INGRESO AGOSTO 2023

Carreras: TECNICATURA EN TRADUCCIÓN MULTIMEDIA

TRADUCTORADO PÚBLICO EN IDIOMA INGLÉS
INTERPRETARIADO EN IDIOMA INGLÉS

MATERIAS A CURSAR EN EL SEGUNDO CUATRIMESTRE 2023

 Cultura Británica y Estadounidense
 Gramática Inglesa I
 Lengua Española
 Taller de Expresión Oral
 Traducción Técnica
El resto de las materias correspondientes a primer año se cursarán en 2024.

Carrera: PROFESORADO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR EN IDIOMA INGLÉS

MATERIAS A CURSAR EN EL SEGUNDO CUATRIMESTRE 2023

 Cultura Británica y Estadounidense
 Gramática Inglesa I
 Pedagogía
 Psicología Evolutiva I
 Realidad Educativa Contemporánea
El resto de las materias correspondientes a primer año se cursarán en 2024.

PUNCTUATION

VERB TENSES
o Verb Tenses.
o Irregular Verbs.
o Present Simple. Stative Verbs.
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 o Present Continuous. Present Simple vs. Present Continuous.
o Present Perfect Simple.
o Present Perfect Continuous.
o Future Forms: Present Simple & Present Continuous.
o Future Simple. Present Simple vs. Future Simple.
o Going to. Future Simple vs. Going To.
o Future Continuous. Future Simple vs. Future Continuous.
o Future Perfect Simple.
o Past Simple.
o Past Continuous.
o Present Perfect Simple vs. Past Simple. Past Simple vs. Present Perfect Simple
& Continuous. Past Simple & Continuous vs. Present Perfect Simple.
o Past Perfect Simple. Past Simple vs. Past Perfect Simple.
o Past Perfect Continuous.
o Present vs. Past Tenses.
o Future in the Past.
o Past Habits: Used to & Would. Past Tenses & Past Habits. Be Used to & Get
Used to.

o Use and formation.

o Verb Tenses in Reported Speech.

o Words to change.
o Verb Patterns.

o Definite, Indefinite and Zero Article.

ADJECTIVES
o Adjectival Word Order.
o Present Participle and Past Participle as Adjectives.

o Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses.

o Relative Pronouns and Adverbs.
ADVERBS
o Type of Adverbs.
o Adverbial Order.

o Time Clauses.
o Place Clauses. adj
o Manner Clauses.
o Reason Clauses.
o Result Clauses.
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 o Direct Contrast & Opposition Clauses.
o Purpose Clauses.
MODALS
o Ability.
o Possibility.
o Deduction.
o Permission.
o Obligation & Necessity.
o Prohibition.
o Advice.
o Modals in the Past.

o Brainstorming
o Clustering.
o Drafting.
o Revising.

o Proofreading.

o What is a Paragraph.
 The Topic Sentence.
 Support.
 Conclusion.
o Unity. Coherence. Cohesion.
o Revising.
NARRATIVES
o Introduction. Main Body. Conclusion.
o How to write a Narrative.
 Setting the Scene.
o Writing Techniques.
 How to begin and end a story.

o How to write a description of a person.

o Descriptive Vocabulary.

o How to write a description of a place.

o Writing Techniques.
o Formal vs. Informal Style.
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  American Superstitions.
 The History of the Internet.
 Gamers.
 Studying Headaches.
 Divorce Trends.
 Where Are All the Boys?
 A Plan to Curb Greenhouse Gases.
 Coco Chanel.
 King’s march on Washington address.
 Gandhi’s path.

 Alexander, L. G. (1990). Longman English Grammar Practice for intermediate students.

Essex: Longman Group UK Ltd. (296).
 Evans, Virginia (2002). CPE Use of English 1. Newbury: Express Publishing. (352)
 Evans, Virginia. (2000). Successful Writing—Proficiency. Newbury: Express Publishing.
 Evans, Virginia. (1998). Successful Writing-Upper Intermediate. Newbury: Express
Publishing. (135).
 Foley, Mark & Diane Hall. (2003). Longman Advanced Learners’ Grammar: A self-study
reference & practice book with answers. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. (384).
 Hornby, S. A. (2015). Oxford’s Advanced Learners Dictionary—8th ed. Oxford: OUP. (1796).
 Hughes, John & Ceri Jones (2011). Practical Grammar, Level 3. (288). UK: Heinle Cengage
Learning.
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 Ruetten, Mary K. (2004). Focus on Writing: Developing composition skills through
instruction and practice. Singapore: Learners Publishing Pte Ltd and Thomson Learning.
 Smalley, Reginal L., M. Ruetten & J. R. Kozyrev. (2001) Refining Composition Skills. Rhetoric
and Grammar. 5th ed. Boston: Heinle & Heinle (430).
 : Malarcher, Casey & Andrea Janzen. (2004). Reading for the Real World 1. Compass
Publishing Inc. (196).
 Spach Koch, Rachel. (1995). Focus on Grammar Workbook: An Advanced Course for
Reference and Practice. UK: Longman. (143).
 Steer, Jocelyn M. & Karen A. Carlisi (1998). The Advanced Grammar Book—2nd ed.
Massachusetts: Heinle & Heinle.
 Walker, E. & S. Elseworth (1995). Grammar Practice for Upper Intermediate Students (179).
Harlow: Longman.
 Yule, George. (2006). Oxford Practice Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (280).

RECOMMENDED DICTIONARIES
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

https://www.merriam-webster.com/

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/

https://www.ldoceonline.com/

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/

 At the end of sentences, paragraphs & texts.

 After the initials corresponding to a proper name, e.g. J. F. K.
 For decimals, e.g. $ 30.50

 In Non-defining or Non-restrictive Relative Clauses, e.g. Lady Gaga, who is a great singer,
has turned into acting.

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 To set off vocatives and nouns in apposition, e.g. My cousin, John, is coming to town.
 For enumerations, e.g. My favourite flowers are gerbera daisies, fuchsias, paperflowers
and roses.
 To indicate the verb has been omitted, e.g. Mary is a doctor; her brother, a nurse.
 To separate surname from first name when the surname precedes the first name, e.g.
Smith, John.
 To separate a quotation from its reporting verb, e.g. “You must be right,” he commented.
Note: in English, the comma goes before the closing quotation marks.
 To separate two or more similar adjectives, e.g. This is a fantastic, gorgeous picture.
 To separate numerals into thousands and millions, e.g. $1,000,000
 Following a salutation in correspondence (British English), e.g. Dear Sir,
To set off the year in a full day, e.g. November 20th, 2020
To set off absolute phrases, e.g. Being an actor, you should understand her reaction.

 To set off independent clauses, e.g. I have just bought a car; this is what I wanted to tell
you.
 In enumerations, whenever one of the elements needs a comma, e.g. Many people
attended her Zoom party: her brother; her next-door neighbour; her sister, who lives in
Europe; two of her cousins; and her best friends.

 After or before announcing an enumeration, e.g. Write down the items we need to buy:
tissue paper, soap, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste.
 To separate the reporting verb from the quotation, whenever the reporting verb comes
first, e.g. He asked: “Are you sure?
 In American English, following salutations in correspondence, e.g. Dear Sir:
 To connect independent clauses without using cohesive devices, e.g. He ran out of the
room screaming: the room was on fire.
 To separate hours from minutes in time expressions, e.g. 2:20 am
 In transcriptions of dialogue, following the speaker's name, e.g. Tom: ‘Here she comes.’
 To separate titles and subtitles, e.g. Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring.
 To punctuate memorandum and e-mail headings and subject lines, e.g. Dear Sir:

7
 At the end of an open or incomplete enumeration, e.g. Don´t forget all the necessary
tools: hammer, screwdriver, pliers, chisel…
 To indicate faltering speech, e.g. Well… er…
 To show a sentence has been left unfinished, e.g. Whenever they mentioned ‘Harry´s
showgirl’, you know who they were referring to, none other but…
 To indicate there has been an omission within a quote, e.g. Martin Luther King Jr. once
said: “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy…”

 To enclose phrases and clauses providing examples, explanations, or supplementary

facts, e.g. The Taj Mahal (an ivory-white marble mausoleum) is one of UNESCO’s World
Heritage Sites.
 To set off definitions, translations, alternate names for words, etc., e.g. The Taj Mahal
(Crown of the Palace)
To enclose the name of a city or state inserted into a proper name for identification, e.g.
The Taj Mahal (India)

 To enclose editorial comments, translators’ notes, corrections, clarifications, or any

other phrase inserted into a text, e. g. “Martin King Jr. [sic] was the youngest man to
receive the Nobel Peace Prize.”
To set off insertions that supply missing letters, e.g. “What the f…!”

 To indicate spans of time, e.g. 2:00-5:00 pm

 To show that two words are connected, e.g. the Oscar-winning actor
 To set off Non-Defining Relative Clauses, e.g. Susan —her neighbour— lives next door.
 To introduce a summary statement following an enumeration, e.g. Hanging out with
friends, visiting my family, travelling —the things I miss the most.
 To indicate interrupted speech, a speaker's confusion or omitted letters, e.g. I—I can’t
tell.

 To separate two elements forming a compound, e.g. walking-stick

 Preceding a suffix, e.g. -ed

8
 Dividing letters or syllables, it gives the effect of stuttering, sobbing, or halting speech, e.g
s-o s-a-d

 To enclose direct quotations, e.g. “To be or not to be, that is the question.”
 To enclose words borrowed from other languages, e.g. He was wearing a yellow
“poncho” to protect himself from the rain.
 To enclose words referred to as words, double quotation marks are generally used;
single quotation marks may be used in some specialized fields, such as linguistics,
philosophy and theology, e.g. The use of language to explain a word is called
“metalanguage”
 To enclose single letters within a sentence, e.g. This is “the” event of the year.
 To set off dialogue, e.g. “Good morning, Sir.”
“Good morning!
 To enclose a quotation within a quotation:
In British English, double inverted commas are used, e.g. He said, ‘I heard her say, “He
did it!” and then she fainted.’
In American English, single quotation marks are used, e.g. He said, “I heard her say, ‘he
did it!’ and then she fainted.”

 Representing the word 'per' and 'to', e.g. ft./sec.

 To separate alternatives, e.g. his/her brother

 To indicate that letters have been intentionally omitted, e.g. How d’you do?
 To indicate the possessive case of nouns and indefinite pronouns, e.g. John’s car.
 To form plurals of letters, numerals, abbreviation, symbols, and words referred to as
words, e.g. my surname takes two f’s; the 1920’s

 To replace the word 'and' whenever a shorter form is desirable.

Used in the name of companies, e.g. Barnes & Nobles.

9
  "HI."
"HI," said the girl.
" Do you want to play?," asked the boy. "Come on!"

 + plus
 - minus
 = equals
 ≠ not equal
 x times sign (used for multiplications)
  multiplication dot
  period sign (for decimals)
  division sign or obelus
 / division slash

https://youtu.be/dxAVlP7u1Co

A. In this text all punctuation marks have been omitted. Write the missing punctuation
marks and, whenever appropriate, include a capital letter:
For 500 years the Baltic Sea held in its depths a tall ship of the Renaissance era around the
time the ship sank Columbus was discovering the New World his fleet vanished long ago but
the Renaissance vessel suddenly reappeared recently remarkably well preserved in the icy
Baltic waters
The first hint of its existence came in 2009 when a sonar survey by the Swedish Maritime
Administration registered an anomalous blip on the Baltic seafloor then early this year a

10
robotic camera employed by a commercial team surveying an undersea route for a natural
gas pipeline illuminated a mysterious hulk
In March an international team of scientists lowered a pair of tethered robots to explore and
document what turned out to be the Renaissance sailing vessel
It s amazing said Rodrigo Pacheco-Ruiz a maritime archaeologist at the University of
Southampton in Britain who led the investigation we re still a little bit over the moon1

B. In this text all punctuation marks have been omitted. Write the missing punctuation
marks and, whenever appropriate, include a capital letter:
Don t even think about leaving your smartphone at home this summer if you are traveling to
a foreign country
As much as we despise our attachment to our phones we can t deny it is an indispensable
travel companion that solves many problems from showing us maps when we get lost to
displaying restaurant recommendations when we are hungry
So what are the routes to being able to use your smartphone while in a foreign country given
that your wireless service doesn t generally extend to international travel
To cut to the chase there is a cheap way which involves a lot of work or there is an easier
method that will most likely cost you a pretty penny.
Let s start with that latter path all it involves is contacting your phone carrier like AT&T to set
up international roaming for access to wireless service abroad it s simple but here s the rub
the charges for data minutes and texts can easily exceed $100 in addition to your regular
phone bill over a two-week trip
For this column I m focusing on how to take your smartphone abroad for a more reasonable
price which involves setting up wireless service with a foreign carrier s network with this
method it will cost $15 to $40 for wireless data for a two-week international trip
But this option takes lots of steps and forethought so here s a guide for those willing to put
up with some headaches to save money
Step 1 Unlock your phone
Step 2 Shop for a foreign SIM card Before your trip you can order a SIM card online and have
it shipped home or yYou can buy a SIM card at a wireless store at your destination.
Step 3 Prepare your phone for travel Before you depart pack and download everything you
will need ahead of time so download offline maps and install an app for phone calls and
texts

1
Broad, William. A Shipwreck, 500 Years Old, Appears on the Baltic Seabed. The New York Times. July 22,2019.

11
This all sounds like a lot of work but I promise that after you try it once traveling with a
smartphone gets easier with every trip and there s a bonus the money you save can be spent
on food or gifts2

PRESENT SIMPLE John lives in NY. John doesn’t live in NY. Does John live in NY?
PRESENT John is watching TV. John isn’t watching TV. Is John watching TV?
CONTINUOUS
PRESENT PERFECT John has arrived. John hasn’t arrived yet. Has John arrived?
SIMPLE
PRESENT PERFECT John has been singing. John hasn’t been Has John been singing?
CONTINUOUS singing.

2
Chen, Brian. A Comprehensive Guide To Taking your Smart Phone Abroad for Cheap. The New York Times,
June 26, 2019.
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SIMPLE PAST John moved to NY a John didn’t move to NY Did John move to NY a
year ago. a year ago. year ago?
PAST John was leaving John wasn’t leaving Was John leaving when
CONTINUOUS when his phone rang. when his phone rang. his phone rang?
PAST PERFECT John had moved to NY John hadn’t moved to Had John moved to NY
SIMPLE when he got a job. NY when he got a job. when he got a job?
PAST PERFECT John had been looking John hadn’t been Had John been looking
CONTINUOUS for a job for weeks looking for a job for for a job for weeks
when he found this weeks when he found when he found this
one. this one. one?
FUTURE SIMPLE John will get a John won’t get a Will John get a
promotion next year. promotion next year. promotion next year?
GOING TO John is going to travel John isn’t going to Is John going to travel
abroad. travel abroad. abroad?
FUTURE John will be working John won’t be working Will John be working
CONTINUOUS when you arrive. when you arrive. when you arrive?
FUTURE PERFECT John will have John won’t have Will John have become
SIMPLE become your boss by become your boss by your boss by the time
the time you finish the time you finish your you finish your course?
your course. course.
FUTURE PERFECT John will have been John won’t have been Will John be living in NY
CONTINUOUS living in NY for two living in NY for two for two years by the
years by the time he years by the time he time he comes back
comes back home. comes back home. home?
CONDITIONAL John would love to go. John wouldn’t love to Would John love to go?
go.
CONDITIONAL If John were in Santa If John were in Santa Would John be lying on
CONTINUOUS Monica, he would be Monica, he wouldn’t be the beach if he were in
lying on the beach lying on the beach. Santa Monica?
CONDITIONAL If John had found a If John had found a job, Would John have
PERFECT job, he would have he wouldn’t have remained in his
remained in his remained in his hometown if he had
hometown. hometown. found a job?
CONDITIONAL If you had arrived late, If you had arrived late, Would John have been
PERFECT John would have been John wouldn’t have waiting if you had
CONTINUOUS waiting. been waiting. arrived late?

INFINITIVE/SIMPLE PAST/PAST PARTICIPLE INFINITIVE/SIMPLE PAST/PAST PARTICIPLE

arise/arose/arisen feel/felt/felt
awake/awakened-awoke/awakened-awoke fight/fought/fought

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be/was-were/been find/found/found
bear/bore/born-borne fit/fit/fit
beat/beat/beaten-beat flee/fled/fled
become/became/become fling/flung/flung
begin/began/begun fly/flew/flown
bend/bent/bent forbid/forbade/forbidden
bet/bet/bet forecast/forecast/forecast
bid (e.g., bid so. goodbye)/bid-bade/bidden foresee/foresaw/foreseen
bid (e.g., bid money for sth.)/bid/bid foretell/foretold/foretold
bind/bound/bound forget/forgot/forgotten
bite/bit/bitten forgive/forgave/forgiven
bleed/bled/bled forsake/forsook/forsaken
blow/blew/blown freeze/froze/frozen
break/broke/broken frostbite/frostbit/frostbitten
breed/bred/bred get/got/got-gotten
bring/brought/brought give/gave/given
broadcast/broadcast/broadcast go/went/gone
build/built/built grind/ground/ground
burn/burned-burnt/burned-burnt grow/grew/grown
burst/burst/burst hand-feed/hand-fed/hand-fed
buy/bought/bought handwrite/handwrote/handwritten
cast/cast/cast hang/hung/hung
catch/caught/caught have/had/had
choose/chose/chosen hear/heard/heard
cling/clung/clung hide/hid/hidden
come/came/come hit/hit/hit
cost/cost/cost hold/held/held
creep/crept/crept hurt/hurt/hurt
cut/cut/cut keep/kept/kept
deal/dealt/dealt kneel/knelt-kneeled/knelt-kneeled
dig/dug/dug knit/knitted-knit/knitted-knit
dive (e.g., dive for a ball)/dove-dived/dived know/knew/known
dive (e.g., dive into the sea)/dived-dove/dived lay/laid/laid
do/did/done lead/led/led
draw/drew/drawn leap/leapt/leapt
dream/dreamed-dreamt/dreamed-dreamt learn/learned-learnt/learned-learnt
drink/drank/drunk leave/left/ left
drive/drove/driven lend/lent/lent
dwell/dwelt-dwelled/dwelt-dwelled let/let/let
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eat/ate/eaten lie/lay/lain
fall/fell/fallen lose/lost/lost
feed/fed/fed make/made/made
mean/meant/meant spoil/spoiled-spoilt/spoiled-spoilt
meet/met/met spread/spread/spread
mistake/mistook/mistaken spring/sprang-sprung/sprung
misunderstand/misunderstood stand/stood/stood
outdo/outdid/outdone steal/stole/stolen
overcome/overcame/overcome stick/stuck/stuck
overhear/overheard/overheard sting/stung/stung
pay/paid/paid strew/strewed/strewn-strewed
prove/proved/ proven-proved stride/strode/stridden
put/put/put strike/struck/struck-stricken
quit/quit/quit string/strung/strung
read/read/read strive/strove-strived/striven-strived
rewind/rewound/rewound sublet/sublet/sublet
rid/rid/rid swear/swore/sworn
ride/rode/ridden sweat/sweat-sweated/sweat-sweated
ring/rang/rung sweep/swept/swept
rise/rose/risen swell/swelled/swollen-swelled
run/ran/run swim/swam/swum
saw/sawed/sawn-sawed swing/swung/swung
say/said/said take/took/taken
see/saw/seen teach/taught/taught
seek/sought/sought tear/tore/torn
sell/sold/sold tell/told/told
send/sent/sent test-drive/test-drove/test-driven
set/set/set think/thought/thought
sew/sewed/sewn-sewed throw/threw/thrown
shake/shook/shaken thrust/thrust/thrust
shave/shaved/shaven-shaved tread/trod/trodden-trod
shine/shone/shone typewrite/typewrote/typewritten
shoot/shot/shot undergo/underwent/undergone
show/showed/shown-showed understand/understood/understood
shrink/shrank-shrunk/shrunk undertake/undertook/undertaken
shut/shut/shut upset/upset/upset
sink/sank-sunk/sunk wake/woke/waken
sit/sat/sat wear/wore/worn
sleep/slept/slept weave/weaved-wove/weaved-woven
15
slide/slid/slid wed/wed-wedded/wed-wedded
speak/spoke/spoken weep/wept/wept
speed/speeded-sped/speeded-sped wet/wet-wetted/wet-wetted
spend/spent/spent win/won/won
spill/spilled-spilt/spilled-spilt wind/wound/wound
spin/spun/spun withdraw/withdrew/withdrawn
spit/spit-spat/spit-spat withhold/withheld/withheld
split/split/split write/wrote/written

PRESENT TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE

 Habitual actions: She comes here every day.

 Facts: The Asian elephant and the African elephant differ in size.
 Laws of nature: Water boils at 100°C.
 Dramatic narration: Darkness falls and a dark figure approaches a screaming lady.
 Arranged future actions (timetables): The plane leaves at 6 am.
 States, thoughts and feelings: I believe in angels.

16
  With if and when to show parallel facts: When you press the button, the hair dryer
starts.
 Newspaper headlines: A Shipwreck Appears on the Baltic Seabed.

Stative Verbs are the ones used to talk about

 states & existence: be, exist…
 feelings: love, hate…
 beliefs & opinions: believe, know, think, agree, understand, seem, suppose…
 wants & preferences: want, need, prefer…
 perceptions & the senses: look, smell, feel, hear…
 possession: have got, belong, own…
Some stative verbs can only be used in a Simple form, e.g.:
 I don’t agree with you.
 I understand what you mean.
 She seems confused right now.
 That tablet belongs to my brother.
Others can be used either in a Simple or Continuous form, but with a different meaning e.g.:
 I think you are right. (in general) vs. I am thinking of you. (right now)
 You are frank. (in general) vs. You are being frank. (normally you are not)
 I have a bath. (I own a bath.) vs. I am having a bath. (I am taking a bath.)
 That soup tastes sour. (that is the effect on the senses) vs. She is tasting the soup.
(describing the activity of tasting)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

 Actions in progress: They are rehearsing the show.

 Repeated actions with always, forever, constantly: He is always complaining.
 Current trends and developments: Prices are rising at present.
 Fixed arrangements for the near future: He is coming tomorrow.
 Temporary events: I am studying Architecture.
 Background events in a story: A man is walking past a lemon tree when a gust of wind
blows a lemon from the tree…

PRESENT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

17
 PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Habitual actions: Actions taking place at the moment:
Flight BA222 departs at 5.30 am. Flight BA222 is now boarding.
Routines: Regularly repeated events:
The new soap opera starts at 9 pm. The new soap opera is starting at 9.30
this week.
With always, meaning ‘every time’: With always, meaning ‘all the time’:
The students always shout when the The students are always shouting in class.
teacher says it’s time for the break.
Main events in a story: Background events in a story:
She opens the door and, to her The wind is blowing the leaves away
astonishment, she finds… when…

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

 Actions beginning in the past and continuing up to the present, focusing on the result:
He has written five books so far.
 Recently completed actions: She has just arrived.
 Indefinite past actions: They have been to Paris.
 Repeated actions that still continue: He has worked as a lawyer for ten years.
 Breaking new: There has been a car crash.
 After the verb TO BE in the present when followed by an ordinal or superlative: This is
the first time he has arrived so late.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 Past actions producing visible results in the present: She has been cleaning her room.
 Actions beginning in the past and continuing up to the present, focusing on the action,
especially with for and since: He has been waiting for you for over an hour.
 Actions showing annoyance or surprise: What have you been doing to my tablet?

Best examples of Present Perfect

https://youtu.be/XUIJ9pBDlHs

PRESENT TENSES: EXERCISES

18
PRESENT SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in the Present Simple:

It 1__________________________(be) a simple fact—when the brain
2__________________________ (get) fatigued, it 3__________________________ (take)
much longer to complete a task. But what you may not know,
4__________________________ (say) Achor, is that after just two hours of continuous work,
your brain function actually 5__________________________(slow) your body and your body
6__________________________(start) to rapidly accumulate stress and strain. "The secret
to beating this pattern 7__________________________ (be) taking five-minute breaks after
every 90- to 120-minute sprints." He 8__________________________ (suggest) spending
your wind-down time watching a funny video on YouTube, finding a few new people to follow
on Twitter or eating a high-protein calorie snack for energy. 3

Choose the correct form of the verbs:

a. I think / am thinking you are good at singing.

b. That umbrella belongs / is belonging to me.
c. She is / is being silly today.
d. They understand / are understanding your point of view.
e. He sees / is seeing someone at the moment.
f. I love/ am loving dancing.
g. He doesn’t speak/ is not speaking French at all.
h. You are/ are being a bit silly at the moment.
i. Will you give me a second? I think/ am thinking which the best answer is.
j. He owns/ is owning two factories and a vineyard.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous:

If the stress of the job 1__________________________ (currently affect) your mental or
physical health, the job isn’t worth the toll it 2__________________________ (take) on your

3
Capetta, Amy. Happiness At Work. Time.
19
life. If you 3__________________________ (dread) the day or your health
4__________________________ (suffer), then, what 5__________________________ (you
wait for)? It’s time to quit your job! If you 6. __________________________ (not feel) happy
and everybody 7__________________________ (now tell) you that you look extremely tired
and sad, then it’s time start looking for a better job.

PRESENT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or the Present Continuous:
a. It 1__________________________ (be) 5 am and I 2. __________________________
(try) to fall asleep. I 3__________________________ (count) sheep, hundreds of them,
but that 4__________________________ (not seem) to be of any use. Suddenly, I
5__________________________ (remember) that many people simply
6__________________________ (get up) and 7__________________________ (have) a
glass of warm milk in order to go to sleep. So, I 8__________________________ (decide)
to go to the kitchen and just when I 9__________________________ (try to) open the
bottle of milk, the bottle 10__________________________ (slip) from my fingers and
11__________________________ (break) into pieces, the milk splashing everywhere.

b. Debbie 1__________________________ (work) as an administrator at the university.

She 2__________________________ (organise) all the timetables and teaching
schedules. She 3__________________________ (work) very long hours at the moment
because it’s the start of the academic year but she 4__________________________ (go)
on a short holiday at the end of the month.4

c. Simon and Sylvia 1__________________________ (stay) in a cottage in the Yorkshire

Dales this month. The cottage 2__________________________ (belong) to a cousin of
Sylvia’s but the cousin is away: she 3__________________________ (cycle) around
Norfolk for a few weeks. Simon and Sylvia often 4__________________________ (use)
the cottage when Sylvia’s cousin is away. They really 5__________________________
(enjoy) being in the middle of the countryside.5

d. The International School for Languages 1__________________________ (do) very well

at the moment. About two hundred students 2__________________________ (take)

4
Walker, E. & S. Elseworth (1995). Grammar Practice for Upper Intermediate Students (179). Harlow: Longman.
5
Ibid.
20
 evening classes this term. Many of them 3__________________________ (need) to learn
a new language to improve their job prospects but some of them
4__________________________ (learn) a new language purely for pleasure. The
European languages 5__________________________ (be) very popular but Japanese
and Russian 6__________________________ (get) more popular too. The school
7__________________________ (provide) good learning facilities and
8__________________________ (organize) a range of study tours.6

e. The world population 1__________________________ (still increase) rapidly. Many

people in the world 2__________________________ (already starve) and many more
3__________________________ (suffer) from malnutrition. The population
4__________________________ (grow) fastest in the poorest countries where people
5__________________________ (need) to have children to look after them in their old
age and where many of their children 6__________________________ (die) at a very
young age.7

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Perfect Simple or Continuous:
Tim Bryant, a magazine journalist, is interviewing Margaret Rodwell, the founder of a
successful company.
TB: So why do you think your company 1__________________________(be) so successful?
MR: Well, our products 2__________________________ (fill) a large gap in the market and I
think one of the most important things is that we 3 __________________________ (always
listen) to our clients and we 4__________________________ (act) on their comments and
suggestions.
TB: And what’s a typical day for you?
MR: Well, take today for example. I 5__________________________ (interview) candidates
for a marketing executive post.
TB: And how many 6__________________________ (you interview)?
MR: Er, I 7__________________________ (interview) four so far. And I
8__________________________ (talk) to clients on the phone on and off all day. I seem to
spend a lot of time on the phone. I 9__________________________ (discuss) some new ideas
with them for the transportation and delivery of products.

6
Ibid.
7
Ibid.
21
TB: Mm, it sounds like a very busy day.
MR: Oh, that’s only part of it. I 10__________________________ (have) two meetings, one
with Union representatives and one with departmental heads. And I
11__________________________ (also work) on a proposal for a new marketing strategy.
TB: And it’s not two o’clock yet!
MR: No, but of course I 12__________________________ (be) here since seven o’clock this
morning.
TB: Gosh. And I hope you don’t mind my mentioning this Ms Rodwell, but some rumours
13__________________________ (circulate) about your possible engagement to Mr
Grimaldi, the banker.
MR: No, there will be no engagement, though it’s true that Mr Grimaldi and I
14__________________________ (see) each other. That’s no secret.
TB: When you get the time, I suppose. And is it also true that you
15…__________________________ (learn) Russian with a view to introducing your products
there?
MR: Yes, I have, but I 16__________________________ (not learn) much yet; there’s still a
long way for me to go.8

PRESENT TENSES
Choose the correct present tense:
Everyone 1. agree / agrees that language is 2. always changing / changing always. For
example, words often disappear after a few years and new ones—especially among teenagers
and young adults—3. are appearing / have appeared all the time. But speakers of English 4.
are using / have been using certain words for tens of thousands of years. That’s what
researchers at the University of Reading now 5. believe / are believing.
Dr Mark Pagel, who is leading the research at the University of Reading, 6. thinks / is thinking
that words including ‘I’, ‘we’ and ‘two’ 7. are / have been with us since the Stone Age. Over
the last few months, his team 8. is comparing / has been comparing modern and ancient
languages using computers and the results show that humans 9. have said / have been saying
some words for the last 15,000 to 25,000 years.

8
Walker, E. Idem.
22
Since these findings, Dr Pagel 10. is also studying / has also been studying how quickly words
change or disappear. For example, numbers and pronouns 11. don’t often change / aren’t
often changing because we use them extremely often. However, less frequently used words
12. evolve / are evolving more quickly and are also likely to die out very quickly.

FUTURE TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE

 Timetables: The movie starts at 5.15 pm.

 Time clauses: He’ll understand when you tell him.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

 Arrangements: I’m travelling to L.A. in November.

FUTURE SIMPLE

 Offers, promises, requests, suggestions: I will give you a hand.

23
  On-the-spot decisions: I’ll pick that up.
 Opinions, hopes, fears, especially with think, suppose, imagine, fear: I suppose he’ll
phone you.
 Predictions that cannot be proved: You’ll make millions.

GOING TO

 Intentions: I am going to study hard.

 Planned actions: She is going to move out.
 Possible action in the future as a result of sth. else: This is the third hamburger he’s
eating in a row. He is going to get sick.
 Predictions that are based on evidence: It’s overcast. It’s going to rain.

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

 Actions in progress at a certain time in the future: This time tomorrow, I’ll be flying to
LA.
 Logical assumptions about sb’s actions in the present: It’s 4 pm. He will be taking a
nap.
 Previously planned actions: She’ll be seeing Tom tonight.

FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE

 Actions finished before a certain future time, usually with before, by, by then, by the
time, until/till: By the end of the year, you will have passed Language I.
 Logical assumptions about sb’s actions: He will have graduated by now.

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 An action up to a certain time in the future, emphasizing the continuity, usually with
by...for: By next May, she will have been working with us for three years.

FUTURE IN THE PAST

The expressions used are:

24
  was/were about to: to express immediate future in the past, e.g. She was about to
break the news when she decided not to.
 was/were bound to: to state sth. is sure to happen, e.g. He is bound to lie again.
 was/were (un)likely to: to express probability, e.g. She is likely to pass the exam.
 was/were going to: to talk about intentions, predictions, plans, arrangements that
changed, and to report thoughts e.g. They were going to leave when a storm broke
out.

7 ways to use English tenses to talk about the future

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiwiaoBGRzA

Future tenses in English and how to use them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03VKQL0dZg

FUTURE TENSES: Exercises

PRESENT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or the Present Continuous:
a. When you 1__________________________ (return), I’ll give you a big hug.
b. Hugh Jackman 2__________________________(sign) autographs tomorrow at 10.
c. The film 3__________________________ (open) on Thursday.

PRESENT SIMPLE vs. FUTURE SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or Future Simple:
A teacher is giving some students the details of a forthcoming trip.
The coach 1__________________________ (leave) here at 9.00 a.m., and we
2__________________________ (arrive) at the field study centre before lunch. When we
3__________________________ (get) there, you 4__________________________ (be
shown) to your rooms and 5__________________________(be given) time to unpack. Lunch
6__________________________ (be served) in the dining-room at 12.30 precisely so make
sure you 7__________________________ (not get) there late. When lunch
8__________________________ (finish), it 9__________________________ (be) time to get

25
ready for our first activity: a walk down to the beach to look at the rock pools. Nets,
magnifying glasses and containers 10__________________________ (be provided) by the
centre. If the weather 11__________________________ (be) fine, we
12__________________________ (stay) on the beach for the whole of the afternoon.
Otherwise, we 13__________________________ (go back) to the centre after an hour or two
and watch a video on seashore life. You 14__________________________ (be expected) to
keep a written record of everything that you 15__________________________ (find) and we
16__________________________ (look) at all the records when we
17__________________________ (get back) to school at the end of the week. Mr McNeill,
the field study supervisor, is very knowledgeable and I’m sure that he
18__________________________ (help) you to identify anything that you
19__________________________ (not recognize). Supper
20__________________________ (be served) at 6.00, and at 8.00 there
21__________________________ (be) an evening activity. On the first night, Mr McNeill
22__________________________ (plan) to go on a moonlit walk with us to look for bats. It
is important that you 23__________________________ (stay) together on this walk. Please,
don’t wander off. It 24__________________________ (not be) easy for us to find you if you
25__________________________ (get lost) in the dark. Behave sensibly and I’m sure you
26__________________________ (all have) a wonderful time.9

FUTURE SIMPLE vs. GOING TO

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Future Simple or Going To form:

a. J: Have you decided what you 1__________________________ (do) this weekend?

D: Yes, we 2__________________________ (have) a quiet day on Saturday and then on
Sunday we 3__________________________ (take) a bus up into the mountains and do
some walking. And we 4__________________________ (probably book into) a hotel
there for the night. What about you? 5__________________________ (you do) lots of
work as usual? 10

b. Coffee bars have proliferated in the United States during the past five years. The famous
Seattle chain, Starbucks, has become a trendy meeting place for many people. It’s not
uncommon for people to say, “I 1__________________________ (meet) you at

9
Walker, E. Idem.
10
Ibid.
26
 Starbucks in half an hour.” In addition, the servers are extremely congenial. They
2__________________________ (prepare) your coffee drink just the way you want it—
with non-fat milk, with decaffeinated coffee, with a double shot of espresso. Starbucks is
expanding: in fact, they 3__________________________ (open) six new shops in my city
this year. I think I 4__________________________ (talk) to my financial broker today
about buying some stock in that company! 11

FUTURE SIMPLE vs. FUTURE CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Future Simple or Future Continuous:
a. A: Would you like to come over for lunch on Saturday?
B: Well, unfortunately, I 1__________________________ (work) all day Saturday.
A: Oh, that’s a shame. Well, you 2__________________________ (have to come over)
another day. I 3__________________________ (talk) to Andy about it and I
4__________________________ (phone) you on Sunday.
5__________________________ (you/be) in then?
B: Yes, definitely. I 6__________________________ (recover) from my week’s work.

b. A: 1__________________________ (you/go) to the meeting tonight? If so, I

2__________________________ (give) you a lift there.
B: Oh yes please, that would be helpful. I 3__________________________ (play) tennis
until 7 o’clock but I 4__________________________ (be) back shortly after that.
A: O.K. I 5__________________________ (pick you up) at about 7.30.
6__________________________ (You/be) ready by then?
B: Yes. Don’t worry. I 7__________________________ (wait) for you when you get here.

FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in the Future Perfect Simple:
By this time next week, we 1__________________________ (cross) the whole of Australia.
We 2__________________________ (drive) more than 2,000 miles; we
3__________________________ (sleep) under the stars; we
4__________________________ (see) the sun set over Uluru; we

11
Steer, Jocelyn M. & Karen A. Carlisi (1998). The Advanced Grammar Book—2nd ed. Massachusetts: Heinle &
Heinle.
27
5__________________________ (visit) the famous town of Alice Springs; and we
6__________________________ (arrive) at our final destination—Darwin—on the tropical
north coast. 12

PAST TENSES

PAST SIMPLE

 Actions completed in the past when there is direct or indirect time reference: He
returned from Austria a week ago.
 Past habitual actions: He spent all afternoons with his grandparents when he was a
child.
 Past actions happening in sequence: She knocked on the door, opened it and entered.
 Past actions which won’t be repeated: Tom Hanks starred in “Castaway”.

PAST CONTINUOUS

12
Hughes, John. Idem.
28
  Past actions in progress at a given point in time: They were having breakfast at 9 am.
 Past action in progress interrupted by another action: I was having a shower when the
water supply was cut off.
 Simultaneous past actions: She was reading while he was drawing.
 Polite inquiries: I was wondering if you could come to my aid.
 In narratives, to set the scene: The wind was blowing stronger than usual. Rain was
beginning to fall. Suddenly, a thunderbolt struck.

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

 Past action which happened before another past action: She had cooked dinner and
laid the table before the guests arrived.
 As the past equivalent of the Present Perfect: He had always dreamed of being an
astronaut.
 In time clauses introduced by ‘after’ to emphasize that the action preceded the other
action: After they had gone, she felt relieved.
 To look back from the past: It was 1945. The Second World War had already finished.
 To express regret: I wish/If only I had realized I would never see him again.

PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

Note that the meaning of sentences may differ depending on the tense being used, e.g.:
 When I called her, she left. (She left the moment I called her.) vs. When I called her,
she had left. (She left before my calling her.)
 When I had seen the film, I broke into tears. (I broke into tears after the film
finished.) vs. When I saw the film, I broke into tears. (I broke into tears while seeing
the film.)

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 A longer past action which continued up to another past action: He had been studying
all day for an exam when a classmate called him to tell him the exam had been put off.
29
  Actions producing visible results I the past: He was sweaty because he had been
running all day.

Narrative tenses in English

https://youtu.be/nELxxIC0ftw

PAST TENSES: Exercises

PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Past Simple or Continuous:

a. Here he 1__________________________ (be), Davey Stark, the big rock star. It
2__________________________ (be) the end of an exhausting two-hour concert. The
fans 3__________________________ (scream) and 4__________________________
(shout). They 5__________________________ (want) Davey, their hero. His face
6__________________________ (pour) with sweat, his hair
7__________________________ (drip) and his heart 8__________________________
(thump) violently. But he 9__________________________ (love) these moments at the
end of a concert. He always 10__________________________ (feel) powerful and in
control. He 11__________________________ (decide) to do one more song for the
crowd: one of this most popular. When he 12__________________________ (start)
singing, the crowd 13__________________________ (go) wild. By the end of the song,
they 14__________________________ (all/dance) and
15__________________________ (clap) their hands. When Davey
16__________________________ (leave) the stage, he
17__________________________ (be) exhausted but exhilarated. But when he
18__________________________ (get back) to the dressing room, he
19__________________________ (open) the door and
20__________________________ (see) that two men
21__________________________ (wait) for him. They
22__________________________ (lock) the door behind Davey. He
23__________________________ (shout) for his bodyguard Bernard, but no-one
24__________________________ (come). The two men
25__________________________ (tie) his hands behind his back,
30
 26__________________________ (blindfold) and 27__________________________
(gag) him. Davey 28__________________________ (can hear) Bernard in the next room.
Bernard 29__________________________ (talk) to someone and he
30__________________________ (say) terrible things about Davey. He
31__________________________ (say) that Davey 32__________________________
(deserve) it. 33__________________________ (deserve) what? What
34__________________________ (he/mean)? What 35__________________________
(go on)? Why 36__________________________ (not someone tell) him what
37__________________________ (happen)?13

b. It 1__________________________ (happen) in June 1985. It

2__________________________ (be) summer and we 3__________________________
(all/lie out) in the garden. My mother 4__________________________ (read) and my
uncle 5__________________________ (just/doze) in the sun. We children
6__________________________ (look for) worms and insects. And then he
7__________________________ (arrive). He 8__________________________ (be) a
tall, handsome man with piercing blue eyes and he 9__________________________
(look) straight at my mother. Her face 10__________________________ (go) pale and
her eyes 11__________________________ (open) wide with shock. ‘Arthur, I
12__________________________ (think) you 13__________________________ (be)
dead,’ she 14__________________________ (say) in a kind of whisper.

c. A: I 1__________________________ (phone) you at about 9 0’clock this morning but you

2__________________________ (not answer). What 3__________________________
(you/do)?

B: Well, I 4…__________________________ (hear) the phone but I

5__________________________ (have) a shower and I 6__________________________
(cannot) get out in time to answer it. Anyway, what 7__________________________
(you/want)?

A: Well, last night I 8__________________________ (clear out) that old desk you
9__________________________ (give) me when I 10__________________________
(come across) a pile of old letters with a red ribbon round them.
B: My letters?

13
Walker, E. Idem.

31
 A: Yes, they 11__________________________ (be addressed) to you. And they
12__________________________ (all/smell) of perfume, a man’s perfume.14

d. Last night Jake 1__________________________ (wake up) at about 3 a.m. As soon as he

2__________________________ (wake up), he 3__________________________ (listen
out) for strange noises but he 4__________________________ (not hear) any. His father
5__________________________ (snore) in the next room, some central heating pipes
6__________________________ (make) a bit of a noise and a tap
7__________________________ (drip) in the bathroom. It was all as usual. Jake
8__________________________ (open) the window and
9__________________________ (look) outside. The moon
10__________________________ (be) full and it 11__________________________
(shine) brightly. Jake 12__________________________ (think) he
13__________________________.(see) an owl in one of the trees. He
14__________________________ (can certainly hear) one. But then he
15__________________________ (see) something different. A man—no, it
16__________________________ (be) a woman. She 17__________________________
(wear) white and she 18__________________________ (hide) behind a tree. Suddenly
she 19__________________________ (run) towards the house.15

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PAST SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or Past Simple:
a. Simon Reeve is an author and TV presenter. Several of his books and TV programmes 1.
won / have won international awards. He 2. made / has made a series of fascinating
travel documentaries for the BBC. He 3. travelled / has travelled to the four corners of
the earth. In 2006 he 4. circled / has circled the earth following the Equator. In 2008 he
5. did / has done the same again, but this time following the tropic of Capricorn. He 6.
visited / has visited some of the most dangerous places on earth. He 7. also went / has
also been to places no other foreign visitor 8. ever visited / has ever visited. His taste for

14
Ibid.

15
Walker, E. Idem.
32
 travel first 9. developed / has developed when he and his family 10. drove / have driven
across Europe on their summer holidays.16

b. News 1__________________________ (just come in) that there

2__________________________ (be) an air crash somewhere off the south coast of
England. There 3__________________________ (be) 120 passengers and crew on the
plane and it is understood that no survivors 4__________________________ (find).
Apparently, the plane 5__________________________ (go) mysteriously out of control
and 6…__________________________ (plunge) into the sea. Relatives of most of the
passengers and crew 7__________________________ (now inform) and many of them
8__________________________ (set off) for the sea rescue base, but they
9__________________________ (not give) much hope. Most of the passengers
10__________________________ (be) on business.17

c. Despite the problems that the government 1__________________________ (have) in

the last two years, it 2__________________________ (somehow manage) to stay in
power. There 3__________________________ (be) a number of scandals, involving
government ministers, including one rumour about the Prime Minister himself. It is said
that he 4__________________________ (promise) gifts to certain Members of
Parliament in Exchange for their vote before he 5__________________________ (be
elected) leader. In spite of all this, the government 6__________________________
(maintain) its position in Parliament and 7__________________________ (claim) that
this 8__________________________ (be) the most successful term of office that a
government 9__________________________ (ever have). This is rather surprising as
they 10__________________________ (come) to power with only a small majority.18

PAST SIMPLE vs.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE & PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Past Simple or Present Perfect Simple or Present
Perfect Continuous:

Andrew and Michael, two friends, are talking.

16
Hughes, John & Ceri Jones (2011). Practical Grammar, Level 3. (288). UK: Heinle Cengage Learning.

17
Hughes, John. Idem.
18
Ibid.
33
A: Hello, I 1__________________________ (not see) you for ages.
M: No, it must be about two years since we last 2__________________________ (meet).
What 3__________________________ (you/do) with yourself?
A: I 4__________________________ (do) all sorts of things. Life
5__________________________ (be) very busy lately. I 6__________________________
(start) a new job at the sailing centre.
M: Really! Doing what?
A: Well, I 7__________________________ (teach) beginners’ courses to school groups this
term but when those 8__________________________ (finish), I’ll be teaching more
advanced groups on holiday courses.
M: That sounds great. What about your old job at the tourist office then?
A: Well, I 9__________________________ (work) there for ten years and I quite
10__________________________ (enjoy) the job but I 11__________________________
(want) to do something different. I 12__________________________ (always/enjoy) sailing
in my spare time so I 13__________________________ (think) it would be nice to do it for a
job.
M: So how long 14__________________________ (you/be) at the sailing centre?
A: For about two months now, I’m sure I 15__________________________ (do) the right
thing. It’s a really enjoyable job. And what about you?
M: Well, I’m still at the Rembrandt Hotel. I 16__________________________ (work) there
for fifteen years now. But I 17__________________________ (have) a promotion, so that’s
good. They 18__________________________ (give) me the job of head receptionist.
A: Oh, that’s good news.
M: Yes, it 19__________________________ ( make) me feel much better about work. I mean,
I 20__________________________ (do) a lot of different jobs at the hotel but I
21__________________________ (never have) a job with this much responsibility before. I
22__________________________ (work) on the reception desk for four years when I
23__________________________ (start) at the hotel—that was before they
24__________________________ (move) me into the office—but I
25__________________________ (be) only a junior receptionist then so I just
26__________________________ (do) what I 27__________________________ (be told) to
do.
A: So when 28__________________________ (you/get) the new job?
M: A month ago, after I 29__________________________ (pass) my intermediate exams in
Spanish and German at the college. Did you know I 30__________________________ (do)
language evening classes at the college for a while now?
A: No, I didn’t realize.
34
M: Yes, I 31__________________________ (decide) that I 32__________________________
(cannot get) any further at work without learning some languages.
A: And so you did! What a good idea.19

PAST SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS vs. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Circle the correct form of the verbs in italics:

a. She climbed / was just climbing/ has just climbed a tree.

b. He climbed / was climbing / has climbed up the stairs when he tripped / was tripping
/has tripped and fell / was falling / has fallen down.
c. They studied / were studying / have studied French since 2014.
d. The President announced / was announcing / has announced a tax increase.
e. When he broke / was breaking / has broken the news, there was a general sigh of
relief.

PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Simple or Past Perfect:
James 1__________________________ (sit) outside the office waiting for the interview. He
2__________________________ (feel) so nervous that he 3__________________________
(not know) what to do with himself. The person who 4__________________________ (go in)
before him 5__________________________ (be) in there for nearly an hour. And she
6__________________________ (look) so confident when she
7__________________________ (go) in. Not like James. He 8__________________________
(feel) sure that she 9__________________________ (already get) the job. The problem
10__________________________ (be) that he 11__________________________ (want) this
job so much. It 12__________________________ (mean) everything to him. He
13__________________________ (think) about it such a lot before the day of the interview.
He 14__________________________ (imagine) himself performing brilliantly at the
interview and being offered the job immediately. But now there he
15__________________________ (be) feeling terrible. He 16__________________________
(cannot remember) all those things he 17__________________________ (plan) to say. At
that moment, he 18__________________________ (almost decide) to get up and leave. But

19
Walker, E. Idem.
35
no—he 19__________________________ (have to do) this. He
20__________________________ (spend) so much time thinking about it that he
21__________________________ (cannot give up) like that. His hands
22__________________________ (be) hot and sticky and his mouth
23__________________________ (feel) dry. Finally, the door of the office
24__________________________ (open). The woman who
25__________________________ (go in) an hour earlier 26__________________________
(come out) looking very pleased with herself. She 27__________________________ (smile)
sympathetically at James. At that moment James 28__________________________ (hate)
her. The managing director then 29__________________________ (appear) at the office
door. ‘Would you like to come in now, Mr Davis? I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.’ James
30__________________________ (suddenly wish) that he
31__________________________ (go) home after all. He 32__________________________
(get up), legs shaking and forehead sweating and 33__________________________
(wonder) whether he 34__________________________ (look) as terrified as he
35__________________________ (feel). 20

PAST TENSES

Fill in the gaps with the Past Simple, the Continuous, the Past Perfect Simple or the Past
Perfect Continuous:
a. We 1__________________________ (work) for the same company for a couple of
months. I 2__________________________ (see) her in the distance and I
3__________________________ (notice) how attractive she was, but we
4__________________________ (never speak). Then, while we
5__________________________ (do) a training course together, we finally got to
know each other. We 6__________________________ (have) a drink with the other
people on the course at the end of the first day, and we
7__________________________ (all talk) about how difficult it was. I
8__________________________ (not notice) that she was standing just behind me. I
laughed at one of the jokes, stepped back and spilt her drink down her dress! I
9__________________________ (never feel) so embarrassed in my life. But she was
really nice about it. I bought her another drink and we got talking. She told me she
10__________________________ (just buy) a house on my street and that she

20
Walker, E. Idem.
36
 11__________________________ (spend) her weekends painting and decorating. I
offered to help her. That’s how it all started!21

b. It was 8 o’clock and at last I was ready. I 1__________________________ (spend)

hours deciding what to wear. This was a special occasion and I
2__________________________ (want) to look my best. I
3__________________________ (walk) to the bus stop when a friend
4__________________________ (pass) me in his car.
He 5__________________________ (drive) into town. He
6__________________________ (offer) to give me a lift. We
7__________________________ (stop) the car opposite the restaurant. I could see
the people inside. They 8__________________________ (already/start) eating. As I
waited on the pavement, a huge lorry 9__________________________ (drive)
straight through a big puddle of water. My dress was covered in mud. I
10__________________________ (look) a real mess. All the customers in the
restaurant 11__________________________ (laugh) at me. I
12__________________________ (never/feel) so embarrassed in my whole life.22

PRESENT vs. PAST TENSES

Choose the correct option:

In the past, collecting 2. was / had been a hobby for rich people. Kings and queens 2. sent /
were sending explorers to find new objects in strange new countries. Since those times,
people from all types of background 3. collected / have collected every kind of object from
the normal (stamps and coins) to the weird (lunchboxes and toilet paper).

Mike Bryant 4. collected / has been collecting antique bottles for years. Bryant 5. has built /
has been building an extra room above his garage to keep all the bottles.

Another collector, Pat Sonnenberg, 6. has also created / has also been creating a special
room in the house for her collection of 350 lunchboxes. She 7. started / has started collecting
lunchboxes because she 8. didn’t have / hasn’t had one for school when she was a child. #

21
Hughes, John. Idem.
22
Ibid.
37
 CONDITIONAL TENSES

CONDITIONAL

 In the main clause of Type 2 Conditionals to refer to the probable result of a

hypothetical condition: If I were rich, I would travel all year long.

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

 In the main clause of Type 2 Conditionals to refer to the probable result of a

hypothetical condition, a result which is unfinished or continuing: If I spoke French, I
would be working in Paris right now.

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

 Actions that might have happened in the past: I would have told you.
In the main clause of Type 3 Conditionals: If you had been honest with him, he would have
come back.

38
CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 Used in the main clause of Type 3 Conditionals, it refers to the unfulfilled result of
the action and expresses this result as an unfinished or continuous action: If I had
known he were coming, I would have been waiting for him in the garden when he
arrived.

PAST HABITS
USED TO

 Used To refers to past habits, situations and states and emphasizes that that habit,
situation or state does not go on: She used to live round the corner. / When I was a
child, I used to be taken to a merry-go-round.

WOULD

 Would is also used to refer to past habits (specifically actions) regardless of whether
these actions still go on: They would go to the market every Saturday morning.

BE USED TO

 To show that someone is familiar with a situation or routine: I am used to walking to

work.

39
Difference between Used To and Would
https://youtu.be/VFk5x2WupBY

Difference between Used To and Be (Get) Used To

https://youtu.be/7LWvMXsG0bE

PAST HABITS: Exercises

USED TO vs. WOULD

Rephrase the sentences using either Used To or Would where appropriate:
a. In previous centuries, women always stayed at home with their children.
b. When in primary school, he always got up at 6:45.
c. They always read for hours.
d. In the past, there was a Pizza Hut across the street.

PAST TENSES vs. USED TO/WOULD

Fill in the blanks with the correct Past Tense, Used To or Would as appropriate. You may
need to use either the active or passive forms:

Treasure Island is one of the best known and most loved children’s adventure stories. It
1__________________________ (be) first published in 1883 but remains popular to this day.
People 2__________________________ (think) that the story was solely the work of
Sevenson’s imagination, but recent research has uncovered the true origin of this thrilling tale
of hidden treasure and bloodthirsty pirates.
Treasure Island’s author, Robert Louis Stevenson, 3__________________________ (be) a
Scotsman born in Edinburgh in 1850. Although he 4__________________________ (live)
abroad for many years, in 1881 he returned to the land of his birth for a holiday. With him
5__________________________ (be) his American wife, Fanny, whom he
6__________________________ (meet) five years earlier in France, and his stepchildren
from Fanny’s first marriage. The location of their holiday was Braemar, in the rugged Scottish
Highlands.

40
The family soon settled into a relaxing routine. Each morning Stevenson
7__________________________ (get up) early and take them out for long walks over the
hills. They 8__________________________ (enjoy) this for several days when the weather
suddenly took a turn for the worse. Trapped indoors by the heavy rain, Robert’s twelve-year-
old stepson, Lloyd, 9__________________________ (become) increasingly bored and
restless. Desperate to keep the boy amused, Robert 10__________________________ (get
out) some drawing paper and asked the boy to do some painting.
After he 11__________________________ (paint) for several hours, the boy
12__________________________ (return) to his stepfather with a beautiful coloured map of
a tropical island. Robert noticed that his stepson 13__________________________ (draw) a
large cross in the middle of the island. ‘What’s that?’ he asked. ‘That’s the buried treasure,’
said the boy. The thirty-one-year-old author suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He
14__________________________ (recently ask) to contribute stories to a children’s
magazine published by his friend W E Henley and he 15__________________________
(begin) to see the germ of an adventure story in the boy’s picture. While the rain
16__________________________ (beat down) on the roof of his rented holiday cottage the
author 17__________________________ (sit down) by the fire to write a story. He would
make the hero a twelve-year-old boy, just like his own stepson. But who would be the villain
of the piece?
For the last four years, Henley 18__________________________ (publish) Robert’s stories in
his magazine, and the two 19__________________________ (become) good friends. But
there was something unusual about Henley; he 20__________________________ (walk)
around with the aid of an artificial wooden leg. Robert 21__________________________
(always want) to include such a character in a story and thus Long John Silver, the pirate with
a wooden leg, was born.
So, thanks to a rainy September in Scotland, a publisher with a wooden leg, and the
inventiveness of a twelve-year-old American boy, we have one of the greatest adventure
stories in the English Language.23

BE USED TO vs. GET USED TO

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of Be or Get where appropriate:

23
Foley, Mark & Diane Hall. (2003). Longman Advanced Learners’ Grammar: A self-study reference & practice
book with answers. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. (384).
41
 a. He __________________________ used to travelling on the train to work every day.
He’d been doing it for years and always took a book with him.
b. They soon __________________________ used to the new routine and really
enjoyed the change.
c. Moving to a new town can be quite stressful, but I’m sure I
__________________________used to it pretty quickly.
d. At the beginning, I __________________________ (not) used to working nights and I
found it very difficult to adapt.
e. She had always lived alone and __________________________… used to having the
house to herself, so she didn’t like having visitors to stay. 24

USED TO, BE USED TO, GET USED TO

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of Used to, Be Used to or Get Used to where
appropriate:
A: So what 1__________________________ (you) do before you became a teacher?
B: I 2__________________________work as a banker in the City, in London.
A: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
B: My working life 3__________________________be very stressful. I
4__________________________working ten or twelve hours a day and under a lot of
pressure. It was very tiring and I decided it was time for a change.
A: Was it difficult to 5__________________________ your new lifestyle?
B: Well, I 6__________________________ earning a lot more money, so it took me a bit of
time to 7__________________________living on a teacher’s salary! And I
8__________________________ (not) working with kids, but now I’m slowly
9__________________________the role of a teacher and I’m loving every minute of it—well,
almost!
A: And how about your new working routine?
B: I 10__________________________the shorter working hours and the longer holidays very
quickly! I only 11__________________________take ten or fifteen days’ holiday a year when
I was a banker. Now I have six weeks’ holiday in the summer alone. That’s great!25

24
Hughes, John. Idem.
25
Hughes, John. Idem.
42
The Passive Voice consists in the auxiliary verb BE + the Past Participle. It is the auxiliary verb
that changes its tense (it can take any tense whatsoever), while the main verb is always in its
Past Participle form.

The Passive Voice is used:

 to focus on the receiver of the action rather than the performer: Prices are increased
all the time.
 in order not to mention the doer of the action: I am sorry that your luggage was sent
to another city.
 to avoid a change of subject in a sentence: I arrived at the station and was met by my
boyfriend.
 in news reports, notices and descriptions of processes: The flowers are treated with a
special liquid and then stored in large boxes before being shipped abroad.

How to use the Passive Voice

https://youtu.be/nkAyggAM1q4

43
 A. Rewrite the following texts putting the verbs in bold in the Passive Voice and making
any other necessary changes:
a. Fire almost completely destroyed the Royal Hotel last night. By the time someone called
the Fire Brigade, the hotel was already blazing. Ambulances took fifteen people to
hospital suffering from severe burns. They say that seven of them are in a serious
condition. People think that a discarded cigarette started the fire. 26

b. The company is sorry to announce that the situation has forced it to introduce a range of
cost-cutting measures as from the beginning of the new year. Unfortunately, we can no
longer provide free tea and coffee. Someone is going to install new coin-operated drinks
machines in every apartment and you can purchase a wide range of drinks from these.
We will also stop overtime payments after the end of this month and we will expect all
members of staff to complete their duties within their contract hours. You must no longer
make personal calls from office phones and we request you to use the payphone in the
basement for this purpose. 27

B. Write the verbs in brackets in either the Active Voice or Passive Voice:
More cars and lorries 1__________________________ (drive) on our roads every year and,
sadly, as a result of this, more and more wild animals 2__________________________ (kill)
by vehicles. Roads often 3__________________________ (cross) the routes that
4__________________________ (take) by animals when they are migrating, breeding or
feeding. Every spring, many thousands of toads 5__________________________ (kill) as they
6__________________________ (make) their way to the traditional breeding ponds. All over
the world, animals are victims of the road and their dead remains can
7__________________________ (often see) lying on the roadside. Many badgers and
hedgehogs 8__________________________ (hit) by cars at night as they
9__________________________ (move around) in search of food. Rabbits sometimes seem
to 10__________________________ (hypnotize) by the headlights of cars and
11__________________________ (not move) quickly out of the way. Birds

26
Walker, E. Idem.
27
Ibid.
44
12__________________________ (sometimes hit) too as they
13__________________________ (fly) low over roads.

14__________________________ (can anything do) to protect these animals from the

dangers of the road? Well, in 1969 a toad tunnel 15__________________________ (build) in
Switzerland and was a great success. Since then, other tunnels
16__________________________ (construct) elsewhere in Europe, not just for toads but for
badgers and salamanders too. In Florida, where the rare Florida panther
17__________________________ (live), panther tunnels 18__________________________
(build) under the highway and fencing 19__________________________ (put up) beside the
highway to guide the animals safely into these underpasses. Road signs warning drivers
20__________________________ (look out) for particular animals
21__________________________ (often see) in the US and it is to
22__________________________ (hope) that they 23__________________________
(become) a more common sight on the roads of Europe. 28

REPORTED SPEECH

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

STATEMENT: THAT-CLAUSE:
“I will arrive at 10,” he said. He said (that) he would arrive at 10.
QUESTION: WH-CLAUSE:
“Where do you live?” he asked me. He asked me where I live.
IF-CLAUSE:
“Are you feeling well?” she wanted to She wanted to know if I was feeling well.
know.
COMMAND: TO-INFINITIVE:
“Don’t shout in here,” he said. He told me not to shout in there.
REQUEST:
“Open the window, please,” she said. She told me to open the window.

TENSES IN DIRECT SPEECH TENSES IN REPORTED SPEECH

Simple Present: Simple Past:
“I like classical music,” he said. He said (that) he liked classical music.
Present Continuous: Past Continuous:
“She is writing an email,” he said. He said (that) he was writing an email.
Present Perfect Simple: Past Perfect Simple:

28
Walker, E. Idem.
45
“The film has just started,” he explained. He explained (that) the film had just started.
Present Perfect Continuous: Past Perfect Continuous:
“He has been exercising all morning,” she She said (that) he had been exercising all
said. morning.
Simple Past: Past Perfect:
“They came back last week,” he He commented (that) they had come back the
commented. week before / the previous week.
Simple Future: Conditional:
“I will regret it,” she said. She said (that) she would regret it.
Future Continuous: Conditional Continuous:
“She’ll be living in Florence next year,” he He said (that) she would be living in Florence
said. the following year.
Past Perfect Simple and Continuous Past Perfect Simple and Continuous

WORDS IN DIRECT SPEECH WORDS THAT CHANGE IN REPORTED SPEECH

this/these that/those
Here There
Come Go
Bring Take
Tonight that night
Now then, at that time, at once
now that Since
Today that day
Yesterday the day before, the previous day
Tomorrow the day after, the following day, the next day
tomorrow evening the evening after, the following evening, the
next evening
last night the night before, the previous night
the day before yesterday two days before
the day after tomorrow in two days’ time/ in two days
this week/month/year that week/month/year
last week/month/year/Monday/January the previous week/month/year/Monday/
January
next week/month/year/Monday/January the following week/month/year/Monday/
January
two days/years ago two days/years before

REPORTING VERBS
VERB + THAT: The boy denied that he had broken the
window pane.

46
 add, admit, agree, claim, deny, explain, He suggested that she (should) study harder.
inform, promise, say, suggest, warn…

VERB + SOMEONE + THAT: He persuaded us that what he had said was

advise, persuade, tell, warn… not a good idea.
VERB + TO INFINITIVE: They refused to cooperate.
agree, demand, offer, promise, refuse,
threaten…
VERB + SOMEONE + TO INFINITIVE: He convinced me to come.
advise, allow, ask, beg, convince,
encourage, instruct, invite, order, permit,
persuade, remind, tell, warn, want…
VERB + ING: She suggested travelling by plane.
advise, admit, deny, mention, propose,
recommend, suggest…
VERB + PREPOSITION + ING: We apologised for not paying attention to the
apologise for, insist on… lecturer.
VERB + SOMEONE + PREPOSITION + ING: They congratulated him on winning the race.
accuse…of, blame…for, congratulate…on,
thank…for, warn…about
Reported Speech: The Grammar Game Show
https://youtu.be/cetrtFDN2Zg

REPORTED SPEECH: Exercises

A. Complete the reported speech with a verb in the box:

accused – admitted – apologised – encouraged – recommended – refused – suggested –

warned

a. ‘Why don’t you see a doctor?’ She __________________________ seeing a doctor.

b. ‘Be careful going up the ladder.’ He __________________________ me about going
up the ladder.
c. ‘Sorry. I broke your vase.’ I __________________________ for breaking her vase.
d. ‘It’s true. I stole the car.’ The thief __________________________ stealing the car.
e. ‘No, we won’t work late.’ The employees__________________________ to work late.
f. ‘This book is brilliant. You have to read it.’ She __________________________
reading the book.

47
 g. ‘I think you’re telling me lies.’ His mum__________________________ him of telling
lies.
h. ‘Well done. Keep going. I know you can do it!’ The coach
__________________________ the athlete.29

B. Rewrite the following sentences in Reported Speech:

a. “I’ve booked my summer holiday,” he commented.
b. “I’ll help you later on,” she promised.
c. “We’ve been waiting for you all morning,” they complained.
d. “Don’t shout in class,” the teacher ordered.
e. “Do you believe the exam will be too difficult?” Susan asked her friend.
f. “What did the postman bring this morning?” he wanted to know.
g. “The visitors are coming on Saturday,” she announced.
h. “The police have been investigating the murder,” a spokesperson stated.
i. “What were you doing yesterday at 5 pm?” he asked.
j. “Why did you answer the phone in class?” the teacher asked John.

C. Rewrite the following dialogue into Reported Speech using the prompt:
ask/inform/explain/add/wonder/answer/comment/want to know/admit/remark/suggest

Postman: Could you sign for the parcel, please? It has been sent by Amazon.
Mr. Smith: It’s the book I bought last week! I have been waiting for it. Do you like reading?
Postman: Yes, I am very keen on reading. In fact, I always carry a book with me. I read
whenever I can.
Mr. Smith: What kind of books do you prefer?
Postman: I don’t have any preferences, but if I have to buy a book, I will always choose a good
writer. You should do the same.

29
Hughes, John. Idem.
48
 ALL VERB TENSES: EXERCISES

Fill in the gaps with the correct tense of the verb in brackets and justify your choices:

a. Burnout, exhaustion, chronic fatigue, or all washed up. 1 __________________________

(call) it what you will, the chances 2 __________________________ (be) that you, or
someone you know, 3 __________________________ (recently suffer) what 4
__________________________ (label) right now the most common malaise of the 21st
century. Increasingly, there is no way 5 __________________________ (live) life other
than in the fast lane and, despite the respite that the summer holidays 6
__________________________ (MODAL provide), this is taking its toll on the nation’s
health. As more people 7 __________________________ (keep/push) themselves
beyond the limits of capability at home and work, the result for many is a slide towards
emotional and physical rock bottom.
Britons already work longer hours than anyone else in Europe. The once typical nine-to-
five 8 __________________________ (work) day 9 __________________________
(already eat) into our mornings and evenings by an extra few hours. It is not unusual to
find that a week’s workload 10 __________________________ (spill over) into Saturday
49
 or Sunday. And technology 11 __________________________ (bring) instant
communication systems that mean even when we do leave the office for our summer
holidays, we 12 __________________________ (not walk away) from the pressures of
work, mobile phones, laptops and faxes.

b. It’s a fact of digital life: an e-mail which 1 __________________________ (record) some

detail of life—a birth announcement, a wedding, a chatty family story—comes from a
relative. And then you 2 __________________________ (erase) it. “Correspondence 3
__________________________ (make up) a good portion of the oral history of our
society,” 4 __________________________ (say) David Lambert of the New England
Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. “Or at least it used to—before people 5
__________________________ (start/discover) the DELETE buttons.” While 6
__________________________ (clean up) the computer desktop might seem like the
top priority in the present moment, future generations 7 __________________________
(MODAL disagree). “Your grandchildren 8 __________________________ (not able/go)
to your attic and sort through a bunch of 9 __________________________ (delete) e-
mails,” he says. “The loss to them 10 __________________________ (be) incalculable.”
So as 11 __________________________ (guard) against this, Lambert instead wants
everyone 12 __________________________ (start/hit) the PRINT button, then
13__________________________ (file) the printouts away. And if you 14
__________________________ (keep) an online diary, 15
__________________________ (make) a copy of that as well. “Imagine how little we 16
__________________________ (know) about the Civil War, for instance, without 17
__________________________ (read) the documents that remained,” he says. “Suppose
you 18 __________________________ (save) what looks like the most mundane
message in the world and in the future it just 19 __________________________ (turn)
to gold for someone else.”
E-mail 20 __________________________ (prove/be) one of the best ways of 21
__________________________ (bring) far-flung families together –something Lambert
22 __________________________ (discover) while 23 __________________________
(research) his own ancestors. “I usually 24 __________________________ (get) e-mails
from all over England, which 25 __________________________ (include) some from
people whose great-grandparents were siblings with mine,” he says. Recently someone
in Virginia 26 __________________________ (e-mail) Lambert a photograph of a
daguerreotype from the mid-1800s of a woman who 27 __________________________
50
 (be) his daughter’s sixth-great-grandmother. “If I ever 28 __________________________
(delete) any of this without 29 __________________________ (make) a copy first, I 30
__________________________ (regret) it for as long as I live.”

c. Before he was 30, Edward Norton 1__________________________ (already have) two

Oscar nominations. But what he really 2__________________________ (want/do/be)
direct. Now he 3__________________________ (AUXILIARY).
If you’re a successful young actor who 4__________________________ (wonder)
whether 5__________________________ (go ahead) and
6__________________________ (direct) a movie, you 7__________________________
(first want/take) that call from Warren Beatty. That’s what Edward Norton
8__________________________ (do) a while back: he had an out-of-the-blue phone
session with W. Beatty. While 9. __________________________ (recall) the chat, Norton
mimics the seductive Beatty stammer: “He said, ‘I 10__________________________
(watch) all the stuff you 11__________________________ (do), and I think you’re a lot
like me. You 12__________________________ (soon be) frustrated like I was, because
you 13__________________________ (want/do) it yourself. Then don’t wait, just do it.’”
That 14__________________________ (be) kind of an order from a superior officer, at
30 –the age Beatty 15__________________________ (be) when he produced and
16__________________________ (star) in Bonnie and Clyde- Norton
17__________________________ (already direct and star) in Keeping the Faith, a
romantic comedy about two guys and the girl they 18__________________________
(always love).
After 19__________________________ (earn) two Oscar nominations and some of the
most 20__________________________ (demand) roles in recent movies, he now
21__________________________ (need) the diversity of experience.
22__________________________ (play) the same types of things no longer
23__________________________ (interest) him. And as for the public’s urge to
celebritize actors, he says: “In the absence of collective gods, we
24__________________________ (create) a poor man’s Olympus in our entertainers
and 25__________________________ (elevate) them to minor deities.

51
d. Barb and Lynn, two friends from Chicago, 1__________________________ (come) to St.
Martin in the eastern Caribbean 2__________________________ (spend) a rare vacation
with their 13-year-old daughters. What they 3__________________________ (get) in
their first few days was a familiar holiday in hell –missed plane connections,
4__________________________ (shutter) restaurants when they got to this island.
Then came Hurricane Lenny, and naked fear set in.
The Chicagoans 5__________________________ (stay) at the Royal Islander Club la
Plage, across the street form a big casino. Although they
6__________________________ (hear) no previous warning of a hurricane, they were
fortified with cases of bottled water and transistor radio with lots of batteries.
All of a sudden, the high winds 7__________________________ (start) on Wednesday,
and 8__________________________ (leave) them with no phone, electricity or water. If
it 9__________________________ (not be) for an FM radio station that is in charge of
10__________________________ (dispense) weather reports and quickie counseling,
they 11__________________________ (be) completely isolated.
A few hours into the full-force hurricane, wind blasts 12__________________________
(start/subside) into lamb breezes but this was only the intermission, the eye of the
hurricane.
After they 13__________________________ (barricade) themselves in a bathroom, the
two families 14__________________________ (sit) in the living-room, a long couch
against the windows for protection. A couple of hours later, the monster winds
15__________________________ (build) once again, stronger than ever –a Big Bad Wolf
blowing at 250 km per hour against their living-room windows. Now they all sat on the
couch, 16__________________________ (hope/keep) Lenny away with the combined
weight of their kilos. By Friday morning the storm was over.
This 17__________________________ (be) the most frighteningly thrilling experience
they 18__________________________ (ever have); one they
19__________________________ (remember) as long as they live.

52
The Definite Article, The, is used with:
 names of unique objects: the Earth, the Moon, the Eiffel Tower, the ozone layer.
 names of:
o cinemas and theatres: the Chinese Theater,
o ships: (the Titanic),
o hotels: the Ritz,
o institutions: the EU,
o documents: the constitution,
o public bodies: the governmen),
o newspapers: The New York Times,
o historic events: the Second World War,
o museums: the Natural History Museum.
 collective plural nouns: the audience, the cast.
 names of:

53
 o seas: the Red Sea,
o rivers: the Mississippi,
o groups of islands : the Virgin Islands,
o chains of mountains: the Andes,
o groups of states: the USA),
o gulfs: the Persian Gulf,
o oceans: the Atlantic,
o canals: the Panama Canal.
 names of peoples or families in the plural: the Basques, the Taylors.
 adjectives in nominal function: the rich, the young.
 titles without proper names: the President, the King.
 musical instruments: the piano, the guitar.
 inventions: the internet, the iPhone.
 superlatives: the happiest, the best.
 only, last, first when they function as adjectives: the only student, the last warrior,
the first book.

The Definite Article is also used for:

 ANAPHORIC REFERENCE, i.e. to refer to some noun that has already been
mentioned: I have bought a book. The book I bought is by Paul Auster.
 CATAPHORIC REFERENCE, i.e. to refer to what is going to be mentioned later on in
the text: The book that I bought is by Paul Auster. / The story of her life is quite
interesting.

The zero Article is used with:

 proper nouns: Henry, Smith.
 names of :
o substances: water,
o meals: breakfast.
 names of:
o countries: Argentina,
o cities: New York City,
o streets & avenues: Rodeo Drive,
o addresses: 10 Downing Street,

54
 o buildings: Westminster Palace,
o continents: Africa,
o mountains: Mount Fuji,
o islands: Crete,
o lakes: Lake Michigan.

The Indefinite Article is used:

 with singular countable nouns: a car, a rose, a smile.
 with:
o money: a Euro,
o fractions: a quarter,
o measurements: a metre,
o weight: a kilo,
o whole numbers: a million,
o price/weight: $10 a kilo,
o frequency: five times a week,
o distance/fuel: 100 kilometres a litre,
o distance/speed: 120 km an hour,
o and illnesses & ailments: a cold.

https://youtu.be/rPy89_4a1Eg

A. Write either the Definite Article (THE) or the Zero Article (Φ) where appropriate:
1…Humanity's impact on climate has been detected on every continent except 2…Antarctica,
or so said 3… United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 4…

55
February 2007. No longer: 5… scientists found that 6… human-induced global warming has
been heating up 7… continent that is home to 8… South Pole, as well.
"We have detected 9… human fingerprint in both 10… Arctic and Antarctic regions," says 11…
Peter Stott, a climate modeler at 12… U.K. Met (meteorological) Office's Hadley Center, and
co-author of 13… study published in 14… journal Nature Geoscience.
15… researchers compared 100 years of weather records from 16… Arctic and 50-plus years
of those kept on 17… Antarctica with 18… results of four computer models. Their findings:
19… natural influences such as changes in 20… amount of sunlight or volcanic eruptions did
not explain 21… warming trends, but 22… results matched when increasing levels of 23…
greenhouse gas emissions were added to 24… mix.
In 25… past few decades, 26… average Arctic temperatures have warmed roughly 3.6 degrees
Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius); average temperatures in 27…Antarctica have warmed slightly
less than 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius).

