Every evening for almost ten years, a big white dog walked to a railway station in Tokyo and waited for a train. The man he was waiting for had died years before. People who passed by began to notice him, then the newspapers, and today his bronze statue is one of the most famous meeting places in Japan.
This unit reads a film review of Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, the American film of that story, and five true stories of good things that social media made happen. Along the way you will learn to say telephone numbers, years and large numbers in English, to ask for and give opinions, to form questions correctly, to use causative verbs (I had my phone repaired), and to write a film review and an opinion essay.
Getting started
The unit opens with pictures of the media we use for news and fun.
| Picture | What it shows | Something to say |
|---|---|---|
| A family watching television together | television: news, serials, films, sports | TV brings the whole family together in the evening. |
| A person with headphones in front of a microphone | radio or a podcast | Radio still reaches villages where there is no internet. |
| Newspapers and magazines | print media | A newspaper can go into more detail than a short video. |
| A phone screen full of app icons | social media: Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X | Social media lets anyone publish, but not everything on it is true. |
Reading I: Hachi: A Dog’s Tale
Before you read
How often do you watch movies?
A model answer
What kind of movies do you prefer to watch? Why?
A model answer
What kind of text it is
A film review describes a film and judges it, to help readers decide whether to watch it. A review usually gives:
- the facts: the title, the cast (the actors), the director, the genre (kind of film), the running time and the year;
- a short summary of the story, without giving away every surprise;
- the strengths: the acting, the music, the camera work, the message;
- the weaknesses, or things some viewers may not like;
- a verdict (the reviewer’s final judgment): who should watch it.
This review was written for a website that judges films for families, so it pays special attention to the film’s values and to anything parents may not want children to see.
The facts
| Title | Hachi: A Dog’s Tale |
| Director | Lasse Hallström (from Sweden) |
| Main cast | Richard Gere (Parker Wilson), Joan Allen (Cate Wilson) |
| Genre | family drama |
| Running time | 93 minutes |
| Released | 2009 |
The review, part by part
1. The story
The film is a heartwarming (it makes you feel happy and kind) family drama about a dog’s unwavering (never weakening) loyalty and devotion (great love and care). Parker Wilson, a college music professor, finds a lost Akita puppy at his railway station, an unlikely commuter (someone who travels to work every day), and takes him home. The two form an unbreakable bond. Every morning Hachi walks Parker to the station, and every evening he goes back to meet him.
One day Parker falls ill at work and dies, and never comes back. But Hachi goes on returning to the station every day for nine years, until his own death, to wait for his master. He touches the lives of the vendors (sellers at stalls), the stationmaster and the commuters, and teaches them the meaning of loyalty and love. Soon the media notice him, and his story reaches people far beyond the station.
2. A true story
The film is an American adaptation (a version changed for a new setting) of a true story from Japan in the 1920s. A bronze statue of Hachi stands at Shibuya Station in Tokyo, in honor of his faithfulness.
3. A loving family
The reviewer also likes the positive relationship in Parker’s family: he and his wife Cate have a stable and loving marriage of 25 years, with a college-age daughter. The film reinforces (strengthens) the value of marriage and family through tender (gentle and loving) moments: Parker and Hachi share popcorn on the sofa watching a baseball game, and Parker gets down on all fours (hands and knees) to teach the puppy to fetch a ball.
4. Good film-making
The film is good not only from a moral point of view but also from a cinematic one (as a piece of film-making):
- The musical score (the film’s music), soft piano, deepens its pathos (the sadness it makes you feel).
- Some scenes are shot in black and white, to show the world as Hachi sees it.
- Richard Gere’s scenes with the adorable (very lovable) dog are a joy to watch, and he and Joan Allen are believable as a happy couple.
5. Things some viewers may not like
The reviewer points out what some families might not like: Parker and Cate exchange a few kisses (gentle, not passionate), they sip champagne together, and they lie in bed talking and laughing. Some viewers also objected to the number 8 on Hachi’s collar.
6. The verdict
In a secular (non-religious) film world where “family films” are often littered (filled) with crude (rude) jokes and mild bad language, this film is refreshingly clean: one that families can watch together.
Why does the reviewer recommend the film to families?
