Should I?

Lead-in

  • Should you dye your hair green? Why or why not?
  • Should you have a baby? Why or why not?
  • Should you work more or less than you do nowadays? Why?
  • Where should you travel? Why?
  • What is something you should do today?

Presentation

Pre

  • What kind of things can you invest in?

Top Down

  • Should people invest in gold? Read it and find out.
  • Yes, it can’t go wrong.
  • Yes, but they should be careful and not have more than a small percentage of their assets in gold.
  • No, because the price may decline unexpectedly.
  • No, because it’s too expensive and won’t make them a profit in short term.
  • Yes, it can’t go wrong.
  • Yes, but they should be careful and not have more than a small percentage of their assets in gold.
  • No, because the price may decline unexpectedly.
  • No, because it’s too expensive and won’t make them a profit in short term.

About gold

Gold has been a valuable commodity for centuries. Throughout recorded (and unrecorded) history, gold has been used as a currency and a symbol of wealth and power. Gold has been found in gravesites, buried alongside remains dating back as far as 4,500 B.C.E.

This long-standing value demonstrates the stability of gold and its attractiveness over time. Gold is considered by investors to be one of the safest investments, recovering its value quickly through economic downturns. Its price often tracks in opposition to stock market or economic swings.

Investing in Gold
Investing in gold is not like buying stocks or bonds. You can take physical possession of gold by buying either gold coins or gold bullion. Bullion is gold in bar form, with a stamp on it. The stamp contains the purity level and the amount of gold contained in the bar. The value of the bullion or coin comes from its precious metals content and not its rarity and condition, and it can change throughout the day. You can buy bullion or coins from some banks, dealers, brokerage firms, and the U.S. Mint, which has been producing gold coins and bullion for investment since 1986.

Investing in gold with the idea it never loses value is the wrong approach. Like any investment or financial asset, gold is subject to supply and demand ressures that cause the price to fluctuate.

Current and Historical Prices of Gold
Investors should start by looking at the spot price of gold, which is what it can be bought and sold for at that moment. The spot price of gold is quoted per one gold ounce, gram, or kilo. For example, by the end of day on Monday, June 7, 2021, the spot price of gold was $1,903.00 per ounce, $61.18 per gram, and $61,181.45 per kilo.

If you look at historical gold prices, you’ll find that the price of gold shot up dramatically in the 2000s. In 2008, the price of gold varied from around $720 an ounce to over $1,000 an ounce. As the economy sank further into the recession, gold prices soared to around $1,895 in 2011 due to investor sentiment and demand. By April 2020, gold prices declined slightly from where they were almost a decade earlier but continued to perform well in the midst of an economic downturn.

What Form of Gold Is the Right Investment for You?
Gold comes in many forms, so one may be better suited for your investment strategy than another. You could purchase physical gold coins or bullion, but they must be stored in a secure environment. This may involve paying a broker, bank, or another firm a fee.

One of the benefits of investing in physical gold is that, if you need to cash it in quickly, you can. However, gold coins and bullion are often sold at a premium and bought at a discount, so you may not get the market price when you do need to sell.
Investing in gold securities is similar to investing in any other security, except prices may move with the stock market. For example, if you are investing in gold mining companies, the price of the stock may reflect the company’s financial health and market position more than the price of gold. This can create a false sense of security if you are using it as a hedge against risk.

As a general rule of thumb, financial experts often suggest that you should not have more than a small percentage of your assets in gold. This is believed to be good advice because it acts as an insurance policy. If you lose all other stocks in a crash, your gold should follow historical trends and go up in value, keeping you from losing everything. But remember, that’s not guaranteed, so proceed with caution when buying this precious metal.

 

Bottom Up

  • True or False?

