Unit 1 THE PRESENT TENSE: SIMPLE, PROGRESSIVE, PERFECT Exercise 1 Lucy is describing the pictures taken during her school trip; fill in the blanks with the present simple or the present progressive as appropriate. That’s Mr. Brown, the maths teacher. He (prepare) …………… hot dogs. He never (cook)…………… 1) at home. 2) Ms. Bertrand, the French teacher, (pour) …………… the drinks . She

(love)…………… picnics. 3) Mr. Allan, the headmaster, (work)…………… very hard all week at school, but

here he (sleep)…………… under a tree. 4) Mr. Caston, the English teacher, (play) …………… football with the students. He

also (teach) …………… history. 5) John (play) …………… the guitar and the others (sing) …………… songs. He

(play) ……………the guitar very well. Exercise 2 Put the words in brackets into the correct form using the present perfect. 1) Mark (read / already) ……………….. two books. 2) He (buy / recently) ……………….. a house on the lake. 3) Medicine (improve / this century) ……………….. a lot. 4) I (see / three times) that science fiction movie. 5) You (drive / ever) a pick-up truck? 6) He (get / never) a good mark in his life. 7) Shena (finish / just) painting her room. 8) You (defrost/ yet) the fridge? Exercise 3 Using the words given below write sentences with the present perfect progressive and since or for. 1) He / live / London / ages

………………………………………………………………… 2) Jane / practise the violin / hours

………………………………………………………… 3) They / play football / three o’clock

………………………………………………………… 4) We / wait for the bus / over 20 minutes

………………………………………………… 5) She / go out with Jack / 1997

………………………………………………………………… 6) The baby / cry / half an hour

…………………………………………………………………

Exercise 4 Write questions and answers as in the example: The children are playing in the park. (lunch time) How long have the children been playing in the park? Since lunch time. 1) They are going out together. (six months) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1) I’m looking for a new flat. (September) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1) It’s raining. (last night) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1) I’m sunbathing (over an hour) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 1) Mrs. Dalloway is writing a novel. (she retired) …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1) She is working as a baby sitter. (over a year) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Exercise 5 Underline the correct verb. 1. (it has rained / it has been raining) all month and I think it’s going to continue. 2. (has he finished / has he been finishing) the report yet? 3. What happened to your mother? (she’s hurt / she’s been hurting) herself. 4. Here you are at last! (I’ve waited / I’ve been waiting) for you for almost an hour. 5. (we’ve bought / we’ve been buying) everything for the party. It’s all in the kitchen. 6. You look tired! (have you cut / have you been cutting) wood all day? 7. Why is the dog all wet? (it has swum / it’s been swimming) in the swimming pool. 8. (he has been working / he has worked) for several different companies during his

career. Now he works for CIC Computers. Exercise 6 Using the words given below write sentences either in the present perfect or in the present perfect progressive. 1. my boyfriend / not phone me / a week 2. how many times / see / “The Blues Brothers”? 3. I / work / garden / all afternoon 4. I / run / and now / exhausted 5. how long / have / this dog? 6. what / mess! / what / you / do? 7. they / know / each other / ten years 8. I / break / my left hand

Unit 2 PAST TENSES

Exercise 1 Write sentences like in the example. Ex: When he was a child / speak / Spanish / English. When he was a child he spoke Spanish. He didn’t speak English.

1. John / meet his wife / in Switzerland / in England. 2. He know / her friends / her. 3. They /go / dinner / party. 4. They / eat / fondue /spaghetti. 5. They / buy / an old car / new car. 6. They / take a trip / round Europe / round the US. 7. The car / break down / in Romania / in Greece. 8. They / fall in love / after a few months / at first sight.

Exercise 2 Write questions or answers in the following interview to a famous person. 1.________________________________________? I got my first job in a movie theatre. 2. ________________________________________? I kept that job for three years. 3. Did you see lots of films? _____________________________ over 300 different films. 4. ____________________________________? Yes, I took acting lessons for two years. 5. ___________________________________? Yes, I found a job in a summer theatre. 6. Did you like that work? _____________________________ very much. 7. ___________________________________? I left because I needed some money. 1. How did you find your next job? ______________ an ad in the newspaper and I ___________ it. 1. So, how _______________ rich? 10. My rich uncle in America _____________ and ____________ me all his money! Exercise 3 There has been an accident involving a car, a motorbike and a pedestrian. Complete the questions and answers to understand what has actually happened. Ex: Where / you / go / when / see / accident? (to school) Where were you going when you saw the accident? I was going to school. 1. How fast / red car / go? (too fast) 2. Where / motorcycle / come from? (from side street) 3. Driver of the car / watch the road carefully? ( No, talk / on the telephone) 4. Motorcycle driver / wear / helmet? (no, carry it) 5. What / pedestrian/ do / when / traffic light / change? (run / across the road) 6. Why / he / run / across the road? ( chase / someone) 7. Who / he / chase? ( chase / his dog)

8. He / watch / the traffic light or the car or the motorcycle? ( no, shout / at his dog) Exercise 4 Write sentences with the words given like in the example. Ex: The mailman / get hurt / deliver letters. The mailman got hurt while he was delivering letters. 1. The driver / not pay attention / child / run across the road. 2. The children / fall down / skateboard. 3. Many people / get sunburn / sunbathe last summer. 4. No-one / watch / burglar / break into house. 5. Everyone / sleep / thief / steal / the silver. 6. The boss / talk on the phone / the president / arrive. 7. The teacher / not look / the students / cheat / on the test. 8. My friends / camp / tent / catch fire. Exercise 5 Last week there was a burglary in a very rich house. Complete the sentences with verbs in the simple past or past perfect. 1.When Mrs. Alexander …….. she saw that someone ……. All her jewellery. (wake up / steal) 2. When the policeman …….. , Mrs. Alexander’s doctor …… her a sedative ( arrive/ give) 3. The police …… a ladder that the burglars ….. in the yard. ( find/leave) 4. The police …… that the burglars …… through an unlocked window. ( see / climb) 5. Before the burglars ….. into the house, they ……. the alarm system ( go / disconnect) 6. Mr. Alexander ….. a terrible headache because one of the burglars ……. him with chloroform. (have / drug) 7. The watchdogs …….. because the burglars …….. them to sleep. (not bark / put ) 8. The burglars ……. to open the safe because Mr. Alexander …… to lock it. ( manage / forget) Exercise 6 Finish the sentences with one verb from the box in the present perfect or simple past.

restore hear want see live (2) buy sell die leave add love

1. Frank, …………. (always) the house and he still lives there. 2. His great grandfather Franklin ……… it in 1842. 3. He ……. several rooms for his children’s families 25 years later. 4. Since then, they ………… the house 4 or 5 times. 5. When Franklin ………., he …… the house to his eldest son Robert. 6. Some people think Franklin’s ghost …… the house ever since. 7. They …………. him playing his banjo at night in the attic. 8. Some people ……… his ghost sitting on the porch on summer nights. 9. Robert ……….. some of the land during the Depression.