Pick an answer to see why.
What do the black-and-white scenes show?
Pick an answer to see why.
Words from the review
| Word | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| cast | the actors in a film |
| genre | a kind of film, book or music (drama, comedy, thriller) |
| heartwarming | making you feel happy and kind |
| unwavering | never weakening or changing |
| loyalty | staying faithful to someone |
| devotion | great love, care and support for someone |
| commuter | someone who travels some distance to work every day |
| bond | a close feeling that joins two people (or a person and an animal) |
| vendor | a person who sells things, often at a stall |
| adaptation | a version of a story changed for a new setting or form |
| reinforce | to make stronger |
| tender | gentle and loving |
| cinematic | to do with films and how they are made |
| score | the music written for a film |
| pathos | the quality that makes people feel pity or sadness |
| perspective | a point of view |
| passionate | showing strong feelings |
| secular | not connected with religion |
| crude | rude and offensive |
| profanity | bad language, swearing |
A. Find the words
Find words from the text for these meanings.
- a.never changing or becoming weaker
- b.great love, care and support for somebody or something
- c.a person who travels some distance to work regularly
- d.a person or company that sells goods or services
- e.the act of changing something to make it suitable for a new situation
- f.to strengthen with an added piece, support or material
- g.having or showing strong feelings
- h.connected with films and how they are made
- i.not having any connection with religion
Answer
B. True or false?
- a.Laura Busch is one of the characters in the movie.
- b.The dog is a symbol of love, devotion and loyalty.
- c.The story of the movie is based on a real incident.
- d.Portraying the traditional values of marriage is one of the weaknesses of the movie.
- e.The strong bond between the dog and his master moves everyone.
- f.This film is different from other family films.
Answer
C. Answer the questions
What is the name of the dog in the movie?
Answer
Who directed the movie?
Answer
What was the relationship between the dog and his master like?
Answer
Why was the statue of the dog made?
Answer
Write any two weaknesses of the film.
Answer
What things in the movie touch the hearts of the audience?
Answer
D. A question for the screenwriter
If you had a chance to ask the screenwriter of the movie a question, what would you ask?
Some good questions
Pronunciation: saying numbers
A. Telephone numbers
We say a phone number one digit at a time, with a short pause between groups. 0 is usually said oh (or zero); two same digits together are double, three are triple (in American English, people usually just repeat the digit).
How do you say these phone numbers?
a. 5059-1023 b. 5718-3369 c. 2149-8777 d. 555-3527
Answer
B. Years
We usually say a year in two pairs: 1984 is nineteen eighty-four. Exceptions: a year ending in 00 is … hundred (1800 = eighteen hundred), and years from 2000 to 2009 are said two thousand (and) … .
How do you say these years?
a. 1984 b. 2022 c. 1800 d. 2005
Answer
C. Large numbers
English groups digits in threes, with commas: thousand, million (1,000,000), billion (1,000,000,000). Nepal also uses lakh (1,00,000) and crore (1,00,00,000), which group differently.
| Number | English | Nepali way |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 | one hundred thousand | one lakh |
| 1,000,000 | one million | ten lakh |
| 10,000,000 | ten million | one crore |
How do you say these numbers?
a. 100,000 b. 4,456,200 c. 56,320,749 d. 907,542,991
Answer
Speaking: asking for and giving opinions
| Asking for an opinion | Giving an opinion |
|---|---|
| What is your opinion about …? | In my opinion / view, … |
| What do you think of …? | Personally, I believe / feel … |
| How do you feel about …? | As far as I am concerned, … |
| Do you really think …? | I think / I believe … |
| What are your views on …? | It seems to me that … |
| What’s your feeling about …? | I’m of the opinion that … |
To agree: I couldn’t agree more. / That’s true. To disagree politely: I see your point, but… / I’m not sure about that.
A. The conversations
In the first, Manav asks Sunita how she feels about Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, and she says it’s a great film. In the second, Jane buys shoes: the salesperson asks her what she thinks of a brown pair; she finds them gorgeous but asks for black, and likes the black pair a lot.
