Complete the sentences using a little/a bit/much/a lot/far and comparative adverbs.

E.g.: Alice writes a little more beautifully than her older brother. (A LITTLE / BEAUTIFUL) 

1. You hardly ever write to me. Why don’t you write Answer (A BIT / OFTEN)?

2. Our team have played Answer before. We are last on the table. (MUCH / BAD)

3. You must think Answer others to create an outstanding piece of art. (A LOT / CREATIVE)

4. If we all help, we’ll get the job finished Answer. (A LITTLE / SOONER)

5. City people seem to apply modern techniques Answer country people. (FAR / QUICK)

Change the adjectives in the brackets into adverbs. Then use comparative adverbs + than to complete the sentences.

E.g.: He checked his answers more carefully than she did. That’s why he was sure of his answers. (CAREFUL)

1. The man always arrives Answer the others. That’s why he was promoted. (EARLY)

2. Although the turtle ran Answer the hare, it won the race. (SLOW)

3. Nam speaks English Answer the other students because he comes from a non-English speaking country. (FLUENT)

4. My sister sang Answer Amanda did, so she won the contest. (GOOD)

5. Robert usually goes to bed Answer his roommate. (LATE)

Choose the correct word to complete each blank.

 Why work in conservation?   

If you Answer about animals and enjoy spending time in Answere, you should think about a career in conservation. According to the Answerl data, at least 10,000 species go extinct every year. Conservationists try to Answer what causes animals to Answer, and then they use this knowledge to  Answer other vulnerable populations. Many people are Answer when they learn about the size of the problem. As a conservationist, you can help people understand the importance of this Answer. 

Read the text below and complete questions 7-11.

Maternity allowance for working women:

You can claim Maternity Allowance once you've been pregnant for 26 weeks. Payments start 11 weeks before the date on which your baby is due.

The amount you can get depends on your eligibility. You could get either:

• £140.98 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is less) for 39 weeks

• £27 a week for 14 weeks

Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks:

You might get Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks if one of the following applies:

You may still qualify even if you've recently stopped working. It doesn't matter if you had different jobs, or periods when you were unemployed.

Maternity Allowance for 14 weeks:

You might get Maternity Allowance for 14 weeks if for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due:

How to claim

You'll need an MA1 claim form, available online. You can print this and fill it in, or fill it in online. You also need to provide a payslip or a Certificate of Small Earnings Exemption as proof of your income, and proof of the baby's due date, such as a doctor's letter.

You should get a decision on your claim within 24 working days.

You should report any changes to your circumstances, for example, if you go back to work, to your local Jobcentre Plus as they can affect how much allowance you get.

Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER from the passage.

7. The maximum amount of money a woman can get each week is £ Answer.

8. Being Answer for a time does not necessarily mean that a woman will not be eligible for Maternity Allowance.

9. In order to claim, a woman must send a Answer or a Small Earnings Exemption Certificate as evidence of her income.

10. In order to claim, a woman may need to provide a Answer as evidence of the due date.

11. Payment may be affected by differences in someone's Answer such as a return to work, and the local Jobcenter Plus must be informed.

Read the text below and complete Questions 1-6.

The Young Person's Railcard

A Young Person's Railcard gives young people the opportunity to purchase discounted rail tickets across Britain. Just Imagine where it could take you - to festivals, to see distant friends or to London for a weekend break.

Who can apply?

Absolutely anybody between 16 and 25 can apply. You will need to provide proof that you are under 26 years of age. For this, only your birth certificate, driving licence, passport or medical card will be acceptable. Alternatively, if you are a mature student over this age but in full-time education, you can also apply. In order to prove your eligibility, you will need to get your headteacher, tutor, or head of department to sign the application form as well as one of your photos, the latter also needing to be officially stamped. 'Full-time education’ is defined as over 15 hours per week for at least 20 weeks a year.

Then go along to any major railway station, rail-appointed travel agent or authorised student travel office with your completed application form from this leaflet, together with £28, two passport-sized photos and proof of eligibility

Using your railcard

You can use it at any time-weekends, Bank Holidays or during the week. But if you travel before 10 am Monday to Friday (except during July and August) minimum fares will apply. For full details of these, please ask at your local station or contact a rail-appointed travel agent.

Conditions

In cases where a railcard does not bear the user's signature, it will be treated as invalid. Neither your railcard nor any tickets bought with it may be used by anybody else. Unless there are no purchase facilities available at the station where you began your journey, you will be required to pay the full fare if you are unable to produce a valid ticket for inspection during a journey.

Reduced rate tickets are not available for first-class travel or for Eurostar links to France and Belgium. Passengers will be charged the full rate if they want to use these services.

Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.

1. Railcard applicants over 25 need to be involved in Answer

2. For mature, full-time students, one of the photographs submitted must be signed and Answer.

3. If your railcard doesn't have your Answer it will be impossible to use it for travel.

4. The benefits of a railcard are not transferable to Answer.

5. If you have no ticket but boarded a train at a station without any Answer, you will still be eligible for a discounted ticket.

