Unit1 Nearest and Dearest

Nearest and Dearest

1 Fill each of the numbered blanks ¡of the passage with one suitable word.

Sugar was for a long time a luxury and in the opinion of the medical profession it
still should be. During the nineteenth century, however, manufacturers discovered
(1) ……………of producing it in vast quantities and it has since become (2)
…………………of the staple articles of diet, particularly (3)……………. the lower
social classes. It has the advantages of (4) …………….comparatively cheap, easily
digested, rich (5) ……………energy and useful for flavouring. Its major (6)
………………are that it lacks every nourishing quality (7) …………………that of
giving energy, and (8) ………………….. of its attractive flavour it (9) …………….. to
displace other much more valuable foods (10) …………………….. the diet. Most
serious of all is its adverse (11) …………….on health, since excessive consumption
can cause heart (12) ………………., obesity and dental decay. The latter is
widespread among the inhabitants of western countries. From the very young to
the very old, (13) …………………. anyone escapes. Yet if parents (14) ………………..
drastically reduce the (15) …………………..of confectionery they allow (16) ……………. children to eat,
the extent of dental decay would soon be checked. And (17) ………………. they were to (18)
……………………… down their own consumption of sugar, they would suffer much ………… from
ailments resulting indirectly from their (20) ……………..overweight.

1) was / methods
2) one
3) among / with / for
4) being
5) in
6) disadvantages / drawbacks
7) except
8) because
9) tends
10) from / in
11) effect / impact
12) trouble / disease
13) hardly / scarcely
14) would / could
15) amount / quantity
16) their
17) if
18) cut
19) less
20) being

2 The following paragraph contains ten vocabulary errors. Correct them.

• spelling • grammatical patterns

• common collocations • dependent prepositions • fixed phrases

The (1) big majority of students who (2) make well in the Cambridge Proficiency Examination have learnt to use a
good monolingual dictionary effectively. Such dictionaries provide (3) information, not just about the (4) meanings
for words but about their (5) pronunciation and grammar as well. A student who learns how to use a dictionary
effectively will be able to work independently for much of the time, and will gain considerable (6) insight to the
workings of the English language. He or she will be able to (7) confirm to the meanings of words in a text where
contextual clues are insufficient, pronounce words accurately by studying the (8) phonological transcriptions, and
use words accurately both when speaking and writing.

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Make sure you make (9) the room for at least one good monolingual dictionary on your bookshelf and then make
sure you use it (10) at a regular basis!

1 vast majority 2 do well 3 information (uncountable) 4 Meaning(s) of 5 pronunciation 6 insight into

7 confirm (no prep is needed) 8 phonetic transcriptions 9 make room for 10 on a regular basis

3 There are eight mistakes with tenses in the following short text. Find and underline the mistakes,
then correct them.
When I had been a little girl, my brother and I were going every New Year to stay with grandma and grandpa in their
mysterious old cottage by the sea. Like many other houses in the village it had been rumoured to be haunted.
One particular evening, a couple of days before New Year‟s Eve, the house was bitterly cold and rather gloomy
because it was snowing heavily all day. All of us had been sitting around the fire in the living room listening to one of grandma‟s
favourite stories, when suddenly there was a tremendous crash from upstairs. All our thoughts turned to the ghost she had been
telling us about and we looked at each other in horror. When we galloped up the stairs, however, we discovered that the branch
of a tree was snapped in the wind and smashed one of the bedroom windows. 1 will always remember the expression on
grandma‟s face. „I was never so scared in all my life!‟ was all she could whimper.

When I was a little girl ... used to go/went every New Year (repeated past action or routine) ... it was rumoured to be
haunted ... it had been snowing heavily (until that point)… all of us were sitting (this was interrupted by the crash) …had
galloped (when it was finished) ... had snapped (before the moment we arrived) ... I have never been so scared (she was
talking about all of her life, an unfinished period of time) ...

4 Combine the following sentences. Use the word in bold to link the sentences and put the verbs in
brackets in an appropriate tense. Think about where the linking word should go in your new sentence.
You may need to change the order of the information, or use passives or continuous tenses for your
sentence to make sense and be grammatically correct. There may be more than one correct answer.

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1. When the mistake was discovered yesterday, she denied all knowledge of it
2. By the time I finally won the lottery, I had been playing it for thirty years
3. Once she had overcome her initial reservations, she actually enjoyed the concert
4. By the time his latest novel was published last t week, tens of thousands of pounds had been spent on
promoting it
5. She didn’t go to bed until she had checked all the safety catches on the windows.

