Sue: I love Billie Eilish! ……………. her?

      Mike: No. I prefer Dua Lipa.

Marie: ……………. play a musical instrument, John?

      John: Yes. I play the piano.

That’s Jana. She’s ……………. to her friend.

Amy: Where ……………. you yesterday?

      Jill: I was at my grandmother’s house.

Angel: Messi’s the ……………. footballer in the world.

      Ricardo: No, he isn’t. Ronaldo is!

I ……………. to the radio every day.

Dad: Where are you going?

      Mum: To the …………….. I need to buy some boots.

Mary is very …………….. She always helps me when I have a problem.

You ……………. tell anyone – it’s a secret.

      When I was five I ……………. swim but now I can.

While we ……………. to school, it started snowing. It was beautiful!

Harry: What are you doing tonight?

Ben: I ……………. basketball with Michael. Do you want
to come?

I haven’t finished cleaning my bike ……………..

If ……………. to the concert later, ……………. with you.

He’s a …………….. He writes articles for the newspaper.

Customer: I’d like a ……………. of pizza, please.

      Server: Of course. Here you are.

George: These trousers are a bit big.

      Dad: Yes, I think you need to buy a ……………. .

That is the man ……………. name I can’t pronounce.

My best friend isn’t ……………. my sister.

Can you turn the music down, it’s ……………..

James: What ……………. if you ……………. €100 in the street?

      Lisa: I’d give it to the police.

My brother and sister ……………. play football together when they were younger.

I enjoyed ……………. my homework last night.

Mum: What’s the matter?

Natalie: I sang too much at the concert and now my throat is ……………..

I am very ……………. in learning Chinese next year.

If I don’t know a word I always ……………. using an online dictionary.

I’ve lived in London ……………. 20 years but I’ve never visited London Zoo.

By this time next week, we ……………. our exams and we’ll be on holiday!

This film, ……………. won three Oscars, stars Anne Hathaway and is directed by Tim Burton.

It ……………. John who used the computer because he doesn’t know the password.

If you ……………. football for five hours you ……………. so tired.

I wish I ……………. as well as her. She’s got such a lovely voice.

When we entered the church it was ……………. inside.

My teacher is very good ……………. grammar.

Sally, could you ……………. me some money, please?

Tom: Where are you? ……………. here for an hour.

      Emma: Sorry. I missed the bus.

It was ……………. hot that we decided to stay at home.

The ……………. I concentrate, the ……………. I finish my work.

You ……………. brought food. We have got plenty here.

We’ll play a game tonight ……………. you have done your

      homework.

You won a prize for your paintings, …………….

The ……………. from the airport into London was expensive but quick.

When I ……………. money, I usually take out €40 from the cash machine.

Max always ……………. his important computer documents on an external drive.

If the computer doesn’t work try ……………. it off and on again.

The suspect ……………. being near the bank at the time of the crime.

The man is believed ……………. over a thousand marathons since he started.

Paul didn’t like decorating so he got a professional decorator ……………. his flat for him.

……………. all her emails, she switched off her computer.

If you’re angry, just tell him. You should get it off your ……………. .

You should take a few days off work. It won’t ……………. you any harm.

Slow down, Barry. I can’t ……………. you.

Cairo is a wonderful city full of culture and ……………. in history.

I liked my new English teacher, ……………. was fortunate, as she also was teaching us history.

Mum: Laura, have you done the dishes yet?

Laura: Well, I ……………. doing them, but then I had to answer my phone.

      ……………. the film started when the phone rang.

Do you remember ……………. your bed when you were a child?

My aunt Jane bears a(n) ……………. resemblance to a famous rock star.

      My sister and my father like to win. There is a competitive ……………. running through our family.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What was one of the problems with the first bike sharing system?

Bike Sharing

         If you travel to a big city, you will see many people riding public bikes. This isn’t a new idea. The first public bike sharing system began in Amsterdam in the 1960s. The organisers painted the bikes white and many people used them. After one person finished their journey they left the bike for the next person. Unfortunately, people stole many of the bikes or threw them in the rivers, and so the system was stopped.                

