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VOCABULARY: Focus

Major vs. minor

A major is the subject that you specialise in studying and what you dedicate the most of your
time and effort to learning. The minor is a secondary subject that you do not study in such in-
depth detail, but is still significant enough to deserve recognition. Often the major is what you
want to make a career of, and the minor is something that personally interests you or
complements your primary course of study.

Examples:

When I go to university I want to  major  in philosophy, with a  minor  in sociology.

College vs. university

A university is a higher educational institute of learning where research is carried out and
which awards students with degrees. These may include undergraduate qualifications
(diplomas, associate degrees) as well as graduate degrees (bachelor, master degrees and
doctorates). The word college by comparison has a wide range of meanings which change
depending in which part of the English-speaking world it is used. Generally speaking it is
synonymous with the word school, and can mean any sort of educational institute such as a
high school or a technical trade school. In the UK it tends to refer to a higher educational
institute which has a narrow subject focus and heavy specialization on that subject. It is usually
smaller than a university with less funding because it is not involved in research, and often
works in partnership with a nearby university to provide qualifications to its students.
Universities may be made up of several different colleges, such as the College of Fine Arts or
the College of Humanities. In the USA, college is used synonymously with university in
everyday speech. Specifically, a college is an institution that only awards bachelor’s degrees
while a university awards bachelor’s degrees as well as post-graduate degrees.

Example:

Before I went to Harvard  University  for my doctorate I got my bachelor’s in science at


Boston  College.

Scholarship vs. bursary

A scholarship is a sum of money paid by an organization, school, trust or individual to help pay
for a student’s education as a reward for the student’s past academic excellence or merit. A
bursary is the same except it is given to students that need financial help rather than those
who have shown academic skill.

Example:

My friend Jamie is applying for several  bursaries  because his parents earn a low enough
combined salary that he is eligible for financial assistance.

Our basketball team was one of the top high school teams in Canada, and as team captain, my
university studies next year will be paid one hundred percent by my sports  scholarship.

Continuing Education

Also called adult education, or evening classes. Continuing Education courses are taken by
adult students, usually part time or during the evening.
Example:

You have to admire him, 58 years old and he’s just started another physics-based  continuing
education  course three days a week.

Enrollment

The act of entering someone as a member or participant of something.

Example:

It took me almost an hour to fill out all the  enrollment  papers for my new French cooking
evening class.

Assessment

The evaluation and judgment of something, or the act of doing this.

Example:

I was terrified that my essay would not receive good marks in the end of term  assessment.

Qualification

The special knowledge or skill that enables someone to do, have or be part of something.

Example:

They didn’t care that I had sixteen years experience teaching in classrooms, they wouldn’t give
me the job without a certified teaching  qualification.

Grade point average

A calculated number that shows the student’s average course score.

Example:

My 96.5  grade point average  in my last year at high school helped me win the Sagong
Scholarship.

Curriculum

The range of courses that are offered by an educational institute.

Example:

Wildstone College has a very narrow  curriculum; they only offer classes on advanced
astronomy and astrophysics.

Elective

Optional class that is not required for your course of study.

Example:

One of the highlights of my week is going to my music  elective  class jam session on
Wednesday.

Prerequisite
Something that is necessary to have or do before you can have or do something else.

Example:

I really wanted the job, but they required a PhD in anthropology as one of
the  prerequisites  and I only have my master’s.

Financial aid

An amount of money such as a grant, scholarship or loan given to help support a person, cause
or organisation.

Example:

I am getting  financial aid  from the government because I have no current job and I’m having
problems finding a new one.

Question 1

Correct

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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word or phrase:

1. Amelia works as a restaurant manager while she studies for her bachelor’s degree, because
financial aid
in the absence of Answer

 she has to fund her studies or else she would get seriously into debt.

grade point average


2. With a Answer

 as low as mine, there’s no way I’ll be receiving any scholarships to help me pay for my studies.
 

minor
3. I think I actually enjoy my Answer

 more than my major, it’s so fascinating and it never feels like work when I’m studying.

university
4. This summer they are postponing going back to Answer

 to get their master’s degrees, and instead taking a gap year to travel around the world.

bursary
5. I’m waiting for this semester’s Answer

 cheque which I receive by virtue of having both parents working on minimum wage.

elective
6. I like to pick a different Answer

 every term, to change things around and keep myself interested in what I am learning.

college
7. I can’t wait to get out of high school and into community Answer

 where I can study car mechanics and finally get started on realising my dream of working on
Formula One racing engines.

 
scholarship
8. My best friend won a huge medical Answer

 because her grades were the highest out of all of our college.

prerequisites
9. One of the Answer

 at my old college was a strict dress code. We all wore white shirts and a tie.

10. One of the reasons I chose this university is because they offered such a wide and
curriculum
diverse Answer

11. Rather than paying an arm and a leg by going to university, he decided to enroll in
continuing education
a Answer

 class to do carpentry while working part-time as a waiter.

major
12. Jane wants to change her Answer

 from engineering to psychology but she can’t because she has already committed herself to
becoming an engineer.

 
qualification
13. The most useful Answer

 that I think I gained after secondary school was not actually my degree, but a hospitality
certificate which helped me succeed in getting at least five of my last job positions.

enrollment
14. The Answer

 process when starting university can take months.

15. We love going to lectures and discussing topics in class, but whenever there is an
assessment
upcoming Answer

 we find it difficult to finish writing the essays and we tend to procrastinate a lot by playing
videogames all night.

VOCABULARY: Idioms

“A” for effort

Said when someone might not have succeeded in a task, but showed they tried hard.

Examples:

His teacher said he would receive an  A for effort, but he needed to show more tangible results
in the future to make sure he gets a good mark.

Pass with flying colors

To succeed at something easily.

Example:

She was nervous about the driver’s test, but her mom told her that she would  pass with flying
colors.

Bookworm

Someone who likes books and is known for studying a lot.


Example:

She’s such a  bookworm; every time she comes out of the library she’s carrying at least twenty
huge technical textbooks.

Teacher’s pet

A student who is especially liked or favoured by the teacher and receives preferential
treatment.

Example:

Marie is the  teacher’s pet  in every class; she answers every question and is always so polite
and well-behaved that they all think she is amazing.

Teach someone a lesson

To hurt or punish someone.

Example:

If you don’t stop saying those things about my sister, I’ll  teach you a lesson, mate.

Learn by heart

To memorise something perfectly.

Example:

Jim says he knows the first digits of pi up until its hundredth number, but I don’t think it’s
possible to  learn  so many numbers  by heart.

Old-school

Having or following old-fashioned styles or values.

Example:

I adore  old-school  blues; live music played on the streets with acoustic slide guitars and a
mouth organ or two is heaven to me.

Flunk out

To be dismissed or expelled from a school.

Example:

Did you hear? Kelly  flunked out  of school last week, her parents are talking about transferring
her to another state!

Copycat

An imitator, someone who cheats or does the same thing as another.

Example:

Dave, you  copycat, get your own ideas and stop stealing mine!

Question 1
Correct

Mark 10.00 out of 10.00

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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom:

learn
1. Last week Jackson bet me ten dollars that he could Answer

by heart
 the monologue from David Attenborough’s  The Blue Planet series Answer

 in one day.

pass w ith flying colors


2. He thought he was going to Answer

 but the exam was much harder than he imagined.

A for effort
3. He gave a sarcastic ‘Answer

!’ In truth he was devastated his team didn’t win.

 
old-school
4. The professor took more of an Answer

 approach when it came to discipline. Anyone arriving late was given the cane.

5. I can’t handle the stress of the pop-tests they give us all the time, they are too difficult for
flunk out
me and I’m worried that I’m going to Answer

6. Her constant three hour study preparations in the library earned her the title of
bookw orm
school Answer

teacher´s pet
7. I don’t like being called a Answer

 just because I sometimes get enthusiastic and verbose in class.

copycat
8. That Answer

 Mark had all the same answers and mistakes as me for our last examination, I bet he was
looking at my sheet!

 
learn
9. Stella thinks she can Answer

by heart
 all the lyrics to every one of Bob Dylan’s songs Answer

teach us a lesson
10. Our biology lecturer likes to jokingly warn us that he’ll Answer

 if we don’t stay quiet while he’s talking.

GRAMMAR: Passive voice with reporting verbs

We normally use the passive voice to focus on action. Who, when or what performed the
action is either unknown or unimportant. When we use the passive voice in reported speech, it
allows us to make generalisations about things that have been said in a formal capacity,
without using extra words like everybody, they, we all, or people.

For example:

Active: Everyone says that you are the most beautiful woman on earth.

Passive: It is said that you are the most beautiful woman on earth.

Passive: You are said to be the most beautiful woman on earth.

As you can see, there are two ways of expressing this generalisation with reporting verbs:

it + to be + passive reporting verb + that-clause

Example: It is known that he loves you.

Meaning: People know that he loves you.

Register: Very formal
subject + to be + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive

Example: He is known to love you.

Meaning: People know that he loves you.

Register: Formal

These are highly formal structures that appear more commonly in writing than in spoken
English. However, they often appear in situations when we do not know, when it is
unnecessary to say or when it is obvious who, when, or what we are talking about.

As a general rule, verbs such as like, tell, advise, and invite can be followed by the
word someone (or he, she, the professor etc.) without sounding overly formal. Other verbs
such as like, know, notice and believe can be followed by the words something or to + verb +
something without sounding overly formal.

One exception to this rule is the phrasal verb supposed to, (meaning should or expected to)
which loses its formality. Be careful though, because used in its purer form, the verb to
suppose is a reporting verb in the passive that retains its formality.

For example:

Passive, very formal: It  is supposed  that we will all wait for the guests to arrive.

Active, informal: Everyone assumes that we will wait for the guests to arrive.

Passive, informal: We  are supposed to  wait for the guests to arrive.

Active, informal: Everyone expects us to wait for the guests to arrive.

Here is a list of reporting verbs commonly used in the passive:

Formal Formal Less Formal

• To know
• To declare • To advise
• To see
• To expect • To command
• To
• To prove • To inform
understand
• To think • To remind
• To feel
• To believe • To invite
• To report
• To discover • To persuade
• To find
Note that the verbs in the last column are used less formally in the passive. All of the verbs in
the last column EXCEPT inform, advise and command need a specific subject and cannot be
used with the (it + to be + passive reporting verb + that) structure, only with the (subject + to
be + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive) structure.

Question 1

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A. Choose the most appropriate reporting verb and tense to have the sentence be in a passive
voice:

They are believed to be


1. Answer

 allergic to chili powder.

Everyone w as invited to
2. Answer

 eat an appetizer of sliced chorizo.

It w as expected that
3. Answer
 we would all go on the company retreat to Cancun.

It w as found that everyone w as


4. Answer

 guilty of slandering the high Prince.

It is assumed that
5. Answer

 students do not have meticulous standards of hygiene.

He w as felt
6. Answer

 to be a burden to the history club due to his enigmatic habit of correcting everybody even if
he was wrong.

I w as reported to
7. Answer

 have once run the New York Marathon so fast that I set a new World Record, but that is just a
myth.

are seen to be
8. Universities Answer
 essential steps in the careers of young people which hold significant implications for their
social status.

It w as discovered that
9. Answer

 kryptonite does not, in fact, exist.

w ere persuaded
10. That month, the medical students Answer

 to give up energy drinks at great cost to the board of trustees who were on a campaign
against artificial chemical consumption.

It w as proven
11. Answer

 that most people would not survive in the event of a future zombie apocalypse.

Question 2

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Question text

B. Are the following sentences correct examples of reporting verbs in the passive voice?

1. The survivors were commanded all fall on their own swords if we were forced to surrender.
no
Answer

2. The survivors were commanded to all fall on their own swords if they were forced to
surrender.

yes
Answer

3. It is commanded to all fall upon our own swords if we are forced to surrender.

no
Answer

4. It is advised that we all fall upon our own swords if we are forced to surrender.

yes
Answer

5. The students were reminded to hand their essays in before the due date or face the
lecturer’s wrath.

yes
Answer

6. It was reminded that the essays were handed in before the due date or we would face the
lecturer’s wrath.
no
Answer

7. I was supposed to go to jail for forging my Ph.D. in Mathematics, but they let it slide.

yes
Answer

8. It is supposed to be difficult to pass your post graduate studies while living on scholarships.

yes
Answer

9. It is supposed that student life is easy and carefree by those who do not study.

yes
Answer

VOCABULARY: Focus
Irony

When something is humorous or strange because it happens in the exact opposite way to that
which you would expect.

Examples:

The  irony  was that when he tried to hit her he missed and bashed his own head with the frying
pan.

Plot

The series of events that makes up the narrative of a story, film, novel etc.

Example:

The problem with popular fiction these days is that in most of these novels, the  plot  is
completely predictable and banal.

Imagery

The visually descriptive language that causes people to imagine pictures in their heads, often
used when referring to literary works.

Example:

One of the characteristics of Yeats’s poetry is its gorgeous, descriptive  imagery. You can
practically smell and taste the worlds he writes about.

Protagonist

The principle or main character in a work of fiction.

Example:

In Collin’s new novel, the  protagonist  dies at the end.


Posit

To put something forward; to argue something.

Example:

I would  posit  that George R. R. Martin’s fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire is actually better
than its television counterpart, Game of Thrones.

Prolific

Characterized by a large amount of something.

Example:

James Patterson has a  prolific  body of work within the crime genre, most notably his series
involving Alex Cross.

Tragicomedy

A work that incorporates tragic and comic elements, usually with a central romance story.

Example:

Although it could certainly be debated, The Merchant of Venice was perhaps Shakespeare’s
most notable  tragicomedy.

Teeter

To sway back and forth.

Example:

The voters began to  teeter  between which candidate they wanted to support.

Sonnet

A fourteen line poem with a specific rhyme scheme.

Example:

A Shakespearean  sonnet  follows a rhyme scheme known as iambic pentameter.

Climax

The most important, high energy, dramatic or interesting point in a story, usually near the end.

Example:

I was just getting into the  climax  of the latest edition of my new sci-fi comic when the alarm
went off and I had to leave.

Novel

A long, complex fictional story that deals with human experience using imaginary characters
and events.

Example:
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is regarded by many critics as the greatest  novel  of all
time.

Genre

A category or type of art or literature.

Example:

My favourite style of writing would have to be 'steampunk', a kind of science fiction sub-genre.

Question 1

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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word:

plot
1. He was struggling with where to go next in the Answer

 of his new novel.

climax
2. When I got to the end of the book’s Answer

 they killed off almost all the major characters and embarrassingly enough, I couldn’t help but
shed a tear.

posit
3. I’d like to Answer
 Jane Eyre as a masterpiece.

teeter
4. The release date had to Answer

 between separate weekends until they received a word on the building permit.

tragicomedy
5. Although this Answer

 has lighthearted moments, it ends with blood much like many others.

protagonist
6. In the end the Answer

 out-smarts the evil villain and rescues the princesses.

imagery
7. The sheer intensity of her Answer

 almost makes me feel like I’m watching it in my head rather than just reading a book.

8. Three decades worth of consistent published material signed his legacy as Answer
prolific
 at the very least.

sonnet
9. Writing poems is one thing. Writing a Answer

 is something else entirely.

genre
10. Almost all the books I read are in the crime Answer

11. You know what happened to Dave last week? He works as a parking enforcement officer
irony
but his license got suspended because he hadn’t paid his parking tickets! What Answer

 huh?

