Unit 14: What would you do if.

1a Work with a study partner and discuss these questions.

1 Which places have you had time to visit when ashore?
2 What type of things do you like doing when you visit a new place?
3 Is there a place you have never been to that you would like to see?
4 What is the best way to get to know a country you have never been to before?

1b Listen to the cassette. Carlos and Guido work on a passenger ship which has just
arrived in Sydney. Read these sentences. Only one sentence is true. Which one?
1 Carlos and Guido are tourists.
2 Carlos and Guido are imagining being tourists.
3 Carlos and Guido are going on a tour of Australia.
4 Carlos and Guido plan to hire a motorbike.

1c Listen again and answer these questions.

1 Have Guido and Carlos ever toured around Australia?
2 Are they planning to spend a month going around by car?
3 Does Guido think it would be possible to see Australia in one month?
4 Do Guido and Carlos have enough time and money to do this?
[Link] does Carlos laugh at Guidos idea of going to quiet places by motorbike?

1d Listen again carefully. Complete Carlos and Guidos sentences with the exact
words they use.
1. If I had time, [Link] to travel right around Australia.
2. If you.a car, you..probably do it in a month.
3. You..only do it in a month if youstop anywhere.
4. .time and moneyno object, thats what.
5. [Link]..?
6. imagine [Link] everyoneby motorbike.

2a If+Past Simple/Would

In Unit 13 you learned how different patterns are used with if clauses to talk about
scientific facts and to give warnings or to make predictions. If clauses can also be used to
talk about things that cannot happen because they are impossible, unlikely or untrue.

If I had all the time in the world, I would travel around Australia.
(This means: It is very unlikely that I will have enough time to do this but I can think
about it)

If I was a tourist, I would visit some quiet places.

(This means: I am not a tourist but I can imagine being one)

If everyone arrived by motorbike, they would spoil all the quiet places.
(This means: Not everyone does this but it is possible to consider the effects.)
Notice the pattern of this if clause for talking about unlikely events:

If + subject + Past Simple, subject + would(not) + infinitive

If I won the lottery, I wouldnt work again.

This pattern does not refer to past time. The Past Simple emphasizes that the if clause is
likely to happen. Would emphasizes the possible result or consequence. Together, they
indicate a hypothetical situation that is not connected to time.

As you saw in Unit 13, it is possible to change the order of the two clauses without
changing the meaning.

I would never work again if I won the lottery.

Look at the picture and complete the dialogue. What would each person do if he had
enough money?

Complete this dialogue using the information in the picture.

Tony: Look! This guy has won the lottery! Whatyou do if [Link], John?
John: Thats easy. If i.,Id..
Tony: Would you? I wouldnt buy a sports car, Id buy a house. What...
.if you won all that money, Sam?
Sam: Me? [Link] anything! Id
Ben: I wouldnt. If I..rich, Isome money to charity and then..
..the rest to my friends.
Tony: Well, Ben, [Link] be your friends if yourich!

Listen to the cassette and check your answers.

2b Complete these sentences with your own ideas.

1. If I won the lottery.
2. If I had all the time in the world,
3. If I had my life to live again,..
4. I would be a fluent English speaker if
5. There wouldnt be any wars if
6. .if I owned a fleet of vessels.
7. .if we didnt have radar on ships.
8. .if we had time to go ashore.
9. .if we didnt have electricity.
10. .if it rained all day.
 Could and might in if clauses and result clauses
In Exercise 2a you saw that would is used in result clauses to talk about possible
consequences of hypothetical situations. In the result clause, would can be replaced with
could or might. As you saw in Unit 11 Exercise 5b, could and might emphasise the
possibility of something happening.

e.g. If you were on holiday in Australia, you could go to Ayers Rock.

If I found money in the street, I might give it to the police or I might keep it.

A: Would you enjoy yourself if you went on holiday alone?

B: If I was alone, I might get lonely but I could talk to other tourists.

Could can also be used in if clauses to replace the Past Simple form of the verb.

If you could choose any location, where would you live?

