A. ANSWER KEY

Looking for a pen pal

Read the following information about different pen pals and answer the questions which follow

1. Mary, 24 years old, comes from Scotland and would like to find a pen pal who comes from East Europe. She likes playing the piano and listening to jazz music. She is interested in history but does not like discussing politics.	2. Kim Lee, 19 years old, comes from Seoul, South Korea. Kim loves travelling and hopes to visit Great Britain in the future. He would like a pen pal who is interested in discussing the differences between life in Europe and life in Asia. He loves listening to pop music and playing football in his free time.
3. Pietro, 42 years old, comes from Argentina. He is a businessman and would like to find a pen pal who is also a businessperson and lives in North America. He is married with three children and likes using the Internet in his free time.	4. Helga, 31 years old, comes from Germany and speaks French, English and Russian. She would like a pen pal who is interested in exchanging ideas about language learning. She does not like using computers for learning and believes that language learning can only happen in a classroom.
5. Jennifer, 18, comes from New Orleans in the United States. She is interested in discussing the political differences between East Europe and North America. She loves riding her horse, Jackie, and listening to jazz music.	6. Alessandro, 25 years old, comes from Rome. He is interested in finding a pen pal who speaks different languages and can exchange ideas on using the computer for learning purposes. He likes playing tennis and football in his free time.

Comprehension Questions

Which pen pal is best for these people? Choose ONLY ONE pen pal for each person.

1. Petr Vladovic, 18, comes from Serbia and would like a pen pal who is interested in discussing the current political situation in the world. He likes jazz and playing tennis in his free time.

   The best pen pal for Petro would be ----Jennifer (5)----------

2. Tom Synder, 36, is a businessman from Toronto, Canada. He would like to find a pen pal from a different continent to discuss business practices and differences between his country and others.

   The best pen pal for Tom would be ----Pietro (3)--------

3. Olga, 32 years old, comes from Moscow, Russia. She is a historian and would like to find a pen pal who is interested in discussing the history of Russia before the communist regime. She is not interested in comparing different political systems.

   The best pen pal for Olga would be ----Mary (1)---------

4. Jack, 27, is from London. His favourite pastime is learning languages. He goes to evening German and French classes and uses his computer to improve his German and French by visiting Internet sites.

   The best pen pal for Jack would be -----Alessandro (6)------

5. Stuart, 22, is from Dublin. He loves travelling and wants to visit Asia in the near future and would like a pen pal who likes playing football and who can tell him about the differences between life in Asia and Ireland.

   The best pen pal for Stuart would be ----Kim Lee (2)--------

6. Elisabeth, 35 years old, comes from Sydney, Australia. She likes learning languages, but does not like using modern technology. She is interested in finding a pen pal who also enjoys learning languages in a traditional manner.

   The best pen pal for Elisabeth would be ------Helga (4)---------

B. LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Click HERE to listen

A. ANSWER KEY

(a) Answer these questions based on the text. Use your own words as far as this is possible. DO NOT COPY FROM THE PASSAGE IN EXTENT!

1.Give two reasons why it was easy for Albert the Great to penetrate the Danish Camp.

ANSWER : The Danes did not impose strict discipline while their precautions of security were rather trivial.

2. Explain briefly how Albert defeated (beat ) the Danes. Please use your own words as far as this is possible

ANSWER : Instead of an open battle, Alfred frequently attacked the Danes, whereas his patrols elimininated the raiding parties thus causing hunger among the Danes.

(b) Write sentences of your own to illustrate the meaning of the following words and phrases as they are used in the passage :

disguised ; thither; slack; security precautions; proceeds; trivial; harried; assailed; skirmishes; unique

Example Sentences

1. He escaped across the border disguised as a priest.

2. Alfred the Great used to be on the move hither and thither.

3. By the end of the school year, some students got slack at their work.

4. Security precautions were taken after the armed raid on the bank.

5. All the proceeds of the concert were given to the refugee fund.

6. Suzy is such a trivial girl ! She's only interested in fashion and boyfriends !

7. The Vikings used to harry the English coast.

8. Ann was assaulted by a raper.

9. The army was engaged in skirmishes in order to defeat the enemy.

10. Yesterday, there was a unique performance of Macbeth at the local theatre .

B. VOCABULARY: THE VARIOUS MEANINGS OF "FIT"

FIT(adjective)

1. suitable, good enough

The dinner was fit for a king.

The fish was not fit to eat.

The man is not fit for the position.

2. right and proper

It's really not fit to laugh at your schoolmates !

3. ready, on the verge of, very close to

She was working all night till she was fit to drop .

4. in good physical condition

James has been ill and is not fit for work yet.

She's trying to keep fit so she goes to the gym every day.

FIT (verb)

be the right size for

Oh my ! The shoes I bought yesterday don't fit well.

FIT - PHRASAL VERBS

1. fit on = put into place

After the burglary, we had to fit a new lock on the door.

