Unit 1 LIFE STORIES
A. PRONUNCIATION
1. Complete each gap with one suitable homophone.
1. here
2. meat
3. weather
4. piece
5. ate
6. by
7. there
8. no
9. way
10. bored
2. Check the homophone (A, or B) of each of the words in bold below.
A

B

1. bare

bear

bar

2. two

too

tune

3. new

knew

knee

4. weak

week

wet

5. there

theirs

their

6. write

right

ride

7. saw

sour


sore

8. whose

who

who's

9. fair

far

fare

10. you're

your

yours

3. Write the two homophones which are pronounced as shown.
1. /hɔːs/
2. /θru:/
3. /aʊ(r)/
4. /saɪt/
5. /flu:/
6. /bi:n/
7. /reɪz/
8. /seɪl/
9. /əlaʊd/

10. /eə(r)/
4. Practice saying these exchanges with your friend.
1. A: What are you doing this weekend?
B: I'm visiting my grandmother. She's too weak to walk now.
2. A. You should write to Mr Silverman to say sorry.


B. OK. I'll do that tonight.
3. A. You're not allowed to eat or drink here.
B. I know. We are supposed not to read aloud, either.
4. A: Whose novel is this?
B: I'm not sure. By the way, let me see who the author is.
5. A: Would you like to try some bean soup?
B: I'd love to! I haven't been able to make any bean soup these days.
6. A: Our train was half an hour late.
B: Oh, that was bad.
7. A: Do you know how to ride a horse?
B: No, but I can ride a camel.
8. A: You look bored.
B: I am. I need to board a plane to go somewhere for a change.
9. A: I haven't heard from him for two months. I really miss him.
B: I miss him, too.
10. A: I'm not quite sure whether to go swimming in the beach or not.
B: You should, for a change, if the weather is good.
B. VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR
1. Choose the word (a or b) which has the meaning provided.
1. Having strong will to do something
a. influential

b. determined


2. Show great respect for somebody
a. inspire

b. admire

3. Having a natural ability or skill
a. talented

b. hard-working

4. The quality of being kind and generous
a. generosity

b. perseverance

5. A brief statement showing one's goal, ideal or principle
a. goal

b. motto

6. Intended to help those in need
a. humble

b. charitable

7. Make something start
a. share

b. initiate


8. Who you are or who you are associated with
a. identity

b. mission

9. Poor people
a. the needy

b. the disabled

10. Cannot be seen
a. hidden

b. alive

11. Athletes with disabilities


a. hardships

b. parathletes

12. A woman who looks after a child as a mother
a. foster mother

b. adopted mother

13. Teach a child to behave in a particular way or believe in something
a. bring up


b. feed

14. Bad luck
a. orphanage

b. misfortune

15. Unable to do anything
a. obsessed

b. helpless

2. Complete each sentence with one suitable word from the box.
misfortune

hidden

brought up

charitable

foster

identity

persistence

perform


initiated

the needy

motto

helpless

away

admire

talented

1. Jim and Sam had been

to believe that borrowing money was bad.

2. After his biological mother passed away, the child was looked after by an American woman who acted
as his
mother.
3. Despite the

, the man never gave up his hopes and dreams to improve human lives.

4. Some people believe that only rich people are capable of doing
5. She stood there,

work, but I don't think so.


and depressed, looking at her poor little thing taking his last breaths.

6. Liam didn't reveal his

talent as a singer until he came for an audition on the Voice.

7. Mr Jackson has recently given
charity programs.

a great deal of money through various scholarships and

8. His success was largely a result of hard work and

.

9. I greatly
Jordan Nguyen, an Australian Vietnamese engineer, whose research focuses on
enhancing the mobility of disabled people.
10. Although the Tran's have been living in the US for years, they always keep their
Vietnamese people.

as

11. Jamie Pugh, who came on a Britain's Got Talent audition as a humble pizza man, overcame his fears
to „Bring him home‟ with success.
12. Mr Boers gave half of the profit to an orphanage. His
13. David
country.
14. The highly
model of robots.


in life is to give as much as he can.

a joint music project with his brother for school children in different states of the
young designer has been awarded with a prestigious prize for his newly created

15. There are problems getting food and money for

in these deprived areas.

3. Complete each gap with one suitable word from the box.
first

earned

lady

party

in

appointed

against

when

then

married


Hillary Clinton was born on October 26, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois. She (1)
her law
degree from Yale University. She (2)
fellow law school graduate Bill Clinton in 1975. She later


served as first (3)
from 1993 to 2001, and (4)
as a U.S. senator from 2001 to 2009.
In early 2007, Clinton announced her plans to run for the presidency. During the 2008 Democratic
primaries, she conceded the nomination (5)
it became apparent that Barack Obama held a
majority of the delegate votes. After winning the national election, Obama (6)
Clinton
secretary of state. She was sworn in as part of his cabinet in January 2009 and served until 2013.
(7)
the spring of 2015, she announced her plans to run again for the U.S. presidency. In 2016,
she became the (8)
woman in U.S. history to become the presidential nominee of a major
political (9)
. After a polarizing campaign (10)
Donald Trump, Clinton was defeated
in the general election that November.
(Text adapted from />4. Read the text and complete each gap with the correct form of the word provided.
Scottish celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has opened restaurants around the world and (1. HOST)
such popular TV programs as „Hell's Kitchen‟ and „Master Chef.‟
Born in Scotland in 1966, Gordon Ramsay left behind an early (2. ATHLETE)
career to
become a renowned chef in London. By the early 2000s he was making his mark on British TV as the

