WRITING PRACTICE: How was life different?
How was life different in your country 150 years ago? Write five sentences.
You can use your own ideas or some of the following topics:
- Transport.
- Food and cooking.
- Clothes.
- Electricity.
- Computers.
- Music.
martes, 27 de octubre de 2009
HOW LIFE WAS DIFFERENT?
WRITING PRACTICE: How was life different?
PAST SIMPLE:
Can you find six mistakes in this text? Underline the words and
then write them correctly.
Four thousand years ago, people didn’t wear
clothes. They lived in caves, but they often
travelled from place to place. They didn’t
have any animals, so they didn’t drink milk
or eat meat. But they had crops in the
fields and the men cooked the food on their
fires. Children helped in the fields and they
went to small village schools. People sold
pots and stone tools.
people wore wool clothes
clothes. They lived in caves, but they often
travelled from place to place. They didn’t
have any animals, so they didn’t drink milk
or eat meat. But they had crops in the
fields and the men cooked the food on their
fires. Children helped in the fields and they
went to small village schools. People sold
pots and stone tools.
people wore wool clothes
1 .................................................................
2 .................................................................
3 .................................................................
4 .................................................................
5 .................................................................
6 .................................................................
PAST SIMPLE:
Talking about the past Irregular Past simple:
Fill in the gaps using the Past simple form of the following verbs: become ,begin, buy, come, drink, find ,go ,have, put ,speak, wear
Example: The Iceman drank water and milk.
Fill in the gaps using the Past simple form of the following verbs: become ,begin, buy, come, drink, find ,go ,have, put ,speak, wear
Example: The Iceman drank water and milk.
1 Matthew was very good at languages – he .................... German, Polish,
Russian and Italian.
2 We’re late. The concert .................... twenty minutes ago.
3 Teresa first .................... to this town in 1998.
4 Yesterday Caroline and Peter .................... lunch together.
5 I .................... these boots at the market last Saturday.
6 Our class .................... to the Science Museum last week.
7 Last summer, David .................... shorts and a T-shirt every day.
8 When I looked inside the box, I .................... some old letters and books.
9 When the climate .................... warmer, people started to live in villages.
10 It started to rain, so I .................... your bicycle in the garage.
The gold ring Past simple:
Complete the dialogue using the Past simple form of the verbs in brackets.
A: That’s a beautiful piece of jewellery, Helen. Where did you get (get) it?
B: I (get) 1................ it for my birthday, from my father. But he
(not buy) 2................................. it – he (find) 3................ it in the garden!
A: What do you mean? How (find) 4................ he ................ it?
B: Well, when he (begin) 5................ to plant the vegetables a few weeks ago,
he (see) 6................ this gold ring. It (be) 7................ just a few centimetres
under the ground.
A: (show) 8................ he ............... it to anyone?
B: Yes, he (go) 9................ to the museum and (speak) 10................ to
Mrs Scott.
A: And what (say) 11................ she ................ about it?
B: She thinks the ring is very old. People (wear) 12................ jewellery like this
about 600 years ago.
A: Wow, that’s great! (look) 13................ your father ................ for other things
in the garden?
B: No, he (not want) 14............................. to disturb the beans and potatoes!
SIMPLE PRESENT OR PRESENT CONTINOUS
Simple Present or Present Continuous:
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct verb tense.
2. Usually, I (work) _____________________ as a professor at the National University in
Tokyo, but this summer I (study) _____________________ English in the United States.
That’s why I am here in the U.S.
3. Shhhh! Be quiet! The baby (sleep)______________________.
4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) _____________________.
5. It (always, snow) ___________________ a lot during the winter.
6. I'm sorry, but I can't hear what you (say) ___________________ . Everybody (talk)
___________________ so loudly.
7. Maria (currently, write) ___________________ a book about her experiences in the U.S.
8. A: Do you want to go for a walk around the lake? I (need) _____________ some exercise.
B: No, I can't. I (watch) _____________________ my little sister.
9. The business cards (normally, be) _____________________ printed by a company in San
Francisco. Their prices (be) _________________ inexpensive and the quality of their work
is good.