2. fit into = suitably put in one place

We managed to fit our books into a small case.

3.fit in with = be in a suitable relation with

Hey ! My holiday plans fit in with yours !

4.fit for = suitable, competent

Willie is fit for a higher post now.

FIT (noun)

= sudden attack of illness

She was carried to the hospital because she had a serious fit of migrains.

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

have a fit = be greatly surprised or shocked

If your mother finds out that you used her car without permission, she'll have a fit !

fit to wake the dead = an extremely loud noise

They were screaming fit to wake the dead!

C. COMPOSITION

Write a composition in about 350 words on ONE of the following topics:

(a) An account of yourself as you think your best friend sees you

(b) Your most embarrassing experience

(c) What the world would be like without oil

A. ANSWER KEY

Highlight the best answer that fills up the blank space

1. His brother __________ London last year.
has visited
was visited
visited

2. I __________ this quiz.
haven't finished yet
haven't yet finished
yet haven't finished

3. __________ my car in 1991.
I've bought
I've owned
I bought

4. __________ my car for five years.
I've had
I bought
I've bought

5. When __________?
have you born
were you born
did you born

6. __________ to Singapore?
Have you ever went
Did you ever went
Have you ever gone

7. No, Bob isn't at home. __________
He has just left.
He is just leaving.
He is just left.

8. __________ almost finished this quiz, haven't you?
You
You've
You were

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. A: I (cycle / just)--have just cycled-------- 50 km.
2. B: I (cycle) ----cycled-------- 100 km last week.
3. A: I (write) ----wrote-------------- an essay yesterday.
4. B: I (write / already) ----have already written-------------- two essays this term.
5. A: I (ring / just) -----have just rung-------------- my friend.
6. B: I (ring) -----rang----------- my friend 10 minutes ago.
7. A: Two days ago, I (watch) ----watched--------------- a Madonna concert on TV.
8. B: I (see / already) ---have already seen--------------- Madonna live in concert.
9. A: I (spend) -----spent--------------- my summer holiday in Australia last year.
10. B: I (be / not) -----haven't been ------------- to Australia yet.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. A: (you / be / ever) -Have you ever been------------ to London?
2. B: Yes, I (be) ----have been ---------- there three times.
3. A: When (be) ----was---------- the last time you (be) -----have been--------- there?
4. B: Last summer. I (spend) ---spent------------ two weeks in Brighton with my parents and we (go) ---went---------- to London one weekend.
5. (you / like) ----Did you like-------- it?
6. Oh yes. We really (have) ----had------------- a great time in London.
7. Lucky you! I (be / never) -------have never been------------- to London.

FROM GRAMMAR TO WRITING

Write a short paragraph about what you did last week and what you have done since then.

Open Exercise (model answer)

--Last week, I was very busy at work. I planned my lessons and met some parents. When I got ---back home at about 9 o'clock, I prepared dinner and watched TV. Since last week, classes have started and I have been very busy again. I've also done some shopping and visited my friends.

B. READING COMPREHENSION

AT THE RESTAURANT

Read the following dialogue carefully and then check your understanding by doing the quiz which follows it:

Taking an Order

Ms Anderson is in the dining room and would like to place an order for the dinner menu. Her wait person, Janet, takes her order and makes a few recommendations.

Janet: Good evening, madam. I trust you've had a pleasant day. Would you like to see the menu?
Ms Anderson: Yes, thank you.

Janet: Here you are. Would you like to begin with something from the bar?
Ms Anderson: Yes, could I have a dry martini?

Janet: Certainly, madam.
Ms Anderson: (looking at the menu) What are the specials this evening?

Janet: There's pan seared tuna steak, sweet and sour shrimp, tip of sirloin with your choice of pepper corn sauce or sauteed mushrooms. We also have a vegetarian entree.
Ms Anderson: mmm ... Which would you recommend? The tuna steak or tip of sirloin?

Janet: They're both very tasty. However, the tuna is fresh from the market.
Ms Anderson: Wonderful. I'll have the tuna.

Janet: Very good, madam. May I bring you an appetizer as well? The gazpacho is very tasty.
Ms Anderson: I think I'd prefer the shrimp cocktail.

Janet: Excellent choice, and for your first course?
Ms Anderson: Oh, there's so much to choose from.

Janet: May I suggest the linguini al pesto?
Ms Anderson: Yes, that sounds fine.

Janet: Would you like to see the wine menu?
Ms Anderson: No, that's alright. I'd like to have some white wine. Something simple.

Janet: The pinot grigio would go well with your meal.
Ms Anderson: Very good, then. Pinot grigio it is.

Janet: Would you like to order your dessert now, madam?
Ms Anderson: Let's wait on that.

Janet: Certainly. I'll bring the dessert list later.
Ms Anderson: Thank you.