temperamental host of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen, shows that made a (3.
SUCCEED)
transition to American audiences. The award-winning chef has since (4.
EXPAND)
his celebrity brand via such programs as Master Chef and Hotel Hell and opening
more (5. RESTAURANT)
around the globe.
(Text adapted from />Shakespeare occupies a position unique in world literature. Other poets, such as Homer and Dante,
and (6. NOVEL)
, such as Leo Tolstoy and Charles Dickens, have transcended national barriers;
but no writer's living (7. REPUTE)
can compare to that of Shakespeare, whose plays, written in
the late 16th and early 17th centuries for a small repertory theatre, are now (8. PERFORM)
and
read more often and in more countries than ever before. The prophecy of his great contemporary, the poet
and (9. DRAMA)
Ben Jonson, that Shakespeare “was not of an age, but for all time,” has been
(10. FULFIL)
.
(Text adapted from />5. Complete each gap with a(n), the or no article (x).
1. My next destination will be Amsterdam, the capital of

Netherlands.

2. In an article appearing in
Washington Post recently, the man talked about how he initiated
the project and sticked to it through ups and downs.
3. Jane was born in
when she was ten.


Indonesia, but she migrated to

4. „Do you play any sports?‟ „Yes, I play
5. I wish I would climb
which is an inspiration for me.
6. At school we learn
7.
Bank of

badminton and

United States with her family
tennis.

Mt Everest one day. Many mountaineers have set their foot there,
maths,

history,

geography and other subjects.

Louvre is one of the most visited art museums in the world. It is located on the the Right
Seine, a famous river in
Paris, France.

8. „How does your father get to work every day?‟ „Most days he travels by
occasionally goes by
bus.
9. My daughter can now play


train and he

guitar quite well. She has guitar lessons twice a week.


10.

kangaroos are my favourite animals. They look gentle and friendly to me.

11. Located in North Africa,

Sahara Desert, the world's largest hot deserts, stretches from

Red Sea to Atlantic Ocean.
12. I bumped into

old friend of mine when I was walking down the market area yesterday.

13. “Con duong cai quan” is one of
14. He's

greatest music works by Pham Duy.

scientist I told you about that helped me a lot during my research process.

15. My brother in law works in
university student.

Japan. He learned


Japanese when he was a

6. Read the text and use the verb in brackets in the simple past tense.
Steven Paul Jobs was an American inventor, designer and entrepreneur who (1. be)
the
co-founder, chief executive and chairman of Apple Computer. Apple's revolutionary products, which
include the iPod, iPhone and iPad, are now seen as dictating the evolution of modern technology. Born in
1955 to two University of Wisconsin graduate students who (2. give)
him up for adoption, Jobs
(3. be)
smart but directionless, dropping out of college and experimenting with different
pursuits before co-founding Apple with Steve Wozniak in 1976. Jobs (4. leave)
the company in
1985, launching Pixar Animation Studios, then (5. return)
to Apple more than a decade later.
Jobs (6. die)
in 2011 following a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
(Text adapted from />Born Diana Spencer on July 1, 1961, Princess Diana
(7. become) Lady Diana Spencer
after her father
(8. inherit) the title of Earl Spencer in 1975. She
(9. marry) the heir
to the British throne, Prince Charles, on July 29, 1981. They
(10. have) two sons and later
(11. divorce) in 1996. Diana
(12. die) on August 31, 1997, from injuries she
(13.sustain) in a car crash in Paris. She is remembered as the "People's Princess" because of her
widespread popularity and global humanitarian.
(Text adapted from />7. Complete the story with the correct tense of the verb. Choose A or B.
Jimmy was reading a novel in his bedroom. It (1)

dark. He (2)
a strange noise.
Jimmy (3)
around his room. He (4)
anything unusual. His mother (5)
in
the kitchen. His father (6)
his brother with a maths problem. His sisters (7)
in
the
backyard. He (8)
the noise again. This time it was louder. All of a sudden, Jimmy (9)
something on his back. His parents and sisters all (10)
into his room and (11)
on the
light. „What's wrong?‟ they yelled. Jimmy turned around and (12)
his dog, Moon! He (13)
and said he was sorry. His parents and sisters (14)
, too.
1. A. was being

B. was

2. A. was hearing

B. heard

3. A. was looking

B. looked


4. A. was not seeing

B. didn't see

5. A. was cooking

B. cooked

6. A. was helping

B. helped

7. A. were playing

B. played

8. A. was hearing

B. heard

9. A. was feeling

B. felt


10. A. were pouring

B. poured


11. A. were turning

B. turned

12. A. was seeing

B. saw

13. A. was laughing

B. laughed

14. A. was laughing

B. laughed

8. Choose the best answer (A, B, or C) that best fits each gap.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (July 18, 1918 to December 5, 2013) was a nonviolence anti-apartheid
activist, politician and philanthropist (1)
became South Africa's first black president from 1994
to 1999. Becoming actively (2)
in the anti-apartheid movement in his 20s, Mandela joined the
African National Congress in 1942. (3)
20 years, he directed a campaign of
peaceful,
nonviolent defiance against the South African government and its racist policies. Beginning in 1962,
Mandela (4)
27 years in prison for political offenses. In 1993, Mandela and South African
President F.W. de Klerk were (5)
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to end the

