Learning Objectives Top Notch Fundamentals is designed for true beginning students or for

students needing the support of a very low-level beginning course. No prior

knowledge of English is assumed or necessary.

Unit Communication Goals Vocabulary Grammar Conversation Strategies Listening / Pronunciation Reading / Writing

1 Tell a classmate your occupation

Identify your classmates
Spell names
Occupations
The alphabet
Verb be:
Singular and plural statements, contractions
Yes / no questions and short answers
Use And you? to show interest in another
person
Use Excuse me to initiate a conversation
Listening task:
Circle the letter you hear
Identify correct spelling of names
Reading Text:
Simple forms and business cards
Writing Task:
Names and VOCABULARY BOOSTER
Common errors Use Excuse me? to indicate you havent heard Write the name you hear spelled Write afrmative and negative
More occupations Subject pronouns or didnt understand Identify the correct occupation statements about people in a picture
Occupations Articles a / an Use Thanks! to acknowledge someones Write the missing information: names and
Nouns: complying with a request occupations
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Singular and plural / Common and proper Pronunciation:
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
Syllables

2 Introduce people
Tell someone your rst and last
name



Relationships (non-family)
Titles
First and last names
Possessive nouns and adjectives
Be from / Questions with Where, common errors
Verb be: information questions with What
Identify someones relationship to you when
making an introduction
Use too to reciprocate a greeting
Listening task:
Complete statements about relationships
Circle the correct information
Reading Text:
Short descriptions of famous people,
their occupations, and countries of
About People Get someones contact Numbers 020
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
Begin a question with And to indicate you Fill in names, phone numbers, and e-mail origin
information want additional information addresses you hear Writing Task:
page 12 VOCABULARY BOOSTER Repeat part of a question to clarify Pronunciation: Write sentences about your relationships
More relationships Repeat information to conrm Stress in two-word pairs

3 Talk about locations

Discuss how to get places
Discuss transportation
Places in the neighborhood
Locations
Ways to get places
Places and How Means of transportation
Destinations
to Get There
VOCABULARY BOOSTER
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More places
Verb be: questions with Where
Subject pronoun it
The imperative
By to express means of transportation
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
Use Youre welcome to formally acknowledge
thanks
Use OK to acknowledge advice
Use What about you? to show interest in
another person
Listening task:
Write the places you hear
Write the directions you hear, using afrmative
and negative imperatives
Circle the means of transportation
Write by phrases, check destinations you hear
Pronunciation:
Falling intonation for questions with Where
Reading Texts:
Simple maps and diagrams
Introductions of people, their
relationships and occupations, where
they live, and how they get to work
Writing Task:
Write questions and answers about the
places in a complex picture

4 Identify people in your family

Describe your relatives
Talk about your family
Family relationships
Adjectives to describe
people
Family Numbers 21101
page 28 VOCABULARY BOOSTER
More adjectives
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
Verb be:
Questions with Who and common errors
With adjectives
Use Well, to indicate one is deciding how
to begin a response
Use And how about? to ask for more
Listening task:
Identify the picture of a relative being
described
Reading Texts:
A family tree
A magazine article about famous actors
Questions with How old information Choose the adjective that describes the people and their families
Adverbs very and so Use Really? to show interest or mild surprise mentioned in a conversation Writing Task:
Verb have / has: afrmative statements Pronunciation: Write a description of the people in
Number contrasts your family

5 Conrm that youre on time

Talk about the time of an event
Ask about birthdays



What time is it?
Early, on time, late
Events
Verb be: questions about time
Prepositions in, on, and at for dates and times
Common errors
Use Uh-oh to indicate you may have made a
mistake
Use Look to focus someones attention on
Listening task:
Identify events and circle the correct times
Write the events you hear in a date book
Reading Texts:
A world map with time zones
Events posters
Events and Days of the week
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
something Circle the dates you hear Conversations
Ordinal numbers Use Great! to show enthusiasm for an idea Pronunciation: A zodiac calendar
Times Months of the year Offer someone best wishes on his or her Sentence rhythm Writing Task:
birthday Write about events at your school or in
page 36 VOCABULARY BOOSTER
your city
More events

