YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC ENGLISH

READING
ASSIGNMENTS

A2 LEVEL
2023 – 2024 FALL TERM
Answer Key
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Reading Assignment Text 1 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 9

Reading Assignment Text 2 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 15

Reading Assignment Text 3 …………………………………………………………………………………….…. 21

Reading Assignment Text 4 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 29

Reading Assignment Text 5 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 36

Reading Assignment Text 6 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 47

Reading Assignment Text 7 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 58

Reading Assignment Text 8 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 66

Reading Assignment Text 9 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 73

Reading Assignment Text 10 …………………………………………………………………………….…………. 81

Reading Assignment Text 11 …………………………………………………………………………………….…. 90

Reading Assignment Text 12 ………………………………………………………………………………….……. 97

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 1

Read the text and answer the following questions.

________________________________

I live in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Amsterdam is different from any
other city in the world because it is below sea level. There are a lot of canals in the city and they
divide it into islands, so there are four hundred bridges in the city. Amsterdam also has many
interesting places and historical buildings. The most important ones are a seventeenth century
palace and two churches. The churches are over five hundred years old. There are also lots of
museums full of classical and modern paintings.

The city centre can be very noisy because of the traffic sometimes. Amsterdam is a beautiful
city and I like it very much. The land is flat and low, so it is the perfect place for cycling. There
are many bicycle lanes and I go cycling with my friends every day. The parks in the city are nice
and popular, too. The city’s largest and most famous park is Vondelpark. Many tourists visit my
city because of all those beautiful places. I feel very lucky because I get the chance to meet
people from all over the world.

1. Choose the best title for the text.

a. The location of Amsterdam
b. The places to see in Amsterdam
c. The historical places in Amsterdam

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 1

2. How is Amsterdam different from other cities?

It is below the sea level.

3. In paragraph 1, what does they refer to?

A lot of canals / (canals) in the city

4. In paragraph 2, what does ones refer to?

Interesting places and historical buildings

5. In paragraph 2, what does it refer to?

The land / Amsterdam

6. Which one is FALSE according to the first paragraph?

a. The bridges in Amsterdam join the islands.
b. The city sometimes causes stress for people.
c. The palace in the city is very old.

7. Why is Amsterdam a suitable place for riding a bicycle?

The land is flat and low.

8. Which one is FALSE according to the second paragraph?

a. The writer enjoys living in Amsterdam.
b. The writer likes meeting people from abroad.
c. The writer never goes cycling with friends.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 2

Read the text and answer the questions.

____________________________

George Clooney, an adult actor and movie director, has a busy life. He works very hard but he plays
hard too. So what does he do in his free time?

George spends a lot of his leisure time at his 17-room Italian villa. His villa is not on a noisy avenue.
He lives in a peaceful area in Como, Italy. He is usually alone, but his mother sometimes visits him. She is
a widow because Clooney’s father is dead. Clooney describes the start of his typical day at the villa: “I
wake up at 7.30. I read the newspapers for an hour and a half.”

Then the morning really starts. He feeds his ducks and after that, he
goes to the gym. He has mates there and he does sports with them. Also, he
goes sailing in his boat and rides his motorbike.

Next, it’s time to think about lunch- what to eat, what wine to drink.
When his home is tidy and clean, everybody comes in. In fact, his home is rarely
messy. They have lunch altogether.

In the afternoon, he often reads film scripts, chats with his neighbours and phones her teenage
daughter. Then he goes for a swim in his pool. He usually has a lot of friends over from the States. In the
evening, they have big dinner parties and enjoy the view of the moon and lake.

Why does George spend his weeks in Italy? ‘It’s not hard for
me to live there,’ he says. ‘I love riding my motorbike in the area.
I love listening to Italians, the way they speak, the way they live-
it’s great.’