B. Write either the Definite Article (THE) or the Indefinite Article (A/AN) where
appropriate:
The U.S. is in 1… middle of 2… baby obesity epidemic. 3… quarter of our 2 to 5-year-olds are
now overweight, according to 4… study published in JAMA in 2012, and 5… child’s obesity at
age 5 is 6… strong predictor that they will be obese as adults. 7… new study that has just come
out suggests that 8… mom’s relationship with her own mother may be 9… key factor in
whether 10… youngest generation becomes obese.
11… study by University of Illinois researchers, published in 12… Journal of Developmental
and Behavioral Pediatrics, found that women (or primary caregivers) with 13… insecure
attachment to their mothers are likelier to have kids with unhealthy eating habits and who
are overweight or obese.
14… researchers gave questionnaires to nearly 500 primary caregivers of 2½ to 3½-year-olds
to get to know how and when they fed their kids, 15… frequency and quality of family meals,
and their children’s TV viewing habits.

56
 ADJECTIVES
Adjectives are used:
 to describe people, things and ideas.
 before the nouns they modify: A beautiful landscape.
 after copula verbs (e.g. appear, be, get, feel, look, taste): You look fabulous!

There is a fixed order to adjectives:

Opinion + Size/Weight + Age + Shape + Colour + Participle + Origin + Material + Type + Noun
A beautiful small round oval brown carved Chinese wooden side table.

What’s the correct adjective order?

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57
PRESENT PARTICIPLE

The Present Participle can be used as an adjective to describe a characteristic, i.e. the way
someone or something is: an interesting person, a fascinating view, an exciting movie.

PAST PARTICIPLE

The Past Participle can be used as an adjective to describe someone’s emotions, feelings or
physical state, i.e. the way the person feels: a worried mother, a depressed widow, a tired
worker.

PRESENT PARTICIPLE vs. PAST PARTICIPLE

Therefore, a boring person refers to a person who bores other people, while a bored person
refers to someone who is feeling bored by someone or sth. else.

A motivating student is a student whose motivation inspires others, while a motivated student
is a student who is motivated by someone else, let’s say a teacher.

COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES: Uses

COMPARATIVES SUPERLATIVES
ONE/TWO-SYLLABLE Adj. + er (+than) The + Adj. + est
ADJECTIVES
Your house is smaller than Your house is the smallest
Small mine. in the neighbourhood.
Adj. ending in silent e: safe Final e is omitted: safer Final e is omitted: the
safest
Adj. ending in a consonant Y is changed into i: happier Y is changed into i: the
+ y: happy happiest

58
 Adj. ending in a single Final consonant is doubled: Final consonant is doubled:
vowel + a single consonant: sadder the saddest
sad
ADJECTIVES WITH THREE More + Adj.: more The most + Adj.: the most
OR MORE SYLLABLES: attractive; attractive; the least
attractive attractive
less attractive
IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
Good Better The best
Bad Worse The worst
Far Farther (for The farthest/ the furthest
Old distance)/further (more) The older/the elder
Older/elder (for members
of a family)

AS + ADJECTIVE + AS

Both adjectives and adverbs are used in what is referred to as equatives. The structure is
as… as or not as… as. Their purpose is to compare a person, thing or action to another in
some way, e.g.
She is as young as her cousin. (As + Adj. + As)
He is not as fast as the other runners. (Not as + Adv. + As)

ADJECTIVES: Exercises

A. Write the adjectives in bold in the correct order:

1. The event was sponsored by a(n) eccentric French brilliant tycoon.
2. The fashion model will wear a satin pretty white gown at the party.
3. He’ll be attending the spring Asian annual conference next year.
4. I’ve just bought some red fresh delicious cherries.
5. He wishes he could buy a leather maroon soft sofa for his office .
6. I’ve never seen such microscopic orangey-pink tropical sea creatures.

59
 7. Look at that plastic small coffee red oblong table!
8. She lives in a medieval old small-sized quaint town.
9. I’d like to buy that oak antique beautiful carved French statuette.
10. Why don’t you get rid of that woolly ugly old-fashioned yellow loose sweater?

B. Choose the correct participle:

1. He’s quite interested/interesting in astrology.
2. You shouldn’t get so excited/ exciting at the prospect of quitting your job.
3. This is but a frightened/frightening situation.
4. He gives rather bored/boring speeches.
5. Don’t feel that embarrassed/embarrassing in front of an audience!
6. What with all these changes, I feel a bit overwhelmed/overwhelming.
7. Travelling all around Europe with your best friends must be a thrilled/thrilling
adventure.
8. The little girl got terrified/terrifying at the sight of tiny little spider.
9. I did enjoy the relaxed/relaxing atmosphere that spa offered.
10. The book I’m reading right now is not only well-written but also quite
amused/amusing.

COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES: Exercises

A. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate comparative or superlative forms of the
following adjectives:

bad – big – bored – dry – far– fat –good – keen – loose – pretty – real – safe – scared
–tidy –wet –wrong

a. I’m rather worried about the side effects of aspirin. Can you recommend a
________________ alternative?
b. And now we come to the award for ________________ actor in a leading role.
c. It’s been raining non-stop. I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be
________________ July on record!
d. The authenticity of dialogue and setting often makes low-budget films seem
________________ the somewhat artificial version of reality in Hollywood movies.

60
 e. In medieval times, people rarely travelled long distances. For most peasants
________________ they would ever travel would be to the local market town.
f. In our study, children on a diet high in dairy products tended to be considerably
________________ average.
g. Now that I’m employing a cleaner, the house has become a lot ________________ it
ever used to be!
h. This skirt’s much too tight on the hips. I need something with a ________________
fit.
i. Di Caprio was awful! I think that’s ________________ performance I’ve ever seen him
give.
j. I don’t mind the Mediterranean summer because it’s a ________________ heat than
you find in the tropics.
k. They say the great pyramid at Giza is ________________ structure to survive from
the ancient world.
l. I like all Mozart’s operas but I think Don Giovanni is the one I am ________________
on.
m. We inherited two paintings from my grandmother. Of the two, I’d say the landscape
is ________________
n. I know all murder is wrong, but don’t you agree that it’s ________________ to
murder a child than to murder an adult?
o. ________________ I’ve ever felt was when Joe and I were flying over the Himalayas
and we hit a storm; it was absolutely petrifying.
p. That play was so tedious. I was _________________ watching that than I was when I
spent three hours trapped in that lift last year!30
B. Complete the following sentences with As + Adj./Adv. + As using one of the words
provided below:

bad - boring - drunk – expensive – high – intelligent - motivated – old – quickly -

white

a. That movie is __________________________ the one I told you about.

b. She looks nearly __________________________ when she played your
grandmother.
c. That writer is __________________________ any other.
d. Those trousers are quite__________________________the ones you bought
yesterday.

30
Foley, Mark. Idem.
61
 e. That boy is __________________________his elder brother.
f. You are not __________________________ I thought you would be.
g. He can jump __________________________ 2 metres.
h. Are you sure you’re feeling well? You’re __________________________ a sheet.
i. He has had so many beers that now he is __________________________ a lord.
j. You’d better finish that work __________________________ possible.

Relative Clauses provide information about the noun they modify, and therefore, come
immediately after that noun.

They are Subordinate Clauses. They are Clauses because they consist of words that function
as Subject and Predicate, and that are preceded by a Relative Pronoun or Adverb. Subordinate
because, if read on their own, they do not make sense, so they need to be included within a
main clause for their meaning to be understood.

There are two types of Relative Clauses: Defining (or Restrictive) Relative Clauses, which
provide essential information to identify the noun being modified, and Non-Defining (or Non-
Restrictive) Relative Clauses, which just provide additional information about the noun being
modified; therefore, even when they are omitted, we can still identify the noun, and so, to
mark that they just provide additional information, they are written in between commas.

 The town where you were born is celebrating its 200th anniversary.

62
In this case, I do need the relative clause so as to know which town we are referring to.
(Without the relative clause there would be no way to identify the town.)

 The town of San Nicolás, where you were born, is celebrating its 200th anniversary.

In this case, the relative clause is not needed to identify the town we are referring to. (It just
provides information which is additional, not essential.)

Relative Clauses are introduced by a Relative Pronoun or Adverb, which—within the clause—
replaces the noun the clause modifies:

 This the neighbourhood that I love. Here the Relative Clause is <that I love >, and that
is replacing the neighbourhood; so if we had to analyse this clause it would read: Direct
Object (the neighbourhood) + Subject (I) + Predicate (love).

Relative Pronouns: that – which – who – whom – whose

Relative Adverbs: where – when - why

All relative pronouns and adverbs can be used in Defining Relative Clauses, but in the case of
Non-Defining Relative Clauses, there is one relative pronoun that cannot be used: that.

The Time Machine, which is a classic, is one of my favourite books. In this case only which can
be used, as this is a Non-Defining Relative Clause; consequently, that cannot be used here.

Relative Pronouns may serve different functions within the Relative Clause:

 The man who came to visit yesterday is my uncle Tom. If we analyse the Relative
Clause, <who came to visit yesterday>, we will see that who is working as the subject
and that the rest is the predicate. In this case we use who because it refers to the man,
not an object.

63
  A Game of Thrones, which is a popular series, is based on a book. In this Relative
Clause, <which is a popular series>, which is functioning at the subject. Here we use
which because it refers to an object. (And remember that that cannot be used here as
this is a Non-Defining Relative Clause.)

 The film which your brother recommended to me was a bore. In this Relative Clause,
<which your brother recommended to me>, the subject is your brother; the rest is the
predicate, with recommended as the main verb and which as the Direct Object. Again,
since it refers to an object, we use which.
 That actor whom you admire so much is coming to Argentina. In this Relative Clause,
<whom you admire so much>, the subject is you, not the relative pronoun, so the rest
is the predicate, with the verb admire and a Direct Object: whom. So whom collocates
between the noun being modified by the Relative Clause and the subject of this clause,
for it works as a Direct Object. In this case we use whom and not which because it
refers to a person.
 The writer whose latest book you have just read is giving a lecture pretty soon. In this
Relative Clause, <whose latest book you have just read>, the subject is you, and the
rest is the predicate, where have read is the verb and whose latest book is the Direct
Object. Within this direct object whose is showing possession, so it refers to the
writer’s.

Relative Adverbs function as Adverbs within the Relative Clause, but of three different kinds:

 The hotel where I stayed last week is just fabulous. In this Relative Clause, <where I
stayed last week>, the subject is I, the rest is the predicate, with stayed as the verb,
last week as an adverbial of time and where as the adverbial of place.
 The day when I met him marked the beginning of a new life to me. In this Relative
Clause, <when I met him>, the subject is I, the verb is met, the direct object is him, and
when works as the adverbial of time.
 I cannot understand the reason why he did that. In this Relative Clause, <why he did
that>, he is the subject, did is the verb, that is the direct object, and why works as the
adverbial of reason.

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64
A. Fill in the blanks with a Relative Pronoun or Adverb as appropriate:

Jack of Hearts is a new six-part drama series 1________________ comes to our screens this
week. It has been given the prime Wednesday evening 9.30 slot, 2________________ shows
that the network has faith in its latest creation. The first episode opens to a scene
3________________ a young man is being chased. He stops at a phone box and makes a
desperate call. This call wakes up a man 4________________ most viewers will recognise as
Keith Allen—the slightly sleazy unshaven Cockney 5________________ characters are
usually less than wholesome. This time, however, he is on the right side of the law, playing a
probation officer with a complicated professional and personal life, both of
6________________ form the main themes of the series. The writers have managed to find
a different angle on his personal problems. At the centre of these problems is his
stepdaughter, for 7________________ he attempts to keep the household together. His
relationship with the girl’s mother, 8________________ seems to be a bad-tempered,
grumpy woman, is further compromised later in the series 9________________ she joins the
staff of a college at 10________________ she meets a former lover. Thus the ground is
prepared in this first episode for a series 11________________ may help to lift British
summertime TV out of its regular slump.31

B. Read the following sentences about the Moonrise Film Festival. Each of the sentences
contains a Relative Clause of either the Defining or Non-Defining type. For each, decide
whether (a) or (b) describes the first sentence. Pay special attention to punctuation.
1. Moviegoers, who appreciate fine films, were very satisfied with the Moonrise Film
Festival this year.
a. Moviegoers in general appreciate fine films.
b. Only some moviegoers appreciate fine films.
2. Moviegoers who appreciate fine films were very satisfied with the Moonrise Film
Festival this year.
a. Moviegoers in general appreciate fine films.
b. Only some moviegoers appreciate fine films.
3. The films, which were chosen for their artistry in cinematography, left vivid and
lasting impressions.

31
Foley, Mark. Idem.
65
 a. The films in general left vivid and lasting impressions.
b. Only some films left vivid and lasting impressions.
4. The films that were chosen for their artistry in cinematography left vivid and lasting
impressions.
a. The films in general left vivid and lasting impressions.
b. Only some films left vivid and lasting impressions.
5. Offbeat films brought critical acclaim to directors, who are normally very profit
oriented.
a. Directors in general are normally very profit oriented.
b. Only some directors are normally very profit oriented.
6. In the animation category, the audience was surprised and satisfied by Hollywood’s
new-style cartoons, which address serious social concerns.
a. Hollywood’s new-style cartoons in general address social concerns.
b. Only some of Hollywood’s new-style cartoons address social concerns.
7. The foreign entries, which were brilliantly directed, unfortunately may not succeed
at the box office here.
a. The foreign entries in general were brilliantly directed.
b. Only some of the foreign entries were brilliantly directed.
8. Only the documentaries, which proved to be disappointing this year, represented a
poor selection.
a. The documentaries in general were a poor selection.
b. Only some of the documentaries were a poor selection.
9. We hope to see further works from the new entrants from the African countries
whose film industries are just emerging.
a. The film industries in African countries in general are just emerging.
b. The film industries in some African countries are just emerging.
10. If such excellence in selection and presentation continues, the Moonrise Film Festival
will soon take its place among the film festivals of the world that rival Cannes.
a. Film festivals in general rival Cannes.
b. Only some film festivals rival Cannes.32

32
Spach Koch, Rachel. (1995). Focus on Grammar Workbook: An Advanced Course for Reference and Practice.
UK: Longman. (143).
66
C. Combine both sentences so that they contain a Relative Clause (whether Defining or Non-
Defining). Since the first sentence is a headline, include it in the new sentence as the
main clause; use the Present Perfect Tense there and include any article that is missing:

a. SCIENTIST DISCOVER NEW WONDER-CURE FOR CANCER. They have been studying
cancer genes for years.  Scientists who have been studying cancer genes for years
have just discovered a new wonder-cure for cancer.
b. BODY OF MAN FOUND IN RIVER SEVERN. The man jumped off the Severn Bridge.
c. POLITICIAN HANDS IN RESIGNATION. He was disgraced in a financial scandal.
d. GLOBAL WARMING CONFERENCE ENDS WITHOUT AGREEMENT. It was held in The
Hague.
e. IRVINE NARROWLY MISSES FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPION TITLE. His contract with
Ferrari finishes at the end of the season.
f. HAND COUNT OF VOTES CONTINUES. They were spoiled in the recent US presidential
election.
g. LONDON ZOO REMAINS OPEN. It was in danger of closing through lack of funds.
h. SIZE 16 MODEL WINS NEW ESTÉE LAUDER CONTRACT. She refused to diet to a size
12.33

Adverbs generally carry the suffix –ly and are used to modify verbs, adjectives, sentences
and other adverbs.
There are different types of adverbs:

 Adverbs of manner express how something happens: He walked slowly.

 Adverbs of place describe where sth. happens: They live next door.
 Adverbs of time tell us when it happens: She took the train yesterday morning.
 Adverbs of frequency refer to how often sth. happens: He visits his parents every
evening.
 Adverbs of degree express to what extent sth. happens: I totally agree with you.
 Sentence adverbs modify the whole sentence: Frankly, my dear, I don’t know what
say.

33
Foley, Mark. Idem.
67
ADVERBIAL ORDER

 Adverbs of frequency usually come between the auxiliary and the main verb, but in
short answers, they come before the auxiliary verb: I have seldom visited him. / No,
he never does.
 Adverbs of degree normally precede the word they modify: She paid only $10.
 When there is more than one adverb, the adverb expressing a shorter period comes
before the one expressing a longer period: She arrived at 4 pm last Monday.
 SUBJECT + VERB (+ OBJECT): MANNER + PLACE + TIME: He took his breakfast slowly
in the kitchen yesterday morning.
 SUBJECT + VERB OF MOTION (+ OBJECT): PLACE + MANNER + TIME: She ran quickly
into the house at 3.30pm.
 When time is not the main focus: TIME + SUBJECT + VERB (+OBJECT) + PLACE +
MANNER: Every day, he gets to university by bus.

Adverbial Clauses
https://youtu.be/2rrjlKC6zNM

Though, although, even though, despite, in spite of

https://youtu.be/nX8N9RiGCZghttps://youtu.be/nX8N9RiGCZg

Write the adverbs in bold in the correct order:

a. She is in her office. never

b. They take a holiday. seldom
c. The students are complaining about the homework. always
d. He was given a beautiful sports car. surprisingly/ amazingly/last Friday
e. I believe we are all going crazy. sometimes
f. There has been gossiping. lately/ too much
g. He is asked where he was born. often
h. I think you are cheating on me. honestly
68
 i. They go running. twice a week
j. He is hard-working. quite

Choose the correct word:

a. The direct/directly road to the sea has been blocked.
b. Today you can visit the museums free/freely, though normally there is a fee to pay.
c. He tried hard/hardly to pass the exam.
d. This is a high/highly dangerous situation.
e. You will short/shortly receive some news.
f. Her spirit got high/highly after getting a promotion.
g. It is quite possible/possibly that he will come.
h. She went direct/directly to her boss to ask for a rise.
i. I can hard/hardly understand your explanation.
j. What you gave me was an unreliable/unreliably answer.

Adverbial Clauses are also Subordinate Clauses which, in this case, are introduced by a
Conjunction. They are used as Adverbs within the sentence.

Time Clauses use a Present Tense whether they refer to the Present or the Future:
When you arrive, I leave. (This sentence refers to a habitual action.)
When you arrive, I’ll leave. (In this sentence, you are referring to a particular situation in the
future.)
These clauses follow the rule of the sequence of tenses, i.e. if there is a present or future
tense in the main clause, there must be a present tense in the Time Clause, and when there
is a past tense in the main clause, there must be a past tense in the Time Clause, e.g.
She will get a job as soon as she finishes her course of studies.

69
He sent us a text message before he arrived.

SUBORDINATING EXAMPLE COMMENTS

CONJUNCTION
after After I get married, I will quit my job. A future is not used in the
adverbial clause. Instead, use
a Simple Present Tense.
before Before she came, she (had) lived in London. The use of Past Perfect with
before and after clauses is
optional.
when He was 15 when he met the girl of his During, at that time.
dreams. Before: the Past Perfect is
They had travelled all around the world when necessary in the main clause.
they decided to settle down.
while/as He is playing a video game while/as his
children are running all over.
by the time By the time you arrive, the guests will have Present + Future Perfect
already started dinner.
By the time he arrived, the guests had Simple Past + Past Perfect
already started dinner.
since She has been driving non-stop since we left Present Perfect in the main
town. clause and Past Simple in the
subordinate clause.
whenever Whenever you have that smile on your face, Each time that…
I know you are lying.
once Once the film is over, we will go for a drink. After
as soon as As soon as the day is over, I will go to sleep. Immediately after
until/till She won’t quit until you offer her a rise. Up to that moment
as long as/ so He will be with you as long as you tell him. during the entire time that…
long as

Subordinating Conjunction Example Notes

Where He wants to work where a specific place
he can earn a lot of money.
anywhere/wherever I will not live anywhere any place
(wherever) there is no
nightlife.
Everywhere Everywhere I go, I meet all places
you.

70
SUBORDINATING Example Notes
CONJUNCTION
as if / as though Your bedroom looks as if a tornado We use Simple Past after as
hit it. if/as though.
He looks at me as though I were a
When the clause is untrue, we
superstar, which I am not.
use were, not was.
You look as if you are exhausted. When the statement is possibly
true, the verb be takes its usual
form.
as It turned out to be as we had
expected.

Subordinating Example Notes

Conjunction
because/as/since Because she is too shy, she They state a cause.
doesn’t want to go out.
as long as/ so long as As long as you are in the Used more in conversation.
office, could you bring me
the green file?
now that Now that we have met, we Used to express time and
can exchange phone cause. It means because now.
numbers.
as a result of the fact He could not withdraw These formal conjunctions
that money from the bank due to mean because.
due to the fact that the fact that banks were on
strike.

71
SUCH… THAT Example
With singular count nouns: He is such a good person (that) he would give
Such + a/an + adjective + singular count you all he has.
noun
With plural nouns: They serve such tasty dishes (that) their
Such + adjective + plural noun + (that) restaurant is always full.
With mass nouns: She gives such god advice (that) I always
Such + adjective + mass noun + (that) consult her before taking any decision.
With abstract nouns: The is such noise (that) I think I’ll leave the
Such + abstract noun + (that) room.

SO… THAT Example

Such + adjective + that He is so tired that he’ll take a nap.
So + adverb + that She sings so well that she a record company
wants to hire her.
So much/little + (adjective) + mass noun There is so little time left that we’d better
+ that hurry.
He is making so much noise that the
nieghbours are going to complain.
So many/few + (adjective) + count noun She has bought so many pairs of shoes that
+ that she’ll need a new wardrobe.
He’s got so few ideas that he won’t get
anywhere.

Subordinating Examples Notes

Conjunction
while/whereas While Susan keeps getting As, her Direct Contrast.
brother’s marks are a real shame. They can be used either before
Brazil has devaluated its currency or after the main clause.
whereas Argentina refuses to Whereas is more formal.
take that measure.
Although/ even Although you have made a great These words introduce a
though/ though effort, you have to keep trying. subordinate clause.
He is extremely patient, though
he can sometimes get mad.
However/Yet/Still/ You have made a great effort. They connect two sentences
Nevertheless/ However, you have to keep or independent clauses.
Nonetheless trying.
72
 He is extremely patient. Still, he
can sometimes get mad.
In spite of (the fact In spite of the bad weather, they In spite of & Despite mean
that) decided to go out.. although, but they are
Despite (the fact Despite the fact that the followed by a noun or gerund.
that) weather was bad, they decided To be followed by a clause,
to go out. they need the fact that.

Subordinating Examples Notes

Conjunction
to/in order to/ so as He studies hard so as to get a high To use these structures, both
to average. parts of the sentence must
She spent 3 months in France to refer to the same subject.
learn French.
in order that/ so that He studies hard in order that he Note that the subordinate
will get/ can get/ gets a high clause and the main clause
average. may have different subjects.
She spent 3 months in France so
that she could learn French.
Our parents bought more food so
that we could invite our friends for
dinner.
not to/in order not He took a taxi not to be late. Not should be placed before
to/ so as not to They set the alarm clock in order the full infinitive.
not to oversleep.
so that…not… She has locked the door so that You use won’t/can’t/ don’t
we cannot squeeze out of the to refer to the present and
room./so that we don’t leave. wouldn’t/couldn’t/ didn’t to
He drove us back home so that refer to the past.
we wouldn’t get lost./so that we
didn’t get lost.

73
 A. Choose the correct way to fill in the gaps:
1. ‘Can I come without any notice? Are you sure?’ ‘Definitely. Whenever you ___ in the
area.’
a. will be b. are c. have been d. will have been
2. ‘Whenever I ___ Jane, she talks about the new house she’s having built.’
a. am meeting b. met c. meet d. ‘ve been meeting
3. ‘Are you sure it was Pete?’ ‘Yes. The moment I saw him he ___ the building.’
a. was entering b. would enter c. has entered d. had been entering
4. ‘I’m afraid Jenny Jones has been consistently late all this week, Mr Taylor.’ ‘When Miss
Jones ___ in, tell her I’d like to have a word with her.’
a. is coming b. comes c. will have come d. came
5. ‘How about joining me on a skiing trip this weekend?’ ‘Well, I really can’t take a holiday
until I ___ my thesis.’
a. have finished b. finished c. will have finished d. am finished
6. While she ___ for her friend to pick her up, her mother arrived.
a. has been waiting b. was waiting c. had been waiting d. is waiting
7. ‘___ we arrived at the beach, it started pouring with rain.’
a. As long as b. As soon as c. By the time D. Since
8. ‘Why was Jane upset?’ ‘The minute she ___ into the party, she saw someone wearing
the same dress.’
a. had walked b. was walking c. walking d. walked
9. ‘You must have been worried knowing she was alone so late at night.’ ‘Well, once I
___ her come in, I began to relax.’
a. have heard b. hear c. heard d. am hearing
10. ‘Where is Emma’s report?’ ‘I think she put it on your desk before she ___’
a. left b. had left c. has left d. was leaving34

B. Fill in the blanks using any appropriate verb, paying careful attention to the use of the
verb tenses.

34
Steer, Jocelyn M. Idem.
74
 a. Long before he was elected president, Ronald Reagan __________________________
a movie actor.
b. Once I __________________________ up enough money, I can make a deposit to rent
a nicer apartment.
c. As soon as an earthquake __________________________, you should run for cover.
d. As long as she __________________________, Mrs. Rose never missed having Sunday
dinner with her children.
e. I __________________________ out of my chair when the telephone rang.
f. As Mr. Jones __________________________ at Sweetwater’s restaurant, his wife was
waiting for him at the Waterworks restaurant.
g. She __________________________ French since I have known her.
h. Whenever my teacher __________________________, I get really frustrated.
i. I will study English until I __________________________I will retire from my job after
I __________________________ a promotion.
j. We __________________________ ever since class began.
k. Once I __________________________, I will go and get some lunch.
l. When I was in elementary school, I __________________________ at the choir.
m. When I finished high school I (already) __________________________. 18.
n. My English __________________________ since I came here.35

Complete the Sentences using a Place Clause:

a. He has a great time wherever_____________________________________________
b. She loves places where__________________________________________________
c. I will follow you anywhere________________________________________________
d. Everywhere they turn___________________________________________________
e. In a plane, I always sit where______________________________________________

35
Steer, Jocelyn M. Idem.
75
Answer the following questions using AS IF or AS THOUGH:
a. How do your parents look when you arrive 4 hours later than expected?
b. How do you look after a very difficult exam?
c. How do you feel after working 9 hours?
d. You are giving a presentation to your classmates. How should he speak to the group?
e. You are meeting your parents in law for the first time. How should you behave?

Answer the following questions using the words given.

a. Would you marry someone from a different religion than yours? as long as
b. Why is your sister such a good doctor? because
c. Would you donate an organ while still alive? now that
d. Why are you taking a postgraduate course? due to the fact that
e. Why is she baking a chocolate cake? since

Fill in the caps with either So or Such as appropriate:

a. Mark has ___________ beautiful eyes that I fell in love with him at first sight.
b. My wife is ___________ intelligent that she runs her own business now.
c. Jill and I had ___________ stimulating conversations that I was immediately attracted
to her.
d. His family was ___________ a welcoming group of people that I immediately felt
accepted.
e. My husband is ___________ witty that I couldn’t stop laughing on our first date!
f. Jack had ___________. few financial difficulties that I found him very stable.
g. Rhonda had ___________ many friends that I was sure she was a special person.
h. I had ___________ an easy feeling around her that I knew I wanted to spend my life
with her.
i. He was ___________ patient around children that I wanted him to be the father of my
children.

76
 j. We had ___________ a good time tougher that I fell in love.36

Paraphrase the following sentences using an appropriate subordinating conjunction of

contrast from the list above.
a. A certificate is very important, but many students drop out before they graduate.
b. Many wealthy families can afford to send their kids to private school, but they put
them in public school.
c. Private school academic programs are excellent, but public-school athletic programs
are first-rate.
d. The long-term effects of homeschooling have not been determined, but many families
feel that this is the best way to protect their children from the negative influences
found in public schools.
e. Some students graduate from high school, but they have difficulty reading and
writing.37

Paraphrase the following sentences with the words provided:

a. He remained silent so as not to be heard by his wife. so that
b. I stayed indoors to keep warm. in order that
c. They are tidying their bedroom not to be reprimanded by their mum. so that
d. He has taken an aspirin so that he can feel better. to
e. She told a white lie so that she would not hurt his feelings. not to
f. The dog was tied up so that it would not escape. didn’t
g. We didn’t call you so that we would not bother you. so as not
h. She tiptoed across the room so that she would not wake up the baby. in order not
i. He read the article several times to retell it. in order that
j. She brought a warm sweater because she didn’t want to catch a cold. not to

36
Steer, Jocelyn M. Idem.
37
Steer, Jocelyn M. Idem.
77
 CONDITIONALS
Conditional Sentences consist of a Conditional Clause (also called If Clause) and a Main
Clause.

There are several types of Conditional Sentences, but here we will be focusing on the main
ones:

CONDITIONAL TYPE IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE Example

O Conditional: If + Present Simple Present Simple If you heat water at
General facts 100°C, it boils.
1st Conditional: If + Present Simple Future Simple If you practise hard, you
Future possibility will improve.
2nd Conditional: If + Simple Past Conditional If you wrote a book, I
Unlikely in the would buy it.
present; possibility
in the future

78
 3rd Conditional: If + Past Perfect Conditional Perfect If he had lied, I would
Impossibility in the have noticed.
past

Zero, first and second conditionals

https://youtu.be/8nbxG6Ao3dY

Third conditional
https://youtu.be/qRiDofX4KFg

How to use ‘unless’ in 90 seconds

https://youtu.be/b3dOjd670Kc

CONDITIONALS: Exercises
A. Fill in the gaps with the correct tense of the verb in brackets:
a. If your dog __________________________ (look) sad, he probably
__________________________ (miss) you.
b. If you __________________________ (press) the green key, the computer
__________________________ (start).
c. If it __________________________ (rain) on Saturday, the concert
__________________________ (cancel).
d. Unless we __________________________ (hurry up), we
__________________________ (miss) our flight.
e. If you __________________________ (stop) shouting, I
__________________________ (appreciate) it.
f. If I __________________________ (be) you, I __________________________ (buy) a
larger flat.
g. If I __________________________ (know) the party was at 7 pm, I
__________________________ (come) two hours earlier.
h. If he __________________________ (study) harder, he
__________________________ (graduate) much sooner.

B. Paraphrase the following sentences into the Second Conditional:

a. I don’t have a spare ticket. I can’t take you to the concert.
b. She drinks too much coffee. She doesn’t feel calm.
79
 c. He can’t type. He isn’t able to operate a computer.
d. They don’t understand the problem. They won’t find a solution.
e. He sits around too much. He isn’t fit.
f. She is not in your position. She isn’t able to advise you.
g. I am in a hurry. I won’t buy you a palace.
h. The weather is sunny. We won’t stay indoors.
i. I am fit. I will go climbing.38

C. Paraphrase the following sentences into the Third Conditional:

a. If I __________________________ (manage) to repair my car earlier, I
__________________________ (drive) you to London.
b. If I __________________________ (know) last week that she was ill, I
__________________________ (visit) her.
c. If you __________________________ (not want) to drive straight home, we
__________________________ (miss) all this traffic.
d. If you __________________________ (ask) politely, I
__________________________ (help) you.
e. If the weather forecast __________________________ (be) different, we
__________________________ (stay) at home.
f. We __________________________ (be) at the airport for hours if we
__________________________ (not know) that the flight was delayed.
g. I __________________________ (make) a bad mistake if
__________________________ (not read) the instructions.
h. We __________________________ (have) an accident if our car
__________________________ (not be) properly serviced.
i. If he __________________________ (fasten) the seatbelt, he
__________________________ (not be) hurt.
j. She __________________________ (not hear) the news if she
__________________________ (not turn on) the radio this morning.39

D. Paraphrase the following sentences using the proper tenses for 1st, 2nd or 3rd
Conditional:

38
Alexander, L. G. (1990). Longman English Grammar Practice for intermediate students. Essex: Longman
Group UK Ltd. (296).
39
Alexander, L. G. Idem.
80
 a. Unless you __________________________ (start) telling the truth right now, they
__________________________ (not give) you another chance.
b. Why don’t you come visit next week? If you __________________________ (come),
we __________________________ (go) to the beach every morning.
c. John was here not long ago. If you __________________________ (come round)
earlier, you __________________________ (see) him.
d. The Town Hall is planning to demolish one of the city’s landmarks. If that
__________________________ (happen), the town __________________________
(lose) a great part of its charm.
e. The renowned Indian cook is expecting to win the next cooking contest, but if he
__________________________ (lose), he __________________________ (give up)
cooking.
f. I am so glad that you took me to that concert. If we __________________________
(not go) there, I __________________________ (never realise) what a good band
that is.
g. If clothes __________________________ (be) cheaper, more and more people
__________________________ (buy) new outfits every season.
h. If she __________________________ (get) that autograph, she
__________________________ (be) on cloud nine.
i. Fortunately, the fire at the disco started when it was closed. It
__________________________ (be) a disaster if it __________________________
(happen) when it was crowded.
j. Children __________________________ (be) much happier if they
__________________________ (spend) less time online and more time outdoors.

E. Write the correct form of the verb in brackets to complete the conditional sentences in
this article. Use modal verbs where appropriate.

It’s January 1st. You’re on the bathroom scales, groaning. If you

1__________________________ (not eat) that last piece of Christmas pudding, perhaps you
wouldn’t have put on that extra kilo. Never mind, you can lose it and get fit at the gym!

Or is that the right thing to do? If you’re unfit, you 2__________________________ (stand)
a huge chance of injuring yourself in the gym or on the squash court. You must take care
before launching yourself into a vigorous exercise routine: if you don’t treat your body with
respect, it 3__________________________ (not function) as you want it to. The knee, in

81
particular, can cause untold problems. We 4 __________________________ (not have)
problems with our knees if we still 5__________________________ (walk) on all fours, but
they’re not up to a vertical pounding on the treadmill for an hour a day. All of our joints can
cause problems; if you 6 __________________________ (want) to play football safely, make
sure you wear the right boots to protect your ankles. Decent coaching 7
__________________________ (be) essential if you’re going to take up a racket sport:
something as simple as a wrong-size grip can cause tennis elbow.

Many sports injuries are caused by insufficient warm-ups. If everyone spent a few minutes
stretching their muscles before exercising, they 8 __________________________
(experience) much less pain during exercise itself. But people can be stubborn about pain
when exercising. The phrase ‘no pain, no gain’ is rubbish. Should you feel pain when you’re
exercising, you 9 __________________________ (stop) at once!

Sport has so many other hazards, though. Golf, you would think, is relatively harmless. Not so
for Anthony Phua, a Malaysian golfer who was killed by getting in the way of his partner’s
swing. Now, if he hadn’t taken up that particular form of exercise in the first place, it 10
__________________________ (not happen).

What can you do if you 11 __________________________ (not want) to risk sport, but you
still want to lose weight? Well, it’s not all bad news for couch potatoes. If you’re happy to lose
calories steadily but slowly, just 12 __________________________ (stay) at home: sleeping
burns 60 calories an hour, ironing 132 and cooking 190. Just don’t eat what you cook!40

40
Foley, Mark. Idem.
82
 MODALS

Modals, also known as modal auxiliary verbs, are single words that do not change their
form. Among them: can – could – may – might – must – ought to – shall – should – will –
would

Modals are used with the base form of other verbs (the bare infinitive) and do never take an
auxiliary for negation or questions. No two modals are ever put together before a verb.

What follows are some of the different uses of modals:

ABILITY
Can – Cannot/Can’t are used for natural or normal abilities, as well as with verbs referring to
the senses:
 He can play the piano but he can’t play the guitar.
 I can smell something burning.

83
Be able to is used for surprising abilities or those that demand some effort; also whenever we
need to mark a tense:
 Although he was out of breath, he was able to overcome the other runners and win
the race.
 She hasn’t been able to return to her hometown since she left.
Will be able to is used to refer to future abilities:
 You will be able to ski down the slope by the end of this one-week course.
Could is used when referring to the possession of an ability in the past:
 I could write at the age of four.
Was/Were able to or had been able to are used to refer to the successful use of an ability on
one particular occasion:
When the professor asked that question, everyone in the class went silent, but Tom
was able to answer it properly.

POSSIBILITY
Can / Could are used to refer to things which are/were generally possible:
 Clothes can be very expensive nowadays. (They are sometimes expensive.)
 My grandmother’s guest room could be very warm, even in summertime.
May and might are used to express that something is possible now or later on:
 Travelling by plane may/might cause drowsiness.
May refers to a usual possibility:
 Apples may be red, green or yellow.
Might is used to refer to the past:
 In those days, people might never travel abroad.

DEDUCTION
Must, may, could, might and can’t are used to express deduction, with must meaning you
are quite certain this is the case and can’t meaning you are certain this is not:
 Look at that guy! He must be a fashion model. (high probability, almost certain)
 That woman in white may be a nurse. (She may or may not be a nurse.)

84
  You could learn a new language.
 He might arrive on time. (There is a remote possibility that he does.)
 That little boy can’t speak 5 languages. (There is no chance he does.)

PERMISSION
Can and Can’t are used to give or refuse permission:
 You can go to that party.
 We can’t smoke inside her house.
Could(n’t) is used to refer to the past:
 In the past, people could smoke in bars and restaurants.
May is used in formal situations to ask for or give permission:
 May I take a seat?
Be allowed to is used for permission on a specific past occasion, and be can be used in any
tense:
 Last summer we were allowed to go on holiday on our own.

OBLIGATION & NECESSITY

Must and Have to are used to express obligation. Must refers to those obligations we
impose on ourselves while have to refers to those obligations that are imposed to us by
others, such as someone in authority:
 I must study for the exam, or else, I won’t pass it.
 At that school, students have to wear a uniform.
Must is also used to express necessity:
 These plants must have a lot of sunlight.
Don’t have to / Don’t need to / Needn’t are used to express lack of obligation:
 You don’t have to/don’t need to/needn’t write down every word.
When referring to the past, didn’t need to/didn’t have to are used to express the action was
not carried out because there was no necessity to do it, while needn’t have is used to express
that the action was performed even when it was not necessary:
 You didn’t need to paint the flat because it had just been painted. (You didn’t do it.)
85
  You needn’t have painted the flat because the new tenants painted it blue as soon as
they moved in. (You have done it, but it was a waste of time.)
Should / Ought to are used for obligations:
 You should be grateful to your parents.