6 Give and accept a compliment

Ask for colors and sizes
Describe clothes
Clothes
Colors and sizes
Opposite adjectives to
Clothes describe clothes
page 44 VOCABULARY BOOSTER
More clothes
Demonstratives this, that, these, those
The simple present tense: like, want, need, and have:
Afrmative and negative statements
Acknowledge a compliment with Thank you
Apologize with Im sorry when expressing
disappointing information
Listening task:
Conrm details about clothes
Determine colors of garments
Reading Text:
A sales yer from a department store
Writing Task:
Questions and short answers Use Thats too bad to express disappointment Pronunciation: Write sentences about the clothes you
Spelling rules and contractions Use What about you? to ask for someones Plural endings have, need, want, and like
Adjective placement and common errors opinion
One and ones Use Well to soften a strong opinion

GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice

7 Talk about morning and evening

activities
Describe what you do in your
Daily activities at home
Leisure activities
Household chores
The simple present tense:
Third-person singular spelling rules
Questions with When and What time
Say Me? to give yourself time to think of a
personal response
Use Well to introduce a lengthy response
Listening task:
Match chores to the people who performed
them
Reading Text:
A review of housekeeping robots
Writing Tasks:
Activities free time
VOCABULARY BOOSTER
Questions with How often, time expressions Use So to introduce a conversation topic Pronunciation: Write ve sentences about robots
Discuss household chores Questions with Who as subject, common errors Use How about you? to ask for parallel information Third-person singular verb endings Describe your typical week, using
page 52 More household chores Frequency adverbs and time expressions: Say Sure to indicate a willingness to answer adverbs of frequency and time
Units 1-7 Review Usage, placement, and common errors Begin a response to an unexpected question expressions
page 60 with Oh
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice

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 LESSON
Unit Communication Goals Vocabulary Grammar Conversation Strategies Listening / Pronunciation Reading / Writing
1 GOAL Wish someone a good holiday
8 Describe your neighborhood
Ask about someones home
Talk about furniture and



Types of buildings
Places in the neighborhood
Rooms
The simple present tense:
Questions with Where, prepositions of place
There is and there are:
Use Really? to introduce contradictory
information
Respond positively to a description with
Listening task:
Determine the best house or apartment for
clients of a real estate company
Reading Texts:
House and apartment rental listings
Descriptions of people and their homes
Home and appliances Furniture and appliances Statements and yes / no questions Sounds nice! Complete statements about locations of Writing Task:
Contractions and common errors Use Actually to introduce an opinion that furniture and appliances
Neighborhood VOCABULARY BOOSTER Questions with How many might surprise Pronunciation:
Compare and contrast your home with
homes in a complex illustration
CONVERSATION MODEL Say I dont know. Im not sure to avoid making
page 64 More home and ofce
4: 05
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice Linking sounds
4:03 vocabulary Types a direct negative statement
A Read and listen to a conversation about a holiday. of holidays

9 Describe todays weather

A: I heard theres going
Discuss
topeoples
Ask about be a holiday
plans
activities next week.
B: Thats right. The Harvest Moon Festival. expressions
seasonal
Weather expressions
Present and hfuture
re lig io
cal
istoritime
us
The present continuous:
Statements: form and usage
Yes / no questions



Use Hi and Hey to greet people informally
Say No kidding! to show surprise
Answer the phone with Hello?
Listening task:
Determine weather and temperatures in cities
in a weather report
Reading Texts:
A daily planner
A newspaper column about activities in
Activities Information questions Identify yourself with This is on the phone Complete statements about peoples activities, a town
and A: What kind of holiday is it? VOCABULARY BOOSTER
For future plans Use Well, actually to begin an excuse using the present continuous
Plans More weather vocabulary The present participle: spelling rules Say Oh, Im sorry after interrupting Pronunciation:
Writing Task:
Write about plans for the week, using
B: Its a seasonal holiday that takes place in autumn. People Say Talk to you later to indicate the end of a
page 72 GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice Rising and falling intonation of yes / no and the present continuous
spend time with their families and eat moon cakes. phone conversation information questions
A: Well, have a great Harvest Moon Festival!
10 B: Thanks! Same to
4:04
Discuss ingredients for a recipe
you!
Offer and ask for foods
Invite someone to join you at the
Foods and drinks
Places to keep food in a
kitchen
Count nouns and non-count nouns:
Meaning, form, and common errors
Count nouns: How many / Are there any
Say Ill check to indicate youll get
information for someone
Decline an offer politely with No, thanks
Listening task:
Identify the foods discussed in conversations
Pronunciation:
Reading Texts:
Recipe cards
A weekly schedule
Food
B Rhythm table Containers and quantities
and intonation Listen again and repeat. Non-count nouns: How much / Is there any Use Please pass the ... to ask for something at Vowel sounds: /i/, //, /e/, //, // Writing Task:
Cooking verbs The simple present tense and the present the table Write about what you eat in a typical
page Then
80 practice the Conversation Model with a partner. continuous: usage and common errors Say Here you go as you offer something day
VOCABULARY BOOSTER Say Nice to see you to greet someone you
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
More vegetables and fruits already know
Use You too to repeat a greeting politely
VOCABULARY Ways to commemorate a holiday
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a moon cake
4:06 Tell someone about a past event Past-time expressions The past tense of be: Ask why? to ask for a clearer explanation Listening task: Reading Text:
A Read and Describe
listen. Thenpast activities
listen Outdoor activities
again and repeat. Statements, questions, and contractions Use What about ? to ask for more Circle the year you hear A blog in which people describe what
Talk about outdoor activities The simple past tense information Infer the correct day or month they did the previous weekend
Past Events VOCABULARY BOOSTER
Regular verbs, irregular verbs Use just to minimize the importance of an action Choose activities mentioned in conversations Writing Tasks:
More outdoor activities Statements, questions, and short answers Use a double question to clarify Pronunciation: Write about the activities of two people,
page 88 Say Let me think to gain time to answer Simple past tense regular verb endings based on a complex picture
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
Say Oh yeah to indicate you just remembered Write about your weekend and what
something you did