Example: Gold has been a valuable commodity for centuries. True

  1. For hundreds of years, gold has been used as a symbol of wealth and power. 
  2. Gold is one of the most secure investments.
  3. Because it’s safe, people should invest in gold with the idea that it can never lose value.
  4. Gold comes in many forms but all of them are good for everyone.
  5. Generally speaking, financial experts often suggest that you should have more than a small percentage of your assets in gold.
  1. For hundreds of years, gold has been used as a symbol of wealth and power. True
  2. Gold is one of the most secure investments. True
  3. Because it’s safe, people should invest in gold with the idea that it can never lose value. False
  4. Gold comes in many forms but all of them are good for everyone. False
  5. Generally speaking, financial experts often suggest that you should have more than a small percentage of your assets in gold. False

Post

  • Do you think you would be a cautious or risky investor? Why?
  • What question would you like to ask an investment expert?

Target Language

Making Recommendations

Useful expressions to make recommendations:

  • I’d highly recommend watching that show. It’s the best one I’ve ever seen.
  • If I were you, I’d take an umbrella with you. Looks like it’s going to rain.
  • You (really) should take up yoga. It’s very healthy and relaxing.
  • Bungee jumping is definitely worth trying.

Unreal Conditionals

Unreal Conditionals talk about how events in the past might have been different.

We use if+ had (not) + past participle to refer to the condition.

We use would (not) + have + past participle to refer to the result.

  • If my parents hadn’t encouraged me, I wouldn’t have become a pilot.
  • I wouldn’t have been late for work if I hadn’t missed the bus.
  • If I’d had enough money back then, I would have bought a better car.
  • I’m pretty sure they would have helped you if you’d asked them.

Controlled Practice

  • Modify the following sentences using unreal conditionals.

Example: I was late for work. I missed the bus. > I wouldn’t have been late for work if I hadn’t missed the bus.

  1. I was hungry. I didn’t go to the supermarket.
  2. He was angry. He had a fight with his girlfriend.
  3. Carla didn’t finish her chores on time. We weren’t able to go out yesterday.
  4. Mariana didn’t agree to marry Fernando. He didn’t ask her.
  5. We didn’t have a better week. It rained the whole time.
  1. I wouldn’t have been hungry if I had gone to the supermarket.
  2. He wouldn’t have been angry if he hadn’t had a fight with his girlfriend.
  3. If Carla had finished her chores on time, we would have been able to go out yesterday.
  4. Mariana would have agreed to marry Fernando if he had asked her.
  5. We would have had a better week if it hadn’t rained the whole time.

Freer Practice

  • Complete the sentences according to your own ideas.
    • I wouldn’t have… if…
    • When I was a kid I would have… 
    • I would invest in… If I…
    • I believe that everyone should… 
    • Yesterday I would have… If…

Production

  • Think about the possibility of investing in something and make recommendations. Talk about them using the Target Language.

Example: I would have invested in gold if…

Homework

Match the words from the first column with their meanings. There is one example.

  1. Crowdfunded

  2. Fine art

  3. Cheap land

  4. Lean hogs

  5. Tax lien

(   )  Industrially-raised pigs.

(1) The practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people.

(   ) Land costing little money or less than is usual or expected.

(   ) Something imposed by law upon a property to secure the payment of taxes.

(   ) Creative art, especially visual art whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content.

  1. Crowdfunded

  2. Fine art

  3. Cheap land

  4. Lean hogs

  5. Tax lien

(4)  Industrially-raised pigs.

(1) The practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people.

(3) Land costing little money or less than is usual or expected.

(5) Something imposed by law upon a property to secure the payment of taxes.

(2) Creative art, especially visual art whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content.

Complete the sentences using Would, Have or Had.

Example: If I ____ not changed teams, he’d be ruining my chances, saying the complete opposite. > If I had not changed teams, he’d be ruining my chances, saying the complete opposite. 