country's apartheid system. For generations to come, Nelson Mandela will continue to be a (6)
of inspiration for activists worldwide.
On December 5, 2013, at the (7)
of 95, Nelson Mandela died at his home in
Johannesburg, South Africa. After (8)
a lung infection in January 2011, Mandela was briefly
hospitalized in Johannesburg to undergo surgery for a stomach ailment in early 2012. He was released
after (9)
few days, later returning to Qunu. Mandela would be hospitalized many times over the
next several years - in December 2012, March 2013 and June 2013 - for further testing and medical
treatment relating (10)
his recurrent lung infection.
(Text adapted from />1. A. who

B. whose

C. he

2. A. enjoyed

B. involved

C. participated

3. A. Since

B. As

C. For


4. A. sent

B. went

C. spent

5. A. jointly

B. mutually

C. bilaterally

6. A. cause

B. record

C. source

7. A. age

B. birth

C. year

8. A. going

B. attaching

C. suffering


9. A. a

B. many

C. a lot

10. A. with

B. in

C. to

9. Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C or D) that needs correction.
1. Beethoven, a gifted German pianist, composed many great works of music that have had great impacts
A

B

C

on the Western Europe's music landscape.
D
2. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are two influence figures in my brother's life that have shaped his career
A

B

C

D



path in many ways.
3. Poor in this area need more support on how to lead a better life and learn new life skills.
A

B

C

D

4. My uncle travels by the underground to work every day, but his wife goes to work by bus.
A

B

C

D

5. I am playing basketball with my sister when I fell down and broke my leg.
A

B

C

D


6. Two days ago we were buying our tickets for the concert which will be held on Friday night 12
A

B

C

D

August.
7. When my mother had lived in that apartment with her uncle, she was always complaining about the
A

B

C

D

neighbour's rude behaviour.
8. United Nations was founded in 1945 to create and maintain international peace and order.
A

B

C

D

9. A tragic event happened to her family while she had a holiday in the Philippines with her fiancée.

A

B

C

D

10. Sadly the boy wastes all the hard-earned money that his mother had saved up throughout her life on
A

B

C

gambling.
11. I tell him the truth when he asked me what had happened.
A

B

C

D

12. I never listen to the radio. In fact, I don't have the radio.
A

B


C

D

13. Can you turn television down, please. It's a little loud.
A

B

C

D

14. Last semester he reads two novels and wrote two journal articles.
A

B

C

D

15. We did enjoy ourselves. We went to most expensive restaurant in town.
A

B

C

D


16. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone brightly in a sky.
A

B

C

D

17. Because her application had been rejected, she is depressed.
A

B

C

D

18. I looked for somewhere to have a snack when I bumped into you.
A

B

C

D

19. We often have the dinner without dad because he goes home late.
A


B

C

D

20. When I looked out of the window, I realised that it snowed.
A

B

C

D

D


C. READING
1. Read the passage and decide whether each statement is true, or false. Chose a or b.
British cosmologist Stephen William Hawking was born in England on Jan. 8, 1942 - 300 years to
the day after the death of the astronomer Galileo Galilei. He attended University College, Oxford, where
he studied physics, despite his father's urging to focus on medicine. Hawking went on to Cambridge to
research cosmology, the study of the universe as a whole.
In early 1963, just shy of his 21st birthday, Hawking was diagnosed with motor neuron disease,
more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was not
expected to live more than two years. Completing his doctorate did not appear likely. Yet, Hawking
defied the odds, not only attaining his Ph.D. but also forging new roads into the understanding of the
universe in the decades since.

As the disease spread, Hawking became less mobile and began using a wheelchair. Talking grew
more challenging and, in 1985, an emergency tracheotomy caused his total loss of speech. A speechgenerating device constructed at Cambridge, combined with a software program, served as his electronic
voice, allowing Hawking to select his words by moving the muscles in his cheek. He died on 14 March
2018 at the age of 76.
(Text adapted ce. com/15923-stephen-hawking.html)
1. Stephen Hawking was a British cosmologist.
a. True

b. False

2. Stephen Hawking studied physics at Oxford because his father wanted him to.
a. True

b. False

3. He researched cosmology at Cambridge.
a. True

b. False

4. Hawking was diagnosed with motor neuron disease when he was 21 years old.
a. True

b. False

5. Another common name for motor neuron disease is Lou Gehrig's disease.
a. True

b. False


6. The phrase „Hawking defied the odds...‟ means „Hawking was an exception.‟
a. True

b. False

7. The word „forging‟ in paragraph 2 most closely means „creating.‟
a. True

b. False

8. Hawking never completed his PhD.
a. True

b. False

9. Hawking never used a wheel chair even when his disease became worse.
a. True

b. False

10. He lost his speech in 1985 due to an emergency tracheotomy.
a. True

b. False

11. An electronic voice developed for Hawking at Cambridge enabled him to communicate by selecting
words using the muscles in his lips.
a. True

b. False


12. Hawking died 376 years after the death of the astronomer Galileo Galilei.


a. True

b. False

2. Read the passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to each question.
The incredible Elvis Presley life story began when Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and
Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie
Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis,
Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.
Elvis' musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in
church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on
historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager.
In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late
1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a
sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the
social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular
culture.
Here are a few Elvis Presley facts: he starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television
appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert
performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any
other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards. Among his
many achievements were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording
Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which he received at age 36, and his being
named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees.
Without any of the special privileges his celebrity status might have afforded him, Elvis honorably served
his country in the U.S. Army.

