Give the prepositions which most often come after the following. Lower intermediate.
1. come
2. ask
3. not get
4. beg
5. talk
6. set
7. slip
8. take
9. plead
Answer guide
1. from 2. for 3. over 4. from (off, for) 5. to (with) 6. off 7. behind (away from) 8. off 9. with (for)
Friday, 18 December 2009
Thursday, 17 December 2009
Reading Passage, Occupational Disease
Read through the passage and give spoken answers to the questions that follow. Level: intermediate.
Every occupation has a disease, every industry an illness. The poor postman is no exception. He suffers from dog bites.
In England, last year, 3,000 were attacked, and 6,000 workdays were lost as a result of dog bites.
That represents a 41 per cent growth rate in dog bites over the past five years. The authorities have decided it is time they got their teeth into the problem. In the Post Office itself, the matter has long been a bone of contention.
So, as an experiment, a campaign has been mounted in Cornwall against these postmen-biting mongrels. Last year, the dogs of Cornwall bit 128 postmen. That meant over 200 lost working days.
Postmen in country areas are most at risk, especially when they visit houses with gardens. There, the poor postman will often find a dog showing its teeth. Of those who get bitten, 60 per cent will suffer bites on their legs, and 12 per cent on their backsides. It depends on the size of the dog.
And so dog owners are to be told to keep their pets tied up when the postman is likely to call. Those who do not do so will receive one warning letter. If, after that, the dog is still free to bite, they will have to collect the letters themselves from the post office.
At the same time, postmen are being advised how to deal with dogs. They are warned to be very careful of quiet animals and to keep away from dogs in a group. They are told never to turn their back, and to speak softly to it.
Answer
1. What is the occupational disease of a postman?
2. How are 6,000 workdays lost?
3. Are the authorities going to take the problem seriously, and do something about it?
4. Do postmen in a city have the most dangerous job?
5. Are postmen told quiet animals are not dangerous?
Answer guide
1. He suffers from dog bites. 2. They were lost as a result of dog bites. 3. Yes. They have decided to get their teeth into the problem. 4. No. Postmen in country areas are most at risk. 5. No. They are advised to be very careful of them.
Every occupation has a disease, every industry an illness. The poor postman is no exception. He suffers from dog bites.
In England, last year, 3,000 were attacked, and 6,000 workdays were lost as a result of dog bites.
That represents a 41 per cent growth rate in dog bites over the past five years. The authorities have decided it is time they got their teeth into the problem. In the Post Office itself, the matter has long been a bone of contention.
So, as an experiment, a campaign has been mounted in Cornwall against these postmen-biting mongrels. Last year, the dogs of Cornwall bit 128 postmen. That meant over 200 lost working days.
Postmen in country areas are most at risk, especially when they visit houses with gardens. There, the poor postman will often find a dog showing its teeth. Of those who get bitten, 60 per cent will suffer bites on their legs, and 12 per cent on their backsides. It depends on the size of the dog.
And so dog owners are to be told to keep their pets tied up when the postman is likely to call. Those who do not do so will receive one warning letter. If, after that, the dog is still free to bite, they will have to collect the letters themselves from the post office.
At the same time, postmen are being advised how to deal with dogs. They are warned to be very careful of quiet animals and to keep away from dogs in a group. They are told never to turn their back, and to speak softly to it.
Answer
1. What is the occupational disease of a postman?
2. How are 6,000 workdays lost?
3. Are the authorities going to take the problem seriously, and do something about it?
4. Do postmen in a city have the most dangerous job?
5. Are postmen told quiet animals are not dangerous?
Answer guide
1. He suffers from dog bites. 2. They were lost as a result of dog bites. 3. Yes. They have decided to get their teeth into the problem. 4. No. Postmen in country areas are most at risk. 5. No. They are advised to be very careful of them.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Vocabulary Development
Read through the vocabulary and give spoken answers to the questions that follow. Level: lower intermediate.
[a bone of contention: something people fight over, like dogs fight over a bone; mongrel: a mongrel dog, a mixture; tie up: string is used to tie up a parcel; deal with: I’ll deal with it, I’ll do it, I’ll look after it; group: four or five people in a group, he was not alone, he was in a group]
exception
People who get drunk and drive often have accidents: after half a bottle of vodka, he proved he was no exception.
bone of contention
The Falkland Islands proved to be a bone of contention between Britain and Argentina.
