ELEMENTARY

READING
SELF-STUDY PACK 1

KOCAELI UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Sevgili Öğrencimiz;

Bu kitapçık, İngilizce okuma becerini geliştirebilmen için hazırlanmıştır.

Kitapçıktaki egzersizler A2 düzeyine uygun olarak hazırlanmış ve öncesinde
bazı okuma stratejilerine de yer verilmiştir.

Kitapçığın ilk üç sayfasında yer alan okumaya yönelik bilgilendirici

açıklamaları ve örnekleri inceleyerek okuma egzersizlerine başlaman faydalı
olacaktır. Hangi stratejileri kullanacağını bilmen okuma becerinin daha hızlı
gelişmesine yardımcı olacaktır.

Küçük adımlarla başlayacağın okuma sürecinde hiçbir zaman motivasyonunu

kaybetmemen dileğiyle…

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 TYPES OF READING SKILLS

a. Skimming

Skimming is used to quickly gather the most important information, or 'gist'. Run your eyes over the
text, noting important information. It's not essential to understand each word when skimming.

Examples of Skimming:
 The Newspaper (quickly to get the general news of the day)
 Magazines (quickly to discover which articles you would like to read in more detail)
 Business and Travel Brochures (quickly to get informed)

b. Scanning

Scanning is used to find a particular piece of information. Run your eyes over the text looking for the
specific piece of information you need. Use scanning on schedules, meeting plans, etc. in order to
find the specific details you require. If you see words or phrases that you don't understand, don't
worry when scanning.

Examples of Scanning
 The "What's on TV" section of your newspaper.
 A train / airplane schedule
 A conference guide

c. Extensive reading

Extensive reading is used to obtain a general understanding of a subject and includes reading longer
texts for pleasure. Do not worry if you don’t understand each word.

Examples of Extensive Reading

 A novel you read before going to bed
 Magazine articles that interest you

d. Intensive reading

Intensive reading is used on shorter texts in order to extract specific information. It includes very
close accurate reading for detail. Use intensive reading skills to grasp the details of a specific
situation. In this case, it is important that you understand each word, number or fact.

Examples of Intensive Reading

 An insurance claim
 A contract

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 TYPES OF READING QUESTIONS

 Multiple choice  Guessing meaning from context

 True/ False (vocabulary)
 True/ False/ Not given  Gap fill / Cloze tests
 Matching  Put the... into order
 Summarizing  Correct the wrong statements
 Prediction tasks  Answer the open-ended questions
 Fill in the table with information

If you are reading to answer some questions, you need to know task types and how you
should read. Here, as an English learning student, you will find some task types and how you can
overcome them. These will help you to succeed in exams 

The first thing to do in an exam is to read the instruction carefully! Then you won’t waste
your time on reading extra lines. Here are some tips:

TIP 1. Understanding the main idea of a text:

 Before you read the text, look at the pictures and the title.
 Don’t worry about any words that you don’t know.
 When you read, decide what the main idea of each paragraph is.
 Circle a few words or phrases to help you remember the main ideas.

TIP 2. Finding specific information in a text:

 Read the text once quickly to get the main idea of what it is about.
 Decide what information you are looking for.
 Read each question carefully and underline key words.
 Look for the key words or similar ideas in the text.
 Read before and after key words to find the answer to the question.

TIP 3. Dealing with the new words in a text:

If you face an unknown word;

 Don’t panic! Often you don’t need them to understand the context of the text.
 Decide what the main ideas of paragraphs are
 Try to guess their meaning by looking carefully at the part of speech (is it an adjective? does
it have a positive or a negative meaning? Is it a verb or an adverb? These will help you guess
the meaning of the word  )
 Get help from the neighbour words (they often follow the word in phrases: like, such as, that
is, I mean, etc.)