Reading
5 Read the following three texts and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

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1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B
5. B
6. D
7. A
8. C
9. B
10. D
11. C
12. D
13. C
14. D
15. A
16. D
17. A
18. B

Present Perfect
6Tick () the sentences that are correct. Correct those that are not.

1. Do you think Vicky‟s always known the truth about us?

2. That‟s been the second time you‟ve forgotten to post something for me.
3. I haven‟t seen Peter since he begins seeing his new girlfriend.
4. Ever since we met, you never asked me what I prefer to do.
5. In all my life, I never spoke to someone who is quite so stupid.
6. I don‟t think Paul and Carol have seen much of each other of late.
7. This is the only occasion that I‟ve seen him wearing a tie.
8. Since he‟s lived here, he was usually extremely friendly.
9. They‟ll join us after they‟ll get a bite to eat.
10. He says he hasn‟t yet come to a final decision.

1
2 That's the second time you've forgotten to post something for me.
3 I haven't seen Peter since he began seeing his new girlfriend.
4 Ever since we met, you have / you've never asked me what I prefer to do.
5 In all my life, I have / I've never spoken to someone / anyone who is quite so stupid.
6
7
8 Since he's lived here, he has / he's usually been extremely mendly.
9 They'll join us after they get / 've got / 've had a bite to eat.
10 

7 Fill each of the gaps in this passage with one suitable word.
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I‟ve often (1) ……………..that Stefan‟s success as a teacher is due to his eccentricity as much as his knowledge of
the subject. From the first time he ever (2)………….. into a classroom, students have always loved him. They‟ve
probably (3)…………… met anybody who displays such an extraordinary mixture of enthusiasm and great personal
warmth. It (4) …………… also probably the first time they‟ve (5)…………. somebody who always wears a leather
jacket and a scarf even at the height of summer.

(1) thought (2) walked / stepped (3) never (4) is (5) met

8 Fill each of the gaps in this passage with one suitable word.
„When did you really begin to feel at home here?‟ Paul asked.
„Oh, you‟ve (1) ……….. me there!‟ John replied. „Let‟s just say you won‟t feel you truly belong until you‟ve (2) ……………. out
with your colleagues and then made it up several times. Over the summer I‟ve (3) ……………. it with ah of them countless
times, often over quite trivial things. I‟ve lost (4) …………. of the times I‟ve said to myself — That‟s it! I‟ve had (5) …………… !
But I¡ come back the next day, time after time. I‟ve often (6) ………………… why I do. As far as the boss goes, just wait until you
make a major mistake. Your colleagues will go “Oooh, now you‟ve (7) …………… it!” or “Um, that‟s (8) …………… it!”, and the
boss comes in and just smiles at you. Then you‟ll know you‟ve (9) ……………it. Then you‟ll definitely have (10) ………………

1) got
2) fallen
3) lost
4) count
5) enough / it
6) wondered
7) done / had
8) torn
9) made / cracked
10) arrived

9 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word
given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the
word given.

1 lt‟s almost a year since I stopped smoking.

up

I ……………………………………………………………………………………………………ago.

2 Nobody has had sight of the boat for two days.

last

The boat ……………………………………………………………………………….. two days ago.

3 Immediately we finish this, we‟ll join you.

minute

We‟ll …………………………………………………………………... finished this. .

4 Bergkamp‟s goal is the most extraordinary I„ve ever seen.

yet

I„ve …………………………………………………………………. an extraordinary goal as

Bergkamp‟s.
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1 gave up smoking almost a year 2 was last seen 3 join you the minute we have 4 yet to see such

Other Perfect forms

10 Correct any sentences that are unacceptable.
1 By the time he is fifty, he will live in this country for half his life.

2 It‟s a surprise party and they won‟t know anything about it until they got here.

3 They‟re probably planning a quiet evening together; I know they won‟t have guessed what we‟re doing.

4 The other seventy guests should be arrived before Mikis and Maria get here.

5 By the time we will have finished, everybody will have eaten and drunk as much as they can.

1 By the time he is fifty, he will have lived / will have been living in this country for half his life.
2 It's a surprise party and they won't know anything about it until they get here.
3 Correct
4 The other seventy guests should have arrived / should arrive before Mikis and Maria get here.
5 By the time we have finished, everybody will have eaten and drunk as much as they can.

