ARTICLES

Where is the Polynesia? How large is the area it includes? How were the
ancient Polynesians able to navigate the large distances between the
islands?

The Polynesians

The people of Oceania were an extremely adventurous group. As a distinct

population with common origins, The Polynesians were the most widely
spread people on the earth before 1500 A.D. few other groups in history
have traveled so much while taking so few material possessions with them.
The Polynesians settle the islands of the vast triangle formed by the
Hawaiian Islands, Easter Island, and New Zealand. With sides approximately
6,500 kilometers in length, this triangle covers almost twice the area of the
United States. The Polynesians began their expansion through the South
pacific around 2000 B.C., and by the time of Marco Polo’s visit to China, they
had settled all of its major islands

ARTICLES

An article is an element, which precedes a noun. It has no lexical

meaning; but is necessary because it contributes to imply the definite or
non-definite status of the noun it determines.
KINDS OF ARTICLES

I. – Non-definite

A/an

A/an is pronounced [a] before consonant sounds and [an] before

vowel sounds. The non-definite article “a/an” is used:

 Before a singular count noun which is countable (i.e., of which there is

more than one), when it is mentioned for the first time and represents no
particular person or thing.
Examples: A dog is an animal.

There is a man asking for work.

 With a noun complement. This includes names of professions.
Examples: He is a doctor.
He became a great man.
She will be a dancer.

 In certain expressions of quantity: a lot of, a couple, a great many of,

a dozen, a great deal of.
Examples: A dozen of apples.
A lot of cars.

II – Definite Article: “the”

The definite article “the” is pronounced /δœ / before vowel sounds and
/δa/ before consonant sounds If we want to draw attention to the noun that
follows, we pronounce the definite article as /δi/. The definite article is used:

 Before nouns of which there is only one.

Examples: The Earth The Sea
The North Pole The Sun.

 Before singular nouns used to represent a class or objects.

Example: The monkey is lazy.

 Before an adjective used to represent a class of persons.

Example: The old and the young should be able to live
together.

 Before musical instruments.

Example: I learned to play the violin.

EXERCISES

I. - Try to imagine what the first voyage to Hawaii

was like. Complete the following passage by using a,
an, the or X (to indicate that no article is necessary).

For _______ centuries, the people of ________ Marquesas Islands had noticed
that _________ birds flew north from the islands in _______ and returned in
________ spring. The islanders knew that _______ birds must be flying to
________ piece of land where they spent ________ the winter.
 Finally, in about 500 A.D., _________ young chief decided to search for
_________ land to the north. He recruited both _________ men and _________
for __________ journey. He also recruited _______ experienced navigator who
knew how to follow _________ steady course even though the Polynesians
didn’t have __________ compasses or ________ other equipment. For
__________ centuries, __________ Polynesians navigators had been using
_________ birds, _______ cloud formations, _________ stars, _________wave
patterns, and _________ sun to guide them in their voyages.
As the explorers made ________ preparations for this voyage
northward, ________ food and _______ water were the major problems. They
knew that they would be able to catch ________ fish along ________ way. But
they would need _________ fresh water supply that would last throughout
________ trip. In addition, they prepared _________ dried bananas, _________
coconut, ________ fish, ________ large bag of taro root, and _______ cooked
breadfruit for each canoe.

Finally, dozens of ______double canoes were packed and ready

to begin this voyage. After at least _______ month on the open
ocean, these explorers spotted _____land birds, ______signal to
any navigator that _____island or other land mass was near.
They had completed ______voyage of over fifteen hundred
miles and had discovered the Hawaiian Islands.

II. – Read the conversations. Complete it with the

appropriate article.

• A: _________ car just pulled up. Are you expecting someone?

B: No, I’m not. I wonder who it is.

• A: Do you see the video store? I was sure it was on Main Street.
B: I think it’s on ________ side street, but I’m not sure which one.
A: There it is.
B: Good, you can park right across _______ street from the store.
• A: Can we use _______ car?
B: OK, but bring it back by 11:00 o’clock.

• A: Let’s turn off _______ game system before we leave.