1. Which title is the best for the text?

a. Life at Villa Clooney
b. A day in Como
c. Working Hard

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 2

2. Where does George live?

a. In a small apartment
b. On a noisy avenue
c. In a calm place in Italy
3. In the morning, what does he do after he reads the newspapers?
He feeds his ducks and after that he goes to the gym. Also, he goes sailing in his boat and rides
his motorbike.
4. Does he eat his dinner alone in the evening?
No, he doesn’t. He has a lot of friends, so they have big dinner parties.
5. He chooses to live in Italy because
It is not hard for him to live in Italy. He loves riding his motorbike in the area and listening to
Italians, the way they speak, the way they live.
6. What does his in paragraph 2 refer to?
George’s
7. What does messy mean in paragraph 4?
a. tidy
b. not clean
c. organized
8. Guess the meaning of the word ‘mates’ in paragraph 3.
a. ducks
b. friends
c. family members
9. Who is the audience for this text?
a. neighbours
b. general public
c. actors and director

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 3

Read the text below and answer the following questions.

__________________________________

1. Ferdie Adoboe’s work is like some people’s play. What does he do? He plays on a soccer team, and he
teaches the game of soccer. In his free time, he likes playing a very different game because he likes
exercising his mind with the game of Scrabble. He thinks he needs to exercise his brain, too.
2. Do you know Scrabble? It is a game of words. It’s famous in many countries. You can buy Scrabble in
twenty-three languages. Each person in the game has seven letters. Players use their letters to spell
words and get points. For example, you get one point for the letters L, I, or E. The letter K is worth five
points. So you can get eight points for the word like.
3. Ferdie says, “It is not hard to learn. It is simple! People can have fun and work on their English at the
same time.” English is not Ferdie’s first language. He is from Ghana, in West Africa, and his family
speaks Fanti. English is important there, especially for a good education.
4. Ferdie lives and works in the United States. He teaches soccer to young people all over the country. He
also travels a lot because he teaches in other countries. He takes a tiny Scrabble game with him on the
plane. He can carry it with him everywhere easily. Sometimes he plays Scrabble with other soccer
players.
5. At home, Ferdie is teaching his daughters to play his favourite game. Sometimes he plays Scrabble
online. He also invites friends to his house, and they play together. Sometimes their games take several
hours.
6. Here is another interesting fact about Ferdie. You can look up his name in the Guinness Book of World
Records. He is a very fast runner, and he holds the world record for running backwards.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 3

A. Read these sentences. Are these sentences True (T) or False (F)?
1. Ferdie Adoboe is a soccer player. T F
2. He plays Scrabble in his free time. T F
3. Scrabble is a game of words. T F
4. It’s a game for one person to play alone. T F
5. Ferdie is on a Scrabble team, and he teaches Scrabble in other countries. T F
6. Ferdie can run very fast. T F

B. Answer the questions according to the text.

1. What is the most suitable title for this text?

a. The history of Scrabble

b. Playing with words: Scrabble
c. The future of Scrabble

2. What is the main idea of the text?

a. Ferdie Adoboe has a good job.
b. Ferdie enjoys playing Scrabble.
c. Ferdie teaches Scrabble to people.

3. What does “mind” in paragraph 1 mean?

a. information
b. brain
c. knowledge

4. In paragraph 3, “there” refers to in Ghana

5. What does “tiny” in paragraph 4 mean?

a. beautiful
b. cheap
c. small

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 3

6. Why does Ferdie travel a lot?

Because he teaches in other countries.

7. In paragraph 5, “they” refers to Ferdie and his friends.

8. In paragraph 6, “his” refers to Ferdie’s

C. Where is the information about these topics in the text? Scan the text and write the paragraph
number (1-6).
a. Ferdie’s children 5
b. languages in Ghana 3
c. Ferdie’s world record 6
d. why he travels a lot 4
e. how to play Scrabble 2
f. Ferdie’s last name 1

Scanning
When we scan for information our eyes move quickly around a text from side to side or up and
down. We don’t read all the information on the page but look for specific pieces of
information that we need. Such information could be a number, date, time, place, name or
price.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 4

Read the text below and answer the following questions.

LEARNING ONLINE
May Ping is a student at Bellevue Community College near Seattle, Washington, in the U.S. However, she
doesn’t live in Washington. In fact, she doesn’t live in the U.S. May lives on a small island near Australia.
May takes classes through the Internet. She wanted to study at an American college, but she didn’t want
to leave her home. Now she studies English and computer science online. May is a student in Bellevue
Community College’s distance learning program.
May is an online student. Online students buy their books through the Internet. They do homework
every week like other students. They write compositions and take exams, too. But, the online students
send their work to their teachers by e-mail. The teachers correct the work and return it by e-mail, too.
May thinks distance learning is helpful. Terry Hong agrees with May. Terry is a student at Bellevue
Community College, too. She studies mathematics and biology. She lives near the college. In fact, she
can drive there in half an hour, but she studies online. Terry is a parent. She has two young children. She
has to study at night and on weekends. It is not easy for her to go to class. Now she can go to college
and stay at home at the same time. Some students at Bellevue Community College go to the college to
take classes, but others take classes online, like May and Terry.