10. The children (eat) ____________________ too much candy. They are going to be sick!
11. She (always, call) ____________________ her mother when she gets home.
12. Ron and Kay (look) ___________________ out the window at the beautiful bird in the
tree.
13. They (feed) ___________________ the birds every day.
14. I (always, play) ___________________ on Thursdays.
15. Now, I can’t understand what he (say) ______________. He (speak) ______________ too fast!
PRESENT SIMPLE WORKSHEET 3:
Present Simple
Cloze Exercise #2
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct verb.
1. We always __________ (walk) home from school.
2. She never __________ (drink) diet sodas.
3. Do you __________ (like) to watch T.V.?
4. I __________ (play) tennis every Saturday.
5. He doesn’t __________ (dance) very well.
6. My neighbor __________ (work) at the hospital.
7. When do you __________ (eat) dinner?
8. The students always _________ (study) for their tests.
9. Does he __________ (live) in California?
10. The store usually __________ (close) at 10 p.m.
11. She __________ (know) the story by heart.
12. He _________ (call) his mother every Sunday.
13. Do you __________ (talk) to your brother every day?
14. When does she __________ (leave) for work?
15. My friend __________ (speak) five languages.
16. I __________ (cook) dinner every night.
17. He __________ (take) vitamins every day.
18. Do they __________ (travel) together?
19. They __________ (go) to the park often.
20. What does this word _______ (mean)?
PRESENT SIMPLE WORKSHEET 2:
Present Tense Exercise #1
Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb OR the correct “helping” verb.
A. AFFIRMATIVE (use the verb “to walk”)
1. I ____________ to school every day.
2. You ____________ to school every day.
3. He/She/It ____________ to school every day.
4. They ____________ to school every day.
5. We ____________ to school every day.
B. NEGATIVE (use the verb “to walk”)
6. I ____________ walk to school every day.
7. You don’t ____________ to school every day.
8. He/She/It ____________ walk to school every day.
9. They ____________walk to school every day.
10. We don’t ____________ to school every day.
C. YES/NO QUESTIONS (use the verb “to walk”)
11. Do I ____________ to school every day?
12. ____________ you walk to school every day?
13. Does he/she/it ____________ to school every day?
14. ____________ they walk to school every day?
15. Do we ____________ to school every day?
D. SHORT ANSWERS)
16. Yes, I ____________. 17. No, I _______________.
18. Yes, you ____________. 19. No, you ____________.
20. Yes, he/she/it ____________. 21. No, he/she/it ____________.
22. Yes, we ____________. 23. No, we ____________.
24. Yes, they ____________. 25. No, they ____________.
E. WH—QUESTIONS
26. When do you ___________ to school every day?
27. Why do ___________ walk to school every day?
28. Where ___________ she go to school every day?
29. How does ___________ get to school every day?
30. What ___________ they do in school every day?
PRESENT SIMPLE WORKSHEET 1:
Grammar: Present Simple Tense:
A. Write the correct form of the verb in each sentence.
1. John ______________ (play/plays) soccer.
2. They ______________ (don’t/doesn’t) study after school.
3. We _______________ (take/takes) the metro to the office every day.
4. What ___________ (do/does) you want to study?
5. On Tuesdays, I _________ (go/goes) to the mall.
6. Terry ___________ (play/plays) soccer; he _________________ (practice/practices)
every day.
7. ____________ (Do/Does) Lucy ride her bike to school, or ___________ (do/does) she
take the bus?
8. On Sunday, he ____________ (don’t/doesn’t) read the newspaper.
9. Where _____________ (do/does) they work?
10. How ____________ (do/does) you spell your name?
Make questions with the word groups, using (do) or (does).
1.(Where/she/live) _________________________________________________________?
2.(When/you/play/soccer) ____________________________________________________?
3.(What/he/eat/for/lunch) ____________________________________________________?
4.(When/they/come/home/from/school)_________________________________________?
5.(she/want/to/work/in/the/office) _____________________________________________?
6.(your/mother/take/you/to/school)_____________________________________________?
7.(What/time/you/get/up)____________________________________________________?