10. He ………. (never) to live in the house after that. 11. His son, Frank, …………. (always) the house and he still lives there.

1.

Unit 3 FUTURES

Exercise 1 Using the words below write sentences either in the present progressive or in the simple present. 1. when / staff meeting / begin? 2. Mr. Strutton / come / staff meeting / this afternoon? 3. what time / concert / start? 4. you / go / concert / tonight? 5. what / you / do / tonight? 6. when / your son / go / summer camp? Exercise 2 Underline the correct verb. 1. Mr. Loaf (takes / is taking) a day off on Friday. 2. His wife and he (go / are going) to the seaside for the weekend. 3. The (are eating / are going to eat) lots of fish. 4. Ms. Loaf (sunbathes / is going to sunbathe). 5. Mr. Loaf (is fishing / is going to fish). 6. The children (are playing / are going to play) on the beach all day long. 7. On Saturday night they ( are meeting / meet) some friends for a picnic on the beach. 8. They (come back / are coming back) on Sunday night. Exercise 3 Fill in the blanks with will or going to. 1. Don’t forget to call us. Don’t worry; I …………… call as soon as I arrive. 2. The phone is ringing. I …………… answer it for you. 3. What …………… do tomorrow night? I’m going to a party. 4. I think John …………… got a promotion this year. 5. My sister …………… have a baby. 6. She hopes it …………… be a girl. 7. This car is much too expensive. I …………… buy it. 8. …………… go to the cinema tonight? Yes, let’s go see “Train spotting”. Exercise 4 Underline the correct alternative. 1. My sister thinks they (are going to have / will have) a lot of troubles. 2. They (will go / are going) to the United States.

3. What (are you going to do / will you do) this weekend? 4. I think they (will have / are going to have) a good time. 5. Look at the sky. I think it ( will rain / is going to rain). 6. (will you help / do you help) me for a minute? 7. I’m pretty sure she ( isn’t going to stop / won’t stop) working. 8. I (‘ll show / am going to show) you their pictures when I get them. Exercise 5 Make a prediction using going to or will as appropriate. 1. The airplane is damaged. (it / not take off) …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1. Mary is always out with her friends. (I doubt / pass the exam) ……………………………………………………………………………….…………………….. 1. His dog is very sick. (he / call the vet) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1. I’m worried about Mark. He has lost all his money abroad. (I hope / go Embassy) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1. The sky is very dark and gloomy. (be /storm) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Exercise 6 Fill in the blanks with the verbs given below either in the future progressive or in the future perfect. arrive – cross – cry – dance – find – fly – forget (2) – lie – wonder Dear Anthony, When you read this letter tomorrow morning at 8:00 I ………….. across the Atlantic Ocean. My plane …………… in Los Angeles at 11:00. By the time I arrive there I …………… half the world. I’m sure you …………… why I left you. I know it is difficult now, but in a few days you …………… all about me. By next Saturday night at 11:00 pm, you …………… a new girlfriend and the two of you …………… in one of your favourite discos. And maybe I …………… on a beautiful beach (remember there’s 9 hours difference!) but I’m sure I …………… inside because I …………… (not) about you or how you treated me. Love Janet

• Unit 4 GIVING SUGGESTIONS AND ADVICE. ABILITY

Exercise 1 Read the situations and write sentences with should/shouldn’t.

1. You don’t drink enough water. ____________________________ 2. Don’t come home late. __________________________________ 3. Stop eating so many sweets. ______________________________ 4. Why don’t you get a job? ________________________________ 5. You are always late at school. _____________________________ 6. You sleep too much in the morning. _________________________ 7. You never telephone your parents. ___________________________

Exercise 2 Give advice to Albert who has some problems at school. Use ought to, shouldn’t or had better (not).

1. Mother: Albert, you really …………….. study more. 2. Father: Yes, you …………….. start studying a lot more. 3. Mother: And I think you ……….. stay out so late on school nights. 4. Father: From now on you ……….. be home by 9.00 every night. 5. Mother: You …………… behave better in class. 6. Father: Yes, I ……………. hear any more complaints from your teachers. 7. Mother: You ………… hang around the bar so much. 8. Father: You …………. be more like me, son.

Exercise 3 Transform the sentences using an expression for advice.

1. Be polite! _____________________ 2. Hurry up! ____________________ 3. Calm down!____________________ 4. Drive slower! _________________ 5. Come home early! __________________ 6. Use less salt! _______________________ 7. Stop drinking beer! _____________________

Exercise 4 Give advice for each of the following situations.

1. Your friend often has headache. _________________________________ 2. Mark is going to England with very little money.

____________________________ 3. Sally is afraid she will not pass her driving test.

_____________________________ 4. Your friend is bored. __________________________ 5. Your brother sleeps all day and does nothing.

______________________________ Exercise 5 Give advice using if I were you …

1. I’m feeling tired. _____________________________________ 2. I’ve put on weight. ____________________________________ 3. I’m worried. I haven’t seen my boyfriend for a week.

__________________________ 4. What can I give my mother for her birthday?

Exercise 6 Circle the correct form of the verb in the sentences.

1. You (mustn’t/don’t have to) cross the street when the lights are red. 2. You (have to/mustn’t) have a passport to travel to India. 3. You (must/mustn’t) be careful when you travel in a foreign country. 4. They (have to/don’t have to) work hard if they want to win. 5. The inspector (has to/doesn’t have to) control your documents.

Exercise 7 Fill in the gaps with must or have to. Be careful to the tenses.

1. I really ……….study harder if I want to get better grades. 2. They will …….. save a lot to buy a new car. 3. She left early because she ………. catch a train. 4. My sister ……… take her allergy pills three times a day. 5. Since her parents died, she …….. take care of her little brother. 6. All the lights are on. They ………. be at home. 7. Postmen don’t mind ………….. get up early in the mornings. 8. Don’t forget. You …………. be late again. 9. We had plenty of time. We ……….. hurry. 10. Mr Green …………. attend three meetings this morning.

Unit 5 MODALS - DEGREES OF CERTAINTY Exercise 1 Complete the sentences using can/can’t or may (not).

1. She says she ……. come to the meeting. She’s too busy. 2. ‘where’s Diane today?’ ‘She …… be ill’. 3. I ……. read that fax. It isn’t very clear. 4. I’m so tired I ……… fall asleep in class. 5. I ……….. come to work tomorrow. If I …… I’ll let you know. 6. What are you doing this weekend? – We …… go to the country. We’ve not

decided yet. 7. I think you ……. get the job. The boss liked you a lot.