         In 1974, the city of La Rochelle, in France, started its own system of free public bicycles. Their bikes were yellow and the system was successful. Today, there are more than 300 bikes and the city is famous for its yellow bikes. You have to pay to use the bikes now, but they aren’t expensive and they are very popular.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What does the writer say about the bike sharing system in France?

         If you travel to a big city, you will see many people riding public bikes. This isn’t a new idea. The first public bike sharing system began in Amsterdam in the 1960s. The organisers painted the bikes white and many people used them. After one person finished their journey they left the bike for the next person. Unfortunately, people stole many of the bikes or threw them in the rivers, and so the system was stopped.                

         In 1974, the city of La Rochelle, in France, started its own system of free public bicycles. Their bikes were yellow and the system was successful. Today, there are more than 300 bikes and the city is famous for its yellow bikes. You have to pay to use the bikes now, but they aren’t expensive and they are very popular.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What does ‘they’ (in red) refer to?

Today, technology has changed public bike sharing systems.  There are now special stations for people to put the bikes so they are safe and computer systems that record the location of the bikes at the bike stations. In most bike sharing systems, the riders use a special card to pay for the bike. Public bike sharing systems are popular in Europe, but they are also becoming popular in Asia. In fact, the biggest bike sharing system is in the city of   Hangzhou, in China. There are over 84,000 bicycles and over 3,000 stations!

         Cities don’t have bike sharing systems to make money, but the city benefits because there are fewer cars on the roads, less noise and less pollution. Public bike sharing systems are also becoming very popular with tourists. Local people are happy because a shared bike is cheaper than using a car, it is good for the environment and it is good exercise. With over 500 bike sharing systems in the world today it looks like they are here to stay.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What’s the topic of the last paragraph?

Today, technology has changed public bike sharing systems.  There are now special stations for people to put the bikes so they are safe and computer systems that record the location of the bikes at the bike stations. In most bike sharing systems, the riders use a special card to pay for the bike. Public bike sharing systems are popular in Europe, but they are also becoming popular in Asia. In fact, the biggest bike sharing system is in the city of   Hangzhou, in China. There are over 84,000 bicycles and over 3,000 stations!

         Cities don’t have bike sharing systems to make money, but the city benefits because there are fewer cars on the roads, less noise and less pollution. Public bike sharing systems are also becoming very popular with tourists. Local people are happy because a shared bike is cheaper than using a car, it is good for the environment and it is good exercise. With over 500 bike sharing systems in the world today it looks like they are here to stay.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: How does the writer feel about bike sharing systems?

Today, technology has changed public bike sharing systems.  There are now special stations for people to put the bikes so they are safe and computer systems that record the location of the bikes at the bike stations. In most bike sharing systems, the riders use a special card to pay for the bike. Public bike sharing systems are popular in Europe, but they are also becoming popular in Asia. In fact, the biggest bike sharing system is in the city of   Hangzhou, in China. There are over 84,000 bicycles and over 3,000 stations!

         Cities don’t have bike sharing systems to make money, but the city benefits because there are fewer cars on the roads, less noise and less pollution. Public bike sharing systems are also becoming very popular with tourists. Local people are happy because a shared bike is cheaper than using a car, it is good for the environment and it is good exercise. With over 500 bike sharing systems in the world today it looks like they are here to stay.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What is the writer doing in the text?

Democratic School

          I’ve just started university and have met lots of new people from all sorts of countries. Despite their differentbackgrounds, they all went to the same type of school as me. The schools had lots of rules, lots of sitting quietly, hours of listening to lessons and never-ending tests. However, there was one student, Derek, who told me he’d gone to a democratic school. I didn’t know what he meant so I asked him to tell me more.

          Derek explained that democratic schools are very different from typical schools where the teachers decide what the rules are. In democratic schools, things like equality and freedom are more important than getting good grades. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions. He explained that in weekly meetings students and staff members voted on school rules and ways to enforce them. They also decided what to do if someone broke the rules. Each student and staff member had one vote each, so, as there were many more students than staff, the students were in control.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What does ‘never-ending tests’ (in red) mean?