(=if man was able to fly)

However, it is not possible to use might to replace the Past Simple form of the verb in the
if clause.

If man might fly..

Read these questions and write your own answers. Use would, could and might in your
answers.

1. Where would you go if you had the chance?

2. How could you find a place to stay if you were in a strange city?
3. If you saw a fight in the street, what would you do?
4. If a stranger called your name, how would you react?
5. What would you do if your ship left port without you?
6. What could you do if you lost your airline ticket?
7. How might you celebrate if you were promoted?
8. What do you think animals might say if they could talk?

5a Changes in if clauses
As you learned in Unit 13, certain other words can replace if When the pattern is if +
Past Simple for talking about imaginary situations, if can be replaced with supposing. It
is possible to change the order of the two clauses without changing the meaning.

What job would you want to do supposing you werent a seafarer?

Supposing you were a seafarer, what job would you want to do?

In order to emphasise the hypothetical meaning, if can also be replaced with suppose
 (that), imagine (that) and what if.
Suppose (that) you werent a seafarer: what job you want to do?
Imagine (that) you were a millionaire. Do you think you would be happy?
What if the sun didnt rise tomorrow. What might happen?

When the if clause is emphasized in this way, it is not possible to change the order of the
two clauses.

Do you think you would be happy, imagine (that) you were a millionaire?

When you use suppose (that), imagine (that) and what if, it is not always necessary to
include the result clause, provided that the topic is already clear.

A: If I found some money in the street, I would keep it.

B: But suppose someone saw you?

(This means: what would happen if someone saw you?)

A: If I owned my own company, I wouldnt ever work.

B: What if your company went bankrupt?

(This means: what would you do if your company went bankrupt?)

Look at these pictures. Write a question for each one.

1. Suppose you were lost in a strange city: what would you do?

5b Work with a study partner. Discuss each of the pictures in the exercise above,
starting with the questions you wrote. Imagine different possibilities and what you
would do in each situation.

A: Suppose you were lost in a strange city: what would you do?
B: I would ask someone for directions.
A: What if you didnt speak the language?
B: Then I would buy a map to find where I was.
A: But imagine that you didnt have enough money to buy a map?
B: Well, if I couldnt buy a map, I would walk around until I found a tourist information
place.

6a An island in the sun

Read these questions relating to the situation on a small island. Scan read the texts to
find the answers.

1. What type of activities can tourists enjoy on the island?

2. Why is the Coastguard under pressure?
3. Which group is concerned about the sea turtles and why?
4. Is unemployment a problem on the island?

Island Ferries

Did you know that paradise is only half an

hour away? Island Ferries are now operating a
fast new link to the secluded island of Sorga
with boats leaving every 30 minutes. If youre
a nature-lover, sun-worshipper or sports
enthusiast, Sorga is your ideal holiday
destination. Stroll along the unspoiled beaches;
splash out on lessons in diving, snorkeling,
surfing or canoeing at the new water sports
complex; take a trip on a luxury speed boat
from the purpose-built marina; hire a boat to
sail out around the island or follow the coastal
trail to see Sorgas sea turtles and birdlife.

Sample Sorga-you wont want to leave!

SORGA COASTGUARD ANNUAL REPORT

SUMMARY
The sudden increase in the number of ro-ro ferries and pleasure craft operating around the
islands coastal waters has put enormous pressure on the coastguard services during the
last year. The main problem areas have been incidents involving rescue operations and
pollution control.

SAR operations tripled during the past year due to the number of holiday makers with
minimal seagoing experience hiring small boats for island tours.

Pollution control has become a major problem caused by additional vessels pumping
bilges into the sea and an increase in garbage deposited at sea from pleasure craft.
Beached oil is likely to become increasingly problematic if contingency measures and
clean-up plans are not coordinated with local authorities.
The Director
Sorga Tourist Information Board

Dear Sir/Madam

My wife and I recently visited Sorga while on a cruise holiday. We visited the island
many years ago and were looking forward to returning, however, we were extremely
disappointed by the effects of recent developments there. The island has changed beyond
all recognition since we first visited: the beach area was over-crowded and the coastal
walks, which used to be so quiet, have been ruined by crowds of people. Local people
were unfriendly towards us and the prices in shops were sky high. I understand that there
are plans for a large hotel to be built on the island. I, for one, will not be recommending a
holiday there to my friends. I am sorry to say that it was a relief to leave the island and
get back to the comfort and peace of our cruise ship.

