. It’s so (frustrating / frustrated)! No matter how much I study I can’t seem to remember this vocabulary.

I’m feeling (depressed / depressing), so I’m going to go home, eat some chocolate, and go to bed early with a good book.

This maths problem is so (confusing / confused). Can you help me?

Jack and Sue could have helped you,

We do our homework every day,

You really liked that quiz,

Mark is late,

Prince Rupert is an amazing city. You can enjoy walking on its white sandy beaches. Also, you can visit its beautiful new port, Cow Bay, where you can taste fresh seafood and shop in modern boutiques.

-------

statement

Prince Rupert is a coastal city.

A language course in Europe will cost a fortune. However, learning a foreign language in your own country is also possible if you have a good teacher and practise as much as possible. In my opinion, learning a language in your home country can save you time and money.

---------

statement

It is more expensive to study a foreign language in your own country

I returned to my hometown after 12 years abroad. I remember, there was a small beautiful pond, full of goldfish in the town centre. Unfortunately, it has been replaced by an ugly new building that has two restaurants which serve horrible food.

-------

statement

The writer is pleased with the changes in his hometown

This is to inform you that the water supply will be cut for regular maintenance in the next 24 hours. Please advise everyone to use water wisely. You can call a water tanker or go to the nearest water station in case of an emergency.

---------

statement

People must go to the water station as the supply will be stopped.

. Lake Muha, in the town of Dala, has shrunk by 70% in the last 20 years due to a lack of rain. One fisherman said sadly, “How can we survive?! Many types of fish are disappearing and the reason is that fish breeding has been badly affected because there is not enough water.”

-------

statement

There are no fish in Lake Muha.

Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional content is conveyed to the audience through music. However, the words of opera, are sung rather than spoken and are accompanied by various musical instruments. Nowadays, this art form has gained popularity internationally.

---------

statement

Opera is performed in Europe only

We booked a five day safari trip to Kenya. Unfortunately, we were only able to see a lion and two giraffes because of heavy rain. The trip was very disappointing as we had planned to go out for longer drives and take lots of photos.

--------

statement

They saw few animals on the safari trip.

I want ... the pink sofa or the purple one.

I could not get a seat .... I came early

I'll keep on dreaming ... my dreams come true

Write this down ... you forget.

He (not/draw) ______tomorrow morning.

. People ______________on mars by the end of this century.

Introducing road safety skills to children is

___________ nowadays. It helps everyone

and saves lives. However, it is not enough for us just to visit schools and give

students advice.

‘Nano’ is designed for teenagers between sixteen and nineteen. It’s full of glossy

colour photos, and has articles on a wide range of topics. It also has a page where

readers can ask for advice about their problems. It goes on sale once a month.

---------------------------------------

statement

‘Nano’ is a magazine

‘SOS Children Village’ is the largest orphan charity in the world. It works to meet

the needs and protect the rights of the children who have lost their parents. It

provides them with new families to live with. It also helps with their health and their

education.

-----------------------------------

statement

The organization helps handicapped children

There were no survivors among the two hundred people on board the plane. As it

was approaching the airport, it suddenly lost power in both its engines and fell out

of the sky. It crashed onto a housing estate, killing twenty-five more people on the

ground.

------------------------------

statement

225 people died in the disaster

Fruit-flies are very annoying, but unlike mosquitoes, they do not actually bite

people. However, there is one problem. Pesticides, which are often used to kill the

flies, can cause illness among humans, especially children and the elderly.

----------------------

statement

You can become ill from a fruit-fly bite.

As he prepared for battle against the Spanish, the Portuguese king was very

worried. He only had twenty thousand soldiers – ten thousand less than the enemy.

The Spanish army also had more guns and better equipment.

--------------------------------------

statement

It looked as if the Spanish would win the battle.

15th December 2012

Hi Nasser,

As you know, I’ve been studying in Liverpool for three months now. Unfortunately, I’m

not coping well with life in England. In fact, I feel like a stranger!