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TIP 4. Identifying speculation:

Writers often use speculation (unclear opinions) when they don’t know all the facts.
To identify speculation:
 Read the statement carefully and try to decide if it is a certain fact or a guess.
 Be careful for words or phrases that suggest a guess. Words that are often used for
speculation: modals (may, might, could), some verbs: seem, appear, look, think, feel, believe,
etc. and some adverbs (possibly, maybe, perhaps, probably)

TIP 5. Identifying referents:

These are subject and object pronouns, possessive adjectives (they, he, it, her, their, etc.) or some demonstrative
adjectives (there, here, this, that).
 To find what they refer to, go back to the beginning of the sentence.
 Look at the other options.
 Be careful about the position of the referent (singular or plural).

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 TASK 1

A. Before reading, answer the questions below.

1. Where did you go on vacation last? How was it?
2. When was your best vacation? What did you do there?

WHERE DID THEY GO ON VACATION?

Mert Dağdeviren

Last summer, my wife, our two sons and I went to Fethiye for our holiday. We went there by car on
July 27th. It was a long journey, but we all enjoyed it. We stayed in a five-star hotel by the beach. It
had a lovely view of the sea and everything was perfect at the hotel. On our first day, in the morning,
we had a boat trip and we saw the small islands. We had lunch on the boat. The fish, the vegetables
and the fruit were very fresh. We loved them. In fact, every day we ate the same things. In the
afternoon, we swam in the warm and blue waters of Fethiye and went scuba diving. On the next day,
we visited the historical places and the museum and did a lot of shopping. On our last day, we
climbed Babadag. We tried paragliding and watched the beautiful sunset there. It was a very
romantic and exciting day. Our holiday was short but fantastic. We are looking forward to going there
again soon.

Jennifer Barnes

Everybody loves holidays because during our holidays, we can relax and have fun. Last spring, my
husband and I went to Hawaii. On May 10th, we flew from Maryland to the island of Maui. We stayed
in a 3-star hotel on the beach for four days. We didn’t spend much time at the hotel. The service was
not good, our room was too hot and the food was terrible. We found a very good and cheap Chinese
restaurant, and every day we had our meals there. On the first day, we walked the streets, sat in
cafes and talked to people. The next day, we visited the tourist sites and bought some souvenirs. On
our third day, we did many things. We swam, tried jet skiing and went scuba diving. It was a tiring
day. On the last day, we climbed Haleakala and watched the lovely sunrise. On our way back home,
we travelled by plane again. My holiday was exciting and very romantic. I enjoyed it a lot. I am
looking forward to going there again next spring.

B. Read the texts above and fill in the tables. Give short answers. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

Who did they go with? What date did they go? Where did they go?

Mert
Jennifer

How did they get there? Where did they stay? What did they eat?

Mert
Jennifer

How long did they stay What water sports did Did they like the hotel?
there? they do?
Mert
Jennifer

What did they do on their How do they describe their Do they want to go there
last day? holiday? again?
Mert
Jennifer
5
 TASK 2

A. Before reading, answer the questions below.

1. Do you like reading?
2. Do you have a favourite book and a writer?
3. Do you prefer e-books? Why/Why not?

THE FUTURE OF THE BOOK

Do you like books? Do you like touching the paper? Well, enjoy it now
because the e-book is getting more and more popular these days.
As long ago as the early 1990s books were available in digital form. It was
possible to go online and read one, but obviously, that isn’t very
convenient. Then, in the late 1990s, the first e-book readers arrived. Now
there are several e-book readers such as Amazon’s Kindle and the iPad, so
you can read your e-books in digital form anywhere.
What’s so good about e-books? Well, they’re better than real books in several ways. They’re more
convenient: you can put thousands of books on an e-book reader. They’re smaller and lighter to carry
than several real books – much better when you go on holiday! Digital books are usually cheaper
than physical books and they’re more versatile - you can change the size of the text on the screen,
for example, or you can change the language.
Why don’t we all have e-books? There are a few problems: the e-book reader is still quite expensive
–more expensive than buying a lot of books – and it’s heavier than a real book if you want to take it
to work, for example. Real books are more hard-wearing than e-book readers. If a real book falls onto
the ground, it doesn’t break, but an e-book reader can break. Real books are more attractive, too –
you can wrap them and give them as presents.
So, e-book or real book? For now, at least, we can choose.

