditional Rwanda, the king was treated as a semi-divine being,
responsible for making the kingdom prosper. The symbol of the king was
the kalinga (the sacred drum).
Mwami Rwabugiri had a very strong economic base. He controlled over a
hundred large estates that were spread throughout the kingdom,
including banana plantations and many herds of cattle. These estates
formed the basis of his wealth.
Everyone who lived in the area had to pay tribute to the mwami. A
hierarchy of administrative chiefs collected this. Under the authority of the
mwami, there was a council of great chiefs and below them less
important chiefs who governed the country in districts. Each district had a
cattle chief and land chief. It is worth noting that, by the end of
Rwabugiri’s rule, Rwanda was divided into a standardised structure of
provinces, districts, hills and neighbourhoods.
Mwami Rwabugiri also established an army and equipped it with guns.
The army prohibited most foreigners from entering his kingdom. The
military chiefs who controlled the frontier regions were very important.
They played both defensive and offensive roles. They protected the frontier
and raided cattle from the neighbouring tribes.
The king was the ultimate judge and arbiter for the cases that reached
him. Because of Rwabugiri’s authoritarian style of ruling, harmony and
cohesion were established among Rwandans.
Activity 3: Find the meaning of words
Discuss with a partner the following expressions and words used in the passage.
Look them up in your dictionary and write their meanings in your exercise book.
1. decades-long process 2. autonomous
3. centralised 4. incursions
5. semi-divine being 6. ornate
7. frontier 8. harmony and cohesion
Grammar focus
The past simple tense
You will remember that we used the past simple tense in Unit 3, when we
discussed the civilisation of Ancient Egypt. The simple past is used to talk about
a completed action in a time before now. The length of time of the action is
not important. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant
past, but it must be completed.

Example: Kigeri IV Rwabugiri ruled the kingdom of Rwanda from 1853–1895.
Activity 4: Practise the past simple tense
Complete the following sentences using the past simple tense.
1. We _______ a good film last week.
2. Last Wednesday, I _________ in Kigali.
3. She ________ her homework by seven o’clock.
4. I __________ to the soccer match last Saturday.
5. My uncle _____________ to visit last week.
Activity 5: Write about the leadership of King Rwabugiri
Using the past simple tense, describe King Kigeri IV Rwabugiri’s achievements in
not more than 120 words.
Read about why leadership is important
Leaders are very important. If a group of people gets together for a reason
and does not have someone to lead it, it is unlikely that the group will
achieve its purpose. Countries, businesses, sports teams, communities and
families all need leaders.
In sport, the teams have various leaders who influence those around them
and improve performance. These include:
• Captains who motivate and set a good example by performing reliably
under pressure and encouraging their teammates. In some sports, they
change tactics during play.
• Coaches who analyse individual and team performance. They plan
training programmes to improve fitness, technique and skill, and
decide the strategies to be used in competition.
Sports leaders will have one or more of the following qualities:
• outstanding ability in the sport
• enthusiasm
• the ability to motivate
• the ability to ‘read’ the game or sporting situation.
Activity 6: Discuss the qualities of a good leader
1. In your group, discuss the following qualities of a good leader:
• Be visionary, give orders, inspire people and provide them with direction.
• Look for opportunities and encourage change and innovation.
• Communicate effectively and have good listening skills.
• Motivate people and have good people skills.
• Set an example for others to follow.
• Be courageous.
• Treat people fairly and equally.
2. Choose one person in your school or community whom you regard as being
a good, strong leader. Write down four things that you think make this
person a strong leader.
3. Discuss your findings with the rest of the class. (Hint: Elect a leader to read
your group’s presentation.)
4. Working individually, make a list of the leadership characteristics mentioned
by each group.
Read about styles of leadership
There are many different leadership styles; two that are very different are
the authoritarian and democratic styles.
An authoritarian leader makes decisions without consulting his or her
followers. Followers are not given an opportunity to be involved in decision
making. Because there are fewer people involved in the decision-making
process, tasks can be organised and finished on time. The authoritarian
leadership style provides strong leadership, which makes people feel safe.
Organisations such as the army usually use an authoritarian style of
leadership. For situations such as an emergency, where an on-the-spot
decision needs to be made, this type of leadership can be very useful.
Authoritarian leaders are often very charismatic. This means that that they
have the type of personality that makes people want to follow them.
The opposite of authoritarian leadership is democratic leadership. This
leadership style is very open. Everyone is given an opportunity to express
his or her opinion and be involved in decision making. This style is often
used in rapidly changing environments and businesses. Every option for
improvement has to be considered to keep the group from becoming out
of date. The democratic leadership style means encouraging people to
share their ideas, and then sorting through all the available information
to make the best possible decision. People like this leadership style
because they feel involved and part of the decision-making process, but it
does not work when decisions need to be made quickly.
Activity 7: Write about styles of leadership
Choose any business, sporting or political leader. Write a short report on what
you think their leadership style is.
Activity 8: Comprehension – Identify a leadership style

