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Cloze test for intermediate students: Music

Category: The four skills Date 2009-05-31 21:17:40

 

Choose the most suitable word for each space.

 

What kind of music do you (1)………………..? Some people like going to (2) ……………. concerts, and listen to (3) ………………... . The (4) ………………… wear very formal clothes, and the (5) ………………. is silent until the end of the (6) ……………….. . Perhaps you are a rock music (7) ………………. . Rock concerts are often held at football (8) ……………… or in parks. (9) ………………… of the audience dance to the music, or sing the songs. (10) ……………… music is (11) ………………… at weddings and parties in many countries, and some people (12) ………………… their own music at home. Nowadays we (13) …………………. music in shops and lifts, and many people (14) ……………… their own music with them, or even (15) ……………… to music when they study. Music is everywhere!

 

1. a. listen            b. enjoy                c. have               d. preferring

                         

2. a. classic         b. classics             c. classical         d. classified

 

3. a. a group        b. an orchestra       c. a band            d. a record

 

4. a musicians     b. actors               c. musicals         d. instruments

 

5. a. spectators    b. people              c. guests            d. audience

 

6. a.  happening   b. action               c. music             d. performance

 

7. a. fan               b. enthusiasm      c. reader            d. friend

 

8. a. matches       b. grounds            c. pitchers          d. pools

 

9. a. Members      b. Selections        c. Persons          d. Those

 

10. a. Historical      b. Nations            c. Traditional       d. Ancient

 

11. a. acted            b. formed             c. done               d. played

 

12. a. do                 b. get                  c. make              d. take

 

13. a. listen             b. hear                 c. perform          d. understand

 

14. a. carry             b. wear                 c. lift                  d. play

 

15. a. hear              b. have                 c. follow              d. listen

 

 

 

KEY

 

1. b   2. c   3. b   4. a   5. d   6. d   7.a   8.b   9. a   10. c   11. d   12. c   13. b   14. a   15.d

An exercise on advanced vocabulary

Category: The four skills Date 2009-05-31 19:47:43

 

Complete the sentences below with words from the box.

 

sunk     demands     haste     capable     dodge

gain     press     speck     creak     relived

immersed     requests     involved     fraud     earn

turn     touch     crack     revoked     soaked

rush     accomplished     swindle     benefit     revolve

pinch     clap    revived     fuss     smack

 

1. Many sportsmen become totally  …………… in their own special world.

2. I wonder if you have a room available that meets my …………….

3. It was an awful  …………… to get to the station in time.

4. He is  ……………. in work for the disabled.

5. I´m afraid she is a bit of a ……………. , for all her air of innocent sincerity.

6. Everybody can …………… even from his unpleasant experiences.

7. You must  …………… that knob there on the left.

8. Why don´t you take his words with a   …………… of salt?

9. All of us could hear the  …………… when the full back´s leg broke.

10. The familiar view from the window …………… happy memories for him.

KEY

 

1. immersed
2. requirements
3. rush
4. involved
5. fraud
6. benefit
7. turn
8. pinch
9. crack
10.  revived

 

Summer jobs: a listening comprehension exercise

Category: The four skills Date 2009-05-31 16:24:07

 

You will hear an interview with some students who are doing holiday jobs in Brighton. Listen to the interview and answer the questions.

 

1. Where have the following people been working?

     a) Christine           b) Kevin         c) Kevin's brother

 

2. Christine has been working mostly in which part of the day?

a)     the morning

b)     the afternoon

c)      the evening

 

3.  Which of these statements about Christine are true and which are false?

a)     The most enjoyable part of being in Brighton for her has been the job.

b)     She has had free meals and accommodation.

c)      She has made a fortune in Brighton.

d)     She hasn't spent much money.

e)     She has been working as a waitress some of the time.

f)        She finds Brighton an interesting place.

 

4. Kevin's been doing two different kinds of work. What are they?

 

5.  What was Kevin's main reason for coming to Brighton?

 

6.  Why is Kevin's brother particularly lucky?

 

7.  Write in the missing words.

 

Christine   No, it hasn't been too bad. I ………………………………………………, in fact. Not so much ……………………………………………….., but the people ……………………………………..and the friends ………………………………….., and I've managed to do lots of things ……………………………. It's a seaside town, ……………………………………. in the evenings -you know, …………………………………………….. and so on. And on my afternoons off ………………………………………………………………

TAPESCRIPT

Interviewer    And Christine, what about you? What have you been  doing this summer?

Christine      Working, mostly.

Interviewer    You mean you've been studying?

Christine      Oh, no, I've been doing a job to earn money.

Interviewer    And have you made your fortune yet?

Christine      Hardly! But I haven't done too badly. I've been getting about £7 a week, plus my meals and my accommodation, so I've earned over £500 and I've managed to save most of it.

Interviewer    That sounds pretty good. What kind of work have you been doing exactly?

Christine      I've been working in a hotel.

Interviewer    What, as a waitress?

Christine      No, I've been helping in the kitchen most of the time -washing and peeling vegetables, preparing breakfast trays, washing up- that sort of thing.

Interviewer    And have you been enjoying it? Or has it been rather boring?