His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the
humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known all over the world by his first
name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis died
at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16,1977.
(Text adapted from />1. As in paragraph 1, what is NOT true about Elvis Presley?
A. Vernon and Gladys are his parents.
B. Elvis was born in Memphis, Tennessee.
C. Elvis was the only child in his family.
D. His high school was in Memphis, Tennessee.
2. What does the word „stillborn‟ in paragraph 1 mean?
A. dead when born

B. not born yet

C. to be born soon

D. still alive

C. 1954

D. 1955

3. When did Elvis graduate from high school?
A. 1935

B. 1953

4. The word „legendary‟ most closely means
A. important


B. rich

5. What was one of Elvis's life events in late 1955?
A. He became an international sensation.
B. He signed a contract with Sun Records.

.
C. famous

D. heart-breaking


C. He combined different musical influences to assert his music style.
D. His recording contract was sold to RCA Victor.
6. The phrase „ushered in‟ in the third paragraph could be best replaced by
A. opened up

B. criticised

C. discussed

.
D. concluded

7. Which is NOT mentioned as Elvis's musical influences?
A. pop music

B. country music

C. Memphis arts


D. gospel music

8. What could be inferred from paragraph 2 about Elvis Presley?
A. He lived on Beale Street.
B. Beale Street was in Memphis.
C. There was a black R & B music shop on Beale Street.
D. Elvis played black R & B music during his teenage years.
9. Which is true about Elvis's career?
A. He starred in 34 successful films.
B. He won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 36.
C. He won 14 Grammy awards.
D. He was named the youngest man for 1970.
10. What did Elvis do in Las Vegas?
A. He performed live there.
B. He died there.
C. He appeared on a local television there.
D. He sold his albums there.
11. He was best known as
A. Presley

.
B. Elvis

C. a Memphis local

D. a soldier

C. 41


D. 40

12. How old was Elvis when he died?
A. 42

B. 32

D. WRITING
1. Complete each sentence with one suitable preposition.
1. Mr Ritch was five years younger than his wife. He was born
2. The boy was born
of time.

1908.

a poor family with both his parents being jobless for an extended period

3. During her teenage years she worked

a waitress at a famous Italian restaurant.

4.
the age of twenty, the younger brother move
biochemistry at Auckland University.

Auckland, New Zealand and studied

5.

1997 and 2001, the couple worked for a software company in the local area.


6.
US.

15 January, 2010, my sister was granted a scholarship to do an Engineering course in the

7.
June, 2016, the ever energetic female writer passed away at her home in the presence of her
beloved children.
8. As time passed, he moved from one place
disadvantaged children where he arrived.

another, running literacy programs for


9.
son.
10.

one of his missions in Japan, John fell in love with a local girl whom he married and had one
the next few years, the young leader aims to open more restaurants in Central Vietnam.

2. Rewrite each sentence below. Keep the meaning the same.
1. I haven't written to him for eight months.
I

ago.

2. She told Jane that she was leaving the next day.
She said, “

3. It's almost two years since she last talked to her niece.
She hasn't
4. If we had booked the tickets, we could have seen the film.
We couldn't see
5. When my brother wanted to buy an iPhone, he had to save up for two years.
It took
3. Write a bibliography of a person you know/like in about 150 words.

”


ANSWER KEY
A. PRONUNCIATION
1 1. hear
6. buy
2 1. A

2. meet
7. their/they‟re
2. A

3. A

3 1. horse - hoarse

4. A

3. whether
8. know


5. B

6. A

4. peace
9. weigh
7. B

8. B

5. eight
10. board
9. B

10. A

2. through - threw

3. our - hour

4. site - cite

5. flew - flu

6. been - bean

7. rays – raise

8. sale - sail


9. aloud - allowed

10. heir - air

4 Students' answers
B. VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR
1 1. b
9. a

2. b

3. a

4. a

5. b

6. b

7. b

10. A

11. b

12. a

13. a

14. b


15. b

8. a

2 1. brought up

2. foster

3. misfortune

4. charitable

5. helpless

6. hidden

7. away

8. persistence

9. admire

10. identity

11. perform

12. motto

13. initiated


14. talented

15. the needy

2. married

3. lady

4. then

5. when

7. In

8. first

9. party

10. against

2. athletic

3. successful

4. expanded

5. Restaurants

7. reputation


8. performed

9. dramatist

10. Fulfilled

2. the

3. x, the

4. x, x

5. x

6. x, x, x

7. The, the, x

8. x, x

9. the/x

10.x

11. the, the, the

12. an

13. the


14. the

15. x, x

2. gave

3. was

4. left

5. returned

6. died

7. became

8. inherited

9. married

10. had

11. divorced

12. died

13. sustained

3 1. earned

6. appointed
4 1. hosted
6. novelists
5 1. the

6 1. was

7 1. B
9. B
8 1. A

2. B

3. B

4. B

5. A

6. A

10. B

11. B

12. B

13. B

14. B


2. B

3. C

4. C

5. A

6. C

9 1. D (Western Europe)