In pairs, read the following case study and answer the questions that follow.
Eric works for Betterwear Mills as a production foreman. His boss keeps a stern
eye on how the department functions. Eric has to fill in progress reports every
week, which are then checked by his boss. Eric’s boss also regularly checks up on
the work of the employees who report to Eric, and insists that certain tasks are
done on a daily basis even if they are not required.
Eric has been feeling frustrated because he believes there are better ways to run
the department, but he is not able to discuss his ideas with his boss. He is also
unhappy because his boss recently allocated a pay increase for the employees in
Eric’s department without first discussing it with Eric.
1. Explain which management style Eric’s boss uses.
2. If you were Eric’s boss, would you use the same style of leadership? Explain
your answer.
3. Suggest ways in which Eric’s boss could improve his leadership style.
Activity 9: Read and understand a poem
Read the following poem silently and then answer the questions that follow.
1. Make a list of the leadership qualities admired by the writer of the poem.
2. Does the leader, as depicted in this poem, seem to have an easy or a difficult
task? Explain your answer.
3. What does the line ‘Bracing for war, but praying for peace’ mean to you?
4. Is hindsight always a waste of time?
Talking about famous people
A famous person is someone who is well known. This includes local
celebrities and politicians, as well as well-known actors, film stars,
sports personalities, writers, and so on. Sometimes people become
infamous, which means they become well known because of their
bad reputation.
Young people often use famous people as role models. This means
that young people try and copy them and become like them. For
this reason, many people think that, if you are famous, you must
set a good example. This means not taking drugs or abusing
alcohol, as well as being a responsible member of society and
helping others.
Activity 10: Debate the responsibilities of famous people
Some of them earn a great deal of money and they use their fame and
money to help other people. Here are some examples:
• Jackie Chan is a famous actor/director/producer. He grew up very poor
in Hong Kong, but has become very successful and rich. In 2011 he
decided to donate half of his assets (money and property) to charity
when he dies. He has also established the Jackie Chan Foundation,
which gives education scholarships to young people.
• Shakira is the highest-selling South American pop singer of all time.
She gives time and money towards education and early childhood
development, health, and nutrition in Columbia, Haiti and South
Africa.
• Angelina Jolie is a well-known actress and a film director who has won
awards for her humanitarian work. Although she is very busy with her
work, she also serves as a United Nations Refugee Agency Special
Envoy.
• Bono is the lead singer in a famous group called U2. He uses his fame
to help fight poverty and hunger and works hard to try and make the
world a better place.
In Rwanda we also have our own well-known local entertainers. We have
many talented singers, actors and writers. They have had to work hard to
become good at their craft and to become well known. Many of them
have succeeded in spite of coming from poor families and having little
education. They are able to use their fame to be good role models and
responsible leaders.
Activity 11: Discuss Rwandan entertainers
1. Make a list of all the famous Rwandan entertainers you can think of.
2. Divide the list into groups, for example actors, writers, musicians or singers.
3. Discuss which media you use to follow these people. For example do you
see them on the television, read about them in magazines or listen to their
music on your mobile phone?
4. Compare their leadership with that of King Rwabugiri. How do they differ?
craft an activity or job involving skill
Activity 12: Make notes about a famous Rwandan
Make notes about the life story of a famous Rwandan person and compare your
notes with other learners.
Grammar focus