PROHIBITION
Mustn’t is used to express a prohibition imposed by either the speaker or writer:
 You mustn’t touch that switch!
Shouldn’t / Oughtn’t to are used for moral prohibitions:
 You shouldn’t use that language!

ADVICE
Should / Ought to are used to give advice. Had better is used to recommend or warn against
something:
 You should/ought to work harder to see the results.
 He had better get a job before he graduates.

https://youtu.be/BT3JbwlpQxU

https://youtu.be/4GMU08J98MQ

As most modals do not change their form and are followed by a base form (bare infinitive),
the Modal Perfect is the one used to refer to the past. It is formed by the Modal + have +
past participle:
 He must have forgotten the lesson.
 They could have arrived some minutes earlier.
 You should have told me the truth.
 She may have moved away.

86
 MODALS: Exercises

ABILITY
A. Underline the correct option:
a. He loved the water and could/couldn’t/wasn’t able to swim when he was three.
b. I’d love to can/could/be able to swim like him.
c. She teaches French and she can’t/could/is able to speak Chinese as well.
d. He’s lost his driving license. He can’t/couldn’t/hasn’t been able to drive for the last
two months.
e. We’re a bit worried about Jake. He’s six years old, but he still can/can’t/couldn’t
read.41

B. Complete this joke with can(’t) or could(n’t):

Did you hear about the woman who went fishing, but 1______________ catch anything? On
her way home, she stopped at the market so that she 2______________ buy two fish. She
then stepped back a few paces and asked the fish seller if he 3______________ throw them
to her. the puzzled man asked, “Why?” The woman answered, “So that I 4______________
tell my husband that I caught a couple of fish today!”42

C. Fill in the blanks with the proper form of can, could or be able to:
a. Penguins are birds that ______________ fly, but ______________ use their wings for
swimming.
b. It was so cold that I ______________ feel anything.
c. When people are illiterate, they ______________ read or write.
d. A successful person is someone who ______________ do what he or she has tried to
do.

41
Hughes, John. Idem.
42
Yule, George. (2006). Oxford Practice Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (280).
87
 e. If you managed to finish a task, it means you ______________ do it, even though it
was difficult.43

POSSIBILITY
Correct the mistakes in these sentences using can, could, may or might:
a. They can be going to increase airport fees to pay for increased security.
b. Don’t turn off the computer yet. Someone can still be using it.
c. In late 18th century Scotland, you may be hanged for stealing a sheep.
d. These people can have a lot of money, but it doesn’t make them interesting.
e. By Friday I can have finished the book, but if I get too busy, I cannot.
f. May someone tell me where the main office is?
g. We know he doesn’t tell the truth, so we really might not believe any of his stories.
h. He asked me last night if you may be willing to talk to Margaret for him.
i. According to the forecast, the weather can be a bit warmer today.
j. This switch isn’t working. May the children have broken it?44

DEDUCTION
Correct the mistakes in the conversations. Use the proper modal verb for deduction:
a. A: Is that your brother over there? B: No, it mustn’t be him. He’s away on business.
b. A: Are you going cycling this weekend? B: No, the weather forecast says it can rain.
c. A: I heard that Jeff had left the company. B: That may be right! He’s sitting at his desk.
d. A: Do you think we’re going the right way? B: It might be right. It says so on the map.
e. A: Do you know where the car keys are? B: I think they can’t be on the kitchen table. 45

PERMISSION
Complete the following sentences with the proper modal. Use can, may or be allowed to:

a. New students ______________ not register for more than three classes.
b. Children shouldn’t ______________ play with matches.

43
Yule, George. Idem.
44
Yule, George. Idem.
45
Hughes, John. Idem.
88
 c. He casually asked, “______________ I see that?” as if he were interested in my
drawing.
d. You might not ______________ go in if you’re under 21.
e. You ______________. all leave early today because there’s no more work to do.
f. They are unlikely to ______________ eat or drink during a test.46

OBLIGATION & NECESSITY

Complete the dialogue with the best words or phrases from the box. Use each one once
only:
do I have to – had to – has to – have to – having to – must – need – should – will have to
BETH: Hello. Reception said you wanted a word with me.
LISA: That’s right. I’m interested in joining your gym. What 1______________ do?
BETH: Take a seat. First, you 2______________ fill in this form. It asks for details about you
and your state of health. We want to be sure that you’re fit enough to use the gym.
Lisa: OK… I have a slight problem with one knee. I twisted it a few weeks ago.
BETH: Well, you really 3______________ tell the instructor about that, then he’ll make sure
that your fitness programme takes account of it.
LISA: Fitness programme?
BETH: Yes. If you join, you 4______________ have an induction session with one of our fitness
instructors. He’ll design a programme suited to your level of fitness.
LISA: Oh, that’s good. Now, it’s £30 a month, isn’t it?
BETH: Well, yes, but that’s the special rate if you take out an annual subscription, so you’re
obliged to join for the whole year to get that rate. Otherwise, it’s £40 a month.
LISA: I see. Yes, I think I’ll join for the year. Is there anything else I should know?
BETH: Let’s see… there are some rules, but they’re pretty obvious. Of course, everyone
5______________ wear appropriate clothes and footwear. There are lockers outside the gym,
so you’re not supposed to take anything in with you, but we don’t apply that rule very strictly.
You’ll probably want to take a towel and a bottle of water in with you anyway: you
6______________ drink plenty of water while you’re exercising, to prevent dehydration.

46
Yule, George. Idem.
89
LISA: Yes… are there any restrictions, like 7______________ book time ahead in the evenings?
BETH: No. You can use the gym whenever it’s open. Obviously, if you think a piece of
equipment isn’t working properly and needs mending, tell an instructor. Also, for your own
good, you 8______________ to tell us if you feel unsure about how to use a particular
machine.
LISA: Of course. Now, the receptionist said I 9______________ provide a photo for the
membership card, but I’m afraid I don’t have one on me.
BETH: That’s OK. Bring it next time you come. Until then you can use your receipt as proof of
membership.47

OBLIGATION, NECESSITY & PROHIBITION

Complete the following sentences with the correct modal expressing obligation, necessity
& prohibition:
a. I ______________ wear a jacket and tie last night. Formal attire was not required.
b. You ______________ made so much noise. All that shouting was quite unnecessary.
c. People ______________ have dogs in their rooms. Pets are not allowed in the hotel.
d. You won’t ______________ fill in the forms. All the official paperwork will be
complete.
e. Not ______________ pay to use the pool is a significant benefit of being a student
here.
f. Everyone ______________ have a valid passport because it will be impossible to enter
the country without one.48

MODALS
Write a sentence for each instruction given. Use each option once only. Use: can, could,
didn’t need, may, must, should, would, would you like, would you mind:
a. Offer to open the front door for a neighbour.
b. Ask someone to pick up a parcel for you.
c. Invite a friend to eat out this evening.
d. Offer to make someone a drink.
e. Request an appointment to see your accountant, Mr. Smith.

47
Foley, Mark. Idem.
48
Yule, George. Idem.
90
 f. Give someone permission to park his car in your garage.
g. Suggest going dancing tonight.
h. Ask someone to answer the phone for you.
i. Tell your little brother to be back before your parents arrive.
j. Say it was not necessary for you to bring your tablet.

A. Turn the following sentences expressed in the present into the past by using a Modal
Perfect:

a. This politician should mention his plan of action.

b. Your brother must be a good student.
c. My sister may take my belongings.
d. We could chat all night long.
e. They might phone him when in London.

B. For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as similar in meaning as possible
to the original sentence, but using the word(s) given. Note that in some cases you will
need to use a Modal while in others you will need a Modal Perfect:

a. It looks certain that the orchestra’s instruments are arriving on a later plane. must
b. I strongly recommend you to try this tomato bread. must
c. There is no obligation to get an international driving license for this country. have
d. It was stupid of the government to try to break the strike. should
e. I warn you not to chat up my girlfriend again! had
f. We didn’t book the table but it didn’t matter as there was hardly anyone in the
restaurant anyway. need
g. It is essential that you disconnect the gas supply before moving the boiler. be
disconnected
h. The management will not permit latecomers to enter the theatre until there is a
suitable break. allowed
i. There can be no doubt that the solicitor has received the information by now. must
j. It probably won’t be difficult to get tickets for the first night. should49

49
Foley, Mark. Idem.
91
Most of you, when asked to produce a piece of writing, just take a few moments to figure out
what you are going to be writing about and then just start writing. If this is your case, it is high
time you devoted some minutes to Prewriting!
If you really want to improve your writing skills, it is essential that you devote, at least, as
much time to Prewriting as you do to Writing. Why is it so? Because when you just start
writing without any planning, you run the risk of suffering 'the Blank-Page syndrome' (i.e. not
knowing what you are going to write next) or the 'I-just-forgot-to-add' syndrome (i.e.
remembering some important point you should be adding when it is too late in your piece of
writing and just including it in the paragraph you are writing at that moment and not in the
one where it belongs).
If either of these has ever happened to you, then the one and only cure is Prewriting.

There are several Prewriting techniques, two of which are the most popular:

92
 BRAINSTORMING: Bearing in mind the topic of your piece of writing, write a list of any
idea as quickly as possible, putting down whatever comes to mind in whichever order.
Once you have finished, go over your list, tick the ideas that you would like to include
and cross out the ones you want to do away with. Then have a second look at the ideas
you will include and decide on which order you are going to present them.

MY BEST HOLIDAYS EVER

January 2019 - 1
My best friends - 3
Made friends - 9
Next-door neighbours our age - 7
Meeting neighbours at the beach - 8
The coast - 2
Wonderful view - 5
One block away - 6
Small flat - 4
Visited neighbouring villages - 12

Sunset at the beach with a bonfire – 10

Beach and discos every day - 11
Eating out too expensive
Last day - 14
Feeling sad - 15
Best day – 13

 CLUSTERING: Encircle the topic of your piece of writing in the middle of a sheet of
paper. Then, draw a line out from the circle and write an idea associated with the
topic. Circle this idea and then draw another line, and so on and so forth.

93
Drafting is the actual writing of the paragraph or essay. Follow the general plan you have
mapped out while writing your first draft.

And here comes the answer to your failing most pieces of writing:

So far, I have mentioned how important Prewriting is, but just as important is Revising, to
which you should devote as much time, if not even more. Many a time, once your pieces of
writing have been checked, you are shocked at the mistakes you have made, mistakes that
just reveal you do not go over your pieces of writing properly.
Revising consists of:
 REVISING: Reading your piece of writing to make sure the content is relevant to the
topic and the organization is clear enough for the reader to understand.
94
  EDITING: Reading the piece so as to make sure all the structures are correct, and the
choice of words and collocations is the proper one.

 PROOFREADING: Going over the piece to check spelling, and make sure you have not

It is only when you have gone through this process that you can and should be handing in
your pieces of writing.

https://youtu.be/8j27mMyGWfM

You may wonder why we are getting started with Paragraph Writing. Well, the point is that
many a time you simply do not know how to organize your sentences into a paragraph (and,
in some cases, you don't even know for certain when to start a new paragraph). That is why
we are going to revise the Theory on Paragraph Writing and do some exercises for you to be
able to produce well-organized paragraphs before attempting any other piece of writing.

95
This unit explains The Topic of a Paragraph, what a Controlling Idea is, what a Topic Sentence
should include and what kind of sentences should follow.

Most of the writing you do consists of paragraphs. A paragraph is a small unit of writing that
focuses on one idea. This one idea is explained and developed through a series of sentences,
the first of which is indented.

A paragraph generally has three parts:

 A topic sentence: This sentence shows the topic (what the paragraph is about) and
the controlling idea (the writer’s attitude).
 Support: These are sentences that explain, describe, or develop the main idea given
in the topic sentence.
 A conclusion: A sentence usually summarizing or commenting on the main idea.

How long a paragraph is will depend on how complex its topic is.

Look at the three main parts in this paragraph. The topic sentence is in bold print and the
concluding sentence is underlined. The rest of the paragraph is the support.

Parents can help their children be successful in school by encouraging them. As

children usually enjoy playing games instead of studying, parents have to take the
responsibility to monitor their children’s activities at home after school and to remind
them to do their homework. They should also encourage their children by buying for
them storybooks with pictures, or textbooks or DVDs that help children learn to spell
or read. The best way to encourage children to study sufficiently is to reward them
when they get an “A”. So, if parents really want their children to succeed in school, they
need to pay attention to their children’s studies and encourage them.50

The topic sentence is the one that contains the main idea. Therefore, it is the most important
sentence in the paragraph. This is what it tells:

50
Ruetten, Mary K. (2004). Focus on Writing: Developing composition skills through instruction and practice.
Singapore: Learners Publishing Pte Ltd and Thomson Learning.

96
  The topic—what the paragraph is about.
 The controlling idea—the writer’s attitude or idea about the topic.

The controlling idea is the word or phrase that controls the information that will be developed
throughout the paragraph.

In the paragraph above, the topic sentence is the following:

Parents can help their children be successful in school by encouraging them.

The topic of the sentence is how parents can help children succeed in school.

The controlling idea is encouraging.

Don’t forget that paragraph is a short piece of writing, therefore, its topic sentence must be
precise, i.e. you should narrow down the topic so that you can fully develop it in one
paragraph.

Look at this topic sentence:

Argentina is a fabulous country.

If we were to develop this topic (Argentina) bearing in mind its controlling idea (beautiful),
we would need endless pages. Consequently, this is too wide to be used as a topic sentence.

Now, how can we narrow it down? Let’s start with the topic itself. What if, instead of
Argentina, we choose one of its provinces? Better still, why not choose one city in particular?
And let’s narrow it down even further: choose one neighbourhood in that city. That way, we
would be talking about that neighbourhood in particular. But what about the controlling idea?
What do we mean by fabulous? Is it the landscapes? Is it the economy? Is it its people? Is it
its lifestyle? Or what is it? So, we will definitely need to narrow down the topic as well: instead
of fabulous, we could choose beautiful so as to focus on this neighbourhood’s landscapes and
buildings. Therefore, our topic sentence should read:

Belgrano is a beautiful neighbourhood.

A topic sentence, then, serves to introduce the topic and the controlling idea. But where
should the topic sentence be placed in the paragraph? Generally, because the topic sentence
does introduce, it is a good idea to place it at or near the beginning of the paragraph. Still, it
can appear in the middle or at the end of a paragraph, though –for the time being— it would

97
be advisable for you to place it at the very beginning, so as to keep in mind what the paragraph
will be about.
There is also the case of paragraphs where there is no ‘visible’ topic sentence. But don’t you
think this means there is no topic or controlling idea whatsoever. In these cases, the topic
sentence does exist, but only within the writer’s mind; the topic sentence is then implied—
i.e. not directly mentioned but clearly stated throughout the paragraph. Whenever this is the
case, the writer must develop the paragraph in such a way that he makes sure, after reading
the paragraph, the reader will understand what the topic and controlling idea are.
Nevertheless, you had better write down an explicit topic sentence, for it will help you
develop your paragraph.

The support in a paragraph explains or develops the topic sentence. These support
sentences can provide a narration or anecdote, details, facts, examples, explanations, or
statistics. The support:

 relates to the main idea and

 explains or reinforces the main idea

Remember the paragraph about parents helping their children be successful in school by
encouraging them? Well, here is a brief list of the support in that paragraph. Notice that all of
the support suggests ways that parents can encourage their children.

Topic Sentence:
Secondary-school students should be taught how to write an essay.
Support:
They should be taught by:
 providing them with writing techniques.
 getting them to read and analyse sample essays.
 having their own essays commented.

The conclusion of a paragraph is the very last sentence, which summarizes or comments on
the topic. And it is quite frequent for a concluding sentence to contain some of the key words
98
in the topic sentence. Notice how the writer of the paragraph on parents supporting their
children repeats key words in his paragraph:

Topic Sentence:
Parents can help their children be successful in school by offering by encouraging
them.51

Concluding Sentence:
So, if parents really want their children to succeed in school, they need to pay
attention to their children’s studies and encourage them.52

Instead of repeating the very same words as from the topic sentence, they are sometimes
replaced with a synonym. Notice how the key words in the topic sentence above could be
rephrased:

Concluding Sentence:
Parents who want their children to do their best in school must support and pay
attention to them.53

Unity is essential in every paragraph, as both supporting and concluding sentences have to
relate to both the topic and controlling idea expressed in the topic sentence. Therefore, all
sentences that do not support the topic sentence, do not belong in that paragraph. Look at
the following topic sentence:
Caminito is a picturesque street in La Boca.

The writer of this paragraph will want to show how picturesque Caminito is. He or she will
want to tell all of the things that make it picturesque. Which of the following sentences will
help to support this idea?

(1) There are several eating places in La Boca.

(2) There are painters exhibiting their work and couples dancing tango.
(3) You will always find tourists there.

51
Rutten, M. K. Idem.
52
Ibid.
53
Ibid.
99
 (4) The cobbled street is lined with colourful wooden houses.

Coherence is essential in order to render a paragraph in which the ideas run logically, so that
it is easy for the reader to follow the flow of thoughts. Have you ever read a paragraph in
which, all of a sudden, you see a sentence that refers to something that got mentioned two
or three sentences before? I bet you have. And in those cases, you automatically thought.
“What is this sentence doing here? This is not where it belongs! The writer must have
suddenly realised they have forgotten to include this idea, and so placed it here, instead of
where he should have.” Well, this is what makes a paragraph incoherent: arranging the
sentences in a way which is illogical to read and which makes the reader pause to try to
organise the sentences so that the paragraph makes sense. So, whenever you have to write
down a paragraph, make sure you organise your sentences in a logical way.

Read this paragraph. Is it logically arranged? Can you find ideas that are out of place?

The French Quarter in New Orleans is a lively tourist spot. During the day, tourists jostle
with the crowd on Royal Street and hunt for bargains in the many antique shops and
art galleries. Here they can find anything from English furniture to Chinese porcelain to
early American bone buttons. They can also stop at one of the crowded T-shirt shops
on Decatur Street to buy souvenirs. After a morning of shopping, they might want to
have a snack of café au lait and beignets at the Café du Monde. At this noisy sidewalk
café, they can sit for hours, listening to a jazz group and watching clowns and mimes
entertain laughing children. The art galleries on Royal Street feature both local and
international artists. In the evening, the French Quarter comes alive with its best known
activity—jazz. There are hundreds of jazz clubs playing all different kinds of jazz—
traditional jazz, hot jazz, the blues. Tourists can eat, drink, dance, and party until the
sun rises and then start all over again.54

Though logically arranged, this paragraph has a sentence that has been misplaced: “The art
galleries on Royal Street feature both local and international artists.” Where would you place
it?

54
Ruetten, M. K. Idem.
100
Cohesion is essential for a paragraph to flow smoothly. It consists of repeating ideas or words,
using pronouns consistently and connecting words and phrases with cohesive devices.

What follows is a list of some Cohesive Devices, which you can use in all your pieces of writing:

ADDITION
And Equally Next
And then Furthermore Moreover
Besides In addition (to) Too
COMPARISON
Also In comparison with Likewise
Compared with In the same way/manner Similarly
CONCESSION
Although it is true that I admit that Naturally
Certainly It is true that Of course
Granted that It may be the case that
CONCLUSION/SUMMARY
Basically In conclusion To sum up
In a nutshell In short To summarise
In all In summary Therefore
In brief On the whole
CONTRAST
Alternatively In contrast On the contrary
Although In spite of On the other hand
But Instead Still
Conversely Nevertheless Whereas
Despite Nonetheless While
However Notwithstanding Yet
ENUMERATION
Firstly… secondly… thirdly Last On top of that
Finally More important Then
In the first/second/third Next To begin with
place
EXEMPLIFICATION
For example / e.g. Specifically To illustrate
For instance Such as To show what I mean
Let us take the case of Thus
INFERENCE
In that case Otherwise That implies
PLACE/POSITION
Above Closer to Near
Adjacent Elsewhere Nearby
101
Behind Farther on Opposite to
Below In front of There
Beyond In the back To the left/right
REFORMULATION
Basically In other words That is/ i.e.
Briefly Simply put
RESULT
Accordingly Consequently Since
As For that reason … result(s) in…
As a consequence of Hence Then
As a result In consequence Therefore
Because …is due to… Thus
TIME AND SEQUENCE
After Concurrently Next
Afterwards Finally Shortly
As long as Immediately Since then
As soon as In the end So far
At first In the future Soon
At last Last Subsequently
At the same time Meanwhile While
Before Over the next (days)
TRANSITION
As far as… is concerned Concerning With reference to
As for Now With regard to

MISCELLANEOUS
All things considered Generally speaking On balance
As a general rule Ironically Presumably
As far as we know In essence Probably
Astonishingly In general Remarkably
By and large In particular Seemingly
Clearly In practice Significantly
Coincidentally In reality Surprisingly
Conveniently In retrospect/hindsight Theoretically
Equally In theory Typically
Even so In view of this Understandably
Eventually More specifically Undoubtedly
Fortunately Naturally Unfortunately

102
Revision is just as important as the writing itself. Unless you carefully read everything you
have written, you won’t be able to check whether your writing is organised and whether your
language and grammar are correct. After writing a first draft of your paragraph, you need to
revise it, i.e., you need to
 read your paragraph again and make all the necessary changes to make sure it can be
easily understood by your readers;
 read it again to check both your language use and grammar.

A. Study the following topic sentences. Underline the topic and circle the controlling
idea in each one. The first one has been done for you.
1. Being asked to leave the room was a humiliating experience.
2. When I visited the Prado Museum, seeing Las Meninas for the first time was moving.
3. One reason I admire Mahatma Gandhi is that he lived according to his principles.
4. The first time you exercise is the hardest.
5. Some English words look Spanglish.
6. Registration at UBA is a painful process.

B. Study the following pairs of topic sentences. Circle the number of the better topic
sentence in each pair.
1. (a) Los Glaciares National Park is an interesting place to visit.
(b) The Perito Moreno Glacier provides an astonishing view.
2. (a) Speaking a foreign language is important.
(b) Speaking English is useful for travelling.
3. (a) Computers are hard.
(b) Learning to use a new software may take weeks.
4. (a) Reading may teach you a lot.
(b) Reading books in English can help you improve your language.

103
 C. Read the following weak topic sentences. Rewrite each one to make it more
specific. You can narrow down the topic and/or the controlling idea.
1. Books are essential.
2. Schools should be changed.
3. Diets are good.
4. Sports can be dangerous.
5. People are aggressive.

A. Study the following paragraph. Write out the topic sentence. Underline the topic and
circle the controlling idea. Then list the support.

The Internet is a very useful tool for college students. For example, students can learn
about different cultures. A student could have a friend in China and they could compare
their cultures using e-mail. As a result, both parties understand and appreciate each
other’s cultures. If students have a maths problem, they can easily find a tutor or help
on the Internet. Students who want to learn a different language can find places where
they can listen to tapes to simulate a teacher. If they have to do a research paper on a
specific topic, all they have to do is go to the Internet and they will find the information
instantly. The Internet is useful to college students in many ways. 55
--Diana I. Robledo

Topic Sentence:
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Support:

a. ______________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________

55
Ruetten, Mary K. Idem.
104
 c. ______________________________________________________________________

B. The following paragraph lacks its topic sentence. Read the paragraph carefully and
complete it with a topic sentence, which should contain a topic and a controlling idea:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Paper companies can save trees if they collect old paper, like newspapers and computer
paper, and turn the used paper into new paper. Picking up all the litter paper along the
road also makes the environment neat and clean. By saving trees, they save the earth’s
sources. Companies that make aluminium cans can also save resources. Since
aluminium is a mineral that comes from the earth, there is a limited supply of it.
Someday it will all be gone. In this way we conserve the earth’s resources.

C. Study each of the following topic sentences. Write three possible sentences of support
that could be included in a paragraph. Then, discuss your support with your classmates to
determine if it relates to the main idea.

1. Topic Sentence: Teenagers at secondary school may improve their writing through
reading.
Support:
a. ___________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________
c. ___________________________________________________________________

2. Topic Sentence: Parachuting is a dangerous sport.

Support:
a. ___________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________
c. ___________________________________________________________________

3. Topic Sentence: Seeing French movies is an excellent way of practising listening

comprehension.
Support:
a. __________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________
105
 c. __________________________________________________________________

Read the following paragraph. Underline the topic sentence, and mark both the topic and
the controlling idea in that sentence. Cross out any sentence that does not support the topic
sentence. And finally, underline the concluding sentence.

Spanking is an unacceptable way to raise a child. Though, in the past, it was not unusual
for a parent to spank their kids whenever they misbehaved, or at least to give them a
whack on the rear whenever they had a tantrum, since the 1960’s this practice has been
regarded as unwise, as it sends a wrong message: that violence is the only recourse to
solve a dispute. In fact, scientific studies have proved that corporal punishment does
not reduce antisocial behaviour, but rather encourages it, thus contributing to the
general wisdom that hitting a child is inconceivable. Besides, it is normal for little kids
to have a tantrum. So, if a child misbehaves, spanking should never be considered.

Rewrite the following paragraphs so that all the sentences are in logical order.

1. Not getting enough sleep could interfere with your ability to lose weight. New findings
link changes in two important appetite-regulating hormones to the amount of sleep
people regularly get. Therefore, proving that not sleeping a minimum of eight hours
leads to putting on weight. In a study that started in 1989, 1,024 volunteers filled out
questionnaires and kept diaries that registered their sleep habits. The findings: those
people who consistently slept less than five hours a night had significant differences
in the two appetite-regulating hormones compared with those who slept an average
of eight hours a night. In addition, once every four hours, they had their blood
sampled.

2. To me, Nelson Mandela is a real hero. The main reason I admire him is that he fought
for equal rights in his country and did not give up until he had achieved his goal. His
106
 courage only landed him on Robbin Island, one of the toughest prisons in the world,
where he was held for 26 years. As a young man, he became a fighter for equal rights
in South Africa, where he courageously resisted the South African government’s policy
of apartheid. Even so, when he was in prison, he did not give up the fight. He continued
to talk to the other prisoners and try to get publicity for his cause. After he was
released from prison in 1990, he quickly took over the leadership of the opposition
party and pushed the government even harder for a government that would represent
all South Africans. Finally, in 1994, he was successful; he saw his dream fulfilled.56

Fill in the gaps with the cohesive devices provided below:

as soon as – at last – immediately – meanwhile – then – when - while

The aeroplane had only been in the air for about twenty minutes 1______________ suddenly
it began to dive towards the ground. 2______________ the passengers began to panic.
3______________ the flight attendants realised what was happening, they did their best to
calm everyone down, 4______________ the plane continued to lose altitude.
5______________, in the cockpit, the pilot was struggling to control the plane.
6______________ it righted itself and he sighed with relief. The flight 7______________
continued without any further problems.

after – before – finally – since – then – when

There had never been a storm like it 8______________- at least not 9______________ the
great flood in 1962. Kevin was trying to steer his car through the pouring rain
10______________ all of a sudden his car stopped. The engine continued to run for a few
seconds, 11______________ coughed twice and fell silent. Reluctantly, Kevin got out of his
car and watched it sink slowly into the mud at the side of the road. 12______________ staring
at his useless car for a few minutes, he 13______________ stuck his hands into his pockets,
bent his head and began the long walk home.57

56
Evans, Virginia. (1998). Successful Writing-Upper Intermediate. Newbury: Express Publishing. (135).

57
Evans, V. Idem.
107
A narrative is but the narration of a connected series of events, either imaginary or based on
your own experience, in such a way that the readers themselves can mentally see how the
story develops. It may be written in the first person (I/we) or third person (he/she, etc.), so
that the story is described through the eyes of the narrator.

Like all long pieces of writing, a narrative should consist of an introduction, a main body and
a conclusion:
 an introduction: it sets the scene (place, time, character(s), etc.), creates an
interesting mood/atmosphere and captures the reader’s attention;
 a main body: it clearly develops the series of events, organising them into well-
developed paragraphs, and describes the people, objects or places involved; and
 a conclusion: it completes the story, either telling the reader how it ended (even when
the ending could be unexpected) or leaving an open end, for the reader to be left to
decide what happened in the end. It may also describe people’s feelings or reactions,
as well as the consequences of what happened.
108
 You should start with some pre-writing technique (brainstorming, clustering). Now
that you have produced some ideas, you should decide on a detailed plot, including
how to begin the story, which characters will participate, where the story will take
place, the events and the order in which they will be presented, and how the story will
end.
 Within the writing techniques to be used, you should include a vivid description of
people, places, objects, etc., mainly to set the scene at the beginning of the story; you
could also describe feelings and actions; use direct speech and a variety of adjectives
to make your writing more interesting to the reader.
 As most narratives are set in the past, you should use a variety of past tenses, e.g.,
Past Continuous to set the scene (e.g. Raindrops were falling…); Past Simple to narrate
the main events (e.g. He walked towards us, put his hand in his right pocket, and
then…); Past Perfect to describe an event that occurred before the main event(s),
which are narrated in the Simple Past (e.g. She had announced she was leaving, but
now she seemed to be doubting it, as…)
 To clarify the sequence of events in your narrative, you should use time words, e.g.
before, after, then, at the beginning of, in the beginning, later, in the end, until, while,
during, finally, etc.

 A narrative should start by giving the reader a clear picture of what is happening.
Therefore, it may include descriptions of:
-setting: place, time (time of day/year, historical period), weather, etc.
-people: name, appearance, feelings, etc. of the character(s) involved.
 So as to provide the reader with a vivid description of the setting, you may suggest a
particular atmosphere by resorting to the senses, e.g. crystal-clear water, golden sand
= peaceful scene). You can also resort to vivid descriptions of emotions in order to
create a mood (e.g. “Shaking with fear, she felt how teardrops started running down
her cheeks.” = fear, grief).
 In order to capture the reader’s attention, your beginning should be dramatic. This
does not mean that you are supposed to start with a tragic incident, but rather that
the way you describe the incident is so realistic and promising that the reader wants

109
 to keep on reading. Using some direct speech and a variety of adjectives can prove to
be very useful.
 Also, an atmosphere of mystery and suspense can be created by describing a strange
character or a dangerous situation.

There are different techniques to write a beginning and an ending, and more than one can be
used at a time.

 A good beginning should give the reader a clear idea of what is happening and make
him want to keep on reading.
 If you want to write a good beginning, there are different techniques to be used:
o describing the weather;
o surroundings and people;
o using direct speech;
o asking a rhetorical question (a question that expects no answer);
o creating an atmosphere of mystery or suspense;
o referring to feelings;
o addressing the reader directly.
 The techniques to be used for a good ending are:
o using direct speech;
o asking a rhetorical question (a question that expects no answer);
o creating an atmosphere of mystery or suspense;
o referring to feelings;
o describing reactions to the events presented.

A. Read the story below and complete the tasks that follow.

by Hoang Vo
I remember vividly the day I made a big mistake regarding one of my friends. I was
eleven years old, in the fifth grade, and I went to a school in the country. The school,
which was very small and poor, had about twenty classrooms.
110
 I and my friends, who had become acquainted with me about a year before, studied in
the same classroom. We quickly became familiar and even more friendly than before.
When either of us did not understand something, we would ask the other to clear up
the question.
Our classroom had a shelf which was made of wood and painted brown. The teacher
used it to place miscellaneous things on. Among those things, she especially liked a pink
flower vase which was made from porcelain. One time, she told the students that her
mother had given her this flower vase a long time before when she had gone to visit
her mother in town.
One day, while we were waiting for the teacher, my friend and I went to the shelf to
look at the objects on it. We saw a toy car on the shelf and because it was too high to
reach, my friend grabbed the edge of the shelf with his right hand and started to climb
up. Suddenly his left hand collided with the flower vase. It fell on the floor with a little
dry sound; the flower vase was broken into pieces.
Before we could think of what to do next, the teacher appeared in the door. We ran
back to our seats and we told nobody what had happened. The teacher quickly noticed
the pieces of the broken vase on the floor. She was stunned for a moment. Then she
slowly turned her face to the class and asked in a trembling voice who had broken the
vase.
Nobody answered her question. After a moment of silence, she said in an angry voice
that if anybody had seen someone break the flower vase and did not willingly point out
the culprit, then when she found out, he would get the same punishment as the one
who had broken the vase. When I heard those words, I became afraid of the
punishment if I kept silent. I stood up, pointed my finger at my friend, and said that he
had broken the vase. I slumped down in my chair as if I had just thrown a burden from
my shoulder, but now, because of my egotism, this burden was transferred to my
friend. He was flogged with a ruler five times on his palm.
Maybe my friend has already forgiven me for what I did to him, but I will never forget
my fault. All these years later, I still promise myself that I will never do that to my friends
again; I will never let my friends think of me as a mean person. 58
a. List the main ideas or events referred to in each paragraph.
1. setting – description of school
2. …

58
Ruetten, M. K. Idem.
111
 3. …
4. …
5. …
6. …
7. consequences
b. Mark which paragraph(s) correspond to the Introduction, which to the Main Body
and which to the Conclusion.

B. Read the following Narrative and divide it into paragraphs:

by Mary Kay Mackin

I will never forget the time I surprised everyone, even myself. When I was a sophomore
in college in St. Paul, Minnesota, I was a member of the speech/debate team. My area
of performance was oral interpretation, a category in which each contestant would
memorize several short pieces of literature and deliver them with appropriate
intonation and emotion in front of two or three judges. The person who gave the best
interpretation won. Once our team, which consisted of about ten people, decided to
participate in a city-wide contest. Each person on the team prepared his or her
specialty; I chose two poems and memorized them. Another girl on our team, Barbara,
entered the same category, memorizing a part of a short story. Everyone on our team,
including me and the coach, thought that Barbara had the best chance of winning the
first prize. She impressed everyone as being more experienced, more sophisticated,
more capable than I. Everyone thought that a second or third placing was the best I
could hope for. I vividly remember the day of the contest, which was held at a university
across town. When the scheduled time came, I went into the assigned room and
delivered my poems in front of the judges. Even though I was nervous, I did my best.
The judges, of course, gave no hint of what they thought, so I left the room really
worried. After all the contestants had finished, we went into a large auditorium to find
out the results. Our team sat together, all of us nervous and excited. When the judges
announced the winners for oral interpretation, everyone on the team gasped. I had
won the first prize and Barbara had not been placed at all. In a daze, I went down to
the stage, accepted the trophy, and went back to my seat. I felt excited and happy but
also a little embarrassed because I didn’t know what I was going to say to Barbara. In
the car on the way back to the campus, everyone was quiet; nobody knew what to say.
At one point, I turned to Barbara to say something, but she cut me off and looked out
the window at the snowy street. We never talked about the incident. Even though I was
112
 sorry for the awkwardness between Barbara and me, I was proud of myself for winning.
It gave me confidence in myself and motivated me to work harder. I also learned a
valuable lesson from this incident. It taught me not to depend so much on other
people’s assessment of myself or others, and that sometimes the people who seem
unlikely to do something can and will do it. We can surprise everyone, even ourselves.59

Read the narrative below. Underline all time references, adjectives, adverbs and direct
speech. Also underline all the descriptions that have been included and explain which
emotion each one conveys.

“Sleep tight, Scottie,” his mother said as she kissed him goodnight and turned off the
light. As soon as she had closed the door behind her, Scott was fast asleep. He was
completely exhausted after spending the whole afternoon assembling his new train set
and then watching it go around the tracks and through the tunnels. Suddenly, a ball of
brilliant yellow light shot past the window. Scott woke with a start when the ball
entered his room. The light was so bright that he had to shut his eyes.
When he opened them, he saw a strange, little man, about a foot tall, with orange skin
and huge blue eyes. Scott, not the least bit frightened, said in a friendly voice, “Hello,
I’m Scott. Who are you?” The miniature man said nothing but picked up a battery from
the untidy heap of toys on the floor. He started running around the room, pointing
urgently at the rest of Scott’s toys. “What do you want?” asked Scott, who was puzzled.
The man began shaking the battery frantically and Scott realised that that was what he
wanted. Scott opened all his toys, took out the batteries and piled them on the floor.
Immediately gathering up all the batteries, the little man leapt onto the window sill,
smiled warmly at Scott and disappeared.
When Scott woke up the next morning, he thought about his unusual dream. He stared
at his train set before jumping out of bed and trying to switch it on. Nothing happened.
Then Scott realised that it had no batteries… and there were no batteries in any of his
toys, either. 60

59
Ruetten, M. K. Idem.
60
Evans, V. Idem.
113
 1. Match the beginnings with the endings. Which techniques have been applied?
Which pair is not very successful? Rewrite it using the techniques mentioned above.

BEGINNINGS:
1. It was very late. John couldn’t see because it was dark. He was afraid.
2. The snow lay like frosty icing on a Christmas cake, its crispy, new whiteness
covering the garden like a soft fluffy blanket. It was still snowing; frozen
crystals falling gently from the heavy grey sky.
3. Why is it that the most important changes in our lives happen when we least
expect them to? My life had settled into a comfortable satisfying routine
when suddenly everything changed.
ENDINGS:
A. Looking back at what happened, I always feel a sense of wonder and awe.
But then again, life’s like that, isn’t it?
B. John ran out of the house. There was a policeman outside. John felt safe.
C. We all felt a deep sense of loss when the last traces of the snow had
melted away, realising what a special gift we’d been given and how much
fun and laughter it had brought us. It had been such a fleeting visit, but
one we weren’t likely to forget for a very long time.61

2. Read the following story together with the beginnings and endings, and decide
which writing techniques have been used in each beginning and ending.

a. “Oh, gosh, look at the time!” gasped my flatmate Caroline as she nudged me awake.
We gathered up our books and sleepily made our way to the library car park.