Yours sincerely

Tourist Boom

Financial reports have shown a record for the

island economy of Sorga this year. The upsurge
in tourist numbers has come as a relief to high-
risk investors following concerns that a multi-
million dollar marina and water sports complex
might fail to draw sufficient numbers of visitors.
However, competitive ferry services and a new
advertising campaign have succeeded in
attracting thousands of holiday-makers. Local
traders have reported an unprecedented rise in
profits in the service sector with a corresponding
increase in employment opportunities. Plans for
a large-scale hotel development are now
underway.
 The Sorga Environmental Network
(SEN) is alarmed at the effects of
tourism on the islands ecosystems.
The breeding pattern of certain
seabirds has been disrupted by the
level of noise from speed boats and
birds have been found stranded on
beaches with oil-coated feathers.
Divers have reported that certain
species of fish and underwater plants
appear to be affected by spills of oil
and diesel into the water. The islands
small population of sea turtles has
been turned into a tourist attraction
and SEN is concerned that the turtle
eggs may be stolen by visitors,

6b Read the texts again n detail. What are the positive and negative effects of tourism
on the island? Make notes in the table.

Positive effects Negative effects

Answer these questions using the information that you noted in the table.

1. What have been the major changes on the island?

2. Which groups of people do you think would be in favour of tourism on the island and
why?
3. Which groups do you think might object to more tourism on the island and why?
4. Would you like to go on holiday to Sorga? Why/Why not?

6c Points of view
Read these questions and make notes about your answers.

1. If you lived on Sorga, which of these people would you want to be?
the manager of the water sports complex
 the head of the conservation group, SEN
a representative of the Coastguard
the Master of one of the ferries
a hotel owner
a local resident
the owner of a private yacht
2. If you were this person, what would you think of tourism on the island?
3. If you were this person, which other people on the island would you support and why?
4. Who might you disagree and why?
5. What changes would you want to see on the island?
6. What might you want to do to tackle the problems on the island?
7. How would you feel if the number of tourists kept increasing?
8. What do you think might happen if tourism continued to grow?

Work with a study partner. Using the notes you made, tell each other what you would
think about the situation on Sorga if you lived there.

6d. Did you and your partner have similar opinions? Write a summary to compare
and contrast your ideas. Include these points in your summary:

Explain what your partner would do if he lived on Sorga.

Give your opinion of his ideas.
Mention what you would do if you lived there.

MARITIME FOCUS
Co-ordinating search and rescue procedures; SMCP for search and rescue
operations; SMCP for evacuation and boat drill; SMCP for attending to passengers in
an emergency.

Answer key

Exercise 1b
Carlos: Well, thats the last of the passengers off now. I wish I was disembarking in
Sydney with them!
Guido: [Link] bad we cant go with them. Ive never been into Sydney before.
Carlos: Me neither. If I had time, I would love to travel right around Australia.
Guido: Hey, you sure would need a lot of time if you really wanted to travel all the way
around it!
Carlos: YeahI wonder how long it would take to travel right round the coast? If you had
a car, you could probably do it in a month.
Guido: No way, Carlos! You could only do it in a month if you didnt stop anywhere!
What would be the point in that? I think it would be much better to take your time and tour
around by motorbikeDont you think so?
Carlos: Hey, now that would be pretty cool, if you had all the time in the world that is.
Wouldnt it be great to ride all the way from Sydney to Cairns by motorbike? Yeah, if time
and money were no object, thats what Id do: buy a big bike and head for the horizon!
Guido: So, where would you go?
Carlos: Mmm, first, Id go to the Great Barrier Reef. Ive always wanted to go there. And
then I would cruise off to see Ayers Rock.
Guido: No, those places are supposed to be full of tourists, you know. I dont like being
one of the crowd. If I had my choice, Id jump on my motorbike and Id go to all the places
that nobody else visits. Thats the best way to explore a country: find out whats it like in
the quiet, out-of-the-way places. More people should do it that way.
Carlos: But, Guido, if you roared in your 1000cc motorbike, you would spoil all the peace
and quiet that you wanted to experience! And imagine what would happen if everyone
arrived by motorbike. There wouldnt be much peace and quiet left!
Guido: [Link], youve got a point here. Oh well, theres no harm in dreaming!
Carlos: Yeah, I think those quiet, out-of-the-way places are safe for a little while! Come
on, enough of all this day-dreaming. Weve got work to do.