Clauses and Sentences
SA clause is a group of related words containing at least a subject and a verb /
predicate. It is usually contained within a sentence, but can also stand on its
own.
A Clause is the unit of measurement of every sentence.
1) A sentence made of one clause is called simple sentence.
Example:
• Go.
• Monica studies Mathematics.
2) A Sentence made of two clausesjoined by a coordinate conjuction is called
compound sentence.
• Betty sings and Peter dances.
3) A sentence made of two or more sentences joined by a subordinate
conjuction is called compex sentence.
• While he is singing, the audience cannot tear its eyes off him.
• Tell me Rwabugiri story if you want that I retell you The Pharaohs
origin when mother arrives. (four clauses).
You can join two or more clauses to make a sentence by using a conjunction
(joining word).
Example:
Annie took the dog for a walk. It got very dirty. These two sentences can be
joined up by using ‘and’ or ‘when’:
• Annie took the dog for a walk and it got very dirty.
• The dog got very dirty when Annie took it for a walk.
Conjunctions that you can use to join clauses include: and, but, although, when,
whenever, because...
Activity 13: Join clauses using ‘when’ or ‘because’
Make sentences from the following pairs of clauses using either ‘when’ or
‘because’.
1. The goalkeeper was a child. He dreamed of becoming a professional
footballer.
2. The guitarist is well liked within the music industry. He is always polite and
courteous.
3. Some people are infamous. They behave very badly.
4. The singer has become very successful. He has worked very hard to become
a good musician.
5. A leader is very important. A football team wants to win matches.
Read about women of influence in Rwanda
Did you know that International Women’s Day is celebrated on March
8th? The focus of International Women’s Day is to show respect and
appreciation towards women for their contributions in society.
A woman of influence is one who makes a lasting impact on others. Not
all women of influence are famous and well known. Some work quietly in
the background, but their actions inspire others and change lives.
There is a saying: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” The
importance of women in raising future generations can never be overestimated.
Mothers work hard and they often sacrifice a great deal to bring up their
children. For this reason alone they are worthy of respect and love.
In some countries, women do not have equal rights with men and their
influence is restricted to their homes and family life. However in many
countries, women are active and influential in other spheres of life besides
raising children. Women are proving themselves to be successful leaders,
politicians, entrepreneurs and philanthropists. In Rwanda, gender equality
is written into the Constitution and laws have been passed which give
women the right to inherit land, share the assets of a marriage and
obtain credit.
legacy a gift or inheritance
majority women representation more women have been elected to parliament
than men
overestimated give too high a value to
Activity 14: Research some well-known women in Rwanda
Answer the following questions:
1. Discuss what is meant by the phrase: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the
world.” Do you agree with the statement?
2. Think about the girls in your school or in your community. Choose one that
you consider to be a person of influence and write a brief paragraph
describing why she deserves to be considered a person of influence and worth.
peer person of equal standing
Activity 15: Research a well-known woman in Rwanda
Choose a well-known Rwandan woman and plan a text describing her life story.
Make sure you divide your text into paragraphs and that you explain the
woman’s influence.
Clauses that use ‘when’ and ‘because’.
Write and evaluate your text, paying attention to the past simple tense and to
and paying attention to ‘when’ and ‘because’ clauses.
Activity 16: Talk about famous people
In groups discuss other famous people in Rwanda, describing their life stories.
Corruption and leadership