7. A

8. B

7. A

8. C

9. A

10. C

2. C (influential)

3. A (The poor)

4. B (underground)


5. A (was playing)

6. A (bought)

7. A (lived)

8. A (The United Nations)

9. B (was having a holiday)

10. A (wasted)

11. A (told)

12. D (a/any radio)

13. B (the television)

14. A (read)

15. C (the most expensive)

16. D (the sky)

17. D (was)

18. A (was looking)

19. A (dinner)


20. D (was snowing)

C. READING
1 1. a

2. b

3. a

4. a

5. a

6. a

7. a

8. b

9. b

10. a

11. b

12. a

2 1. B


2. A

3. B

4. C

5. D

6. A

7. C

8. B

9. B

10. A

11. B

12. A


D. WRITING
1 1. in
6. On

2. into

3. as


4. At, to

5. Between

7. In

8. to

9. During/In

10. Over/In

2
1. last wrote to him eight months.
2. I'm leaving tomorrow, Jane.
3. talked to her niece for almost two years.
4. the film because we didn't book the tickets.
5. my brother two years to save up to buy an iPhone.

3 Model answer
Ludwig van Beethoven was born on or about December 16, 1770 in the city of Bonn, Germany. His
mother, Maria Magdalena van Beethoven, was a slender, genteel, and deeply moralistic woman. His
father, Johann van Beethoven, was a mediocre court singer better known for his alcoholism than any
musical ability. Beethoven had two younger brothers who survived into adulthood, Caspar, born in 1774,
and Johann, born in 1776.
Beethoven is the crucial transitional figure connecting the Classical and Romantic ages of Western
music. His personal life was marked by a struggle against deafness, and some of his most important
works were composed during the last 10 years of his life, when he was quite unable to hear. Almost
miraculously, despite his rapidly progressing deafness, Beethoven continued to compose at a furious

pace. From 1803 to 1812, what is known as his "middle" or "heroic" period, he composed an opera, six
symphonies, four solo concerti, five string quartets, six string sonatas, seven piano sonatas, five sets of
piano variations, four overtures, four trios, two sextets and 72 songs. The most famous among these were
symphonies No. 3-8, the "Moonlight Sonata," the "Kreutzer" violin sonata and Fidelio, his only opera. In
terms of the astonishing output of superlatively complex, original and beautiful music, this period in
Beethoven's life is unrivaled by any of any other composer in history.
For a variety of reasons that included his shyness and unfortunate physical appearance, Beethoven
never married or had children. He was, however, desperately in love with a married woman named
Antonie Brentano. Over the course of two days in July of 1812, Beethoven wrote her a long and beautiful
love letter that he never sent.
Beethoven died in Vienna, Austria on 26 March, 1827, at the age of 56.
(Text adapted from />

Unit 2 URBANISATION
A. PRONUNCIATION
1. Choose the sound (a or b) for the underlined part in each word below.
1. urbanisation

a. /eɪ/

b. /əʊ/

2. grow

a. /aɪ/

b. /əʊ/

3. engaged


a. /ɔɪ/

b. /eɪ/

4. area

a. /eə/

b. /əʊ/

5. overload

a. /aʊ/

b. /əʊ/

6. crowded

a. /aʊ/

b. /əʊ/

7. process
8. financial

a. /aʊ/

b. /əʊ/

a. /aɪ/


b. /əʊ/

9. amount
10. appear

a. /aʊ/

b. /eə/

a. /ɪə/

b. /aɪ/

11. ensure

a. /ɪə/

b. /ʊə/

12. sustainable

a. /eɪ/

b. /aɪ/

13. arise

a. /ʊə/


b. /aɪ/

14. avoid

a. /ɔɪ/

b. /aɪ/

15. poor

a. /aʊ/

b. /ʊə/

2. Which diphthong does each of these words contain? Put them into the correct line.
break

housing

slow

show

bright

now

poor

air


sure

fear

noise

coast

weigh

know

say

crowd

find

eyes

cloud

hair

toy

soul

pain


boat

buy

soil

face

ground

assure

enjoy

coin

sphere

choice bear

share

wild

chair

shine

hear


tour

here

late

how

smoke

cheer

contour

clear

sure

1. /eɪ/
2. /aɪ/
3. /əʊ/
4. /ɔɪ/
5. /aʊ/
6. /ɪə/


7. /eə/
8. /ʊə/
B. VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR

1. Choose the best synonym/ definition of each word/ phrase below. Use the words from the box.
move

growing

look for

lack

way of thinking

traffic jam

go up

lead to

crowded

very large

accommodation

job

manage

impact

happen


1. traffic congestion
2. increase (v)
3. densely-populated
4. migrate
5. occur
6. employment
7. mindset
8. housing
9. shortage
10. affect
11. result in
12. deal with
13. massive
14. seek
15. expanding
2. Complete each sentence below with one suitable word (a or b).
1. Many people choose to leave their home village to
city.
a. seek

better job opportunities in Ho Chi Minh
b. look

2.
is one of the worst issues facing urbanisation today. I find it stressful to join the traffic at
peak hours.
a. Traffic congestion
3. Accidents
dangers ahead.