Exercise 1b
The true sentence is: 2) Carlos and Guido are imagining being tourists.

Exercise 1c
1. No, Guido and Carlos have never toured Australia. They are just imagining it.
2. No, they are not planning to spend a month around by car
3. Guido thinks it would be possible to see Australia in one month by car if you didnt
stop anywhere.
4. No, they probably dont have enough time and money.
5. Carlo laughs at Guidos idea because he says Guido would spoil the peace and quiet by
going to quiet places by motorbike.

Exercise1d
1. If I had time, I would love to travel right around Australia.
2. if you had a car, you could probably do it in a month.
3. You could only do it in a month if you didnt stop anywhere.
4. If time and money were no object, thats what Id do.
5. Where would you go?
6. imagine what would happen if everyone arrived by motorbike.

Exercise2a
Tony: Look! This guy has won the lottery! What would you do if you were him, John?
John: Thats easy. If I was him, Id buy a sports car.
Tony: Would you? I wouldnt buy sports car, Id buy a house. What would you do if you
won all that money, Sam?
Sam: Me? I wouldnt buy anything! Id put the money into the bank.
Ben: I wouldnt. If I was rich, Id give some of my money to charity and then Id give the
rest to my friends.
Tony: Well, Ben, we would all be your friends if you became rich!

Exercise 4
(possible answers)
1. If I had the chance, I would go to China and Nepal.
2. I could go to a tourist information centre or I could ask someone where I could find a
hotel.
3. If I didnt know the people, I might walk away.
4. I would e surprised but I might speak to him.
5. I would phone the agent to ask what to do.
6. If I lost my airline ticket, I could explain to someone at the check-in desk or I could
contact the crewing office.
7. If I was promoted, I would tell all my friends and I might have a party.
8. Who knows what animals might say if they could talk!

Exercise 5a
(possible answers)
2. Imagine that you witnessed a car crash. What would you do?
3. Suppose you saw someone famous. What would you do?
4. What might you do with your money, supposing you were very rich?
5. What if you saw a pickpocket someones money?
6. What would you do if you were bitten by a mad dog?
7. What if your car broke at night?
8. What could you do if you saw a yacht in distress?
9. Supposing you were shipwrecked, what might you do?
10. Imagine that you saw the lashings break on a cargo of pipes. What would you do?

Exercise 6a

1. Water sports activities (diving, snorkeling, surfing and canoeing); island tours (trips
round the island, nature trails to see turtles and sea birds).
2. Because of the increase in SAR operations and pollution control problems.
3. The Sorga Environmental Network group is concerned about the sea turtles because
they think that tourists may steal the eggs.
4. No, unemployment is not a problem.

Exercise 6b
(possible answers)

Positive effects Negative effects

-new ferry service -over-crowding
-marina and a water sports centre have been built -high prices
-thousands of holiday-makers -pressure on Coastguard
-local traders are making profits -damage to birds and marine
life
-increase in job opportunities -pollution from garbage and
oil

1. The major changes have been the development of a marina and a water sports
complex leading to an increase in the number of tourists and the number of ferries
and pleasure craft.
2. Investors; the ferry company; tour companies; hotels and local traders might favour
tourism because they benefit from it.
3. The Coastguard; the conservation group and some local residents might object to
more tourism because it spoils their environment by bringing too many people.