Christmas reading comprehension texts

This is some homework for Christmas: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m9YNYTMbwoId-8eunHht3JEZA-YWxUpv0JhbpYQ7X4Y/edit

Giving advice

We can give advice to people using 'should' or 'shouldn´t' + infinitive or the second conditonal sentence 'If I were you, I would...'
Activity 1 Choose the correct answer in the sentences.
Activity 2. Click on the words in the correct order.
Activity 3. Charlie has a problem. It is too fat. Complete the sentences.
Activity 4. What advice can you give to Charlie? Complete the sentences.
Activity 5. Listen to the song 'Chasing Pavements' by Adele and read the lyrics. There are some examples of 'should' to give advice.


I've made up my mind,
Don't need to think it over,if
I'm wrong I am right,
Don't need to look no further,
This ain't lust,
I know this is love but

If I tell the world,
I'll never say enough,
Cause it was not said to you,
And thats exactly what I need to do,
If I'm in love with you

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even If I knew my place
should i leave it there?
Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

I'd build myself up,
And fly around in circles,
Wait then as my heart drops,
and my back begins to tingle
finally could this be it

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even If I knew my place
should i leave it there?
Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even If I knew my place
should I leave it there?Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

MODAL VERBS

Modals are special verbs which behave very irregularly in English.Here are some important differences:

1. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third person.

Examples:He can speak Chinese, She should be here by 9:00.

2. You use "not" to make modal verbs negative, even in Simple Present and Simple Past.

Examples:He should not be late, They might not come to the party.

3. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses or the future tenses.

Examples:He will can go with us. Not Correct:She musted study very hard. Not Correct

Common Modal Verbs: Can, Could,May,Might, Must, Ought to ,Shall ,Should, Will ,Would.

Click here for more info: http://www.elearnenglishlanguage.com/ingles/gramatica/verbosmodales.htmlhttp://www.first-certificate.com/Modals-fceExercises here: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/330-modals-ability1.htm

More exercises: http://a4esl.org/q/h/0101/ig-modals.html

PRESENT PERFECT

1. We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about experiences. It is important if we have done it in our lives or not. It is not important when we did it.

Examples: I have been abroad two times/Anna has never broken a leg/ have you ever eaten sushi?

We often use never and ever with the Present Perfect Tense to talk about experience.

2. We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about an action which started in the past and continuous up to now.
Examples: - I have been a teacher for more than ten years./ We haven't seen Janine since Friday./How long have you been at this school?

We use for with a period of time, for example: a few days, half an hour, two years. We use since with the time when the action started, for example: last year, June 8, I met you.

Activities 1 and 2 .Choose 'for' or 'since'.

Activity 3. Choose 'for' or 'since'.

Activity 4. Choose 'for' or 'since'.

Activity 5. Present perfect of past simple?

Activity 6. Present perfect of past simple?

Activities 7 and 8. Present perfect of past simple?

Activity 9. Listen and complete the sentences with the past simple or present perfect.

Activity 10. Listen to the podcast and play the 'for, since, ago' game.

MAKE VS DO

When 'Do' or 'make' are used as main verbs it can be confusing to ESL learners. The verb 'make' goes with some words and the verb 'do' with other words.

- DO: We use the verb 'do' when someone performs an action, activity or task.

- D0 a crossword, do the ironing do the laundry, do the washing, do the washing up.

- DO is often used when referring to work of any kind: do your work, do homework, do housework, do your job ! NOTE - these activities do not usually produce a physical object.

- DO for General Ideas Use the verb 'do' when speaking about things in general. In other words, to describe an action without saying exactly what the action is. This form is often used with the words 'something, nothing, anything, everything, etc.' I'm not doing anything today. He does everything for his mother. She's doing nothing.

Important Expressions with 'Do' There are a number of standard expressions that take the verb 'do'. The best solution is to try to learn the following ones: do badly, ,do business, do the dishes ,do a favour do good ,do harm ,do time - (to go to prison) do well, do your best, do your hair ,do your nails, do your worst

MAKE: We use the verb 'make' for constructing, building or creating : make a dress, make food make a cup of tea / coffee.

- 'Make' is often used when referring to preparing food of any kind: make a meal - breakfast / lunch / dinner .NOTE : these activities usually create something that you can touch.

- Important Expressions with 'Make' There are a number of standard expressions that take the verb 'make'. The best solution is to try to learn them: make amends, make arrangements,make believe - (to pretend) ,make a choice, make a comment, make a decision, make a difference.

_Make an effort, make an enquiry, make an excuse, make a fool of yourself, make a fortune, make friends ,make a fuss, make a journey, make love, make a mess ,make a mistake ,make money, make a move, make a noise, make a phone call, make a plan, make a point, make a profit, make a promise, make a remark, make a sound, make a speech, make a suggestion ,make time, make a visit, make your bed - (to prepare the bed for sleeping in) .