61
Evans, V. Idem.
114
 b. It was a damp, chilly night, when Caroline and I eventually left the library. As soon as
I stepped outside, I shivered, feeling that something strange was about to happen.
c. You know those spring nights that are still really cold and damp? Well, I’ll tell you
what happened to my friend Caroline and me on a night just like that.
We had been studying in the library for hours and we just wanted to get home and go
to sleep. Normally, I would take the long way home, to avoid driving past the old
Bradford estate. However, that night I was so exhausted that I forgot all about it. Before
I knew it, we found ourselves driving down the long, winding road which goes past the
estate. Since it was pitch dark and my headlights could barely cut through the thick fog,
I was driving fairly slowly. The silence was broken as we heard a tapping sound coming
from the darkness ahead.
Suddenly, an elderly man dressed in a black suit appeared at the side of the road,
limping along with a wooden cane. He turned and faced us, and began to approach the
car. His wrinkled face, piercing dark eyes and toothless grin gave him a horrifying
appearance. We quickly locked all the doors and kept driving. The old man tried to block
our path by stepping out in front of the car, but I swerved and sped off.

a. Safe at home, we decided we had probably imagined the whole thing. The next
morning, however, as we opened the front door to leave for the college, we both
froze with shock. There, propped up against the wall, was a long wooden cane.
b. The next day in class, our professor showed us some slides of the town’s early
founders. He slid his slide machine to the next picture—and guess whose face
flashed onto the screen?
c. The next day I told my professor what had happened, and to my surprise, his eyes
filled with tears. “The man you’ve described was my father,” he mumbled. “He died
at that place twenty years ago.”62

Use the words that follow to replace the words in bold that appear in the paragraphs:

62
Evans, V. Idem.
115
 absolutely – delightful – enormous – entirely – horrible – massive – miniature –
microscopic – superb – terrific – thoroughly – horrifying – extremely – gigantic – tiny
– nasty – disgusting – huge – terrible – wonderful – unpleasant - fabulous

a. The 1.nice______________ old castle stood at the top of a 2.big______________

mountain in the middle of a 3.big______________ forest. I was
4.very______________ terrified as I approached and jumped with fright when I heard
a(n) 5.bad______________ scream from the direction of the castle. My heart was in
my mouth as I knocked on the 6.big______________ front door, and the sound of
7.small______________ scurrying feet behind the door made me imagine
8.small______________, 9.bad______________ rats running away to hide. I wanted
to run away, too, but I was 10.very______________ exhausted, and had to find
somewhere to sleep for that night.

It was a(n) 11.nice______________ evening, and after a(n) 12.nice______________

sunset, the stars were a million 13.small______________ points in the night sky. “A(n)
14.nice______________ end to a very 15.nice______________ day,” Brian thought to
himself; and after the 16.bad______________ week which had just passed, he was
17.very______________ pleased to breathe a sigh of relief and put the 18.bad
______________memories behind him.63

A. The paragraphs in this story are in the wrong order, and they lack punctuation. So put
the paragraphs in their correct order, and punctuate them; finally, underline or
highlight the phrases used to describe the senses as well as the time words:

A_________ as soon as we started the long walk back we heard a low growling sound
coming from the trees in front of us we stood frozen with fear meanwhile the growl
grew louder and then the leaves parted to reveal two very hungry looking lions the lions
prepared to spring the moment they leapt into the air we threw ourselves to the ground
the lions sailed over our heads and plunged into the narrow valley

63
Ibid.
116
 B_________ have you ever wished that your holidays were more exciting I certainly
had until my experience on the first day of a photo safari holiday I took with my friend
howard last june
C_________ as we shakily made our way back to the camp we could not believe what
a happy escape we had had howard wiped the sweat from his forehead and said maybe
its time to go back to good old fashioned beach holidays
D_________ we had been walking through the undergrowth for some time when our
guide suddenly stopped in his tracks directly in front of us was a narrow valley almost
hidden by creepers and leaves phew that was close he said I suppose well have to turn
back now
E_________ the morning sun was blazing as we set out on our first trip into the jungle
a guide led Howard and me into what we hoped would be a day of successful
photography64

Just like any other piece of writing, a description consists of an introduction, a main body (or
developmental paragraphs) and a conclusion. Still, the information to be included varies from
that of a narration:

 an introduction: it gives brief information about the person to be described (name,

time or place you met, how you heard about this person, etc.);
 a main body: it describes their physical appearance, personality, behavior and/or
lifestyle;
 a conclusion: it includes comments and/or feelings about the person, why the person
is of interest, etc.

HOW TO WRITE A DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

 All paragraph in the main body should start with a topic sentence, where the topic will
always be the person being described, but the controlling idea will be different in each
paragraph, as each paragraph provides a different aspect of this person.

64
Ibid.
117
  When it comes to providing the person’s physical description, include: height/build,
age, facial features, hair, clothes, so as to go from the most general aspect to the
most specific details, e.g. Jack is a short, fat man in his mid-fifties. He has a round face,
green eyes and a very small nose. His hair is balding. He usually wears suits and ties.
 When describing the person’s character and behavior, examples can be of great help,
e.g. Mary is rather shy. She seldom accepts invitations to parties and prefers to remain
home reading a book.
 To refer to some negative aspect of this person being describes, you had better use
mild language—can sometimes be, is rather, tends to: Mary can sometimes be
aggressive to strangers.
 In order to describe this person’s lifestyle and belief, refer to theri habits, interests,
profession, daily routine, opinions, etc. e.g. Working 18 hours per day, Tom has no
time for friends or family.
 Use a variety of adjectives to make your description more interesting to the reader.
 When describing someone you are still in touch with, use present tenses; but when
describing someone who is either dead or not part of your life, then use past tenses.

As you must have realised, writing down a description is not that different from writing down
a paragraph as far as its organisation is concerned. In the previous classes, we mentioned that
a paragraph consists of a Topic Sentence, Support Sentences and a Conclusion.

A description, just like any other long piece of writing, consists of an Introduction (which is to
the description what a topic sentence is to the paragraph), a Main Body or Developmental
Paragraphs (somehow equivalent to the support sentences in a paragraph, but for this main
body consisting of different paragraphs, all of them sharing the same topic but having a
different controlling idea) and, finally, a Conclusion (expressed in one paragraph). So, it is not
that different, or is it?

Now, let’s analyse the following description:

When I began working at Hillcrest Nursery School three years ago, I was introduced to
Sharon Dunn, the school’s headmistress.
Her smart appearance and warm, friendly expression made me like her immediately.
She is a small-boned, smiling woman in her early forties, with twinkling blue eyes and
soft silver curls. Although she dresses simply, she always manages to look elegant.

118
 She is a very fair-minded person who treats everyone at the school with equal respect.
Despite clasping her hands nervously when she is upset, she is actually very calm, which
is shown by her ability to keep her temper in the most difficult situations. Her quiet voice
and gentle, caring manner make her popular with the children.
Ms Dunn has no children of her own; however, she says that she feels like a mother to
all of her children in her school. In fact, she has no time for family life, since she dedicates
her life to her job. Besides taking care of various administrative tasks every day, she
always takes time to talk to the teachers and parents. In addition, she often holds
meetings with the school’s Board of Directors, as well as with staff and parents.
To my mind, Sharon Dunn is a dedicated professional who is a wonderful role model,
not only for the children but for the teachers, as well.65

The introduction starts by telling us that the narrator is someone who has been in contact
with the person to be described (for the task was to describe someone you know well, which
is what the narrator is trying to prove). Then, we get to know the name of the person this
description is about and what her profession is. The tense that has been used is the Simple
Past, because these two people met 3 years ago.
The first developmental paragraph has a Topic (Sharon Dunn), which will be shared by the
other two developmental paragraphs, and a Controlling Idea (her physical appearance).
Notice that the first sentence (the Topic Sentence) is in the Simple Past, as it refers to the first
impression the narrator had of Miss Dunn when they first met. The rest of the paragraph is in
the Present Simple, as Miss Dunn is still alive and has apparently not changed. The second
sentence (the first Support Sentence) describes Miss Dunn's physical appearance: build,
features and hair. The last sentence provides a brief description of her dressing style. This
paragraph has no conclusion, as the description goes on.
The second developmental paragraph starts with its Topic Sentence. Controlling Idea: Miss
Dunn's personality. The first support sentence (the second sentence in the paragraph) starts
with 'Despite.' The intention is to show how calm Miss Dunn is, and the narrator has decided
to give us some contrast: though she may look nervous, she can really control her feelings.
The final sentence keeps on describing her calmness and quietude, stating that these
qualities, together with her caring manner, have proved to be an asset, as children are fond
of her.

65
Evans, Virginia. (2000). Successful Writing—Proficiency. Newbury: Express Publishing.
119
The third developmental paragraph is about her lifestyle. The Topic Sentence opens the
paragraph, stating that she is single and behaves like a mother at school. The next sentence,
the first support sentence, explains why she is single. The following support sentence expands
on her tasks and reinforces her caring manner. Finally, a last sentence with more tasks
showing her commitment.
The final paragraph, the Conclusion, summarises what has just been said: she is a committed
professional, and a role model for both the kids and the staff.

DESCRIPTIVE VOCABULARY
As this unit consists in describing people, let's go over the vocabulary on physical description,
which will prove essential.
HEIGHT
 extremely tall
 tallish
 above average height
 medium-height
 below average height
 short
 tiny
BUILD
 obese
 overweight
 plump (pleasantly fat)
 nicely rounded
 flabby (rather fat, with loose flesh on their body)
 well-built
 muscular
 petite (of a woman, small and not fat)
 slim (attractively thin, with a well-shaped body)
 slender (attractively thin and graceful)
 thin
 slight and slender (delicate looking and attractively thin)
 underweight
 anorexic
 skinny (this is as impolite as the ones that follow)
 all skin and bones
GENERAL APPEARANCE
 smart / elegant
 well-dressed
120
  well-groomed (very neat and tidy)
 good-looking
 attractive
 handsome
 beautiful
 untidy-looking /messy-looking
 scruffy (dirty and untidy)
 cute
FACIAL FEATURES
 high, lined forehead
 rosy cheeks
 chubby cheeks (slightly fat, but in an attractive way)
 hollow cheeks (curving inwards)
 double or pointed chin
 false, long eyelashes
 bushy or pencil-thin eyebrows
 snub, hook (or Roman) or button nose
 a runny nose / runny eyes (with liquid flowing out)
 pierced ears
 twinkling or sparkling eyes (showing joy or happiness)
 piercing eyes (very intensely looking)
 a black eye
 bloodshot eyes (with the white being red or pink)
 protruding / bulging eyes (sticking out)
 square jaw
 thick, cherry lips
 thin lips
 swollen lips
 wide mouth
 mean mouth
 dimples (small hollows in so's cheeks when smiling)
 lines and wrinkles
 freckles
 spots (small lumps or marks)
 pimples
 bags under the eyes
 a birthmark
 a scar
 to raise your eyebrows
 to flutter your eyelashes (move them up and down with quick, light movements)
 to blow your nose

121
HAIR
 straight
 wavy
 curly
 thick jet black hair
 curly brown hair
 fair hair
 a few grey hairs
 greying hair
 hair going white
 silver hair
 with a ponytail
 hair in bunches (parted down in the middle and tied on each side) fastened with
ribbons
 hair in plaits (in American English: braids)
 hair in a bun (fastened tightly on top of the head or at the back in the shape of a ball)
 back-combed
 combed forward
 with a side parting (line running from the front to the back of the head)
 with a few highlights
 with a fringe (hair cut so that it hangs over your forehead)
 receding hair (no longer growing on the front)
 balding
 completely bald
 shoulder-length hair
 spikey hair (with sharp points)
 a mohawk
 with dreadlocks (like Rastafarians)
 a crew cut (cut very, very short)
 greasy hair
 with split ends (end of hairs split because of damaged or too dry)
 blonde hair (of women) / blond hair (of men)
 a blonde
 a brunette (white-skinned woman with dark brown hair)
 a redhead
 an ash-blonde
 dyed hair
 matted hair (a thick, untidy mass because it is wet or dirty)

122
 A. Read the description that follows. Divide it into paragraphs. Then underline the
adjectives describing physical appearance and circle the ones describing personality.

Mavis has been my neighbour for six years. I first met her when she knocked on my
door and asked for a spade because she hadn't yet unpacked hers. She had only moved
in two days before. Physically, Mavis looks younger than most other women in their
late sixties. She is of average height, neither fat nor thin. Her plump round face is
framed by a mass of wavy white hair and her sparkling blue eyes show her humour and
friendliness. She prefers wearing casual, comfortable clothes. I don't think I have ever
seen her in a perfectly ironed suit. As for her personality, Mavis's most striking
characteristic is her generosity. My house, as well as most of our neighbours', nearly
always has a vase of flowers from her garden in the living room. Mavis is very good-
natured and always has time for a chat. She is also patient. She hardly ever gets
annoyed about anything, except when children pick her favourite roses and lilies.
However, she tends to be quite stubborn — once she has made a decision, nothing can
change her mind. Mavis always seems to be busy doing something. She spends a lot of
her time looking after her garden and often participates in local flower shows. When
she is not in her garden she is usually off somewhere raising money for one charity or
another. All in all, Mavis is the perfect next-door neighbour. Since the day she moved
in, we have grown very close and I am very fond of her, even if I am woken up by the
noise of her lawnmower early in the morning.66

B. Read the description below, mention the topic of each developmental paragraph and
underline or highlight the justifications/comparisons/examples given.

66
Evan, V.
123
 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 super hero. 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 electric current. He has some rather strange mannerism, 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 neighbor.
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.67

C. Read the description below, where the paragraphs are not in the correct order, and
decide which the correct order is.

A. Gary suffers from cerebral palsy, which makes it almost impossible for him to
control his movements. As a result, he spends his life in a wheelchair, cannot write
with a pen or pencil, and speaks so slowly and strangely that it takes patience to
understand what he is saying. This, together with his thin, twisted body and
awkward facial expressions, can often cause people to treat him as if he were a
backward child.

67
Evans, V. Idem.
124
B. The main reason I admire him so much is that he is determined to lead a normal
life, in spite of the physical difficulties he has to overcome. Although his condition
prevented him from going to school, he gave himself an education by studying at
home. He lives alone, cooking and cleaning with the help of equipment he designed
himself, and he lead a full social life with his many friends, including visits to the
theatre, or even (on one memorable occasion when I was with him) to the funfair.
C. I would admire Gary as a person even if he didn’t have any disability; the fact that
he does, and refuses to let it spoil his life, makes him the most remarkable person
I know.
D. However, behind his physical appearance, Gary is a warm, fun-loving, intelligent
person. His disability affects his muscles, not his mind or personality. He enjoys the
same things any student does—listening to music, meeting friends, and so on—
and he is not only the best student in our class, but also has a wonderful sense of
humour and genuine interest in other people. Unable to express himself easily in
conversation, he uses a special typewriter to write letters to his friends, and
beautiful poems, which show the true depth of his thoughts and character. He lives
a very regular life, studying every day and never allowing himself to fall behind in
his schoolwork. Of course, he enjoys going out as well, and he believes that a
balance of work and play make life happy and fulfilling.
E. The person I admire most is not famous at all, yet, to my mind, his achievements
are as important as those of any historic figure. Gary Young is a fellow student of
mine at college, and for him this fact itself is a major achievement.
F. Another reason I admire Gary is the fact that he never feels sorry for himself. He
says, for instance, that being unable to move around simply gives him more time
to think. In fact, he always manages to see the bright side of any situation, so that,
far from needing his friends to comfort him, he actually cheers us up when we are
worried or depressed!

125
Just like any other piece of writing, a description of a place or building should consist of:

 an introduction: it gives brief information about the name and location of the
place/building and states why the place has been chosen (e.g. reasons for it being
famous or special)
 a main body: it gives details about the place or building—as is the case with
descriptions of people, you should move from the general to the specific. You should
start by describing the landscape of a place, the surroundings of a building or
landmark, and then pass onto what to see and where to go in that place, or the
exterior and interior of the building;
 a conclusion: it is the paragraph where to express your feelings or opinions, or give a
recommendation.

Descriptions of places/buildings may be included in several other types of writing tasks, such
as stories, assessment reports, articles, brochures, emails and magazine articles.

126
  Such descriptions may include factual information (age, size, colour, material, etc.,
e.g. The pyramid, with its hidden entrance, was built in the Valley of the Kings.), details
relating to the senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) so as to suggest mood and
atmosphere (e.g. Pedestrians’ footsteps on the worn marble steps echo through the
tower, disturbing the tranquil silence.), opinions or impressions (e.g. Visitors are
delighted by the mysterious atmosphere.)
 As usual, each paragraph in the main body should start with a topic sentence. The
topic may be the same in all these paragraphs, but what must vary is the controlling
idea.
 Descriptive vocabulary (e.g. picturesque etc.) together with a variety of linking words
and structures will contribute to your description being more interesting.
 When the description appears in a tourist brochure or magazine article, Present tenses
are used, while when describing a visit or trip it is Past tenses that are used. First and
second conditionals can be used when you describe your ideal city, house, etc. All
factual information, even the one included in a description of a visit or tour, is to be
given using Present tenses (e.g. I travelled to Florence a couple of years ago. Florence
is situated in the Italian region of Tuscany.)

There are different techniques to write a description of a place or building:

 describing the weather and the surroundings;
 using direct speech;
 asking rhetorical questions;
 describing people’s feelings and reactions to the place;
 using a quotation (e.g. As Dr Samuel Johnson once said, "When a man is tired of
London, he is tired of life.")
 creating an atmosphere of mystery or suspense;
 addressing the reader directly (e.g. you)

Formal Style: Impersonal, with frequent use of passive voice, complex sentences, participles,
no contractions or informal language, no feelings or emotions.

127
Informal Style: Personal, with use of idioms and contractions, addressing the reader directly,
informal language, profuse use of adjectives, description of feelings and emotions, shorter
sentences.

A. Read the model below. Divide it into paragraphs and underline the topic sentence in
each developmental paragraph. Finally, mention the information provided in the
introductory paragraph and the conclusion, as well as which writing techniques have
been used throughout.

Set in the heart of southern England, London is one of the biggest and busiest cities
in Europe. A truly international city, London attracts millions of visitors every year
from all over the world, yet never loses its own unique charm. London has many
impressive sights to see, ranging from the historical beauty of St Paul's Cathedral
and Big Ben to Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. In this city of
contrasts, you can be walking along one of the busiest streets, yet still be less than
a mile from one of the many huge, peaceful parks. London is a great cultural
centre, too; the National Gallery contains one of the finest collections of classical
paintings in the world. London is also well known for other things apart from its
monuments and art galleries. Shoppers will enjoy visiting the department stores
on Oxford Street or they could try Harrods, the most exclusive shop in London. For
evening entertainment, the choice of theatres is enormous. From the famous
Southbank Theatre complex to the smaller theatres of Covent Garden, there is no
end of plays to see. Soho and its pavement cafes are also worth visiting. London is
an exceptional place, a truly modern city that has managed to keep its traditional
style and sense of history. You may get exhausted in London, but one thing is
certain; you will never get bored because, as Dr Johnson once said, 'When a man
is tired of London, he is tired of life."68

68
Evans, V. Successful Writing-Upper Intermediate.
128
 B. Read the extracts below and decide whether the style being used is formal or informal,
stating which characteristics can be found in each paragraph to support your choice.

a. A visit to the Scottish Highlands is recommended to those who are in search of a

peaceful holiday and the opportunity to enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery
in the world. One place specially worth visiting for those who are interested in
folklore is Loch Ness, famous for its monster.69
b. The smell of the air, the colours, the bustle of the people and the sound of their
excited voices all told Jim he was in Venice. Venice was Jim’s favourite city, but this
time he wasn’t here on holiday. He knew that sooner or later they would find him
here. Jim chose a quiet little hotel, tucked away in a back alley. In his room he drew
the curtains and sat down, planning his next move.70
c. Take a trip up the Eiffel Tower to witness the spectacular view, and if you are an
art lover, you should spend at least a day in the famous Louvre Art Museum.
Evenings can be spent in one of the great number of cafés and bistros, where you
can sample delicious French cuisine.71
d. We both feel so relaxed after our holiday in Switzerland. I don’t know why we have
never been there before. I’d recommend it to everyone who wants to get away
from the hustle and bustle of the city and breathe some fresh air. We’ll definitely
be going back next year.72

C. Read the following paragraphs and decide whether they correspond to an introduction
or conclusion. Determine the writing techniques being used.

a. Have you ever wanted to live in an old cottage by the Atlantic, with granite walls
more than a metre thick, built to withstand the ocean gales? That's where my
grandparents live.
b. As I got onto the ferry I repeated to myself, "A mother's love is a blessing no
matter where you roam," thinking of the family I was leaving behind in their
cosy stone cottage by the sea.

69
Evans, V. Idem.
70
Ibid.
71
Ibid.
72
Ibid.
129
 c. I shivered in the chilly drizzle as I turned off the main road past the harbour,
heading for my grandparents' cottage. The house, built of granite, seemed to
suffer nothing from the strong wind.
d. "Good luck, and may God be with you," said the old man in Gaelic as I glanced
back at my grandparents' stone cottage and then walked towards the harbour.
e. I turned off the main road past the harbour and headed for my grandparents'
cottage. There it was: its granite walls standing proudly. There was something
strange, though. There was no smoke coming from the chimney and it looked
abandoned. I shivered as I approached it.

A. Read the following description given in a jumbled order and put the paragraphs in
the correct order. Then underline the phrases which involve the senses. Which
tenses have been used and why?

A:_____ My house would have a large, bright kitchen where I could sit quietly at a
wooden table admiring the view of the garden through the window. My living room
would be simple, with basic furniture like a long soft sofa and two large armchairs. It
would also have a fireplace so I could keep warm on cold windy nights. There would
also be several bookcases full of books to keep me company. My bedroom would have
a four-poster bed with a white linen bed cover and the walls would be painted a
soothing pale blue.

B:_____ It would be small wooden cottage surrounded by a neat green lawn stretching
all the way down to a river. There would be colourful flowers gently swaying in the
cool breeze and an orchard at the back of the house with trees full of sweet and juicy
oranges, apples and pears.

C:_____ If I could choose, I would live in a house just like this with its beautiful natural
surroundings and peaceful atmosphere.

130
 D:_____ Imagine waking up to the sound of birds singing in the trees outside and warm
sunlight shining through your bedroom window. This is what I dream of when I imagine
my ideal house.73

B. Read the model below. Divide it into paragraphs and underline the topic sentence
in each developmental paragraph. Is this description formal or informal? How do
you know?

Budapest, the Hungarian capital, is situated on the glorious Danube River in western Hungary.
Before amalgamation in 1873, the site was home to two separate towns, Buda and Pest,
located on either side of the river. The city’s fascinating variety of architectural styles brings
its long and turbulent history alive for the visitor, and because of this it is a fabulous location
for a trip into the past. Once you have arrived in the city centre from nearby Ferihegy Airport,
take a tour round the entire city so you can find your bearings and get a taste of this fantastic
city’s atmosphere. Buda, which can be reached by means of the cheap and efficient
underground train or the Szecheny Chain Bridge, is the oldest part of the city. First settled in
the Middle Ages, its cobbled streets and Gothic houses are dominated by the recently-
restored Buda Castle and the Citadel on their imposing hilltop sites. The castle is definitely
worth visiting, as it houses the National Library, the Castle Museum and the National Gallery.
Across the river, in Pest, you will find stunning examples of Baroque architecture and a
number of fascinating museums. Impossible to miss is the Millennium Monument, a striking
colonnade displaying statues of Hungarian kings and leaders, along with a huge statue of the
archangel Gabriel surmounting a 188-foot-high central column. But Budapest is not just a
place to look at. There are excellent shopping facilities, a fascinating zoo, and plenty of
theatres and concert halls offering fine performances. You can end your day by having a
delicious meal in one of the many traditional restaurants and, if you are lucky enough to be
in Budapest on St. Stephen’s Day, you can witness the stunning firework display which is held
on the Citadel. All in all, Budapest is a delightful city which embodies centuries of the Eastern
European past. Its fascination is partly due to the Hungarian’s resourcefulness, a quality
necessary to ensure the survival of a city which has had to be rebuilt so many times. Budapest
is well worth a visit at any time of the year.

73
Evans, V. Idem.
131
74
All reading passages are taken from: Malarcher, Casey & Andrea Janzen. (2004). Reading for the Real World
1. Compass Publishing Inc. (196).
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for-the-real-world-2e-1

Every culture has superstitions. Some people believe them more than others. Even in our
modern technological society, superstitions still hold a powerful influence. Most people seem
to outgrow them. But how many people continue to believe (or at least act like they believe)
these superstitions as adults?
A survey conducted for the journal American Demographics by the research firm Market Facts
found some surprising results. In modern America, where superstitions are seen as nothing
more than the beliefs of a weak mind, 44 percent of the people surveyed still admitted they
were superstitious. The other 56 percent claimed to be only “optimistically superstitious,”
meaning they were more willing to believe superstitions relating to good luck over ones
related to bad luck. For example, 12 percent of those who said they were not really
superstitious confessed to knocking on wood for good luck. And 9 percent confessed they
would pick up a penny on the street for good luck. A further 9 percent of non-believers also
said they would pick a four-leaf clover for luck if they found one. And some still believed in
kissing under the mistletoe for luck.
Of the 44 percent of Americans who admit their superstitious beliefs, 65 percent said they
were “only a little” superstitious, 27 percent were “somewhat” superstitious, and 18 percent
were “very” superstitious. Among this group of believers, some interesting differences
appeared when the men and women were considered separately. In the survey, women
comprised 60 percent of the entire superstitious group, seeming to indicate women tended
to be more superstitious than men. However, more than half (64 percent) of the “very”
superstitious believers were male.
Additionally, age also showed significant differences between the believers and non-
believers. More young people admitted their superstitious nature than older people in the
survey. For people between the ages of 18 and 24 taking the survey, 64 percent claimed to
be at least a little superstitious. But for seniors 65 and older, only 30 percent admitted to
believing any superstitions.
It might be expected that people with more education would be less superstitious, but results
from the survey indicated almost equal numbers of believers between those with ad without
college degrees. Of those survey respondents who never finished or only finished high school,
42 percent reported being at least a little superstitious. For those with a college education,
47 percent claimed the same minimal level of belief.

133
In the survey, ten common superstitions were listed for the people who responded. Of these
superstitions, five were related to good luck and five to bad luck. Respondents were then
asked to check the ones they believed. Of the superstitions in the list, good-luck superstitions
were more widely held. The top superstitions related to good luck that most people followed
“very much” were picking four-leaf clovers (79%), knocking on wood (72%), picking up pennies
(70%), and crossing fingers for luck (59%). Of the bad luck superstitions, the most common
belief was that breaking a mirror brought bad luck (82%). Other bad luck superstitions listed
in the survey included seeing black cats, walking under ladders, seeing the bride before the
wedding, and doing anything on Friday the 13th.
Many people would like to think it could not hurt to do something like knocking on wood or
crossing your fingers to bring a little luck. After all, who doesn’t want a little luck?

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow

1. portable set of steps to climb up and down
2. putting the second finger over the first finger
3. people who answer questions in a survey
4. prepared, anxious
5. beliefs in magic or luck
6. a small plant with white berries, used as a Christmas decoration
7. a woman about to get married
8. constituted, made up
9. a coin worth $0.01
10. grow too big to follow

TRUE OR FALSE

1. The majority of people said they do not believe in bad luck.

2. None of the non-believers thought four-leaf clovers are lucky.
3. More than half of the “very” superstitious people were women.
4. It is bad luck to climb a ladder.
5. Few people thought that breaking a mirror was bad luck.

OPEN QUESTIONS

134
 1. What was the main purpose of the survey?
2. Which elements would bring bad luck?
3. Who would be most likely to admit being superstitious?
4. Which good-luck tradition was most commonly followed by non-believers?
5. What can bring good luck?

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Almost everyone knows about the Internet. More than a billion people around the world are
now online. The internet is a powerful tool for information and communication.

135
The basic concept of the Internet was first thought of in the early 1960s. It began as a military
research network, designed to be decentralized or spread out over many locations. If one
location was attacked, the military could communicate from another location. The first small
network went online in 1969. It connected four universities in the United States.
This network was very successful from the beginning. Scientists could now share information
about their research. In 1972, email was invented, and quickly became the most popular
application. By the end of that year, the network connected many universities and
government research centers.
The general public became aware of the network in the late 70s. A new version allowed
anyone to get online. People from all over the world joined online groups to talk about
thousands of different subjects. The term “internet” was used for the first time in 1982.
New technology had created a common language for the network computers. The internet
was now recognized as an international network. This was also at a time when privacy and
security started becoming important issues. Hackers and viruses began to emerge.
In 1990, the original military network went offline. And a year later the World Wide Web was
born. The World Wide Web is, in fact, a browser for the internet, a kind of software program
that allows users to access and navigate within information on the net. With the introduction
of the World Wide Web, the development of the Internet accelerated at a rapid pace. The
first computer code of the web was created in 1991 allowing programmers to combine words,
pictures and sounds on web pages.
In the early nineties, the first search engine, Gopher, and the first web browser, Mosaic, were
developed, allowing easier and simpler access to the net. Traffic on the Internet started
growing at an annual rate of approximately 340,000%.
At the end of the 1990’s Internet 2 was born. Internet 2 uses fibro-optic cables to link together
a consortium of hundreds of high-speed networks around the world. Instead of connecting to
the internet solely through telephone lines, people could now connect in a wide variety of
ways, including biosatellite. These new methods had more data-carrying capacity or
bandwidth than telephone lines. This made the internet faster and able to convey much more
information. People could soon watch tv shows and movies online.
In the future, people will not need a computer to access the internet. The browser will
become a platform for the web. Information will no longer need to be stored in a computer
hard drive. Instead, it will be stored in places around the world. People can retrieve them in
cellphones, music players and other portable devices. This is called “cloud computing”
because it seems as if information floats down from the sky.

136
A 2008 study said that the internet will continue to grow. By 2020, a low-cost global network
will allow people even in remote areas to have internet access. English will remain the primary
net language. But other languages, especially Mandarin, will increase. Also, a segment of
society will refuse to use the net and live without modern technology.

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. transmit
2. part
3. conscious of; informed about
4. find; extract
5. a program that finds and displays files
6. program that searches for and gathers information
7. increased speed
8. investigation
9. not connected to the Internet
10. a thousand million
TRUE OR FALSE

1. The first network was originally meant to serve the military.

2. The first to use the small network were both universities and government centers.
3. People new about the network from the very beginning.
4. The first computer code of the web is older than the World Wide Web.
5. The advent of fibro-optic cables allowed for streaming.
OPEN QUESTIONS

1. Who were originally planned to be the users of the first small network? Four USA
universities.
2. What changed in the early 1970s? The email was created and a new version of the
network allowed people from all over the globe to get online.
3. When did the first computer virus probably appear?
4. What was Gopher?
5. Which benefits did internet 2 bring along?
6. What is meant by “cloud computing”?
7. Have the predictions expressed in the last paragraph taken place?
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Video games have become very popular. There are numerous games for the personal
computer. Additionally, game systems, like the Sony Playstation and the Xbox, can be found
in many homes. As video games have become more popular and sophisticated, they have
influenced popular culture. The character of Lara Croft, from the game Tom Raider, is well
138
known even to people who have never played the game. There have been several movies
based on video games, Tomb Raiders included. Obviously, the video game industry is highly
profitable, and the designers of a successful game can become very rich. Of course, what this
means is that there are many people buying and playing video games. What kinds of people
are they?

There are many stereotypes about gamers. The first one is that most gamers are males.
Another stereotype about gamers is that they are not interesting or attractive as people.
According to this view, gamers are mostly fat, because the always play games instead of
exercising. Even if they are not fat, they are still unhealthy, because they rarely go outside or
do anything active. Another part of this image is that gamers are ugly. They play games
because it is impossible for them to find girlfriends. Not only are they ugly, but they are also
boring. Gamers have no interests outside games, so games are all that they can talk about,
besides computers. Further, this image of gamers implies they are antisocial. They do not
know how to communicate with other people. This is the main reason that they play games.
Gamers spend all of their time alone with their computers, and they only connect with other
people through the Internet, where they can pretend to be different people. This sort of
communication is not real, since gamers would never be able to talk the same way with
people in the normal world.

The most negative stereotype about gamers is that they possibly have emotional problems.
Many video games are violent, so gamers might be influenced by that violence. They may
start to feel that it is okay to use violence in real life. Further, gamers spend too much time in
the false world of their games. The result is that they can no longer recognize the real world.
They may come to believe that they are characters in a game. The result of this could be
violence or destruction of property, either real or through computer hacking.

Of course, these views are only stereotypes. There may be dome gamers that fit the negative
stereotype. However, a recent study about gamers was conducted in the United States by the
Pew Internet and American Life Project. This research involved a survey of 1,162 college
students across the United States. The survey found that most gamers are the same as normal
people. According to the survey, both gamers and non-gamers spent the same amount of
time doing different kinds of activities, like studying and exercising. Gamers did not spend all
their time playing games. They did not spend all their time alone, either. Most of the gamers
in the survey lived normal lives and had normal friends. For them, gaming was a social activity.
These gamers were unlikely to commit violence against others. Finally, the survey found that
just as many women as men played video games. According to this survey, at least, gaming

139
has become a normal hobby, like any other, and as is the case with many other stereotypes,
the stereotypical image of gamers does not seem to match with reality.

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. the gathering of information through a series of questions
2. a standardized mental pictures
3. not in most cases
4. included; used
5. many
6. able to earn money for a company
7. suggests; seems to mean
8. do; carry out
9. done
10. seldom; not often
11. developed; complex
12. person in a story
13. affected
14. ideas

TRUE OR FALSE

1. Gamers are thought not to be like normal people.

2. Gamers are thought to be antisocial.
3. Gamers are thought to be very peaceful.
4. Many gamers play games as a way to enjoy time with friends.
5. More men play video games than women.

OPEN QUESTIONS

1. What is the main idea of this reading?

2. Why do people think that gamers play computer games?
3. Why is it dangerous if gamers think that video games are the real world?
4. What do gamers and non-gamers have in common?
5. What is the stereotype of a gamer?

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Headaches are a big problem. But they are not just a problem for the person suffering from
the headache. They are a problem for society as well. Each year, millions of people suffer from
severe headaches that keep them from doing their jobs. In fact, according to one estimate,

141
headaches cost individuals and businesses more than $50 billion each year! This is one of the
reasons research into headaches has become a worldwide effort.
Although he did not know much about how headaches work, Hippocrates was the first doctor
to find a way to treat them. Before 400 B.C., Hippocrates discovered that the bark from
willow trees was useful in treating pain. He made a white powder from the tree’s bark and
gave it to his patients.
Hippocrates did not know it, but he was actually prescribing a natural chemical in willow bark
called salicin. When a person eats salicin, the chemical is changed inside his or her body into
salicylic acid. It turns out that salicylic acid is good for stopping pain, including headache pain,
but it is bad for a person’s stomach. In the 1800s, a chemist in Germany changed the acid’s
form a little to make it easier for people to take. This new form of the chemical was called
acetylsalicylic acid, commonly known as aspirin today.
Aspirin was used throughout most of the 1900s to treat headaches, but doctors had little idea
about what really caused headaches. When doctors know the cause of a disease, they can
find better ways to treat it. Therefore, as medical technology developed, doctors began to
use the technology to learn more about the human brain and about headaches.
Currently, doctors classify headaches into two general types: primary and secondary. A
primary headache is a condition suffered as only the headache itself. On the other hand, a
secondary headache is one caused by another condition. For example, someone who catches
the flu may suffer from headaches along with other symptoms of the illness. Flue headaches
are thus secondary headaches.
For primary headaches, doctors have determined three possible causes. One kind of primary
headache is caused by stress. Doctors usually call headaches of this kind tension headaches.
Such headaches are characteristically felt on both sides of the head as a dull, steady pain.
Another kind of primary headache is the migraine headache. Doctors believe this headache
is caused by reduced flow of blood to certain parts of the brain. A migraine sufferer usually
feels intense pain on one side of the head. The sufferer also becomes sensitive to light and
noise. If the migraine is severe, the sufferer may vomit repeatedly.
The third kind of primary headache is known as the cluster headache. Cluster headaches
typically occur around the same time each day for weeks or months at a time. The person
suffering from this kind of headache usually feels pain on one side of her or his head, and the
pain is centered around one of the person’s eyes. Doctors do not know much at present about
cluster headaches, but they seem more common among men and could be related to alcohol
or other things that affect a person’s blood flow.

142
Using computers and more advanced medical equipment, doctors continue to learn more
about what happens in the brain before and during headaches. Especially in the case of
migraines, some doctors believe they have found the part of the brain that sets off the
reaction for severe attacks. With this new insight into brain processes, doctors hope new
ways will be discovered to disable headaches before they begin.

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. movement; usually for liquids
2. understanding; perception
3. now; at present
4. signs; indications
5. not intense or sharp
6. a glucoside related to the sugar family
7. a severe, recurring headache
8. deal with; try to cure
9. guess; approximate calculation
10. a kind of tree, having narrow leaves
11. the rough exterior covering of a woody root or tree
12. stop its capability
13. a person who feels pain or has a health problem
14. arrange; organize
15. continuous
16. difficulty or pressure
17. easily hurt or damaged
18. a group of things that are close together
19. improved; progressive
20. starts the process
TRUE OR FALSE

1. The first treatment for headaches was prescribed over 2000 years ago.
2. There are different types of headaches.
3. Migraine headaches are caused by stress.
4. Cluster headaches occur regularly.
5. The flu can cause a primary headache.
143
OPEN QUESTIONS

1. Why are many scientists interested in finding out about headaches?

2. What was the first treatment for headaches?
3. How is a secondary headache different from a primary headache?
4. Which are the possible causes of a primary headache?
5. What will doctors likely study to treat migraines in the future?