Democratic School

          I’ve just started university and have met lots of new people from all sorts of countries. Despite their differentbackgrounds, they all went to the same type of school as me. The schools had lots of rules, lots of sitting quietly, hours of listening to lessons and never-ending tests. However, there was one student, Derek, who told me he’d gone to a democratic school. I didn’t know what he meant so I asked him to tell me more.

          Derek explained that democratic schools are very different from typical schools where the teachers decide what the rules are. In democratic schools, things like equality and freedom are more important than getting good grades. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions. He explained that in weekly meetings students and staff members voted on school rules and ways to enforce them. They also decided what to do if someone broke the rules. Each student and staff member had one vote each, so, as there were many more students than staff, the students were in control.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: According to Derek, how are democratic schools different from more typical schools?

Democratic School

          I’ve just started university and have met lots of new people from all sorts of countries. Despite their differentbackgrounds, they all went to the same type of school as me. The schools had lots of rules, lots of sitting quietly, hours of listening to lessons and never-ending tests. However, there was one student, Derek, who told me he’d gone to a democratic school. I didn’t know what he meant so I asked him to tell me more.

          Derek explained that democratic schools are very different from typical schools where the teachers decide what the rules are. In democratic schools, things like equality and freedom are more important than getting good grades. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions. He explained that in weekly meetings students and staff members voted on school rules and ways to enforce them. They also decided what to do if someone broke the rules. Each student and staff member had one vote each, so, as there were many more students than staff, the students were in control.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What does the writer learn about the classes in the democratic school?

As for the lessons themselves, Derek said that students made their own timetables at the beginning of each term. They could choose from a range of traditional subjects like geography, maths and woodwork. He also explained how the students weren’t separated by age and even more surprisingly that participation in each class was optional. They had to attend the class, but if they chose to, the students could do an alternative activity like reading or drawing. Despite this, the students often chose to prepare for exams in order to go to university.

          If I’d gone to a democratic school, I wouldn’t have studied anything and I’d have spent all my time playing games. Even now, I need someone to tell me what to do and organise my life for me. But maybe that’s the point of democratic schools. Perhaps if young people were allowed to make more decisions themselves, they would be better prepared not only for life at university, but also the challenges beyond.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: How does the writer feel about democratic schools?

As for the lessons themselves, Derek said that students made their own timetables at the beginning of each term. They could choose from a range of traditional subjects like geography, maths and woodwork. He also explained how the students weren’t separated by age and even more surprisingly that participation in each class was optional. They had to attend the class, but if they chose to, the students could do an alternative activity like reading or drawing. Despite this, the students often chose to prepare for exams in order to go to university.

          If I’d gone to a democratic school, I wouldn’t have studied anything and I’d have spent all my time playing games. Even now, I need someone to tell me what to do and organise my life for me. But maybe that’s the point of democratic schools. Perhaps if young people were allowed to make more decisions themselves, they would be better prepared not only for life at university, but also the challenges beyond.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: Why does the writer use the example of the flute?

The Importance of Music

Music has always been important to people, and has been around for longer than you might think. In 2012, a primitive flute made from bird bone and mammoth ivory, discovered in Germany, was claimed to be over forty-thousand years old. If true, this would make it the world’s oldest musical instrument. But why have humans needed music for so long?

          There are many theories as to the importance of music. Some experts suggest that humans used music like birds do, to attract a mate. Other theories suggest that music emerged to accompany storytelling. Stories told in groups turned into poetry, which had a rhythm. This rhythm may have been accompanied by clapping, which may have evolved into drums and other instruments. Another function of music was to bond communities, and this can still be evidenced in football stadiums all over the world. Whatever the reason, it is clear that music has never been essential for survival, but is something that has been kept because it serves various functions and is enjoyed by people.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: In the second paragraph, what does the writer suggest about music?