6. If railcard holders wish to use the Eurostar network they must pay the Answer

Read the text below and complete Questions 1-8.

Tips for giving an effective business presentation

Preparation

Get someone else to evaluate your performance and highlight your best skills. For example, go through your presentation in front of colleague or relative. Think about who your audience is and what you want them to get out of the presentation. Think about content and style.

Go into the presentation room and try out any moves you may have to make, e.g. getting up from your chair and moving to the podium. Errors in the first 20 seconds can be very disorientating.

Familiarize yourself with the electronic equipment before the presentation and also have a backup plan in mind, should there be an unexpected problem like a power cut.

Dealing with presentation nervousness

A certain amount of nervousness is vital for a good presentation. The added adrenaline will keep your faculties sharp and give your presentation skills extra force. This can, however, result in tension in the upper chest. Concentrate on your breathing. Slow it right down and this will relax you. Strangely, having something to pick up and put down tends to help you do this.

It may seem an odd idea, but we seem to feel calmer when we engage in what's referred to as a displacement activity, like clicking a pen or fiddling with jewelry. A limited amount of this will not be too obvious and can make you feel more secure at the start.

Interacting with your audience

Think of your presentation as a conversation with your audience. They may not actually say anything but make them feel consulted, questioned, challenged, then they will stay awake and attentive.

Engage with your present audience, not the one you have prepared for. Keep looking for reactions to your ideas and respond to them. If your audience doesn't appear to be following you, find another way to get your ideas across. If you don't interact, you might as well send a video recording of your presentation instead!

Structuring effective presentations

Effective presentations are full of examples. These help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean. It's quicker and more colorful. Stick to the point using three or four main ideas. For any subsidiary information that you cannot present in 20 minutes, try another medium, such as handouts.

End as if your presentation has gone well. Do this even if you feel you've presented badly. And anyway a good finish will get you some applause - and you deserve it!

Questions 1- 8

Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

1. Practicing your presentation on a Answer or a family member is helpful.

2. Be prepared for a problem such as a Answer

3. One way to overcome pre-presentation nerves is to make your Answer less rapid.

4. It is acceptable to do something called a Answer at the start of the presentation to reassure you.

5. Your presentation should be like a Answer with the people who have come to hear you.

6. Check constantly for Answer to the points you are making.

7. Make sure you use plenty of Answer to communicate your message effectively

8. To keep the presentation short, use things like Answer to provide extra details

Exercise 1: The words in blue below are used in the reading passage on pages 95–96. Which of these words are antonyms (words with opposite meanings)? Complete the sentences. 

1. Answer: is the opposite of in danger. 

2. Answer: is the opposite of fall. 

3. Answer: is the opposite of warm. 

4. Answer: is the opposite of under 

Exercise 3: Write the words in the correct blanks. 

The North Atlantic Right Whale 

North Atlantic right whales live near the Atlantic coast of North America. Many whales are Answer  of extinction, but this species is in an especially difficult situation. In the past, there were tens of thousands of North Atlantic right whales. Today, the population has dropped to Answer  500 animals, and experts are worried that this number will continue to Answer  .  

 There are many reasons why it is difficult to keep right whales Answer. Their natural habitat is close to areas where there is a lot of human activity and they are sometimes hit by boats. Pollution is also a problem because it makes the animals sick.  

In the summer, the whales swim north to find food, and in the winter, they migrate south where the water is Answer. In the future, Answer  sea Answer  will also likely have an Answer  on the species. Right whales may have to change their migration patterns to find  Answer waters.  

These amazing animals can grow to Answer  50 feet and weigh more than 80 tons. They are friendly and sociable and often swim quite close to boats. Sadly, these characteristics are part of the reason they are in danger of extinction.  

Exercise 3: Use the words below to complete the paragraph.

Decrease     count       forest         danger       wild           protect        goals      discover

Part of my job as a conservationist is to Answer the number of lions in the local area. The population isn't in Answer, but it's important to check the situation often in case the number of lions starts to Answer. Two of the main Answer  of my job are to watch for any problems that could hurt the lions and find ways to Answer them from the modern world. It's sad, but all

Answer  animals need our help—not just lions. When people or companies Answer  something they want in an area, they don't think enough about the effects on animal populations. You can't simply cut down trees in a Answer , for example, without hurting the animals that live there.

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks

Count  wild       forest       decrease        goals      protect          discover       danger

1. It can be difficult to find your way through a Answer.

2. Some kinds of Answer  animals are not afraid of people.

3. Conservationists often need to  Answer the number of animals in certain areas.

4. If we don't do something about it, the elephant population will continue to Answer  .

5. Many wild animals are in  Answer because of the activities of people.

6. Conservationists always hope to Answer  new animal populations.

7. Most people are afraid of crocodiles, but it is still important to  Answer them.

8. One of the Answer  of an explorer is to learn about new places.