BIG CONVERSATIONS · A2 · 50 min

The Man Who Decided to Believe

A doctor was very sad and ill. Then he made one big choice.

Want the harder version? Open this story at C1 level →

Read next: The Freedom Nobody Could Take →

Today: you will read a true story about a man and a big choice. You will also practise the past simple and the words because and so.
Before we start. Talk about these questions. There are no wrong answers.
Discuss:
  • Do you believe in things you cannot see? Can you give an example?
  • Did you ever try something new, and it was easier because you believed you could do it?
  • When you are afraid, what helps you?

Useful words

Say your answer out loud first. Then click Reveal.

A · What does it mean? Use the sentence to help you.

1. He was very afraid. His hands shook and he could not sleep at night.
afraid — you feel fear. I am afraid of dogs. Same idea: scared, frightened.
2. He wrote his ideas in a small notebook and carried it in his pocket.
a notebook — a small book with empty pages. You write your notes in it.
3. The old bridge was not safe. A child could fall into the river.
safe — no danger. The opposite: dangerous. Is it safe to swim here?

B · Which word is it?

Three words: proof · choose · sink. Say the word. Then click Reveal.

1. Which word means to go down under the water (for a ship)?
sink — sink, sank, sunk. The ship sank in the storm.
2. Which word means something that shows a fact is true?
proof — I have no proof. Do you have any proof? The verb is to prove.
3. Which word means to decide between two or more things?
choose — choose, chose, chosen. I chose the blue one. The noun is a choice.

C · Choose a, b or c

1. She hopes to get the job. This means…
  (a) she wants it and thinks it can happen   (b) she is sure she has it   (c) she does not want it
(a) — hope = you want something good, and you think it can happen. I hope it does not rain.
2. "I believe you," he said. This means…
  (a) I am angry with you   (b) I do not understand you   (c) I think you are telling the truth
(c) — believe = you think something is true. The noun is belief.

D · Word families

1. Make the noun: choose → a ___ · believe → a ___ · climb → a ___ (the person).
a choice · a belief · a climber. Careful with the spelling of choice.
2. One word fits all three: to ___ a choice · to ___ a mistake · to ___ a plan.
make — make a choice, make a mistake, make a plan. (Not "do a choice".)

Before you read — speak

  • Look at the words: afraid, notebook, choose, believe, proof. What do you think the story is about?

The story

Read each part. Then try the questions without looking. Then talk.

Part 1 — A sad time

William James lived in America. He was born in 1842. He was very clever. He studied to be a doctor.

But after university, he was not well. He was ill for almost three years. His back hurt. His eyes hurt. He was very afraid and very sad. He stayed at home with his family. He could not work.

James also had a sad idea. Science says: everything has a cause. So, he thought, "I cannot really choose anything. Nothing I do is important." This idea made him feel very bad.

Questions — answer first, then reveal:

1. How long was James ill?

2. What was his sad idea?

1. Almost three years.

2. He thought that he could not choose anything, and nothing he did was important.

Talk:
  • Can a sad idea make you feel ill? Why?

Part 2 — The notebook

One day in 1870, James read a book. The writer said: "You can choose your own thoughts." James did not know if this was true. He had no proof.

Then he wrote a sentence in his notebook. It said: "My first act of free will will be to believe in free will." Free will means: you can choose. James decided to believe it.

He began with small things. He made a plan for each day. He chose what to think about. Slowly, he felt better. Two years later, he got a job at a university. He became a famous teacher.

Questions — answer first, then reveal:

1. What did James write in his notebook?

2. What happened after that?

1. That his first act of free will would be to believe in free will — to believe he could choose.

2. He started with small things and slowly felt better. Two years later he got a job at a university and became a famous teacher.

Talk:
  • James had no proof, but he believed. Was this a good idea? Why, or why not?

Part 3 — Two ideas

Another man, Clifford, had a different idea. He told a story. A man had an old ship. The man thought, "Maybe it is not safe." But he said, "It is fine." The ship left with many people. It sank.

Clifford said: "Never believe something without proof. It can be dangerous."