Exercise 2 Rewrite the sentences using may / may not

1. Perhaps he’s tired. 2. They will probably move to the country. 3. Maybe you’ll find his address in my diary.

4. It’s possible she won’t pass the exam. 5. Perhaps they are angry with you. 6. Perhaps your car needs to be repaired. 7. They will probably change their mind. 8. Perhaps you are too strict with your son.

Exercise 3 Complete the dialogue expressing hypotheses about what Jack might do to earn some money in summer. Jack: I really need some money to go on holiday) You: (work as dishwasher in a restaurant) ________________________________ Jack: Oh, no. That’s too tiring. I’d like an easy job. You: (apply for a summer job at a supermarket) __________________________________ Jack: That’s a good idea. Is it well paid? You: ( not too bad salary) __________________________________________ Jack: Which supermarket do you think I should apply for? You: (try Sainsbury’s) ___________________________________________ Exercise 4 Say what might have happened in these situations.

1. We left home too late. (miss the train) __________________________________________

2. You shouldn’t have been so rude to her. (feel hurt) _______________________________

3. Why did you leave the baby alone? (be kidnapped)________________________________

4. She shouldn’t have gone there without a map. (get lost)____________________________

5. Why did you leave the window open? (burglars break into the house)_________________ ____________________________

1. You shouldn’t have climbed that tree. (fall off) ___________________________________

2. Why did you leave the water running? (it / overflow from the bath) ___________________

_____________________________________ Exercise 5 Finish the sentences using a modal expressing hypotheses and a suitable verb. 1. I ……………………. that book, but I didn’t really want to. 2. they have lots of money. They …………………….that house but they decided

not to. 3. The students ………………….. the exam if they had studied more. 4. Susan ……………….. at that party last night. I saw her at the cinema with teddy. 5. My brother ………………….. you the money. Why didn’t you ask him?

6. The exam was too difficult for me. I …………………….it. 7. We ……………………..you at the airport. We have just sold our car.

Exercise 6 Express deductions using must or can’t. Ex.. John’s ill. (be at home) He must be at home. He can’t be at work.

1. I think I have just seen Annie. (She’s on holiday) _____________________________ 1. This is John’s car. It’s a Twingo. (John’s car is a Fiesta) _____________________________ 1. Is this Mary’s husband? (Mary is divorced) ______________________________ 1. I’m sure I have passed the exam. (You didn’t study anything) __________________________________ 1. Helen’s got a new car. (She has received a lot of money from her parents) ___________________________________

Unit 6 OBLIGATION AND PROHIBITION, NECESSITY AND PERMISSION

Exercise 1 Fill in the blanks with must/have to/ mustn’t or can’t. 1) You …………… get into a church if you don’t wear proper clothes. 2) You ..................... wear a warm coat; it’s very cold outside. 3) You …………… really go and see that film; it’s fantastic! 4) The teacher told Jim he ……………. concentrate more on mathematics. 5) You …………… be so naughty, especially when granny comes to see us. 6) I …………… go on a diet or I’ll …………… throw away all my clothes. Exercise 2 Fill in the blanks with must or have to. 1) I’m not well at all; I …………… really go and see a doctor. 2) You ………… come and stay with us a bit longer next summer. 3) The workers in that factory …………… wear helmets all the time: that’s the regulation. 4) You ……………stop making fun of her. 5) People …………… keep off the grass in this park. 6) I …………… really stop working so much. Exercise 3 Fill in the blanks with mustn’t or don’t have to, needn’t or don’t need to. 1) You …………… make any noise after ten o’clock. 2) If you stay in a hotel, you …………… to bring your towels with you. 3) Students ………….. to wear a uniform in Italy.

4) You …………… call Jane, Mark has already done it. 5) Children …………… be left alone in front of the TV. 6) You ……………. to take a degree to become rich.. Exercise 4 Fill in the blanks with needn’t have + past participle or didn’t need to. 1) We had plenty of wine; she ……………bring another bottle. 2) As there was plenty of time they could walk to the station; they …………… take a taxi. 3) There was a washing machine in the flat they had rented at the seaside, so they ……………do the washing up. 4) I’m sorry you are so tired; you ……………stay up so late last night, I had already written the report myself. 5) You …………… run all the way to the station; there’s a strike and no train is leaving until tomorrow.. 6) As Jane liked the idea I …………… convince her. Exercise 5 Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets so that the second sentence has a similar meaning to the first. 1)My granny always recommends to say “thank you” too everybody. (must) You …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2) There was plenty of food for the party; it wasn’t necessary to buy more. (need) They ………………………………………………………………….…..…………………………… 3) There’s no need to behave so formally. (have) You …………………………………………………………………………………….…………... 4) It is very important for me to help my sister with her homework. (must) I ……………………………………………………………………..……………………………… 5) It isn’t allowed to walk dogs in that park. (can) You ………….. 6) The test will be easy; there’s no need to worry. (have) She ……………………………………………………………………………………………..…… Exercise 6

For each of the following situations write a mini-dialogue to ask for/grant or deny a permission; don’t forget to use the most appropriate verb. You are on holiday; your family and you arrive at a camping site and have your dog with you. Could we keep our dog with us? Yes, you can

1) You are in a clothes shop and you want to try a jumper on. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2) You have finished your homework and ask your mum if you can go out. ______________________________________________________________________________ 3) You have a Maths test and ask your elder brother to help you study. ______________________________________________________________________________ 4) You are in a supermarket and see an old lady who can’t manage to reach a packet of biscuits placed on a high shelf; you want to help her _____________________________________________________________________________ 5) You are at the post office and you have to sign a document; you ask the employee for a pen. _______________________________________________________________________________

Unit 7 IF CLAUSES Exercise 1

Complete the dialogues using the verbs given. 1. Are you going to see Mary today? Can you give her a message? OK, if I ……….. her I ………. her your message. (see / give) 2. Don’t forget to call me from Sydney.

Don’t worry. I ……. you as soon as I …… , if I ……. a phone. (call / arrive / find)

3. Please be punctual tonight. If you …… ( not) ready, when we …… , my father ……… very angry. (be / arrive / get) 4. Can you make some photocopies for me please? Sure, I ……. them if the machine …….. (make / work)

Exercise 2 Transform the sentences so that the second means exactly the same as the first Ex: Insert the key or the car won’t start. If you don’t insert the key the car won’t start.

1. To go faster you must press the accelerator. If you ____________________________________ 1. Keep calm and there will be no problems.

