1 Describing people

part of the job and, in fact, working under 
pressure gives her a buzz. She really enjoys it. 
She got divorced two years ago but she’s got two 
children and she spends every weekend with 
them. She takes them to the cinema quite a lot 
and they often go swimming on Sundays. She 
believes that it is very important to exercise and 
she is often heard saying ‘A healthy mind lives 
in a healthy body’

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Describe a person you regard as eccentric
Chris Martin moved into the house next door to mine two years ago. Even before he came round to introduce himself the
following day, I could tell that he was truly eccentric.
Perhaps the most striking thing about Chris is his appearance. His slender body is usually adorned in some kind of tight-fitting, 
multi-coloured catsuit which makes him look like a comic book superhero. He generally tops this off with one of his flowing capes and a 
mask. His hair is as crazy as his clothes, going from yellow at the front, to red, to blue to green at the back, and it sticks up as if he's 
styled it with the aid of a powerful electricurrent. He has some rather strange mannerisms, too, such as his tendency to bow when 
introducing himself for the first time.
In spite of his strange appearance, Chris is a truly decent person and the world would be a better place if there were more people like 
him. He is very polite, friendly and is genuinely caring, always remembering birthdays with a photograph of a bouquet of flowers and 
bringing me chicken soup or Japanese tea if I'm ill. Chris will help if he possibly can and is ready to listen to everyone's problems. He 
tends to be aggressive from time to time, but this is because people make fun of him.
Although Chris could never be described as ordinary, I enjoy having him as a neighbour. Life is never boring when you have someone 
like him living next door, and his combination of unpredictability and genuine kindness make him a valuable friend.

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Writing techniques
Certain writing techniques (use of weather description, direct speech or dramatic