Activity 17: Talk about corruption
In your groups, discuss the following questions.
1. Does corruption only happen at government level?
2. Can you think of ways that corruption could happen in your school?
3. How can you help to fight corruption?
Vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation
Activity 18: Improve your vocabulary

Assessment
1. Write a short paragraph explaining the qualities of a good leader.
(4 marks)
2. Join the following pairs of clauses to make sentences:
a) I am going to walk. I can’t wait for the bus.
b) I am going to buy that book. It is a best-seller.
c) The president arrives. There will be a big fanfare of drums.
d) No one wanted to eat the hamburger. Eric sneezed all over it.
e) The meal has burnt. I left the pot on the stove. (5 marks)
3. Write a paragraph describing a famous person that you admire,
explaining the characteristics that make them a leader. (5 marks)
4. Change the following sentences into the past simple tense:
a) She goes to the cinema with me.
b) Jean-Paul will pass his examination.
c) My mother makes a cake for my birthday.
d) The king completes a modernisation of the army. (4 marks)
5. Explain, in your own words, the difference between an authoritarian
and a democratic leader. (2 marks)
Total (20)
Unit 8: Business
Key Unit Competence: To use language learnt in the context of
Business.
Introductory activity: Observe the picture below and guess what
they relate to.
You will develop these skills
• Use ‘if’, ‘unless’, ‘need to’, ‘be able to’, ‘have to’, ‘must’.
• Use the third conditional.
• List the vocabulary of entrepreneurship, costs, production, marketing.
Quick check
Have you ever thought about how important businesses are in Rwanda?
When you complete your education, you will want to get a job.
Many of you will be employed in businesses and you will need to
understand aspects of business such as production, profits, costs
and management.
The business world is very important in any country. It provides
people with goods and services that they want to buy. Businesses
also provide jobs, for which people get paid. The more businesses
there are in a country and the more people have jobs, the more
people there are earning wages; these people can buy the goods
and services that they desire.
Entrepreneurship
Read about entrepreneurs
People do not always choose to work in the informal sector. Sometimes
their earning opportunities are scarce. They may be unable to find a job
in the formal business sector. They may only be able to work a few hours
a day through temporary employment for low wages.
To be an entrepreneur, you need to be an innovator. You must be willing
to take risks. You should also be able to lead and manage people. You
must be a good communicator. Unless you take risks, you will not keep
ahead of the market. If you cannot communicate, you will not persuade
people to buy your product, or to be productive if they work for you.
Entrepreneurs must deal with a large number of challenges that
employees do not have to think about, and in return entrepreneurs expect
to make a profit. Entrepreneurs see an opportunity and, at their own
financial risk, set up a business to make the most of that opportunity
Activity 1: Comprehension
After reading the case study above, answer the following questions.
1. Why did Eugene start his own furniture company?
2. What were the disadvantages?
3. What would have happened if Eugene became ill?
4. Why do you think Eugene used other people’s wood to start with?
Grammar focus
Conditional clauses
A conditional clause is one that states that an action can only take place if a
certain condition is fulfilled. Conditional clauses make use of ‘if’, ‘unless’,
‘need to’, ‘be able to’, ‘have to’ and ‘must’.
Example:
• If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation. (I cannot send the invitation if
I do not find the address.)
In the text about entrepreneurs, the following two sentences contain examples
of conditional clauses:
• Unless you take risks, you will not keep ahead of the market.
• If you cannot communicate, you will not persuade people.
Activity 2: Complete conditional clauses
Fill in the space with a word that will complete the conditional clause.
1. ______ you come this way, the principal will see you now.
2. I will be back tomorrow ______ my car breaks down.
3. ______ I were a rich man, I would buy a new house.
4. I __________ use my bike to take the produce to market.
5. If you want to go to university, you _______ pass your exams.
Read about the characteristics of an entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs are very special people because they have the courage and
willpower to try to start a business. They are not afraid of failure. There
are certain characteristic that entrepreneurs need to possess.
• They need to be disciplined. Entrepreneurs are focused on making their
enterprises work. Successful entrepreneurs are disciplined enough to
take steps every day towards achieving their objectives.
• They need to be confident. The entrepreneur does not ask questions
about whether they can succeed or whether they are worthy of
success. They have confidence in everything they do.
• They need to be open-minded. Entrepreneurs realise that every event
and situation is a business opportunity. They have the ability to look at
everything around them and focus it toward their goals.
• They need to be self-starters. Entrepreneurs know that if something
needs to be done, they should start it themselves. They are proactive,
not waiting for someone to give them permission.
• They need to be competitive. Many companies are formed because an
entrepreneur knows that they can do a job better than someone else can.
• They need to be determined. Entrepreneurs are not put off by their
defeats. They are determined to make all their efforts succeed, so will
try and try again until they succeed.
Activity 3: Describe an entrepreneur, using the third conditional
1. Reread the eight characteristics of an entrepreneur above.
2. Using ‘if’, ‘unless’, ‘need to’, ‘be able to’, ‘have to’ or ‘must’ clauses, make a
sentence about each characteristic and write it in your exercise book. For
example: If an entrepreneur is not disciplined, he or she will not be able to
organise a business properly.
Activity 4: Discuss the characteristics of an entrepreneur
1. Read the following case study and discuss which entrepreneurial
characteristics would have been most important for Josianne.
2. List the characteristics in order of importance.
3. Compare your list with the rest of the class.
The costs of a business
Being in business is about making a profit. The entrepreneur needs
to sell his or her goods for the right price – enough to cover all the
costs, but not so much that the customer won’t buy.
Read about the costs of running a business
Businesses aim to produce goods that they sell at a higher price than it
cost them to produce. They do this in order to make a profit. If the cost of
producing goods is greater that the amount received from selling the
goods, the business is running at a loss. Profit is an incentive for
entrepreneurs. The entrepreneur can reinvest the profit in the business or
take it out for personal use.
Before deciding on the selling price for goods, a business must carefully
work out its costs. Some of these costs are fixed, while others are variable
costs. We add these together to get the cost of production. The costs of
production can also be divided into material costs and selling costs.
Material costs are the costs of tools, materials and shipping. Selling costs
are the costs of marketing and distribution.
Fixed costs + Variable costs = Cost of production (Total costs)

Fixed costs are costs that must be paid regardless of how much is
produced and sold. Examples of these are rent, monthly salaries, loan
repayments and utilities (electricity, water and telephone). Fixed costs are
also known as overheads.