GRAMMAR: Advanced reporting verbs

One of the most common ways to use reported speech is with the verbs say and tell:

• Direct speech: "Move away and stop bothering us Jamie!"


• Reported speech: They told me to move away and stop bothering them.
• Direct speech: "Jack, don’t listen to her, just come to the concert!"
• Reported speech: He said that I should just come to the concert and not listen to my
girlfriend.

These sentences are perfectly correct, but it is often better to use more specific and descriptive
verbs instead of just say and tell. There are many different verbs for reporting speech, and
they each use a variety of different grammatical structures.
For example, in the sentence above, Jamie is being ordered to move away.

• Reported speech: They ordered me to move away and stop bothering them.

Jack’s friend is insisting that Jack come to a concert.

• Reported speech: He insisted that I not listen to my girlfriend and just come to the concert.

As you can see, sometimes the structure of the sentence has to change, depending on which
reporting verb is used. Below is a table of some of the most common ones and how to
structure them. Several of these verbs have more than one possible way to be structured.

Formula Reporting Verbs Example

 I admitted that she was right.

admit, agree,  You  explained that  we only


Verb + (that) decide, deny, committed the robbery because
explain, insist, we were tricked!
Note: the that is promise, order,  He  insisted that  I try the new
optional recommend, recipe.
suggest, threaten
 They  denied  they were
kidnappers for years.

 We  threatened to steal  it.

 You  promised to take care  of


Verb with past agree, decide, offer, her.
participle + promise, refuse,  He  offered to prepare  the dinner
infinitive threaten for me.

 I  refused to sacrifice  my integrity


for monetary gain.

 She  denied  ever  knowing  me.

 You  recommended trying  to


deny, recommend, open ourselves to the beauty of
Verb + gerund
suggest the universe.

 I  suggested making  chocolate


croissants for breakfast.

Verb with past advise, encourage,  My friend  advised me  not  to


go  into the woods alone.

 The spider  invited  the fly to


participle + object invite, order,
come inside.
+ infinitive remind, warn
 I  warned you  not  to fight  them
on your own.

 I  apologised for breaking  the


Verb + preposition door in.
apologise, insist
+ gerund  We  insisted on coming, despite
the inherent danger.

 He  accused us of stealing  the


crown jewels.
Verb + object +
accuse, blame,  She  congratulated him for
preposition +
congratulate winning  the writing competition.
gerund
 I  blamed you for using  up all my
olive oil supplies.

Question 1

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Question text

Choose the correct way to turn the following sentences from direct speech into reported
speech, using the reporting verb correctly:

1. “Leave me alone or I’ll break something!” cried Sara in anger.

A. Sara warned that I leave her alone or she’d break something

B. Sara warned me leaving her alone or she’d break something

C. Sara warned me to leave her alone or she’d break something


D. Sara warned me to leaving her alone or she’d break something

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: C. Sara warned me to leave her alone or she’d break something

2. “That’s a brilliant idea, I’d love to join your Arabic-flamenco rock band!” said Jason.

A. Jason agreed us to join our rock band

B. Jason agreed to join our rock band

C. Jason agreed of joining our rock band

D. Jason agreed himself for joining our rock band

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. Jason agreed to join our rock band

3. “Give me your money or I’ll break your legs” growled the thug.

A. The thug threatened that he’d break my legs if I didn’t give him my money

B. The thug threatened me to give him my money or he would break my legs

C. The thug threatened to give him my money or he’d break my legs

D. The thug threatened me giving him my money or he would break my legs

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. The thug threatened that he’d break my legs if I didn’t give him my
money

4. “I am going to run for prime minister this year” said the small child happily.

A. The child decided running for prime minister

B. The child decided to run him for prime minister

C. The child decided that to run for prime minister


D. The child decided to run for prime minister

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: D. The child decided to run for prime minister

5. “You can trust me” said George.

A. George promised that I can trust him

B. George promised me I could trust him

C. George promised me to trust him

D. George promised to me that I could trusting him

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. George promised me I could trust him

6. “No, I really want to find the snakes!” said the guide earnestly.

A. The guide insisted on finding the snakes

B. The guide insisted we to find the snakes

C. The guide insisted us on finding the snakes

D. The guide insisted on us to find the snakes

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. The guide insisted on finding the snakes

7. “Do you want a hand?” said Sinatra.

A. Sinatra offered giving me a hand

B. Sinatra offered that she gave me a hand

C. Sinatra offered me to give a hand


D. Sinatra offered to give me a hand

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: D. Sinatra offered to give me a hand

8. “It was you who did this!” exclaimed Donavan.

A. Donavan accused me of doing it

B. Donavan accused that I did it

C. Donavan accused that I having done it

D. Donavan accused me that I did it

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. Donavan accused me of doing it

9. “I’m so incredibly sorry about running over your cat, love” said my mother.

A. My mother apologized to run over my cat

B. My mother apologized me that she had ran over my cat

C. My mother apologised to me for running over my cat

D. My mother apologized to me running over my cat

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: C. My mother apologised to me for running over my cat

10. “Sorry guys, I don’t really want to go hang out under the bridge” said Michael.

A. Michael refused that to go hang out under the bridge

B. Michael refused to go hang out under the bridge

C. Michael refused going hang out under the bridge


D. Michael refused us for going to hang out under the bridge

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. Michael refused to go hang out under the bridge

VOCABULARY: Latin and French idioms used in English

Carte Blanche

Complete control or complete power.

Examples:

Giving someone a  carte blanche  in politics could lead to a dictatorship.

Crème de la Crème

The best of the best.

Example:

Ernest Hemingway is among the  crème de la crème  concerning wartime narratives.

Déjà vu

The phenomenon of seemingly experiencing something again.

Example:

His blind date went very strangely, after an hour of strong feelings of  déjà vu  they realised
that they had attended high school together.

De facto

To exist as an unofficial fact or standard.

Example:
It may come as a surprise, but English is actually the  de facto  language of the United States. It
has no legal bearing.

Alter ego

A different version of yourself.

Example:

In The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson the plot centres on the
conflicting inner battle for control between Dr Jekyll and his  alter ego, Edward Hyde.

Status quo

The way things are in this moment, the existing condition or state of affairs as they currently
exist without modification.

Example:

They said I was a trouble-maker, always questioning the laws and trying to upset the  status
quo.

Ad naseum

To talk about something repetitively until it is unpleasant.

Example:

She was going on  ad naseum  about this book she was reading to the point where I thought I
didn’t even need to read it to know the whole story.

Quid pro quo

Compensation, receiving something in return for something else.

Example:

I’m standing to lose my house and all my personal property to my ex-wife without any  quid pro
quo.

Persona non grata

Description of a person that is somehow unacceptable or unwelcome.

Example:

You have made yourself a  persona non grata  by associating yourself so publically with Hitler.

Question 1

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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom. Refer to the “Welcome Section” of the course to
remember how to input accent marks:

crème de la crème
1. To be the Answer

 of hollywood actors is a distinguished honour available to the likes of Daniel-Day Lewis and
Christian Bale.

quid pro qu
2. C’mon man, Answer

. I helped you with painting your fence, now you have to do me a favour.

de facto
3. The Answer

 understanding puts John as the boss. However, there are no legal binding documents that
make it official.

persona non grata


4. The disgraced ambassador was declared Answer
 and exiled permanently from the country.

déjà vu
5. Each morning was like Answer

 as he awoke in a cold sweat from the same nightmare.

6. All the chocolate in the flat is gone again. Janie keeps using the excuse of having a ravenous
alter ego
chocoholic Answer

 that comes out when she is sleeping for the reason why it keeps disappearing.

carte blanche
7. It was a small business, so his Answer

 with operations was more out of necessity than choice.

status quo
8. The aim of Anarchists and radical political idealists is to challenge the Answer

ad naseum
9. Listening to my roommates argue Answer
 is really getting old.

VOCABULARY: Focus

Metropolis

A very important or very large city.

Examples:

Hi, I’m from London, one of the greatest  metropolises  on earth.

Cosmopolitan

Someone who has travelled to and has knowledge of many different parts of the world.

Example:

Johnny thinks he’s such a  cosmopolitan  since he’s come back from Nepal.

High-rise

A very tall modern building.

Example:

Everyone around here lives in  high-rise  apartments.

Chain store

One of several retail shops that are owned by the same company and sell the same goods with
the same brand marks.

Example:

I don’t like  chain stores  much because they have no personal character.

Traffic jam

An obstruction of vehicles in a city where there is almost no movement.


Example:

The  traffic jam  was caused by a car accident further up on the freeway.

Pollution

Harmful substances put by humans into the environment.

Example:

The more cars on the road, the more  pollution  there will be.

Alley

A narrow street usually off the path of the main street.

Example:

Some  alleys  in big cities are the most dangerous places to be.

Rush hour

The time of the day when traffic is busiest.

Example:

I try and avoid  rush hour  when I’m coming home from work.

Skyscraper

A very tall modern building.

Example:

Big cities are always full of  skyscrapers.

Suburb

A town or area on the outskirts of the main city center.

Example:

Living in the  suburbs  is so peaceful compared to the city center.

Urban

Of or relating to a city.

Example:

As the sun comes up over the glittering skyscrapers and their mirrored windows, this turns into
a beautiful  urban  landscape.

Commuter

Someone who regularly travels to and from a place to their home, usually for work related
reasons from a suburb to the city center.

Example:
When you catch the underground subway train early in the morning, the carriages are full of
dead-eyed  commuters  on their way to work.

Question 1

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Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word or phrase:

rush hour
1. To make sure I don’t get caught in traffic at Answer

, I don’t drive to work during the week, I use the bus.

2. I thrive on living in Paris. I love the buzz that comes off being surrounded by so many people
metropolis
when I’m in a Answer

cosmopolitans
3. Big cities are full of travelling Answer

 sipping coffee in cafes.

high-rise
4. She likes taking her guitar up to the roof of our Answer
 apartment and playing in the open air.

5. Some good advice when travelling to an unfamiliar city is to avoid places like dark Answer
alleys

 and stick to the main roads.

urban
6. Parkour is a kind of Answer

 sport.

Skyscraper
7. A Answer

 is a building that doesn’t actually touch the sky, but sometimes they do scrape the clouds.

8. With all of the new green technologies, it will be interesting to see if we end up lowering the
pollution
amount of Answer

 that we produce.

traffic jam
9. It really gets on my nerves when I am driving and I hit a Answer
.

suburbs
10. When you have kids and a family, living in the Answer

 makes more sense.

commuter
11. I’m going to move closer to my place of work so I don’t have to be a Answer

. GRAMMAR: Review of modals and semi-modals

Modals and Semi-modals

'Modals' are verbs that combine with other verbs to talk about permission, obligation, ability,
and possibility. They are not conjugated in the same manner as normal verbs, the interrogative
and negative form do not take the auxiliary verb do and they have no -s, -ing, -en or infinitive
forms.

For example, the way to express the ability to swim in the present tense would be I can
swim/I am able to swim, the past form would be I could swim/I was able to swim, and I will be
able to swim is the future form. The modals in English
are: can/could, may/might, shall/should, will/would, and must.

The sentence order is generally:

Subject + modal auxiliary verb + other auxiliary verb(s) + main verb + object

For example:

I  should eat  the apple (present)

I  shouldn’t eat  the apple (negative)

I  should eat  the apple next year (future)


I  should have eaten  the apple (present perfect)

Should  I  eat  the apple? (question)

Semi-modals such as be able to have the same effect, but they often follow the conventional
rules of conjugation and are formed using auxiliary verbs and the preposition to. Semi-modal
auxiliary verbs include dare, need, used to, have to and ought to.

For example:

How  dare  you yell at my son!

He didn’t  dare  tell her the truth.

You  needn’t  worry about my wife’s strange behavior.

Need I  remind  you of the crocodiles?

She  used  to eat waffles and bacon for breakfast.

Did they  use to  skate in the park a lot?

You  have  to open the bank safe in under 24 seconds.

Does she  have to  accompany me to the shark aquarium?

I think you really  ought  to get that bite checked out by a doctor.

I know I  ought to  study more, I just don’t want to.

Question 1
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Choose the correct use of the modals and semi-modals in the sentences below:

never used to dine


1. They Answer

 on caviar on Sundays.

does not have to hold


2. According to his job contract he Answer

 the tiger by its paws.

Doesn’t she have to run


3. Answer

 for her life if the rope breaks?

might die
4. He Answer
 if the water keeps rising.

Dare you
5. Answer

 contest me?

Could you
6. Answer

 pass me the boiled peas?

he ought to give
7. Even though Answer

 me the diamonds, I’ll drop the subject.

Will you tell


8. Answer

 me where the treasure is hidden?

I w ouldn’t chance
9. Answer

 it, it’s too risky.

 
You need not
10. Answer

 answer.

she w ill be able to hit


11. Soon, Answer

 the target every time, but not quite yet.

May she have


12. Answer

 a glass of water?

it can’t be Dave
13. That man? No, Answer

, he is bald!

Would you help


14. Answer

 me out for 5 minutes?

VOCABULARY: Expressions

I’m off the hook

If we no longer are responsible for something or obliged to do something.


Examples:

I don’t need to go;  I’m off the hook  because John is picking her up at the airport!

If I’m not mistaken

To qualify a statement we have said, and to mean ‘I think I’m right’.

Example:

No, the football game is being played here this week  if I’m not mistaken.

That’s not always the case

To qualify something in a disagreement.

Example:

Republicans take Colorado during the general elections?  That’s not always the case.

My two cents

In my opinion, my input to the discussion.

Example:

Personally I don’t think we should attend the party, that's  my two cents.

What if?

To introduce a hypothetical situation.

Example:

What if  I had studied harder? I presume I would have done better on the exam.

What are the chances?

To express that something is unexpected.

Example:

It’s raining today?  What are the chances?  It hasn’t rained in forever.

I couldn’t agree with you more

Emphatically states how much we agree with someone.

Example:

You don’t like politicians?  I couldn’t agree with you more. I hate them too.
 

Question 1

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Choose which expression best suits the context of the sentence:

my tw o cents
1. It was an incredibly disgusting experience. That’s Answer

What if
2. Answer
 I was taller? Maybe I would be a better basketball player.

What are the chances?


3. Our team won?! Answer

 The other team was much better.

I couldn’t agree w ith you more


4. She is rude! Yeah, Answer

5. They cancelled it, so now I don’t have to give the introductory speech. Answer
I’m off the hook!

that’s not alw ays the case


6. I know I was late, but believe me, Answer

if I’m not mistaken


7. Actually, Answer
, someone already said that.

VOCABULARY: Myth and fact

The following words became part of our conventional vocabulary due to their presence in
ancient mythology:

Colossal

Very big in size.

Examples:

The Atlantic Ocean is a  colossal  body of water.

Academy

An institution for learning.

Example:

I attended a very prestigious art  academy  to learn everything I could about painting.

Atlas

Book of maps.

Example:

I referred to my  atlas  when I was drawing a map of Europe.

Labyrinth

A maze.

Example:

The city centre was like a  labyrinth  of streets going in all directions. It was very confusing.

Mentor

A wise and trusted advisor, often someone who has reached certain goals which their pupil
aspires to attain.