B. Read the text above and tick the correct one. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

e-book reader a real book

1 more convenient ----- -----
2 heavier ----- -----
3 cheaper ----- -----
4 more versatile ----- -----
5 hard-wearing ----- -----
6 more attractive ----- -----

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C. Read the text again and answer the questions. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)
1. When was the first e-book available?
-------------------------------------------
2. What is Kindle?
-------------------------------------------
3. When did Kindle arrive?
-------------------------------------------
4. How many books can you put on an e-book reader?
-------------------------------------------
5. What can you do with language?
-------------------------------------------
6. What can happen if an e-book reader falls on the ground?
-------------------------------------------

D. The verbs in these sentences are wrong. Underline the mistakes. Then correct them.
(SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)
1. I often watch blogs to find the news. ------------
2. Do you use online much for the news? ------------
3. Older people like to read the radio. ------------
4. I use news programmes on TV because they’re more exciting. ------------
5. On Sunday mornings we have a nice breakfast and watch the newspapers. -----------
6. All my friends listen to Twitter a lot. ------------

E. Make sentences. Use the comparative form of the adjectives. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

1. e-book/versatile/real books
-------------------------------------------
2. real books/attractive/e-books
-------------------------------------------
3. e-book readers/light/several real books
-------------------------------------------
4. coats/warm/jackets
-------------------------------------------
5. Japanese/difficult/English
-------------------------------------------

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 TASK 3

CELEBRITY PROFILE

A. Before reading, answer the questions below.

1. How often do you go to cinema?

2. What is your favourite film?
3. Who is your favourite actor and actress?
4. Do you want to be an actor/ actress? Why/ Why not?

B. Match the words with the definitions and write a–f next to the number 1–6.

1 ___ advertisement a. A woman who stars in films

2 ___ Oscar b. A famous person
3 ___ celebrity c. An award for the best actor or actress in Hollywood
4 ___ nominate d. A beautiful woman who helps to sell a product
5 ___ model e. A poster or notice to help sell a product
6 ___ actress f. To suggest someone for an award

We all know Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games but who is the actress who plays her, Jennifer
Lawrence?

FAST FACTS

Name: Jennifer Shrader Lawrence

Place of Birth: Kentucky, USA
Date of Birth: August 15, 1990
Profession: Tv and film actress
Jen’s family
Mother: Karen Lawrence
Father: Gary Lawrence
Brothers: Ben and Blaine Lawrence

Did you know? Jennifer has never had acting lessons.

When she was a child, Jennifer liked sports and she played hockey and basketball for an all-boys
team. She also worked as a model. At the age of 14, she knew she wanted to be an actress, so she
went to New York City to look for work. She appeared in advertisements for MTV and the fashion
company H&M and got work as an actress on TV. Her family moved to Los Angeles so that Jennifer
could work on TV and in films. In 2010 she acted in the film Winter’s Bone and she was nominated
for many awards including an Oscar. In 2012 she starred in the film The Hunger Games as Katniss
Everdeen. When she isn’t working, Jen likes painting, surfing, and playing the guitar.

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C. Write a number (1-7) to put these sentences about Jennifer Lawrence’s life in the correct order.
(SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

___ a. She moved to New York.

___ b. She was nominated for an Oscar.
___ c. She played Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.
___ d. She appeared on TV for the first time.
___ e. Jennifer was born in Kentucky
___ f. At school she played basketball for a boys' team.
___ g. She moved to Los Angeles.

D. Are the sentences true or false? If false, correct. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

1. Jennifer is American.
2. Jennifer was born in July.
3. She has two brothers.
4. Jennifer took acting classes at school.
5. Jennifer has done some modelling.
6. Jennifer was nominated for an Oscar in 2010.
7. She likes playing the piano.
8. Jennifer’s family supported her dreams to be an actress.