Variable costs are costs which change according to how much is
produced. Examples of these are materials used in production and hourly
wages.
Activity 5: Calculate profit and loss
Work out the following:
1. A farmer is selling trays of fruit and wants to make a profit of RWF 10. The
cost price of the product is RWF 15.What must the selling price be?
2. What would happen if the farmer sold his trays of fruit for RWF 9?
3. If the farmer sold the fruit for RWF 9, would he be able to stay in business for
very long? Write your answer using an ‘if’ clause.
Activity 6: Write an essay explaining production costs
One of your friends wants to start a small business. Write a short composition of
about a page, explaining what production costs are, and why it is important to
be able to calculate them.
Drawing up a business plan
Before starting a new business, an entrepreneur must compile a
business plan. A business plan is a formal statement of business
goals and how the entrepreneur plans to reach these goals. The
plan may also contain background information about the
organisation or team attempting to reach these goals.
Read about business plans
A business plan contains a description of who runs the business, the
market (people who will buy the product or service) and the competition
(other businesses offering similar products or services). There is also a
financial management section explaining how the business will make a
profit and pay off debt.
If an entrepreneur wants people to invest in his/her new business, or
wants to borrow money from a bank, then he/she needs to have a
business plan. The investors or bank will read the business plan very
carefully before deciding whether or not to loan money.
Activity 7: Summarise a business plan
Write a summary of the contents of a business plan, explaining why each part is
important.
Describing production
Read about the production process
Producers make the goods and provide the services that people buy or
use. Without production, there would be very little in the shops for you to
buy! Production is the process by which inputs (raw materials and semi-finished
products) are made into finished goods that can be bought.
An example of a semi-finished product is a roll of cotton cloth used by a
clothing factory. The cloth has already been spun from cotton thread in a
cloth manufacturing factory. The clothing factory buys the cloth and
makes clothes that are sold in a shop. The clothing factory also uses
buttons and belts that are produced in other factories.
The different suppliers of raw materials and semi-finished products that
are needed for production are known as the supply chain. Once the
finished goods have been made, they must be packaged and distributed
to shops, where they can be sold. The different types of distributors that
make goods available for consumers to buy are known as the distribution
chain. These include factory outlets, warehouses, wholesalers and shops.
Consumers and producers need each other. Consumers need producers to
make the goods and services that they buy and use. Producers need
consumers to buy the goods and services they want to sell. All businesses
produce something: a hairdresser produces hair cuts, a farmer produces
agricultural produce
Activity 8: Describe the production process of a baker
In your group, discuss the production process of a baker producing bread.
1. What time do you think he or she had to get up and start baking bread if
you are to have fresh bread for breakfast?
2. What ingredients does the baker have to buy and how does the supply chain
work?
3. Make a timeline of the steps involved in getting fresh bread into the shops
each day.
4. Compare your timeline with the rest of the class.
5. Write four sentences beginning with ‘if’ to explain what will happen if the
baker does not manage the production process. For example: If the baker
does not get up early, the bread will be late getting to the shops.
Describing marketing
Read about marketing
Marketing includes branding and advertising. Branding means appearing
in the media, sponsoring local events and making sure people remember
the business’s name. Some businesses design powerful logos that people
will recognise. For example, fast food chains and petrol stations have
logos that can be recognised from a distance. This helps with marketing
because people can identify the brand.
To advertise a product, a firm needs to make use of the media. The media
is any form of mass communication and it includes both print and online
advertising.There are many different types of media that can be used in
advertising such as:
• Print advertising, such as newspapers, magazines and flyers.
• Outdoor advertising, such as billboards and events.
• Broadcast advertising, such as the TV, radio or Internet.
• Covert advertising, which is when an actor uses a product in a movie.
• Celebrity advertising, which is when a famous celebrity uses a product
in public.
Activity 9: Design a poster for a product
With your group, choose a product and design a large poster to advertise it. You
will need a large sheet of card, pencils, coloured pencils, glue, scissors and old
magazines. Here are some tips to help you with your design:
1. Use a large piece of paper or cardboard.
2. Design your poster before you make it – plan where each element will go on
the page.
3. Use bright colours and preferably one large picture that will attract attention
from a distance.
4. Use very few words, but include all the necessary information that will make
people want to buy your product.
5. Use large letters for the main points that you are trying to get across.
6. Use a fun design, but keep the poster easy to read.
Grammar focus
The third conditional clause