If you ____________________________________ 1. Keep the ice-cream in the freezer and it will not melt. If you _______________________________________ 1. He’ll finish the University and then he’ll go to the US. If he _________________________________________ 1. I’ll take a driving license, then I’ll drive around Europe. If I ____________________________________________ Exercise 3 Finish the sentences using if clauses (1st or 2nd type) according to the situation described. 1. If I ……….. on time, I ……. you tonight. (finish / call) 2. If I …… more free time, I …… more friends. (have / have) 3. We ….. Mr. Thomson in hospital if we ….. time this weekend. (visit / have) 4. They …….. a much nicer house if they ……. more money. ( buy /have) 5. Her parents …… her a car if she …… with very good marks. ( buy / graduate)

Exercise 4 Write questions like in the example. Ex. Maybe someday you will find a lot of money. What would you do if you found a lot of money? 1. You might see a robbery. ____________________________________________________ 2. You might get lost in a foreign city. ____________________________________________ 3. Maybe you won’t be able to finish your job on time. 4. Maybe someone will give you a lot of money. 5. Maybe someone you don’t know will ask you to lend him some money. Exercise 5 A man is giving advice to his son. Finish the sentences using the verbs in the box.

have need get go

1. If I were you, I ………… back to school. 2. If you ……….. a degree, you …………… a better job. 3. If you …………. a good job, you ………… to live here. 4. Sheila might marry you if you …………… your own place. Exercise 6 Harry didn’t listen to his father’s advice. Finish the sentences with the verbs in the box.

find move marry follow

1. If Harry …….. his father’s advice, he would have gone back to school. 2. If he had gone back to school, he …………….. a better job. 3. If he had had more money, he …………….. away from his parents. 4. Sheila ………….. if he had been able to support her. Exercise 7 Rewrite the sentences using if clauses (2nd or 3rd type) 1. I didn’t know his address so I didn’t send him a postcard. 2. She didn’t study and she failed the exam. 3. She’s studying right now, but all her friends are at a party. 4. Janet agreed to marry Sam and now he’s very happy. 5. My parents are very strict. I can’t go out very much.

Unit 8 REPORTED SPEECH

Exercise 1 Rewrite these sentences in the correct order.

1. replied me was he and John name asked I who Mark his was he ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. when use he learnt computer wanted a how had to know she to ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. neighbours keep we few our asked a days our if for they would dog

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. asked to customs he the wanted the what declare man officer ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. help she housework offered with the to Exercise 2 Fill in the blanks with the verbs listed below.

said advise ask offer warn suggest

1. The doctor …………… his patient to stay in hospital for a day or two. 2. She ……………. that she was really miserable because she had failed her exams. 3. He ……………. that we should go out for a walk. 4. They ……………. we not to call him before nine. 5. He …………… to help them to sell the tickets. 6. She …………… if I thought George was coming.

Exercise 3 Turn these sentences into reported speech.

1. “What time is it?” he asked. 2. “I’ll go and see him about the job tomorrow morning,” he promised. 3. “His paintings are a bit out of date,” he said. 4. “Do you know Mr. Brown?” I asked him. “I have never met him but the name

certainly rings a bell,” he answered. 5. “Could you post this letter for me?” he asked. 6. “Is there enough time for sport at your school?” asked the interviewer.

Exercise 4 Turn the following messages into reported speech.

1. “Jane, I’ve been waiting for you for an hour. I’m going home now! Robert.” Robert told Jane ..................................................................................................................

1. “Mrs. Jackson, this is Mrs. Hopkins; I can’t make my appointment this afternoon; I’ll call back later to make another one.”

Mrs. Hopkins informed Mrs. Jackson .................................................................................

1. “Jack, George here. I’m calling from my car. I’m going to be late. There has been a big accident on the motorway.”

George let Jack know .............................................................................................................

1. This is Mr. Caston from the Admiral Bank, Mr. Josephson. You must come in tomorrow to sign your new account form. Thank you.”

Mr. Caston told Mr. Josephson ….......................………………………………………….

1. Hi George, it’s Richard here. I need to borrow your history notes.” Richard told George …….....…………………………………………………………………. Exercise 5 Turn the following sentences into direct speech.

1. The speaker said those students who had presented the performance that night would become famous.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The doctor pointed out that there is still no cure for many diseases. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The newspaper said that was the worst disaster in years. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The technician explained that he couldn’t repair the computer that day. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The President said he wanted to talk to his staff in that moment. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Exercise 6 Turn the following sentences into reported speech using the verbs given below.

Promise advise deny offer admit suggest 1) Why don’t you write a letter of complaint? .………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1) Don’t worry; I’ll give you a hand with this job. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1) If your car has broken down you are welcome to borrow mine. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1) If you go hiking by yourself you should take a compass with you. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 1) Of course I didn’t touch that money! Who do you think I am? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1) I couldn’t resist the temptation: there was nobody around so I took the watch. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Unit 9 CONNECTORS Exercise 1 Circe the right connector in the sentences.

1. He passed the exam (though/because) he studied very hard. 2. I won’t make a cake (as/whereas) you are on a diet. 3. You can play (whenever/but) you want. 4. I’ll come by bike (unless/if) it rains. 5. Don’t worry, we’ll call you (as soon as/ while) we find your missing luggage. 6. (Even if/because) you can type, they won’t give you a pay rise.

Exercise 2 In each of the following sentences there is a mistake. Find it and rewrite the sentences.

1. I’ll phone you as soon as I’ll arrive home. 2. Before go out she prepared the dinner. 3. You can’t go to the swimming pool until you don’t do your homework. 4. After I’ll go home I’ll start doing the homework.

5. If it will be expensive we’ll stay at home. Exercise 3 Rewrite the story joining the sentences with connectors. Jack got on the plane. The hostess was walking up and down the aisle. Jack was thirsty. He called the hostess. He wanted a drink. The hostess said he had to wait. He fastened his seat belt. The man next to him started talking to him in English. Jack was trying to sleep. He told the man that he didn’t speak English. All the adults in the plane were serious. All the children were laughing. John remembered that the first thing that he had to do when he arrived was to ring his family. The hostess arrived with a drink. Jack was too tired now. The hostess said that he was a naughty boy but that she liked him. Ex: When Jack got on the plane the hostess was walking up and down … ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Exercise 4 Write two sentences using a suitable connector. Ex: They haven’t much money although / since they spend a lot. they work a lot They haven’t much money although they work a lot They haven’t much money since they spend a lot.

1. He missed the plane since/although the taxi driver drove very fast the taxi got caught in a traffic jam

1. You can come with us provided/since you arrive before 10.00 we won’t leave until 10.00

1. Don’t call me Let me know as soon as/until you have finished. 1. The acting wasn’t very good as / whereas the film was dubbed

the music was excellent.

Exercise 5 Fill in the gaps in the letter below using the connectors given in the box. You can use each of them only once.

or so but in case when both….and as soon as because even if and however Dear Mum, We had a really good flight to Delhi, ………. Julia began to panic ……. the plane took off. …………I had some tranquillizers with me …… she took one …… two to calm down. …….. Julia …….. I knew that this is the best time for a holiday in India ……. at the travel agency they told us that from October to March they have a ‘cool’ season

here, ……. I didn’t expect we would need a coat, ……. I had to buy one. ……. I go to Bombay I’ll send you our new address, ……… you want to write back to me. Love, Janet. Exercise 6 Insert a suitable connector in the blank spaces.