B. Ask and give opinions
Ask for and give opinions on: a. Nepali movies b. social media c. television d. homework e. examinations f. politics
Model exchanges
Grammar I: Making questions
Yes/no questions
Put the helping verb (be, have, do, can, will…) before the subject:
| Statement | Question |
|---|---|
| Your hotel was near the beach. | Was your hotel near the beach? |
| Rita has visited Italy. | Has Rita ever visited Italy? |
| They had a nice time. (no helping verb) | Did they have a nice time? |
With no helping verb, add do / does / did, and the main verb goes back to its base form: ✗ Did they had? ✓ Did they have?
Wh- questions
Question word + helping verb + subject + main verb: What are the kids doing? Why didn’t you phone me? What will the weather be like tomorrow?
……… your parents have for breakfast?
Pick an answer to see why.
Which question is correct?
Pick an answer to see why.
A. Put the words in order
Put the words in order to make questions.
- a.plane / on / feel / did / how / you / the
- b.are / the kids / doing / what
- c.phone / me / didn’t / you / why
- d.did / what / beach / on / he / the / find
- e.for / do / parents / have / your / what / breakfast
- f.what / will / like / the / weather / tomorrow / be
- g.a / nice / they / time / have / did
- h.hotel / your / was / near / the / beach
- i.visited / ever / Italy / Rita / has
- j.you / fishing / gone / ever / have
Answer
B. Questions for situations
Write the questions you would ask.
- a.You want to suggest going to a movie.
- b.You want to know where Simran lives.
- c.You are inviting a friend to your home.
- d.You are asking for permission to take a seat on a bus.
- e.You are looking for your pet dog, and you ask your neighbor.
- f.You ask Bharat how many books he has.
- g.You ask your friend if her father cooks every day or once a week.
- h.You ask your teacher about the weather tomorrow.
Answer
C. Complete the conversation
Complete the conversation between Pristine and Mr. Waiba with suitable questions.
Pristine: ……… Mr. Waiba: I live in Dhadingbesi.
Pristine: ……… Mr. Waiba: I am sixteen.
Pristine: ……… Mr. Waiba: Yes, I went to school.
Pristine: ……… Mr. Waiba: My interests? I don’t have any.
Pristine: ……… Mr. Waiba: It’s Neelakantha Secondary School.
Pristine: ……… Mr. Waiba: Nothing. I like everything about my school.
Answer
Writing I: A film review
Write a review of a film you have recently watched. You can use Reading I as a model.
Hint
A model review
How to write a film review
- A heading with the film’s name, and the facts: director, cast, genre, year, running time.
- The story in three or four sentences, in the present tense (Marlin sets out…), without giving away the ending.
- Strengths: acting, story, music, camera work, message, with adjectives such as gripping, moving, hilarious, stunning, believable.
- Weaknesses: be fair; say what could be better.
- Verdict: who should watch it, and a rating.
Reading II: Interesting Social Media Stories
Before you read
Can you recognize these social media icons? Name them.
Answer
What are they used for?
Answer
What kind of text it is
It is a listicle (an article made of a numbered list): five short news stories, each with its own headline, showing the good side of social media. Each story follows the same plan: a problem, a post that spread, and a happy result.
The stories, one by one
1. An Ocean Spray fan gets a reward
Nathan Apodaca, from Idaho Falls in the United States, was on his way to work when his old truck broke down. Instead of giving up, he took his skateboard, a bottle of Ocean Spray cranberry juice, and rode to work, filming himself skating, drinking and lip-syncing (moving his lips to a song without singing aloud) to “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, a 1977 song. He almost didn’t post it on TikTok, but he did, and it went viral (spread very fast online), with over 40 million views. Ocean Spray gave him a new truck full of cranberry juice, and the old song climbed the charts again, more than forty years after it first came out.
2. A special birthday for Charlie
In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic (a disease spreading around the world) meant that six-year-old Charlie Manning from Kamloops, Canada, couldn’t have a birthday party with her family in the United States. Her aunt asked on Facebook for people to make the day special. The post was shared, and the response was immediate and immense: Charlie’s grandparents, who look after her, were overwhelmed (moved and almost unable to cope) when 173 cards and 15 parcels arrived from complete strangers.
