A A GENERAL ISSUES

King of chess
Lesson code: 13ZN-86T9-4HQ9 INTERMEDIATE +
American English

1 Warm-up
Which sports do you enjoy playing or watching? Why?

2 Key words
Match the following words with their correct definition:

1. an opponent a. a person, especially a child, with an exceptional talent

2. focus b. a person who has the highest level of skill at playing chess
3. a Grandmaster c. a person who you compete against in a sports event or other
contest
4. hesitant d. concentration
5. join e. energetic interest in a particular subject or activity
6. upset f. nervous or uncertain (about doing something)
7. a prodigy g. to become a member of (a team, etc.)
8. enthusiasm h. to choose someone (e.g. for a team)
9. pick somebody i. worried, unhappy, or angry

3 Find the information

Read the article below and find the following information:

1. How old is Shane Melaugh?

2. Which country does he represent?
3. When did he learn to play chess?
4. How many Irish Grandmasters are there?
5. How many young people in Ireland are involved in chess?
6. At what age do pupils usually join the chess club at Shane's school?
7. How often does Shane play chess?
8. How old was Shane when he learned how to set up a chess board?
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 King of chess
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

Ireland's youngest king of chess takes

on the world
A player so young he cannot read or write is shocking the chess scene in Ireland.

1 At the age of five, Shane Melaugh has already as you put the chessboard in front of him he's a
become the youngest person to represent Ireland genius."
as a member of the under-12s team.
9 His primary school was at first hesitant about
2 Shane, who has just finished his first year at accepting him into the chess club because he was
elementary school, has attracted a lot of attention so young, and players generally join at around the
for his exceptional talent for playing chess. age of eight. But after a few games, teachers
noticed his talent.
3 The boy, who was taught to play at the age of
three by his grandfather, quickly showed both a 10 His mother says he is not upset at losing a game.
passion for the game and a natural talent. Experts "He's very competitive. If he loses the first thing
who have observed him predict he will become out of his mouth is - I'll play you again.
very successful in the future. 11 "He doesn't want to play all day every day but he
4 According to his chess coach, Alan Turnbull: won't go to bed until he has a game of chess. He
"Shane is very talented for his age and has beaten can beat me easily, and now he can beat his
much older pupils. In terms of his talent, he is father. He can't even read or write and he has
very much above anyone I have taught." been picked to play chess for Ireland."

12 Mrs. Melaugh recalled: "When Shane was a baby

5 Mark Quinn of the Irish Chess Union said that the
he used to pick up chess pieces and play with
boy had exceptional focus and concentration.
them. And then when Shane was about three my
"He's a completely normal five-year-old," he said.
dad taught him how to set up the board and he
"But he's completely obsessed with the game at
learned how to play."
the moment. He loves it."
13 According to chess experts, the careers of young
6 An Irish chess prodigy is very unusual because the prodigies are difficult to predict, and some talented
country has produced no internationally-known players may lose enthusiasm after some years.
players and is normally associated with physical
sports such as rugby and soccer. 14 At the moment, however, Shane shows no signs
of losing interest. According to his grandfather,
7 The only Grandmaster in Ireland is a Russian who Peter Mc Grath: "I never force him to play - he is
moved to the country some years ago. But chess always forcing me to get the board out. Instead of
is popular at school level, where about 10,000 his breakfast, he wants a game."
young people are involved in the game.
15 Shane himself, when asked why he plays chess,
8 Shane's mother Linda said: "He's very, very replies, "I just do. I love it up to heaven."
smart. He learned to play quite fast, he has a
natural talent. He's just a normal kid, but as soon Adapted from The Independent, June 18th, 2007
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 King of chess
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

4 Checking understanding
Choose the best answer according to the text:

1. A chess talent from Ireland is surprising because...

a. chess is not popular in Ireland
b. Ireland is associated with other sports
c. there was a Russian player in Ireland

2. Shane learned so fast because...

a. he has a natural b. his father coached c. he joined a chess
talent him well club

3. Shane's school didn't want to accept him into the chess club at first because...
a. he was a normal kid b. he was too young c. he was a genius

