Develop Your Reading – Unit 7C


Cause, Effect & the Story of Mike Merrill


👋 Welcome!

Today we’re reading a fascinating true story — and learning to spot cause and effect in complex sentences. When one thing happens, it changes everything else… let’s find out how!

Warm-Up: Think First

Talk or write your answers to these:

  1. Do you follow financial news — share prices, business stories? Why / why not?

    Some people find it exciting; others say it’s too complicated!

  2. What company would you have invested in 5 years ago if you could?

    Phones, sports, fashion… which ones grew fast?

If YOU were a company, would you let other people vote on your big life decisions?

That’s exactly what Mike Merrill did…

Reading



Understanding the article

Answer the following questions:
  • How is Mike different from David Bowie?
  • Why did some investors want more shares?
  • Why did Mike’s partner buy shares?
  • Why did the share price start rising?
  • What happened in 2013?
  • Why did the price fall?
  • Goal of polyphasic sleeping?
  • Why did they break up?



Cause & Effect with Participle Clauses (using -ing clauses).

A participle clause using an -ing verb allows you to combine two separate sentences—showing a cause and an effect—into one smooth, advanced sentence.

Instead of writing or speaking with clunky connectors like "...and this caused...", "...and so...", or "...which meant that...", you simply use an -ing verb.

📐 The Golden Rules

  1. Same Subject: Both parts of the sentence must refer to the same person or thing doing the action.

  2. Cause & Effect:

    • Action 1 (Cause): Happens first or sets the situation.

    • Action 2 (Effect): Is the direct result or consequence, expressed with an -ing verb.

🔍 How it Works (Examples)

  • Separated sentences:

    • "He turned himself into a company. This annoyed some shareholders."

  • Combined with an -ing clause:

    • "He turned himself into a company, annoying some shareholders."

      (Cause: Turning into a company $\rightarrow$ Effect: Annoying the shareholders).

  • Starting with the -ing clause:

    • "She never knew when he would be awake, so she started to feel tired."

    • "Never knowing when he would be awake, she started to feel tired."

      (Cause: Not knowing his sleep schedule $\rightarrow$ Effect: Feeling tired).

💡 Why use it?

  • It makes your writing and speaking sound more fluent, concise, and professional.

  • It helps avoid repeating pronouns like it or this over and over again.


Think and Discuss Understanding the article

Discussion Questions

  1. Do you think Mike did the right thing? Why or why not?

  2. What should he have done differently?

  3. Would YOU sell shares in yourself if you could? Why / why not?

  4. Imagine YOU are Mike — would you let strangers vote on big life decisions?