Name ____________________________

Class ____________________________

3 Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B

GRAMMAR

1 Complete the email with a, an, the, or – (no article).

Hi Susan,

We’re having a great time here in Florence. I think 1________ Italian cities are all beautiful,
but I can’t believe what 2______ lovely city Florence is!

We got here yesterday afternoon so we had time to find 3________ lovely hotel and relax
after 4_______ journey. 5_______ hotel isn’t far from 6_______ city centre, but it’s very quiet.

We got up early because 7________ sun was shining in through our window. We had
8
______ very nice breakfast (fantastic coffee!) and looked around 9________ city.
10
Later, Claire’s friend Marco is taking us to ________ best pizzeria in Florence! He’s
11
________ art student at a college here.

We’ll get back home 12________ next Sunday. See you soon!

Love,

Gillian

12

2 Write the comparative or superlative form.

Example: The people in Ireland are some of the friendliest (friendly) in the world.
1 This car is ________ (economical) than my last one.
2 That was probably ________ (bad) meal I’ve ever eaten!
3 The subway in Beijing is ________ (modern) one I’ve ever seen.
4 I think she looks much ________ (good) with longer hair!
5 Are trains in your country ________ (expensive) as they are here?
6 What’s ________ (quick) way to get to the city centre?
7 Jill speaks ________ (slowly) than I do, so she’s easier to understand.
8 My new bedroom is ________ (tiny) as my old one, unfortunately.
8
Grammar total 20

VOCABULARY

3 Complete the phrasal verbs in the sentences.

Example: Watch out for speed cameras on this road – you don’t want to get caught.
1 You need to slow d_____! The speed limit here is 30.
Name ____________________________
Class ____________________________

3 Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B

2 I didn’t have my satnav with me and I e_____ up in the wrong part of the city.
3 You should s_____ off for the station at 9.00 if your train is at 9.45.
4 If you need a lift back, I could p_____ you up here at about 8.00.
5 You’ll r_____ out of petrol soon. There isn’t much left.
5

4 Complete the sentences with the correct preposition.

Example: Are you listening to me?
1 This café reminds me ________ the one we went to in Cambridge.
2 Paula is arriving ________ Barcelona on Friday night.
3 Try not to laugh ________ me when I speak Spanish – my accent is terrible!
4 She used to be married ________ my oldest brother.
5 It can take a long time to get to the station – it depends ________ the traffic.
6 I don’t think I’m really afraid ________ anything.
7 My husband is fed up ________ his long journey to work.
7

5 Complete the compound nouns in the sentences.

Example: Watch out for the speed camera when you drive out of town.
1 It’s dangerous when drivers go through a red traffic _______.
2 This taxi ________ always has a long queue when a train arrives from London.
3 We only like riding our bikes in towns with cycle ________.
4 I try to drive to work after the ________ hour because there’s less traffic then.
5 In many city centres in Britain the speed ________ is now 20 mph.
6 Do you know where the nearest petrol ________ is?
7 Not all drivers wore seat ________ in the past.
8 The ________ transport in this city is good, but it’s very expensive.
8
Vocabulary total 20

PRONUNCIATION

6 Underline the stressed syllable.

Example: scoo|ter
1 ca|rriage
2 a|fraid
3 pe|de|stri|an
4 mo|tor|way
5 un|der|ground
5
Name ____________________________
Class ____________________________

3 Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B

7 Match the words with the same sound.

lane coach bridge

seat limit rush

Example: fish limit

1 jazz ________
2 train ________
3 tree ________
4 shower ________
5 chess ________
5
Pronunciation total 10
Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation total 50
Name ____________________________
Class ____________________________

3 Reading and Writing B

READING

1 Read the article and tick () A, B, or C.

A radical transport system

As one of the world’s fastest growing economies, there has been a huge increase in China’s
urban population. With so many more people also able to afford cars, China’s cities now
have some of the biggest traffic congestion problems and produce more pollution than any
other country in the world.