E. Check your understanding: Circle all the correct answers to these questions.
(SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

1. What sports did Jennifer play at school?

basketball / surfing / hockey / tennis

2. What films has Jennifer Lawrence starred in?

Titanic / Transformers / Winter’s Bone / The Hunger Games

3. What cities has she lived in?

London / Los Angeles / Miami / New York actress

4. What jobs has she done?

model / fashion designer / waitress

5. What does Jennifer do in her free time?

playing hockey / painting / surfing / playing the guitar

6. What are her two brothers called?

Karen / Ben / Gary / Blaine

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 TASK 4

READING I

A. Before reading, answer the questions below.

1. Do you drive? Do you enjoy driving?

2. Do you always obey the rules of the road?
3. What happens when people break traffic rules in your country? Do they have to pay fines, or do
they go to prison or do they have points on the licence?

TRAFFIC SCHOOL

Do you drive faster than the speed limit, park in the wrong place or drive through a red traffic light?
The answer is probably ‘yes’. Every year, thousands of motorists become ‘offenders’ – they break the
rules of the road. But what are the punishments for this offense?

In most countries, drivers have to pay a fine, usually $100-$300. But in the USA, Australia and some
European countries offenders also get points on their driving licence. After they get a certain number
of points, they can’t drive.

Life is difficult when you can’t drive, so some states in the USA have introduced a new way to avoid
this – Traffic School. Offenders have a choice; they can get points on their licence, or they can do a
course at Traffic School.

Traffic Schools run ‘driver improvement courses’. They cost about $100 and take from four to twelve
hours. Most people do the course in the classroom, but in some states, drivers can do the course
online. Motorists learn the rules of the road and they learn how to be better drivers. They don’t have
to take a driving test, but at the end of the course they have to pass a written examination.

A. Read the text above quickly. What country is it about? (SEE TIP 1 & SKIMMIMG)

B. Read the text again and find … (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

1 three traffic offences

____________________ /____________________ /____________________

2 two punishments
____________________ /____________________

3 two ways to do a driver improvement course

____________________ /____________________

4 what happens at the end of the course

____________________

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C. Look at the text again and complete the notes. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

Points on your driving licence

 In some countries, after you get a certain number of points on your driving licence, you
1
_______ drive.
 But in some countries, you have a choice – you 2________ get points or you 3________ do a
driver improvement course.

Driver improvement course

 At the end of the course, you 4________ pass an exam, but you 5________ take a driving test.

D. Look at the road signs. Write the rules with can, can’t or have to. Use the words and phrases in
the box.

buy petrol enter give way go go faster than

overtake park stop turn left turn right

1 2 3 4

6 7 8 9 10

1 You have to stop.

2 You can’t turn right.
3. __________________________________.
4. __________________________________.
5. __________________________________.
6. __________________________________.
7. __________________________________.
8. __________________________________.
9. __________________________________.
10. __________________________________.

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READING II

A. Before reading, answer the questions below.

1. Do you travel by plane? What airline would you prefer in Turkey?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by plane?

GO FASTER AIRLINES

If you are flying by Go Faster Airlines, please read this notice before you go to the airport.

Documents

Go Faster Airlines uses an electronic check-in system. You don’t have to bring your tickets to the
check-in desk, but you have to bring proof of your identity (including your photo), for example a
passport, driving licence or identity card. If you are flying to another country, you have to show your
passport.

Luggage
With Go Faster Airlines you can check in a maximum of 20 kg of luggage to put in the hold. You can
take a maximum of 5 kg of hand luggage. You can’t put sharp objects in your hand luggage – you
have to put them in your checked luggage. Your suitcase has to have a label with your name and
address. The label doesn’t have to have your flight number because that is on the electronic label.

Electronic Devices
You have to turn off all electronic devices before boarding the plane. You can’t use your mobile
phone inside the plane.

B. Read the text above quickly and choose the correct answer. (SEE TIP 1 & SKIMMIMG)

The notice gives: 1. information and advice

2. information and rules
3. advice

C. Read the text again. Tick the correct columns in the table. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

necessary not possible not

necessary possible
1 bring tickets to the check-in desk √
2 bring proof of your identity
3 show your passport when you fly to
another country
4 check in 20 kg of luggage
5 take more than 5 kg of hand luggage
6 put sharp objects in your hand luggage
7 put a label on your suitcase with your
name and address
8 put your flight number on your suitcase
label
9 switch off electronic devices before you
board the plane
10 use a mobile phone inside the plane

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D. Look at the airport rules and write sentences with can’t and have to.