They were always arguing about money: this bone of contention caused their marriage to end in divorce.
mongrel
It’s not a pure-bred pedigree dog: it’s a mongrel, a mixture of several breeds.
tie up
The ship tied up alongside the dock.
They made it impossible for him to escape by tying him up, hand and foot.
I’m sorry. I can’t see you today. I’m all tied up.
deal with
A plumber deals with burst pipes.
The police deal with crime.
Doctors deal with illness.
I have more problems than I know how to deal with.
group
Hooligans are always found in a group.
People don’t like to be on their own: they prefer to belong to a group.
Answer
1. Do people argue and fight over money?
2. Did the dog have a pedigree?
3. Was the ship sailing the high seas?
4. What does a plumber attend to?
Answer guide
1. Yes. It is often a bone of contention. 2. No. It was a mongrel, a mixture of several breeds. 3. No. It was tied up alongside the dock. 4. He deals with burst pipes.
[a bone of contention: something people fight over, like dogs fight over a bone; mongrel: a mongrel dog, a mixture; tie up: string is used to tie up a parcel; deal with: I’ll deal with it, I’ll do it, I’ll look after it; group: four or five people in a group, he was not alone, he was in a group]
exception
People who get drunk and drive often have accidents: after half a bottle of vodka, he proved he was no exception.
bone of contention
The Falkland Islands proved to be a bone of contention between Britain and Argentina.
They were always arguing about money: this bone of contention caused their marriage to end in divorce.
mongrel
It’s not a pure-bred pedigree dog: it’s a mongrel, a mixture of several breeds.
tie up
The ship tied up alongside the dock.
They made it impossible for him to escape by tying him up, hand and foot.
I’m sorry. I can’t see you today. I’m all tied up.
deal with
A plumber deals with burst pipes.
The police deal with crime.
Doctors deal with illness.
I have more problems than I know how to deal with.
group
Hooligans are always found in a group.
People don’t like to be on their own: they prefer to belong to a group.
Answer
1. Do people argue and fight over money?
2. Did the dog have a pedigree?
3. Was the ship sailing the high seas?
4. What does a plumber attend to?
Answer guide
1. Yes. It is often a bone of contention. 2. No. It was a mongrel, a mixture of several breeds. 3. No. It was tied up alongside the dock. 4. He deals with burst pipes.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Images and Idiom
Can you complete the following idioms? Level: upper intermediate.
01. If speech is silver, .................... is golden.
02. His parents were ve
ry rich, you know, so he was born with a silver .................... in his mouth.
03. After they so kindly put us up for the night, I had to write them a long .................... and butter letter.
04. Jones has handed in his resignation again, even though he got a large bonus. He doesn’t know which .................... his bread is buttered on.
05. With so much unemployment about, there is a large number of people on the bread....................
Answer guide
01. silence 02. spoon 03. bread 04. side 05. breadline
01. If speech is silver, .................... is golden.
02. His parents were ve
ry rich, you know, so he was born with a silver .................... in his mouth.03. After they so kindly put us up for the night, I had to write them a long .................... and butter letter.
04. Jones has handed in his resignation again, even though he got a large bonus. He doesn’t know which .................... his bread is buttered on.
05. With so much unemployment about, there is a large number of people on the bread....................
Answer guide
01. silence 02. spoon 03. bread 04. side 05. breadline
Monday, 14 December 2009
Sentence Composition, Ways of Life
Without reference to the passage,from memory, give the full sentences. Level: intermediate.
1. She/leave home/live/her own.
2. She/spend/evenings/watch TV.
3. She/be/secretary/south London firm.
4. She/borrow/books/magazines.
5. She/drink/lot/coffee/
6. She/drive/work/mother’s Honda.
Answer guide
1. She left home to live on her own. 2. She spends her evenings watching TV. 3. She is a secretary in a south London firm. 4. She borrows books and magazines. 5. She drives to work in her mother’s Honda.
1. She/leave home/live/her own.
2. She/spend/evenings/watch TV.
3. She/be/secretary/south London firm.
4. She/borrow/books/magazines.
5. She/drink/lot/coffee/
6. She/drive/work/mother’s Honda.
Answer guide
1. She left home to live on her own. 2. She spends her evenings watching TV. 3. She is a secretary in a south London firm. 4. She borrows books and magazines. 5. She drives to work in her mother’s Honda.