3. Schoolchildren catch a big break
In 2019, Jashika Khan and Mohammad Azajuddin, two children from Kolkata, India, were filmed doing somersaults and flips in the street on their way to school. Their teacher posted the video, and the Olympic gymnast Nadia Comăneci shared it on Twitter. As a result, the two got free gymnastics training, with their meals paid for by the Sports Authority of India. To catch a break means to get a lucky chance.
4. “We Rate Dogs” helps dogs in need
Matt Nelson started WeRateDogs on Twitter in 2015, as a college student. He posts photos of dogs sent in by their owners and rates them, always kindly and always above ten out of ten (13/10, would pet). It went viral and accumulated (gathered over time) millions of followers. He uses this platform (a place online from which you reach people) for good: he shares fundraising pages for dogs that need surgery or equipment. When an old golden retriever needed a wheelchair, his followers raised over $700 in a few hours.
5. A woman saves an injured hawk
Madeleine Weatherhead was walking to work in New York City when she found a stunned (dazed) red-tailed hawk on the street. Her call to the city’s Animal Care Center went to voicemail, and she had to get to work, so she snapped a photo and posted it on Twitter, asking for help. Soon two Special Operations officers arrived, carefully caught the bird, and took it to an animal sanctuary (a safe home for animals), where it made a full recovery.
What do all five stories have in common?
Pick an answer to see why.
A. Match the words with their meanings
- a.lip-syncing
- b.platform
- c.pandemic
- d.overwhelm
- e.somersaulting
- f.accumulate
- g.voicemail
- h.sanctuary
- i.the worldwide spread of a new disease
- ii.to have a strong emotional effect on somebody
- iii.to silently mouth the words along with a song or recording
- iv.a website that serves as a base from which a service is provided
- v.a place where birds or animals can live and be protected
- vi.to get more and more over a period of time
- vii.turning over completely in the air
- viii.a phone message recorded when you don’t answer a call
Answer
B. Complete the sentences
- a.The text is about the positive results brought by ……… .
- b.Nathan Apodaca was given a truck full of his favorite drink because he was drinking ……… in his video.
- c.Charlie’s birthday became more special than expected because of a post on ……… .
- d.If there were no social media, people would have no idea about ……… of the two schoolchildren.
- e.Matt Nelson’s Twitter page ……… raises funds to help dogs.
- f.The social media platform ……… was used to rescue the hawk.
Answer
C. Answer the questions
What did Nathan Apodaca record in his video?
Answer
Was a truck of Ocean Spray a well-deserved reward for Nathan Apodaca? Why?
A model answer
How did social media help Charlie celebrate her birthday?
Answer
What was the $700 spent on? How did Matt collect the money?
Answer
How was the hawk in New York rescued?
Answer
D. A social media story
Share an interesting social media story that you have read or heard.
A model answer
Listening: at the cinema
A. Before you listen
- a.Look at the picture of a cinema hall with rows of red seats and a big screen. What do you think it is?
- b.How do you buy movie tickets?
Answer
The audio is a cinema’s recorded phone message, “Film World Cinemas”, giving the day’s films and times. CDC’s own recording is below: read the questions in B and C first, then listen, as many times as you need.
B and C. The textbook’s audio: answers
Match the screens with the movies.
- a.Screen 1 b. Screen 2 c. Screen 3 d. Screen 4
- i.Street Match ii. Ships in the Night iii. Lulu iv. Don’t Open the Door
Answer
Fill in the gaps.
- a.People are asked to press ……… to book tickets.
- b.Ticket prices are five euros for ……… .
- c.The number of movies shown that day is ……… .
- d.In Ships in the Night, Maggie wants to forget ……… .
- e.The movie Lulu is about ……… .
Answer
D. Which film?
Which of the movies in the audio would you like to watch? Why?
A model answer
Practice listening alone
Grammar II: Causative verbs
A causative verb says that someone causes something to happen, often by getting someone else to do it. Compare: I fixed my TV (I did it myself) and I had my TV fixed (someone else did it for me).