11 Complete these sentences using the words given.

Example: By the time we/get there he/left. By the time we get there he will have left.

1 Helen is bound forgotten / tomorrow/ my birthday.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2 We reached the next town having hopelessly Iost / than once.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

3 Summer will practically be over by/ time we / round to / a holiday

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

4 Apparently, his explanation felt/ been / less than satisfactory.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

5 Colin ought/phoned/now, surely?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6 Don‟t worry. Everyone forgotten all / it /time you see them again.

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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1 to have forgotten that tomorrow is my birthday.

2 having got / become hopelessly lost more than once.
3 by the time we get round to having / booking a holiday.
4 is / was felt to have been less than satisfactory.
S ought to have phoned by now, surely?
6 will have forgotten all about it by the time you see them again.

12 Fill each of the blanks with a suitable word or phrase.

Example: All the best things will have gone if we don‟t get to the sale soon.

1 I was really happy when they announced …………………………………….. decided to get married.

2 She proceeded to fix the faulty wiring, having first ………………………………….been switched off.

3 It wasn‟t until he mentioned the conference that I ……………………………………….. met before.

4 By next Christmas we …………………………………………………………..decorating the house.

5 He is planning…………………………………..……….completed all his coursework by next week.

6 It‟s six o‟clock: I imagine they …………………………….………………….. for the airport by now.

7 The suspect is believed ……………….………………………………………… fled the country.

8 After he had lost his glasses, he …………………………………………… but to buy another pair.

1 (that) they had

2 checked / made sure that the electricity had
3 realised / remembered (that) we had
4 will / shall / 'll have ftnished
5 to have
6 will have left / will be heading
7 to have
8 had no alternative / option / choice

13 Cross out and correct eight errors in this extract from a composition. A ninth error has already
been corrected.

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I had recently= I have recently

I went = I have / I've been
I have once spent= I once spent
I had loved= l loved
I returned= I have returned
to had been= to have been
have been delayed= were delayed
we have expected= we expected / we had expected

Continuous forms

14 Tick the correct sentence, a or b.

Example: Which sentence would be said after one particular meal? a I„ve eaten too much.  b
I‟ve been eating too much.

1 Which sentence refers to a temporary situation?

a That lamp sits on that table over there.

b You‟re sitting in my seat.

2 Which activity is probably not completed?

a I„ve been writing this essay all evening.

b I‟ve written to him asking for an appointment.

3 Which is a gradual process?

a The increase in traffic noise is becoming a real nuisance.

b John becomes President of Oxford Rotary Club in July.

4 Which would you say when you look out of the window early one morning?

a lt‟s been raining.

b It was raining.

5 Which is a more certain plan?

a I was thinking of spending the weekend at my sister‟s.

b I‟rn planning to spend the weekend at my sister‟s.

6 You saw a colleague waiting for a bus on your way to work. Which would you say to your other colleagues when you get to
the office to explain why she was there?

a She might have gone to see her dentist.

b She might have been going to see her dentist.

1b2a3a4a5b6b

15 A friend of yours has drafted a composition but is having difficulty with continuous verb forms
and asks you to help. Tick (. ) the most suitable of the two underlined alternatives your friend has
given you. The first has been done for you.
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I don‟t normally go to the cinema. Not because I don‟t ¡like it but because it‟s just a habit I have never got into. However, on this
occasion I decided () / was deciding to go because my friends (1) had been constantly going / had constantly go on
about this film all week and eventually wore me down. It starred some ephemeral Holllywood actor whom I (2) had vaguely
heard of / had vaguely been hearing of but couldn‟t put a face to. We got to the cinema early to find people (3) were already
waiting / already waited outside, which suggested that my friends weren‟t the only ones who thought it was worth seeing —
although I could still think of several other things I would rather (4) have been doing / do at that moment. In the end, the film
(5) turned out / was turning out to be not half as bad as expected, though I (6) would have preferred / would have been
preferring something with a bit more action. The plot centered on two men who were planning to carry out some immensely
complicated robbery, though what they (7) didn’t know / weren’t knowing was that all the time their plans (8) were being
closely monitored / were closely monitored by the police. Somewhat unpredictably, however, they got away with it because
they (9) changed / were changing their plans at the last minute. It was okay but (10) I'm not thinking / I don’t think of going
again.