1. Where does May Ping study?

____At Bellevue Community College near Seattle, Washington, in the US ____

2. Why does May take online classes?

____Because she wanted to study at an American college, but she didn’t want to leave
her home__

3. What does May study?

____English and computer science __

4. What are the similarities between online and normal students?

___They do homework every week, they write compositions, and take exams _

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 4

5. What are the differences between online and normal students?

____Online students buy their books through the internet, send their homework to
teachers by e-mail__

6. What does “they” refer to in Paragraph 3?

____Online students_______________________

7. What does “it” refer to in Paragraph 3?

___The work ________________________________

8. Which one is TRUE according to the text?

a. May lives in the United States
b. Terry Hong is an online student
c. Terry lives outside the United States

9. Why is it difficult for Terry to go to school?

___Terry has two young children and has almost no time to study. ____

10. What is the main idea of the text?

a. Students at an American college can take classes online.
b. Terry Hong has two children.
c. Online students do homework every week.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 5

Read the postcards and answer the questions below.

Friday, June 2nd

Dear Mandy,
Hi! I am in Curitiba, in the south of Brazil. I arrived yesterday. It’s a fascinating city!
There are parks everywhere – I counted fourteen on my map. The strangest thing is
there are almost no cars! This morning, I went downtown in a huge bus – about three
times the normal size (each one carries 270 people!). You wait in a big “tube station”
that is high off the ground! These buses have their own special lanes where no other
traffic can go. I couldn’t believe downtown Curitiba – it looks like a garden! There are no
cars downtown at all. Where is all the traffic? I walked around a wonderful park called
Passeio Publico. It was great! Anyway, I’m going to the Museum of Modern Art this
afternoon.
All for now. Bye!
Love, Kim

Saturday, June 3rd

Dear Mandy,
Hi again from Curitiba. I’m having a great weekend. I love it here! Today, I took a bicycle and
cycled around the city for the whole day. There are special lanes for bicycles, so it was great
fun. The air is so fresh – there’s almost no pollution. I asked a waiter in a café why so few
people use cars. He said it was because the transportation system here is so good.
Remember those buses I told you about in my last postcard? They are called “speedy
buses” and can take you everywhere – they are really quick and cheap, so no one wants to
take a car! I’d love to live here!
Love, Kim

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 5

Sunday, June 4th

Dear Mandy,
This morning, I went to Flowers Street – you can only go there on foot. It’s famous as the
first street in Brazil that’s only for people – no cars, buses, or trucks. There’s also a place
called Twenty – Four – Hour Street, which has shops, bars, and restaurants open all day and
night. Then in the afternoon, I got a bus on the Tourism Line. It takes two hours and goes
around the best parts of the city. Wonderful! Anyway, tomorrow I am leaving to go north.
I’ll write more soon.
Love, Kim

1. What is the main idea of the all three postcards?

a. Traffic in Curitiba was a problem, but now it is not.
b. There are many big parks in Curitiba.
c. Curitiba is a green city with no traffic problems.

2. On what day did Kim arrive in Curitiba? ______Thursday_________

3. How many parks does the city have?________14 _______
4. How many passengers can one bus hold?_____270____
5. What did Kim do on Saturday?
___She took a bicycle and cycled around the city for the whole day.____
6. Why do so few people use cars?
___Because the transportation system in Curitiba is so good _____
7. Why is Flowers Street famous?
___It is the first street in Brazil that is only for people (– no cars, buses, or trucks.) ____

8. How long does it take to go around the best parts of the city by bus?___2 hours___

9. Kim went to different places in Curitiba. Which one is NOT one of those places?
a. A garden
b. A park
c. A museum

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 5

10. Which one is TRUE according to the text?

a. Pollution is a big problem in Curitiba.
b. It is faster to take a car than to take the bus.
c. Bicycles and speedy buses have their own lanes.
11. In postcard 1, “their” refers to ____buses’_____