B: We don’t have. We can just leave it on Pause.

• A: Do you have _________ game system?

B: Yes, I do. I just bought a Nintendo Cube.

• A: Excuse me; do you have any new games?

B: _________ newest games are in the front of the store.

• A: We’d better go. We’ve been here for ________ hour.

B: That was ________ fastest hour I’ve ever spent.

III. –Fill in the blanks with a, an, the, or X.

San Francisco is in ______West, in _____California. This

lovely city is located on ______ Pacific Coast, on _____ beautiful
bay. _____famous Golden Gate Bridge crosses this bay. Seven
highways and two railroad bridges cross San Francisco Bay.
______San Francisco is also _____main seaport. Because of its
location, there are some wonderful views from _____city.
_____scenery is truly magnificent. In addition, _____city has
some good climate. There is ______ little rain most of the year.
San Francisco is _____city of many hills. Some of the
world’s steepest streets go up these hills. In _____center of
_____city are some tall office buildings. Other important
landmarks include _____University of San Francisco and
_____Palace of Fine Arts.

IV. - Circle the correct articles to complete this

paragraph.
Board games are popular all over (a / the) world. Mah Jong is (an / the)
example of (a / an) very old one. I had (a / an) uncle who had (an / the) old
set from Singapore. He kept (a / the) set in (the / a) beautiful box in (a / the)
living room. He used to open (the / a) box and tell me about (the / a) pieces.
They were made of bamboo, and each one had (a / the) Chinese character
on it. To me, they were (the / a) most fascinating things in (a / the) world.

THE VERB “BE”

USEFUL WORDS

professor _______________ instructor _______________ teacher

_______________
student _________________ classmate _______________ class
_________________
blackboard ______________seats ___________________ notebook _____________
department _____________ assignment ______________ textbook
______________
test ___________________ quiz ____________________ notes ________________
economics ______________ midterm test _____________ schedule
______________
tutor ___________________ advisor __________________ ink
__________________

Read the following conversation. Then answer true

or false to the statements about the conversation.
CARLOS: Hi! I’m Carlos Torres.
HIROSHI: I’m glad to meet you, Carlos. My name is Hiroshi Watanabe.
CARLOS: Nice to meet you, Hiroshi! Are you a visa student?
HIROSHI: Yes, I am. I’m from Japan. How about you?
CARLOS: I’m from Mexico, but I’m a permanent resident. How are your
classes?
HIROSHI: Great! How about your classes?
CARLOS: They’re not too bad. The economics department is pretty good.
Are you an undergraduate?
HIROSHI: Yes. I am. I’m a sophomore. And you?
CARLOS: I’m in my junior year. Is economics your major?
HIROSHI: Yes, it is. I’m interested in business.
CARLOS: I am too. Oh, here’s the professor. Let’s talk later.

1. The last names of the people in the dialogue are Carlos and Hiroshi.
_________
2. The instructor isn’t in the class at the beginning of the conversation.
_________
3. Carlos and Hiroshi are citizens of the United States.
_________
4. They’re graduate students.
_________
5. Carlos is Japanese and Hiroshi is Mexican.
_________

EXERCISES

1. - Circle the correct words or word phrase.

DAVE: Hi. I (am / is) Dave.

MARY: Hello. We (is / are) Mary and Helen Johnson.
DAVE: Oh, you (are / is) twins!
MARY: No we (aren’t / isn’t) twins. But we (am / are)
sisters.
DAVE: But you (is / are) exactly alike!
ELLEN: No, I (am / is) nineteen years old, but Mary
(isn’t / aren’t) even eighteen yet.
DAVE: Oh. Well, I (am / are) glad to meet you!
DAVE: Mary and Helen, this (is / He’s) Carlos.
MARY: Hi, Carlos.
HELEN: Hello, Carlos.
CARLOS: Hello. (to Dave) They (am / are) twins!
2. - Complete the sentences with affirmative or
negative forms of the verb be. Use contractions
when possible.

TONY: Hi. ________ you a new student?