One of my main problems is my English. My reading and writing are OK, and I get

good marks in college. But I often can’t understand what the locals say to me — they

have such a strong accent, and they speak so fast and make jokes all the time!

I’m also confused by the behaviour English people expect from me. Once, for example,

when I was in a dentist’s waiting-room, I got a phone call from my Mum. I answered

immediately and was chatting happily with her when I suddenly realised that everyone

was staring angrily at me! Later, the nurse explained that I was disturbing people by

talking on the phone — it seems they wanted me to go outside to answer the call!

Sometimes I think of giving up and going back to Oman. But I can’t do that — my

parents would be so disappointed! So, instead, I think I’ll just stay in my room and not

interact with anyone! What do you think? Write soon.

Ahmed

-------------------------------------

question

Because of his experiences, he has now decided to _______________.

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to complain about the poor service we have experienced at your hotel this year. As you are aware, we have a five-year contract with you. For the past three years we have been very satisfied. Unfortunately, this year you have let us down badly. Prior to each conference, I meet with the manager-in-charge and we plan the event in detail. This time the manager-in charge was different. So I made sure to give him clear instructions regarding the layout of the presentation rooms, the refreshments for the two breaks, the set menu for lunch and where exactly to set up the refreshment tables. I visited the venue late last night to make sure that everything was where it should be. I was shocked when I saw the place. Firstly, the refreshment tables were set up in the wrong place. Secondly, the rooms were totally disorganised. Thirdly, there were not enough chairs in the presentation rooms and the lights were not working. The manager promised by this morning everything would be arranged properly. When I arrived today, everything was done as promised. However, I was very disappointed when I discovered the snacks were cold and there was no Omani coffee, halwa or dates provided although I had emphasised this when we chose the menu. I hope that you will ensure that our next event in a month’s time will run smoothly. Yours sincerely, The Human Resource Manager, Knowledge Village Company

-----------------------------

question

The aim of this letter is to ensure that the _____________.

Dear Sir,

The hotel management really appreciates the issues you raised about our hotel’s services. Regarding what you have stated about our new manager-in-charge with responsibility for arranging events, he is just recently appointed. He informed us about the challenges he was facing and the feedback you gave him. He also sought help from his colleagues to ensure that everything was handled properly. As a result, the team was able to arrange the place as requested prior to the conference. Also the refreshment tables, rooms and chairs were organised as planned. The food and refreshment menu was checked by the chef responsible for such events. Based on your valuable feedback, we have decided to register Mr. Fahad for an event management training course. This will start next week. In addition, our customer satisfaction team is investigating as to why the snacks were cold and the Omani refreshments were not served in order to ensure that our hotel services meet your expectations in future. We have worked together for the past three years. This is the first time we have received such negative feedback from your company. We ensure that such issues will never happen again and we apologise for all the upset caused to you and your colleagues. I would like to confirm that Mr. Fahad and his team have already started planning for your company’s next event. We would also like to confirm that the refreshments for the next event will not be charged to your company’s account. Best regards, Yours sincerely,

The Hotel Manager

----------------------------------------------------

question

For the next event, the manager promised to ____________________.

The Maldives are a group of very small islands in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka. They have the smallest population of any Asian country. There are about 1200 tiny islands. Two hundred of these islands are currently inhabited. About 400,000 people live in the Maldives and 75,000 of these live on the capital island, Mali. Mali is different from the other islands. It does not have any beaches. In fact, there is a small reef that surrounds the island. Eighty seven of the islands in the Maldives have different categories of hotels so tourists can go and choose the hotel that best suits their budget. They can even stay in a small cabin positioned right over the water and these all have wonderful views. It is very easy to get around the islands. When you arrive at the island on which the airport is located, you can take a dhoni and go to Mali. This is a small boat used to get around the islands. Dhoni taxis go from the airport to the capital island every fifteen minutes and every half an hour after midnight. You can use these boats to visit other islands too. They are safe and comfortable. The Maldives is a popular place for scuba diving because the seas are full of many wonderful fish. The water is so clear and transparent that when you are underwater you can see for more fifty metres! There are many professional diving schools available. They speak many languages, so you can always find someone to help you learn how to dive. Of course, this is not all you can do on these beautiful islands. There are various exciting activities such as whale and dolphin watching, fishing, surfing, snorkeling, hiking or you can even explore the old town on foot.