1. What does Ms Anderson begin with?

A drink from the bar
A snack
A glass of water

2. Which entree is Ms Anderson NOT interested in?

Tuna steak
Tip of sirloin
Sweet and sour shrimp

3. Which entree is fresh from the market today?

Tuna steak
Tip of sirloin
Sweet and sour shrimp

4. Which appetizer does Ms Anderson choose?

Shrimp cocktail
Gazpacho
Sauteed mushrooms

5. Which first course does Janet suggest?

Gazpacho
Linguini al pesto
Sauteed mushrooms

6. Does Ms Anderson take a look at the wine menu?

Yes
No

7. Which drink would Ms Anderson like to have with the meal?

A dry martini
White wine
A beer

8. Which drink does Ms Anderson order before her meal?

A dry martini
White wine
A beer

9. Would Ms Anderson like dessert?

Yes
No
Maybe

10. What does Janet offer to do?

Bring the dessert list later
Choose a dessert for Ms Anderson
Bring the dessert table later

A. ANSWER KEY

(a) Highlight the correct word

1. Could I have some informations / information on your flights , please ?

2. Just one / a piece of advice: Try to be punctual.

3. There are / is a lot of money in the man's pocket.

4. There are some/ much girls in the room.

5. Can I have two / two loaves of bread, please ?

6. Your news are / is great ! I'm so glad for you.

7. Last Saturday we went shopping and bought some really beautiful furnitures/ furniture for our new flat.

(b). Which of the following nouns are countable, which are uncountable? Write C for Countable and U for Uncountable.

CD ---C----------

Sugar --U-------

Accommodation ---U--------

Milk ------U------

Information ---U--------

Cherry ------C--------

Butter ---------U----------

Advice ------U------------

Apple ------C-------

Mustard -------U------

Orange -----C---------

Time -------U-------

Money --------U------------

FROM GRAMMAR TO WRITING !

What is there in your fridge today ? Specify quantities ( Say exactly how much or how many) as in the example:

There are four bottles of mineral water, there is a jar of jam, there are seven eggs, there are three cartons of milk ....

-------There are six tomatoes and four carrots. There is some cola, there are six bottles of mineral water but there isn't any orange juice.

B. LET'S READ

Looking for a pen pal

Read the following information about different pen pals and answer the questions which follow

1. Mary, 24 years old, comes from Scotland and would like to find a pen pal who comes from East Europe. She likes playing the piano and listening to jazz music. She is interested in history but does not like discussing politics.	2. Kim Lee, 19 years old, comes from Seoul, South Korea. Kim loves travelling and hopes to visit Great Britain in the future. He would like a pen pal who is interested in discussing the differences between life in Europe and life in Asia. He loves listening to pop music and playing football in his free time.
3. Pietro, 42 years old, comes from Argentina. He is a businessman and would like to find a pen pal who is also a businessperson and lives in North America. He is married with three children and likes using the Internet in his free time.	4. Helga, 31 years old, comes from Germany and speaks French, English and Russian. She would like a pen pal who is interested in exchanging ideas about language learning. She does not like using computers for learning and believes that language learning can only happen in a classroom.
5. Jennifer, 18, comes from New Orleans in the United States. She is interested in discussing the political differences between East Europe and North America. She loves riding her horse, Jackie, and listening to jazz music.	6. Alessandro, 25 years old, comes from Rome. He is interested in finding a pen pal who speaks different languages and can exchange ideas on using the computer for learning purposes. He likes playing tennis and football in his free time.

Comprehension Questions

Which pen pal is best for these people? Choose ONLY ONE pen pal for each person.

1. Petr Vladovic, 18, comes from Serbia and would like a pen pal who is interested in discussing the current political situation in the world. He likes jazz and playing tennis in his free time.

   The best pen pal for Petro would be --------------

2. Tom Synder, 36, is a businessman from Toronto, Canada. He would like to find a pen pal from a different continent to discuss business practices and differences between his country and others.

   The best pen pal for Tom would be ------------

3. Olga, 32 years old, comes from Moscow, Russia. She is a historian and would like to find a pen pal who is interested in discussing the history of Russia before the communist regime. She is not interested in comparing different political systems.

   The best pen pal for Olga would be -------------

4. Jack, 27, is from London. His favourite pastime is learning languages. He goes to evening German and French classes and uses his computer to improve his German and French by visiting Internet sites.

   The best pen pal for Jack would be -----------

5. Stuart, 22, is from Dublin. He loves travelling and wants to visit Asia in the near future and would like a pen pal who likes playing football and who can tell him about the differences between life in Asia and Ireland.

   The best pen pal for Stuart would be ------------

6. Elisabeth, 35 years old, comes from Sydney, Australia. She likes learning languages, but does not like using modern technology. She is interested in finding a pen pal who also enjoys learning languages in a traditional manner.

   The best pen pal for Elisabeth would be ---------------