12. In postcard 1, “it” refers to ____downtown Curitiba___

13. In postcard 2, “he” refers to ____the waiter___

14. In postcard 2, “they” refers to ____speedy buses____

15. In postcard 3, “there” refers to ___to Flowers Street ___

16. In postcard 1, the word “fascinating” means _______________

a. poor
b. great
c. normal
17. According to the postcards, Kim thinks that Curitiba is a _____________ city.
a. boring
b. beautiful
c. expensive

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 6

Read the text and answer the following questions.

COMFORT FOOD

1 It is natural for people to eat when they are hungry. But people eat for other reasons, too. Do
you ever eat because you’re with friends and everyone else is eating? Do you ever eat because
you know a lot of recipes and want to try them? Do you ever eat because you feel tired, or
because you are under stress? Many people often eat to feel better, but when people eat to
feel better, they don’t eat just anything. They want comfort food.
2 What is comfort food and what are the shopping habits of the buyers of comfort foods? For
most people, it is food that they can easily find in a supermarket. They just focus on their own
shopping and they are not in a rush; however, they do not have time to look for coins to insert
into the cart. They only get a basket because it is easy to carry and they know how many items
they are going to buy. Thanks to this, they do not pick up unnecessary things. They know the
items at discount and how to save money.
3 For some people, it is food that is easy to prepare. It’s often soft. Thanks to this, it is easy to
cook and eat. Eating it gives people a warm feeling. Sometimes it is a type of food that people
loved when they were children, such as a piece of cake with chocolate ice-cream or even a
loaf of bread that they ate before dinner. Maybe it’s food their mother cooked and so it brings
back childhood memories. Comfort food makes people feel, “Somebody’s taking care of me.”
4 People of different ages want different comfort foods. There are differences between the
choices of men and women, too. For example, American women usually choose sweet comfort
foods such as ice cream, chocolate and cookies. However, men choose sour and salty comfort
foods such as pizza and pickles.

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 A2 – READING ASSIGNMENT 6

A. Read these sentences. Circle True (T) or False (F).

1. People eat for different reasons. T F

2. Comfort food is food that makes you feel good. T F
3. The buyers of comfort food do not have shopping discipline. T F
4. Comfort food also connects people with their past. T F
5. Men and women agree about the best comfort foods. T F

B. Choose the best option according to the text.

1. Which option is true for this text?

a. Comfort food is always healthy.
b. Children like comfort food more than adults.
c. To buy and cook comfort food does not take a lot of work.
2. What does ‘they’ refer to in paragraph 2?
a. Shopping habits
b. Most people
c. Comfort foods
3. What does “insert” mean in paragraph 2?
a. put something inside a thing
b. save something for someone
c. pull something from a thing
4. What is the purpose of this text?
a. To give advice about comfort food.
b. To give information about comfort food.
c. To discuss the benefits of comfort food.
5. Who is the audience for this text?
a. doctors
b. american researchers
c. general public

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 7

Read the text and answer the questions.

Hurricane Katrina

1 Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S Gulf coast in August 2005. It was one of the costliest natural disasters in
U.S history. Damage to the city of New Orleans was more than 22 billion dollars. Over one million
people had to leave the city, and nearly 1500 people lost their lives.
2 A day before Hurricane Katrina passed close to New Orleans, the officials asked the residents to leave
the city. Unfortunately, thousands of people
ignored the order and stayed in New Orleans.
When Hurricane Katrina hit, water even broke
through the flood walls. Many people climbed onto
the roof of houses and waited for help to come by
boat or helicopter.
3 Things soon got worse. There were not enough police in the city, so people had to take care of
themselves alone. “There were not enough people to rescue and distribute food and water to people
in trouble” says one police officer. The crime rate increased. Some people started stealing from
stores and houses during the chaos. One resident says “I stole to keep my family alive. We lived for
days without any food or water. I had to steal or die”.
4 People lived without running water or toilets while they waited for help. Kenneth, 47, says “Every day
we waited for the buses to come and take us to shelters. It was an awful experience.” The
government got control of the city and rescued people three weeks after the hurricane happened.
5 Some experts say that rebuilding New Orleans is not a good idea. A similar hurricane could again
destroy the city. Also, global warming is raising sea levels each year. Everybody knows the dangers.
Unfortunately, some people started to return to New Orleans. They love and want to live in New
Orleans.