MING: Yes, I _______. My name ______ Liu Ming Ren.
TONY: I ________ sorry. Please say that again. Is your name Lou or Ron?
MING: (speaks slowly) It ______ Liu Ming Ren.
TONY: Oh. Um . . . _______ Lou your first name?
MING: No, it _________. My first name ______ Ming Ren. Just call me
Ming.
TONY: Well, OK . . . um . . . ________ this your first day here?
MING: Yes, it _______.
TONY: ________you from China?
MING: No, I ________. I ______ from Vietnam. Wow! Look at that
beautiful woman over here! ________ she a student in this class?
TONY: No, she __________ a student. She __________ the professor!

3. - Arrange the words into sentences or questions.

1. / my girlfriend / Helen / not / is /

____________________________________________________

2. / ? / from / Peter / Mexico / Is /

____________________________________________________

3. / now / in the classroom / are / not / we /

____________________________________________________
4. / Cathy / from / is / Where / ? /
____________________________________________________

5. / the dogs / black / Are / ? /

____________________________________________________

4. - Insert Am – Is – Are, in the sentences.

 She _________ happy about her birthday.

 I ________ Henry and, He _______ William.
 My hair _______ black.
 _______ you Arnold? No, I ________ not. I ________ John.
 She ________ a good friend, but Peter and Clark _______ not.

5. - Answer the following questions.

• Where are you from?

________________________________________________
• What is your age?
________________________________________________
• Are you from the U.S.A?
________________________________________________
• When is your birthday?
________________________________________________
• Is your English teacher funny?
________________________________________________

6. - Change these sentences into negative and

Interrogative.

• She is a wonderful woman.

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
• They are in my house now.
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

• You are an old man.

____________________________________________
____________________________________________

• I am the new student.

____________________________________________
____________________________________________

REVIEW EXERCISES

I. - Complete the conversation with statements and

yes/no questions with be. Use words in parentheses.
Complete the short answers.

TONY: Ming, this is Hiroshi

.
(this / Hiroshi)

Hiroshi,Ming. __________________________________________________.
(Ming / a new student in our history class)

HIROSHI: ______________________________________________________________.
(I / glad to meet you)

MING: Happy to meet you, too, Hiroshi.____________________________________?

(you / from / Japan)

HIROSHI: Yes,
___________________________________________________________?
(your family / here)

MING: No, ___________________________________________________________.

(I / alone)

HIROSHI: _______________________________________________________________?
(your classes / good)

MING: Yes, ___________________________________________________________.

(they / fantastic)

________________________________________________________________.
 (Our history teacher / beautiful)

HIROSHI: Ms. Stein?

TONY: Yeah, I think __________________________________________________.

(I / in love)

HIROSHI: Forget it, Tony. _______________________________________________.

(She / married)

II. – Complete the conversation with the verb be in

present. You can use contractions.

ANDRE: Welcome to the show, People and Places. My name _________

Andre Perout, and I __________ your host today. Meet Player
One.
ELLA: Hi, Andre. I ___________ Ella Dodge.
ANDRE: It ________ nice to meet you, Ella. Where ____________ you from?
ELLA:I ____________ from the United States, Andre. But my family
_________not.
ANDRE: Where ____________ they from?
ELLA:Oh, they _________ from Peru.
ANDRE: How interesting! And Kim Lui ___________not you from the
United States?
KIM: Yes, I _________, Andre.
ANDRE: And your family? Where ____________ they from?
KIM: Japan.

III. - Look at the picture. Read the answers. Write the

questions.
 1. Is she a bus driver? Yes, she is. 4. _______________
Yes, they are.
2. ________________ No, they’re not. 5. _______________ No, she
isn’t.
3. ________________ No, he’s not. 6. _______________ Yes, he
is.

IV. - Complete the conversation with the words from

the box.

ANTONIO: HI! My name is Antonio What’s

your _______________?
OLGA: _________________ name is Olga?
ANTONIO: Nice to __________ you, Olga.
OLGA: Nice to meet ___________ too, Antonio.
ANTONIO: ___________ are you from?
OLGA: I’m _________ New York. Where ________
you from?
ANTONIO: ____________ from Brazil.