---------------------------------------------------

question

Where can tourists learn scuba diving?

Dear Auntie Azza,

I'm currently in 8th grade and I'm taking Spanish. The course is very challenging, although the teacher is doing her best to help. I have been working so hard for the past two semesters, but I doubt I can pass the final exam. My parents advised me to continue attending the classes. They believe that I can succeed. I really don't like this course at all, especially the speaking lessons because I can’t talk in front of others. I don't know what to do. I only got 40% in the midterm exam. As I said previously I'm worried I will fail the exam at the end of the year. I have no idea what to do about this course because honestly it's just not working for me Auntie. Please help!

Yours,

Sara

-----------------------------------------------------

question

Sara hates speaking Spanish in class because she is __________.

Dark tourism, also known as black tourism, is defined as tourism involving travel to places which are historically connected with death and disaster. People go to see the remains and effects of these disasters. Although this form of tourism started many years ago, it has only been named as ‘dark tourism’ in 1996 by Lennon and Foley. Travel writers were the first to describe their tourism to deadly places. For example, O'Rourke called his travel to Warsaw, Managua, and Belfast in 1988 'holidays in hell'. People go for dark tourism for many different reasons. Some visitors go to dark sites because of curiosity, interest and empathy reasons. However, the majority of tourists seek dark tours for educational purposes. These tours can offer learning experiences like visits to museums and historical sites. Tourists can also learn about the history of the sites and gain further knowledge about the country. Destinations of dark tourism include different sites such as castles, war museums and sites of disasters. These disasters can either be natural or man-made. An example of a natural disaster destination is the ancient town of Pompeii which was destroyed by a volcano. It has been a tourist destination for over 250 years. People go there to see the ruins of the city such as the thermal baths, the old temple and the theatre. Tourists also visit sites of man-made disasters such as the Ground Zero in New York after September 11, 2001. This site includes the 9/11 Memorial and the 9/11 Museum. The 9/11 Memorial receives about 5 million visitors a year. This makes it the most visited dark site in the world today. It is difficult to say that dark tourism is right or wrong. Although some people believe that dark tourism has got some economic advantages to the community, others think that it can have a negative impact on the society. However, it seems that it is something many of us have practised at one point in our lives. Dark tourism is still under development. Some people believe that this type of tourism will continue growing in the future and more people are expected to engage with it in the coming years.

---------------------------------------------------

question

What type of dark tourism sites does Pompeii belong to?

Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sumait was an Islamic scholar, medical practitioner but more importantly, a humanitarian. He was born in 1947 in Kuwait. He was famously known for his voluntary and charity work in more than 29 African countries. Al-Sumait was a qualified doctor in internal medicine before becoming involved in charity work. In 1972, he graduated from the University of Baghdad with a degree in Medicine and Surgery and then he got a diploma in Tropical Diseases from the University of Liverpool in 1974. He completed his specialisation degree in medicine from McGill University in Canada in 1978. He published some scientific research articles and 13 different books. Al-Sumait’s interest in charity work started as a secondary school student when he observed poor workers waiting for transport in the heat. With some friends he decided to save up from their pocket money and buy an affordable car to drive these workers for free. At university, Al-Sumait used the majority of his monthly salary to purchase Islamic books and distribute them at mosques. Al-Sumait became interested in Africa when he felt and saw that it was being neglected. African countries became the focus of his operations. In 1981, Abdul Rahman Al-Sumait founded the Africa Muslims Agency, which was later renamed as ‘Direct Aid’ society. He also established Kuwait Relief Agency and was the chief editor of Al-Kawthar Magazine. When he was 35 years old, he decided to move and live in Africa. He dedicated 29 years of his life there, helping millions of children with education, food, shelter, and religion. ‘Direct Aid’ provides extensive humanitarian assistance to poor Muslims throughout Africa. It has built 124 hospitals, 840 schools, 4 universities, 204 Islamic Centers, 214 women training centers and 2,200 mosques. The society has also established two colleges in Kenya and Zanzibar and offered 200 scholarships to Muslim African students to continue their higher studies in medicine, engineering and technology. Although Al-Sumait’s journey in Africa was a major success, it was full of difficulties. Because of his long travels in African jungles, he got high blood pressure, diabetes, and malaria. In Mozambique, Kenya, and Malawi, he was attacked by deadly cobras. Some armed groups in these areas also tried to kill him because of his impact on the poor and needy. However, he remained determined to accomplish his aim of bringing peace, aid, and relief to Africa.