1. According to paragraph 1, which of the following sentences is TRUE?

a. Many people were injured but they did not die.
b. The damage was less compared to other disasters in America.
c. After the hurricane, many people moved to other cities.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 7

2. In paragraph 2, residents are __________________

a. natural disasters
b. people in New Orleans
c. officials
3. In paragraph 2, ignore is closest in meaning to ________________________
a. not predict
b. not give attention
c. not complain about
4. How did the people try to protect themselves from the hurricane?
Many people climbed onto the roof of houses’ and waited for help to come by boat
or helicopter.
5. Why did the people have to deal with their problems after the hurricane?
‘There were not enough people to rescue and distribute food and water to people in
trouble’ says one police officer.
6. In paragraph 3, distribute is closest in meaning to _______________________
a. disappear
b. supply
c. waste
7. When could the government rescue the people in New Orleans?
The government got control of the city and rescued people three weeks after the
hurricane happened.
8. How do experts feel about rebuilding the city?
a. angry
b. ambitious
c. worried
9. According to the text, which of the following sentences is TRUE?
a. No Citizens expect another hurricane in New Orleans.
b. Citizens do not want to live outside New Orleans.
c. All citizens are aware of the dangers of living in New Orleans

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 A2 – READING ASSIGNMENT 8

READING

BODY STYLES
1. _____The history of tattoo________
Body paint and tattoos are two of the oldest forms of personal style.
Archaeologists1 found body art on Egyptian mummies and some
historians2 think tattoos in Japan go back as far as 10,000 years. The
English word tattoo comes from Tahiti, from the word “ta-tau” and it
means “to make a mark or sign”. Today, body painting is more
common for native people of the South Pacific and the Maori in New
Zealand. However; tattoos are famous all around the world.
2.__Why do people have tattoos____
Body painting can be a religious symbol or a personal decoration.
Some people have tattoos with the names of people they love. Others have a picture or a sign of their
religion as a tattoo. Apart from expressing their beliefs, people also decide to get tattoos in order to
reveal their artistic nature or their feelings- in other words, to show their individuality.
3.____Thoughts on tattoos in the past____
But tattoos had negative associations in the past. In Japan, for
example, they were a symbol of the Yakuza, the Japanese
mafia. In other countries, some people thought of criminals,
the military or people with no education when they saw tattoos.
4. ____Tattoos today_______
For many people now, tattoos are very fashionable. More and
more young people are getting tattoos, especially in Europe
and North America. Perhaps this is because of the number of actors, musicians and sports stars with
tattoos. It seems wearing tattoos will continue to be a part of popular culture.
1 archaeologist (noun) - someone who studies the ancient world.
2 historian (noun) - someone who studies history
A. Read the text and match the titles with the paragraphs.

a. Tattoos today

b. Thoughts on tattoos in the past

c. The history of tattoo

d. Why do people have tattoos

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 A2 – READING ASSIGNMENT 8

B. Write (T) for true, (F) for false. Correct the false expressions and write the related paragraph.

1. _T_ It was possible to see a Japanese person with a tattoo 9.000 years ago. Par._1__

_________________________________________________________________
2. _T_ Body painting is more common for native people of the South Pacific and the Maori in New
Zealand. Par._1__

_________________________________________________________________
3. __F_ The Yakuza is the name of a group in the Japanese military. Par.__3__

_____ the name of a group in the Japanese military (the Japanese mafia)__________
4. _T_ People may have different aims to have a tattoo. Par.__2__

_________________________________________________________________
5. __F_ In the past, people thought that tattoos symbolized a high level of education.
Par._3___

___ Some people thought of people with no education when they saw tattoos__

C. Reference Questions. What do the following refer to?

1. In paragraph 1, line 3 it means: ____ ta-tau____

2. In paragraph 3, line 2 they means: ___ tattoos _____

3. In paragraph 3, line 4 they means: ___ some people ____

D. Vocabulary: Go over the text to find the words that are defined below.

1. a thing that makes something look more attractive on special occasions: _decoration (par .2)
2. to show a feeling, opinion, or fact: __express__(par.2)
3. a mental connection between ideas: __association__(par.3)
4. popular at a particular time: __fashionable__(par.4)

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 9

Read the text and answer the following questions.