8.(Where/your/father/work) _________________________________________________?
9.(Julia/live/in/Colorado) ____________________________________________________?
10.(How/Juan/and/David/go/to/school)___________________________________________?
HALLOWEEN
Study the following vocabulary related to Halloween and then take the quiz below. - Bobbing for apples :
Noun (game) - This is a traditional Halloween game. You put apples in a barrel of water and people try to take the floating apples out of the water using only their mouths. - Cackling:
Adjective - An evil, wild, otherworldly laughing sound - Carve :
Verb - (regular: carve - carved - carved) to cut with a knive, in the context of a pumpkin to cut a face into the pumpkin. - Evil :
Very bad behaviour with cruel intent. - Haunted :
Location containing evil spirits or ghosts, usually a house or castle. - Ghost :
Noun - the spirit of a dead person which appears again. Ghosts at Halloween are usually dressed in white sheets. - Hideous :
Adjective - Something so ugly you cannot look at it. - Horrified :
Adjective - very frightened, afraid or scared. - Jack-o-lantern :
Noun - A carved pumpkin usually with a candle burning inside to illuminate the pumpkin. - Pumpkin:
Noun - A large, orange vegetable in the squash family associated with Halloween. - Skeleton:
Noun - The bone structre of a body without the flesh. - "Trick or Treat" :
Saying - Used by children when going from house to house asking for candy. The phrase also means that if you don't give me a treat I will play a trick on you! - Wicked:
Adjective - the same as evil. - Witch:
Noun - A woman with magic powers (usually evil).
Choose the correct word from the list above to complete the senetence.
The ............ witch made a horrible.............cackling laugh before she flew off on her broom.
Let's go buy a ....................pumpkin and ................... carve a funny face on it.
Don't be afraid of that ...........skeleton. After all, it's just made of bones and can't hurt you!
Tom won the award for the best carved ....................-o-latern at the school Halloween fair.
If I hear one more child say............................."Trick or Treat" tonight I think I'll go crazy!
Take of that .............................hideous mask! I can't stand to look at you, it's so repelling!
Not all monsters are .............. evil OR wicked. Some are just misunderstood by the local population - think of Frankenstein.
I was ...................horrified by that horror film on TV last night. I know it was a Halloween film, but there was just too much blood and violence for me.
I dare you to open the door and go into that ....................haunted house up on the hill!
I have to go change my costume. I got all wet ........................ bobbing for apples.
CAPITAL LETTERS. PERSONAL INFORMATION AND ROUTINES:
TIP: We use a capital letter:
1. To begin a sentence.
2. For the names of people, places or languages.
3. For days and months.
4. For the pronoun I.
Is it the same in your language?
A. Here is a paragraph Mary wrote about herself at camp. Add capital letters.
1. To begin a sentence.
2. For the names of people, places or languages.
3. For days and months.
4. For the pronoun I.
Is it the same in your language?
A. Here is a paragraph Mary wrote about herself at camp. Add capital letters.
my name is mary wilson. i am fifteen years old. i live in glasgow. my father is a doctor. my mother is a teacher. i speak spanish and italian. i like tennis and swimming. i play tennis every tuesday and i swim twice a week. in the summer holidays i often go to camp. this july and august i am at a camp in england. i am having a great time.
B. Write 3 sentences about yourself. Use the sentences in A above for ideas.
lunes, 26 de octubre de 2009
UNWRITTEN- NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
FILL IN THE GAPS:
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten:
I ………. unwritten,
Can't read my mindI'm undefined
I'm just ………..
The pen's in my hand ………… unplanned
Staring at the blank ……..before you
Open up the dirty ………
Let the ………..illuminate the words
That you could not find reaching for ………….in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
………. the rain on your skin
No one else can ……… it for you
………… you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can …………the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your ………with arms wide open
Today is where your book ……….
The rest is still unwritten, yeahOh,
I ………. tradition
Sometimes my tries are outside the line, oh yeah yeah
We've been conditioned to not make ……………
But I can't live that way oh, oh
Staring at the blank ………. before you
Open up the dirty ……………
Let the ………..illuminate the words
That you could not find reaching for ………… in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
………. the rain on your skin
No one else can ……… it for you
………… you can let it in
No one else, no one else can …………the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your ………with arms wide open
Today is where your book ……….