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audio/ Reading for the Real World 1-1-13

Today many couples who are considering marriage, or even those who are already married,
have one very strong consideration to keep in mind: divorce. According to research from the
1990s, in the United States about 4 out of every 10 recently married couples see their
144
marriage end in divorce. Although this number is quite high, it is actually lower than the
divorce rate during the years of the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, the national divorce rate
was about 5 of every 10 couples, or about 50%.

So why do so many marriages end so tragically? Increasing divorce rates have been linked to
the rise in wives’ earning power and a consequent reduction in their dependence on a man
to earn the family income. Modern trends in marriage and employment rates suggest that
economic incentives for marriage weaken as women’s earning power increases and more
men become unemployed. However, after a divorce, women are more likely to fall into
poverty than are men. With this in mind, there appears to be no direct evidence that the fear
of poverty deters people from divorcing.

Another factor influencing divorce appears to be the age at which a couple marries. In a sense,
age relates to socio-economic classes in that younger people (for example, teenagers or
people in their early twenties) have less money, a factor which can potentially lead to a
stronger chance for problems in marriage. It has been found that those in lower income
brackets are more likely to marry as teenagers and these disadvantaged circumstances create
more risk of divorce and consequent lone parenthood. Better employment and an increased
salary attained after years of hard work may subsequently lessen these risks and stabilize
many relationships.

A couple’s religious and geographical circumstances are a final factor often considered when
studying divorce trends. For example, it is frequently noted that couples living in the “Bible
Belt” (western-central states such as Oklahoma and Utah) experience divorce at a higher rate
than couples in other regions. The Bible Belt divorce rate is almost 50% higher than the
national average. Yet one must be careful when considering this claim for several reasons.

Researchers have pointed out that divorce among a substantial number of evangelical
Christian couples living in the Bible Belt might be attributed to the couples’ low income rather
than religious beliefs. In addition, the total number of married couples in the Bible Belt may
be higher than in other states. Thus, the number of divorces within a small state may appear
high, but this rate may actually be average when compared to the total number of married
people in the state.

Surely the possibility of divorce is a concern to any couples who enter a marriage or are
considering getting married. The rate of divorce in the United States is certainly high, but it
must be kept in mind that although divorce is common, there is no reason for a couple to give
in to these statistics when the going gets rough. If couples view divorce as a last resort rather

145
than as an option or opportunity, the current decline in the divorce rate may continue over
the years, rather than become worse.

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. money earned from work, investments, business…
2. fashions
3. in this way; because of this
4. during a time of difficulty
5. prevents; discourages
6. groups of people earning the same salary
7. large; considerable
8. factor
9. motivations giving a reward to do something
10. statement
11. related to a subgroup of Christian protestants
12. decrease
13. a last choice
14. connected; related
15. single; without a partner
16. observed; seen
17. experience
18. something that contributes to or causes
19. because
20. gained
21. make stable or secure
22. point of importance; cause of anxiousness
23. be defeated by; accept
24. situations; conditions
25. the number of something compared to the total amount
26. being very poor

TRUE OR FALSE

1. Researchers have found the primary reason why people get divorced.
146
 2. Money has little influence on the possibility of divorce.
3. The divorce rate has decreased recently.
4. Religion may be a factor in divorce.
5. Young people have a greater chance of getting divorced.

OPEN QUESTIONS

1. Why do people get divorced?

2. What could be one cause of the high divorce rates in the US?
3. Why is it more likely for young people to have problems in their marriages?
4. What is the Bible Belt and what happens to couples living there?
5. Who would be the least likely to divorce?

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These days, college lecture halls in the United States are being filled more and more by female
rather than male students. Women now make up 55 percent of the college population—and

147
that number continues to rise. Within ten years, three million more women than men may be
attending US colleges.

Thirty years ago, male students were the majority on college campuses in the United States.
Traditionally men acted as the breadwinners of their families and college was seen as the
path to career advancement and higher salaries. But during the feminist movements of the
1970s, more women aspired to having careers and enrolled in college to pursue a degree. By
the mid-1980s, more women than men were attending college.

At the same time, there was an unexpected decline in the number of males applying to
college. Educators are still uncertain of the cause of this decline, but it continues to affect
enrollment numbers for men in higher education. Researchers have suggested a number of
theories to account for males’ seeming decline in interest in seeking college degrees.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, males leave or are kicked out of
high school in higher numbers than females. And male students are three times more likely
to be placed in special education programs. Author Christina Hoff Sommers attributes the
drop in male enrollment to early stereotyping of boys as “aggressive” and “non-academic.”
In her book, The War Against Boys, Sommers writes that many boys don’t receive enough
mentoring and academic support to become straight-A students and therefore lose interest
in higher education.

Others believe the drop in male enrollment can be attributed to the growing number of men
seeking jobs in repair, construction, and technology. These are careers that often don’t
require a four-year degree from a university but still promise good salaries.

The effect of there being more women than men at colleges has created some noticeable
changes. The higher number of female students has already led to more diverse classes and
programs offered at universities, especially in the field of Women’s Studies. And at graduation
time, one may notice a difference in what types of university degrees are awarded to men
and women. While women earn a higher percentage of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, men
still earn a higher percentage of doctorate degrees. But fewer men on campus have not
changed the male/female ratios in some majors. There are still fewer women in fields such
as maths, engineering, science and computers. Women’s advocacy groups like the American
Association of University Women are urging colleges to make this issue a priority, but the
focus for many schools still centers on recruiting more men.

To increase male enrollment, some schools have formed partnerships with male mentoring
groups to encourage younger students to aim for college. Other schools have modified their
148
recruiting and admission’s policies, sending out extra mailings to boys and paying closer
attention to male candidates. However, public universities may face legal challenges from
women about these recruiting practices that favor males.

Recently, the University of Georgia lost a lawsuit filed by female students because of an
affirmative action policy that favored males. As one female junior complained, “It’s not fair
that a boy would get extra weight (in the admission’s index) over a girl, but it would be better
if there were more boys on campus.” This dilemma presents a challenge for colleges: How
can a school attempt to close the gender gap in ways that ensure that both men and women
have equal access to opportunities in universities?

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. looking for
2. a school to be attended after high school and that offers courses leading to a degree
3. teaching; advice; guidance
4. probable
5. the act of officially joining a course; the number of people who join a course
6. students who get all A’s on their report cards
7. easy to see
8. relation between two groups that is represented by two numbers showing how
much larger one group is
9. main subjects studied by college students
10. persuading to join
11. try to achieve
12. questioning of the legality of actions
13. a plan of action
14. make sure that something happens
15. legal action that has been entered
16. big classrooms
17. primary money maker
18. fast decrease
19. give pressure to; persuade strongly
20. largest group
21. decrease
22. reduce

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 23. importance
24. process; system of selection
25. given
26. 4-year college degree
27. a second university degree
28. the highest university degree
29. active support
30. first thing to do due to its importance
31. thrown out; removed
32. comprise
33. ideas; assumptions based on limited knowledge
34. appearing to be true

TRUE OR FALSE

1. Women first outnumbered men on college campuses in the 1980s.

2. Sommers wrote a book about boys in high school.
3. Colleges are offering more courses now focusing on women and women’s issues.
4. Men need to go to college to get a job with a good salary.
5. Parents filed a lawsuit against the University of Georgia regarding a policy to favor
recruiting males.

OPEN QUESTIONS

1. Which are the reasons suggested for the decline in the number of men in colleges?
2. What is Sommers’ book about?
3. Why do boys lose interest in higher-education?
4. What has caused a problem for some universities in recruiting?
5. According to the reading, which degree would be awarded to mainly female
graduates?

https://soundcloud.com/compasspub/reading-for-the-real-world-82

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As sunlight shines on the Earth, solar radiation is absorbed and then radiated back into space
as thermal radiation (heat). However, some of this heat is trapped by gases in the
atmosphere. The trapped heat increases the temperature of the Earth’s surface and
atmosphere. The process is similar to the way a greenhouse is kept warm. The Earth’s natural
levels of water vapor and other gases produce this greenhouse effect, making life on Earth
possible. However, some scientists are now predicting that higher levels of certain
greenhouse gases are causing temperatures to rise beyond natural limits.

Since the beginning of the industrial age, carbon dioxide (CO2) has been building up in the
Earth’s atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas). CO2 is
considered the major cause of global warming on Earth. Other natural greenhouse gases
include water vapor, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (03). Additionally, several
man-made gases are also thought to contribute to the greenhouse effect, namely
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

Researchers have estimated that the atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased by at
least 30% since the 1800s. Industrial processes have also led to a 145% increase in CH4, and
15% increase in N2O in the atmosphere. The buildup of these gases is believed to be the major
cause of higher than normal average global temperatures in recent years. Consequences of
such global warming could include higher sea levels, the spread of deserts in areas around the
Earth’s equator, and the drying up of fresh water sources.

In December 1997, at a United Nations summit on global warming in Kyoto, Japan,

representatives from over 150 nations adopted a treaty to limit emissions of CO2, CH4, N2O,
HFCs, and SF6. The so-called Kyoto Protocol called for reducing emissions to at least 5% below
1990 levels of these gases by 2012. The protocol was signed by 38 industrialized countries
attending the summit. Developing nations attending the summit were not required to adhere
to the guidelines of the protocol. The 15 EU nations at the summit agreed to further reduce
emissions to 8%, the US to 7%, and Japan to 6% below the 1990 levels.

The US officially signed the protocol on November 12, 1998, but the US president then did
not send it to the Senate to officially approve the treaty because he knew there was little
hope for its approval at that time. When the next president took office in 2000, the new
administration openly opposed the protocol. The Bush administration claimed the standards
set in the protocol were unfair to developed countries. Australia also rejected the Kyoto
Protocol on the basis that the UN predictions of industrial growth (and thus future
greenhouse emissions) were improbable.

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Even with the predictions of the protocol called into question, many countries continued to
push for its approval. In July 2001, delegates met again in Bonn, Germany, to discuss the
protocol. At the Bonn meeting, the delegates agreed, despite opposition from US
representatives, on setting guidelines and timetables for achieving the reductions set in the
Kyoto Protocol. The following year, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg, South Africa, Russia indicated it would soon officially approve the Kyoto
Protocol. However, in late 2003, Russia said it needed to further study the protocol’s
requirements and predictions before signing. Without Russia’s approval, there seems little
chance the Kyoto Protocol will ever be completely ratified.

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. an official meeting between leaders of government
2. that is to say
3. an official agreement between countries
4. urge; encourage others
5. water found in rivers or lakes; not sea or salt water
6. period
7. increase
8. outside of a set value
9. ordered; demanded
10. follow; obey
11. sent out like light
12. guessing about the future
13. rules; suggestions
14. spoke against without secrets
15. people sent as representatives
16. scheduled goals with dates
17. the first draft or outline of a treaty
18. formally accepted and signed
19. increasing; growing
20. fuels made from fossil remains of plants and animals

TRUE OR FALSE

1. The greenhouse effect began in the 1800s.

2. A consequence of global warming could be floods along coastlines.
152
 3. European nations agreed to reduce emissions further than required by the Kyoto Protocol.
4. Some people believe the standards in the Kyoto Protocol are wrong.
5. The Kyoto Protocol officially went into effect in 2001.

OPEN QUESTIONS

1. How is the Earth’s atmosphere like a greenhouse?

2. Which of the greenhouse gases mentioned is not produced naturally?
3. What did the Kyoto Protocol call for?
4. Why wasn’t the Kyoto Protocol sent to the US Senate?
5. What was decided at the summit in Bonn?

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https://sachtienganhhanoi.com/audio-keys-reading-for-the-real-world-1-2nd-edition-with-key-
audio/ Reading for the Real World 1-3-07

Gabreille “Coco” Chanel was born on August 19, 1883 in France. When Chanel’s mother died
in 1895, her father disappeared leaving Chanel and all of her brothers and sisters as orphans.
Chanel ended up living in a convent with a group of Catholic nuns until she reached the age
of 20. At that time, Chanel found a job a as seamstress with the nuns’ help in a town called
Moulins. However, Chanel found the nightlife in the local bars more exciting than her job and
decided to become a cabaret singer.

Chanel’s career as a singer was rather short for two reasons: she could not really sing that
well, and she met a very rich man, Etienne Balsan, who wanted her for his mistress. Balsan
took Chanel to Paris and gave her enough money to open her first business. Because Chanel
had experience as a seamstress, it was only natural that she go into the fashion business. Her
first shop specialized in hats, but Chanel hats were different from the big elaborately
decorated hats that women of that time were used to. Soon, all women were wearing her
small, close fitting hats.

Chanel moved on to a new lover, the wealthy Englishman Arthur Capel, and moved on in her
business with the help of Capel’s money. Chanel began to explore fashion. Because she could
not afford the expensive material that most designers of the time were using, Chanel chose
wool and other everyday material for the simple clothes she made.

Chanel’s fashions were actually the perfect clothes for wealthy resort visitors. The clothes
looked good and gave women the freedom to enjoy outdoor activities. One of Chanel’s most
popular designs was “the little black dress.” Easy to wear, this dress gave the woman who
wore it a feeling of elegance no matter where she went. It has become one of the few fashions
not to go out of style over the years.

Chanel’s second biggest hit was her perfume, Chanel No. 5. This perfume was first offered for
sale in 1923 during the height of Chanel’s success in both Europe and the United States. It
was not just the appeal of the perfume that made Chanel No. 5 such a hit. The perfume’s
success was also due to Chanel’s marketing strategy. Chanel packaged her perfume in a solid
rectangular bottle to contrast with all other women’s perfume of that time which were sold
in very small and very delicate little bottles. Also, the mysterious name of the perfume added
to its attraction. Was it Chanel’s lucky number? Was it the fifth formula made by the
perfume’s chemist? In creating Chanel No. 5, the fashion designer dared to do something that
no other designer had tried before; she put her own name on the product. Today, it is hard

154
to find a designer who has not produced some kind of perfume or cologne with their name
on it.

During World War II, Chanel fell out of fashion due to some poor choices made by the
designer. Rather than close her shops when Germany invaded France, Chanel made Friends
with the Nazis. However, when Germany lost the war, Chanel had to leave France to avoid
the scandal of her affair with the Nazis. She did manage to make a comeback in the fashion
industry during the 1950s, but most of her success was in the United States rather than
Europe. Chanel died in 1971, at the age of 87.

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. became unpopular and thought unfashionable
2. children who have no parents
3. highest point
4. had the courage
5. tight
6. a woman who makes clothing as a job
7. a kind of material made from sheep hair
8. heavy and firm
9. stored; put
10. entered and attacked
11. become successful again
12. attraction
13. have enough money to buy
14. experience or investigate different kinds
15. in a complicated way

TRUE OR FALSE

1. Chanel lived with her parents until she moved to Paris.

2. Chanel studied fashion at an institute in Paris.
3. Chanel’s family helped her open her first shop.
4. Chanel’s fashions were simple and easy for women to wear.
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 5. Chanel was very popular during World War II.

OPEN QUESTIONS

1. Why was Chanel raised in a convent?

2. How were Chanel’s hats different from other designers’ hats?
3. What was different about the perfume that Chanel marketed in the 1920s?
4. What does the number “5” mean in the name Chanel No. 5?
5. Where did she lose her popularity in France?

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https://soundcloud.com/compasspub/reading-for-the-real-world-76

One hundred years ago, Lincoln signed a law that gave freedom to all slaves in the United
States. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not
free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly chained by segregation and
discrimination. When the creators of our vast republic wrote the magnificent words of the
Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were making a promise to all of their
children. This promise was that all men would be guaranteed the rights of life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness. It is clear today that America has not kept her promise as far as
citizens of color are concerned.

Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed
to blow off steam and will now be quiet and happy will have a rude awakening if the nation
returns to doing things the way they have always been done. There will be neither rest nor
peace in America until the Negro is given his rights as a citizen. But there is something that I
must say to my people who stand waiting at the doorway into the palace of justice. In the
process of getting our rights, we must not be guilty of wrongful acts. We must not allow our
protest to fall into violence. Again and again we must rise to the challenge of meeting physical
force with soul force.

Go back to Mississippi. Go back to Alabama. Go back to Georgia. Go back to the ghettos of

our northern cities knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. In spite of
the difficulties of the moment, I still have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation
will rise up and live out the true meaning of its belief that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged
by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day in
the state of Alabama little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with the
little white boys and little white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be
able to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the
day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning. “My country, ‘tis of
thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died. Land of the pilgrim’s
pride. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the
hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let
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freedom ring from the peaks of California! Let freedom ring from every hill in Mississippi.
When we let freedom ring, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children
will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! Free
at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. the act of looking for something; chase
2. get rid of strong emotion
3. areas of cities where many people of the same race or background live, separately
from the rest of the population
4. a feeling of satisfaction when doing things others admire
5. very strong and powerful
6. officially separating two or more groups
7. despite
8. live according to
9. old poetic form for “it is”
10. shocking surprise
11. bad; improper
12. promised
13. old poetic form for “you”
14. stand; become higher
15. with regard to
16. hold; put together
17. things inside
18. make come faster
19. having complete power
20. a traveler, usually following her or his religious beliefs
21. finally
22. make a loud sound like a bell

TRUE OR FALSE

1. When this speech was made, Blacks had equal rights so they were “free at last”.
2. King had no children at the time of this speech.

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 3. King believes that the men who wrote the Constitution wanted Blacks and Whites to
be equal,
4. King said that violence is only necessary when others use violence.
5. In his speech, King said that the South is not the only area in the United States that
must change.

OPEN QUESTIONS

1. What is the main idea of the reading?

2. What will give some people a “rude awakening” about Black protest for equal rights?
3. How does King hope people will judge his children?
4. In the song “My Country, ‘This of Thee” what is the “land where my fathers died”?
5. What is an “old Negro spiritual”?

159
https://sachtienganhhanoi.com/audio-keys-reading-for-the-real-world-1-2nd-edition-with-key-
audio/ Reading for the Real World 1-3-05

Mohandas K. Gandhi was born in 1869 to Hindu parents in Gujarat in Western India. It was
not until much later in his life that the name Mahatma was given to him. This name came
from a poet and means “great soul.” Gandhi did not actually approve of the name, but it
stuck.

While growing up, Gandhi could only be called a shy and serious boy. His parents belonged to
the merchant caste of Hindus, and his father worked for the British government, which ruled
India at that time. However, Gandhi’s first real friend was a boy from that lower caste of
Hindus, the untouchables. The untouchables always worked in the worst jobs, and this boy
came to Gandhi’s house to clean the latrines. Gandhi never understood why these people
should be treated so badly by others. He spent much of his life trying to help them and living
like them as an example for other Hindus.

When Gandhi was nineteen, his parents sent him to England to become a lawyer. It was in
England that Gandhi began to seriously study other great religions of the world. He read the
Bible. He studied the lives of Buddha and Mohammed. He also read for the first time the
Bhagavad Gita, an important spiritual text for all Hindus. From all this study of different
religions, Gandhi formed his own philosophy of religion. He still thought of himself as a Hindu,
but tolerance for other religions became a guiding force in his life.

Gandhi completed his law degree in England and then went to South Africa to practice. South
Africa was a British colony at that time, but the laws for British citizens and Indians living in
South Africa were very different. Gandhi spent twenty-one years in South Africa standing up
for the rights of Indians there. Before he left South Africa in 1914, Gandhi had succeeded in
getting the government to recognize Indian marriages and to do away with the special tax
that Indians had to pay in order to vote in South Africa.

When he arrived in India in 1914, Gandhi found he already had quite a few people supporting
his political actions. It was never his dream to enter politics, but five years later Gandhi
became the head of the Indian National Congress, which was trying to free India from British
rule. Gandhi continued to make waves by leading several nonviolent protests and began
fasting to make his point stronger. During a protest in April of 1919, 379 protesters were shot
and killed by the British. It was a terrible tragedy, but Gandhi refused to meet violence with
violence. He continued fasting and urging nonviolent protest of British rule, wanting no harm

160
to British people or destruction of British property. Thousands of people began to follow him
as a political leader and a holy man.

On August 15, 1947, India became a free nation. However, Gandhi found little reason to
celebrate. India was now divided by religion. India became a Hindu country. Pakistan was
divided from India and became a Muslim country. Both countries, the new and old, began
fighting almost immediately. Gandhi began fasting on January 13, 1948, to protest the fighting
between Hindu and Muslims. Five days later, the leaders of India and Pakistan agreed to peace
and Gandhi stopped fasting.

Less than two weeks later, Gandhi was shot by a narrow-minded Hindu fanatic who did not
agree with Gandhi’s philosophy of tolerance for all religions. He was dead at the age of 78.

MATCH the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. became accepted
2. controlled
3. that imports and exports goods
4. money to be paid to the government so that it can pay for public services
5. good in a moral and religious way
6. related to the religion of Islam
7. damage
8. not accepting other people’s ideas
9. believing in Hinduism, a religion in India
10. acceptance
11. directing the way
12. remove
13. not eating for religious and political beliefs
14. toilets used by the entire group often outside the home
15. social class
16. respond to
17. cause activity and interest
18. consent to
19. the lowest group of people in India
20. make legal or official
161
 21. supporting; working for

TRUE OR FALSE

1. Gandhi liked to be called Mahatma.

2. Some protesters were shot by the British during Gandhi’s lifetime.
3. The untouchables were the lowest caste in India.
4. Gandhi died in his sleep.
5. Gandhi was happy when India became a free country.

OPEN QUESTIONS

1. Why did Gandhi have sympathy for the untouchable caste?

2. What did Gandhi study while in England?
3. How did he spend his days in South Africa?
4. Why did Gandhi enter politics?
5. What did Gandhi do while protesting British rule?

162
To be obese means to have too much fat on the body. Obese people are not just overweight.
Such people are likely to suffer health problems because of their weight. The precise cause of
obesity is not clear. However, it is clear that obesity is a problem in most developed countries.
One study estimated that about 55% of people in the United States are obese. People need
to understand what obesity is and how to tell if they themselves are obese, so that they can
change their condition.
An obese person does not have to look extremely fat. Even people who seem only slightly
overweight can actually be considered obese. If a person has certain amount of fat on their
body, then their health might be in danger. This amount of fat is usually thought to be 40% of
the body’s total composition. Finding a person’s exact fat percentage is troublesome. Most
people still rely on their weight measurement to tell them if they are overweight or obese.
There are problems with this method, however. There are recommended weights for
different ages. In addition, weight alone says nothing about a person’s percentage of body
fat, which is most important. People have different body types, which can make weight
measurements unreliable. For instance, athletes usually have more muscle mass than other
people. Muscle weighs more than fat. Therefore, an athlete may weigh more than their
recommended weight, but this does not mean they are not healthy. A more accurate
measurement of body fat is needed.
Probably the most popular method of determining body fat today is the Body Mass Index
(BMI). BMI is a person’s weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in
meters). For men, a BMI of 24 to 27 is normal. For women, it is 23 to 26. A BMI of 30 or more
means a person is obese. Many experts feel that BMI is a reliable way to determine if a
person’s weight is unhealthy. However, others feel that BMI is too general to be really useful.
The numbers come from comparisons of large groups of people. It is not related to an
individual’s body composition. BMI says nothing about a person’s actual percentage of body
fat. There are many different ways that BMI can be affected by body shape and size. Muscular
people may show a high BMI, even though they are perfectly healthy. Some people have
163
higher bone density than others, which increases their weight. BMI can be inaccurate for such
people, also. In some cases, those who have very low body fat and are also not muscular can
have a BMI that is too high. BMI is also unreliable for children and the elderly. Even supporters
of BMI think that it should not be used for people under 18 or over 70 years old.
Despite these criticisms, there are strong positive aspects of BMI. The main one is that it is
very simple. The measurement can be performed easily. It does not take special knowledge
or equipment. Though BMI is a general measurement, it still gives useful information. At least,
it can suggest that there might be a problem. Further, some studies have shown that people
with higher BMI numbers have a higher risk of health problems. It takes only a minute to get
a BMI number, but the results can be very important to a person’s life.

1. _____ An obese person always looks very fat.

2. _____ The most popular way of determining body fat is by weight.
3. _____ A high BMI can be an indication of obesity.
4. _____ BMI is not always a very reliable way to measure body fat.
5. _____ Only very skilled people can measure BMI.

1. When do we consider a person obese?

2. Why should we use BMI instead of weight to determine obesity?
3. What people would not show high BMIs?
4. What is the main advantage of using the BMI?
5. Why is the BMI important to get?

1. Obese people are likely to suffer health problems because of their weight.
It is likely............................................................. due to..............................................

164
 2. The precise cause of obesity is not clear. However, it is clear that obesity is a problem
in most developed countries.
Although……………….....................................................................................................
3. An obese person does not have to look extremely fat.
An obese person needn’t................................................................................................
4. Muscle weighs more than fat. Therefore, an athlete may weigh more than their
recommended weight.
Since................................................................................................................................
5. Probably the most popular method is the Body Mass Index. It is person’s weight
divided by the square of his or her height.
............................................................................which………………………………………………
6. Some people have higher bone density than others, which increases their weight.
The fact that some ....................................................................................................
7. Those who have very low body fat and are also not muscular can have a BMI that is
too high.
If you ……………………..........................................................your .......................................
8. BMI should not be used for people under 18 or over 70 years old.
People …..........................................................................................................................
9. Despite these criticisms, there are strong positive aspects of BMI.
Despite...........................................there are criticisms,.................................................
10. Some studies have shown that people with higher BMI numbers have a higher risk of
health problems.
Those ……........................................................................................................................

If people 1…(understood) that obesity 2…(not be) just an uncomfortable condition of the
body, many serious health problems 3…(prevent). Many people 4…(ignore) these problems,
so they 5…(not try/prevent) the problems before their appearance.

One of the worst health problems which 6…(cause) by obesity 7…(be) Type 2 diabetes. One
study 8…(recently find) that about 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes 9…(be) obese.
Insuline, which 10…(help) the body to absorb sugar, is missing in people with diabetes, so
these people 11…(MODAL/suffer) from seizures or even 12…(fall) into a coma.

Many other problems which 13…(relate) to obesity 14…(MODAL find). Obesity may lead to
heart disease, which may, in turn, result in 15…(have) a heart attack. Furthemore, obesity
165
16…(cause) problems with breathing, especially when 17…(sleep). And, if the joints become
harder, obese people 18…(be) at high risk of arthritis.

All of these problems, and others 19…(MODAL/prevent). Of course, 20…(lose) weight is

difficult, but the resuls of obesity are much worse.

1______________________ 11______________________
2______________________ 12______________________
3______________________ 13______________________
4______________________ 14______________________
5______________________ 15______________________
6______________________ 16______________________
7______________________ 17______________________
8______________________ 18______________________
9______________________ 19______________________
10______________________ 20______________________

1. Describe a public figure you particularly admire and explain why.

2. Describe a visit to a highly contaminated place.
3. Write a story entitled THE DAY I BECAME GREEN.

Note: No copying and pasting will be allowed, so make sure that this is your own
production. Those pieces of writing containing copy-pasted phrases, sentences or
chunks of text will receive a failing mark in Writing.

166
Consider that a conversation by telephone—when you are simply sitting by and not taking
any part in that conversation—is one of the solemnest curiosities of modern life. Yesterday I
was writing while such a conversation was going on in the room. I notice that one can always
write best when somebody is talking through a telephone close by. Well, the thing began in
this way. A member of our household came in and asked me to have our house put into
communication with Mr. Bagley’s downtown. I have observed, in many cities, that women
always shrink from calling up the Central Office themselves. I don’t know why, but they do.
So I, Twain, touched the bell, and this talk ensued:
CENTRAL OFFICE. (gruffy.) Hello!
I. Is it the Central Office?
C.O. Of course it is. What do you want?
I. Will you switch me on to the Bagleys, please?
C.O. All right. Just keep your ear to the telephone.

Then I heard k-look, k-look, k’look—klook-klook-klook-look-look! then a horrible “gritting” of

teeth, and finally a piping female voice: Y-e-s? (rising inflection.) Did you wish to speak to me?
Without answering, I handed the telephone to the applicant, and sat down. Then followed
that queerest of all the queer things in this world—a conversation with only one end of it. You
hear questions asked; you don’t hear the answer. You hear invitations given; you hear no
thanks in return. You have listening pauses of dead silence, followed by apparently irrelevant
and unjustifiable exclamations of glad surprise or sorrow or dismay. Well, I heard the
following remarkable series of observations, all from the one tongue, and all shouted—for
you can’t ever persuade women to speak gently into a telephone:
Yes? Why, how did that happen? (Pause.)
What did you say? (Pause.)
Oh no, I don’t think it was. (Pause.)
No! Oh no, I didn’t mean that. I meant, put it in while it is still boiling—or just before it
comes to a boil. (Pause.)
What? (Pause.)

167
It’s forty-ninth Deuteronomy, sixty-forth to ninety-seventh inclusive. I think we ought all
to read it often. (Pause.)
Pershaps so; I generally use a hair pin. (Pause.)
What did you say? (aside.) Children, do be quiet! (Pause.)
Oh! B flat! Dear me, I thought you said it was the cat! (Pause.)
Since when? (Pause.)
Why, I never heard of it. (Pause.)
You astound me! It seems utterly impossible! (Pause.)
Who did? (Pause.)
Good-ness gracious! (Pause.)
Well, what is this world coming to? Was it right in church? (Pause.)
And was her mother there? (Pause.)
Why, Mrs. Bagley, I should have died of humiliation! What did they do? (Long pause.)
Oh, gum-drops, gum-drops! But I never allow them to eat striped candy. And of course
they can’t, till they get their teeth, anyway. (Pause.)
What? (Pause.)
Oh, not in the least—go right on. He’s here writing—it doesn’t bother him. (Pause.)
Very well, I’ll come if I can. (aside.) Dear me, how it does tire a person’s arm to hold this
thing up so long! I wish she’d—(Pause.)
Oh no, not at all; I like to talk—but I’m afraid I’m keeping you from your affairs. (Pause.)
Visitors? (Pause.)
No, we never use butter on them. (Pause.)
Oh, I think that is too high for them; we have never paid over fifty cents a bunch. (Pause.)
Must you go? Well, good-by. (Pause.)
Yes, I think so. Good-by. (Pause.)
Four o’clock, then—I’ll be ready. Good-by. (Pause.)
Oh, not at all!—just as fresh—which? Oh, I’m glad to hear you say that. Good-by.
(Hangs up the telephone and says, “Oh, it does tire a person’s arm so!”)

1. __________ Twain did not talk on the phone.

2. __________ The phone call was made from the Twain residence to the Bagley’s.
3. __________ They talked about child care on the phone.
4. __________ Mrs. Bagley invited Mrs. Twain somewhere.
5. _________ Twain thinks his wife speaks too quietly on the phone.
168
 1. What was Twain’s intention in writing about this phone call?
2. Which topics were discussed over the phone?
3. What is the most likely definition for “gum-drops”?
4. Why was the Central Office called before the Bagley’s?
5. What is most likely the writer’s opinion of “modern” technology, like the telephone?

1. Yesterday I was writing while such a conversation was going on in the room.
Yesterday, when.............................................................................................................
2. I have observed that women always shrink from calling up the Central Office
themselves.
What................................................................................................................................
3. Without answering, I handed the telephone to the applicant.
Instead.............................................................................................................................
4. You hear questions asked; you don’t hear the answer.
Even though....................................................................................................................
5. You have listening pauses, followed by unjustifiable exclamations.
.................................................., which..........................................................................
6. I heard a series of observations, all shouted—for you can’t ever persuade the sex to
speak gently into a telephone.
As.....................................................................................................................................
7. Put it in before it comes to a boil.
Don’t................................................................................................................................
8. I think we ought all to read it often.
........................................... should................................................................................
9. I never allow them to eat striped candy.
They................................................................................................................................
10. ‘Must you go?’ she asked.
he asked……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ernest Hemingway once 1…(say) of Mark Twain’s writing, “All modern American literature
2…(come) from one book by Mark Twain 3…(call) Huckleberry Finn… There 4…(be) nothing

169
before. There 5…(be) nothing as good since.” This is high praise coming from someone that
many 6…(consider) the finest American writer of the 20th century.
Twain 7…(know) today for his humorous style that 8…(criticize) the society of his time
through wit and clever story telling. Twain was also a master at 9…(incorporate) colloquial
speech in his stories. Perhaps his talent for 10…(capture) the words as they 11…(speak) by
people around him 12…(come) from his years as a reporter. He 13…(already work) as an
apprentice in a small printing shop when he 14…(find) work as a journalist. Although he quit
writing for a time 15…(work) as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River, on moving west,
he 16…(pick up) his pen again.
It was at this time that he 17…(realize) he needed a pen name for his more comedic
newspaper column. As his pen name, he 18…(choose) a phrase that 19…(use) by steamboat
leadsmen, “Mark twain,” to warn the pilot that the river ahead was only two fathoms (twelve
feet) deep. In this case, “twain” 20…(mean) “two” and “mark”, “here.” If he 21…(not be) a
steamboat pilot for a while, he 22…(not know) as Mark Twain.
1______________________ 12______________________
2______________________ 13______________________
3______________________ 14______________________
4______________________ 15______________________
5______________________ 16______________________
6______________________ 17______________________
7______________________ 18______________________
8______________________ 19______________________
9______________________ 20______________________
10______________________ 21______________________
11______________________ 22______________________

1. Describe your favourite character and explain why you like him/her so much.
2. Describe a summer spent at the seaside.
3. Write a story entitled THE DAY I TALKED ON THE PHONE WITH MY FAVOURITE
WRITER.

Note: No copying and pasting will be allowed, so make sure that this is your own production.
Those pieces of writing containing copy-pasted phrases, sentences or chunks of text will
receive a failing mark in Writing.

170
What is gi? Gi means different things to different people. Some say that it is a force created
by practicing breathing exercises. Some say that it is highly developed concentration. Still
others say that it is an electrical force that circulates within the body of all living creatures.
Some even claim that gi is a person’s soul.

Where does the idea of gi come from? Most information about gi comes from Asia and the
East. For thousands of years, the people of India have believed that in this type of energy,
which they call prana. According to Indian mystics, or holy men, highly developed prana can
allow a man to equal the physical strength of several men; letting them bend thick metal bars
and lift heavy objects. The Chinese call this force chi, the Koreans gi, and the Japanese ki.
Regardless of the name, the traditional thinking in Asia is that this energy can be used for
health, relaxation, and self-defense.

Special gi doctors in China, Korea, and japan believe that gi travels through our body like cars
on a highway. They believe that some types of pain are caused by gi not being able to flow
smoothly, similar to a traffic jam on a road. They use a special system of needle therapy called
acupuncture or a type of massage, reiki, to help unblock these areas where gi cannot flow
freely. Sometimes these doctors are able to direct the gi from their own bodies into the bodies
of their patients.

Gi meditation, popular in China, teaches its followers to send their gi to the muscles of the
heart, stomach, face, and neck. These are the places where stress builds up the most. These
people believe that learning how to direct their gi to these areas will help them relax and live
longer, healthier lives.

Probably the most well-known examples of gi development can be found in the area of martial
arts. Exercises like hapkido, aikido, and tai chi teach people to develop their gi for self-
defence. The Shaolin Monks of Central China are known for their ability to control their gi and
do amazing things with their bodies. They are able to bend heavy iron bars with their bare
hands, touch their tongues to red-hot swords without injury, and endure freezing cold
temperatures with no discomfort.

171
Can science prove the existence of gi? With modern computer technology and sensitive
recording equipment maybe it can. Researchers from the University of Southern California
have been performing experiments to see if there are any actual physical changes in the
bodies of people who undertake gi meditation, and they have found interesting results. By
attaching special computers that measure brainwaves to the heads of gi meditation students,
scientists have been able to detect large increases of electromagnetic waves in their brains.
Also, computerized brain scans show that people who do gi exercises use 25% more of the
brain area than people who do ordinary meditation. Gi-gong practitioners are also able to
direct energy to different parts of their body. This energy can be observed on special machines
used to record body heat.

Is gi meditation helpful? Is gi real? Whether science says it is or not, many people throughout
Asia have no doubt about its existence or its healthy benefits. Maybe the only way to know
for sure is to try for yourself!

1. __________ People have known about gi for a long time.

2. __________ Most of the information about gi is from North America.
3. __________ There is no scientific evidence for gi.
4. __________ Using gi, people may be healthier, more relaxed or more powerful.
5. _________ Gi is only located in our brain.

1. What is known about gi?

2. What ability do Shaolin monks have because of their control of gi?
3. What is the scientific evidence for gi?
4. What is the connection between martial arts and gi?
5. What are the benefits of practicing it for a long time?

172
 1. Some say that gi is a force created by practicing breathing exercises.
It is said……………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………
2. Some say it is a highly developed concentration.
Some say it is a concentration that……………………………………………………………………………..
3. For thousands of years, the people of India have believed in this type of energy.
The people of India………………………………………………………………………………………….ago.
4. Special gi doctors believe that some types of pain are caused by gi.
Special gi doctors believe that gi………………………………………………………………………………
5. They use a special type of massage, reiki.
They use a special type of massage, which…………………………………………………………………
6. These are the places where stress builds up the most.
Stress builds up the most…………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Learning how to direct their gi to these areas will help them relax and live longer.
If they………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Exercises like tai chi teach people to develop their gi for self-defense.
People can………………………………………………………………………….through………………………....
9. Can science prove the existence of gi?
The text asks………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. People who do gi exercises use 25% more of their brain area than people who do
ordinary meditation.
People who do ordinary mediation……………………………………………………………………………

Though nowadays most people 1…(study) gi for health reasons, in the past, the Russians
2…(may/use) it for much more sinister purposes. And there 3…(be) even some researchers
who believe that the Russians 4…(make) a machine that uses gi energy as a weapon 5…(hurt)
people. This machine, which 6…(invent) in secret during the 1960s, 7…(discover) by the
American CIA in the late 1980s after the fall of communism. “We 8…(start/get) all these files
that were once secret,” 9…(say) one retired Air Force Colonel who10…(help/translate)
Russian military documents into English. We 11…(think) that this was a joke. I mean, who
12…(modal/take) this stuff seriously, the idea that mind waves could 13…(kill) a person?” he
said.
173
The machines looked like a fighter pilot’s helmet, but with a lot of wires and computer
attachments on its outside. After 14…(put on) the helmet, test subjects 15…(concentrate) on
a cat or a dog. After a few seconds, it was 16…(surprise) to see that the animal
17…(begin/react) strangely. If this program 18…(go on), cats and dogs 19…(suffer) a lot.