___________________________________

1. His real name is John Christopher and he was born on 9th June, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky.
His father, John Senior was a city engineer, and his mother, Betty Sue, was a waitress. He
didn’t like school and got into a lot of trouble. So, he dropped out of school at the age of 15
to become a rock musician. Johnny first discovered a love of music at his uncle’s church. He
got a guitar from his mother and joined a punk band called The Flame. When they changed
the band’s name to The Kids, they became quite successful, and played in concerts with
Talking Heads, B-52’s and Iggy Pop. When he was 16, his parents
got divorced, and he started using drugs and alcohol with his
friends. He just wanted to concentrate on music and moved to
Los Angeles with his band. However, the band was not very
successful, so he decided to try acting.
2. He joined The Loft, a Los Angeles acting school and made his film
debut in Nightmare on Elm Street. Then after this, the producers
of a new Fox TV series chose him for their show, 21 Jump Street.
Johnny Depp then became famous and received 10,000 fan
letters a month. He then starred in the film Cry Baby and became
even more famous.
3. In 1994, Depp met Kate Moss, but this was a bad time for Depp because during this time, he
was under a lot of stress and started using drugs and alcohol again and the police arrested
him. After Kate Moss, he met Vanessa Paradis, a French actress and singer. They moved to
Paris, and hoped a normal life. They got married in 1998 and moved to the south of France
and had two children.
4. After a few quiet years, Depp starred in the hit film Pirates of the Caribbean in 2003. The film
earned 200 million dollars in just four weeks. In 2004, he played in the film, Neverland, and
his fame continues to this day.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 9

1. What is the best title for this text?

a. Johnny Depp’s musical career
b. Johnny Depp’s addictions
c. Johnny Depp’s life

2. In paragraph 1, “his” refers to ____Johnny Depp’s _____.

3. In paragraph 1, “they” refers to ___A punk band, The Flame _____.

4. In paragraph 1, “drop out” is closest in meaning to ____________________.

a. to leave
b. to change
c. to let

5. Why did Depp drop out of school?

a. to start his acting career.
b. to travel around the world.
c. to begin his career in music.

6. Depp’s addictions started when he was ____________________.

a. 21
b. 16
c. 15

7. In paragraph 2, “receive” is closest in meaning to _________________________.

a. own
b. post
c. get

8. In paragraph 3, line 3 “they” refers to ____Vanessa & Johnny____.

9. Which of the following is NOT TRUE about The Pirates of the Caribbean?
a. It was Johnny Depp’s last movie.
b. It was a popular and successful film.
c. It earned 200 million dollars.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 10

A CLEANER WAY TO SHOP?

A. VOCABULARY

Look up the meanings of the words in the box in your dictionary. Fill in the blanks with
the correct words.

delivery double (v) online sales wasteful products

return environment produce pollution protect

1. If you apply this sun cream daily, it will ___protect____ your skin from the harmful
effects of the sun.
2. In Domino’s, pizza ____delivery_____ must be done in 30 minutes. Otherwise, they pay
your money back.
3. Turning on the lights in the morning in offices causes ____wasteful____ energy
consumption.
4. If you buy shoes in an online store and if they are the wrong size, you can ___return___
the shoes and get your money back.
5. The company will ____produce____ brand new computers and they will be on the
market soon.
6. I think you should buy this car now because if you don’t, you will not be able to buy it
next year because the price will __double___.
7. Cutting down the trees causes a great damage to the ___environment____.
8. Exhaust fumes from cars cause air ___pollution____.
9. ___Online sales__ are more popular today than going to shopping malls and buying
things. People prefer to shop on the Internet.
10. You can find more items on online stores because there is a wide range of
__products____ there.