1. ………… he promised to write a postcard, I didn’t hear from him. 2. I’m booking a flight at 12.00 …….. you want to leave earlier. 3. I didn’t go on holiday last year, ………. I’m going this year. 4. He began to panic ………the plane took off. 5. ……. he comes back, let me know. 6. ……… he is only 37, he looks 50. 7. You can go out tonight ……….. you promise to come back early.

Unit 10 RELATIVE CLAUSE AND PRONOUNS

Exercise 1 Fill in the blanks with who, which or that; omit the relative pronoun when possible and add commas if necessary.

1. The Jolly hotel …………… is part of a big chain is quite expensive. 2. Turin …………… is famous for its car industry is a beautiful town. 3. The man .…………… you talked is the owner of the hotel. 4. People …………… live in glass houses should not throw stones. 5. Youth hostels ……………are open only at certain times of the day are sometimes

inconvenient. 6. Young people …………… are often short of money like to stay in youth hostels.

Exercise 2 Link the sentences using an appropriate relative pronoun. Omit it if possible and add commas if necessary.

1. Our room has a beautiful view. It looks out over the whole valley. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The management put flowers in our room. That was a very nice thing to do. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. We were staying in a hotel. It has more than 500 rooms. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The guests are all very elegant. They come from all over the world. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. There are two swimming pools. They are heated.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The manger is a very nice man. He speaks six languages. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Exercise 3 Fill in the blanks with an appropriate relative pronoun. Omit it if possible and add commas if necessary.

1. I can’t understand the dialect …………… she’s speaking. 2. The cat …………… is always meowing belongs to Mrs. Petticoat. 3. I met a man …………… drinks five beers in one minute. 4. They’re buying a house ……………has got a big garden. 5. Isn’t he the man …………… we usually see at the swimming pool? 6. The street …………… you parked your car was very busy. 7. My sister doesn’t want to speak to me …………… is upsetting. 8. That’s the man …………… shop was destroyed in a fire.

Exercise 4 Link the sentences using an appropriate relative pronoun. Omit it if possible and add commas if necessary.

1. The exam is going to last for hours. It’s a long time. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. My friend is going to hospital soon. It’s a very bad thing. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

1. Mrs. Robinson is getting a divorce. She’s my best friend. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. The teacher didn’t like teaching young children. He is working at University now. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. Mary lives in Lyme Regis. It’s a lovely village on the coast. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. George plays the piano very well. You spoke to him last week. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Exercise 5 Rewrite the following sentences using a more informal style.

1. I don’t know the person to whom he is talking. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The man to whom you spoke is the manager.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The room in which we are staying is the best in the hotel. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. Is this the person for whom you are waiting? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. This is the safe in which we keep the guests’ valuables. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Exercise 6 Link the sentences using an appropriate relative pronoun. Omit it if possible and add commas if necessary.

1. That’s the gift shop. They sell newspapers and postcards. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. There’s the movie star. Her Ferrari is parked outside. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. These are the newlyweds. They are staying in the honeymoon suite. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. This is the restaurant. It is open until midnight. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. Here’s the porter. He will carry your bags. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. She’s the woman. Her picture was on the cover of the National Geographic. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Unit 11 VERB PATTERNS Exercise 1 Fill in the blanks with an appropriate verb in the appropriate form.

1. If we go on …………… forests, the climate will change. 2. He goes on ……………. home late. 3. Rebecca enjoys …………… television. 4. Has it stopped ……………? I want to go out. 5. I regret …………… you that you have failed your driving test. 6. I watched them …………… football for a while, then I went home.

Exercise 2 Complete the following sentences using the right verb form.

1. I’m getting tired; I’m looking forward to ……………………………………………………..

2. I really can’t stand …………………………………………………………………………….

3. I often regret …………………………………………………………………………………..

4. It took me a long time to get used to ………………………………………………………….

5. They denied ..………………………………………………………………………………...

6. I have just avoided …………………………………………………………………………….

Exercise 3 Fill in the blanks with the verbs in brackets in the correct form.

1. I haven’t seen anyone (come) ……………. out of the house opposite. 2. I was scared when I saw the car (go) …………… off the cliff. 3. I couldnt’t hear him (sing) …………… in the bathroom. 4. When I saw a taxi (come) …………… I stopped it. 5. You could hear a pin (drop) …………… . 6. I saw Hughes Grant (act) …………… in “A Boy”.

Exercise 4 Underline the correct alternative.

1. I must remember …………… these letters to post / posting

1. I forgot …………… goodbye. to say / saying

1. I have forgotten …………… my glasses. to bring / bringing

1. We stopped …………… someone the way. to ask / asking

1. I remember …………… to this place before, but I don’t know when it was. to / coming

1. Don’t forget …………… your parents that you will be late. to tell / telling

Exercise 5 Rewrite the following sentences using the verbs listed below, as in the example. They introduced George to Shena a month ago but he doesn’t remember her forget George has forgotten being introduced / meeting Shena.

promise forget regret admit deny miss

1. Martha is not sure she locked the front door or not. ………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. Robert kicked the dog in a fit of temper and now he’s very sorry about it. ………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. The Republican candidate said he would cut taxes down. ………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. After that long period abroad she felt homesick. ………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. She said she had never met that man. ………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. John told me he hadn’t studied for the English test. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Exercise 6 Complete the following sentences using the correct verb form.

1. When you go to the supermarket don’t forget ………………………………………………..

2. I sat for some minutes and watched …………………………………………………………..

3. Ladies and gentlemen, we regret ……………………………………………………………...

4. I’m late because on my way I stopped ………………………………………………………..

5. All that I want …………………………………………………………………………………

6. I really enjoy …………………………………………………………………………………..

7. “Your cough is much better now.” “Yes, I stopped ……………………………………….….

8. The bomb exploded and I saw the house ……………………………………………………..

Unit 12 READING SKILLS.

Activity 1 1. Skim the text and find out what sports are mentioned. ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Scan the text and find out the names and ages of the people mentioned.

