Lesson: I Have a Dream

A. Common Ground

Read the following texts about different individuals and their dreams. What is the common element among them?

(Picture 1: A young woman giving a speech)

Hi, I’m Moitry Mutsuddi. My father is a freedom fighter, and my mother is a teacher. They both dream of a golden Bangladesh and inspire me to do something significant, something positive for the country. I often think about what I can do to fulfill their expectations in the future. Finally, I’ve decided to be a politician and work for my motherland. How’s that?

(Picture 2: A young man helping children in a slum)

Hello! I’m Mofakkhar Hasan. I live in a slum with my parents and sisters. I know how cruel poverty can be! My heart bleeds to see the poor, suffering people in my slum. After I finish my education, I’ll be a social worker and fight against social injustice and poverty. “Change” is the word I believe in to make Bangladesh a golden Bengal.

(Picture 3: A young man looking up at the stars)

I’m Amitabho Kar. When I tell my friends that I want to be a space traveler, they laugh. But I really want to be that. If people from other countries can conquer the moon and roam in space, why not us? To be honest, I visualize myself one day stepping on Mars from a space shuttle. Please wish me luck, so my dream comes true.

(Picture 4: A young woman teaching a class)

My name is Ruth Antara Chowdhury. I believe that a society cannot be enlightened without proper education. Education lights a candle in people’s hearts. So, I will be a teacher. Most of the time, people laugh at me and say, “You are a brilliant student. Why not be a doctor or an engineer?” I tell them, “I want to be a teacher because I’m brilliant!”

B. Personal Reflection and Writing

Read the texts again. Then, work in pairs and discuss:

• Which person do you think is most like you, and why?

Write a similar text about yourself, stating your own dream.

C. Organizing an Interview

Read this interview between Swati, a successful student in the JSC exam, and a newspaper reporter, Animesh Roy. The interview is jumbled. Read the text and organize the conversation properly.

(Picture: Swati receiving an award)

Animesh: So, you mean learning from each other?

Swati: There’s no magic behind my success. I just worked hard. I followed our teachers’ advice: “The more you read, the more you learn.” I’m grateful to my teachers and parents for guiding me properly.

Animesh: Well, Swati, we’re delighted with your brilliant performance in the JSC exams. Please tell us how you achieved this success.

Swati: Oh… and I’m grateful to my school and friends too.

Animesh: That’s great!

Swati: In my school, we had a nice study group. Whenever we had any problem, we discussed it in our group first. We tried to help each other, and it always worked. Never forget, two heads are better than one.

Animesh: I understand why you are grateful to your school, but would you explain why you are grateful to your friends, please?

Swati: Exactly!

Animesh: By the way, Swati, what are your dreams for the future?

Swati: To keep up the success in the next exams and make my dreams come true. I want to be a scientist. Since my childhood, I’ve known that many people in Bangladesh are under threat from arsenic. They consume arsenic directly from their drinking water and indirectly from the crops and vegetables they eat. It’s a kind of slow poisoning. People are helpless and are suffering from many diseases. Therefore, I dream of carrying out research to find out how to eliminate this problem using our own resources and expertise.

Animesh: I wish you luck.

D. Listening (Audio not provided)

Listen to the audio and check whether your answer to Section C is correct.

(Note: Please refer to the audio provided with your original lesson materials.)

E. Dream Interview

Work in pairs. Ask your partner questions to learn about their dreams, and conduct an interview like the one in Section C.