(1) had been constantly going

(2) had vaguely heard of (
3) were already waiting
(4) have been doing
(5) turned out
(6) would have preferred
(7) didn't know
(8) were being closely monitored
(9) changed
(10) I'm not thinking

The future
16 Tick () the most appropriate of the underlined words.
1 She looks very pale. I think she’ll / she’s going to faint.
2 I'll / I’m going to do that for you, if you like.
3 I'll be / l’m going to be a rocket scientist when ¡ grow up.
4 „Somebody‟s at the door.' 'I’m / I'm going to see who it is.‟
5 ¡ need to be home early today so I leave / am leaving at 4.00.
6 We‟ll be in plenty of time providing the traffic is not / won’t be too bad.
7 She asked if ¡ would / will be so kind as to give her a lift.
8 What sort of job do you think you will do / will be doing in a few years‟ time?
9 By the time you get back, all the food will have gone / will go.
10 The two Prime Ministers are to / shall discuss the current economic crisis.

1 she's going to 2 I'll 3 I'm going to be 4 I'll 5 am leaving 6 is not

7 would 8 will be doing 9 will have gone 10 are to

17

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1 the point of 2 would do his / was doing his 3 as we've paid 4 is going to have (or: will have) an
5 will have been studying 6 to be taken / being taken / going to be taken

Stative forms

18 In the following extract from a composition,

decide whether the underlined verbs are in the
best tense. Tick those that are acceptable and
correct those that are not.

(1) particularly dislike (2) (or: have been

studying)
(3) am beginning (4) have had
(5) feel
(6)  (7)  (8) was thinking (9)  (10) realised (11) didn't know
(12) was taIking (13)  (14)  (15) consisted (16) don't think
(17) had read (18)  (19) would have sounded ( 20) 

19 Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar

as possible in meaning to the sentence printed before it.

a) The rail workers do not intend to call off their strike.

The rail workers have no ___________________________________________________________
b) Mrs. Scott is proud of her cooking.
Mrs. Scott prides __________________________________________________________________
c) It was the goalkeeper who saved the match for us.
If it hadn’t ________________________________________________________________________
d) I wasn’t a bit surprised to hear that Karen had changed her job.
It came ____________________________________________________________________________
e) You can try to get Tim to lend you his car but you won’t succeed.
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There’s no point ___________________________________________________________________
f) John didn’t celebrate until he received the offer of promotion in writing
Not until __________________________________________________________________________
g) 1 don’t really Iike her, even though 1 admire her achievements.
Much _____________________________________________________________________________
h) It’s thought that the accident was caused by human error.
The accident is ____________________________________________________________________

a) The railway workers have no intention (1) of calling off (1)

b) Mrs Scott prides herself (1) on her cooking/on being a good cook (1)
c) If it hadn't been for the goalkeeper (1) we would/could have lost the match (1)
d) It came as no surprise (to me) (to hear) that ... (1)
e) There's no point (in) (you/your) trying to get Tim to lend you his car/to borrow Tim's car(1)
f) Not until he/John (had) received/got/had the offer of promotion in writing (1) did he/John celebrate (1)
g) Much as I admire her achievements, I don't ... (1)
h) The accident is thought/lbelieved/presumed to have been caused (1) ...

20 For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the
original sentence but using the word given. This word must not be altered in any way.

a) Some people say that Tsiolkovsky invented the space rocket.

Credited
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) I daren’t turn on the television because the baby might wake up.
Fear
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
c) Some people will do anything to lose weight.
Lengths
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
d) The two theories appear to be completely different.
Common
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
e) Several members of the committee said they were worried about the chairman’s proposals.
Concern
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
f) The river Volta overflowed last year.
Burst
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
g) He doesn’t appreciate his wife.
Granted
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
h) The number of people out of work has been going down little by little.
Gradual
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

a) Tsiolkovsky is/has been credited (1) with inventing/having invented the space rocket/the invention of
the/being the inventor. of the space rocket (1)
b) I daren't turn on the television for fear of waking (up) the baby (up) (1)
c) Some people will go to any/great/absurd etc. lengths to lose weight (1)
d) The two theories (appear to) have (got) nothing in common/no common ground (1)
e) Several members of the committee expressed concern about/at/over ... (1)
f) The river Volta burst its banks last year (1)
g) He takes his wife/her for granted (1)
h) There has been a gradual decline/reduction/fall/decrease in ... (1)

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