The rest is still unwritten
(Gospel)
Staring at the blank ………. before you
Open up the dirty ……………
Let the ………..illuminate the words
That you could not find reaching for ………… in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
………. the rain on your skin
No one else can ……… it for you
………… you can let it in
No one else, no one else can …………the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your ………with arms wide open
Today is where your book ……….
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
ANGELS- ROBBIE WILLIAMS
FILL IN THE GAPS:
ROBBIE WILLIAMS: ANGELS
I ________ and wait
Does an _________contemplate my fate
And do they _________
The places _________we go
When we're grey and _________
'cos I have been told
That ___________ lets their wings unfold
So ________ I'm lying in my bed
Thoughts running through my ________
And I feel that love is _________
I'm loving __________ instead
Chorus
And through it all _______offers me _________
A lot of ________ and affection
Whether I'm right or ________
And down the waterfall
Wherever it may ________ me
I know that life won't break me
When I come to call
she won't forsake me
I'm loving __________instead
When I'm __________weak
And my pain walks down a one way _________
I look aboveAnd I know I'll ________be blessed with love
And as the ________ grows
She breathes flesh to my ________
And when love is _______
I'm loving ________ instead
Chorus
And through it all _______ offers me ________
A lot of ________and affection
Whether I'm right or ________
And down the waterfall
Wherever it may ________ me
I know that life won't break me
When I come to call she won't forsake me
I'm loving __________ instead
(Repeat Chorus)
domingo, 25 de octubre de 2009
When we think of Valentine's Day, we often think of red roses, candy in heart- shaped boxes, mushy valentines, and winged cherubs flying about shooting starry-eyed lovers with arrows.
But did you know that the origin of Valentine's Day, or Saint Valentine's Day, comes from the life and death of a Christian martyr? According to author Martha Zimmerman, the date traditionally celebrated as St. Valentine's Day finds it origin in the Roman festival of romance called Lupercalia, when the gods Juno and Pan were honored. It was a fertility festival or a lover's holiday looking forward to the return of Spring. In the fifth century, in an attempt to abolish the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia and its February 15 date to February 14 and called it Saint Valentine's Day. Even though the names and the date were changed, the emphasis continued to be on love.
Who was the real Valentine, and why did he have a day named after him?
Some authorities credit Geoffrey Chaucer with originating the custom of linking Valentine's Day with lovers. No link between the day and lovers exists before the time of Chaucer, thus leading some to conclude that it was this famous English author who connected the day with lovers. The fullest and earliest description of the tradition occurs in Chaucer's "Parliament of Fouls" composed around 1380. Since that time it has been traditional to connect St. Valentine's Day with love.
But who was the real Saint Valentine? St. Valentine was a Roman Christian who, according to tradition, was martyred during the persecution of Christians in the third century by Emperor Claudius II. The only thing certain about the day we remember as St. Valentine's Day is that it commemorates a martyrdom. Claudius II declared all Christians illegal citizens. By his definition, they were guilty of treason because Roman citizens were required by law to worship the Emperor by declaring publicly, "Caesar is Lord!" Of course, this no Christian could do.
The real Valentine was a Roman Christian martyred during the third century A.D. by the Emperor Claudius II. Prior to his death, Valentine continued to minister in prison by witnessing to his prison guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. When the Emperor heard about this he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he sentenced Valentine to death.
Just before being led out to his execution, the young Christian wrote a note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine." The first valentine was really a Christian witness. Growing out of this story we participate in a custom of sending cards to people we love.
But did you know that the origin of Valentine's Day, or Saint Valentine's Day, comes from the life and death of a Christian martyr? According to author Martha Zimmerman, the date traditionally celebrated as St. Valentine's Day finds it origin in the Roman festival of romance called Lupercalia, when the gods Juno and Pan were honored. It was a fertility festival or a lover's holiday looking forward to the return of Spring. In the fifth century, in an attempt to abolish the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia and its February 15 date to February 14 and called it Saint Valentine's Day. Even though the names and the date were changed, the emphasis continued to be on love.