b. Traffic accident
almost every day on this road due to a lack of warning signs for construction

a. take

b. occur

4. It's really hard to change the
of these people because they were born with the belief that
women need to stay at home and do housework.
a. gender
5. The population of this city has
a. decreased
6. Unemployment in big cities can

b. mindset
from 15 million to 20 million in the last five years.
b. increased
high crime rates and other social evils.


a. result in

b. deal with

7.
is a pressing need for migrants in this residential area. Some families have to squeeze in a
10 square meters flat.
a. Renting


b. Housing

8. There's a serious
of clean water in many urban areas in the world. People don't have enough
clean water for their daily use, and as a result suffer poor hygiene.
a. shortage

b. waste

9. Poorly-paid manual jobs in the countryside are one of the push factors that drive these farmers to
to big cities.
a. migrate
10. Rapidly
pollution in the area.

b. settle
industries in large cities have added to the increasing level of environmental

a. shrinking
11. Today this country is a mostly
in towns or cities.
a. urban

b. growing
society, with more than 90 per cent of its inhabitants living
b. rural

12. Many cities
the issue of traffic congestion by introducing traffic management schemes such

as cycle lanes and car pooling.
a. manage

b. deal

13. People are now migrating to big cities on a massive
a. scale

.

b. extent

14. Dharavi, Mumbai, India, is the world's most densely
people per one square mile.
a. populated

urban area with up to one million

b. developed

15. Although the UK is an urban society, more and more people are choosing to relocate to the
a. city

.

b. countryside

3. Complete each gap with the correct form of the word provided.
Urban Threats
The promise of jobs and prosperity, among other factors, pulls people to cities. Half of the

(1.GLOBE) population already lives in cities, and by 2050 two-thirds of the world's people are
expected to live in
(2. URBANISATION) areas. But in cities, two of the most pressing
problems
(3. FACE) the world today also come together:
(4. POOR) and
environmental degradation.
Poor air and water quality,
(5. SUFFICIENT) water availability, waste-disposal
problems, and high energy
(6. CONSUME) are worsened by the increasing population density
and demands of urban environments. Strong city planning will be essential in
(7. MANAGE)
these and other difficulties as the world's urban areas swell.
(Text adapted from />There is an inequitable distribution of health threats within urban areas. Families with the lowest
incomes are most at risk of their children being malnourished and
(8. DIE) early, have less
access to health services such as skilled birth attendance, and are also
(9. ADVANTAGE) in


terms of their living conditions, such as access to piped water. Importantly, these inequities exist along a
social gradient, also affecting middle-class city
(10. DWELL) to at least some extent.
(Text adapted from />Rural to Urban Migration
Much of global urbanisation is due to rural-urban migration. Such
(11. GROW) is
especially commonplace today in developing countries, where job opportunities and levels of pay are far
(12. HEIGHT) in urban areas than they are in rural areas. Rural to urban
(13.

MIGRATE) has been happening in the UK since the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries.
During this time there was a shift away from
(14. AGRICULTURE) based rural dwelling
towards more urban habitation to meet the mass demand for labour that new
(15.
INDUSTRIAL) required.
(Text adapted from />4. Choose the sentence that contains a compound adjective.
1.

A. My brother has a part-time job at an Italian restaurant.
B. My brother is not working part-time at the moment.

2.

A. Mary's niece is three years old.
B. Mary has a three-year-old niece.

3.

A. The book is twenty pages long.
B. It's a twenty-page book.

4.

A. This is a smoke-free building.
B. You can't smoke in this building.

5.

A. Alicia Keys is famous all over the world.

B. Alicia Keys is a world-famous singer.

6.

A. Mr Anderson and Jim were friends for a long time.
B. Mr Anderson had a long-lasting friendship with Jim.

7.

A. By-the-hour room rentals are not very expensive in this case.
B. You can rent this room by the hour.

8.

A. This area was once a coal-mining town.
B. The workers are mining coal in the area.

9.

A. I don't think this project is beneficial in the long run.
B. I can't see any long-term benefits with this project.

10. A. The man always dresses very well.
B. He's a very well-dressed man.
5. Choose the best answer (A, B or C) to complete each of the following sentences.
1. He behaves very well. He's a very
A. well-behaving

B. well-behaved


2. Mrs Black has a kind heart. She's
A. kind-hearted

child.
C. behaved well
.

B. kind heart

C. kindly-heart

3. „- Look at Tom. He's writing with his left hand.‟ „- Don't you know he's
A. left hand

B. left handing

4. It took him three hours to get to the city. It was a

C. left-handed
trip.

?‟


A. three hours

B. three-hours

C. three-hour


5. My father works for a foreign company and he earns a good salary. He has
A. well-paid

B. well-paying

C. good-paid

6. Mr. Chan likes to hear about new ideas. He is
A. open-mind

.

B. open minds

C. open-minded

7. This air conditioner we've bought can save a lot of energy. It's an
A. saving energy

B. energy-saving
B. sun-drying

story. We were all very sad.

B. heart-breaking

C. break-heart

10. This horse runs very fast. It's such a
A run-fast


raisins.

C. sun-dry

9. Yesterday, our grandmother told us a
A. heart-broken

air conditioner.

C. energy saved

8. Look at the raisins! I want to get some. I really love eating
A. sun-dried

job.

horse that it has won the race

B. fast-run

for three times now.