1______________________ 10______________________
2______________________ 11______________________
3______________________ 12______________________
4______________________ 13______________________
5______________________ 14______________________
6______________________ 15______________________
7______________________ 16______________________
8______________________ 17______________________
9______________________ 18______________________

1. Describe the most special person you have ever met and explain why.
2. Describe the first time you went to the gym and how you felt there.
3. Write a story entitled HOW MEDITATION CHANGED MY LIFE.

Note: No copying and pasting will be allowed, so make sure that this is your own
production. Those pieces of writing containing copy-pasted phrases, sentences or
chunks of text will receive a failing mark in Writing.

174
In almost any magazine or newspaper in England, you can find advertisements for adventure
tours to exotic places. These exciting tours can be bicycling, hiking, or even motorcycle trips
across deserts, over mountains, and around live volcanoes! Many of these tours are for
charity, which makes them more interesting to some people.
One advertisement offers people a “Bike Ride to hell and Back,” a 400-kilometer bicycle tour
across the lava fields of Iceland. The advertisement says that the tour is like a ride across the
face of the moon. The organization that set up this tour is advertising for people who can give
time and effort to raising money for a good cause. For their hard work, these people will also
be able to take the holiday of a lifetime.
The first thing that people have to do is sign up for the tour. The number of people who can
go on each tour is limited, and many tours fill up fast. Those who sign up then have to pay a
deposit in order to hold their space on the tour. People cannot get their deposit back later if
they change their mind, so they had better be sure they really want to go. The deposit is
usually between £150-250 (US$200-375).
Next, each person must raise a minimum amount of money for the charity. This money could
be anywhere between £1,500-2.500 (US$2,000-3,500). In order to raise this much money,
some people send letters to friends and relatives asking for help. Other people have big
parties where all of the guests must pay to come to the party. One farmer even divided up his
field into one meter squares to raise money. People could buy one square of the field for £1
each. Then the farmer let his cow walk across the field. Whoever bought the square where
the cow dropped its first “cow party” won a prize. Surprisingly, the majority of people who go
on the adventure tours end up collecting more than the minimum money that the charity asks
for.
Some people see a problem with this system of raising money fo9r charities. They think that
it is wrong for part of the money that people collect to be used to pay for someone’s holiday.
However, charities try to keep the overall cost of the tours low so that at least 60 or 70% of
the money which is raised goes to the charity. One charity said, “We expect to make an
average profit of £50,000 per trip.” This charity typically runs between 10 and 15 tours each
year.

175
Do people really want to spend their holiday doing something like bicycling for 400 kilometers
when they could be resting on a beach? These tours are not for everybody. But the people
who sign up for them all agree that it is a great experience. After hiking across the Namid
Desert, a young construction worker from London cried as he hugged all of the other people
who had been on the tour with him. Everyone cried. Most of them never thought that they
could take part in an adventure like that. They had not only finished a difficult hike, but they
had done it for someone else, for the charity.

1. _____ The adventure tours described in the reading are difficult, so only healthy people
should go on them.
2. _____ Less than half of the money that people raise for the charity is used to pay for
expenses on the trip.
3. _____ The farmer described in the reading sold his cow to raise money for the charity.
4. _____ Many people complain about the adventure tour when it’s finished.
5. _____ The charities set no limit on the number of people who can go on each tour, so
some tours get very crowded.

1. What is the main idea of the reading?

2. What makes the tours described in the reading interesting for people?
3. Why do some people disagree with this method of raising money for charities?
4. Why did the construction worker cry after finishing the Namib Desert hike?
5. What would probably be an adventure tour for charity?

1. In almost any magazine or newspaper in England, you can find advertisements for
adventure tours.
Advertisements for adventure tours……………………………………………………………………………
2. Many of these tours are for charity, which makes them more interesting.
176
 Many of these tours are more interesting because………………………………………………………
3. The advertisement says that the tour is like a ride across the face of the moon.
The advertisement compares……………………………………………………………………………………
4. The number of people who can go on each tour is limited, and many tours fill up fast.
Since……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Those who sign up then have to pay a deposit in order to hold their space on the tour.
If you want ……………………………………………, you …………………………………… after…………….
6. People cannot get their deposit back later if they change their mind, so they had better
be sure they really want to go.
It is advisable …………………………………, as, if ……………………………, you ……………………………
7. Each person must raise a minimum amount of money.
A minimum amount……………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Some people send letters to friends asking for help.
……………………………………………………………………in order to ……………………………………………..
9. Some people think it is wrong to pay for someone’s holiday. However, charities try to
keep the overall cost low.
Although………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. The people who sign up for them agree that it is a great experience.
Everyone who……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

There 1…(be) lots of people in the United States who 3…(give) donations to charities just
because they 3… (believe) strongly in what the charity 4…(do) at that moment. However,
some of these people 5…(not/take) into account that all of the donations can
6…(help/them/save) money on their taxes each year, too! The average American 7…(pay)
about 33% of her or his yearly income in taxes, so any way 8…(save) money on the taxes is a
welcome benefit. And not only donating cash 9…(count). Old stereos or clothes that
10…(donate) can also help lower a person’s taxes if they 11…(get) a receipt from the charity
with the 12…(estimate) value.
There are those who 13…(make) charities earn a lot of money. Once an old guy
14…(want/get) rid of an old car of his, but the car dealer 15…(not offer) him enough money.
A charity 16…(give) him the same amount of money as the car dealer, then the charity fixed
up the car and 17…(sell) it at an auction. If the old guy 18…(accept) the car dealer’s offer, the
charity 19…(not/earn) a great deal of money.

177
1______________________ 11______________________
2______________________ 12______________________
3______________________ 13______________________
4______________________ 14______________________
5______________________ 15______________________
6______________________ 16______________________
7______________________ 17______________________
8______________________ 18______________________
9______________________ 19______________________
10______________________ 20______________________

1. Describe the most adventurous person you have ever met.

2. Describe the greatest holidays you have ever had and explain why they were so
fabulous.
3. Write a story entitled “The day I became a hero.”

Note: No copying and pasting will be allowed, so make sure that this is your own
production. Those pieces of writing containing copy-pasted phrases, sentences or
chunks of text will receive a failing mark in Writing.

178
To be able to see all the explanations, make sure you have enabled Change Controls in your Word
document: open the document; on the Review Tab, under Tracking, select the Track Changes switch
to turn on track changes. Make sure that you change “Single Markup” to “All Markup” from the drop
down bar next to Track Changes.

A.
For 500 years, the Baltic Sea held in its depths a tall ship of the Renaissance era. Around the
time the ship sank, Columbus was discovering the New World. His fleet vanished long ago.
But the Renaissance vessel suddenly reappeared recently, remarkably well preserved in the
icy Baltic waters.
The first hint of its existence came in 2009, when a sonar survey by the Swedish Maritime
Administration registered an anomalous blip on the Baltic seafloor. Then, early this year, a
robotic camera, employed by a commercial team surveying an undersea route for a natural
gas pipeline, illuminated not the gooey seabed but a mysterious hulk.
In March, an international team of scientists lowered a pair of tethered robots to explore and
document what turned out to be the Renaissance sailing vessel.
“It’s amazing,” said Rodrigo Pacheco-Ruiz, a maritime archaeologist at the University of
Southampton, in Britain, who led the investigation. “We’re still a little bit over the moon.”

B.
Don’t even think about leaving your smartphone at home this summer if you are traveling to
a foreign country.
As much as we despise our attachment to our phones, we can’t deny it is an indispensable
travel companion that solves many problems, from showing us maps when we get lost to
displaying restaurant recommendations when we are hungry.
So what are the routes to being able to use your smartphone while in a foreign country, given
that your wireless service doesn’t generally extend to international travel?
To cut to the chase: There is a cheap way, which involves a lot of work. Or there is an easier
method that will most likely cost you a pretty penny.

179
Let’s start with that latter path. All it involves is contacting your phone carrier, like AT&T, to
set up international roaming for access to wireless service abroad. It’s simple. But here’s the
rub: The charges for data, minutes and texts can easily exceed $100 (in addition to your
regular phone bill) over a two-week trip.
For this column, I’m focusing on how to take your smartphone abroad for a more reasonable
price, which involves setting up wireless service with a foreign carrier’s network. With this
method, it will cost $15 to $40 for wireless data for a two-week international trip.
But this option takes lots of steps and forethought. So here’s a guide for those willing to put
up with some headaches to save money.
Step 1: Unlock your phone.
Step 2: Shop for a foreign SIM card: Before your trip, you can order a SIM card online and
have it shipped home or yYou can buy a SIM card at a wireless store at your destination.
Step 3: Prepare your phone for travel: Before you depart, pack and download everything you
will need ahead of time , so download offline maps and install an app for phone calls and
texts.
This all sounds like a lot of work, but I promise that after you try it once, traveling with a
smartphone gets easier with every trip. And there’s a bonus: The money you save can be
spent on food or gifts.

PRESENT TENSES KEY

PRESENT SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in the Present Simple:

In red you will find the head noun the verb has to coincide with.
It 1 is a simple fact—when the brain 2 gets fatigued, it 3 takes much longer to complete a task.
But what you may not know, 4 says Achor, is that after just two hours of continuous work,
your brain function actually 5 slows your body and your body 6 starts to rapidly accumulate
stress and strain. "The secret to beating this pattern 7 is taking five-minute breaks after every
90- to 120-minute sprints." He 8 suggests spending your wind-down time watching a funny
video on YouTube, finding a few new people to follow on Twitter or eating a high-protein
calorie snack for energy. 75

75
Capetta, Amy. Happiness At Work. Time.
180
STATIVE VERBS

Choose the correct form of the verbs:

k. I think you are good at singing.

l. That umbrella belongs to me.
m. She is being silly today.
n. They understand your point of view.
o. He is seeing someone at the moment.
p. I love dancing.
q. He doesn’t speak French at all.
r. You are being a bit silly at the moment.
s. Will you give me a second? I am thinking which the best answer is.
t. He owns two factories and a vineyard.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous:

In red you will find the head noun the verb has to coincide with.
If the stress of the job 1 is currently affecting your mental or physical health, the job isn’t
worth the toll it 2 is taking on your life. If you 3 are dreading the day or your health 4 is
suffering, then, what 5 are you waiting for? It’s time to quit your job! If you 6 are not feeling
happy and everybody 7 is now telling you that you look extremely tired and sad, then it’s time
start looking for a better job.

181
PRESENT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or the Present Continuous:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.

It 1 is 5 am and I 2 am trying to fall asleep. I 3 am counting sheep, hundreds of them, but

that 4 doesn’t seem to be of any use. Suddenly, I 5 remember that many people simply 6 get
up and 7 have a glass of warm milk in order to go to sleep. So, I 8 decide to go to the kitchen
and just when I 9 am trying open the bottle of milk, the bottle 10 slips from my fingers and
11 breaks into pieces, the milk splashing everywhere.
f. Debbie 1 works as an administrator at the university. She 2 organises all the timetables
and teaching schedules. She 3 is working very long hours at the moment because it’s the
start of the academic year but she 4 is going on a short holiday at the end of the month.76

g. Simon and Sylvia 1 are staying in a cottage in the Yorkshire Dales this month. The cottage
2 belongs to a cousin of Sylvia’s but the cousin is away: she 3 is cycling around Norfolk for
a few weeks. Simon and Sylvia often 4 use the cottage when Sylvia’s cousin is away. They
really 5 enjoy being in the middle of the countryside.77

h. The International School for Languages 1 is doing very well at the moment. About two
hundred students 2 are taking evening classes this term. Many of them 3 need to learn a
new language to improve their job prospects but some of them 4 are learning a new
language purely for pleasure. The European languages 5 are very popular but Japanese
and Russian 6 are getting more popular too. The school 7 provides good learning facilities
and 8 organizes a range of study tours.78

i. The world population 1 is still increasing rapidly. Many people in the world 2 are already
starving and many more 3 are suffering from malnutrition. The population 4 is growing
fastest in the poorest countries where people 5 need to have children to look after them
in their old age and where many of their children 6 die at a very young age.79

76
Walker, E. & S. Elseworth (1995). Grammar Practice for Upper Intermediate Students (179). Harlow:
Longman.
77
Ibid.
78
Ibid.
79
Ibid.
182
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Perfect Simple or Continuous:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.
Tim Bryant, a magazine journalist, is interviewing Margaret Rodwell, the founder of a
successful company.
TB: So why do you think your company 1 has been so successful?
MR: Well, our products 2 have filled a large gap in the market and I think one of the most
important things is that we 3 have always listened to our clients and we 4 have acted on their
comments and suggestions.
TB: And what’s a typical day for you?
MR: Well, take today for example. I 5 have been interviewing candidates for a marketing
executive post.
TB: And how many 6 have you interviewed?
MR: Er, I 7 have interviewed four so far. And I 8 have been talking to clients on the phone on
and off all day. I seem to spend a lot of time on the phone. I 9 have discussed some new ideas
with them for the transportation and delivery of products.
TB: Mm, it sounds like a very busy day.
MR: Oh, that’s only part of it. I 10 have had two meetings, one with Union representatives
and one with departmental heads. And I 11 have also worked/have also been working on a
proposal for a new marketing strategy.
TB: And it’s not two o’clock yet!
MR: No, but of course I 12 have been here since seven o’clock this morning.
TB: Gosh. And I hope you don’t mind my mentioning this Ms Rodwell, but some rumours 13
have been circulating about your possible engagement to Mr Grimaldi, the banker.
MR: No, there will be no engagement, though it’s true that Mr Grimaldi and I 14 have been
seeing each other. That’s no secret.
TB: When you get the time, I suppose. And is it also true that you 15 have been learning
Russian with a view to introducing your products there?
MR: Yes, I have, but I 16 have not learnt much yet; there’s still a long way for me to go.80

80
Walker, E. Idem.
183
 PRESENT TENSES
Choose the correct present tense:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.
Everyone 1. agrees that language is 2. always changing. For example, words often disappear
after a few years and new ones—especially among teenagers and young adults—3. are
appearing all the time. But speakers of English 4. have been using certain words for tens of
thousands of years. That’s what researchers at the University of Reading now 5. believe.
Dr Mark Pagel, who is leading the research at the University of Reading, 6. thinks that words
including ‘I’, ‘we’ and ‘two’ 7. have been with us since the Stone Age. Over the last few
months, his team 8. has been comparing modern and ancient languages using computers and
the results show that humans 9. have been saying some words for the last 15,000 to 25,000
years.
Since these findings, Dr Pagel 10. has also been studying how quickly words change or
disappear. For example, numbers and pronouns 11. don’t often change because we use them
extremely often. However, less frequently used words 12. evolve more quickly and are also
likely to die out very quickly.

FUTURE TENSES KEY

PRESENT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or the Present Continuous:
d. When you 1 return, I’ll give you a big hug.
e. Hugh Jackman 2 is signing autographs tomorrow at 10.
f. The film 3 opens on Thursday.

PRESENT SIMPLE vs. FUTURE SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or Future Simple:
A teacher is giving some students the details of a forthcoming trip.
184
The coach 1 leaves here at 9.00 a.m., and we 2 will arrive at the field study centre before
lunch. When we 3 get there, you 4 will be shown to your rooms and 5 will be given time to
unpack. Lunch 6 is served in the dining-room at 12.30 precisely so make sure you 7 don’t get
there late. When lunch 8 finishes, it 9 will be time to get ready for our first activity: a walk
down to the beach to look at the rock pools. Nets, magnifying glasses and containers 10 are
provided by the centre. If the weather 11 is fine, we 12 will stay on the beach for the whole
of the afternoon. Otherwise, we 13 will go back to the centre after an hour or two and watch
a video on seashore life. You 14 are expected to keep a written record of everything that you
15 find and we 16 will look at all the records when we 17 get back to school at the end of the
week. Mr McNeill, the field study supervisor, is very knowledgeable and I’m sure that he 18
will help you to identify anything that you 19 don´t recognize. Supper 20 is served at 6.00, and
at 8.00 there 21 is an evening activity. On the first night, Mr McNeill 22 plans to go on a
moonlit walk with us to look for bats. It is important that you 23 stay together on this walk.
Please, don’t wander off. It 24 won’t be easy for us to find you if you 25 get lost in the dark.
Behave sensibly and I’m sure you 26 will all have a wonderful time.81

FUTURE SIMPLE vs. GOING TO

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Future Simple or Going To form:

c. J: Have you decided what you 1 are going to do this weekend?

D: Yes, we 2 are going to have a quiet day on Saturday and then on Sunday we 3 are going
to take a bus up into the mountains and do some walking. And we 4 will probably book
into a hotel there for the night. What about you? 5 Are you going to do lots of work as
usual? 82

d. Coffee bars have proliferated in the United States during the past five years. The famous
Seattle chain, Starbucks, has become a trendy meeting place for many people. It’s not
uncommon for people to say, “I 1 will meet you at Starbucks in half an hour.” In addition,
the servers are extremely congenial. They 2 will prepare your coffee drink just the way
you want it—with non-fat milk, with decaffeinated coffee, with a double shot of espresso.
Starbucks is expanding: in fact, they 3 are going to open six new shops in my city this year.

81
Walker, E. Idem.
82
Ibid.
185
 I think I 4 will talk to my financial broker today about buying some stock in that company!
83

FUTURE SIMPLE vs. FUTURE CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Future Simple or Future Continuous:
c. A: Would you like to come over for lunch on Saturday?
B: Well, unfortunately, I 1 will be working all day Saturday.
A: Oh, that’s a shame. Well, you 2 will have to come over another day. I 3 will talk to Andy
about it and I 4 will phone you on Sunday. 5 Will you be in then?
B: Yes, definitely. I 6 will be recovering from my week’s work.

d. A: 1 Will you go to the meeting tonight? If so, I 2 will give you a lift there.
B: Oh yes please, that would be helpful. I 3 will be playing tennis until 7 o’clock but I 4 will
be back shortly after that.
A: O.K. I 5 will pick you up at about 7.30. 6 Will you be ready by then?
B: Yes. Don’t worry. I 7 will be waiting for you when you get here.

FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in the Future Perfect Simple:

By this time next week, we 1 will have crossed the whole of Australia. We 2 will have driven
more than 2,000 miles; we 3 will have slept under the stars; we 4 will have seen the sun set
over Uluru; we 5 will have visited the famous town of Alice Springs; and we 6 will have arrived
at our final destination—Darwin—on the tropical north coast. 84

83
Steer, Jocelyn M. & Karen A. Carlisi (1998). The Advanced Grammar Book—2nd ed. Massachusetts: Heinle &
Heinle.
84
Hughes, John. Idem.
186
 PAST TENSES KEY

PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Past Simple or Continuous:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.
e. Here he 1 was, Davey Stark, the big rock star. It 2 was the end of an exhausting two-hour
concert. The fans 3 were screaming and 4 shouting. They 5 wanted Davey, their hero. His
face 6 was pouring with sweat, his hair 7 was dripping and his heart 8 was thumping
violently. But he 9 loved these moments at the end of a concert. He always 10 felt
powerful and in control. He 11 decided to do one more song for the crowd: one of this
most popular. When he 12 was starting singing, the crowd 13 went wild. By the end of
the song, they 14 were all dancing and 15 clapping their hands. When Davey 16 left the
stage, he 17 was exhausted but exhilarated. But when he 18 got back to the dressing
room, he 19 opened the door and 20 saw that two men 21 were waiting for him. They 22
locked the door behind Davey. He 23 shouted for his bodyguard Bernard, but no-one 24
came. The two men 25 tied his hands behind his back, 26 blindfolded and 27 gagged him.
Davey 28 could hear Bernard in the next room. Bernard 29 was talking to someone and
he 30 was saying terrible things about Davey. He 31 said that Davey 32 deserved it. 33
Deserved what? What 34 did he mean? What 35 was going on? Why 36 didn’t someone
tell him what 37 was happening?85

f. It 1 happened in June 1985. It 2 was summer and we 3 were all lying out in the garden.
My mother 4 was reading and my uncle 5 was just dozing in the sun. We children 6 were
looking for worms and insects. And then he 7 arrived. He 8 was a tall, handsome man
with piercing blue eyes and he 9 looked straight at my mother. Her face 10 went pale and
her eyes 11 opened wide with shock. ‘Arthur, I 12 thought you 13 were dead,’ she 14 said
in a kind of whisper.

g. A: I 1 phoned you at about 9 0’clock this morning but you 2 didn’t answer. What 3 were
you doing?

85
Walker, E. Idem.

187
 B: Well, I 4 heard the phone but I 5 was having a shower and I 6 couldn’t get out in time
to answer it. Anyway, what 7 did you want?

A: Well, last night I 8 was clearing out that old desk you 9 gave me when I 10 came across
a pile of old letters with a red ribbon round them.
B: My letters?
A: Yes, they 11 were addressed to you. And they 12 all smelt of perfume, a man’s
perfume.86

h. Last night Jake 1 woke up at about 3 a.m. As soon as he 2 woke up, he 3 listened out for
strange noises but he 4 didn’t hear any. His father 5 was snoring in the next room, some
central heating pipes 6 were making a bit of a noise and a tap 7 was dripping in the
bathroom. It was all as usual. Jake 8 opened the window and 9 looked outside. The moon
10 was full and it 11 was shining brightly. Jake 12 thought he 13 saw an owl in one of the
trees. He 14 could certainly hear one. But then he 15 saw something different. A man—
no, it 16 was a woman. She 17 was wearing white and she 18 was hiding behind a tree.
Suddenly she 19 ran towards the house.87

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PAST SIMPLE

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Present Simple or Past Simple:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.
d. Simon Reeve is an author and TV presenter. Several of his books and TV programmes 1.
have won international awards. He 2. has made a series of fascinating travel
documentaries for the BBC. He 3. has travelled to the four corners of the earth. In 2006
he 4. circled the earth following the Equator. In 2008 he 5. did the same again, but this
time following the tropic of Capricorn. He 6. has visited some of the most dangerous
places on earth. He 7. has also been to places no other foreign visitor 8. has ever visited.
His taste for travel first 9. developed when he and his family 10. drove across Europe on
their summer holidays.88

86
Ibid.

87
Walker, E. Idem.
88
Hughes, John & Ceri Jones (2011). Practical Grammar, Level 3. (288). UK: Heinle Cengage Learning.
188
 e. News 1 have just come in that there 2 has been an air crash somewhere off the south
coast of England. There 3 were 120 passengers and crew on the plane and it is understood
that no survivors 4 have been found. Apparently, the plane 5 went mysteriously out of
control and 6 plunged into the sea. Relatives of most of the passengers and crew 7 have
now been informed and many of them 8 have set off for the sea rescue base, but they 9
haven’t been given much hope. Most of the passengers 10 were on business.89

f. Despite the problems that the government 1 has had in the last two years, it 2 has
somehow managed to stay in power. There 3 have been a number of scandals, involving
government ministers, including one rumour about the Prime Minister himself. It is said
that he 4 promised gifts to certain Members of Parliament in Exchange for their vote
before he 5 was elected leader. In spite of all this, the government 6 has maintained its
position in Parliament and 7 claimed that this 8 was the most successful term of office
that a government 9 has ever had. This is rather surprising as they 10 came to power with
only a small majority.90

PAST SIMPLE vs. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE & PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Write the verbs in brackets in either the Past Simple or Present Perfect Simple or Present
Perfect Continuous:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.
Andrew and Michael, two friends, are talking.
A: Hello, I 1 haven’t seen you for ages.
M: No, it must be about two years since we last 2 met. What 3 have you done with yourself?
A: I 4 have done all sorts of things. Life 5 has been very busy lately. I 6 have started a new job
at the sailing centre.
M: Really! Doing what?
A: Well, I 7 have been teaching beginners’ courses to school groups this term but when those
8 have finished, I’ll be teaching more advanced groups on holiday courses.
M: That sounds great. What about your old job at the tourist office then?

89
Hughes, John. Idem.
90
Ibid.
189
A: Well, I 9 worked there for ten years and I quite 10 enjoyed the job but I 11 wanted to do
something different. I 12 have always enjoyed sailing in my spare time so I 13 thought it would
be nice to do it for a job.
M: So how long 14 have you been at the sailing centre?
A: For about two months now, I’m sure I 15 did the right thing. It’s a really enjoyable job. And
what about you?
M: Well, I’m still at the Rembrandt Hotel. I 16 have been working there for fifteen years now.
But I 17 have had a promotion, so that’s good. They 18 have given me the job of head
receptionist.
A: Oh, that’s good news.
M: Yes, it 19 made me feel much better about work. I mean, I 20 have done a lot of different
jobs at the hotel but I 21 have never had a job with this much responsibility before. I 22
worked on the reception desk for four years when I 23 started at the hotel—that was before
they 24 moved me into the office—but I 25 was only a junior receptionist then so I just 26 did
what I 27 was told to do.
A: So when 28 did you get the new job?
M: A month ago, after I 29 passed my intermediate exams in Spanish and German at the
college. Did you know I 30 have been doing language evening classes at the college for a while
now?
A: No, I didn’t realize.
M: Yes, I 31 decided that I 32 couldn’t get any further at work without learning some
languages.
A: And so you did! What a good idea.91

PAST SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS vs. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Circle the correct form of the verbs in italics:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.
f. She has just climbed a tree.
g. He was climbing up the stairs when he tripped and fell down.
h. They have studied French since 2014.
i. The President has announced a tax increase.

91
Walker, E. Idem.
190
 j. When he broke the news, there was a general sigh of relief.

PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Simple or Past Perfect:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to using each tense.
James 1 sat outside the office waiting for the interview. He 2 felt so nervous that he 3 didn’t
know what to do with himself. The person who 4 had got in before him 5 had been in there
for nearly an hour. And she 6 had looked so confident when she 7 went in. Not like James. He
8 felt sure that she 9 had already got the job. The problem 10 was that he 11 wanted this job
so much. It 12 meant everything to him. He 13 had thought about it such a lot before the day
of the interview. He 14 had imagined himself performing brilliantly at the interview and being
offered the job immediately. But now there he 15 was feeling terrible. He 16 couldn’t
remember all those things he 17 had planned to say. At that moment, he 18 almost decided
to get up and leave. But no—he 19 had to do this. He 20 had spent so much time thinking
about it that he 21 couldn’t give up like that. His hands 22 were hot and sticky and his mouth
23 was feeling dry. Finally, the door of the office 24 opened. The woman who 25 had gone in
an hour earlier 26 came out looking very pleased with herself. She 27 was smiling
sympathetically at James. At that moment James 28 hated her. The managing director then
29 appeared at the office door. ‘Would you like to come in now, Mr Davis? I’m sorry to have
kept you waiting.’ James 30 suddenly wished that he 31 had gone home after all. He 32 got
up, legs shaking and forehead sweating and 33 wondered whether he 34 looked as terrified
as he 35 felt. 92

PAST TENSES

Fill in the gaps with the Past Simple, the Continuous, the Past Perfect Simple or the Past
Perfect Continuous:
c. We 1 had been working for the same company for a couple of months. I 2 had seen
her in the distance and I 3 had noticed how attractive she was, but we 4 had never
spoken. Then, while we 5 were doing a training course together, we finally got to know
each other. We 6 had a drink with the other people on the course at the end of the

92
Walker, E. Idem.
191
 first day, and we 7 were all talking about how difficult it was. I 8 hadn’t noticed that
she was standing just behind me. I laughed at one of the jokes, stepped back and spilt
her drink down her dress! I 9 had never felt so embarrassed in my life. But she was
really nice about it. I bought her another drink and we got talking. She told me she 10
had just bought a house on my street and that she 11 had been spending her
weekends painting and decorating. I offered to help her. That’s how it all started!93

d. It was 8 o’clock and at last I was ready. I 1 had been spending hours deciding what to
wear. This was a special occasion and I 2 wanted to look my best. I 3 was walking to
the bus stop when a friend 4 passed me in his car.
He 5 was driving into town. He 6 offered to give me a lift. We 7 stopped the car
opposite the restaurant. I could see the people inside. They 8 had already started
eating. As I waited on the pavement, a huge lorry 9 drove straight through a big puddle
of water. My dress was covered in mud. I 10 looked a real mess. All the customers in
the restaurant 11 laughed at me. I 12 had never felt so embarrassed in my whole life.94

PRESENT vs. PAST TENSES

Choose the correct option:

In the past, collecting 2. was a hobby for rich people. Kings and queens 2. sent explorers to
find new objects in strange new countries. Since those times, people from all types of
background 3. collected every kind of object from the normal (stamps and coins) to the weird
(lunchboxes and toilet paper).

Mike Bryant 4. has been collecting antique bottles for years. Bryant 5. has built an extra room
above his garage to keep all the bottles.

Another collector, Pat Sonnenberg, 6. has also been creating a special room in the house for
her collection of 350 lunchboxes. She 7. started collecting lunchboxes because she 8. didn’t
have one for school when she was a child. #

93
Hughes, John. Idem.
94
Ibid.
192
 CONDITIONALS KEY
A. Fill in the gaps with the correct tense of the verb in brackets:

i. If your dog looks sad, he probably misses you.

j. If you press the green key, the computer starts.
k. If it rains on Saturday, the concert will be cancelled.
l. Unless we hurry up, we will miss our flight.
m. If you stop shouting, I will appreciate it.
n. If I were you, I would buy a larger flat.
o. If I had known the party was at 7 pm, I would have come two hours earlier.
p. If he studied/had studied harder, he would graduate/would have graduated much
sooner.

B. Paraphrase the following sentences into the Second Conditional:

j. If I had a spare ticket, I could take you to the concert.

k. If she drank less coffee, she would feel calm.
l. If he could type, he would be able to operate the computer.
m. If they understood the problem, they would find a solution.
n. If he didn’t sit around too much, he would be fit.
o. If she were in your position, she would be able to advise you.
p. If I weren’t in a hurry, I would buy you a palace.
q. If the weather weren’t sunny, we would stay indoors.
r. If I were not fit, I wouldn’t go climbing.

C. Paraphrase the following sentences into the Third Conditional:

k. If I had managed to repair my car earlier, I would have driven you to London.
l. If I had known last week that she was ill, I would have visited her.
m. If you had not wanted to drive straight home, we would have missed all this traffic.
n. If you had asked politely, I would have helped you.
o. If the weather forecast had been different, we would have stayed at home.
p. We would have been at the airport for hours if we had not known that the flight was
delayed.
q. I would have made a bad mistake if had not read the instructions.
r. We would have had an accident if our car had not been properly serviced.
s. If he had fastened the seatbelt, he would not have been hurt.

193
 t. She would not have heard the news if she had not turned on the radio this morning.95

D. Paraphrase the following sentences using the proper tenses for 1st, 2nd or 3rd
Conditional:

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to choosing the type of conditional
sentence.
k. Unless you start telling the truth right now, they won’t give you another chance.
l. Why don’t you come visit next week? If you came, we would go to the beach every
morning.
m. John was here not long ago. If you had come round earlier, you would have seen him.
n. The Town Hall is planning to demolish one of the city’s landmarks. If that happens, the
town will lose a great part of its charm.
o. The renowned Indian cook is expecting to win the next cooking contest, but if he loses,
he will give up cooking.
p. I am so glad that you took me to that concert. If we hadn’t gone there, I would never
have realised what a good band that is.
q. If clothes were cheaper, more and more people would buy new outfits every season.
r. If she gets that autograph, she will be on cloud nine.
s. Fortunately, the fire at the disco started when it was closed. It would have been a
disaster if it had happened when it was crowded.
t. Children would be much happier if they spent less time online and more time
outdoors.

E. Write the correct form of the verb in brackets to complete the conditional sentences in
this article. Use modal verbs where appropriate.

In green you will find the words or phrases that are key to choosing the type of conditional
sentence.
It’s January 1st. You’re on the bathroom scales, groaning. If you 1 hadn’t eaten that last piece
of Christmas pudding, perhaps you wouldn’t have put on that extra kilo. Never mind, you can
lose it and get fit at the gym!

Or is that the right thing to do? If you’re unfit, you 2 stand a huge chance of injuring yourself
in the gym or on the squash court. You must take care before launching yourself into a
vigorous exercise routine: if you don’t treat your body with respect, it 3 won’t function as you

95
Alexander, L. G. Idem.
194
want it to. The knee, in particular, can cause untold problems. We 4 wouldn’t have problems
with our knees if we still 5 walked on all fours, but they’re not up to a vertical pounding on
the treadmill for an hour a day. All of our joints can cause problems; if you 6 want to play
football safely, make sure you wear the right boots to protect your ankles. Decent coaching 7
is essential if you’re going to take up a racket sport: something as simple as a wrong-size grip
can cause tennis elbow.

Many sports injuries are caused by insufficient warm-ups. If everyone spent a few minutes
stretching their muscles before exercising, they 8 would experience much less pain during
exercise itself. But people can be stubborn about pain when exercising. The phrase ‘no pain,
no gain’ is rubbish. Should you feel pain when you’re exercising, you 9 should stop at once!

Sport has so many other hazards, though. Golf, you would think, is relatively harmless. Not so
for Anthony Phua, a Malaysian golfer who was killed by getting in the way of his partner’s
swing. Now, if he hadn’t taken up that particular form of exercise in the first place, it 10
wouldn’t have happened.

What can you do if you 11 don’t want to risk sport, but you still want to lose weight? Well, it’s
not all bad news for couch potatoes. If you’re happy to lose calories steadily but slowly, just
12 stay at home: sleeping burns 60 calories an hour, ironing 132 and cooking 190. Just don’t
eat what you cook!96

PAST HABITS KEY

USED TO vs. WOULD

Rephrase the sentences using either Used To or Would where appropriate:
e. In previous centuries, women would stay / use to stay at home with their children.
f. When in primary school, he would get up / used to get up at 6:45.
g. They would read / used to read for hours.
h. In the past, there used to be a Pizza Hut across the street.

96
Foley, Mark. Idem.
195
PAST TENSES vs. USED TO/WOULD
Fill in the blanks with the correct Past Tense, Used To or Would as appropriate. You may
need to use either the active or passive forms:

Treasure Island is one of the best known and most loved children’s adventure stories. It 1 was
first published in 1883 but remains popular to this day. People 2 used to think that the story
was solely the work of Sevenson’s imagination, but recent research has uncovered the true
origin of this thrilling tale of hidden treasure and bloodthirsty pirates.
Treasure Island’s author, Robert Louis Stevenson, 3 was a Scotsman born in Edinburgh in
1850. Although he 4 lived abroad for many years, in 1881 he returned to the land of his birth
for a holiday. With him 5 was his American wife, Fanny, whom he 6 had met five years earlier
in France, and his stepchildren from Fanny’s first marriage. The location of their holiday was
Braemar, in the rugged Scottish Highlands.
The family soon settled into a relaxing routine. Each morning Stevenson 7 used to/ would get
up early and take them out for long walks over the hills. They 8 had enjoyed this for several
days when the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse. Trapped indoors by the heavy
rain, Robert’s twelve-year-old stepson, Lloyd, 9 became increasingly bored and restless.
Desperate to keep the boy amused, Robert 10 got out some drawing paper and asked the boy
to do some painting.
After he 11 had been painting for several hours, the boy 12 returned to his stepfather with a
beautiful coloured map of a tropical island. Robert noticed that his stepson 13 had drawn a
large cross in the middle of the island. ‘What’s that?’ he asked. ‘That’s the buried treasure,’
said the boy. The thirty-one-year-old author suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He 14 had
recently been asked to contribute stories to a children’s magazine published by his friend W
E Henley and he 15 began to see the germ of an adventure story in the boy’s picture. While
the rain 16 was beating down on the roof of his rented holiday cottage the author 17 sat down
by the fire to write a story. He would make the hero a twelve-year-old boy, just like his own
stepson. But who would be the villain of the piece?
For the last four years, Henley 18 had been publishing Robert’s stories in his magazine, and
the two 19 had become good friends. But there was something unusual about Henley; he 20
used to/would walk around with the aid of an artificial wooden leg. Robert 21 had always
wanted to include such a character in a story and thus Long John Silver, the pirate with a
wooden leg, was born.

196
So, thanks to a rainy September in Scotland, a publisher with a wooden leg, and the
inventiveness of a twelve-year-old American boy, we have one of the greatest adventure
stories in the English Language.97

BE USED TO vs. GET USED TO

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of Be or Get where appropriate:
f. He was used to travelling on the train to work every day. He’d been doing it for years
and always took a book with him.
g. They soon got used to the new routine and really enjoyed the change.
h. Moving to a new town can be quite stressful, but I’m sure I will get used to it pretty
quickly.
i. At the beginning, I wasn’t (not) used to working nights and I found it very difficult to
adapt.
j. She had always lived alone and was used to having the house to herself, so she didn’t
like having visitors to stay. 98

USED TO, BE USED TO, GET USED TO

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of Used to, Be Used to or Get Used to where
appropriate:
A: So what 1 did you use to do before you became a teacher?
B: I 2 used to work as a banker in the City, in London.
A: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
B: My working life 3 used to be very stressful. I 4 was used to working ten or twelve hours a
day and under a lot of pressure. It was very tiring and I decided it was time for a change.
A: Was it difficult to 5 get used to your new lifestyle?
B: Well, I 6 was used to earning a lot more money, so it took me a bit of time to 7 get used to
living on a teacher’s salary! And I 8 wasn’t used to working with kids, but now I’m slowly 9
getting used to the role of a teacher and I’m loving every minute of it—well, almost!
A: And how about your new working routine?