NAME AGE

SPORTING STARS Hard work, dedication and passion are turning these young people into champion sports men and women: Chenai, 13. British roller speed champion. “My brother Leon is an ice speed junior champion and also does roller speed skating. One day I thought ‘I want to have a go’ and things just went from there. I have been skating for three years now and I’m the junior girl speed champion and hold British records at five distances. I train for two hours four times a week and race on a Saturday or Sunday. It’s quite hard work, but I love it! Roller skating isn’t really a sport where you make tons of money, but abroad you can win race money and do TV and film appearances. Thanks to skating I’ve visited some exciting countries, my favourites are Belgium and Canada. So far I’ve only been on telly once: it was great and I got a free pair of roller-blades for doing it!” John, 17. British and European surfing champion. “I live in Newquay in Cornwall and everyone surfs there. For my seventh birthday my mum and dad bought me a board and a wet suit and once I tried it on I was hooked for life! So now I’ve been surfing for 10 years. These days I surf for two hours a day after school and more at weekends. It’s not the same as surfing at Barbados, (one cool freebie I got!) but I still love it. Travel is one of the best perks of being a surfer. I’ve competed in Bali and I’m going to Australia next week! I’m lucky enough to be sponsored by two famous firms who are investing in surfing in a big way. Luckily all my friends surf too. So we practice together during the day and watch surf movies at night. Yeah, you could say I’m a bit obsessed!” Vikki, 14. Essex county basketball captain. “I have been playing basketball since I was 11; in fact I got into basketball by playing at my school. I really enjoyed it and quite soon was playing seriously. I practise for up to 20 hours a week, but it’s worth it because I’ve just played for England against Scotland and Wales at the Wembley Arena - it was such an amazing buzz! At the moment I’m only sponsored by two firms; they give me £100 a year, which isn’t much so I’m looking for personal sponsorship. Luckily I get trainers and T-shirts free so that saves me a bit. Sometimes I miss going out with friends because I train so much, but they give me lots of support.” Toots, 15. Junior mountain biking champion. “I’ve had a bike ever since I can remember. My dad started racing about four years ago and I thought I’d give it a go. Now I am the number one junior rider in the UK, not bad! I practise for ten hours a week, do three hours in the gym, road riding, training on jumps and downhill trails and practise timed runs. You can make quite a lot of money from my sport, but the equipment is expensive. The bike I’m on today costs £ 4,000! Luckily I’m sponsored by three companies. The best freebie I’ve ever had is £ 6,000 worth of mountain bikes. I’ve competed in some great races, the best was in Scotland. The course I

rode was really good - full of jumps and really fast terrain. I love my sport even if I have to give up some evenings for training. My ambition is to become a professional rider when I leave school.” Sarah, 15. Champion junior tennis player. “Tennis is in my blood. My brother played and my dad’s a coach so he always encouraged me to have a go and was surprised when I was quite coordinate. Actually I have been playing tennis since I was a little child. It’s lucky that I really love the sport because it’s very competitive and I have to put a lot of training in - 12 hours a week usually - to be the best. The perks are worth it tough. I’ve played in some brilliant places like Italy, Miami and Florida and I’m lucky enough to be sponsored by three companies: they give me free shoes, clothes and rackets. I hope all my hard work will pay off when I turn professional after I leave school next year. Who knows, you might see me on Centre Court at Wimbledon one day!” Jeffrey, 15. London Towers basketball champion. “I’ve always played basketball on my own but it wasn’t until I started secondary school that I started going to serious training, doing eight hours a week with the team and an extra four hours on my own. I now hold three titles: the school one, London Towers (who are big London basketball team) and District championships. One of the best things is the freebies. I’ve had shoes, T-shirts, hats, balls, shorts, all sorts of things. I definitely want to become a professional when I leave school. I know I will because I really believe in myself!” 3. Fill in the table with the information required.

what sport do they practice? when did they start? how many hours a week do they train?

Chenay Josh Vikki Toots Sarah Jeffrey

4. Answer the following questions. a) What does Toots’ training consist of? _____________________________________________________________________ b) How did Chenay’s, Josh’s, Toots’ and Sarah’s relatives contribute to their choice of a sport? ______________________________________________________________________ c) Do the young sports people’s families have to spend a lot of money on their sports equipment? ______________________________________________________________________ d) Which of them has travelled abroad thanks to the sport they are practising?

______________________________________________________________________ e) Does anyone of them regret devoting so much time to sport? ______________________________________________________________________ f) What is Toots’, Sarah’s and Jeffrey’s hope for the future? ______________________________________________________________________ Activity 2 SUMMER SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES For many people, being on holiday involves leaving their day-to-day lives at home and pick up a completely new activity. Here are a few activities English people particularly love when they are on holiday. Golf is one activity that has always proved a very popular pastime with its mixture of gentle exercise and fresh air. Rambling too has always been popular, and this is one activity which will not harm your pocket - all you need is a pair of comfy boots, and a sense of direction! Horse riding is not as cheap as just walking, but it’s a fascinating way of enjoying the open air and viewing the countryside from horse back. From four legs to two wheels - cycling is another excellent way of exploring beautiful spots. Two less common, but not less attractive activities for holiday makers, are kite flying and bird watching; they offer the possibility of enjoying the fresh air and of having some fun at the same time. At the seaside then, there are more sports to be practised. Sailing is an exciting, even if not easy at all, activity to do. Windsurfing is another unique sport, exciting without being too dangerous; it is fast and colourful and very challenging for the beginner! Life under the waves is very intriguing, so snorkelling and sub-aqua diving are the right activities to discover it. Last but not least, fishing, which is probably the most popular activity in the world, whether you just dangle a line off an old harbour, cast a rod from a beach or go on a major fishing expedition.

1. Skim the text and decide what the main topic is. __________________________________________________________________. 1. Scan the text and list all the sports and activities mentioned. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 3. Answer the questions: 1. What is the less expensive activity mentioned in the text? _________________________________________________________________ 1. What is the most popular activity according to the text? ________________________________________________________________

1. What are the most unusual activities according to the text? ________________________________________________________________ 1. Which is the most difficult activity according to you? Why? ___________________________________________________________________ 1. What activity would you like to do best? Why? _________________________________________________________________

Activity 3 Read the text and do the activities below. STARRYSTARRY NIGHT Once upon a time all things were thought to circle the earth - the sun, the moon and the stars. The heavens were considered unchanging and eternal. Among the ‘fixed stars’ wandered some bright star-like objects, and they were naturally considered to have supreme powers and influence life on earth. These wandering stars became known as the planets, and much of the progress of science and discovery can be linked back to mankind’s quest to discover why these points of light appeared to wander among fixed stars. Today we know that these points of light are actually other worlds, and like our earth they too orbit the nearest star to us - the sun. Very little was known about the other planets until the advent of the use of space. Now probes have visited every world but Pluto and have sent back data and images which tell us more about the family of the sun. THE ROCKY PLANETS Mercury is the closest to the sun and is a barren world. It is a small planet, indeed smaller than some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Living on Mercury would be impossible. It has no atmosphere and temperatures shift from 370°C to -185°C at night-time. Venus is about the same size as the earth and it is the hottest of the planets, at some 450°, because it has a very thick poisonous atmosphere; the air pressure is nearly 100 times that of earth. The Earth is ‘not too hot and not too cold’. Our blue-green planet looks like a jewel when seen from space, and compared to the other planets, it is certainly one of the most beautiful. Mars looks much larger than it really is. It is about half the size of the earth, but its rusty red aspect has excited and inspired science fiction writers with a variety of Martians. The temperature here is always at freezing level, but once it was warmer and there was water on its surface. Mars has a day about half an hour longer than the earth day, and a year about twice as long. This small planet is home to some of the most amazing features in the solar system - a volcano 600km wide and 26km high and a canyon 4000km long, 7km deep and 75km wide. GASSY PLANETS