If you feel like doing some exercises, click here: http://www.saberingles.com.ar/exercises/225.htmlhttp://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/confusing_words/make_do.htm

Question words test

USE THE CORRECT QUESTION WORDS TO COMPLETE THESE QUESTIONS:
Who – Whom – Whose – Which – When – Where – What - Why
How – How long – How far – How often – How old – How many – How much

1. _____________ is Mike late? Because he overslept.
2. _____________ does this coat cost? It costs 150$.
3. _____________ will be your partner? Alice will be my partner.
4. _____________ did you take to go there? It took me 10 hours.
5. _____________ car is this? It’s Roger’s.
6. _____________ brothers and sisters do you have? I have two sisters and no brother.
7. _____________ do you go to the gym? I go to the gym twice a week.
8. _____________ is this book? It’s 200 years old.
9. _____________ water do you want? I just want a little bit, thanks.
10. _____________ are you going? I’m going to Thailand.
11. _____________ does Sarah love? She loves Richard.
12. _____________ would you like for Christmas? I’d like a Playstation III.
13. _____________ is this table? It’s 6 feet.
14. _____________ do you like your coffee? I like it black, thanks.
15. _____________ color do you prefer? I prefer green.
16. _____________ are you leaving? I’m leaving right after lunch.
17. _____________ is Montreal from here? It’s 600 kilometres.
18. _____________ are you coming back? In two weeks.
19. _____________ are you going at Jim’s party? I’m going to see my friends and have some fun.
20. _____________ are you feeling today? I’m feeling better than yesterday, thanks.

Making phone calls

You can revise the vocabulary about phone calls we have studied in class with this exercise.

A SONG.

HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.

PHONETICS:BBC

If you want to learn about English pronunciation, you can go to the BBC website. There you will find lots of explanations and exercises.

This is a list of links to the different webpages:

The sounds of English
Videos for each sound
Similar sounds exercises
Sounds and spelling
Schwa
Connected speech
Voicing
Quizzes
Programmes

Reading Comprehension Texts

These topical news lessons are based on articles from 'The Guardian Weekly'. Download them and do the activites at home. You´ll find the answers at the end of each pdf.

1. Pensioner crimewave marks rise of the ‘Saga lout’.
2. Life aboard the International US drug agency recruits speakers of ‘street slang’Space Station.
3. Dogs are either optimists or pessimists, claim scientists.

San Francisco Cruises

Watch the video presenting San Francisco Cruises and answer the questions below. You´ll find the answers to the questions in 'comments'.




1. When was the 'Red and White Fleet' founded?

2. How long does the 'Golden Gate Bay Cruise' take?

3. What can you see on board?

4. How long does the 'California Sunset Cruise' take?

5. How long does the 'San Francisco Explorer Cruise' take?

6.What can you discover if you choose that cruise?

Asking for information

A. Whether you are on a sightseeing trip through Europe or backpacking in Australia, finding your way around the city while on vacation can be difficult unless you know what to say. Understanding directions is a big part of this. Listen to the sentences and say if they are true or false by looking at the map.

B. Follow the directions to go from the train station to the speaker´s house.

Questions with and without auxiliaries

When we make questions in the past and present simple, we normally use an auxiliary verb:
'What time did you post the letter?'


When the question word (who?, which?, how many'?) is the subject of the verb in the question, we do not use an auxiliary verb and the verb is in the third person.
'Who wrote 'Hamlet'?'

Activity 1
Activity 2

What are your plans for tonight?

Listen to six people talking about their plans for tonight. Then answer the questions. If your answers are not correct you can´t move forward and have to listen again!
When you finish you can listen and read the transcript. Good luck!

HALLOWEEN

How much do you know about the history of Halloween? This video listening exercise about Halloween will help you to practice your English listening skills. Click here.

HOLIDAYS

How did the weather affect Richard's holidays to Italy and Malaysia? This video is from www.podcastsinenglish.com, the efl/esl site for learners and teachers of English

Describing a picture

You are going to listen to six descriptions of six different pictures of a couple watching TV on a couch (a comfortable piece of furniture big enough for two or three people to sit on).Click here to listen.

Body Parts Cartoon

Watch this video and practice the pronunciation of the body vocabulary. Then do the activities. Good luck!!!
Activity one: The head
Activity two: The face
Activity three: The Whole body

Present simple or continuos?

We use the present simple for things you do every day, week, year, or which are always true. We often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency (usually, often, always...) and expressions of frequency (every day, once a week...)
'It doesn´t often rain here'

We use the present continuous for this happening now, at this moment. Some verbs are not normally used in the present continuous :like, want, need, have (possess)...
'She can´t answer the phone now. She´s studying in her room.
Activity 1.
Activity 2.

Past and dates review !

Do the activities in this interactive book to review the past simple and the dates.