97
Foley, Mark & Diane Hall. (2003). Longman Advanced Learners’ Grammar: A self-study reference & practice
book with answers. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. (384).
98
Hughes, John. Idem.
197
B: I 10 got used the shorter working hours and the longer holidays very quickly! I only 11 used
to take ten or fifteen days’ holiday a year when I was a banker. Now I have six weeks’ holiday
in the summer alone. That’s great!99

A.

a. The Royal Hotel was completely destroyed last night by a fire. By the time the Fire
Brigade was called, the hotel was already blazing. Fifteen people were taken to hospital
suffering from severe burns. It is said that seven of them are in serious condition./Seven
of them are said to be in serious condition. It is thought that the fire was started by a
discarded cigarette.

c. The company is sorry to announce that it has been forced to introduce a range of cost-
cutting measures as from the beginning of the new year. Unfortunately, free tea and
coffee can no longer be provided. New coin-operated drinks machines are going to be
installed in every apartment and a wide range of drinks can be purchased from these.
Overtime payments will also be stopped after the end of this month all members of
staff will be expected to complete their duties within their contract hours. Personal
calls must no longer be made from office phones and you are requested to use the
payphone in the basement for this purpose.

B. 1. are driven 2. are killed 3. cross

4. are taken 5. are killed 6. make
7. often been seen 8. are hit 9. more around
10. be hypnotized 11. don’t move 12. are sometimes hit
13. fly 14. Can anything be done 15. was built
16. have been constructed 17. lives 18. have been built
19. has been put up 20. to look out 21. are often seen
22. hope 23. will become

99
Hughes, John. Idem.
198
 REPORTED SPEECH

A. a. suggested b. warned c. apologised d. admitted

e. refused f. recommended g. accused h. encouraged

B. a. He commented (that) he had booked his summer holiday.

b. She promised to help me./She promised that she would help me.
c. They complained about waiting for me all morning.
d. The teacher ordered us not to shout in class.
e. Susan asked her friend whether/if he believed the exam would be too difficult.
f. He wanted to know what the postman had brought that morning.
g. She announced (that) the visitors were coming on Saturday.
h. A spokesperson stated that the police had been investigating the murder.
i. He asked me what I had been doing the day before at 5 pm.
j. The teacher asked John why he had answered the phone in class.

C. The Postman asked Mr. Smith if he could sign for the parcel. He informed him that it
had been sent by Amazon. Mr. Smith explained that that was the book he had bought
the week before and added that he had been waiting for it. He wondered whether the
Postman liked reading. The Postman answered that he was very keen on reading, and
commented that, in fact, he always carried a book with him and read whenever he
could. Mr. Smith then wanted to know what kind of books he preferred. The Postman
admitted that he had no preferences and remarked that if he had to buy a book, he
would always choose a good writer. Finally, he suggested that Mr. Smith should do the
same.

A. 1. Ø 2. Ø 3. the 4. Ø 5. Ø 6. Ø
7. the 8. the 9. the 10. the 11. Ø 12. the
13. a 14. the 15. The 16.the 17. Ø 18. the
19. Ø 20. the 21. the 22. the 23. Ø 24. the
25. the 26. the 27. Ø

199
B. 1. the 2. a 3. A 4. a 5. the
6. a 7. A 8. a 9. a 10. the
11. A 12. the 13. an 14.The 15. the

ADJECTIVES
A. 1. eccentric brilliant French 2. pretty white satin3. annual Asian spring
4. fresh delicious red 5. soft maroon leather
6. microscopic orangey-pink
tropical
7. small oblong red plastic 8. quaint old small-sized 9. beautiful antique French carved
coffee medieval
10. ugly loose old-fashioned
yellow woolly

C. 1. Interested 2. excited 3. frightening

4. boring 5. embarrassed 6. overwhelmed
7. thrilling 8. terrified 9. relaxing
10. amusing

COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES

A. a. safer b. best c. the wettest d. more real than

e. the farthest f. fatter g. more tidy/tidier h. looser
than
i. the worst j. drier k. the biggest l. the keenest
m. the prettier/the n. more wrong than o. The most scared p. more bored
prettiest

B. a.as bad as b. as old as c. as intelligent as d. as expensive as

e.as intelligent as f. as boring as g. as high as h. as white as
i. as drunk as j. as quickly as

200
A. 1.that/which 2. which 3. where/ in which 4. who
5.whose 6. which 7. whom 8. who
9.when 10. which 11. which/that

B. 1. A 2. b 3. a 4. b 5. a 6. a 7. a 8. a 9. b 10. b

C. a. Scientists who have been studying cancer genes for year have just discovered a new
wonder-cure for cancer.
b. The body of a man who jumped off the Severn Bridge has been found.
c. The politician who was disgraced in a financial scandal has handed in his resignation.
d. The global warming conference that/which was held in The Hague has ended without
agreement.
e. Irvine Narrowly, whose contract with Ferrari finishes at the end of the season, has
missed the Formula 1 World Champion title.
f. The hand count of votes that/which were spoiled in the recent US presidential
election has continued.
g. The London Zoo, which was in danger of closing through lack of funds, has remained
opened.
h. A size 16 model who refused to diet to a size 12 has won a new Estée Lauder contract.

a. She is never in her office.

b. They seldom take a holiday.
c. The students are always complaining about the homework.
d. Surprisingly, he was given an amazingly beautiful sports car last Friday.
e. I sometimes believe we are all going crazy.
f. Lately, there has been too much gossiping./There has been too much gossiping lately.
g. He is often asked where he was born.
h. I honestly think you are cheating on me.
i. They go running twice a week.
j. He is quite hard-working.

201
a. direct b. free c. hard d. highly
e. shortly f. high g. possible h. directly
i. hardly j. unreliable

A. 1. Are 2. meet 3. was entering 4. comes

5. have finished 6. was waiting 7. As soon as 8. walked
9. heard 10. left

B. a. was b. save/ have saved c. breaks d. lived

e. jumped f. was eating g. has been learning h. shouts
i. die j. get k. have been talking l. finish/have finished
m. used to sing n. had already turned o. has improved

a. He has a great time whenever he goes on holiday.

b. She loves places where she can relax and enjoy the peacefulness of nature.
c. I will follow you anywhere you go.
d. Everywhere they turn, they come into him.
e. In a plane, I always sit where there is room for my legs.

a. My parents look as if/though they were ready to kill me.

b. I look as if/though I had run a marathon.
c. I feel as if/though I had been run over by a truck.
d. I should speak to the group as if/though I were a professional.
e. I should behave as if/though I were a lady.

a. I would marry someone from a different religion than mine as long as he loves me.
b. She is such a good doctor because she keeps studying very hard.
c. Now that you mention it, yes, I would.
d. I am taking a postgraduate course due to the fact that I want to keep learning.
e. She is baking a chocolate cake since it is her boyfriend’s birthday today.

202
a. such b. so c. such d. such e. so
f. so g. so h. such i. so j. such

a. Even though a certificate is very important, many students drop out before they
graduate.
b. Many wealthy families can afford to send their kids to private school; however,
they put them in public school.
c. While private school academic programs are excellent, public school athletic
programs are first-rate.
d. Despite the fact that the long-term effects of homeschooling have not been
determined, many families feel that this is the best way to protect their children from
the negative influences found in public school.
e. Although some students graduate from high school, they have difficulty reading and
writing.

a. He remained silent so that he would not be heard by his wife.

b. I stayed indoors in order to keep warm.
c. They are tidying their room so that they are not reprimanded by their mom.
d. He has taken an aspirin to feel better.
e. She told a white lie not to hurt his feelings.
f. The dog was tied up so that it didn’t escape.
g. We didn’t call you so as not to bother you.
h. She tiptoed across the room in order not to wake up the baby.
i. He read the article several times in order that she could retell it.
j. She brought a warm sweater not to catch a cold.

A. a. could b. be able to c. is able to

d. hasn’t been able to e. can’t

B. 1.couldn’t 2. could 3. could 4. can

203
C. a. can…can’t b. couldn’t c. can’t d. is able to e. were able to

a. They may/might/could be going to increase airport fees to pay for increased security.
b. Don’t turn off the computer yet. Someone may/might/could still be using it.
c. In late 18th century Scotland, you might/could be hanged for stealing a sheep.
d. These people may/might have a lot of money, but it doesn’t make them interesting.
e. By Friday I may/might/could have finished the book, but if I get too busy, I might
not.
f. Can/Could someone tell me where the main office is?
g. We know he doesn’t tell the truth, so we really cannot/couldn’t believe any of his
stories.
h. He asked me last night if you might be willing to talk to Margaret for him.
i. According to the forecast, the weather may/might/could be a bit warmer today.
j. This switch isn’t working. Could the children have broken it?

a. B: No, it can’t be him. He’s away on business.

b. B: No, the weather forecast says it could/might rain.
c. B: That can’t be right! He’s sitting at his desk.
d. B: It must be right. It says so on the map.
e. B: I think they might be on the kitchen table.

a. may b. be allowed to c. Can

d. be allowed to e. can/may f. be allowed to

1.do I have to 2. will have to 3. have to

4.must 5. has to 6. should
7. having to 8. need 9. had to

a. didn’t need to b. needn’t have c. shouldn’t

204
d. have to/need to e. having to f. must

A. a. This politician should have mentioned his plan of action.

b. Your brother must have been a good student.
c. My sister may have taken my belongings.
d. We could have chatted all night long.
e. They might have phoned him when in London.

B. a. The orchestra’s instruments must be arriving on a later plane.

b. You must try this tomato bread.
c. You don’t have to get an international driving license for this country.
d. The government shouldn’t have tried to break the strike.
e. You had better not chat up my girlfriend again!
f. We didn’t need to book the table as there was hardly anyone in the restaurant.
g. The gas supply must be disconnected before moving the boiler.
h. Latecomers will not be allowed to enter the theatre until there is a suitable break.
i. The solicitor must have received the information by now.
j. It should be easy to get tickets for the first night.

C. a. Shall I open the front door?

b. Would you mind picking up a parcel for me?
c. Would you like to go out for dinner this evening?
d. Can I make you a drink?
e. Could I have an appointment with Mr. Smith?
f. You may park your car in my garage.
g. We should go dancing tonight.
h. Would you answer the phone for me?
i. You may go out with your friends but you must be back before your parents arrive.
k. I didn’t need to bring my tablet.

205
A. 1. Being asked to leave the room was a humiliating experience.

2. When I visited the Prado Museum, seeing Las Meninas for the first time was
(moving).
3. One reason I admit Mahatma Gandhi is that (he lived according to his principles).
4. The first time you exercise is (the hardest).
5. Some English words (look Spanish).
6. Registration at UBA is a (painful) process.

B. 1. b 2. b c. b 4. b

C. 1. Reading goods books is essential to acquire vocabulary.

2. The laboratory should be updated.
3. Diets which are low in sodium are good for people suffering from hypertension.
4. Playing rugby can be dangerous for your bones and muscles.
5. Commuters tend to be aggressive when getting on and off trains.

D. 1. Advertisements on television give consumers (a lot of information).

2. People can (learn whatever language) they want on Flatbush Avenue, the central
street in Brooklyn, New York.
3. Anyone who saw him once (never forgot) his nose and his body.

A. The Internet is a (very useful tool for college students).

a. Students can learn about different cultures.
b. Students can find a tutor or help on the Internet.
c. Students will instantly find the information they need.
206
B. There are (different ways to conserve) the earth’s resources.
C.1. a. By reading authoritative books they can enhance their vocabulary.
b. They can learn new structures.
c. They can improve their organization of ideas.
2. a. It can lead to a fracture.
b. Parachuters may have pulmonary problems.
c. A landing may sometimes result in a fatal accident.
3. a. Films may help you get used to getting a general understanding of what is being
said.
b. The images shown may help you understand or even learn new vocabulary.
c. You can get used to different intonations.

Spanking is (an unacceptable way to raise a child). Though, in the past, it was
not unusual for a parent to spank their kids whenever they misbehaved, or at
least to give them a whack on the rear whenever they had a tantrum, since the
1960’s this practice has been regarded as unwise, as it sends a wrong message:
that violence is the only recourse to solve a dispute. In fact, scientific studies have
proved that corporal punishment does not reduce antisocial behaviour, but
rather encourages it, thus contributing to the general wisdom that hitting a child
is inconceivable. Besides, it is normal for little kids to have a tantrum. So, if a child
misbehaves, spanking should never be considered.

1. 1. Not getting enough sleep could interfere with your ability to lose weight. New
findings link changes in two important appetite-regulating hormones to the
amount of sleep people regularly get. In a study that started in 1989, 1,024
volunteers filled out questionnaires and kept diaries that registered their sleep
habits. In addition, once every four hours, they had their blood sampled. The
findings: those people who consistently slept less than five hours a night had
significant differences in the two appetite-regulating hormones compared with
those who slept an average of eight hours a night. Therefore, proving that not
sleeping a minimum of eight hours leads to putting on weight.

207
 2. To me, Nelson Mandela is a real hero. The main reason I admire him is that he
fought for equal rights in his country and did not give up until he had achieved
his goal. As a young man, he became a fighter for equal rights in South Africa,
where he courageously resisted the South African government’s policy of
apartheid. His courage only landed him on Robbin Island, one of the toughest
prisons in the world, where he was held for 26 years. Even so, when he was in
prison, he did not give up the fight. He continued to talk to the other prisoners
and try to get publicity for his cause. After he was released from prison in 1990,
he quickly took over the leadership of the opposition party and pushed the
government even harder for a government that would represent all South
Africans. Finally, in 1994, he was successful; he saw his dream fulfilled.100

The aeroplane had only been in the air for about twenty minutes 1. When suddenly it began
to dive towards the ground. 2. Immediately, the passengers began to panic. 3. As soon as the
flight attendants realised what was happening, they did their best to calm everyone down, 4.
while the plane continued to lose altitude. 5. Meanwhile, in the cockpit, the pilot was
struggling to control the plane. 6. At last it righted itself and he sighed with relief. The flight
7. then continued without any further problems.

There had never been a storm like it 8. before- at least not 9. since the great flood in 1962.
Kevin was trying to steer his car through the pouring rain 10. when all of a sudden his car
stopped. The engine continued to run for a few seconds, 11. then coughed twice and fell
silent. Reluctantly, Kevin got out of his car and watched it sink slowly into the mud at the side
of the road. 12. After staring at his useless car for a few minutes, he 13. Finally stuck his hands
into his pockets, bent his head and began the long walk home.101

100
Evans, Virginia. (1998). Successful Writing-Upper Intermediate. Newbury: Express Publishing. (135).

101
Evans, V. Idem.
208
A.

a. List the main ideas or events referred to in each paragraph.

1. setting – description of school
2. relationship with friends
3. description of the classroom and vase
4. how the flower vase got broken
5. teacher’s reaction
6. confession and punishment

b.INTRODUCTION: 1st paragraph

MAIN BODY: 2nd to 6th paragraphs
CONCLUSION: last paragraph

B.

I will never forget the time I surprised everyone, even myself. When I was a sophomore
in college in St. Paul, Minnesota, I was a member of the speech/debate team. My area
of performance was oral interpretation, a category in which each contestant would
memorize several short pieces of literature and deliver them with appropriate intonation
and emotion in front of two or three judges. The person who gave the best interpretation
won.
Once our team, which consisted of about ten people, decided to participate in a city-
wide contest. Each person on the team prepared his or her specialty; I chose two poems
and memorized them. Another girl on our team, Barbara, entered the same category,
memorizing a part of a short story. Everyone on our team, including me and the coach,
thought that Barbara had the best chance of winning the first prize. She impressed
everyone as being more experienced, more sophisticated, more capable than I. Everyone
thought that a second or third placing was the best I could hope for.
I vividly remember the day of the contest, which was held at a university across town.
When the scheduled time came, I went into the assigned room and delivered my poems
in front of the judges. Even though I was nervous, I did my best. The judges, of course,
gave no hint of what they thought, so I left the room really worried. After all the
contestants had finished, we went into a large auditorium to find out the results. Our
team sat together, all of us nervous and excited.
209
 When the judges announced the winners for oral interpretation, everyone on the
team gasped. I had won the first prize and Barbara had not been placed at all. In a daze,
I went down to the stage, accepted the trophy, and went back to my seat. I felt excited
and happy but also a little embarrassed because I didn’t know what I was going to say to
Barbara.
In the car on the way back to the campus, everyone was quiet; nobody knew what to
say. At one point, I turned to Barbara to say something, but she cut me off and looked
out the window at the snowy street. We never talked about the incident.
Even though I was sorry for the awkwardness between Barbara and me, I was proud
of myself for winning. It gave me confidence in myself and motivated me to work harder.
I also learned a valuable lesson from this incident. It taught me not to depend so much
on other people’s assessment of myself or others, and that sometimes the people who
seem unlikely to do something can and will do it. We can surprise everyone, even
ourselves.

“Sleep tight, Scottie,” his mother said as she kissed him goodnight and turned off the
light. As soon as she had closed the door behind her, Scott was fast asleep. He was
completely exhausted after spending the whole afternoon assembling his new train set
and then watching it go around the tracks and through the tunnels. Suddenly, a ball of
brilliant yellow light shot past the window. Scott woke with a start when the ball entered
his room. The light was so bright that he had to shut his eyes.
When he opened them, he saw a strange, little man, about a foot tall, with orange skin
and huge blue eyes. Scott, not the least bit frightened, said in a friendly voice, “Hello, I’m
Scott. Who are you?” The miniature man said nothing but picked up a battery from the
untidy heap of toys on the floor. He started running around the room, pointing urgently
at the rest of Scott’s toys. “What do you want?” asked Scott, who was puzzled.
The man began shaking the battery frantically and Scott realised that that was what he
wanted. Scott opened all his toys, took out the batteries and piled them on the floor.
Immediately gathering up all the batteries, the little man leapt onto the window sill,
smiled warmly at Scott and disappeared.
When Scott woke up the next morning, he thought about his unusual dream. He stared
at his train set before jumping out of bed and trying to switch it on. Nothing happened.
Then Scott realised that it had no batteries… and there were no batteries in any of his
toys, either.

210
 1.
1. B 2. C 3. A

2.
1. using direct speech
2. describing the weather; creating an atmosphere of mystery or suspense
3. asking a rhetorical question; addressing the reader directly
A. referring to feelings; describing reactions to the events presented
B. asking a rhetorical question
C. using direct speech

a. 1. magnificent 2. massive 3.gigantic 4. absolutely

5. horrifying 6. huge 7. tiny 8. miniature
9. horrible 10. extremely b. 11. wonderful 12. fabulous
13. microscopic 14. superb 15. delightful 16. terrible
17. thoroughly 18.
nasty/unpleasant

Underline or highlight the phrases used to describe the senses as well as the time
words
B_________ Have you ever wished that your holidays were more exciting? I certainly
had until my experience on the first day of a photo safari holiday I took with my friend
Howard last June.

211
 E_________ The morning sun was blazing as we set out on our first trip into the jungle.
A guide led Howard and me into what we hoped would be a day of successful
photography.102

D_________ We had been walking through the undergrowth for some time when our
guide suddenly stopped in his tracks. Directly in front of us was a narrow valley, almost
hidden by creepers and leaves. “Phew! That was close,” he said. I suppose we’ll have
to turn back now.
A_________ As soon as we started the long walk back, we heard a low growling sound
coming from the trees in front of us. We stood frozen with fear. Meanwhile, the growl
grew louder and then the leaves parted to reveal two very hungry-looking lions. The
lions prepared to spring. The moment they leapt into the air, we threw ourselves to the
ground. The lions sailed over our heads and plunged into the narrow valley.
C_________ As we shakily made our way back to the camp, we could not believe what
a happy escape we had had. Howard wiped the sweat from his forehead and said:
“Maybe it’s time to go back to good old-fashioned beach holidays”.

A.

Mavis has been my neighbour for six years. I first met her when she knocked on my door and
asked for a spade because she hadn't yet unpacked hers. She had only moved in two days
before.
Physically, Mavis looks younger than most other women in their late sixties. She is of
average height, neither fat nor thin. Her plump round face is framed by a mass of wavy white
hair and her sparkling blue eyes show her humour and friendliness. She prefers wearing
casual, comfortable clothes. I don't think I have ever seen her in a perfectly ironed suit.
As for her personality, Mavis's most striking characteristic is her generosity. My house, as
well as most of our neighbours', nearly always has a vase of flowers from her garden in the
living room. Mavis is very good- natured and always has time for a chat. She is also patient.
She hardly ever gets annoyed about anything, except when children pick her favourite roses

102
Ibid.
212
and lilies. However, she tends to be quite stubborn — once she has made a decision, nothing
can change her mind.
Mavis always seems to be busy doing something. She spends a lot of her time looking after
her garden and often participates in local flower shows. When she is not in her garden she is
usually off somewhere raising money for one charity or another.
All in all, Mavis is the perfect next-door neighbour. Since the day she moved in, we have
grown very close and I am very fond of her, even if I am woken up by the noise of her
lawnmower early in the morning.
B.

Mention the topic of each developmental paragraph and underline or highlight the
descriptive vocabulary as well as all the justifications, comparisons and examples given

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 super hero. 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 electric current. He has some rather strange mannerism, too, such as his
tendency to bow when introducing himself for the first time. [PHYSICAL APPEARANCE]
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. [PERSONALITY]
Although Chris could never be described as ordinary, I enjoy having him as a neighbor.
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.103

103
Evans, V. Idem.
213
C.

G. The person I admire most is not famous at all, yet, to my mind, his achievements
are as important as those of any historic figure. Gary Young is a fellow student of
mine at college, and for him this fact itself is a major achievement.
A. Gary suffers from cerebral palsy, which makes it almost impossible for him to
control his movements. As a result, he spends his life in a wheelchair, cannot write
with a pen or pencil, and speaks so slowly and strangely that it takes patience to
understand what he is saying. This, together with his thin, twisted body and
awkward facial expressions, can often cause people to treat him as if he were a
backward child.
D. However, behind his physical appearance, Gary is a warm, fun-loving, intelligent
person. His disability affects his muscles, not his mind or personality. He enjoys the
same things any student does—listening to music, meeting friends, and so on—
and he is not only the best student in our class, but also has a wonderful sense of
humour and genuine interest in other people. Unable to express himself easily in
conversation, he uses a special typewriter to write letters to his friends, and
beautiful poems, which show the true depth of his thoughts and character. He lives
a very regular life, studying every day and never allowing himself to fall behind in
his schoolwork. Of course, he enjoys going out as well, and he believes that a
balance of work and play make life happy and fulfilling.
B. The main reason I admire him so much is that he is determined to lead a normal
life, in spite of the physical difficulties he has to overcome. Although his condition
prevented him from going to school, he gave himself an education by studying at
home. He lives alone, cooking and cleaning with the help of equipment he designed
himself, and he lead a full social life with his many friends, including visits to the
theatre, or even (on one memorable occasion when I was with him) to the funfair.
F. Another reason I admire Gary is the fact that he never feels sorry for himself. He
says, for instance, that being unable to move around simply gives him more time
to think. In fact, he always manages to see the bright side of any situation, so that,
far from needing his friends to comfort him, he actually cheers us up when we are
worried or depressed!
D. I would admire Gary as a person even if he didn’t have any disability; the fact that
he does, and refuses to let it spoil his life, makes him the most remarkable person
I know.
214
A.
Set in the heart of southern England, London is one of the biggest and busiest cities in
Europe. A truly international city, London attracts millions of visitors every year from all
over the world, yet never loses its own unique charm.
London has many impressive sights to see, ranging from the historical beauty of St
Paul's Cathedral and Big Ben to Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. In this
city of contrasts, you can be walking along one of the busiest streets, yet still be less than
a mile from one of the many huge, peaceful parks. London is a great cultural centre, too;
the National Gallery contains one of the finest collections of classical paintings in the
world.
London is also well known for other things apart from its monuments and art galleries.
Shoppers will enjoy visiting the department stores on Oxford Street or they could try
Harrods, the most exclusive shop in London. For evening entertainment, the choice of
theatres is enormous. From the famous Southbank Theatre complex to the smaller
theatres of Covent Garden, there is no end of plays to see. Soho and its pavement cafes
are also worth visiting.
London is an exceptional place, a truly modern city that has managed to keep its
traditional style and sense of history. You may get exhausted in London, but one thing is
certain; you will never get bored because, as Dr Johnson once said, 'When a man is tired
of London, he is tired of life."

B.
a. FORMAL: Impersonal; passive voce; long sentences; no contractions or informal
language.
b. INFORMAL: Personal; profuse use of adjectives; contractions; shorter sentences.
c. SEMI-FORMAL: Addressing the reader directly; passive voice; no contractions.
d. INFORMAL: Personal; contractions; informal language.

C.
a. INTRODUCTION: asking a rhetorical question.
b. CONCLUSION: using direct speech.
c. INTRODUCTION: describing feelings; describing the weather and the surroundings.
d. CONCLUSION: using direct speech.
215
 d. INTRODUCTION: describing the surroundings; describing feelings; creating an
atmosphere of mystery or suspense.

D:1 Imagine waking up to the sound of birds singing in the trees outside and warm
sunlight shining through your bedroom window. This is what I dream of when I
imagine my ideal house.

B:2 It would be small wooden cottage surrounded by a neat green lawn stretching
all the way down to a river. There would be colourful flowers gently swaying in the
cool breeze and an orchard at the back of the house with trees full of sweet and juicy
oranges, apples and pears.

A:3 My house would have a large, bright kitchen where I could sit quietly at a
wooden table admiring the view of the garden through the window. My living room
would be simple, with basic furniture like a long soft sofa and two large armchairs. It
would also have a fireplace so I could keep warm on cold windy nights. There would
also be several bookcases full of books to keep me company. My bedroom would
have a four-poster bed with a white linen bed cover and the walls would be painted
a soothing pale blue.

C:4 If I could choose, I would live in a house just like this with its beautiful natural
surroundings and peaceful atmosphere.

B.

Budapest, the Hungarian capital, is situated on the glorious Danube River in western
Hungary. Before amalgamation in 1873, the site was home to two separate towns,
Buda and Pest, located on either side of the river. The city’s fascinating variety of
architectural styles brings its long and turbulent history alive for the visitor, and
because of this it is a fabulous location for a trip into the past.
Once you have arrived in the city centre from nearby Ferihegy Airport, take a tour
round the entire city so you can find your bearings and get a taste of this fantastic
216
city’s atmosphere. Buda, which can be reached by means of the cheap and efficient
underground train or the Szecheny Chain Bridge, is the oldest part of the city. First
settled in the Middle Ages, its cobbled streets and Gothic houses are dominated by
the recently-restored Buda Castle and the Citadel on their imposing hilltop sites. The
castle is definitely worth visiting, as it houses the National Library, the Castle Museum
and the National Gallery. Across the river, in Pest, you will find stunning examples of
Baroque architecture and a number of fascinating museums. Impossible to miss is the
Millennium Monument, a striking colonnade displaying statues of Hungarian kings
and leaders, along with a huge statue of the archangel Gabriel surmounting a 188-
foot-high central column.
But Budapest is not just a place to look at. There are excellent shopping facilities,
a fascinating zoo, and plenty of theatres and concert halls offering fine performances.
You can end your day by having a delicious meal in one of the many traditional
restaurants and, if you are lucky enough to be in Budapest on St. Stephen’s Day, you
can witness the stunning firework display which is held on the Citadel.
All in all, Budapest is a delightful city which embodies centuries of the Eastern
European past. Its fascination is partly due to the Hungarian’s resourcefulness, a
quality necessary to ensure the survival of a city which has had to be rebuilt so many
times. Budapest is well worth a visit at any time of the year.

217
A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

A. 1. ladders 2. crossing fingers 3. respondents 4. willing

5. superstitions 6. mistletoe 7. bride 8. constituted
9. penny 10. overgrow

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. T 2. F 3. F 4. F 5. F

C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. To determine how many Americans are superstitious.

2. A cracked mirror.
3. A nineteen-year-old female college student.
4. Knocking on wood.
5. Kicking a cat.

A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

A. 1. convey 2. segment 3. aware of 4. retrieve
5. browser 6. search engine 7. accelarated 8. research
9. offline 10. a thousand million

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. F 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. T

218
C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

1. The first small network was meant to be used by four USA universities.
2. The email was created, and a new version of the network allowed people from all over
the globe to get online.
3. The first computer virus must have appeared in the early 1980’s.
4. Gopher was the very first search engine to be developed.
5. The benefits it brought along include: connecting through different devices, having
access to more information and in a much faster way, and watching programs and
movies through streaming.
6. “Cloud computing” refers to information being stored in different places all over the
world.
7. Yes, most of them have taken place, but there are still people in remote areas without
internet access.

A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

A. 1. survey 2. stereotypes 3. unlikely 4. involved
5. numerous 6. profitable 7. implies 8. commit
9. conducted 10. rarely 11. sophisticated 12. character
13. influenced 14. views

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. T 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F

C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. Gamers are different from people’s idea of them.

2. Because gamers have no friends.
3. They may hurt other people or things in the real world.
4. They frequently interact with other people.
5. An idea about gamers that is wrong.

219
A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:
1. flow 2. insight 3. currently 4. symptoms
5. dull 6. salicin 7. migraine 8. treat
9. estimate 10. willow 11. bark 12. disable
13. sufferer 14. classify 15. steady 16. stress
17. sensitive 18. cluster 19. advanced 20. sets off

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False

B. 1. T 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F

C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. Headaches cost society a lot of money.

2. Powder from the outer part of a tree.
3. It results from another problem.
4. Catching the flue.
5. How drugs can stop parts of the brain from reacting.

A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. income 2. trends 3. thus 4. when the going gets
rough
5. deters 6. income brackets 7. substantial 8. consideration
9. incentives 10. claim 11. evangelical 12. decline
13. a last resort 14. linked 15. lone 16. noted
17. see 18. factor 19. in that 20. attained
21. stabilize 22. concern 23. give in 24. circumstances
25. rate 26. poverty

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. F 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. T
220
C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. Many factors contribute to divorce.

2. Women are less dependent on men.
3. More money problems cause stress on the relationship.
4. More Christians get divorced there than in other parts of the US.
5. An older couple with a high income.

A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

1. seeking 2. college 3. mentoring 4. likely
5. enrollment 6. straight-A 7. noticeable 8. ratios
students
9. majors 10. recruiting 11. aim 12. challenges
13. policy 14. ensure 15. lawsuit 16. lecture halls
17. breadwinner 18. drop 19. urge 20. majority
21. close 22. decline 23. weight 24. index
25. awarded 26. bachelor 27. master 28. doctorate
29. advocacy 30. priority 31. kicked out 32. make up
33. theories 34. seeming

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. T 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F

C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. Fewer males in society.

2. It focuses on boys.
3. They get into more trouble than the females.
4. Men and women are not treated equally.
5. Bachelor’s in business.

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A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:
A. 1. summit 2. namely 3. treaty 4. push
5. fresh water 6. age 7. contribute to 8. beyond limits
9. required 10. adhere to 11. radiated 12. predicting
13. guidelines 14. opposed 15. delegates 16. timetables
17. protocol 18. ratified 19. building up 20. fossil fuels

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. F

C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. It lets in light and traps heat.

2. SF6.
3. Industrialised nations to limit emissions.
4. The US does not plan to follow the protocol.
5. Actions and dates to meet protocol emission levels.

A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

A. 1. fell out of 2. orphans 3. height 4. dared
fashion
5. close fitting 6. seamstress 7. wool 8. solid
9. packaged 10. invaded 11. make a comeback 12. appeal
13. afford 14. explore 15. elaborately

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. F

222
C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. Her father ran away.

2. They were not as big.
3. The name of the perfume used Chanel’s name and was mysterious. Besides, the
perfume was packaged in a different way.
4. Nobody knows.
5. They sold better in the United States than in Europe.

A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

A. 1. pursuit 2. blow off steam 3. ghettos 4. pride
5. mighty 6. segregation 7. In spite of 8. live out
9. ‘tis 10. rude awakening 11. wrongful 12. guaranteed
13. thee 14. rise up 15. as far as… are 16. join
concerned
17. content 18. speed up 19. Almighty 20. pilgrim
21. at last 22. ring

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T

C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. The fight for equal rights must continue.

2. The protests will not stop.
3. By their personalities.
4. The United States.
5. A song that lifted people’s spirits.

A. Match the words in bold with the meanings that follow:

A. 1. stuck 2. ruled 3. merchant 4. tax
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 5. holy 6. Muslim 7. harm 8. narrow-minded
9. Hindu 10. tolerance 11. guiding 12. do away with
13. fasting 14. latrines 15. caste 16. meet
17. make waves 18. approve 19. untouchables 20. recognize
21. standing up for

B. Based on the reading, decide whether the following sentences are True of False. If
False, explain why:

B. 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F

C. Based on the reading passage, answer the following questions:

C. 1. Because his childhood friend was part of that caste.

2. Law.
3. He fought for Indian rights.
4. He thought the politician needed help.
5. He threw rocks at British soldiers.

224
A1. 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. F

A2. 1. When they have 40% body fat.

2. It gives more reliable measurements.
3. Average people.
4. It does not require special equipment or skills.
5. So we know how healthy we are.

B. 1. It is likely that obese people suffer health problems due to their weight.
2. Although it is clear that obesity is a problem in most developed countries, its precise
cause is not clear.
3. An obese person needn’t look extremely fat.
4. Since muscle weighs more than fat, an athlete may weigh more than their
recommended weight.
5. Probably the most popular method is the Body Mass Index, which is a person’s weight
divided by the square of his or her height.
6. The fact that some people have higher bone density than others increases their
weight.
7. If you have very low body fat and are not muscular, your BMI can be too high.
8. People under 18 or over 70 years old should not use BMI.
9. Despite the fact that there are criticisms, there are strong positive aspects of BMI.
10. Those who have higher BMI numbers have a higher risk of health problems.

C. 1. Understood 11. could suffer

2. isn’t 12. fall
3. would be prevented 13. relate/ are related
4. ignore 14. can be found
5. don’t try to prevent 15. having
6. is caused 16. causes
7. is 17. sleeping
8. has recently found 18. are
225
9. are 19. can be prevented
10. helps 20. losing

A. 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. F

A2. 1. To show how funny half a conversation sounds.

2. A local scandal; household shopping; plans to do something together.
3. A sweet snack.
4. Because the operators at the Central Office connect calls.
5. Using modern technology can lead to strange situations.

B. 1. Yesterday, when such a conversation was going on in the room, I was writing.
2. What I have observed is that women always shrink from calling up the Central
Office themselves.
3. Instead of answering, I handed the telephone to the applicant.
4. Even though you hear questions asked, you don’t hear the answer.
5. You have listening pauses, which are followed by unjustifiable exclamations.
6. As you can’t ever persuade the sex to speak gently into a telephone, I heard a
series of observations, all shouted.
7. Don’t wait until it comes to a boil to put it in.
8. I think we should all read it often.
9. They are never allowed to eat striped candy.
10. She asked if she had to go.

C. 1. Said 12. came

2. comes 13. had already worked
3. called 14. found
4. was 15. working
5. has been 16. picked up
6. consider 17. realized
7. is known 18. chose
8. criticized 19. was used
9. incorporating 20. means
10. capturing 21. hadn’t been
11. were spoken 22. wouldn’t have been known
226
A. 1. T 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. F

1. Gi can be used for health and self-protection.

2. They are not sensitive to temperature.
3. Gi users have more active brains.
4. Some martial arts teach gi for self-defense.
5. You can direct energy to different parts of your body, and thus lead longer, healthier
and more relaxed lives.

B. 1. It is said that gi is a force created by practicing breathing exercises.

2. Some say it is a concentration that has been/is highly developed.
3. The people of India have believed in this type of energy since thousands of years
ago.
4. Special gi doctors believe that gi causes some types of pain.
5. They use a special type of massage, which is called reiki.
6. Stress builds up the most in these places.
7. If they learn how to direct their gi to these areas, this will help them relax and live
longer.
8. People can learn (how) to develop their gi for self-defense through exercises like tai
chi.
9. The text asks whether science can prove the existence of gi.
10. People who do ordinary meditation use 25% less of their brain area than people
who do gi exercises.

C. 1. Study 11. thought

2. may have used 12. would take
3. are 13. kill
4. (have) made 14. putting on
5. to hurt 15. concentrated
6. was invented 16. surpriging
7. was discovered 17. began to react
8. started getting 18. had gone on
9. said 19. would have suffered

227
10. helps/has helped (to) translate

A1. 1. T 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. F

A2. 1. Explaining how charities raise money through tours.

2. They are exciting, great experiences that help raise money for people.
3. Because not all the money is given to the charity.
4. Because his vacation was over.
5. Climbing Mt. Everest, crossing the Sahara Desert, sailing across the Pacific Ocean…

B. 1. Advertisements for adventure tours can be found in almost any magazine or

newspaper in England.
2. Many of these tours are more interesting because they are for charity.
3. The advertisement compares the tour to a ride across the face of the moon.
4. Since the number of people who can go on each tour is limited, many tours fill up
fast.
5. If you want to hold your space on the tour, you have to pay a deposit after signing
up.
6. It is advisable to make sure you want to go ,as, if you change your mind, you cannot
get your deposit back later.
7. A minimum amount of money must be raised by each person.
8. Some people send letters to friends in order to ask for help.
9. Although charities try to keep the overall cost low, some people think it is wrong to
pay for someone’s holiday.
10. Everyone who signs up for them agrees that it is a great experience.

C. 1. Are 11. get

2. give 12. estimated
3. believe 13. make
4. is doing 14. wanted to get
5. don’t take 15. did not offer
6. help them (to) sabe 16. gave
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7. pays 17. sold
8. to sabe 18. had accepted
9. counts. 19. would not have earned
10. are donated

229