Example:

In order to become successful in my career I found myself a  mentor  who helped to guide me
and gave me recommendations when I needed them.

Nemesis

An enemy or strong competitor.

Example:

Our basketball game on Thursday is against our biggest  nemesis, the tornado crashers.

Muse
An artist’s inspiration for creating a work of art.

Example:

It was always said that Yoko Ono was John Lennon’s  muse. She helped inspire many famous
Beatles’ songs.

Zephyr

A light breeze.

Example:

Walking out into the sunset and feeling a gentle  zephyr  is a great feeling.

Thespian

An actor or an actress.

Example:

Growing up, she always wanted to be a  thespian, acting in plays and films.

Odyssey

An epic adventure or a series of adventures.

Example:

The road trip we took for seven days seemed like more of an  odyssey  than a vacation.

Iris

The coloured portion of the eye which contracts and dilates.

Example:

Her  irises  are a beautiful shade of green.

Question 1

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Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word:

atlas
1. My Answer

 is divided into chapters of each continent, then each chapter has sections for all the countries
in each continent.

2. We took a trip around Europe last month. Thirty-two days, twelve countries, seventeen
odyssey
cities. What an Answer

3. When people say “brown eyed girl,” or “blue eyed boy,” they aren’t talking about the whole
iris
eye, they are talking about the colour of the Answer

labyrinth
4. We visited an old park which had a Answer
 made of high hedges which we got lost in for an hour. I was so lost that someone had to come
in and rescue me.

thespian
5. When they asked him what he was studying to be, he said he was a Answer

. They were confused, but it’s just a fancy word for an actor.

muse
6. I decided to go to Paris because I needed to find myself a Answer

 to be able to finish my book of poetry.

zephyr
7. I felt a nice Answer

 as I walked through the park and saw the leaves swaying on the tress.

mentor
8. My mum became a Answer

 for a young woman trying to get a job in the company where she worked.

colossal
9. During the most important the exam of the year, he made a Answer

 mistake. Because of that, he will not graduate.


 

nemesis
10. Angela is my Answer

 in class. She is always trying to seem smarter than me.

academy
11. Silvia attended a hairdressing Answer

 to learn how to cut hair professionally.

VOCABULARY: Greek-derived idioms

The following English expressions are derived from Greek mythology:

Achilles’ heel

The weakness of someone or something.

Examples:

Although the team’s attack was very strong, the manager knew their defense was the
team’s  Achilles’ heel.

It’s all Greek to me

It's incomprehensible; used when you don’t understand something that is written or said.

Example:

The programming language used to create software programs  is all Greek to me.

The writing on the wall

The chances that something bad will happen.

Example:

It is important that the boss see  the writing on the wall. If we don’t change our sales strategy
soon we will go bankrupt.

A trojan horse

A deception someone uses to trick an enemy which outwardly appears good but has a hidden
malevolent purpose; also used in computer malware.

Example:
The hacker sent me a  Trojan horse  which seemed like an innocent file, but it destroyed my
computer.

Rome wasn't built in a day

That sometimes it can take a while to do something properly.

Example:

Although I am getting tired of reviewing the book I wrote I know  Rome wasn’t built in a day. I
must take the time that is necessary to do it right.

All roads lead to Rome

There are many strategies that can be used to arrive to the same goal.

Example:

Jim, it doesn’t really matter which strategy you use to study for the Algebra exam as long as we
can memorize the formulas,  all roads lead to Rome.

When in Rome do as the Romans do

Adopting the customs of a certain culture (usually while on holiday).

Example:

I wasn’t going to have a gelato, but since I would only be visiting Italy for a short while, I
thought, “when in Rome do as the Romans do”

Playing Cupid

Matching two people together romantically.

Example:

She had to thank her best friend for  playing Cupid  and setting her up with the love of her life.

Clash of the titans

Usually used ironically or in sports, a game between two good teams.

Example:

This weekend the football match is between the top two teams in the league. A real  clash of
the titans!

Pandora’s box

Opening or discovering something with unforeseen problems.

Example:

He didn’t realize that meeting her parents would be like opening  Pandora’s box. It turned out
that there were a lot of serious dysfunctions in her family.

Question 1

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Fill in the blank with the correct idiom:

clash of the titans


1. The first and second placed teams are playing in a Answer

 football match next Saturday.

the w riting on the w all


2. I hope my mum can see Answer

, my brother is miserable and needs help.

3. I never really take a nap during the day, but when I went to Spain on holiday, I
w hen in Rome do as the Romans do
thought, Answer

, and took short naps almost daily. 

trojan horse
4. A competitor sent over one of their employees to spy on us, as a Answer
, but we knew it was a trap, so we didn’t tell him anything.

5. He was a great student, but numbers weren’t his favorite thing. That’s probably why
Achilles’ heel
mathematics was his Answer

all Greek to me
6. When the teacher talks about finance formulas its Answer

, I don’t understand anything.

playing cupid
7. My friend is really good at Answer

. She is always matching people together who make great couples.

8. I know it takes a long time to make a good webpage, but take your time, Answer
Rome w asn't built in a day

Pandora’s box
9. Finding out about the politician’s past was like opening a Answer

. A lot of dirty secrets came out in the weeks that followed.


 

10. We could try what James suggested or what my mum said in order to get enough
all roads lead to Rome
information for our report, either way Answer

GRAMMAR: Dependent Prepositions

Some verbs, adjectives or nouns are followed by a specific preposition (before the object) in
order to give the sentence a specific meaning. Using a different preposition can change the
meaning, or turn it into a grammatical error, sounding especially strange to a native speaker.
Some of the more important prepositions to keep in mind are for, from, in, of, on, to,
with, and at.

Examples:

I have a question  for  the teacher.

The dependent preposition in this sentence is for. If we change this preposition in the
sentence or eliminate it all together the meaning of the sentence changes dramatically.

Examples:

I have a question  about  the teacher. (this means the speaker has a question in regards to the
teacher)

I have a question teacher (this means the speaker has a person who teaches him about
questions)

Let’s look at another example with a verb and dependent preposition:

Compare:

Correct: Incorrect:

I applied  for  a new job. I applied a new job

I applied  to  become a blood I applied become a blood


donor donor

Unfortunately, there are no set rules for dependent prepositions; they must simply be learnt
individually. Here are some of the most common combinations:
Verb + dependent prepositions

• accuse s/o of
• apologise for
• ask for
• boast about
• comment on
• consent to
• face up to
• interfere with/in
• long for
• prepare for
• punish s/o for
• sentence s/o to
• talk to s/o about s/th
• warn s/o about

• add to
• apply for
• attend to
• borrow s/th from s/o
• compare with
• consist of
• forgive s/o for
• joke about
• mistake s/o for
• present s/o with
• refer to
• smile at
• thank s/o for
• worry about

• agree with
• approve of
• believe in
• call for
• complain about
• deal with
• hear of/about
• laugh at
• object to
• prevent s/o from
• rely on
• succeed in
• think of / about
• aim at/for

• argue with/about
• belong to
• care for
• concentrate on
• decide on
• hope for
• lend s/th to s/o
• pay for
• protest about
• run for
• suffer from
• volunteer to
• allow for
• arrest s/o for

• blame s/o for


• choose between
• congratulate on
• excuse s/o for
• insist on
• listen to
• praise s/o for
• provide s/o with
• save s/o from
• stand for
• wait for

Adjectives + dependent prepositions

• according to
• ashamed of
• delighted at/about
• envious of
• frightened of
• interested in
• opposed to
• safe from
• similar to
• typical of

• accustomed to
• astonished at
• different from
• excited about
• friendly with
• jealous of
• pleased with
• satisfied with
• sorry for/about
• unaware of

• afraid of
• attached to
• dissatisfied with
• famous for
• good at
• keen on
• popular with
• sensitive to(wards)
• suspicious of
• used to

• annoyed with/about/at
• aware of
• doubtful about
• fed up with
• guilty of
• kind to
• proud of
• serious about
• sympathetic to(wards)
• anxious about

• crazy about
• enthusiastic about
• fond of
• incapable of
• mad at/about
• puzzled by/about
• sick of
• tired of

Noun - preposition collocations

• (take) advantage of
• attitude towards
• connection between
• disadvantage of
• information about
• (take no) notice of
• in practice
• reduction in
• room for
• on suspicion of
• use of

• under age
• on average
• cruelty towards
• in doubt
• (have no) intention of
• under (no) obligation
• preference for
• report on
• on second thoughts
• under suspicion
• on the whole

• in agreement
• on behalf of
• decrease in
• under guarantee
• knowledge of
• in order
• protection from
• result of
• solution to
• in theory
• difference between/of

• all in all
• comparison between
• delay in
• in (no/a) hurry
• (keep) in mind
• (take)pleasure in
• reaction to
• rise in
• at stake
• in trouble
• under (no) circumstances

• attack on
• on condition
• difficulty in/with
• increase in
• need for
• in power
• reason for
• at risk
• on strike
• trouble with

Question 1

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A. Choose the correct preposition for each one of these verbs:

in
1. They believe Answer

 each other.

w ith
2. He seems to always agree Answer

 his mother.

for
3. They told us to wait Answer

 them by the bus stop.

for
4. I asked Answer

 a hamburger and fries.

 
to
5. I asked Answer

 change rooms because the holiday makers next door snored so loudly.

to
6. Kristin listens Answer

 Billy Joel on the way to work every day.

from
7. I borrowed this coat Answer

 my sister.

for
8. Thank your dad Answer

 lending me his tools.

about
9. Now go to your room and think Answer

 what you have done.

about
10. My dad always jokes Answer
 my brother’s silly t-shirts.

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B. Choose the correct preposition for each one of these nouns:

for
1. My pregnant friend is having a lot of cravings Answer

 pickles and ice cream.

of
2. The purpose Answer

 arriving so early is to get a good seat.

of
3. My teacher’s assistant was given the task Answer

 ensuring each student was present.

 
of
4. Beware of the dangers Answer

 travelling abroad alone.

of
5. There is a great lack Answer

 resources required to finish the project.

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C. Choose the correct preposition for these adjectives:

w ith
1. My mum is always friendly Answer

 the neighbours.

to
2. My best friend is extremely grateful Answer
 the man who saved her from drowning.

to
3. On my Facebook, I am connected Answer

 over fifty of my old friends from high school.

of
4. My boyfriend is constantly jealous Answer

 the time I spend with my friend Matt.

of
5. Are you aware Answer

 the consequences of smoking?

of
6. Are you really scared Answer

 the dark?

to
7. Jean is very committed Answer

 the volunteer work he does at weekends.

 
about
8. We have almost finished high school and I am getting very worried Answer

 my future.

w ith
9. Please be patient Answer

 me.

w ith
10. My dad was very upset Answer

 me when I arrived home late.

Question 1 - For questions 1‐10, read the sentences and choose the correct option (a, b, c or
d).

1. I’m so happy! I passed all my exams with flying ________.

A. grades

B. effort

C. colors

D. results

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: C. colors

2. Peter is the teacher's ____. He always gets special treatment.


A. worm

B. copycat

C. fan

D. pet

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: D. pet

3. The _____ was just so predictable that I already knew how the movie was going to end.

A. plot

B. tram

C. shore

D. thread

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. plot

4. They _______ me to sit down and be quiet.

A. ordered

B. insisted

C. suggested

D. threatened

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. ordered

5. Can you believe it? She accused me _________ her jacket!


A. to steal

B. that I stole

C. of stealing

D. steal

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: C. of stealing

6. I don’t think that shirt suits you at all, but again that’s just my _________.

A. two cents

B. flip side

C. case

D. Pandora’s box

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. two cents

7. It doesn’t matter how we do it. In this case all roads lead to _____.

A. results

B. Rome

C. the goal

D. Greece

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. Rome

8. I didn’t understand anything in that class. It was all _______ to me.


A. Roman

B. Greek

C. Trojan

D. Romanian

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. Greek

9. Charlton Heston announced yesterday that he is suffering _____ Alzheimer's disease.

A. of

B. from

C. the

D. ∅

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. from

10. I don’t want to go to school anymore. The other kids are always laughing ________ me.

A. of

B. with

C. at

D. for

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. with

Question 2

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Question 2 - Passive voice with reporting verbs. Rewrite the following sentences using
passive voice. Sometimes there might be more than one possible answer.

1. Everybody knows that you are in charge.

It is know n that you are in charge


Answer

2. We understand that we have to be on time tomorrow.

It is understood that w e have to be on time tomorrow


Answer

3. My family expects me to go to University.

It is expected that I go to University


Answer

4. Biologists believe that thousands of birds died.


It is believed that thousands of birds died
Answer

5. They think that Cloe is living in Berlin.

It is thought that Cloe is living in Berlin


Answer

Comments

Comment:

Points added manually for acceptable versions in the answers.

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Question 3 - Complete the following sentences with the correct modal verb (a, b, c or d).

needn’t
1. There are lots of strawberries in the fridge. You Answer

 buy any.
mustn’t
2. It's a hospital. You Answer

 smoke.

must
3. He has been working for more than 14 hours. He Answer

may
 be tired after such hard work. He Answer

 prefer to get some rest.

could
4. I Answer

can
 speak Arabic fluently when I was a child. Now, I Answer

 just say a few things in the language.

Can
5. Answer

can’t
 you stand on your head for more than a minute? No, I Answer
.

VOCABULARY: Myth and fact

A shot in the dark

A guess at something without much certainty

Examples:

The detective admitted that his theory was  a shot in the dark  and was very pleased to discover
how close to the truth it really was.

On the back burner

Something (usually an idea for a project) that will not receive immediate attention.

Example:

The planning committee agreed to put the proposal  on the back burner  and focus their
attention on more immediate concerns.

Against the grain

To do something in a different way to how it is normally done, usually in the complete


opposite manner to what they are used to

Example:

It  goes against the grain  for Jake to admit that he is wrong.

Live up to

To be as good as, or to go beyond a positive reputation.

Example:
The honeymoon couple hoped that the holiday resort would  live up to  their expectations.

Get to the bottom of

To find out the truth about something.

Example:

They couldn’t understand why they lost the contract but the directors are determined to  get to
the bottom of it.

Be bad news

Something or someone who has a bad reputation.

Example:

I do wish you hadn’t invited that trouble-maker Carl to the party.  He’s bad news.

News to me

I did not know that. Said when someone hears something surprising or implausible for the first
time.

Example:

My best friends just told me that my brother was getting married! I said that that was  news to
me, he hadn’t mentioned a thing!

No news is good news

Something you say when you haven’t heard from someone or about something for a long
period of time.

Example:

I’m still waiting to receive the results of the medical examination I had last month, but I
guess  no news is good news.

Bad news travels fast

A saying which means that people will focus on something negative more quickly than positive
news.

Example:

My father always told me that  bad news travels fast. I found out how right he was when the
story of my car accident made the evening news.

Bottom line

The most important fact in a situation.

Example:

The football manager was furious. He told his team; the  bottom line  was that nothing less
than a home win or he would replace them all for the rest of the season.

Question 1
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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom:

new s to me
1. It was Answer

 to read about the discovery of hundreds of new planets outside of our solar system.