Moving further from the sun the type of planet changes drastically. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the four largest planets in the solar system. Jupiter is the largest planet. It has four large moons, over a dozen smaller ones and a very colourful atmosphere. Saturn is smaller than Jupiter, but has an amazing set of rings. They look solid but they are actually made of millions of tiny rock and icy pebbles which are orbiting about the planet like millions of tiny moons. Saturn also has over 20 major moons, and one, Titan, is larger than the planet Mercury and has a mysterious coloured orange atmosphere. Uranus is a bizarre blue-green gaseous planet. Its axis is tipped right over so that the planet is rolling like a barrel. As Uranus takes over 84 years to go once around the sun, this means that for 42 years the north pole is facing towards the sun, and then for 42 years it is facing away. Uranus has rings too, but they are made of very dark rocky material and were only discovered in 1977. Neptune is a little smaller than Uranus, and has ring ‘arcs’ made of dark material. The winds known in Neptune are probably the fastest known in the solar system at thousands of miles per hour. Neptune has several moons, the largest of which is Triton. Triton is about the same size as our moon and it is probably one of the coldest places in the solar system, with methane ice and geysers. Pluto is the smallest of the planets and has a moon almost as large as itself. It is smaller than many moons in the solar system and of a similar size to a large number of rocky bodies that are now being found out beyond the orbit of Pluto. 1. Read the first part of the text and decide whether these statements are true or false.

Correct the false ones. 1. In the past people thought the sun circled the earth. 2. The heavens were considered always changing. 3. The other planets were considered ‘wandering stars’. 4. People didn’t think stars had any effect on life on earth. 5. Scientific discoveries have told us very little about planets. 6. All planets have been visited.

2. Scan the text to complete the chart with the information required.

is the smallest planet is the coldest planet is the hottest planet is the closest planet to the sun is the furthest planet from the sun is the most beautiful planet is the largest planet has the most amazing features has the greatest number of moons has the fastest winds

3. Complete the chart with data from the text.

PLANET ATMOSPHERE TEMPERATURES ASPECT MOONS NO /

450° / looks like a

jewel

Mars / colourful / / 20 (Titan is larger than

Mercury) gaseous / / Neptune / ring arcs / / /

Unit 13 READING COMPREHENSION In these activities you will be asked to: • identify the relationship between sentences • distinguish between the main and secondary ideas • make inferences Activity 1 INSTRUCTIONS: Read the statement or passage and then choose the best answer to the question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the statement or passage. Text 1. Myths are stories, the products of fertile imagination, sometimes simple, often containing profound truths. They are not meant to be taken too literally. Details may sometimes appear childish, but most myths express a culture's most serious beliefs about human beings, eternity, and God. The main idea of this passage is that myths (a) are created primarily to entertain young children (b) are purposely written for the reader (c) provide the reader with a means of escape from reality (d) illustrate the values that are considered important to a society Text 2. Text 3. Text 4. What is the main point of the passage? (a) Britain was a great power whose population outnumbered that of America.

(b) America's military forces were less experienced than Britain's military. (c) America's Continental Congress had limited authority. (d) As America was about to engage in its struggle for autonomy, it was faced with arduous barriers. Activity 2 INSTRUCTIONS: Two underlined sentences are followed by a question or statement about them. Read each pair of sentences and then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement. The Midwest is experiencing its worst drought in fifteen years. Corn and soybean prices are expected to be very high this year. What does the second sentence do? (a) It restates the idea found in the first. (b) It states a result or effect of the statement in the first sentence. (c) It gives an example of the statement in the first sentence. (d) It analyses the statement made in the first sentence. The American prison system functions primarily to exact retribution. In Japan, the courts are less concerned with sending people to jail than they are with rehabilitating them. What does the second sentence do? (a) It supports an idea found in the first sentence. (b) It analyses an idea stated in the first sentence. (c) It states a contrast to the statement in the first sentence. (d) It exemplifies an idea found in the first sentence. Activity 3 Read the text and answer the questions. ANGELS FLY IN TO SAVE SURFERS Teenangels? Not the name a lot of people would give to adolescents afflicted by raging hormones and surly looks. Some teens might feel like thanking heaven for the Teenangels, however – a group of young people who help their peers beat Web-based woes. Teenangels are members of a growing team of young volunteers worldwide who – armed with Internet savvy and a lot of common sense – protect their peers online. Their biggest goal is to teach young Web surfers how they can avoid criminals who prey on children by using e-mail, online chat rooms and even instant messages to contact them. “Even if we convinced just one more parent to let their child on the Internet – or saved one child from a predator, that would be good. But we’re obviously going for a lot more than one,” says Brittany, a 17-year-old Teenangel who will be in her final year this autumn at an all-girls Catholic school in Demarest, New Jersey.That’s where the first

team of Teenangels got their start a few years ago with the help of Parry Aftab, a New York lawyer who specializes in security and privacy law. Since 1995, Aftab’s Cyberangels.org has trained thousands of adult volunteers to questions about Web harassment to monitoring chat rooms for inappropriate online advances. By the year’s end, Aftab says there will be about 350 Teenangels worldwide – from Mexico to India to Australia. They learn about mistakes young people make when approached online by strangers (most often they are too trusting) and get updates on anti-predator laws from state police, the FBI and officials from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. The Teenangels then spread the messages at school and on their Web site. They’re also looking for funding to produce a video for distribution at schools, libraries and video stores. Sadly, stories of online youth harassment are common. Alexis, a 16-year-old Teenangel on the New Jersey team, tells the story of a friend who was shocked to find her school photo posted on a Web site with her name, age and favourite sport. The culprit turned out to be a fellow student. Katie, a 16-year-old from Houston who’ll soon train to be a Teenangel, tells how . at age 12 – she discovered that the supposed 16-year-old online “boyfriend” who persuaded her to send nude photos was actually a married man in his 40s. He’s now in jail, and Katie’s using her story to warn surfers never to give out personal information that could lead an online acquaintance to your doorstep. Teenangels say that’s not enough. They warn against even giving out apparently harmless information – your sport team’s name or where you work – that could lead a predator to you. “You may think you know who you’re really talking to, but you really don’t,” says Teenangel acolyte Hector, 16. 1. Explain what the Teenangels’ activity consists of

_____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 2.When and where did the Teenangels start? _____________________________________ 1. What is the meaning of the following words in the text:

• Teenangel: ___________________________________________________ • Surfer:____________________________________________________ • Predator:___________________________________________________

2. Why do they warn against giving out personal information? 3. Summarize the main theme of the article. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Divide the text into paragraphs and give a title to each of them. 7. What is the tone of the article?

