Read the passage and then decide whether the sentences are True (A) or False (B)

The Automobile

Americans love automobiles. We love to drive them. We don’t want anyone telling us what kind of car to buy or how much to drive it. Forty years ago, most Americans drove big cars that used a lot of gas. The gas shortage of the 1970s didn’t change Americans driving habits much. What did change was the way automobiles were built. Automakers began making cars smaller and lighter. They built smaller and more efficient engines.

In 1973, there were 102 million cars on the road. Today, there are more than 137 million cars. There are more cars being driven more miles than ever before. Forty-eight percent of the passenger vehicles sold in 2009 were sport utility vehicles and light trucks. With the recent fluctuations in fuel prices, however, demand for these big vehicles has dropped, while demand for hybrids and fuel-efficient vehicles has increased.

(Adapted from http://www.cleanlineenergy.com/)

Exercise 4

Read the text and decide whether the statements are TRUE, FALSE or DOESN’T SAY.

Shopping with mother?

I’m Cathy Huang and I’m 16. Welcome to my blog. This week I’m writing about shopping with your mother. Thanks for reading!

Have you ever been shopping with your mother? I’d like to hear you say ‘Yes, and it was fun.’ But are you really telling the truth? I went to the shopping centre yesterday with my mum. She wanted to buy me a dress for her birthday party. She’s going to be 50 next weekend. So what’s the problem with that? I hear you ask.

Well, the problem is, my mother always wants to buy me what she wants, not what I want. And we want very different things. I tried on a beautiful red dress, but she said it didn’t fit.   (It was very short!) Then I tried on a long skirt, but she didn’t like the colour. (It was purple!) I was in and out of changing rooms all day and we couldn’t agree on anything. She rolled her eyes and complained about everything I tried on. It was so depressing. And so boring. By 5 o’clock my feet were killing me and I still didn’t have a dress for the party.

Next time Mum wants to take me shopping, I’m going to tell her my room is a terrible mess and I have to tidy it now. I know it’s not very nice to lie, but shopping with my mother is not fun. And, I’ve just seen a fantastic dress on eBay. It’s so chic. I’m going to look amazing at Mum’s party.

Exercise 12. Read the text carefully, then decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

Our life would be hard without rest and recreation. And people have many different ideas of how to spend their free time. If you enjoy doing a thing or an activity in your free time, then you have a hobby. A hobby is an activity, interest, enthusiasm or pastime that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, done during one's own time. A person's hobbies depend on his age, character and personal interests. An interesting thing to one person can be boring to another. That's why some people prefer reading, cooking, knitting, collecting, playing a musical instrument, photography or playing computer games while others prefer dancing, travelling, camping or sports.

Exercise 13. Complete the sentence with the words in the box.

1. Do you want to know how you can  _________ healthy?

2. They go _________ outside even when it's cold.

3. In order to have good _________ , you should eat lightly and laugh cheerfully.

4. My father does morning _________ everyday.

5. He eats a lot of burgers and chips so he's putting on _________

6. You should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables because they _________ vitamin A, which is good for the eyes.

7. If you want to be fit, stay outdoors more and do more _________ activities.

8. To prevent _________ you should eat a lot of garlic and keep your body warm.

9. He plays computer games and watches TV a lot so his eyes are often _________

10. Eat less junk high-fat food to keep you from _________ fat.

Read the following passage and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

We use many different energy sources for the sake of us. Energy sources are classified into two groups: non-renewable and renewable.

Non-renewable energy sources are those that take millions of years to form and will run out some day. It is energy that comes from fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuels are mainly made up of carbon and were formed millions of years ago. The chemical reaction which takes place when we burn fossil fuels releases carbon compounds such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide is one of the green house gases which is contributing to global warming and air pollution.

On the other hand, renewable energy sources will never run out, are better for the environment and do not cause pollution. Renewable energy is often called green energy because it is a natural energy, always available and does not have to be formed like non-renewable energy. The green energy is always there. For example, the Sun consistently shines, water is abundant, and the wind blows throughout the year. The five types include solar energy from the Sun; geothermal energy from heat within the Earth; hydroelectric energy from moving water; biogas from dead plants and microorganisms and finally, energy from the wind.

Exercise 4

Read the text and decide whether the statements are TRUE, FALSE or DOESN’T SAY.

Are you a positive thinker?

On our website this week, Dr Charles offers some tips on positive thinking.

Are you an optimist? I hope so, because if you are, you’ll live longer and you’ll be healthier. Or are you a pessimist? I hope not. Studies show that you won’t enjoy life as much and you’ll take longer to get better when you’re ill. So how do you think positive, not negative, thoughts? Here are some tips on how to be a positive thinker.

