Read the text and decide T (true)/ F (false) for each statement.

Find native English speakers      In certain areas it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the best use of your time. Talking to actual native speakers is the most effective way to improve your English skills, speaking or otherwise. So whether you have to Skype them, call them, or beg them to speak to you, do so. Your progress will be faster this way than any other.

Listen to the music of English    No, not English music, the music of English - its lilt, its prosody, the sing-songy-ness of it. The intonation. Even if you speak perfect English technically, if you speak it like a robot you’re not speaking it the way it’s meant to be spoken.

Slow down    Above all, if you want to be understood, slow down. The more clearly you speak, the better chance your listener has of understanding you. It’s tempting to get nervous and want to speed up to get it all over with, but you can’t do that! Clarity is key - for some native English speakers, too!

Record yourself   Though we hear ourselves all the time, we really don’t know quite what we sound like. So record yourself! What are the weak and strong points you hear in your speech? And then you can concentrate on what you need to work on.

Speak English at home    This is the biggest, easiest mistake to make. You go about your day, you’re on the job working partly in English, you go to your English class, and then you go home and revert back to your native tongue. While you may be making slow improvements, you’ll never get past that dreaded lingual plateau. Make a point to speak it at home, too. Have only English at the dinner table. Stick to English TV at home. Make it as 24/7 as possible.

Talking to actual native speakers is the least effective way to improve your English skills

A. True

B. False

Read the text and decide whether the following statement are True (T) or False (F) You can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your neighbors. If you are lucky, you have good neighbors. But some neighbors are not pleasant and can make your life miserable at times. If you have good neighbors, consider yourself blessed. Neighbors can play an important role in our community and our lives, and remember, you are a neighbor too. By definition, a neighbor is someone who lives close by you, but “close” is a relative term. For the city dweller, the neighbor is probably someone in the next apartment, but for the urban family, the neighbor is a bit further away. And for those who live out in rural areas, the neighbor may live a mile or two away. But what’s a good neighbor? A good neighbor is friendly and considerate. Though good neighbors may live close, they respect your space and privacy. Good neighbors wave at you, may stop to pet your dog and chat, and buy lemonade from your children. Good neighbors take time to talk and smile. They reach out to connect to you.

1…………..You can pick your friends, and you can choose your neighbors
2…………..Bad neighbors can make your life miserable at times
3…………..Neighbors can play an important role in our community and our lives 4…………..For the city dweller, the neighbor is probably someone is a bit further away.
5................For those who live out in rural areas , the neighbor may live a mile or two away
6................Good neighbors don't respect your space and privacy though they live close to you

A. Read the Ricardo’s email and decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F).

Dear Stella,

Thanks for letting me know about your hometown.

Let me tell you about my hometown, Burano. Burano is an island in the north of Italy, about 7 km from Venice. You can take a 40-minute waterbus ride from Venice. It is famous for its colorful houses. You can take great photos wherever you are on the island. Burano is also famous for its seafood. A lot of restaurants serve great, fresh seafood at cheap prices. Burano is very quiet and peaceful. About three thousand people live here.

It is better to visit Burano in summer because it is very cold in winter.

Please write back soon. I want to know about your family.

Your friend,

Ricardo

36. Stella lives in Burano.                                                            ________________.

37. Ricardo lives on an island in Italy.                                         ________________.  

38. It takes 40 minutes to get to Burano from Venice by bus.    ________________.

39.  Many restaurants in Burano serve cheap fresh seafood.     ________________.  

40.  Burano is crowded and noisy.                                               ________________.