2. We were told that if there was a problem with the test results we would be informed
no new s is good new s
immediately. It's been two weeks since the test so we believe Answer

3. The project director announced that he would place the plans for corporate re-
on the back burner
branding Answer

 until the economic situation had improved.

bad new s travels fast


4. I know that Answer
 but I didn’t expect the video footage of the accident to be up on YouTube already!

bottom line
5. It was a harsh decision to make but the Answer

 was either to accept a cut in salaries, or face closure of the business.

bad new s
6. No Timmy, we can’t keep it. That stray dog is Answer

, it’s fur is mangy and it’s covered in fleas.

7. I refuse to do what my boss is asking me to do to win this client, it goes Answer


against the grain

 for me.

8. In the meeting, the new CEO said “As a matter of urgency, we need to Answer
get to the bottom of

 our failures and rebuild our corporate strategy”.

9. The decision to take a short cut through the village to avoid the traffic was Answer
a shot in the dark
 which eventually paid off in the end.

live up to
10. You have a lot to Answer

 if you want to follow in your well-respected father ‘s footsteps.

GRAMMAR: Would and used to

Use used to + infinitive when referring to things that have happened in the past that no longer
happen now, for example:

Past habits

Examples:

He used to write the sports column everyday but now it’s a weekly feature.

As a War Correspondent she was fearless. She used to stare danger in the face every day.

Past actions

Examples:

Newspapers used to fly off the printing press.

The newspaper boy used to shout out the headlines for people passing by.

Past States

Examples:

There used to be a newspaper stand on every street corner in this neighbourhood.

I used to live and breathe the lifestyle of a photo journalist.

Use would + infinitive like used to, to talk about past habits or repeated actions (but not
states) which happened in the past. Note: If an event has only happened on one occasion
you cannot use ‘used to’ or ‘would’. Instead, use the past simple tense.

Would
Examples:

She would read her horoscope every day.

I remember, as children, we would go to the cinema at least once a month.

Would not

The negative form ‘would not’ is often used to talk about refusals or events that should have
but didn’t happen in the past.

Examples:

He wanted the planning committee to approve the purchase but they would not agree.

So sorry that I’m late, but my car wouldn't start.

Other uses of ‘would’

We can use ‘would’ in a way that suggests the past tense of ‘will’ or ‘going to’ (a future
intention or prediction that happened in the past).

Examples:

From a very early age, we knew that she would become a fashion designer.

I thought it would snow so I brought my big boots.

Using ‘would’ as the past tense of ‘will’ or ‘going to’ is often found in reported speech.

Examples:

"I’m going to study the article." (direct speech)

= She said that she would study the article (reported speech)

"I will increase worker salaries." (direct speech)

= The director said that he would increase worker salaries (reported speech)

Question 1

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Question text

Fill in the blanks space with either: used to, would or would not: (do not use contracted forms)

w ould not
1. I had a problem updating the database because my computer Answer

 reboot this morning.

w ould
2. He said he Answer

 consider the proposal and let me know of his decision.

used to
3. They Answer

 pretend to be super heroes as children.

used to
4. A walk in the park Answer

 be part of their daily routine but not anymore.

 
w ould not
5. The journalist was asked to reveal his sources but he Answer

 say.

used to
6. As a young man he Answer

 play football in the park.

w ould
7. My grandfather Answer

 often play his harmonica as after dinner entertainment for the family.

used to
8. When we lived in our old house we Answer

have a dog.

w ould
9. People Answer

 get angry when the government announced a tax increase.

used to
10. They converted the building into an art gallery. It Answer
 be a hotel. 

VOCABULARY: Media

Featured story

The main, most important story in a magazine or published news media.

Examples:

Let’s use the article about the ‘Moose on the Loose’ as our  featured story.

Summary

A synopsis or round-up short version of a story detailing only its main points.

Example:

By the time we arrived home the T.V. news show had finished so we listened to a  summary  of
the day’s news on the radio instead.

Slander

A false claim or false statement made against someone or something.

Example:

She was appalled by the lies written in the news article and contacted her lawyer to discuss
charges for  slander.

Eyewitness

A person who has seen an event and can report and testify a direct account of the occurrence.

Example:

It was a tragic accident and the police are looking for  eyewitnesses  to find out what really
happened.

Correspondent

The job description of a person employed to report for a newspaper.

Example:

Her career as a reporter continued to improve and within three years she was a
Senior  Correspondent  for the BBC.

Source

The origin of a new story. Usually, a person who tells a story to a reporter.

Example:

The editor trusted the integrity of his  source  and agreed to publish the leaked details of the
political scandal.
Reporter

A kind of journalist who writes about recent events as news stories. Someone who presents a
news programme.

Example:

The CD signing event it became a media circus! It was crowded with  reporters  from all over
the world.

Publisher

A person or company involved in publishing media.

Example:

The  publisher  enjoyed the novel so much he offered the author a substantial publishing deal.

Paraphrase

To express a phrase or sentence using different words to the original but preserving the
meaning.

Example:

The question was easy to understand because it was a simple  paraphrasing  of the original
sentence.

Editor

A person who edits and reviews media content and influences its eventual publication.

Example:

The  editor  asked for a more aggressive reporting style for the featured news items before they
went to print.

Byline

Additional information about the reporter’s name, date of the reported news, and the
newspaper it was written for.

Example:

Jonathon Partridge, 22nd May 2014 Senior Political Correspondent for the Daily Citizen.

Headline

The title of a piece of news.

Examples:

Aliens Alive and Well on the Moon!

Naked Man Arrested for Dangerous Driving

Question 1

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Question text

Complete the sentences with the right word from the vocabulary list.

correspondent
1.  A Answer

is someone who reports the news, even from dangerous areas like war-zones.

reporter
2. The new anchor used to be a Answer

 at the news chain’s rival.

source
3. A journalist must never reveal his or her Answer

 if they wish to remain anonymous.

headline
4. The macabre Answer

 gave the reader a sense of the accident’s tragedy before ever reading the article.

5. If you find an article that you like and you want to know who wrote it, just check the Answer
byline
.

featured story
6. Newspapers always have a Answer

 that they think will attract the lion’s share of readers.

Slander
7. Answer

 is legally forbidden in many countries to protect people from hurtful press.

eyew itness
8. Any  crime must have an Answer

 or it is hard to know where to begin the investigation.

paraphrase
9. Reporters often Answer

 events in order to give only the most important details.

Publishers
10.  Answer

 rarely give out book deals unless an author is well known or has an impressive portfolio.

UNIDAD 6

VOCABULARY: Exercising
Relaxation

A time of resting and tranquillity.

Examples:

My mum takes 10 minutes each day to do some  relaxation  exercises.

To hydrate

To add water, or in sport, to drink water or a sports drink.

Example:

When working out it is important to stay  hydrated.

Heart rate

The speed at which the heart beats.

Example:

Exercise with fast movement is a good way to raise your  heart rate.

Blood pressure

The pressure at which the blood moves through the veins and arteries of the body.

Example:

The best way to lower a high  blood pressure  is to eat less salt.

Cholesterol

A substance found in the body, when present in high quantities it can be very dangerous for
heart disease.

Example:

Eggs are very high in  cholesterol, especially the yolk in the middle.

Obese

Extremely overweight.

Example:

My little cousin is very  obese; he is 10 years old and weighs 150lbs.

Nutrition

What you eat and how it influences your health.

Example:

When trying to be healthy,  nutrition  is an essential aspect to consider.

Endurance

The ability to do something physically difficult for a long duration of time.


Example:

Great  endurance  is necessary to be able to run a marathon.

Aerobics

Exercise done in a group with a teacher and music.

Example:

I love to go to  aerobics  classes, especially cardio boxing.

Cool down

The period after exercising to relax and stretch the muscles.

Example:

After an upbeat aerobics class there is always a five minute  cool down  at the end.

In shape

To be physically fit.

Example:

My New Year’s resolution for 2014 is to get  in shape.

Marathon

A race of 26.2 miles or 42 kilometers.

Example:

The New York City  Marathon  is among the most famous in the world.

Work out

To do physical exercise or training.

Example:

To de-stress, I  work out  4 days per week, usually by going to the gym.

Burn off

Use up energy.

Example:

Tonight I’m going to  burn off  some tension at spinning class.

Question 1

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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word:

obese
1. When I was a teenager I was Answer

 but I lost over 100 lbs. and now I make sure to live a healthy lifestyle of exercising and eating
right.

cool dow n
2. After a hard run the best way to Answer

 is to walk slowly for 5 minutes.

cholesterol
3. For seniors it is especially important to keep track of your Answer

blood pressure
 levels and avoid high Answer

 in order to stay healthy and live a long life.

w ork out
4. A good Answer
 for me usually includes football with my friends or a run with my dog on the beach.

hydrated
5. Ensuring to stay Answer

 is very important when you’re doing a lot of physical activity in extreme heat.

Endurance
6. Answer

 is the key to becoming an efficient fitness instructor. Especially as some teachers must do
several classes one after another.

burn off
7. When I need to Answer

 calories quickly I stop eating carbohydrates and go to my boxing gym every day.

heart rate
8. Indoor cycling (often called spinning) is a good way to raise your Answer

nutrition
9. Nutritionist are professionals who educate people about Answer
.

aerobics
10. My Answer

 teacher is really great, she makes sure to keep the classes fun and varied and always has great
music to keep us going.

marathon
11. The Boston Answer

 attracts runners from all over the world.

12. Exercising five days a week and eating a balanced diet is how Mark will get Answer
in shape

 in time for summer.

relaxation
13. Our yoga class always finished with 10 minutes of Answer

 with gentle music and candles.

VOCABULARY: Idioms

A couch potato

Someone who is very lazy.


Examples:

My older brother is a total  couch potato, he just watches TV all day.

Weak at the knees (Bri) / Weak in the knees (Am)

When a strong emotion overwhelms you, often love or fear.

Example:

Holding my newborn daughter for the first time made me  weak at the knees.

Recharge your batteries

To rest in order to get your energy back.

Example:

After months of working a lot of overtime it’s time for a vacation to  recharge my batteries.

Kick the habit

To quit an addiction.

Example:

I quit smoking almost 1 year ago; I think I can say I’ve fully  kicked the habit.

Score points

To do something (often for someone) that they approve of.

Example:

I  scored  big  points  with my mum when I brought her flowers as a surprise present.

Drop the ball

To make a mistake.

Example:

I totally  dropped the ball  today when I forgot to pick up the cake at the store for the third time
running.

Jump the gun

To do something too early.

Example:

It seems like he  jumped the gun  by telling people he got the job. They ended up giving it to
someone else.

Out of bounds

Something that is impolite or outside the conventional borders of social etiquette.

Example:

His comment about the scar on her face was totally  out of bounds.
Pump iron

To lift heavy weights.

Example:

When you enter the gym you can always tell who is ready to  pump iron.

Question 1

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Mark 9.00 out of 9.00

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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom:

out of bounds
1. It was Answer

 for the political candidate to bring up his opponents family issues.

recharge my batteries
2. I really need a time out to Answer

 and so I am going to a retreat on the coast.

score point
3. It was nice to finally Answer

 with my boss after I had been late a few days earlier.


 

w eak at the knees


4. Hearing about the death of my youngest brother made me Answer

pumping iron
5. Sometimes I wonder if the big guys at the gym are only Answer

, or doing steroids, or both.

couch potato
6. My boyfriend would be a total Answer

 if I didn’t force him to get outside and do some physical activity. He loves to just lie on the
couch and watch movies.

drop the ball


7. I promised my sister I wouldn't Answer

 and forget to drive her to school the next day.

jumped the gun


8. I completely Answer

 and told my girlfriend about the surprise holiday before I should have. Now she’s really
excited and I haven’t even booked it yet.
 

kick the habit


9. No, thanks I don’t want any coffee, I am trying to Answer

GRAMMAR: Review of 'suppose' and 'supposed to'

Although suppose and supposed to seem very similar, they mean very different things. It is


important to understand how they are both used correctly.

Uses of 'suppose'

A) The most common way we use suppose by itself to mean imagine or believe.

Examples:

• I  suppose  you feel bad about not getting a good mark on the exam.

• I  imagine  you feel bad about not getting a good mark on the exam.

B) Suppose can also be used to mean “what if”.

Examples:

•  Suppose  we take the train to Berlin tonight?

•  What if  we take the train to Berlin tonight?

C) Although we often talk about actions in a continuous form, we cannot use suppose in this
tense.

Examples:

•I  am supposing  you are leaving soon.

• I  suppose  you are leaving soon.

D) Suppose is also used in negative sentence structures when hoping or assuming that the
response will be positive but assuming that it will be negative.

Examples:

• I  don’t suppose  you could let me speak to the doctor right away? (the speaker assumes that
the answer will be no but really hopes it will be yes)

• I  don’t suppose  you could tell me where Farrell Street is, could you?

Uses of 'supposed to'

A) Supposed to when followed by an infinitive verb means ‘should’. When we use this
sentence structure we are saying that something is a law, a rule or an obligation.

Examples:

• I’m  supposed to  go to church every Sunday.

• Billy is  supposed to  return his library books by next Tuesday.

This form can also be used in the past tense. It signifies that something was planned to happen
but actually didn’t.

• I was  supposed to  go to the gym tonight but I got an unexpected call which changed my
plan.

• Wasn’t Oliver  supposed to  call you today? I wonder why he hasn’t called yet.

B) Supposed to + be is used to signify something that is generally thought to be true.

Examples:

• This movie  is supposed  to be really good. They spoke about it a lot during the award shows.

•  This  is supposed to  be the most beautiful coastal road in the world.

C) A negative construction of supposed to means something is either prohibited or will not be
allowed.

Examples:

• I am  not supposed to  go across the street. (They have forbidden me from doing this)

• We were  not supposed to  drive that car. (It wasn’t allowed, but we did it anyway).

Important note: when saying ‘supposed’ out loud, the 'ed' at the end sounds like a /t/.

Question 1

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Mark 10.00 out of 10.00


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Question text

Fill in the blank with either suppose or supposed to (be):

Note: some sentences will have a negative structures and so will require don’t or not. Use
contractions when possible.

supposed to
1. We were Answer

 leave by 9, but it didn’t happen.

2. Speaker 1 - "Am I going to take part of the meeting as well?"


don’t suppose
    Speaker 2 - "I Answer

 so, the boss hasn’t mentioned your attendance."

not supposed to
3. They are Answer

 leave their doors unlocked at night.

supposed to be
4. It isAnswer
 quite a hit, but I’ll have to see before I believe it.

suppose
5. I Answer

 that you have already received directions, or haven’t you?

suppose
6. Do you Answer

 it is going to be nice weather in town this weekend?

Suppose
7. Answer

 we book our holiday tonight?

w as supposed to
8. I Answer

 arrive earlier to help set up but I got held up at work.

don’t suppose
9. I Answer
 you understand this problem, do you?

not supposed to
10. He was Answer

 ride his bicycle without a helmet and now he knows why.

VOCABULARY: Idioms and Collocations With "Catch"

Catch a bus

Examples:

We need to  catch our bus  at 10pm to go back home.

Catch a cold/flu

To become sick

Example:

Right as summer started Francis  caught a cold; he was coughing and sneezing all week.

Catch a thief

To arrest or bring in a thief.

Example:

The police  caught the thief  right as he was running away.

Catch fire

To become very popular suddenly, or to become alight

Example:

This new pop star really  caught fire, everyone is singing her new hit.

With all the stray sparks from the burning pile of car tires, a patch of grass  caught fire  and
began to burn.

Catch sight of...

To first see someone or something for a short duration.