  1. If I ____ not known better, I would ____ sworn he was born one of the Beaker folk.
  2. If I ____ not been thrown out I wouldn’t ____ seen the stars, nor the big gray wolf.
  3. And if I ____ not been with you tonight you ____ have been destroyed.
  4. If I ____ not hugged him he ____ have bothered me all afternoon.
  5. If I ____ not skived off work early to go see, I would ____ been angry at the waste of my time.
  1. If I had not known better, I would have sworn he was born one of the Beaker folk.
  2. If I had not been thrown out I wouldn’t have seen the stars, nor the big gray wolf.
  3. And if I had not been with you tonight you would have been destroyed.
  4. If I had not hugged him he would have bothered me all afternoon.
  5. If I had not skived off work early to go see, I would have been angry at the waste of my time.

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb in parenthesis.

Example: If I hadn’t been in love and practically betrothed to Joshua, I would have ____ (consider) marrying the prince, as scary as that sounds. > if I hadn’t been in love and practically betrothed to Joshua, I would have considered marrying the prince, as scary as that sounds.

  1. It would probably help if I hadn’t _______ (stay) up too late last night making a fiction index.
  2. I probably would have _______ (invite) him over if I hadn’t been _______ (expect) company anytime soon.
  3. So 300 years ago if I hadn’t _______ (die) of infection I’d be toothless by now.
  4. Their argument probably would have _______ (become) violent if I hadn’t interceded.
  5. I probably wouldn’t have _______ (have) a career if I hadn’t been initially typecast in those roles.
  1. It would probably help if I hadn’t stayed up too late last night making a fiction index.
  2. I probably would have invited him over if I hadn’t been expecting company anytime soon.
  3. So 300 years ago if I hadn’t died of infection I’d be toothless by now.
  4. Their argument probably would have become violent if I hadn’t interceded.
  5. I probably wouldn’t have had a career if I hadn’t been initially typecast in those roles.

Put the words in the correct order to make sentences.

Example: days. / roughly, / onto / he / if / eaten / food / shoveled / He / his / plate / as / in / the / hadn’t > He shoveled the food onto his plate roughly, as if he hadn’t eaten in days.

  1. a / hadn’t / I’d / a / been / wardrobe / actor / become / without / mistress, / have / doubt. / I / If / a / successful
  2. with / year. / paid / the / in / hadn’t / another / that / If / gone / flu, / ranch’d / been / for / Julio
  3. If / he / hadn’t / years / been / perished / so / have / Rafael / would / skilled, / ago.
  4. the / she / learned / hadn’t / died. / would / courses / procedure / have / Lucas / believes / first / aid / in / if / he
  5. if / hadn’t / sister. / mean / this / of / his / been / to / have / None / Heitor / happened / would
  1. If I hadn’t become a successful actor I’d have been a wardrobe mistress, without a doubt.
  2. If Julio hadn’t gone with the flu, that ranch’d been paid for in another year.
  3. If Rafael hadn’t been so skilled, he would have perished years ago.
  4. Lucas believes if he hadn’t learned the procedure in first aid courses she would have died.
  5. None of this would have happened if Heitor hadn’t been mean to his sister.

Find and correct the mistakes.

  1. We highly recomend a professional copywriter to write the verbiage for your home page at the very least.
  2. If I was you I should try to get something better than valeting.
  3. I highly recommend their banana bread, served with greek yoghurt, slice banana and sunflower seeds.
  4. That, my guidebook tells me, is the one color you really should to not wear because it is associated with the enemy of the holy martyr.
  5. Her voice was thick with a Scottish brogue, which normally I had find fascinating, if she wouldn’t seemed like such a haughty snot.
  1. We highly recommend a professional copywriter to write the verbiage for your home page at the very least.
  2. If I were you I should try to get something better than valeting.
  3. I highly recommend their banana bread, served with greek yoghurt, sliced banana and sunflower seeds.
  4. That, my guidebook tells me, is the one color you really should not wear because it is associated with the enemy of the holy martyr.
  5. Her voice was thick with a Scottish brogue, which normally I would find fascinating, if she hadn’t seemed like such a haughty snot.

Writing

Write about five past events that might have been different . Remember to use as much of the Target Language as possible.