Rules
 Be at the check-in two hours before your departure time.
 No smoking on the plane.
 Don’t take drinks onto the plane.
 Turn off your mobile before you board the plane.
 Don’t take food onto the plane.
 Wear seat belt during the flight.

can’t

1 __________________________________________________.
2 __________________________________________________.
3 __________________________________________________.

have to

4 __________________________________________________.
5 __________________________________________________.
6 __________________________________________________.

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 TASK 5

READING I

A. Before reading, answer the questions below.

1. Do you have a healthy diet? Why/Why not?

2. Do you know “super food”? What is it?

SUPER FOOD

Eat the right food and you can be healthier. But what is the best food?

Berries, such as blueberries and strawberries, are the number one fruit. They are good for your heart
and for your memory. They also fight illnesses such as cancer. For vitamin C, eat an orange every day.

Some vegetables are super food. Broccoli is a good example. It’s high in vitamin C and it fights cancer.
Carrots are rich in vitamin A and this is good for your skin. Eat garlic often because it’s a natural
medicine. It’s important to eat a lot of nuts because they are good for your memory. Oily fish, such as
salmon and sardines, is very good for your heart. Olive oil is also good for it. (line 9)

Lastly, are there any super drinks? Well, green tea is certainly one. A nice cup of green tea after your
meal is good for your health and it can protect you from illnesses. Finally, don’t forget to drink a lot
of water. It doesn’t have any vitamins, it doesn’t give any energy, but it’s very important for you.

Next time you go shopping, check your basket for these types of food. Eat some super food and live
longer.

B. Read the text above and complete the sentences with the correct food. You can use each kind of
food more than once. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

1. Oranges, _______ and _______ have a lot of vitamins.

2. Berries and _______ are good for your brain.
3. Berries, _______ and _______ are good for your heart.
4. _______, _______, _______ and _______ fight illnesses.

C. Choose the correct nouns from the box to answer the questions. (SEE TIP 5 & SCANNING)

berries carrots garlic health vitamin A

heart medicine olive oil super drink

1. In paragraph 1, what does ‘They’ refer to? _________

2. In paragraph 2, what does ‘this’ refer to? _________
3. In paragraph 2, what does ‘it’ refer to? _________
4. In paragraph 2, what does ‘it’ refer to (line 9)? _________
5. In paragraph 3, what does ‘one’ refer to? _________

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READING II

A. Before reading, answer the questions below.

1. Do you take vitamins? Why/Why not?

2. What vitamins are important to be healthy? What are they good for?

VITAMIN E

This vitamin is very important for our health. For example, it fights illness and is good for your heart.
It is also good for your skin because it helps to repair the skin.

We get this vitamin from nuts and from green vegetables such as cabbages, broccoli and spinach. It is
also in vegetable oil. We use this to cook food and it has a lot of vitamin E. Avocado pears and brown
bread have it, too.

You can also buy vitamin in bottles. There are two types of vitamin E in the shops, these are natural
and man-made. The natural type is more expensive but it is better.

B. Read the text above and answer the questions about the bold words. (SEE TIP 5 & SCANNING)

1. In paragraph 1, what does ‘this vitamin’ refer to? _________

2. In paragraph 2, what does ‘this’ refer to? _________
3. In paragraph 3, what does ‘these’ refer to? _________
4. In paragraph 3, what does ‘it’ refer to? _________

C. Answer the questions about the text. (SEE TIP 2 & SCANNING)

1. Why is Vitamin E important?

_____________________________________

2. Which foods contain Vitamin E?

_____________________________________

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 REFERENCES

Technology and Culture Language Leader Elementary Workbook, Pearson

Where Did They Go On Vacation? Offline Readings 0.5 ODTÜ

The Future of the Book Total English Elementary Workbook, Pearson

Celebrity Profile British Council Teens

Traffic School New Total English Elementary, Students’ Book, Pearson

Go Faster Airlines New Total English Elementary, Workbook, Pearson

Super Food Language Leader Elementary, Student’s Book, Pearson

Vitamin E Language Leader Elementary Workbook, Pearson

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 MODULE 2
READING PACK ANSWER KEY

TASK 1

Where Did They Go on Vacation?