Example:

Brian  caught sight of  the robber right as he was leaving their house with the TV.
Catch someone's attention

To attract someone’s attention

Example:

Roxanne  caught her boyfriend’s attention  when she put on the tight red dress.

Catch someone's eye

To make eye contact with someone or for something/someone to draw your attention
(especially in a romantic way).

Example:

As soon as Brandy walked into the bar she  caught the bartender’s eye.

The gleaming new drum kit in the shop window  caught my eye  as I walked past.

Catch up with someone

To see someone after a long time and bring each other up to date.

Example:

My mum and uncle  caught up with each other  at last after not having seen each other for five
years.

Catch you later

An informal way of saying goodbye

Example:

Ok, Gary I’ve got to go.  Catch you later!

Question 1

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Mark 10.00 out of 10.00

Flag question

Question text

Choose the right answer to complete each sentence:

 
sight of
1. I only quickly caught Answer
 mum as she was leaving the house before she zoomed away on her bicycle.

the ball
2. When my dad and I play catch, he always catches Answer

 with one hand only.

attention
3. Wilson sure caught the politicians’ Answer

 when he spoke out against the government’s corruption.

you later
4. Alright mum, I’m leaving for school. Catch Answer

thief
5. They caught a Answer

 stealing a poor old man’s wallet in the bus station.

6. My grandma always says that if you don’t wear a scarf in winter that you will catch a Answer
cold
.

fire
7. “WhatsApp” the social media application has really caught Answer

, in less than three years it has managed to get over four-hundred-and-fifty-million active
users.

eye
8. Winnie caught the lifeguard’s Answer

 as soon as she arrived at the beach in her blue and white polka dot bikini.

9. My best friend and I meet at the front of the school every morning to catch Answer
up

. We usually just chat about boys.

bus
10. Before we go catch the Answer

, we should have something to eat and go to the washroom.

TEMA 7

VOCABULARY: Energy sources


Fossil fuels

Decomposed animals and plants from thousands of years ago, that are now burned for energy,
e.g. coal, petroleum and gas.

Generator

A device that is used to create electrical energy, often used when the electrical powers are
inaccessible or out.

Renewable energy

An unlimited energy source that can be replenished, for example wind, tidal, or solar energy.

Geothermal energy

Energy created by capturing the natural hot water or steam that comes out of earth.

Hydro power

Electricity created by huge volumes of high-pressured water being redirected through


openings in a dam which drives water turbines that power electricity generators.

Solar energy

Energy created by capturing sunlight e.g. solar panels.

Electricity

energy stored in an electrical circuit, e.g. in batteries or wall sockets.

Thermal energy

Energy created from increasing heat.

Nuclear power
Employing nuclear fission to create heat which turns water into steam and is used to turn a
steam turbine that powers an electricity generator.

Power plant

The place where electrical energy is created.

Blackout

When the electrical power supply is cut off or disconnected, often within a certain area of a
city or town.

Alternative energy

Energy sources that are an alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear power which are safe and
cause less harm to the environment.

Nuclear waste

Waste created from nuclear power plants, usually radioactive and highly dangerous.

Question 1

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Mark 7.00 out of 7.00

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Question text

Associate the name of each energy source with the correct photo:

Answer 1
renew able energy
 
Answer 2
solar energy
 

Answer 3
fossil fuels
 

Answer 4
hydroelectric
 
Answer 5
nuclear pow er
 

Answer 6
electrical
 

Answer 7
geothermal energy
 

Feedback

Your answer is correct.


The correct answer is:   – renewable

energy,   – solar

energy,   – fossil fuels,   –


hydroelectric,   – nuclear

power,   –

electrical,   – geothermal energy

VOCABULARY: Energy idioms

On a power trip

Behaving in a very bossy and controlling manner.

Examples:

The new director of our firm is  on a  major  power trip, he is strutting around the building
telling everyone what to do. He doesn’t even know what my job is.

Knowledge is power

The more you know, the more power you have.


Example:

Daughter: “Mom, why do I have to finish high school, it seems so useless.”


Mother: “Knowledge is power  honey; trust me, the more you know, the further ahead you can
get in life.”

Money is power

The more money you have, the more power you have.

Example:

My plan is to work hard and save up all the money I make, then I’ll be rich and as  money is
power, I’ll be able to do whatever I want.

Have no staying power

Something that won’t last long or is simply not able to do the task.

Example:

That car’s engine  has no staying power. It is no better than last year’s model, no wonder that
company never wins anything.

Power something up

To start up a machine, often an engine.

Example:

We all  power up  our computers in the morning before going to get our coffees.

Add fuel to the fire

Make a problem worst.

Example:

Telling your mum about the party after she already found out that you were smoking will
just  add fuel to the fire.

Out like a light

To fall asleep quickly.

Example:

I just went to check on little Sarah! She  went out like a light; she was so tired from our day at
the zombie masquerade fair.

Shed some light on something

To provide information that beforehand was missing or unclear.

Example:

This meeting really  shed some light on  what had been going on in our stores.

Down to the wire


Do something at the very last moment.

Example:

The election for class president went  down to the wire; we anxiously waited for the results
until the last moment.

Hair-raising

Frightening.

Example:

Going on that roller coaster was quite a  hair-raising  experience.

Blow off some steam

Do something to help release frustration or excess energy.

Example:

I go to the gym at least three times per week, mainly to  blow off some steam  after work.
Otherwise when I get home and I have too much energy and I can’t sleep.

Question 1

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Mark 11.00 out of 11.00

Flag question

Question text

Write the correct idiom from the list above into the blank spaces below:

add fuel to the fire


1. Telling your boss that his plan is stupid will probably just Answer

 considering he already thinks that you are lazy and too critical.

has no staying pow er


2. Our new coworker Answer
, I think he’ll quit by the end of the month. He won’t be able to put up with our crazy boss.

pow er trip
3. Mum is on a total Answer

 this week, she took away my phone and my computer because I didn’t get round to doing the
dishes fast enough for her.

out like a light


4. Mary was Answer

 last night after spending the whole week on a hike in the Andes. She was completely
exhausted.

5. I know you are all a bit confused as to how this transition is going to work, I will Answer
shed some light on

 the matter in the meeting this afternoon.

6. Tom was very upset about how badly his meeting with his clients went today, so he went for
blow off some steam
a run to Answer

 
Pow er up
8. Answer

 the tractor Frank, I’m going to be working in the fields today.

9. The more you know, the more equipped you are to confront life and become successful, as
know ledge is pow er
they say, Answer

10. James has waited until the very last minute to work on his thesis and now it is Answer
dow n to the w ire

, he must hand it in first thing tomorrow.

hair-raising experience
11. Going to see that horror movie in 3D was a Answer

12. Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, is the perfect example of the saying
money is pow er
that Answer

, he is a multimillionaire and has a great deal of influence for a person as young as he is.

GRAMMAR: Conjunctions
Conjunctions join two clauses together. There are two groups of conjunctions: coordinate and
subordinate, and the type you choose will be based on the importance and emphasis of each
clause.

A) Coordinating conjunctions are used to join two clauses that have the same level of
importance. They are the most recognizable and include: and, but, so, and or..

Examples:

• You can go to the movies,  or  you can go to the arcade.

• I’m bringing a cake,  and  also some utensils to eat it with.

B) Subordinating conjunctions join two clauses where one is more important than the other.
The list of subordinating conjunctions is fairly extensive. Some of the most common ones
are: after, although, as if, because, before, even if, if, once, since, rather than, that, though,
unless, when, where and while. The placement of subordinating conjunctions is more fluid
than their coordinating partners.

Examples:

•  Provided  you finish your homework, you can go to the party.

• Don’t do the driver’s test  until  you have studied thoroughly.

•  As  I told you earlier, we need to leave by 8am.

Question 1

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Question text

Choose the correct conjunction:

so
1. They wrote the paper, Answer
 they can now take the credit.

now that
2. He can smile Answer

 it’s over.

unless
3. It’s advisable he avoid the off road, Answer

 he wishes for disaster.

w herever
4. They claim they are ready Answer

 the bell sounds.

because
5. They didn’t come through on their thesis, Answer

 there was a neglected amount of diligence.

that
6. I really don’t think there is much of a question Answer

 he will show up.

 
Even if
7. Answer

 he comes there won’t be too big of a gathering.

as much as
8. I’m really sorry I can’t help, Answer

 I want to.

though
9. He had designs on running for office. They didn’t come to fruition, Answer

Whereas
10. Answer

 you see it through rose-colored glass, I take a practical approach.

GRAMMAR: Interjections

Interjections are not official words, but sounds that help show emotion. These are used out
loud, and in informal texts (text messages, online chats or emails) or in comics.

Coordinating conjunctions

Note: Sometimes interjections will be stretched out to show stronger emotion

Examples:

Awwwww!
Interjection Meaning/expressed feeling Example

Ahhh! There’s a spider


Ah! Fright or shock.
in my room.

Aha! I see what you


Aha I understand.
mean.

When you think something is Awww, what a cute


Awww
cute. puppy!

Brrr… It’s very cold out


Brrr Being cold.
today.

To show annoyance or that you Of course I’m going to


Duh
think something is obvious. school, duh!

Eh? What did you say?


When you don’t understand
Eh? So, you like Tony
something or to confirm a fact.
Malory, eh??

Ewww, Tony vomited in


Eww Disgust.
the street!

Used to get someone’s Hey! What are you


Hey
attention. doing to that poor cat?

Hmmmm…I’m not sure


Hmmm Considering something.
if I want to go.

Huh Confusion. Huh, that's strange.

Oh! I didn’t realize you


Surprise, when you realize already had it!
Oh
something. Oh, I’m sorry about
that.

Oops, I already told


Oops Made a mistake. Gina about the party.
Sorry!
Ouch, don’t do that
Ouch Express pain.
again, it hurt.

Phew, that was close,


Phew Relief.
we almost got caught.

Ummmm… I’m not sure


Ummm When considering something.
when Julie will arrive.

Whoa, that is the


Whoa Amazed or surprised. tallest building I’ve
ever seen.

Wow, that’s a beautiful


Wow Amazement.
sight.

Sometimes means “yes” and Hey, how are ya?


Ya
other times “you”. Ya, I think you’re right.

Yeah!! We can go!!


More casual form for “yes” also
Yeah Yeah? What do you
to express excitement.
want?

Yuck, that’s the worst


Yuck Disgust.
pizza I’ve ever tried.

Slang to get someone’s


Yo Yo Tony! Wait up.
attention.

Question 1

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Question text
Isajan155

Call

Chat

Video Call

Contacts

Isabelle:
Yo
Answer

 Mia! Are you there?

Mia:
Hey
Answer

Yeah
 Bella! Answer

, I’m here. How are ya?

Isabelle:
Ummmm
Answer

… I’m ok. I fell over earlier while I was talking on the phone and I scraped my
Mia:
ouch
Oh, Answer

, that sucks. Are you ok? 

Isabelle: Yeah, I am now, but I was bleeding a lot earlier.

Mia:
Yuck
Answer

 I hate seeing…

Isabelle:
Huh
Answer

, what was that? You didn’t write the last word.

Mia:
Oops
Answer

 sorry. Blood. I hate seeing blood.

VOCABULARY: Political focus

Campaign

The promotional period before an election where the candidates try to persuade people to
vote for them.

Examples:

For the presidential  campaign  the candidates traveled around the country trying to win votes.
Elections

When people get to vote to choose a representative or leader.

Example:

Once the elections were over, we quickly found out who was our new prime minister.

Poll

Registered votes in an election

Example:

I make sure I´m present at the  polls  for every election, whether municipal, provincial or
national.

Congress

An assembly of representatives

Example:

The US  congress  meets regularly in Washington, DC.

Popular types of Governments*

Anarchy

No government.

Democracy

A leader is elected by a majority group vote (of the people or elected representatives) and they
wield ultimate power until the end of their period in office.

Dictatorship

The leadership, control and decision-making power of a nation is held by one person.

Monarchy

The power of the nation lies in the hands of the monarch (king/queen) and the power is
inherited through the royal family by birth..

Republic

Leaders or representatives are voted in by citizens, the power is with the individual.

Totalitarianism

Government that has complete power over everyone by controlling not only all political and
economic matters, but also the attitudes, values and beliefs of its citizens.

Communism

All property is owned/shared by the community as a whole and individual people receive and
contribute things according to their needs and abilities, there is no privately owned property..

*most countries have a combination of these types of governments


Question 1

Partially correct

Mark 3.00 out of 4.00

Flag question

Question text

A. Write in one of the vocabulary words from the list: 

poll
1. Going to the Answer

 to cast your vote is a way of expressing your opinion in an election.

congress
2. The US Answer

 includes the Senate and the House of Representatives.

elections
3. In Canada, there are Answer

 every 4 years, at which time the Prime Minister is elected.

campaign
4. President Obama spent $1 billion on his last presidential Answer
.

Question 2

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Mark 5.00 out of 5.00

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Question text

B. Associate the types of government with their definition:

Answer 1
A nation without government
anarchist
 

A government that owns it's


Answer 2
nations’ collective resources and
its people are employees of the communist
 
state

A government that control Answer 3


everything, including its people’s
totalitarian
thoughts     

Answer 4
The king or queen is the sole
leader and decision maker monarchy
 

Answer 5
A nation who's non-elected leader
weilds ultimate power and control dictatorship
 

GRAMMAR: introductory 'it'

The introductory “It” is used in several different circumstances:

A) Subject is an infinitive phrase

We use the introductory “it” when the subject of a sentence is an infinitive phrase. Although
the infinitive phrase is often correct alone, it sounds much better to add in the introductory
“it”.
Examples:

To sit on the beach is pleasant. (infinitive phrase)

It is pleasant to sit on the beach. (sentence with introductory it)

B) Subject is a gerund phrase

We use the introductory “it” when the subject of a sentence is a gerund.

Examples:

Having so many children to look after is a lot of work. (gerund phrase)

It is a lot of work having so many children to look after. (sentence with introductory “it”)

C) Certain specific phrases

It is better/best to...

It is essential to...

It is likely/unlikely that...

It is true/not true that...

It is probable that...

Examples:

It is essential to always treat your grandparents with respect.

It is probable that I won’t be able to come tonight.

D) To give emphasis (cleft sentences)

Examples:

Maria was late to class yesterday. (Regular sentence)

It was Maria who arrived to class late yesterday. (Places emphasis on Maria)

E) In passive expressions

Examples:

Sharks are believed to be the most dangerous creatures in the sea.


It is believed that the most dangerous creatures in the sea are sharks.

Question 1

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Question text

Change these sentences into sentences that include an introductory “it”, using the words in
parenthesis:

For example:

He submerged his pet iguana in the live pirana tank. (idiotic)

Answer: It was idiotic that he submerged his pet iguana in the live pirana tank.

1. Always thank the client for their call (important)

It is important to alw ays thank the client for their call


Answer

2. Do your grocery shopping on Tuesdays. (best)

It is best to do your grocery shopping on Tuesdays


Answer

 
3. Complaining to the boss is pointless. (any use)

It w on’t be any use complaining to the boss


Answer

4. I see parents smoking in front of their children. (upsets)

It upsets me w hen I see parents smoking in front of their childre


Answer

5. I like talking to you! (nice)

It's nice to talk to you


Answer

6. I feel lucky to live in this neighbourhood. (privilege)

It is a privilege to live in this neighbourhood


Answer

7. Peter doesn’t like peanut butter (put emphasis on Peter)

It's Peter w ho doesn't like peanut butter


Answer
.