The Importance of Music

Music has always been important to people, and has been around for longer than you might think. In 2012, a primitive flute made from bird bone and mammoth ivory, discovered in Germany, was claimed to be over forty-thousand years old. If true, this would make it the world’s oldest musical instrument. But why have humans needed music for so long?

          There are many theories as to the importance of music. Some experts suggest that humans used music like birds do, to attract a mate. Other theories suggest that music emerged to accompany storytelling. Stories told in groups turned into poetry, which had a rhythm. This rhythm may have been accompanied by clapping, which may have evolved into drums and other instruments. Another function of music was to bond communities, and this can still be evidenced in football stadiums all over the world. Whatever the reason, it is clear that music has never been essential for survival, but is something that has been kept because it serves various functions and is enjoyed by people.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: In the first paragraph, what reason is given for the increase in young people learning an instrument?

In fact, according to recent studies, nowadays more and more young people are learning to play an instrument; the most popular being the recorder, piano and guitar. In recent years, electric keyboards and electric guitars have increased in popularity, suggesting a shift away from more traditional instruments towards electronic ones. With the arrival of the Internet and mobile technology, it is possible to turn a mobile phone into a keyboard or drum, and beginners can learn guitar and other instruments by watching video tutorials online. Some artists, like Shawn Mendes, have become famous after posting their performances on the Internet.

          The Internet has also created the potential for people to collaborate on online musical projects so new sounds and ways of making music can be easily shared. The Virtual Choir is one example of this; more than a thousand voices were brought together by the Internet to create a digital choir. In addition, musicians who use the Internet can form online bands and use internet websites such as YouTube to share their music, without ever meeting in person.

          But what about the young people without access to the Internet or expensive instruments like the piano? Well, in the same way as people have been doing for millennia, they make music in any way they can; by whistling, clapping or just hitting a box with their hands. As long as we have creativity and imagination, the future of music is assured, regardless of the instruments that we play.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: What does ‘this’ (in red) refer to?

In fact, according to recent studies, nowadays more and more young people are learning to play an instrument; the most popular being the recorder, piano and guitar. In recent years, electric keyboards and electric guitars have increased in popularity, suggesting a shift away from more traditional instruments towards electronic ones. With the arrival of the Internet and mobile technology, it is possible to turn a mobile phone into a keyboard or drum, and beginners can learn guitar and other instruments by watching video tutorials online. Some artists, like Shawn Mendes, have become famous after posting their performances on the Internet.

          The Internet has also created the potential for people to collaborate on online musical projects so new sounds and ways of making music can be easily shared. The Virtual Choir is one example of this; more than a thousand voices were brought together by the Internet to create a digital choir. In addition, musicians who use the Internet can form online bands and use internet websites such as YouTube to share their music, without ever meeting in person.

          But what about the young people without access to the Internet or expensive instruments like the piano? Well, in the same way as people have been doing for millennia, they make music in any way they can; by whistling, clapping or just hitting a box with their hands. As long as we have creativity and imagination, the future of music is assured, regardless of the instruments that we play.

READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION: How does the writer feel about the future of music?

In fact, according to recent studies, nowadays more and more young people are learning to play an instrument; the most popular being the recorder, piano and guitar. In recent years, electric keyboards and electric guitars have increased in popularity, suggesting a shift away from more traditional instruments towards electronic ones. With the arrival of the Internet and mobile technology, it is possible to turn a mobile phone into a keyboard or drum, and beginners can learn guitar and other instruments by watching video tutorials online. Some artists, like Shawn Mendes, have become famous after posting their performances on the Internet.

          The Internet has also created the potential for people to collaborate on online musical projects so new sounds and ways of making music can be easily shared. The Virtual Choir is one example of this; more than a thousand voices were brought together by the Internet to create a digital choir. In addition, musicians who use the Internet can form online bands and use internet websites such as YouTube to share their music, without ever meeting in person.

          But what about the young people without access to the Internet or expensive instruments like the piano? Well, in the same way as people have been doing for millennia, they make music in any way they can; by whistling, clapping or just hitting a box with their hands. As long as we have creativity and imagination, the future of music is assured, regardless of the instruments that we play.