A
Students’ own answers

Who did they go with? What date did they go? Where did they go?

Mert His wife and two sons July 27th Fethiye

Jennifer Her husband May 10th Hawaii

How did they get there? Where did they stay? What did they eat?

Mert By car 5-star hotel Fish, vegetables, fruit

Jennifer By plane 3-star hotel Chinese food

How long did they stay What water sports did Did they like the hotel?
there? they do?
Mert 3 days Scuba diving yes
Jennifer 4 days Jet skiing, scuba diving no

What did they do on their How do they describe their Do they want to go there
last day? holiday? again?
Mert Climbing, paragliding, Short but fantastic yes
watching sunset
Jennifer Climbing, watching the Exciting and romantic yes
sunrise

TASK 2

The Future of the Book

A
Students’ own answers

B
1 e-book reader 4 e-book reader
2 e-book reader 5 a real book
3 a real book 6 a real book

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C
1. in the early1990s
2. e-book reader
3. in the late 1990s
4. thousands of books
5. You can change it.
6. It can break.

D
1. read 4. watch
2. go 5. read
3. listen to 6. use

E
1. E books are more versatile than real books.
2. Real books are more attractive than e books.
3. E book readers are lighter than several real books.
4. Coats are warmer than jackets.
5. Japanese is more difficult than English.

TASK 3

Celebrity Profile

A
Students’ own answers

B
1e 2c 3b 4f 5d 6a

C
a3 b6 c7 d4 e1 f2 g5

D
1T
2 F/ In August
3T
4 F / She has never had acting classes.
5T
6T
7 F / She likes playing the guitar.
8T

E
1. basketball / hockey
2. Winter’s Bone / The Hunger Games
3. Los Angeles /New York
4. model / actress
5. painting / surfing / play the guitar
6. Ben / Blaine

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TASK 4

Traffic School

A
Students’ own answers

B The USA

C
1 speeding/parking in the wrong place/driving through a red traffic light
2 paying a fine/getting points on the driving license
3 course in the classroom / course online
4 they have to pass a written examination

D.
1 can’t 2 can 3 can 4 have to 5 don’t have to

E.
1. You have to stop.
2. You can’t turn right.
3. You can’t go faster than 120.
4.You can’t overtake.
5.You have to give way.
6. You can park here.
7.You can turn left.
8.You can buy petrol here.
9.You can’t enter.
10. You can go.

Go faster Airlines

A
Students’ own answers

B. 2. information and rules

C. Read the text again. Tick the correct columns in the table.

necessary not possible not

necessary possible
1 bring tickets to the check-in desk √
2 bring proof of your identity √
3 show your passport when … √
4 check in 20 kg of luggage √
5 take more than 5 kg of hand luggage √
6 put sharp objects in … √
7 put a label on your suitcase … √
8 put your flight number … √
9 switch off electronic devices … √
10 use a mobile phone inside … √

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D
can’t
1. You can’t smoke on the plane.
2. You can’t take drinks onto the plane.
3. You can’t take food onto the plane.

have to
4. You have to be at the check in two hours before your departure time.
5. You have to turn off your mobile before you board the plane.
6. You have to wear seat belt during the flight.

TASK 5

Super Food

A
Students’ own answers

B.
1. Broccoli, carrots 3. Oily fish, olive oil
2. nuts 4. Berries, broccoli, green tea and garlic
C.
1. berries 4. heart
2. carrots 5. super drink
3. garlic

Vitamin E

A
Students’ own answers

B.
1. vitamin E 3. the two types of vitamin E
2. vegetable oil 4. the natural type (of vitamin E)

C.
1. It fights illness, it is good for your heart and skin.
2. Nuts, green vegetables, vegetable oil, avocado pears and brown bread contain vitamin E.

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