8. He has always wanted to become a millionaire. (life-long ambition)

It is It w as his life-long ambition to become a millionaire


Answer

9. The inferno was the most dangerous forest fire of the year. (reported)

It w as reported to have been the most dangerous forest fire of


Answer

10. Mark won the presidential election on Wednesday. (put emphasis on Wednesday)

It w as on Wednesday that Mark w on the presidential election


Answer

Correct
The correct answer is: It was on Wednesday that Mark won the presidential election
Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

VOCABULARY: 'Up' phrasal verbs

While ‘up’ may seem like an innocent preposition, its addition to a base verb can drastically
change the meaning and context of what is being construed. Like all phrasal verbs, most are
used in a more informal setting, although it isn’t taboo to insert them into speechs or formal
writing when given proper thought. Remember that dependent prepositions can either change
the meaning of the verb or render the said verb incomprehensible. Also, as demonstrated
below, phrasal verbs may have different connotations based on context:

Turn up

To appear suddenly.
Examples:

After being missing for over a year, the local boy just  turned up  out of nowhere.

Set up

To organize; to trick someone.

Example:

I need more time to set up the meeting for tomorrow.

The prank was hilarious, he set her up brilliantly!

Hang up

To end a phone call (the opposite of pick up a phone).

Example:

When she started yelling, I just  hung up.

Give up

Aside from meaning to surrender and stop trying, it can also mean to quit a habit.

Example:

It’s been six months since they  gave up  cigarettes together.

Blow up

To have an outburst, to throw a tantrum.

Example:

After being called out by his co-workers he  blew up  at his wife for leaving the car in the street
when he got home.

When Jack heard about the results in the meeting he  blew up  on everyone.

Do oneself up (also dress up)

To dress yourself in an elegant or fancy manner.

Example:

Wow, she is really  doing herself up  for the party tonight.

Bring up

To raise/introduce an idea; to raise a child.

Example:

He was hesitant to  bring up  the fact that she was wrong the last time.

After his parents passed away, he was  brought up  by his aunt and uncle.

Crack up
To laugh hard at something very funny.

Example:

My nephew makes me  crack up  at the crazy questions he sometimes asks.

Break up

To end a relationship; to become distorted and unintelligible (for video, sound).

Example:

Our telly is rubbish, the picture always  breaks up  when it rains.

Back up

To reverse; to support someone;

Example:

He had to  back  his truck  up  into the garage.

Nobody believed me, but my parents  backed me up.

Doesn’t add up

Used in a negative sense to explain something that doesn’t make sense.

Example:

The story he is telling to the police just  doesn’t add up.

Question 1

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Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct phrasal verb. Pay attention to the form of the verb:

hang up
1. I told her angrily that if she didn’t change the subject I would Answer
.

back me up
2. I really need someone to Answer

 on my claim.

bring up
3. I’m not going to listen if you Answer

 that story again.

turn up
4. To just Answer

 out of the blue is very mysterious.

crack up
5. Her hilarious anecdote made everyone Answer

add up
6. The pieces to this puzzle do not Answer

 
done herself up
7. There is a boy she likes at the club, that’s why she has Answer

 tonight.

blow up
8. It was really hard for me not to Answer

 when the other candidate made false accusations.

give up
9. My family as a whole is trying very hard to Answer

 soda.

set up
10. For April Fool’s Day we Answer

 the boss’s office before he came in for work and he got soaked in water when he opened the
door.

11. Whenever I’m on Skype with my family it doesn’t last long before the sound starts Answer
breaking up

VOCABULARY: Political idioms


Election frenzy

The hype surrounding an upcoming important election.

Examples:

As always, the 2008 American presidential process was marked by intense  election frenzy.

Gunboat diplomacy

When a nation uses military threats to get what it wants, instead of true diplomatic
communication.

Example:

The British Empire was built on  gunboat diplomacy.

Pork barrel

Appropriating taxpayer’s money to spend on publicity to get political support (or a specific
interest of a politician) rather than spending it on what the people need.

Example:

That 6km underground highway was a total  pork barrel  project; it went far over the
government’s budget and now we have to face an increase in road tax.

Toe the party line

To follow the orders of someone although you may not agree with their philosophy.

Example:

Although he really wanted to eat the ham, Julie was shooting him filthy warning looks so he
figured he’d better  toe the party  line until lunch officially started.

On your soapbox

When someone is speaking at great length about their beliefs on something they are
passionate about.

Example:

At Christmas, my grandfather always gets  on his soapbox  about how grateful we should be to
live such safe, privileged lives.

PC (politically correct)

Polite and neutral language like that used by politicians to avoid offending anyone.

Example:

You’re not allowed to swear on national television; it’s just not  PC.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 7.00 out of 7.00


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Question text

Write the correct idiom in the gap:

on my soapbox
 1. I don’t mean to get Answer

 but I simply can’t let this go forward.

toe the party line


2. We were supposed to Answer

 but I’m considering going rogue.

3. Because of all the civil unrest with the current regime, I’m pretty nervous about this
election frenzy
coming Answer

4. My brother is always making rude jokes about the Queen, he gets into trouble because he is
PC
so non-Answer

.
 

pork barrel
5. The presidential party spent five million last month on a Answer

 advertising campaign to boost their popularity.

6. They came to us in a huge fleet of heavily armed ships, asking to strike a peaceful trades
gunboat diplomacy
deal, but it seems like Answer

 to me.

 QUIZ 2 - Units 5 to 8

Question 1 - For questions 1‐10, read the sentences and choose the correct option (a, b, c or
d).

1. I didn't study for the test and took a ____ in the dark.

A. step

B. chance

C. shot

D. grain

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: C. shot

2. Children rarely live _____ their parents' ideals.

A. down to
B. up to

C. down for

D. up for

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. up to

3. We _____ to the park every weekend.

A. used to go

B. would go

C. are used to go

D. both a and b

Mark 0.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: D. both a and b

4. I ______ very shy when I was a kid.

A. used to be

B. would be

C. am used to be

D. both a and b

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. used to be

5. I think I need to sit down for a minute. I can feel my _______ going up.

A. blood tension
B. blood rate

C. heart pressure

D. heart rate

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: D. heart rate

6. The movie was so touching! It really made me weak at the _______.

A. knees

B. situation

C. heart

D. moment

Mark 0.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. knees

7. I’m really sorry Officer; I was very scared and couldn’t catch ______ the robber.

A. up with

B. up

C. sight of

D. at

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: C. sight of

8. Don’t mention anything about her cheating boyfriend. It will just _____________.

A. blow off some steam


B. add fuel to the fire

C. shed some light on it

D. go out like a light

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. add fuel to the fire

9. _________ she behaves herself, she can come to the party.

A. Although

B. Provided

C. If

D. Both b and c

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: C. If

10. You didn’t have to ______ that up again. I have forgotten your birthday only once.

A. bring

B. crack

C. turn

D. back

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. bring

Question 2

Partially correct

Mark 2.00 out of 5.00


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Question text

Question 2 - Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two
and five words, including the word given.

1. I haven't heard from them in a month; I’m sure they are fine.  

NEWS

no new s is good new s


I haven't heard from them in a month, but Answer

2. I'm not sure what is causing the problem but I'm definitely going to find out.  

BOTTOM

get to the bottom


I'm not sure what is causing the problem but I'm determined Answer

 of it.

3. I called my mother to tell her about my car accident, but she already knew about it.

TRAVELS

Bad new s travels fast


Answer
 because my mum knew about my accident before I told her.

4. We will temporarily suspend the building project.

BURNER

on the back burner for


The building project is Answer

 now.

5. It would never cross my mind to steal something.

GRAIN

goes against my grain


The idea of my actually taking something that is not mine Answer

Question 3

Partially correct

Mark 4.00 out of 5.00

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Question text

Question 3 - Complete the sentences with a word from the dropdown box. There is one word
that will not be used.

dow n
1. If you can't give up smoking completely, then at least try to cut Answer
 a little.

across
2. You can save time if you cut Answer

 the car park, instead of going round it.

out
3. In order to lose as much weight as possible, they cut Answer

 fat from their diet.

in
4. You should have heard my father when that car cut Answer

 front of him.

off
5. If you don't pay your electricity bill, they'll just come and cut you Answer

Correct
The correct answer is: off
Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

VOCABULARY: Focus

Authorisation

A document, decision or a set of rules which grants permission.

Examples:

A bank should always ask for client  authorisation  before they issue a new PIN code.

Debt

The state or condition of owing something to someone else.

Example:

The tabloid reported that the country’s national  debt  was finally under control.

Decrease
To become gradually less or smaller in amount or size.

Example:

The number of the company’s international exports had  decreased  over the past two years.

Inventory

A detailed or itemised stock list of goods, materials or assets.

Example:

The full value of the company became clear after a full  inventory  of its assets was published.

Invoice

An official document detailing the total number of goods sold and the full value of each
business transaction.

Example:

They offer good deals on their latest computers. They are competitively priced with free
delivery and thirty days to pay the  invoice.

Production

The process of producing something as a deliverable item.

Example:

During their press conference Mercedes announced that their new prototype had gone into
full  production.

Profit

The excess in revenue or financial gain made from regular business transactions.

Example:

Our employees receive an additional bonus every three months as a result of the
company’s  profit  sharing scheme.

Promotion

To advance to a higher position in work and often with more responsibility.

Example:

Her loyalty and dedication was acknowledged when she received the  promotion  to regional
manager.

Responsibility

The assumption of ownership when fulfilling a duty, task or role.

Example:

The manager accepted full  responsibility  for the shortfall in his team’s performance of late.

Risk
A source of probability or the chance of losing something to uncertainty.

Example:

The global expansion programme was considered a huge risk at first but it quickly paid off.

Distribution

The commercial act of supplying or delivering goods sold to consumers.

Example:

Consumers demand fast delivery of their products so a first-class  distribution  chain is essential
to any thriving business.

CEO (Chief Executive Officer)

The person responsible for over-seeing all corporate operations; the head of the company.

Example:

It was expected that the  CEO  would address the company’s staff in the general meeting every
year.

Corruption

Dishonest or fraudulent behavior which violates a position of trust.

Example:

Public confidence was at an all-time low due to the latest  corruption  charges brought against
the government.

Assets

Valuable items owned by a person or business.

Example:

The business is a credit to its founders. It continues to grow its profit margins and is rich
in  assets.

Depreciation

A notable loss in the value of money or assets.

Example:

Inland Revenue declared that due to the year by year increase of the currency’s  depreciation,
the company was only allowed to return thirty percent of its total asset value.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 15.00 out of 15.00


Flag question

Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word:

distribution
1. Speedy delivery of consumer goods is essential for a successful Answer

 strategy.

promotion
2. They were very happy for him to receive the Answer

, he had worked hard for it.

risk
3. They decided to Answer

 it all and bet on red at the roulette wheel.

responsibility
4. Someone should take Answer

 and admit to the mistake.

 
depreciatio
5. Due to its natural Answer

 in value, this item will be worthless in ten years’ time.

debt
6. The bank manager asked me how I intended to pay off the Answer

decrease
7. In spite of the recent Answer

 in actual orders received, the CEO was optimistic for the future of the business.

authorisation
8. The security guard received the correct Answer

 code, and we were allowed to cross the perimeter.

profit
9. The rule is simple: For any business to survive it has to make Answer

invoice
10. The Answer
 was raised and the client was allowed 60 days to pay it.

CEO
11. As the head and Answer

 of the company, he liked to lead by example.

depreciation
12. The price of the car had fallen due to natural Answer

assets
13. The value of the company’s Answer

 had increased dramatically over the years.

14. The credibility of our politicians has been seriously tarnished, especially with an increase in
corruption
the number of Answer

 charges brought against them.

inventory
15. The haulage company produced a full Answer
 of the items being delivered.

VOCABULARY: Idioms

In the black

Profitable.

Examples:

After taking a loss last quarter, we are back  in the black  this quarter.

Blue chip

High quality.

Example:

That company is the definition of blue chip. They are very well respected.

Bells and whistles

All of the extra, fancy or unnecessary parts that go into something.

Example:

Seeing all the  bells and whistles  involved in a Cordon Bleu chef course is absolutely
remarkable.

Doom and gloom

A prediction that something is ominously negative.

Example:

The financial collapse was preceded by months of  doom and gloom.

Foot in the door

To be hired at the lowest level with the idea that one will use the opportunity to improve their
job standing and work their way up the ranks with hard work and dedication.

Example:

He got his  foot in the door  thirty years ago and now he is the CEO.

A company bail out

When a company is not making enough profit and receives a large sum of money from an
individual, company or government in order avoid bankruptcy.

Example:

Following a sizable  company bail out  six months ago the business is said to be booming!

Balance the books


To accurately account for all income and outgoings of a business.

Example:

It is a huge responsibility but we need to  balance the books  quite urgently.

Ball park figure

A prediction, guess or suggestion of a figure which will be used as a rough estimate for a
potential cost or number of something.

Example:

The  ball park figure  suggested for the project budget should be close to ten thousand dollars.

Buyer's market

An economic situation where the amount of produce available is greater than its demand.

Example:

The resale value of cars has rapidly decreased over recent years. For those people with the
money, it’s a  buyer’s market.

Calculated risk

A situation where the risk factor has been researched and considered.

Example:

She knew that her ankle injury had not fully recovered, but her opponent was weakening. She
continued to play the game and won! It was a  calculated risk  that had paid off.

Cut a deal

To negotiate an agreement or make a compromise over something.

Example:

The trade unions decided to  cut a deal  with the government and accept a five percent pay
increase.

Draw up a contract

To write or create an offer in the form of a legally binding document for two or more parties to
sign.

Example:

They were asked to  draw up a contract  to highlight the terms of their mutual agreement.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 12.00 out of 12.00


Flag question

Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom:

bells and w histles


1. Check out all of the Answer

 in the new Jaguar XJS. It’s amazing the technology they build into cars these days!

in the black
2. It’s going to be hard to be Answer

 this year. Profits are down and it will be hard to break even.

foot in the door


3. I told the boss I just wanted an opportunity to get my Answer

. If I had a small chance, I would take advantage of it and work very hard.

doom and gloom


4. It was a period of Answer

 in the local community as a further loss of jobs was announced at the factory.

 
blue chip
5. Being recognized as a Answer

 company was a great honor. We felt we were a great company but to have someone else say
it too was a good feeling.

draw up a contract
6. Okay, I like what you’re offering me. Go ahead and Answer

, I’m willing to do business with you guys.

buyer's market
7. The housing market in the UK has become a Answer

 for property developers looking to make an investment.

a ball-park figure
8. The department budget was discussed using Answer

 but the director knew they could work with less.

a company bail out


9. Due to the recession and a fall in profit, they needed Answer

 to help develop a new business plan and survive in the future.

 
calculated risk
10. Diversifying their business into Europe was a Answer

that would build a better future for the company.

11. What this business needs is an experienced accountant, someone who really knows how
balance the books
to Answer

cut a deal
12. She was so happy to Answer

 with the distribution company. It would place her product on every supermarket shelf around
the country.