James answered: "Sometimes there is no proof. And you must choose." He gave an example. A climber must jump across a big hole in the rock. If he believes he can do it, he can jump. If he is afraid, he can fall.

Who is right? Many people still talk about this today.

Questions — answer first, then reveal:

1. Why did the ship sink in Clifford's story?

2. What is James's idea about the climber?

1. The owner did not check. He wanted to believe it was safe, but he had no proof.

2. When you must choose and there is no proof, believing you can do it can help you to do it.

Talk:
  • Who do you agree with, Clifford or James? Why?

Grammar — telling a story in the past

A story about the past uses the past simple. Regular verbs end in -ed. Many common verbs are irregular.

Regular: walk → walked · decide → decided · stay → stayed
Irregular: be → was / were · have → had · go → went · see → saw · think → thought · write → wrote · read → read (said "red") · get → got · feel → felt · sink → sank
No: use did not + base verb: She did not know. (not "She did not knew").
because and so
• because gives the reason: The boy was happy because he found his dog.
• so gives the result: He found his dog, so he was happy.

1. Past simple

Write the verb in the past simple.

Last year, Anna (buy) an old boat. She (not / know) if it was safe. She (take) it to sea. A storm (come) and the boat (sink).

bought · did not know (didn't know) · took · came · sank

2. because or so?

Write because or so.

1. James stayed at home he was ill.

2. He wanted to feel better, he made a choice.

3. The climber jumped he believed he could do it.

1. because   2. so   3. because

Ask: is it the reason (because) or the result (so)?

3. Put the story in order

These sentences are in the wrong order. Say the right order, then reveal.

1. He got a job at a university.
2. He read a book.
3. He was ill and sad.
4. He wrote a sentence in his notebook.
5. Slowly, he felt better.
The order is: 3 → 2 → 4 → 5 → 1. (He was ill and sad. He read a book. He wrote a sentence in his notebook. Slowly, he felt better. He got a job at a university.)

Use these verbs when you tell the story in the Speak tab.

Two sides

Clifford says… Say it in your own words. Then reveal.
"Do not believe something without proof. If you are wrong, people can get hurt. Always check first."
James says… Say it in your own words. Then reveal.
"Sometimes there is no proof, and you must choose. Then it is OK to use your hope and your values. Not to choose is also a choice."

Check first, or choose and try?

Decide for each situation. Say check first or choose and try. Then reveal.

1. A stranger says the bridge is safe. You can walk around it.
Check first. You can walk around, so you do not need to take a risk. This is Clifford's idea.
2. A job in another country ends tomorrow. Nobody knows how it will go.
Choose and try. There is no time and no way to know. Not to choose is also a choice. This is James's idea.
3. A website says a new food is magic. Scientists will test it next year.
Check first. You can wait for the proof. There is no hurry.
4. Your friend is angry. You want to talk, but you cannot know how it will go before you try.
Choose and try. You can only find out by talking. When you believe it can go well, it often does.
Talk:
  • When is it better to check first? When is it better to choose and try?
  • Is it dangerous to believe something without proof? Is it dangerous to wait for proof all the time?

Speak

Speak out loud. Use the past simple, because and so.

Useful language: He was ill, so… · He chose to… · He had no proof, but… · I agree with … because… · I think … is right because… · I believe… · I hope…
Time remaining: 4:00
Task A · Tell the story (4 minutes)

Tell the story in the past. Use these ideas: ill and sad → a sad idea → a book → the notebook → he felt better → a job → Clifford and the ship → the climber.

Use five verbs in the past simple, because and so.

Task B · Who is right? (4 minutes)

Say who you agree with. Give two reasons. Then swap: say the other person's idea. Start with: "I agree with … because …"

Task C · Your story (4 minutes)

Choose one and speak for one or two minutes:

  • A big choice you made. What happened?
  • Something new you tried, and you felt afraid.
  • Something you hope for.
  • A time you changed your mind.

To finish

  1. Why did James feel better? Say two reasons.
  2. Is it better to check first, or to choose and try? Say why.
  3. What is one thing you want to believe in more?
  4. From memory: say three sentences about the story in the past. Use because in one and so in another.