4. When Shane loses a game, he...

a. wants to play again b. becomes upset c. goes to bed

5. Careers of young chess prodigies are unpredictable because...

a. they can lose their talent as they become older
b. they can start to lose interest in the game
c. they can become too obsessed

6. According to his grandfather, Shane hasn't lost interest in playing chess because...
a. he always wins
b. he doesn't eat breakfast
c. nobody forces him to play

5 Prepositions
Complete the phrases from the text with a preposition and write a sentence for each expression:

1. obsessed something
2. associated something
3. involved an activity
4. hesitant doing something
5. upset losing a game

6 Talking point
Are there any young sporting talents in your country? Who is your country's greatest sportsman or
sportswoman?
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 King of chess
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

7 Grammar - Tense review

Look at the following underlined structures and match them to the correct tenses and rules below:

1. He doesn't want to play all day every day.

2. The country has produced no internationally-known players.
3. When Shane was a baby he used to pick up the chess pieces and play with them.
4. My dad taught him how to set up the board and he learned how to play.
5. Shane, who has just finished his first year at primary school, has attracted a lot of attention for his
exceptional talent for playing chess.

a. We use used to + infinitive to talk about a past routine or state that doesn't happen or exist now.
b. We use the present perfect simple to talk about recently-completed events or changes that have
a connection with the present.
c. We use the present perfect simple to talk about something that happened or didn't happen at an
unspecified time before now.
d. We use the simple past to talk about completed events in the past.
e. We use the simple present to talk about a present routine or state.

What is the negative form of `used to'? How do we form questions with `used to'?

8 Practice
Complete the sentences below with the simple past or present perfect simple.

1. He (go) to the party a few minutes ago.

2. The movie (not/start) yet.
3. I (be) ill since Monday.
4. I (visit) Hong Kong last year.
5. This is my friend Michael. (you/ever/meet) him?
6. I (give up) smoking last year.
7. I (not/see) you for a long time. How are you?
8. I (go) to the movies last night.
9. I (just/finish) my work. I'm coming home.
10. He (die) during the war.
11. She (find) a new job last week.
12. Silvio (go) to France five times in his life.
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 King of chess
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

Now do the same with the simple present or `used to' + infinitive.

1. I'm a college student. I (attend) lectures every day.

2. I (attend) lectures every day during my student years.
3. I (travel) to Rome every month. It's part of my job.
4. I (travel) Rome every month. It was part of my job.
5. Peter lives a very healthy lifestyle now. He (smoke) every day.
6. Peter lives a very unhealthy lifestyle. He (smoke) 40 cigarettes a day.
7. I (go) to the movies all the time. I don't have much time for that these days.
8. I (go) to the movies all the time. I have a lot of free time.
9. I (not/eat out) very often these days.
10. I (not/eat out) very often. I preferred to cook at home.
11. Joanne is a musician. Which instrument (play)?
12. (you/play) an instrument in your childhood?

Work in pairs. Tell your partner four things about yourself using the simple present, present perfect
simple, simple past and `used to' + infinitive, for example:

I used to get up at 6 am every morning.

Four years ago, I changed my job.

I have been to Italy five times.

I don't go out very often these days.

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 King of chess - Key
A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

2- Key words

1. c 2. d 3. b 4. f 5. g 6. i 7. a 8. e 9. h

3- Find the information

1. five (P1)
2. Ireland (P1)
3. three (P3)
4. none (P7)
5. 10,000 (P7)
6. eight (P9)
7. every day (P11)
8. three (P12)

4- Checking understanding

1. b 2. a 3. b 4. a 5. b 6. c

5- Prepositions

1. with 2. with 3. in 4. about 5. at

7- Grammar - Tense review

1. e 2. c 3. a 4. d 5. b

didn't use to, did ... use to?

8- Practice

Simple past v. Present perfect:

1. went 2. hasn't started 3. 've been 4. visited

5. Have you ever met 6. gave up 7. haven't seen 8. went
9. 've just finished 10. died 11. found 12. has been

Used to v. Simple present:

1. attend 2. used to attend 3. travel 4. used to travel

5. used to smoke 6. smokes 7. used to 8. go
9. don't eat out 10. didn't use to eat out 11. does she play 12. Did you use to play
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