GRAMMAR: Auxiliaries and question tags

A question tag is simply a small grammatical structure which employs the use of an auxiliary
(do, don’t, did, didn’t etc.) and is added to the end of a sentence to form a question. We use
question tags to add requests or elicit responses to our question forms.

We use a question tag in its negative form to ask a question at the end of positive sentence.

Examples:

We are going to the show on Friday,  aren’t  we?

That’s such a shame,  Isn’t  it?

Positive sentence Negative Question Tag

We are going aren’t we?

That’s such a isn’t it?


shame

Conversely, we use a question tag in its positive form to ask a question at the end of a negative
sentence.

Examples:

You don’t like tuna fish,  do  you?

You don't need that,  do  you?

Negative sentence Positive Question Tag

You don’t like aren’t we?

You don't need


do you?
that,

Question tags with regular modal verbs

We use regular question tags at the end of modal verb phrases. They follow the same structure
of positive sentence/negative question tag etc.

Examples:

Anyone could do that, couldn’t they?

We should be going the opposite way, shouldn’t we?

You can meet me after work, can’t you?

Question Tags for Special Cases

Question tags, which are created for ‘special cases’, are considered to be irregular. That is,
they adopt an entirely different tag.

A) I am: For negative contractions we do not say: “am not I?”. The use of “I am” is always
followed with the irregular question tag, “aren’t I?”

Examples:

I’m a lucky guy, aren’t I?


B) You: (omitting auxiliary ‘do’): Sometimes, when we ask someone a question, we omit the
auxiliary ‘do’. This type of sentence is a positive sentence which takes the negative question
tag, “don’t you”

Examples:

You like operatic music, don’t you?

Question Tags Using Modal Verbs

We can also invoke an irregular form of the modal verb when we form a negative question tag.
We pair “will” and “won't”.

Examples:

You will do that for me, won’t you?

You won't try that again, will you?

Suggestions

When we make a suggestion we often begin our sentence with “let’s” (let us). The question tag
which compliments the use of “let’s” is “shall we?”

Examples:

Let’s start the exercise again, shall we?

Let’s go for a walk, shall we?

Imperatives & Invitations

Imperatives are instructions and an invitation is an offer for someone to engage in some kind
of activity or event. We use the irregular question tag “will you?” for imperatives and
invitations which is a question tag similar to saying, “please”.

Examples:

Don’t smoke in here, will you?

Open the door for me, will you?

Same Way Question Tags

When we wish to establish something as being true we use an affirmative question tag called a
‘same way question tag’. They are used to repeat what somebody has just said or to seek
confirmation of some information:
Examples:

So, you passed your exams, did you?

You’re getting married soon, are you? Congratulations!

Negative Adverbs

Never, rarely, seldom, hardly, barely and scarcely are all adverbs that convey variable degrees
of negativity. We compliment the use of negative adverbs in a sentence with a positive
question tag

Examples:

He’s never late for work, is he?

She rarely makes a public appearance, does she?

We seldom experience failure here, do we?

It hardly matters anymore, does it?

You barely know me, do you?

You would scarcely find that around here, would you?

We can also use auxiliaries to show emphasis, questions, or agreement.

Examples:

Emphasis: I  do  love going to the beach.

Question: Did  you go on Saturday?

Agreement: “I hate Monday mornings.” “So  do  I.”

Intonation

There are different reasons for asking questions and differences in the types of information we
wish to receive when asking questions. It is through intonation (the rise and fall of tone) and
the way we pronounce our question forms which determine the type of information we are
searching for.

A) Questions which are seeking new information

Examples:

How come you walk to work every morning?


In this example, the intonation of the intransitive verb (‘come’) uses a falling tone.

B) Questions which are checking existing information

Examples:

Isn’t this the time we usually take our lunch break?

The use of tone in this example emphasises a rise in pitch for the first and last word of the
question. There are some questions which do not need a reply and the intonation used for
these questions is a gradual rise in pitch at the beginning and fall in tone towards the end of
the phrase.

C) Questions when giving instruction

Examples:

Let’s run through that exercise again, shall we?

D) Rhetorical questions

Examples:

What do I (rise) care (fall)?

E) Aggressive or defensive questions

Examples:

Isn’t (rise) that a shame (fall)?

E) When we make a sarcastic remark

Examples:

He thinks he’s a cool dude (rise), doesn’t he (fall)?

Question 1

Correct

Mark 10.00 out of 10.00

Flag question
Question text

Fill in the blank with an auxiliary to create an appropriate question tag:

have
1. You have never been to Europe. Answer

 you?

w on't
2. We will be travelling abroad this weekend, Answer

 we?

have
3. They haven’t seen that film, Answer

 they?

don't
4. You do remember our first date, Answer

 you?

did
5. We didn’t hear from the bank yesterday, Answer
 we?

don’t
6. You have enough money to buy the tickets Answer

 you?

didn't
7. She contradicted her original story, Answer

 she?

isn't
8. That’s a coincidence Answer

 it.

couldn’t
9. We could do this again, Answer

 we?

can
10. I can’t remember the last time I went swimming. Neither Answer

 I.

VOCABULARY: Business
Open/close a branch

When a bank is expanding its operation or reducing its operation.

Examples:

Good news for the local economy today as a major local bank  opens another branch  in the
neighbourhood.

Take over a company

The purchase of one company by another (usually buying out a competitor or rival company).

Example:

The consortium gathered to discuss raising capital to take over the company.

Make a profit

Receiving more money than you have spent; when your income is greater than your
expenditure.

Example:

The company has continued to  make a profit  and is considering expanding into Europe.

Make a loss

Not receiving enough income to sustain the full operating costs of a business.

Example:

Last quarter we  made a loss, so we are implementing a serious re-haul of our operating
procedures.

Go out of business

The business is failing to make a profit and will close in the very near future.

Example:

The restaurant was always empty. Everyone knew it would eventually  go out of business.

Expand the business

A substantial growth in business and its reach.

Example:

The directors were very pleased with the market response to their product and drew up plans
to  expand the business.

Go into business

The decision to start a new business venture or set up a new company.

Example:

He had always wanted to  go into business  with her. She had talent and was hugely successful.
Do business with (someone)

To buy, sell or supply a product or service to someone, or to work with someone in business.

Example:

Thank you for your purchase; it was nice  doing business with you.

Import from

To purchase goods or produce from another country.

Example:

I like to do business with him because it’s cheaper to  import  his product  from  India than it is
to buy it here.

Export to

To sell goods to another country.

Example:

The company was delighted to learn they had won the contract and that they would soon
be  exporting to  Canada.

Run a company

Refers to the management or directors of a company who are responsible for designing
strategies and overseeing daily operations on behalf of a company.

Example:

As a management team they were notoriously brilliant, they knew how to  run a company.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 11.00 out of 11.00

Flag question

Question text

Fill in the gap with the expression which fits the sentence best:

close a branch
1. The bank decided they would have to Answer
 this year or face making a loss.

run a company
2. If you are a CEO you should know how to Answer

take over a company


3. It’s rumoured that the business are looking to Answer

as part of an expansion programme into the technology market.

to make a profit
4. The CEO said it was important Answer

 every year and that he expected everyone to work together to achieve the goal.

to export
5. In the future, the company are likely Answer

 their products to America.

go out of business
6. “We will never Answer
” she said; “because we are strong and report a large amount of profit every year.”

import from
7. It’s a buyer’s market so I prefer to Answer

 Europe rather than pay more here.

expand the business


8. As a positive move we are looking to Answer

 into a new sector.

9. Keep the focus on business development and growth and there’s a good chance you will
go out of business
never Answer

 .

go into business
10. As an entrepreneur she was always searching for new projects to Answer

 with.

 
11. She was impressed with his proposal. He seemed like a person she could Answer
do business w ith

Correct
The correct answer is: do business with
Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

VOCABULARY: Idioms

A-list

The most famous people within a society.

Examples:

It’s impossible to go out in public if you are part of the Hollywood  A-list.

Only time will tell

The future is uncertain and cannot be predicted.

Example:

Only time will tell  if they will be one of the best bands of this decade.

Overnight celebrity

Someone who becomes famous very fast.

Example:

After the release of his one hit wonder song, he became an  overnight celebrity.

My lips are sealed

The promise not to say anything about an event or an occurrence.

Example:

It’s okay, I´ll keep your secret.  My lips are sealed.

Let the cat out of the bag

To reveal a secret .

Example:

It was during a casual conversation that he  let the cat out of the bag  about his sister changing
jobs.

Dish the dirt

To speak ill of other people’s private lives.

Example:
As a journalist she was most feared because she would constantly  dish the dirt  on famous
Hollywood personalities.

To leak a story

To release confidential information to the press.

Example:

He knew it would bring bad times to the company’s door when he took the decision to  leak the
story.

In the public eye

A reference made to a famous person who is seen in public regularly.

Example:

At the start of her career she was never  out of the public eye.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 8.00 out of 8.00

Flag question

Question text

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom:

1. With a string of successful film roles over the past few years, he is now part of the Answer
A-list

Only time w ill tell


2. Answer
 if the success of the first album will continue with future albums.

3. Last week he was working in McDonald’s. This week he is singing on national television. Talk
Overnight celebrity
about an Answer

leak a story
4. Deciding to Answer

 to the press was not the only option available to him.

My lips are sealed


5. You will never hear another word from me about it, Answer

In the public eye


6. Her agent told her it was important to remain Answer

 at all times.

dish the dirt


7. He politely asked the press to be sensitive and not Answer

 about his bankruptcy charges.

 
let the cat out of the bag
8. Someone had Answer

 because the reporters were already waiting for her at the restaurant.

GRAMMAR: Linking words

Linking words and phrases simply connect ideas and sentences together in a coherent way.
They appear as short connectors usually located between two contrasting clauses, although it
is not unusual to find a linking word at the beginning of a sentence too. Their meaning and
application in a sentence help to provide a smooth transition from one idea in a sentence to
another.

Linking words like: although, however, similarly, consequently and furthermore co-exist


alongside phrases like: even though, as well as, in addition to, and in spite of (among others)
with the specific purposes of both signifying a coherent direction and bridging the ideas
together. They are used frequently to connect additional information, to highlight by direct
contrast, to illustrate, to compare, to conclude and to summarise. They are an important part
of our language because they guide the reader (or listener) through the flow of ideas in our
paragraphs or dialogues.

We use the following examples for:

Adding Information: and, as well as, also, additionally, in addition to…

Giving Reasons: because, due to, owing to, since…

Contrasting Ideas: but, however, on the other hand, nevertheless…

Question 1

Correct

Mark 10.00 out of 10.00

Flag question

Question text

Choose the correct linking word or phrase to complete the sentence:

 
but
1. I haven’t seen the new Batman film, Answer

 I did watch an old one on television last night.

So long as
2. Answer

 you brush your teeth before bed, you can have a dessert with dinner.

if
3. You will get good grades, Answer

 you study every night.

because
4. He couldn’t get into the theatre Answer

 he didn’t have a ticket.

how ever
5. I can choose to leave this weekend, Answer

 waiting until next weekend would give me more time to finish this project.

 
as w ell as
6. I received a degree in English Literature, Answer

 one in Humanities.

Although
7. Answer

 he wasn’t the first choice for the position, the company is still very happy.

since
8. He hadn’t seen his brother Answer

 the last time he visited Australia five years ago.

on the other hand


9. Although it was difficult for her to say goodbye Answer

 it meant the start of an exciting career in another country.

10. Listen everyone! I want you to write an essay using one thousand words, Answer
additionally

, include a bibliography of your study

VOCABULARY: Media terms and expressions

To seek publicity
Desiring to attract the public’s attention to a person, product, organisation, idea or story
through the media.

Examples:

The musician was accused of  publicity seeking  when he performed a series of bizarre and
dangerous stunts in in prominent public places for no particular reason.

Hold a press conference

To arrange a meeting for a range of journalists to attend an information sharing session with
people who are in the public eye..

Example:

The police decided to  hold a press conference  to discuss the public´s questions about a recent
string of murders.

Receive (a lot of) coverage

To receive a lot of attention in the news.

Example:

The Tour de France is a big event for the media and  receives a lot of  international  coverage.

Sue for libel

To take legal action against someone or a company responsible for writing bad things about a
person or thing which is not true.

Example:

He said he would  sue for libel  if the company didn’t retract their former statement about him.

Hit the headlines

To become the latest story in the news

Example:

A round up of the day’s news events showed that the sudden outbreak of hay fever in the UK
was the latest story to  hit the headlines.

Make the front page

To become one the leading or most important stories in the news.

Example:

In recognition of her achievements, the story of her humanitarian work  made the front
page  of the nation’s press.

Issue a press release

To distribute detailed information to the press about an event. Usually includes: Dates, times,
a venue, the information, a contact name and contact details.

Example:
The theatre company  issued a press release  to publicise their latest production.

Run a story

To publish an item of news across a media platform, such as: newspaper, TV, radio etc.

Example:

It was a quiet day for breaking news so the editor decided to  run a story  about the spectacular
rescue of a cat.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 8.00 out of 8.00

Flag question

Question text

Choose the correct word or phrase:

1. If you wanted to generate public interest in a forthcoming event you would: Answer
issue a press release

 .

a lot of coverage
2. The FIFA World Cup always receives Answer

 .

3. The manager of ‘Thorg’, the Swedish Death Metal band, openly admitted his policy
publicity seeking
of Answer
 no matter what the cost.

4. She was anxious for her business to receive good publicity so she staged an event knowing it
hit the headlines
would Answer

hold a press conference


5. They decided to Answer

 and share the information with the press.

6. The editor of the magazine knew they would not hesitate and Answer
sue for libel

 if he agreed to publish the story.

7. The boy band was at the height of their popularity as news of their lives would
make the front page
always Answer

run a story
8. Part of the editorial brief was to Answer
 that would win the hearts and minds of a nation.

VOCABULARY: Differences between North American and British Vocabulary

(American 1st, British 2nd)

Truck / Lorry

A heavy transport vehicle.

Fall / Autumn

The third season of the year.

Cookie / Biscuit

A sweet, dough-based baked dessert or snack.

Trash / Rubbish

Also called garbage or refusea.

Elevator / Lift

A mechanism to transport people up and down a building.

Parking lot / car park

The area where cars are parked.

Potato chips / crisps

Very finely sliced, dry, crunchy potato fast food.

Note: In British English ‘potato chips’ are the cooked wedges of potatoes that Americans call
fries.
Apartment / flat

A section of a building where people rent, own or live.

Candy / sweets

A sweet confectionary.

Pants / trousers

A popular garment for the lower body with two separate tubes covering each leg and which
are joined together at the waist.

Note: In British English "pants" means the same as underwear or knickers.

Flashlight / torch

Portable light-making device that is battery operated.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 12.00 out of 12.00

Flag question

Question text

Choose whether the expression is American or British:

1. I would kill to get my hands on some candy right now.

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. American

2. Did you hear about how Jack tried to jump off the roof onto a moving lorry? That man is
bonkers.

A. American
B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. British

3. I accidentally ripped my pants when I was running through the forest.

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. American

4. I wish you’d stop harping on about your new flat by the river.

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. British

5.  Babe, could you take out the trash for a change? 

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. American

6. If you stop moaning about your tragic love-life I will give you some sweets.

A. American
B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. British

7. I live for potato chips; they are the most delicious snack in the world.

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. American

8. Let’s walk up the stairs rather than take the lift; it’ll be harder for them to trap us.

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. British

9. When I was younger I used to do wheelies in parking lots with my ford mustang.

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. American

10. Have you got a torch handy? I can’t see anything. 

A. American
B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: B. British

11. The leaves have already started to turn orange, a sure sign of fall.

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. American

12. I swear that truck-driver was trying to run me over!

A. American

B. British

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: A. American

GRAMMAR: To article or not to article, that is the question

Indefinite articles: “A” vs. “An”

Indefinite articles are used to talk about singular nouns. As you should know, “a” is used
instead of “an” before nouns which start with consonants, with three major exceptions.