Christine      No, it hasn't been too bad. I've found it quite interesting here, in fact. Not so much the work itself, but the people I've got to know and the friends I've made, and I've managed to do lots of things in my spare time too. It's a seaside town, so there's been quite a lot going on in the evenings -you know, dancing, bowling, cinemas and so on- and on my afternoons off I've been doing quite a bit of sunbathing and swimming.

Interviewer    Yes, I can see you've got quite brown. You've obviously been having some reasonable weather here. Now what about Kevin here? Kevin, you've managed to get a fantastic suntan. How have you been spending your time here? Have you been doing a holiday job?

Kevin            Yes, I've been working down on the beach. I like an outdoor job. I've been mostly hiring out deck chairs -you know, going round collecting the money, but I've also been selling papers.

Interviewer    And have you earned a lot of money?

Kevin            Not a lot. I came here for a cheap holiday more than anything else. My brother's the one who's been making the money this summer.

Interviewer    Has he been working here in Brighton too?

Kevin            No, he's in Italy working as a courier for a travel firm. He's been taking Americans round Italy on coach tours and having a fantastic time. And one of them has invited him to go and work in America next summer.

Interviewer    Lucky him!

 

 

KEY

1.      (a) In a hotel. (b) On the beach. (c) In Italy.

2.      (a)

3.      (a) False. (b) True. (c) False. (d) True. (e) False. (f) True.

4.      (a) Hiring out deck chairs.    (b) Selling newspapers.

5.      He wanted a cheap holiday.

6.      He's been invited to go and work in America next summer.

7.      See tapescript.

A letter to the editor

Category: Writing 2 Date 2009-05-30 21:21:29

 

Dear Sir,

 

I´m writing to complain about the article concerning immigrants occupying local jobs I could read last Sunday in you newspaper. I can´t understand how a serious paper as yours has published such a tactless article.

Let me tell you I completely disagree with it. I´d also like local workers to find a job. If I were a businessman I´d probably employ local people but it doesn´t mean that foreign workers must be fired.

Immigrants have been working in jobs with  minimum wages, for instance, cleaning the streets or as a bricklayer´s mate, whereas we have been occupying better paid posts.

It is well known this crisis is destroying our employment, after reading the article the reader could have the impression that only Spanish workers are in trouble, but immigrants are affected as well, and nothing refers to them in the article. Apparently, they are who avoid our neighbours find a job.

In my opinion you should immediately apologise, they may read your paper, how are they going to feel now? In fact, you should hire some of them to work in your office.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Sara Jones

The illusionist

Category: Writing 2 Date 2009-05-30 12:09:23

 

The last film I enjoyed is titled "The illusionist". It is an American film directed by Neil Burger and the main character is performed by Edward Norton.

 

What made me want to see it was the review done by a friend who is very keen on cinema.

 

The film it set in Viena at the end of 19th century. The main character is an illusionist (Edward Norton) who had some mental powers since child.

 

He was a craftsman's son. His father used to make furniture for the Duchess's family, so they had been close friends since childhood, what is more, they were in love. They had to hide when they wanted to be together, because a duchess coud not have a relationship with the craftman's son. On one ocassion, they were caught unawares and Edward had to flee.

 

After some years, as an adult, Edward comes back with another name, Einsenheim. He runs a stunning and succesful magic performance. In one of his performances, the illusionist asks for help from the audience, and it is the Duchess who goes on to the stage. In that moment they remember each other and live their love again.

 

However, things get really complicated because the Duches is engaged to the Emperor's son. He is an unfriendly and big-headed man who is upset with the illusionist´s performance because it gets more and more successful and polemical at the same time.

The Emperor's son challenges the illusionist to perform his show at Palace, in order to discover the tricks.

 

The Duchess tell the Emperor's son that she doesn't want to marry him, then he gets really furious and some hours after, the Duchess appears killed...

 

 

There are a number of things I really liked. It is a love thriller. It is very well settled. Edward Norton has a remarkable performance. The soundtrack helps to keep the suspense.

I would recommend people who like love and thriller movies. It is worth watching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A multicultural society

Category: Writing 1 Date 2009-05-29 19:20:15

 

During the last ten years, our society have become in a multicultural society, because of the European Union.

In Europe we can go wherever we want and stay there as long as we want because exits the free movement of persons, goods and capital.  This fact has made that people travel a lot and even students make their degrees in other countries.  That is good for our society that so far had been a bit closed.  The problem we meet is the languages.  Each country maintains their own language, so it is necessary to learn at least two foreign languages to be able to manage in Europe. I think that at that point the society is not multilingual yet. 

On the other hand our society has been increased in number of races and cultures because of the immigration.  Spain is a country chose by many people from the Western Europe, from Africa and from Sud-America.  That gives to the Spanish society a chance to kwon other cultures, (not other languages), and to have another point of view of the world.

When this people come to Spain we have to understand that their way of live is not as it is our. In the most cases they have been living in a very poor conditions so their culture is much more poor that our. We need to help them to improve their knowledge and afterwards they will be able to live in the same way as we do.

For our children that is also good. They are used to live with people from other countries,  they play together and learn other cultures in a natural way, so in the future they wont be surprised when they will have to leave our country to find a job, for example, or to study under a different methods.

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