But one Chinese engineer, Youzhou Song, has designed an exciting solution: the straddling
bus (a bus which goes across and above part of the road, like a moving bridge). This bus,
which looks like a train, holds passengers on the top level while cars can continue to drive
beneath. The bus, travelling at about 40 kilometres an hour, will not move as fast as a car,
but it will never have the problems of traffic jams. It is as wide as two lanes of the road, but it
won’t slow down the traffic. It can carry 1,200 passengers, and replace up to 40 conventional
buses, saving 860 tons of fuel and 2,640 tons of carbon emissions per year. As it also runs
on a combination of electricity and solar power, it offers a much greener, cleaner, quieter and
more economical form of transport. It is also three times faster and ten times cheaper to build
than the same length of underground railway. Designed with a huge window in the top of the
bus, it is also a lighter and more cheerful way to travel!

Youzhou Song has thought of everything. The bus will follow fixed routes and passengers
will board the bus from stations above the ground. These stations will also recharge the bus
with electricity. If you’re worried about the bus crashing into other vehicles, don’t be. A
system of lights and alarms will stop this from happening. Youzhou Song has even designed
escape doors which open at the side in an emergency, just like on an aeroplane.

If tests on the new technology go well, Song’s company is talking about building over 180
kilometres of bus route. Los Angeles is also interested in this idea for solving traffic problems
and, who knows? We may all be looking forward to a new era of elevated bus travel!

Example China’s economy has grown _____.

A very slowly c B very fast c C faster than any other country c
1 The traffic has got _____ in China in recent years.
A worse c B better c C faster c
2 There are plans to build a new _____ to resolve the traffic problems.
A train c B bridge c C bus c
3 Cars and buses will be able to use the same road but _____.
A on different levels c B at different times c C at slower speeds c
4 Song’s design will use _____.
A 860 tons of fuel c B electricity and solar power c C only electricity c
5 The other forms of public transport in China are not as _____ as the straddling bus.
A expensive c B noisy c C green c
6 It can be built _____ times faster than the underground railway.
A four c B ten c C three c

7 Escape doors will make the bus _____.

Name ____________________________
Class ____________________________

3 Reading and Writing B

A safer c B taller c C more dangerous c
8 The company wants to build _____ kilometres of bus route.
A 40 c B almost 180 c C more than 180 c
8

2 Read the article again. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false).

Example: Many more people live in cities in China than in the past.     T   
1 Two engineers have designed the new bus. _____
2 The new bus will carry 1,200 people. _____
3 It will be as wide as two roads. _____
4 It costs three times more to build an underground railway. _____
5 The new bus won’t have as much light as conventional buses. _____
6 Lights and alarms will stop crashes. _____
7 Only Chinese cities are interested in this new bus system. _____
7
Reading total 15

WRITING

A foreign exchange student is coming to stay. Write an email to welcome him / her
and send some information about where you live. (140–180 words)

Begin the email with this introduction:

I’m really looking forward to seeing you. Let me tell you about my town.

• How big is it?

• What is interesting about it?
• What do you like best about it?
• What is the transport system like?
Writing total 10
Reading and Writing total 25
Name ____________________________
Class ____________________________

3 Listening and Speaking B

LISTENING

1 Listen to an interview and complete the sentences. You may need to change the form
of some of the words you hear.
1 The media gives the impression that young people work ________ than their parents.
2 Megan thinks young people do things in a ________ way from their parents.
3 She says that there aren’t as many ________ for younger people as before.
4 She thinks young people now have ________ self-confidence.
5 The presenter says older people have always ________ about younger people.
5

2 Listen to five conversations. Tick () A, B, or C.

1 What is the simplest way to get to Bristol from the airport?
A The coach. c B A bus, then a train. c C Two trains. c
2 How will Zoe get to Mike’s house from the station?
A By bus. c B By taxi. c C By car. c
3 Why did Carol’s journey take so long?
A They set off late. c B The traffic was terrible. c C She ran out of petrol. c
4 Which form of transport are some people more frightened of?
A Travelling by train. c B Travelling by bus. c C Travelling by car. c
5 What does Tess say about Copenhagen?
A It’s amazing. c B It’s very surprising. c C It’s very relaxed. c
5
Listening total 10

SPEAKING

1 Answer your partner’s questions.

Now make questions and ask your partner.
1 prefer / get up early / go bed late? Why?
2 What / most relaxing way / travel? Why?
3 Who / get on best with / in your family? Why?
4 any / activities / afraid of?
5 What music / most keen on?

2 Listen to your partner talking about public transport. Do you agree with him / her?

3 Talk about the statement below, saying if you agree or disagree. Give reasons.
‘Men are better at multitasking than women.’
Speaking total 15
Listening and Speaking total 25