A) When the word starts with the letter “h” but the “h” sound is not voiced

Example:

An hour, an honourable swordsman etc.

B) When the word starts with a “u” or “e” but the sound is pronounced like the “y” in yeti

Example:

A university, a unicorn, a ewe, a European lady etc.


C) When an “o” is pronounced like the “w” in wonder (a one-eyed pirate, a once-prosperous
kingdom)

The definite article “The” vs. the zero article

The definite article is usually used to talk about specific singular, plural and uncountable
nouns. Generally, the zero article is used to talk about unspecific plural and uncountable
nouns.

We use the definite article when:

A) We think the listener or reader understands what we are referring to.

Examples:

The car was hot, I was in the kitchen

B) Before unique objects when we know there is only one of its kind.

Examples:

The universe, the world, the economy, the south pole.

C) Before superlatives

Examples:

The biggest chocolate brownies, the fastest man in the world.

D) Referring to human families as a collective unit

Examples:

The Simpsons, the Smiths, the Connells.

E) Before countries or nations that are made up of groups.

Examples:

The United Kingdom, the USA, The Roman Empire.

F) Before names which include the word “of”.

Examples:

The Republic of Argentina, the Cape of Good Hope, the Park of Saintly Adoration, the University
of Yorkshire, the Lake of Lost Causes.
G) Referring to the time, day or month of the year, and there is an adjective before the noun
or a clause or phrase following it.

Examples:

It was the worst holiday ever, It happened during the summer of 1988.

Or when using the words morning, afternoon, evening and weekend.

Example:

I run in the morning, She studies in the evening.

H) It is known exactly which school, bed, prison, etc., is being referred to by the speaker and
the listener of the conversation.

Example:

I went to  the school  by St James Hospital, I served in  the prison  for twelve long years.

We MUST omit the article (in other words use the zero article) when:

A) Generalising about plural and uncountable nouns (or noun phrases) and make generic or
indefinite references to things.

Example:

I love  croissants, I’m terrified of  deep water, I’m into  acid house music, I think  budgies  are
stupid.

B) Using people’s specific names or titles and when addressing them by their titles.

Example:

Jack, Elizabeth Hobson, Mr Brown, Miss Smith, Sir, Mister, Lord Smitter, Captain Silver, Doctor.

C) Using the specific names of mountains, parks, forests and lakes.

Example:

Lake Elmore is beautiful, I have climbed  Mount Everest, The northern slope of  Mount
Taranaki  is my favourite place in the world, I hate  Central Park, Hyde park  is full of stray
dogs, Let’s go to  Sheffield Forest.

D) Talking about games, activities and hobbies.

Example:
I play  basketball, They like skiing, She’s a deft hand at  cards.

E) Talking about countries, continents, towns, streets and languages.

Example:

North America, Uruguay, Europe, Africa, London, New Orleans, High Street, Fitzgerald Avenue,
Spanish, Russian.

F) With nouns that are followed by numbers.

Example:

Do you have any trench coats in  size 16? Continue to  gate 13. I’ll leave them for you
at  platform nine and three quarters.

G) Talking about some modes of transport when using prepositional phrases.

Example:

By bus, by plane, in train.

H) Talking about institutions.

Example:

In jail, at home, in school, for work, at camp, in hospital, at university.

I) When referring to the time, day or month of the year except with the words morning,
afternoon, evening and weekend.

Example:

I arrived  on time, We go to the beach  in summer, at midnight.

J) Certain prepositional phrases do not take an article.

Examples:

In charge, in tears, in danger, at war, by heart, beyond control, out of control.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 23.00 out of 23.00


Flag question

Question text

Choose the correct article (zero article = 0) to go in the following sentences:

0
1. I’ve detested Answer

 cockroaches all my life.

0
2. We would like to learn more about Answer

0
 Australasia in Answer

 geography class.

0
3. Let’s go to the market on Answer

 Wednesday.

0
4. Tell me who’s in Answer
 charge round here.

the
5. If we’re going to use it in our film, I want to listen to Answer

an
 echo of our new reverb amp in Answer

  amphitheatre to get an idea of it’s potential.

0
6. Do you work from Answer

0
 home or at Answer

 school?

the
7. Where are Answer

 scissors?

0
8. I hate playing Answer
 tennis

0
9. I’m going back to Answer

 university next year.

0
10. I hate going to Answer

 school in the mornings.

the
11. Well, Answer

 universe is full of mysteries.

the
12. I’m travelling to Answer

 Republic of Dominica next summer.

0
13. My goal is to get to Answer
0
 West Indonesia by Answer

 sea kayak in less than three months.

0
14. Meet me under Answer

the
 Bridge 25 on Answer

 New York freeway.

a
15. I’m known to be partial to Answer

0
 slice of Answer

 Madeira cake.

0
16. I wish I could speak Answer
 Mandarin.

the
17. In Answer

 winter of 1876, I was not alive.

VOCABULARY: Idioms

Drive someone crazy

Irritate very much (Note: also means to excite sexually).

Examples:

Stop that, you know  it drives me crazy  when you bite your nails.

Take forever

To take a long time.

Example:

God, this drive  is taking forever. We’re not even half-way there yet!

It weighs a ton

It’s very heavy.

Example:

Mate, can you help me with the shopping? These bags  weigh a ton.

I’m speechless

Feeling extreme emotion - usually shock.

Example:

You want to give me a brand new car for free? Beatrice,  I’m speechless!

I’m starving

I’m very hungry.

Example:

Let’s go get a pizza,  I’m starving.

It costs a fortune
It is very expensive.

Example:

This new caravan  cost me a fortune, but it’s so beautiful and well-equipped that I don’t even
care.

I’m going out of my mind

I am highly stressed/worried/going crazy.

Example:

Not only do I have to finish the entire project in two days, my manager wants to fire me and my
daughter keeps getting into trouble at school.  I’m going out of my mind.

I’m crazy about…

I absolutely love…

Example:

We were standing for five hours in the rain to get the tickets, but it was worth it,  I’m crazy
about  that band.

…is killing me

Something is very painful/annoying/hilarious.

Example:

Heavens, my feet  are killing me! Can we sit down?

I’m dying for...

I really want…

Example:

Man,  I’m dying for  a drink, let’s find another pub and order some beers.

Question 1

Correct

Mark 14.00 out of 14.00

Flag question

Question text

Write the correct word or expression in the gap:

 
drives me crazy
1. It Answer

 the way they play terrible pop music on the radio all the time.

crazy
2. I’m Answer

 about you baby.

3. Last night I thought I saw an alien spaceship hovering above the house. I know what you’re
going out of my mind
thinking, I’m Answer

dying for
4. It has only been half a day without caffeine and already I’m Answer

 a coffee.

take
5. Why does it Answer

forever
 you Answer
 to go to the store?

starving
6. I’m Answer

, haven’t eaten anything for hours. I’m going to make dinner.

w eighs a to
7. Man, this cat Answer

! What have you been feeding him?

cost
8. It Answer

fortune
 a Answer

 to pay for my medical insurance.

killing me
9. You’re Answer

 with those fantastic jokes!


 

out of
10. I’ve been going Answer

mind
 my Answer

 worrying about you. Why don’t you phone and tell me where you are?

speechless
11. You’re buying a new house in the Bahamas with the lottery money? I’m Answer

Correct
The correct answer is: speechless
Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

I. Read the sentences and choose the correct option:

1.   Because he studied really hard for the exam, it was no surprise that he ……………….. .

passed with flying colors

got an A for effort

taught someone a lesson

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: passed with flying colors

2.   The whole city was reported to ……………….. .

been devastated by the earthquake


have been devastated by the earthquake

being devastated for the earthquake

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: have been devastated by the earthquake

3.   I recommend ……………….. at that restaurant.

she eats

her to eat

eating

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: eating

4.   Since the true murderer confessed, I am now ……………….. for the crime.

off a hook

off the hook

off hook

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: off the hook

5.    When I was young, I ……………….. talk back to my parents.

dare not

B. didn’t dare to

didn’t dare

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00


The correct answer is: didn’t dare

6.   On the sightseeing tour of the city, we were blown away by the ……………….. skyscrapers.
Being from a small town, we had never seen any building over three storeys.

labyrinth

odyssey

colossal

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: colossal

7.   For dinner tonight I am thinking ……………….. a rice dish.

to make

of making

about to make

Mark 0.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: of making

8.   The company has to make a lot of changes and invest more money, but ……………….. is that
if we do not make these changes, we face bankruptcy.

a shot in the dark

the bottom line

no news is good news

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: the bottom line


9.   I ……………….. like him, but now we're good friends.

wouldn’t

didn’t used to

didn’t use to

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: didn’t use to

10.  In addition to adopting a healthy diet, it is important to ……………….. several times a week.

work out

burn off

hydrate

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: work out

11.  John is ……………….. arrive at 10, but he will probably be late.

supposed to

supposing to

suppose to

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: supposed to

12.  Your boss is already mad at you for not finishing your work on time. Calling in sick will only 
……………….. .
shed light on it

power it up

add fuel to the fire

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: add fuel to the fire

13.  ……………….. he didn’t like the cake, he ate two more pieces.

Besides

Although

Despite

Mark 0.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: Although

14.  When his wife turned off the football match in the last few seconds, he ……………….. at her.

gave up

blew up

hung up

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: blew up

15.  It is best ……………….. every day.

to study

studying
study

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: to study

16.  After several rocky years, the company was finally ……………….. and enjoying considerable
success.

in black

in the black

in a black

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: in the black

17.  She hardly ever sees him,  ………………..?

does she

doesn’t she

has she

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: does she

18.  I want to go to Paris.  On the one hand, tickets are cheap.  ……………….. I want to practice
my French.

On the other hand

Additionally

Nevertheless

Mark 0.00 out of 1.00


The correct answer is: Additionally

19.  I want to buy that new car, but I already live on a shoestring budget and it ……………….. .

costs a fortune

weighs a ton

takes ages

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: costs a fortune

20.  When we went to London, we saw the Changing of the Guards at ……………….. .

Buckingham Palace

the Buckingham Palace

Buckingham’s Palace

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: Buckingham Palace

Question 2

Partially correct

Mark 4.00 out of 11.00

Flag question

Question text

II. For questions 1-11, read the article below and think of the word which best fits each gap.
Use only ONE word in each gap.
Somebody once described to me the world in which we now live, as an illusion disappearing
before
and changing (1) Answer

 our eyes, where things we think we know become unknown, and technological advances are
updated
harder and harder to keep up (2) Answer

Having
(3) Answer

 this into account, we should be all the less surprised when more and more parts of (4) Answer
our

because
 daily lives start disappearing. But (5) Answer

we
 so, we feel shocked to learn that very soon money as we have always known (6) Answer

 will also soon disappear, according to Professor Gerry Montague of the Institute of Economic
Reform.

could
Pennies, coins, bills and checks (7) Answer
 be replaced by a series of different credit cards. So, in the future we will go to a
and
shop (8) Answer

 the assistant will simply type in your code or account number, the amount you have spent and
in
we will be (9) Answer

 our way with a light wave of the hand. It’s somewhat sad looking back. I can still
w hen
remember (10) Answer

 a little boy and saving up every little coin in my piggy bank, and the sound it made when I
would rattle it to see if I had enough money to go to the ice-cream truck. This brings up an
Um
issue when thinking of childhood. (11) Answer

 will I give my sons and daughters their allowance?

Question 3

Correct

Mark 4.00 out of 4.00

Flag question

Question text
III. You are going to read two extracts which are all concerned in some way with human
behavior. For questions 1-4, choose the answer which you think fits best according to the
text.

Extract from a book review

Why do vast flocks of birds, driven as much by some irrepressible genetic impulse as by the
dictates of seasonal change, migrate thousands of miles every year? And why do people, torn
between ‘the known and the new’, so often oscillate between the prospect of the journey and
the draw of home? Under the pretext of exploring the first question, The Snow Geese, William
Fiennes’s quirky and autobiographical first book, take us to the heart of the second.

The story begins with Fiennes confined to a hospital bed, stricken by a curious and
psychologically debilitating illness, dreaming of the comforts and protection of his family
home. But when he returns to the familiarity of the old ironstone house, restlessness soon
replaces homesickness. He longs to be jolted out of his introspection. Paul Gallico’s novel The
Snow Goose becomes an unlikely inspiration, and Fiennes resolves to follow the migratory
path of real-life snow geese as they fly from Texas to the Canadian Arctic Circle on their annual
spring voyage. It is emotional healing through the power of bird-watching, allowing him to put
the past behind him. The result is an original blend of travel writing, autobiography and
reportage.

1.     In the first paragraph, the reviewer suggests that Fiennes’s book.

seeks to understand people’s mixed feelings about travel.

throws new light on the migratory habits of birds.

rejects comparisons between human and bird behavior.


fails to answer satisfactorily either of the questions it poses.

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: seeks to understand people’s mixed feelings about travel.

2.     What do we learn about Fiennes in the second paragraph?

His state of health prevents him from travelling.

He has been inspired by a book he read in hospital.

His is looking for something to occupy his mind positively.

He has written his book as a way of overcoming his illness.

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: His is looking for something to occupy his mind positively.

Book Crossing

My heart was thumping. Surreptitiously, I scanned the carriage. The train coasted into the
platform, and the briefcase-clutching, umbrella-wielding crowd made its way towards the
door. I slid my book – Hanif Kurcishi’s Love in a Blue Time – between two seats. A quick glance
at my fellow passengers: no one saw. Off the train, and up the escalator – I increased my pace
and pulled down my hat. Almost out of the station. I had done it! I had ‘released’ my first book.
As my smile spread, I noticed rapidly approaching footsteps from behind. A tap on my
shoulder: ‘Excuse me, Miss,’ said kindly man, ‘I think you left this behind.’ Bother!

The Book Crossing organization – nay, movement – claims, with 250,000 members globally, to
be the largest book group in the world. Here’s how it works. You register with the site
(www.bookcrossing.com), tag one of your books with a special Book Crossing number
generated by the website, and then ‘release it to the wild’. With any luck, your book will then
be rescued – or, as they say, captured. The book-catcher is invited, via use of the Book Crossing
code number and website, to update the travels of the book, read and exchange their
impressions of it and then, in true Book Crossing spirit, pass it on.

3.     In the first paragraph, the writer describes a situation in which she

felt short-lived satisfaction in an achievement.


was embarrassed when her intentions were uncovered.

became resigned to her inability to do something successfully.

had feelings of frustration towards someone who intended to spoil her plans.

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: felt short-lived satisfaction in an achievement.

4.     The organization described in the second paragraph aims to

promote the work of certain authors.

encourage people to read online novels.

provoke discussion of certain published works.

persuade people to buy more books.

Mark 1.00 out of 1.00

The correct answer is: provoke discussion of certain published works.

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