B. READING COMPREHENSION

Read the text below and answer the following

questions.
1 You need to buy something? Why do you have to
go to a store? Buy it on the Internet! Do you need it now?
Why should you wait? Ask for next-day delivery! Each day,
more and more people try online shopping. In fact, online
sales have doubled in the last ten years. But not everyone
is excited. Some scientists now say that online shopping is
bad for the environment.
2 People are surprised to hear this. “People think they don’t need to drive, and the
business doesn’t need to build a store, so there will be less pollution,” says Nuria Prost, an

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environmental scientist. “But it is not simple. In fact, online shopping is wasteful. It also causes
air pollution.”
3 In truth, the Internet is not always a good friend to the environment as it seems. For
example, most people thought that the Internet would help offices use less paper and other
materials. But paper use increased by 33 percent between 1986 and 1997. “Online shopping
could have similarly negative effects,” says Nevil Cohen, a professor of environmental science.
4 Part of the problem is what people are
buying these days. In the past, people bought
things on the Internet that did not require much
packing material, such as books and clothing.
But now people also shop online for large heavy
products such as televisions, computers, and
furniture. These products need to be packed in
large amounts of plastic and paper. This creates
a lot of waste.
5 Another problem caused by online
shopping is air pollution. When customers buy products and ask for next-day delivery,
companies often have to send them by air. Airplanes use much more fuel than cars and
produce more carbon dioxide. When people buy a lot of different things from different online
businesses, this creates even more travel by airplanes.
6 Online product returns are also a problem. For example, an online store may allow
customers to return shoes for free if they are the wrong size. This doubles the packing
materials and number of airplane trips required to sell one pair of shoes.
7 “If people want to protect the environment, they need to think before they shop,”
says Prost. “People need to ask themselves: Is it exactly what I want? Do I really need it
tomorrow, or can I wait?” Online stores can also charge customers for returns. This may make
people shop more carefully. “Online shopping is fast and easy,” says Prost, “but we can’t
forget the negative effect it has on the environment.”
1. Which of the following is false about online shopping?

a. More people prefer online shopping today.

b. Everybody has positive opinions about online shopping.
c. Online shopping can be harmful to the environment.

2. Which of the following is a disadvantage of online shopping?

a. It is profitable since building a store is not necessary.

b. Using plastic and paper result in creating a lot of waste.
c. People need to drive when they are returning a product.

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3. What kind of materials did people buy in the past and what kind of materials do they
buy today?

_In the past, we bought materials like books and clothing and these materials didn’t require
packing. But now we buy every kind of materials such as televisions and furniture and they need
packing._

4. Why do the materials we buy today create a lot of waste?

_Products like television and furniture need to be packed in large amounts of plastic and paper.
This creates a lot of waste._

5. How does online shopping cause air pollution?

_Companies have to send the products by air and planes produce carbon dioxide. This creates air
pollution._

6. According to paragraph 7, how can people protect the environment?

a. They should stop online shopping and go to stores to buy products.

b. They should prefer recyclable materials and non-returnable products.
c. They should think before they shop and decide if they need the product.

C. REFERENCE QUESTIONS

What do the following refer to?

1. In paragraph 2, line 1 “this” means _that online shopping is bad for the environment_
2. In paragraph 2, line 3 “it” means _online shopping__
3. In paragraph 4, line 4 “this” means _ packing in large amounts of plastic and paper
4. In paragraph 5, line 2 “them” means __ products___
5. In paragraph 6, line 2 “they” means ____ shoes____

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Read the text and answer the following questions.

BULLET TRAINS
1. Bullet trains are high-speed trains. They are safe, cheap and fast way to travel. They travel
more than 124 miles (200 kilometres) per hour. The name bullet comes from their speed
and shape. Today, these trains are popular forms of intercity travel all over the world.

2. Bullet trains got their start in Japan. The population of this country grew very fast in the
1950s. Japan’s trains and roads became crowded. People needed a new way to get around.
Japanese officials hoped a new kind of train would solve their transportation problems. The
government opened the first Shinkansen (the network of high speed trains in Japan) in
Tokyo, in 1964. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen ran 302 miles (515 kilometres) between the cities of
Tokyo and Osaka and reached 135 miles (217 kilometres) per hour!

3. Today, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the world’s busiest high-speed rail line. It carries 151
million passengers a year. It transports more passengers than any other high speed line in
the world. Between Tokyo and Osaka, the two largest metropolises in Japan, up to ten trains
per hour with sixteen cars each (1,300 seat capacity) run in each direction, with a minimum
headway of three minutes between trains.

