Task 2_The fun they had_worksheet

The following words appear in the text. Match each of them with the corresponding
definition.
1. to waste a. disdainfully
2. attic b. an opening for something to be inserted
3. to shake c. to touch affectionately
4. scornfully d. to conduct
5. dials e. to move quickly
6. wires f. general
7. slot g. metal threads
8. punch code h. to cease to operate
9. to pat i. part of a house under the roof
10. to gear j. set of holes in a-card which identifies a person
11. overall k. flat plate with a scale where a pointer indicates values
12. to blank out l. to use with no purpose
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

I. Explain the following in your own words.

a. "when you're through with the book" (line 8)
…
b. "it's good for plenty more" (line 9)
…
c. "she had been doing it worse and worse" (line 18)
…
d. "the mechanical teacher calculated the mark in no time" (lines 25-26)
…
e. "for nearly a month" (line 32)
…

II. Reorder these sentences according to their sequence in the passage from line 8 to line 32.
a. The Inspector admitted there are sometimes problems with mechanical teachers.
…
b. Tommy believed it was much better to have telebooks than real books.
…
c. Tommy's teacher had once been seriously damaged, which was not the case with
Margie's.
…
d. It just took the Inspector a short time to repair Margie's teacher.
…
e. Margie's mother suspected something might be wrong with the mechanical teacher.
…

III. Now answer these questions about that part of the text (lines 8 – 32)
1. Why did the County Inspector need a "box of tools with dials and wires"?
…
2. What did the Inspector mean when he said "It's not the little girl's fault"?
 …
3. According to the Inspector, what had been wrong with Margie's teacher?
…

IV. Look at the words below and choose the words that best express the Inspector's attitude
towards Margie. Justify your answer by quoting from the text
irritated satisfied scornful protective reassuring

V. Use a dictionary to find out the meaning of the following expressions in the context:
1. with superior eyes … 4. screamed with laughter …
2. added loftily … 5. adjusted to fit the mind …
3. regular teacher … 6. said nonchalantly …

VI. Answer the following questions:

1. Which aspects astonished Margie about schools in the past?
…
2. Why was Margie so surprised at the teacher being a man?
…
3. In the end how did Margie feel about the old book?
…

Grammar
"In the attic" (l. 5)
"What's there to write about school?"(l.16)
"a big screen on which all lessons were shown" (l. 23)
"the mechanical teacher calculated the mark in no time."(l. 25-26)

The words in bold are prepositions.

Prepositions are words which typically go before a noun phrase or pronoun.

I. Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct preposition

1. They rushed _____ the room. (in front of/beside/out of)
2. The stairs were _____ the entrance of the attic. (in/on/at)
3. I found the book _____ the right of the shelf. (at/on/in)
4. At the time of my grandfather's grandfather some people lived _____ farms away from
civilization. (in/on/at)

II. Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition: in / on / at

1. I’ll be ready with my work ___ 16.30 ___ Friday.
2. ___ the age of six I was made to learn the punch code.
3. I’ll do some more Geography tests ___ two days' time.
4. The County Inspector left ___ dawn and arrived ___ noon.
5. I wonder what will happen ___ the year 2500.
6. ___ my birthday no one forgot me.

III. Complete the following sentences using: by / in / on / at

1. My grandfather's grandfather had to get ____ the train ____ the nearest station to where he
lived to visit his relatives.
 2. It was quicker to go ____ train than ____ foot.
3. He had to be ____ the station very early.
4. People helped him put his suitcase ____ the train.
5. Many homes ____ the east of Leavenworth had no electricity.

IV. Complete the following text by writing the correct preposition or a dash (-) if there should
be no preposition.
For much of the day County Inspectors have to listen ___ people.
They tell ___ them ___ their problems.
County Inspectors answer ___ their questions. Sometimes they complain ___ them ___ the
difficulties they have. That's difficult for County Inspectors! They can't reply easily ___ a person who
asks ___ them ___ help with learning subjects they hate. Their work consists ___ listening a lot,
saying a little and being helpful ___ everyone who sends for them.