Stop thinking negative thoughts such as ‘I’ll never find a partner’ or ‘I’ll never pass my driving test’. Find something positive to do. Phone your best friend and have a chat. Go out and do some exercise. Put on a funny DVD. This will stop you thinking negative thoughts, and will cheer you up.

Don’t compare your life with other people’s lives. For example, thoughts like ‘She’s got a better job’ or ‘He’s got a bigger house’ make you feel pessimistic about life. Change your thinking to ‘I’ve got a good job and I like my work’ and ‘I’m happy in this house. It’s big enough for me’. Remember, being successful doesn’t always mean you are happy.

Write down your negative thoughts. This will help you to clear those thoughts from your head. And that will make you feel more positive. You could also write down positive things that happened to you. Read them when you are feeling sad or depressed, and that will make you feel more positive.

Use positive language when you speak. This will make you think more positively. For example, don’t say ‘Our holiday was a disaster’. Say ‘Next holiday, we’re going to do things differently’. Don’t say ‘Famous? It’ll never happen’. Say ‘Famous? I’ll try my best’. Try it – it works!

Read the text carefully, then decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

Our life would be hard without rest and recreation. And people have many different ideas of how to spend their free time. If you enjoy doing a thing or activity in your free time, then you have a hobby. A hobby is an activity, interest, enthusiasm, or pastime that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, done during one’s own time. A person’s hobbies depend on his age, character and personal interests. An interesting thing to one person can be boring to another. That’s why some people prefer reading, cooking, knitting, collecting, playing a musical instrument, photography or playing computer games while others prefer dancing, travelling, camping or sports.

1. …………. A hobby is anything that you enjoy doing in your free time.

2. …………. Different people have the same hobbies.

3. …………. A hobby can provide us with relaxation.

4. …………. Your hobby may be changed as you get older.

5. …………. One person’s hobby may be a boring thing to another person.

6. …………. Playing sports is not a hobby. 

Read the passage below and decide whether the statements are TRUE or FALSE?

I’m Bing. My grandmother told me that our village used to be very poor many years ago. The villagers had to work hard in the fields all day but they could not earn enough for their living. Their lives were very simple. Many people had to live in houses made of straw and mud. Nowadays my village has changed a lot. People live in big brick houses. In the evening, they can listen to the news on the radio or watch TV for entertainment. All people in my village try their best to make their living better. They raise and resurface the roads so that the roads will not be muddy and flooded after it rains.

1: Bing’s village used to be poor in the past.

2: Their lives were very simple.

3: Many people had to live in houses made of straw and mud.

4: Now people still live in mud houses.

5: The road has been renovated to improve living standard.

Exercise 4: Read the passage and decide whether the statements are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F)
Global fashion
Gillian Turner-Niles is a fashion photographer. She lives in New York and works in the fashion capitals of the world. You can see her photographs on the pages of fashion magazines across the world. Her clients include Gucci, Dior, Ferragamo, even the sports clothing company Nike. But today she’s talking to me by phone from the middle of Sudan. So, what is she doing there?
‘I’m taking photographs, of course!’ She explains, ‘I’m not taking photographs for Vogue or anyone else. It’s like a holiday. In my business, it’s easy to forget there’s another world out there. And I like looking at clothes in a different way when I travel.’
But in this world of global fashion, people all over the world wear the same clothes. The businessman’s suit in Beijing is like the businessman’s suit in Berlin. And jeans and T-shirts are almost a type of uniform these days.
‘Yes, I think that’s true in the big international cities,’ Gillian says. ‘But I’m visiting regions in the world with their own traditional clothes and their own fashions. That’s especially true in this part of Africa.’
1. New York is the capital of world fashion
2. Gillian Turner-Niles just takes photos for her company.
3. Gillian Turner-Niles loves her job because she doesn't have to work for any magazines.
4. Today, people in the world wear mostly the same styles of fashion
5. In some parts of Africa, people have their own fashions
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 Read the text and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

There are three adults and two children in the Bartons. The children are Grink, aged twelve, and little Stella, who is four. Their parents are Andrew and Marion. The other adult is Leslie , who is Andrew’s brother. He is twenty-four . They live in Newcastle, a large city in the north- east of  England.

    On weekday morning , everyone gets up early.  Andrew Barton works for a company which manufactures computers. Grink catches the school bus at eight-fifteen. Leslie is at university, studying physics. He lives away from home during term-time. Stella doesn’t go to school yet , of course. Next year, she will start at the nursery school.