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Dialogue, Role-Play: Ways of Life
With reference to the passage, Ways of Life, you are talking to Susan. What questions would you have to ask to receive these answers? Level: intermediate.
1.Q.
A. Because my mother would always be waiting up.
2.Q.
A. No. In the past year, I've had only two parties.
3.Q.
A. No. I don't mind budgeting.
4.Q.
A. It was next to nothing.
5.Q.
A. No. I bought the car instead.
Answer guide
1. Why couldn’t you enjoy your evenings out? 2. Do you live wildly? 3. Do you have problems making your money last? 4. How much did you pay for the car? 5. Did you go on holiday last year?
1.Q.
A. Because my mother would always be waiting up.
2.Q.
A. No. In the past year, I've had only two parties.
3.Q.
A. No. I don't mind budgeting.
4.Q.
A. It was next to nothing.
5.Q.
A. No. I bought the car instead.
Answer guide
1. Why couldn’t you enjoy your evenings out? 2. Do you live wildly? 3. Do you have problems making your money last? 4. How much did you pay for the car? 5. Did you go on holiday last year?
Saturday, 12 December 2009
Review Test, Ways of Life
Read through and complete. One word is missing in each case. Intermediate pass level: 75% Aim: 95%
When she was 19 years old, Susan left home to live (1).................. her own. She has a small, one-bedroomed flat (2).................... a London suburb, Susan enjoys a visit to her parents every weekend, (3).................... why did she leave home (4).................... the first place? She explains:
“I did n
ot like having to be home in time (5).................... dinner every evening. I hated the fact (6).................... cooking, washing, shopping and housework had to be done (7).................... the same time every day, every week. I couldn’t enjoy my evenings (8).................... because my mother would be reading (9).................... bed, waiting to hear my key (10)................ the door.
“I don’t live wildly. In the past year, I’ve (11).................... had two parties. I spend most weekday evenings watching TV, or (12).................... I chat to my friend in the flat upstairs. Housework and washing I do every weekend. But I am so (13).................... happier living (14).................... my own. Money’s a bit difficult, (15).................... I don’t mind budgeting. I suppose I’m a girl who enjoys being responsible.”
Susan pays (16).................... her independence. She is a sales clerk in a south London firm. Nearly (17).................... her wages go (18).................... rent , food and transport. She has bought an old Mini for (19).................... to nothing. But there is insurance, and road tax. She had to do (20).................... a holiday this year to afford the car.
Answer guide
1. on 2. in 3. so 4. in 5. for 6. that 7. at 8. out 9. in 10. in 11. only (just) 12. else 13. much 14. on 15. but 16. for 17. all 18. on 19. next 20. without
When she was 19 years old, Susan left home to live (1).................. her own. She has a small, one-bedroomed flat (2).................... a London suburb, Susan enjoys a visit to her parents every weekend, (3).................... why did she leave home (4).................... the first place? She explains:
“I did n
ot like having to be home in time (5).................... dinner every evening. I hated the fact (6).................... cooking, washing, shopping and housework had to be done (7).................... the same time every day, every week. I couldn’t enjoy my evenings (8).................... because my mother would be reading (9).................... bed, waiting to hear my key (10)................ the door.“I don’t live wildly. In the past year, I’ve (11).................... had two parties. I spend most weekday evenings watching TV, or (12).................... I chat to my friend in the flat upstairs. Housework and washing I do every weekend. But I am so (13).................... happier living (14).................... my own. Money’s a bit difficult, (15).................... I don’t mind budgeting. I suppose I’m a girl who enjoys being responsible.”
Susan pays (16).................... her independence. She is a sales clerk in a south London firm. Nearly (17).................... her wages go (18).................... rent , food and transport. She has bought an old Mini for (19).................... to nothing. But there is insurance, and road tax. She had to do (20).................... a holiday this year to afford the car.
Answer guide
1. on 2. in 3. so 4. in 5. for 6. that 7. at 8. out 9. in 10. in 11. only (just) 12. else 13. much 14. on 15. but 16. for 17. all 18. on 19. next 20. without
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