Who was the real Valentine, and why did he have a day named after him?
Some authorities credit Geoffrey Chaucer with originating the custom of linking Valentine's Day with lovers. No link between the day and lovers exists before the time of Chaucer, thus leading some to conclude that it was this famous English author who connected the day with lovers. The fullest and earliest description of the tradition occurs in Chaucer's "Parliament of Fouls" composed around 1380. Since that time it has been traditional to connect St. Valentine's Day with love.
But who was the real Saint Valentine? St. Valentine was a Roman Christian who, according to tradition, was martyred during the persecution of Christians in the third century by Emperor Claudius II. The only thing certain about the day we remember as St. Valentine's Day is that it commemorates a martyrdom. Claudius II declared all Christians illegal citizens. By his definition, they were guilty of treason because Roman citizens were required by law to worship the Emperor by declaring publicly, "Caesar is Lord!" Of course, this no Christian could do.
The real Valentine was a Roman Christian martyred during the third century A.D. by the Emperor Claudius II. Prior to his death, Valentine continued to minister in prison by witnessing to his prison guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. When the Emperor heard about this he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he sentenced Valentine to death.
Just before being led out to his execution, the young Christian wrote a note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine." The first valentine was really a Christian witness. Growing out of this story we participate in a custom of sending cards to people we love.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: use your own words.
1. What is the origin of Saint Valentine´ s Day?
2. Who was the real Valentine?
3. Do you like Saint Valentine´ s tradition of sending cards to people we love?
Japan's most famous dog:
In front of the enormous Shibuya train station in Tokyo, there is a life-size bronze statue of a dog. Even though the statue is very small when compared to the huge neon signs flashing, it isn't difficult to find. It has been used as a meeting point since 1934 and today you will find hundreds of people waiting there for their friends to arrive.
Hachiko, an Akita dog,was born in 1923 and brought to Tokyo in 1924. His owner, Professor Eisaburo Uyeno and he were inseparable friends right from the start. Each day Hachiko would accompany his owner, a professor at the Imperial University, to Shibuya train station when he left for work. When he came back, the professor would always find the dog patiently waiting for him. Sadly, the professor died suddenly at work in 1925 before he could return home.
Although Hachiko was still a young dog, the bond between him and his owner was very strong and he continued to wait at the station every day. Sometimes, he would stay there for days at a time, though some believe that he kept returning because of the food he was given by street vendors. He became a familiar sight to commuters over time. In 1934, a statue of him was put outside the station. In 1935, Hachiko died at the place he last saw his friend alive.
Hachiko, an Akita dog,was born in 1923 and brought to Tokyo in 1924. His owner, Professor Eisaburo Uyeno and he were inseparable friends right from the start. Each day Hachiko would accompany his owner, a professor at the Imperial University, to Shibuya train station when he left for work. When he came back, the professor would always find the dog patiently waiting for him. Sadly, the professor died suddenly at work in 1925 before he could return home.
Although Hachiko was still a young dog, the bond between him and his owner was very strong and he continued to wait at the station every day. Sometimes, he would stay there for days at a time, though some believe that he kept returning because of the food he was given by street vendors. He became a familiar sight to commuters over time. In 1934, a statue of him was put outside the station. In 1935, Hachiko died at the place he last saw his friend alive.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER:
Q1 - The statue of Hachiko is small.
a. Right
b. Wrong
c. Doesn´t say
Q2 - The statue is difficult to find because there are so many people there.
a. Right
b. Wrong
c. Doesn't say
Q3 - The professor worked in a school.
a. Right
b. Wrong
c. Doesn't say
Q4 - The professor died at work.
a. Right
b. Wrong
c. Doesn't say
Q5 - The dog waited every day at the station.
a. Right
b. Wrong
c. Doesn't say
Q6 - Nobody gave the dog any food.
a. Right
b. Wrong
c. Doesn't say
Q7 - The dog died before the statue was put outside the station.
a. Right
b. Wrong
c. Doesn't say
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