12 Describe appearance Adjectives to describe hair
Show concern about an injury The face
Suggest a remedy Parts of the body
Appearance Accidents and injuries
Ailments, remedies
and Health set off fireworks march in parades
VOCABULARY BOOSTER
page 96
More parts of the body
Describing people with be and have
Should + base form for advice
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
have picnics
Use Oh to indicate youve understood Listening task: Reading Text:
Say Im sorry to hear that, Oh, no, and Identify the people described in conversations A magazine article about two celebrities
Thats too bad to express sympathy Complete statements about injuries Writing Task:
Use Whats wrong? to ask about an illness Identify the ailments and remedies suggested Write a description of someone you
Use really to intensify advice with should in conversations
Respond to good advice with Good idea Pronunciation
know
Say I hope you feel better when someone feels
More vowel sounds
sick

13 Express a wish Abilities Can and cant for ability Use I wish I could . . . to express a wish Listening task: Reading Text:
Politely decline an invitation Adverbs well and badly Too + adjective, common errors Use But to introduce contrasting information Complete requests for favors A journal article about infant-toddler
Ask for and agree to do a favor Reasons for not doing Polite requests with Could you + base form Suggest a shared course of action with Lets development
Pronunciation
Abilities and something GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice Politely decline a suggestion with Im really Assimilation of sounds: Could you Writing Task:
Favors sorry but and a reason
Requests Accept a refusal with Maybe some other time
Describe things people can and cant
do when they get old
VOCABULARY BOOSTER Use Sure and No problem to agree to
page 104
send
More musical someones request for a favor
pray cards instruments give each other gifts

14 Get to know someones life story

Discuss plans
Express wishes for the future



Some life events
Academic subjects
Leisure activities
Be going to + base form
Would like + innitive:
Statements



Use Not really to soften a negative response
Ask What do you mean? to request clarication
Use Well to explain or clarify
Listening task:
Choose correct statements
Circle correct words or phrases
Reading Text:
A short biography of Harry Houdini
Writing Task:
Life Events and Life cycle events Questions Use emphatic stress on and to indicate two Complete statements about activities, using the Write your own illustrated life story,
Short answers answers present continuous
Plans VOCABULARY BOOSTER
Contractions Infer peoples wishes for the future and complete
including plans and wishes for the
future
page 112 More academic subjects statements, using would like
GRAMMAR BOOSTER Extra practice
More leisure activities Pronunciation
Units 814 Review Diphthongs
page 120
wish each other well remember the dead wear costumes
Countries and nationalities / Numbers 100 to 1,000,000,000 / Irregular verbs / Pronunciation table ....page 125 Top Notch Popp Lyrics .............................................................................................................................. page 149
B Pair work Match the Vocabulary with holidays

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and celebrations you know.
Everyone wears costumes on . . .

Vocabulary Boosterr ..................................................................................................................................
Grammar Boosterr ....................................................................................................................................
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page 137
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UNIT 7
ActiveBook Self-Study Diskk ......................................................................................................... Inside back cover

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