We can use third conditional clauses to talk about conditions that are impossible
because they are in the past and we cannot change at all. impossible because
they are in the past and we cannot change what has happenedat all. This
conditional case refers back to regrets, sorrows, wished for but non achieved
situations.
Here, we use Past perfect in the if-clause and the Conditional perfect in the Main
clause.
Examples:
• She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university.
• If I had paid more attention in class, I would have understood the lesson.
The third conditional can also be expressed by removing IF and invert the
auxiliairy HAD with its subject. Thus, the equivalent sentence always starts with
HAD.

Activity 10: Use third conditional clauses
Complete the following sentences in the third conditional by using ‘if’ clauses:
1. ___________ , I would have gone to the party.
2. ____________ , we could have had a picnic.
3. ____________ , I would have known it was going to rain.
4. ____________ , she would have said hello.
5. They _____________ accepted your ideas _________ you had explained more
clearly.

Describing a business
Businesses can be very small or very large. Many entrepreneurs
start a small business due to a crisis in their personal lives, like
losing their job or failing at school. Sometimes, these small
businesses grow into huge groups, like the Virgin Group of
Companies, started by Richard Branson.

Read about a successful entrepreneur
Sir Richard Branson is an English businessman and investor. He is best
known as the founder of Virgin Group, which comprises more than 400
companies. He was born in 1950, in Surrey, England.
Richard Branson struggled in school and dropped out at age 16; it was
this decision that lead to the creation of Virgin Records.
From his entrepreneurial success with Virgin Records, he went on to create
more companies. He is now a billionaire. One of the interesting companies
in the Virgin Group is Virgin Galactic, a space-tourism company. Branson
is also known for his adventurous spirit and sporting achievements,
including crossing oceans in a hot air balloon.
Activity 12: Talk about a Rwandan business
1. Research and find out about a business in Rwanda. This can be in your own
community or elsewhere.
2. Write a report of your findings to share with the rest of the class. Make use
of the conditional wherever possible.
Recounting the development of a business
In this unit, we have learned about entrepreneurs and the world of
business. We have discovered that entrepreneurs have a very
important role to play in our economy. They take risks, which are
not always successful. Not all new businesses are successful. Here
are the stories of some entrepreneurs
Read about a business that succeeded
His business continued to grow and today Daniel has a team of ten ‘Mr
Fixits’ working with him. He no longer works from home; he has an office
and has registered as a private company. Over time, Daniel began to
make a name for himself as the local ‘Mr Fixit’ and had more work than
he could handle.
He hired someone to help him. Sometimes, he feels sad that he now has a
lot of paperwork to do and cannot spend so much time doing the thing
he loves – fixing things.
Read about a business that failed
When Seth left school, he found it difficult to get a job. His father
suggested that Seth join him in his successful grocery store. All went well
for the first year. Seth learned about the business and his father kept tight
control of expenditure.
Activity 13: Discuss the success and failure of businesses
In your pairs, take turns to recount the experiences of Daniel and Seth. Why do
you think the one business succeeded while the other one failed?
Corporate social responsibility is about improving the living
conditions of local communities and being as eco-friendly as
possible. For example, the ICT firm, Dell, once came up with plan
to sell more PCs by informing its customers that the company
would plant a certain number of trees for each unit bought. The
firm knew that trees are crucial in absorbing the greenhouse gases
that pollute the air and cause global warming.
Activity 14: Talk about CSR in your district
1. In your groups, suggest CSR projects that would improve the lives of people
in your community.
2. Propose CSR projects that would help to protect the environment.
3. Report your findings to the rest of the class.
Vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation
Assessment
1. Define the meanings of the following terms.
a) production
b) marketing
c) business plan (3 marks)
2. Write three sentences about business using either ‘if’, ‘unless’,
‘need to’, ‘be able to’, ‘have to’ or ‘must’ sentences. (3 marks)
3. Complete the following sentences:
a) If you ________ spent more time on the project, you _________
have made fewer mistakes.
b) If I __________ seen him in the office, I __________ have
told him to call you. (4 marks)
4. Briefly explain why we need entrepreneurs in Rwanda. (5 marks)
5. Discuss how using the characteristics of an entrepreneur
could help you in your daily life. (5 marks)
Total (20)
Topic 10

Topic outline

Table of contents