------------------------------------

question

Why did Al-Sumait choose Africa for his operations? Because it _____________________________________

15th May 2013

Hi Nasser,

Sorry I haven’t written for such a long time — especially after you replied so kindly to

my last e-mail and gave me such good advice! But you’ll be pleased to know that now

things here are much better.

First, as you suggested, I did something to improve my spoken English. I decided

to leave my flat on the university campus and live with an English family. It’s been

amazing! Now I can understand almost everything they say — and when I talk, I even

sound a little like them!

Then I consulted my academic adviser, who lent me a very useful book. It’s called:

‘Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour’. It explains, and gives

examples of, how English people think, feel, and interact. So now I have a better

understanding of the country’s culture and values, and I don’t make so many mistakes!

Anyway, as a result of all this, I’m happier and much more confident wherever I go.

I’ve even decided to stay here for summer holidays and travel around the north of

England. So, many thanks again for your excellent advice!

Your old friends,

Ahmed

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question

Ahmed solved his language problems by __________.

Food Miles

1

In the past, consumers did not travel very far because they bought their food locally. This

system worked well for farmers and consumers alike. However, there were some disadvantages.

For example, consumers could only buy food that farmers produced locally and was in season.

2 Now, because of modern technology, food from all over the world is available in our shops. We

do not have to wait for spring or summer to buy strawberries or tomatoes. They are available

even during winter. Look in your fridge, cupboard, or fruit bowl and check the origin of the food.

Perhaps there are apples from California, lamb from New Zealand, or potatoes from Egypt. You

will probably be surprised to discover how far food travels to get to your table. This journey, from

"field to plate", is called "food miles".

3 A food mile is the distance that food travels from the farmer's field to your plate. In most

countries it is a legal requirement to print the country or origin of a product on the packaging, or

have it displayed somewhere it can be seen if it does not utilize packaging (such as fruit and

vegetables). However, in the U.S. this system does not apply to foods in which ingredients from

other countries have been used. So with those products it is a lot harder to determine the food

miles that may have gone into them. It is not just the distance that a food travels that affects its

food miles; it is also the method of transportation. As a general rule, you should try to limit your

consumption of foods that have been transported by air. These foods are typically moved in this

way as they perish quickly and have to get from producer to market as soon as possible. Long

truck journeys also add on food miles as they use a lot of resources to move comparatively few

food products. Sea travel is arguably the most efficient and ‘green’ form of food transportation, as

a lot of goods can be transported in one go, making for smaller carbon expenditure.

4 How the consumer gets to the shop also plays a part in helping to reduce the impact of ‘food

miles’ on the environment.

Whenever possible use public transport to go shopping or walk. It

may take a little longer than driving, but you will not only be reducing greenhouse gas emissions

from car fuel, you will either be supporting public transport or getting some exercise. The ultimate

way to reduce your food miles is to grow your own. Even those without a lot of space can grow

something. Herbs and salad greens grow well in a window box.

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question

_________ countries are legally required to display where a product has come from.