4. With the help of new technology, bullet trains will be much more efficient in the future. This
means they will make less noise and use less energy!

A. What do the following refer to?

1. In paragraph I, “these trains” means bullet trains.

2. In paragraph II, “this country” means Japan.

3. In paragraph II, “their” means Japanese officials’ / Japanese people’s.

4. In paragraph IV, “this” refers to the fact that bullet trains will be much more efficient
in the future.

B. Fill in the blanks according to the information given in the text.

1. Bullet trains are safe, cheap and fast. (Write three advantages.)

2. The bullet train got its name from its speed and shape.
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3. Transportation became a problem in Japan in the 1950s because a) the population

grew very fast. Japan solved this problem by introducing the world’s b) first bullet
train in c) Tokyo in 1964.

4. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen provided rail service between a) Tokyo and b) Osaka at a
speed of c) 135 miles (217 kilometres) per hour.

5. Today, the world’s busiest high-speed rail line is a) Tōkaidō Shinkansen because the
number of passengers it carries is b) 151 million a year.

6. The bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka has a) sixteen cars and each one can carry
b) 1,300 people at a time.

7. In the future, bullet trains will probably produce a) less noise and use b) less energy.

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 A2 –READING ASSIGNMENT 12

The Green City of the Future

1. Last year was the hottest in the United States. Most scientists agree people are responsible
for a big part of global warming. Everyday activities such as heating or cooling houses and
schools, driving big cars and even using computers fill the air with a gas called carbon dioxide.
That gas and a few others increase in the air. They trap the sun's heat near the Earth's surface.
2. Rich countries like the U.S. create the most pollution, but scientists and other people are
looking for ways to solve the problem. Mayors in 453 cities in the country decided to create
programs to encourage greener, or more Earth-friendly living to help reduce pollution.
3. People are building healthier communities; they will use less energy. Here's what a town
could look like in the near future when people start to take care of the environment.
4. Energy-saving homes and buildings save water and energy. Rooftops covered with grass or
plants take less of the sun's heat; they keep things cooler. Open windows are like air
conditioners. People will build homes with recycled materials such as wood from old
buildings. In green schools, teachers will teach kids about the environment. Shops and offices
will be close enough to walk to.
5. Energy from the sun and wind will help make things work. Solar panels turn the sun's energy
into electricity. Wind turbines from farms, will turn wind power into electricity.
6. Cars will work with bio-fuels. Trains and other public transportation will reduce the use of
gasoline. Hybrid cars will have fuel-burning engines and battery-powered motors. Electric cars
will run on batteries that are charged the same way as laptop computer batteries. Everyone
will recycle their rubbish. People will recycle land by changing old airports etc into parks.

A. Match the following phrases with their meanings.

1. responsible for__f___ a. head of a town or city
2. to trap __g___ b. to make something more likely to happen
3. to create __i___ c. made into sth new from sth used before
4. mayor __a___ d. people living in an area
5. to encourage __b__ e. the quality of being hot or warm
6. community __d__ f. to make something (usually bad) to happen
7. recycled __c__ g. to keep heat in one place because it’s useful
8. heat __e__ h. to put electricity into a battery
9. to charge __h__ i. generate, design

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B. Answer the following questions after you read the text.

1. What is the main idea of the text?
a. Green cars of the future.
b. The effects of global warming.
c. The green life of the future.
2. Write three reasons why people are mainly responsible for global warming.
Heating or cooling houses and schools.
Driving big cars
Using computers
3. What are the mayors of cities doing to help reduce pollution?
_Mayors in the cities are creating programs to encourage greener, or more
Earthfriendly, living, to help reduce pollution. __
4. In paragraph 3, “they” in line 1, refers to ____people/ healthier communities____.
5. According to paragraph 4, which sentence is NOT TRUE?
a. Windows will be designed to keep the cold air away.
b. Houses will be made of recycled materials.
c. People will walk to shops and offices.
6. According to paragraph 5, what are the two ways of producing energy?
___Solar panels turn the sun's energy into electricity. Wind turbines, from farms,
will turn wind power into electricity_____________.

7. According to paragraph 6, which sentence is TRUE?

a. Public transport will reduce the use of electricity.
b. Electric cars will work with batteries.
c. People will recycle land and change them into airports.

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