C. fast-running

6. Choose the one word or phrase that is not appropriate.
1. We're sorry we can't answer your questions because we were not involved in the decision-made
A

B


C

D

process.
2. Mr President gave a thought-provoked comment on the issue of social security in the city at the
A

B

C

D

council's meeting yesterday.
3. Eshika has just finished reading a 400-pages book. She's such a fast reader.
A

B

C

D

4. Bad air quality in big cities can contribute to illnesses like asthma and respiration-relate diseases such
A

B


C

D

as pneumonia.
5. At the forum, leading managers and directors discussed ways to reduce costs on production of meat,
A

B

and wind-power generators were the solution many people voted for.
C

D

6. At yesterday's swimming round for men, Jimmy broke the record again.
A

B

This was another record-broken race for him.
C

D

7. „Do you know where his office is?‟ „It's the ten-storeys building over there.‟
A

B


C

D

8. It wouldn't be cost-effectively to buy an expensive new car when all you want to do is to drive it once a
A

B

C

D

month.
9. „What's her new boyfriend like?‟ „He's a friendly, easily-going type of guy, I think.‟
A

B

C

D


10. All the class members like the new comer because he's Earth-to- down and honest with them.
A

B

C


D

C. READING
1. Read the text and complete each gap with one suitable word from the box.
space

higher

has

density

pressure

which

dwellers

Efforts

over-population

by

Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a situation in which too many people live in too little space. Overcrowding is a
logical consequence of (1)
in urban areas. It is naturally expected that cities having a large size
of population squeezed in a small (2)

must suffer from overcrowding. This is well exhibited (3)
almost all the big cities of India.
For example, Mumbai (4)
one-sixth of an acre open space per thousand people though
four acre is suggested standard by the Master Plan of Greater Mumbai. Metropolitan cities of India are
overcrowded both in „absolute‟ and „relative‟ terms. Absolute in the sense that these cities have a real
high (5)
of population; relative in the sense that even if the densities are not very high the
problem of providing services and other facilities to the city (6)
makes it so.
Delhi has a population density of 9,340 persons per sq km (Census 2001) (7)
is the
highest in India. This is the overall population density for the Union territory of Delhi. Population density
in central part of Delhi could be much (8)
. This leads to tremendous (9)
on
infrastructural facilities like housing, electricity, water, transport, employment, etc. (10)
to
decongest Delhi by developing ring towns have not met with the required success.
(Text adapted from major-problems-of-urbanisation-in-india/19880)
2. Read the passage and decide whether each statement is true (T), or false (F).
Copenhagen
European cities are some of the world's richest, and most are expected to barely grow or even shrink
over the next 50 years. Declining birth rates, ageing populations and good infrastructure allow many to
now focus on the environment.
But even if they aren't growing at nearly the rate of other cities, they are some of the world's biggest
consumers of energy and resources and emissions. This, says Copenhagen lord mayor Frank Jensen,
imposes on them an ethical duty to change.
“Today our harbour is so clean we can swim in the water, and 62% of Copenhageners ride their
bike to work or school every day. I want Copenhagen to maintain and further develop this position as a

green and liveable city,” he says.
The city has set the ambitious goal of becoming the world's first carbon neutral capital by 2025. As
well as tackling energy production and consumption, “this would mean building even more bicycle lanes
and new bridges to make even more Copenhageners choose the bike over the car,” he says.
Jensen thinks cities are more adaptable and quicker to act than higher levels of government. He
envisages them exchanging ideas and initiatives, through clusters like C40 Cities, an international forum
for mayors to meet and develop new ideas to solve environmental problems.


In Europe, where one in four people is aged 60 or over - a figure expected to rise to 36% by the turn
of the century - the problem isn't too many people, but too much strain. “By sharing our best ideas and
solutions, we can go from great solutions locally to brilliant advances globally,” says Jensen. “Cities
therefore play a key role in ensuring a more sustainable future.”
( />1. Most European cities are expected to grow rapidly.
2. Cities in Europe consumes the least amount of energy.
3. Fran Jensen is Copenhagen lord mayor.
4. The habour in Copenhagen is now polluted.
5. More than half of Copenhageners ride a bike to work or school every day.
6. By 2025 Copenhagen aims to become the world's first carbon neutral capital.
7. C40 Cities are places where mayors and their families live.
8. More bicycle lanes and new bridges would be built to encourage people to use bikes instead of cars.
9. 20% of the population in Europe is 60 years old or more.
10. Fran Jensen is very pessimistic about the future of cities.
3. Read each text below and answer the questions.
In 1900, the world's largest city was London, which then had 6.5 million people, and out of the 10
largest cities that year, only one was outside of Europe or America. That city was Tokyo, Japan with 1.5
million people. Today this is very different and the fastest growing cities are in Asia and Africa. Greater
Tokyo is the largest urban area in the world, with a population of 37.8 million people.
1. Which was the largest city in the world in 1900?
A. Tokyo


B. London

C. An African city

2. What could be inferred from the sentence „only one was outside of Europe or America‟?
A. No largest cities in 1900 were in America.
B. Europe was the only continent to have the world's largest city.
C. A majority of the largest cities were in Europe or America.
3. The fastest growing cities today are in
A. Europe