Activiy 4 Childhood memories of a war let write see through eyes of a soldier. James Riordan was born in the town of Portsmouth, an important shipping port on the south coast of England. He was born during World War II and grew up to the sounds of air raids and bombs, and the death and destruction the German air force inflicted upon this part of Great Britain during the early years of 1940s.

When he left school, his home town was struggling to build itself up again after the devastation of the war. He had no clear career path in mind, and he drifted between jobs. He turned his hand to many different things, and was a postman, barman, crate stacker at the docks, railway clerk and a double bass player. And then, by chance, his life took an unexpected turn. In Great Britain during the post-war years, young men had to do National Service when they reached the age of 18. They had to join the Army or the Air Force or the Navy and learn how to defend their country should there be another war. James Riordan joined the Royal Air Force and ended up doing something that he had never thought of even in his wildest dreams. He began to study the Russian language, and he found it fascinating and a great challenge. He was determined that he would become fluent as soon as he possibly could, and he spent every spare moment soaking up as much of the Russian language as he could cram into his brain. When he left the Air Force after his National Service, he got a place at Birmingham University to study for a degree in Social Science and Russian. And then he made a move which would have been unthinkable a few years earlier. He went to work and study in Moscow, the capital city of the vast country of Russia. For five years, James travelled all over Russia; he even played football for Moscow Spartak while he was working as a translator. He came back to England in1965 and settled down to a career as a university lecturer. He worked at Portsmouth Polytechnic and at Birmingham and Bradford Universities. In 1989, he was appointed Professor of Russian Studies at Surrey University. James Riordan has an honorary doctorate from the University of Grenoble in France, and he is a member of the Royal Society for the Arts in England. He has drawn on his experience to write more than twenty academic books on sport and Russian society. Riordan wrote his first book for children after a period of illness when he was visiting the Ural Mountains in Russia. He was confined to his bed for three days, and when some local children came to visit him, they told him traditional folk stories to cheer him up. When he recovered from his illness, he thought it would be a good idea to write these stories down. He included some of the children’s stories in The Mistress of the Copper Mountain which was published in 1975. Sweet Clarinet, based on his own memories of World War II, was his first novel for young readers. It was shortlisted for the 1998 Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year and in 1999 it won an award for its relevance to special educational needs. Riordan is a novelist with a great imagination and a lot of experiences behind him. His novels are all about people in danger when ordinary lives are turned up-side down by circumstances and unexpected events.

1. Where was J. Riordan born? 2. Why did J. Riordan’s hometown have to be reconstructed? 3. What did he do after he finished the National Service? 4. How did he learn Russian? 5. What is his present occupation? 6. Why has he written academic books on sport and Russian society? 7. How did he start writing stories for children? 8. Quote some of his books for children. 9. What type of stories does he write?

Unit 14 HOW TO MAKE A SUMMARY After reading carefully the text below, do the following activities:

1) Synthesize the content of the text in one sentence; begin like this: The story is about ……………….. 2) Underline the key-words/sentences in each paragraph; look for those words or sentences that can answer to the question Who …?, What …?, Why …?, Where …?, When ….? 3) Make a list of the narrative sequences. 4) Write a standard summary of the text in more or less 1/3 of the original words.

A FABLE Once upon a time an artist who had painted a small and very beautiful picture placed it so that he could see it in the mirror. He said, "This doubles the distance and softens it, and it is twice as lovely as it was before." The animals out in the woods heard of this through the housecat, who was greatly admired by them because he was so learned, and so refined and civilized, and so polite and high-bred, and could tell them so much which they didn't know before, and were not certain about afterward. They were much excited about his new piece of gossip, and they asked questions, so as to get at a full understanding of it. They asked what a picture was, and the cat explained. "It is a flat thing," he said; "wonderfully flat, marvellously flat, enchantingly flat and elegant. And, oh, so beautiful!" That excited them almost to a frenzy, and they said they would give the world to see it. Then the bear asked: "What is it that makes it so beautiful?" "It is the looks of it," said the cat. This filled them with admiration and uncertainty, and they were more excited than ever. Then the cow asked: "What is a mirror?" "It is a hole in the wall," said the cat. "You look in it, and there you see the picture, and it is so dainty and charming and ethereal and inspiring in its unimaginable beauty that your head turns round and round, and you almost swoon with ecstasy." The ass had not said anything as yet; he now began to throw doubts. He said there had never been anything as beautiful as this before, and probably wasn't now. He said that

when it took a whole basketball of long adjectives to whoop up a thing of beauty, it was time for suspicion. It was easy to see that these doubts were having an effect upon the animals, so the cat went off offended. The subject was dropped for a couple of days, but in the meantime curiosity was taking a fresh start, and there was a revival of interest perceptible. Then the animals assailed the ass for spoiling what could possibly have been a pleasure to them, on a mere suspicion that the picture was not beautiful, without any evidence that such was the case. The ass was not troubled; he was calm, and said there was a way to find out who was in the right, himself or the cat: he would go and look in that hole, and come back and tell what he found there. The animals felt relieved and grateful and asked him to go at once, which he did. But he did not know where he ought to stand; and, so, through error, he stood between the picture and the mirror. The result was that the picture had no chance, and didn't show up. He returned home and said: "The cat lied. There was nothing in that hole but an ass. There wasn't a sign of a flat thing visible. It was a handsome ass, and friendly, but just an ass, and nothing more." The elephant asked: "Did you see it good and clear? Were you close to it?" "I saw it good and clear, O Hathi, King of Beasts. I was so close that I touched noses with it." "This is very strange," said the elephant; "the cat was always truthful before - as far as we could make out. Let another witness try. Go, Baloo, look in the hole, and come and report." So the bear went. When he came back, he said: "Both the cat and the ass have lied; there was nothing in the hole but a bear." Great was the surprise and puzzlement of the animals. Each was now anxious to make the test himself and get at the straight truth. The elephant sent them one at a time. First, the cow. She found nothing in the hole but a cow. The tiger found nothing in it but a tiger. The lion found nothing in it but a lion. The leopard found nothing in it but a leopard. The camel found a camel, and nothing more. The Hathi was angry, and said he would have the truth, if he had to go and fetch it himself. When he returned, he accused all the animals of being liars, and was in an unappeasable fury with the moral and mental blindness of the cat. He said anybody but a near-sighted fool could see that there was nothing in the hole but an elephant. MORAL, BY THE CAT

You can find in a text whatever you bring, if you will stand between it and the mirror of your imagination. You may not see your ears, but they will be there. (adapted from Mark Twain)