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| have + person + base verb | I had a technician fix my TV. | I arranged it (a service, a job given) |
| get + person + to + verb | I got a friend to edit my assignment. | I persuaded or asked them |
| have / get + thing + past participle | I had my TV fixed. I got my assignment edited. | someone did it for me (who doesn’t matter) |
| make + person + base verb | I made my sister walk the dog. | I forced her |
| let + person + base verb | I don’t let my children play video games. | I (don’t) allow them |
| be made to + verb (passive) | My sister was made to walk the dog. | she was forced (to comes back) |
Rob is having his house ……… next weekend.
Pick an answer to see why.
My friend got me ……… her with her CV.
Pick an answer to see why.
A. What is the difference?
What differences do you notice in each pair?
- a.I had my television fixed. / I had a technician fix my television.
- b.I got my assignment edited. / I got a friend to edit my assignment.
- c.I made my sister walk the dog. / My sister was made to walk the dog.
- d.I have appointments made for me. / I have the assistant make the appointments for me.
- e.I will have my glass bottles recycled. / I will get my friend to recycle my glass bottles.
Answer
B. The correct form
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
- a.I don’t let my children ……… video games. (play)
- b.The police made him ……… for the damage he caused. (pay)
- c.Rob is having his house ……… next weekend. (paint)
- d.Julia got her boyfriend ……… her a ring. (buy)
- e.Sam gets me ……… the groceries every weekend. (deliver)
- f.Please try not to make her ……… . (cry)
- g.This quiz can make you ……… causative verbs better. (understand)
- h.Laura never has people ……… her what to do. (tell)
- i.My friend got me ……… her with her CV. (help)
- j.I had a plumber ……… the pipes this morning. (fix)
- k.I have my hair ……… once a month. (trim)
- l.After the party, I was made ……… all the dishes. (wash)
Answer
C. At the holiday camp
Imagine you were at a holiday camp last year. What were you made or allowed to do there? Write a few sentences using have, get, make and let.
A model answer
Writing II: An opinion essay
Many people believe that social networking sites such as Facebook and TikTok harm both individuals and society, while others believe they have connected people around the world. What do you think? Write an essay giving your opinion on the impact of social media.
Hint
A model essay
How to write an opinion essay
- A title.
- Introduction: the issue, both sides in a sentence, and your view (In my opinion…).
- Body: one paragraph per main point, each with a topic sentence and examples. Give the other side fairly too; it makes your argument stronger.
- Your judgment: which side weighs more, and why; what could be done.
- Conclusion: your view again in new words; no new points.
Linking words: firstly, moreover, on the other hand, however, therefore, in conclusion.
Project work
How to say telephone numbers
The Extra bit sums up the rules from the Pronunciation section:
- Say a phone number one digit at a time, with a pause between the groups: 3692-5847 = three six nine two, five eight four seven.
- 0 is usually said like the letter O (oh), or zero: 5059-1023 = five oh five nine, one oh two three.
- Two same digits together: double: 5718-3369 = five seven one eight, double three, six nine.
- Three same digits together: triple: 2149-8777 = two one four nine, eight triple seven.
Say these numbers aloud.
- a.Nepal Police’s emergency number: 100
- b.A number from a film: 555-0100
- c.Another: 555-0199
Answer
Exercise
SEE-style practice on this unit. Try each one as in the exam, then open the answer.
Read the review again and answer: Why did Hachi keep going to the station after his master died?
Answer
Make questions to get the underlined answers.
- a.The film was released in 2009.
- b.Richard Gere played Parker.
- c.Hachi waited for nine years.
- d.They went to Shibuya Station.
- e.Nathan was lip-syncing to a song.
Answer
Rewrite the sentences using the word in brackets.
- a.A mechanic repaired my motorbike. (had … repaired)
- b.My mother asked my brother to wash the car, and he did. (got)
- c.Our teacher forced us to rewrite the essay. (made)
- d.My parents allowed me to go to the concert. (let)
Answer
Write a short review (about 120 words) of a TV program or a YouTube channel you like.
Hint
Write a dialogue of about eight lines between two friends asking for and giving opinions about online classes.
A model dialogue
Practice every question in the book, and keep track of the ones you miss →
A companion to your textbook, not a replacement for it: study from the book your school uses, and where the two differ, follow your teacher. Found a mistake? Please tell us.