B. Asia or Africa

.
C. America

4. What is the population of greater Tokyo?
A. 6.5 million people

B. 1.5 million people

C. 37.8 million people

Humans are rapidly becoming an urban species, with millions of people migrating to cities each
year. Over half of the world's population live in urban areas and this is likely to reach 70% of the
population by 2050.
(Text retrieved from />5. What percentage of the world population live in urban areas?
A. 70%


B. 50%

C. 25%

6. According to the text, by 2050, there will be a likely increase of
population.
A. 50%

B. 20%

C. 35%

in the world urban


Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, is located in a valley. The wealthier residents and businesses
are located in the valley floor. But look up towards the hills and you will see the steep hillsides lined with
shantytowns, known as Barrios. In the last 50 years the population of Caracas has quadrupled, fuelled by
Venezuela's oil boom. But it is estimated that 50 percent of those living here still live in poor
neighbourhoods known as barrios. These areas also face serious security issues, with gang warfare, drug
dealing, robbery and other violent crimes. They exist outside the official city grid, built without architects
or municipal maps, and are in a constant state of transition.
(Text retrieved from />7. Shantytowns, known as Barrios are found

.

A. in the valley floor of Caracas
B. in the steep hillsides of Caracas
C. in the center of Caracas
8. The word „quadrupled‟ in the text means

A. increased three times

B. increased four times

.
C. increased two times

9. What does the phrase „These areas‟ in the text refer to?
A. Businesses

B. Social issues

C. Barrios

10. Which is NOT mentioned as a security issue in Caracas?
A. Gang warfare

B. Non-violent crimes

C. Drug dealing

4. Read the passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, or D) to each question below.
The movement of people towards cities has accelerated in the past 40 years, particularly in the lessdeveloped regions, and the share of the global population living in urban areas has increased from one
third in 1960 to 47% (2.8 billion people) in 1999. The world's urban population is now growing by 60
million persons per year, about three times the increase in the rural population.
Increasing urbanisation results about equally from births in urban areas and from the continued
movement of people from the rural surround. These forces are also feeding the sprawl of urban areas as
formerly rural peri-urban settlements become incorporated into nearby cities and as secondary cities,
linked by commerce to larger urban centres, grow larger.
The proportion of people in developing countries who live in cities has almost doubled since 1960

(from less than 22% to more than 40%), while in more-developed regions the urban share has grown from
61% to 76%. There is a significant association between this population movement from rural to urban
areas and declines in average family size.
Asia and Africa remain the least urbanised of the developing regions (less than 38% each). Latin
America and the Caribbean is more than 75% urban, a level almost equal to those in Europe, Northern
America and Japan (all are between 75 and 79%).
Urbanisation is projected to continue well into the next century. By 2030, it is expected that nearly
5 billion (61%) of the world's 8.1 billion people will live in cities. The less-developed regions will be
more than 57% urban. Latin America and the Caribbean will actually have a greater percentage of
inhabitants living in cities than Europe will.
Globally, the number of cities with 10 million or more inhabitants is increasing rapidly, and most of
these new „megacities‟ are in the less-developed regions. In 1960, only New York and Tokyo had more
than 10 million people. By 1999, there were 17 cities of more than 10 million people around the world, 13
of these were in less- developed regions. It is projected that there will be 26 megacities by 2015, 22 in


less- developed regions (18 will be in Asia); more than 10% of the world's population will live in these
cities, up from just 1.7% in megacities in 1950.
(Text adapted from />1. What percentage of the world population living in urban areas in 1960?
A. About 33%

B. 47%

C. 60%

D. 38%

2. According to paragraph 2, what contributes to increasing urbanisation?
A. old people in the cities


B. births in urban areas

C. people moving from rural areas

D. B and C

3. What was the urban share of developed countries in 1960?
A. 61%

B. 76%

C. 40%

D. 22%

4. The word „declines‟ in paragraph 3 most closely means
A. gaps

B. decreases

.

C. expansions

D. moves

5. As in paragraph 4, what is the percentage of urbanisation in Latin America and the Caribbean?
A. more than 75%

B. less than 79%


C. more than 57%

6. The word „megacities‟ in the last paragraph means

D. less than 38%

.

A. new found cities

B. cities in Asia

C. cities in less developed countries

D. cities with 10 million people or more

7. How many cities in less developed regions had more than 10 million inhabitants in 1999?
A. 17

B. 10

C. 18

D. 13

8. Which is NOT true about the projection of urbanisation by 2030?
A. Europe will have more inhabitants living in cities than the Caribbean.
B. More than 57% of the population in less developed countries will live in cities.
C. 5 billion of the world population will live in cities.

D. Latin America will have more urban inhabitants than Europe.
9. This article was probably written around when?
A. Before 2015

B. In 2015

C. 40 years ago

D. In 1960

10. What could be the best title of the passage?
A. Urbanisation in Asia

B. Problems in urbanised areas

C. Births in urban areas

D. Global trends towards urbanisation

D. WRITING
1. Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition.
1. In the first ten years the population remained steady
2. The crime rate in this city increased rapidly

approximately three million.
well over 100 incidents per month.

3. For the next few months smart phone prices dropped
increase in basic electrical goods
25%.


50% in spite of a predicted price

4. The production of goods is predicted to finish the year
5. Enrolment began

1,500 students and rose

500 units per day.
about 1,900 in the second semester.

2. Rewrite each of the following sentences using the word given.
1. From February to May, 2016 sales of this product increased dramatically.
(DRAMATIC)